Wednesday, December 25, 2019

The Lord Of The Flies - 1468 Words

The Lord of the Flies tells the story of a group of English schoolboys marooned on a tropical island after their plane is shot down during a war. Though the novel is fictional, its exploration of the idea of human evil is at least partly based on Golding’s experience with the real-life violence and brutality of World War II. Free from the rules and structures of civilization and society, the boys on the island in Lord of the Flies descend into savagery. Golding’s experience in World War II had a profound effect on his view of humanity and the evils of which it was capable. Although Golding’s story is confined to the microcosm of a group of boys, it resounds with implications far beyond the bounds of the small island and explores problems†¦show more content†¦Because the author has taken such care in incorporating this theme, it becomes apparent to us that the theme is therefore worthy of our learning. The first appearing example of symbolism portraying t he struggle between good vs evil, is Piggy’s glasses. Piggy’s glasses represent order and intelligence. The state that they’re in represents the state of the social order on the island. â€Å"Piggy’s glasses flew off and tinkled on the rocks.† This quote is referring to Piggy’s glasses breaking. This event is symbolic of the fact that evil has started to gain the upper hand and is getting closer to taking over entirely. â€Å"He took off his glasses and looked for something with which to clean them.† Piggy is constantly having to clean his glasses and this, also, is symbolic of evil beginning to overshadow good and being forced back by clear sightedness. The idea of glasses representing intelligence and intelligence being a good quality is closely bound into the perceptions of society. Because of this, this symbol is one of the more obvious ones, making it more accessible to a wider range of readers. It ensures that many people have a greater chance of understanding the theme, thereby reinforcing the importance of learning it. The next example of symbolism is the Lord of the Flies itself. â€Å"There was a blackness within, a blackness which spread.†The Lord of the Flies is symbolic of the growing presence of the both the external and internal evil within the boys on the island. We canShow MoreRelatedThe Lord Of The Flies1262 Words   |  6 Pages2015 Lord of the Flies Research Paper Evils are what drive all of the negative things in society. Characteristics of evil are all around us in our everyday lives. political leaders, celebrities, People we idolize show characteristics of evil. Even small insignificant roles in society hold certain evils in their motives. Throughout this story these evils were for once boldly stated for all to understand. The games the boys play,the fire they set, and their rescue, in the Lord of the flies showsRead More Lord of the Flies1827 Words   |  8 Pageswhich desire to follow through with. William Golding’s Lord of the Flies and John Polson’s Hide and Seek are two prime examples that demonstrate the conflict between civilised behaviour and savagery through their characters’ cultured manners, savage impulses and struggles as they decide who they really are as people. The instinct to follow rules and act in a civilised manner is highlighted throughout the first four chapters of Lord of the Flies, but is especially perceptible in the boys’ behaviourRead MoreLord of the Flies1669 Words   |  7 PagesLord Of The Flies Summary [pic] |Lord Of The Flies Summary - The Island | |Lord of the Flies is set during World War 2 on a tropical island in the Coral Sea. A group of boys survive a plane crash and are| |left stranded on a deserted island with no adults. At first the boys cling to the principles and laws they were taught during | |their upbringing. They call a meeting where they establish rules,Read MoreLord of the Flies642 Words   |  3 PagesThe book Lord of the Flies shows us how humans act when there is a weakly constructed system of power. We see how a group of civilized young men change into a bunch of crazy animalistic beasts over a very short period of time when there is no one who is â€Å"above† them to order them around and set rules. In The Hunger Games we see a society of people grouped into districts who follow the strict rules of the capital. If you question the capital or disobey one rule or show any sign of treasonRead MoreThe Lord Of The Flies1262 Words   |  6 Pages2015 Lord of the Flies Research Paper Evils are what drive all of the negative things in society. Characteristics of evil are all around us in our everyday lives. political leaders, celebrities, People we idolize show characteristics of evil. Even small insignificant roles in society hold certain evils in their motives. Throughout this story these evils were for once boldly stated for all to understand. The games the boys play,the fire they set, and their rescue, in the Lord of the flies showsRead MoreLord of the Flies2048 Words   |  9 PagesIn William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, symbols are illustrated through people, objects, and colors. In this novel, a group of children are faced with the difficulty of living isolated from society after their plane crashes on a deserted island. With no formal civilization, parents, or rules, the kids have the freedom to do as they choose. Throughout the novel, the boys find and use objects on the island that symbolize something of different importance. In Lord of the Flie s, William Golding usesRead MoreThe Lord Of The Flies1385 Words   |  6 PagesLord of the Flies In a life or death situation, desperate people resort to drastic measures. Some people were taught how to survive in brutal situations while others were never taught how to hunt if they were lost in the forest. In this life it’s either we know how to survive in a life or death situation or we learn as we go and do everything possible to stay alive. It is normal for people to experience immoral behavior due to the environment they are in and there is not much that can be done. IRead MoreThe Lord Of The Flies1111 Words   |  5 PagesThe Lord of the Flies Research Project While the World War II was in act, Adolf Hitler once incited â€Å"You only have to kick in the door, and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down†(Adolf Hitler). The structure coming down symbolizes the fact that the boys’ structure of order, and civilization came crashing down as well. This is found throughout the book. Adolf Hitler is known for his dictatorship, his exquisite leadership skills, and violent warfares.. He uncovered that leadership skillsRead MoreThe Lord Of The Flies2105 Words   |  9 PagesBefore starting The Lord of the Flies, a lone question that summed up the entire book was proposed: Are humans good or evil? Though it may not seem like a puzzling question at first, everything inside, and outside of the book makes it more complicated. If we are evil, then everyone would be turned against everyone else from the start, and if we are good, we would always be for everyone else at the beginning. Neither is present in the real world, bring up the question, what is humanity’s true goalRead MoreLord of the Flies871 Words   |  4 PagesWriting an Interpretive Composition Piggy is an important character in William Golding s Lord of The Flies. The novel follows a group of boys who crash land on a deserted island. At first, the boys believe that they will be rescued and will soon return to their normal lives. The reality of the situation, is that the world outside of the island is in war. The island becomes their new home. Using Piggy s physical features, mental state, and emotional level, Golding makes Piggy a symbol of security

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

The Night With No Sleep - 1073 Words

Ugh, another night with no sleep. ‘I had the dream about Barbara again† I told Lucy. ‘It’s alright, Honey† she reassured me. It had been six months since Barbara, my oldest daughter, went missing. She was a sophomore in college studying to be a physician. She just disappeared without any trace whatsoever. â€Å"I always get so close to finding her, and then I just wake up.† I exclaimed in depressed anger. â€Å"I know. Don’t let it get to you. We’ll find her.† she said. I was working at the office for days at a time trying to find clues to help me bring my princess home, But no matter how hard I searched, I couldn’t find anything. I always came to a dead end in my investigation. â€Å"I’m headed to the office, Honey.† I told Lucy, and left. On my way to work, I thought of every possible scenario as to where Barbara was, just like any other day. As I headed to my office, Jackson Reed, my co-worker, confronted me. â€Å"Hey Eug, I searched through the FBI database and had M.I. search for any disappearances that might connect to Barbara† He said almost eagerly â€Å"Oh yeah, did you find anything?† I questioned. â€Å"Get this, I found a few around the surrounding area, and most of the victims were college girls with brown hair, and most of them parted their hair in the middle† He exclaimed. That description sounded eerily similar to Barbara. Weeks went by, I talked to acquaintances of victims and almost every one of them said that the victims were last seen in the company of a moderately handsomeShow MoreRelatedDescription Of A Night Of Sleep Essay1229 Words   |  5 PagesSnezhana Longwell RESP 240 September 12, 2016 During a night of sleep, we pass through 5 cycles, with 4 stages being non- rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) and the last being rapid-eye movement sleep (REM). The sleep cycle follows a pattern where it starts over every 90 minutes.1 When in stage one, you are in a very light state of sleep, and you can be very easily awakened. Eye movement just starts to slow down and muscles begin to relax.2 Then entering stage two, brain waves become slowerRead MoreA Long Night Of Sleep1543 Words   |  7 PagesI wake up after what I thought was a long night of sleep, but based on how tired I feel I assume it wasn’t enough. Today it seems this feeling of everlasting exhaustion is nationwide, everyone relying on sugar and caffeine to wake them up, to keep them going. Some may even go as far as saying they have to have it, that it is a necessity, that they are addicted. Today and much into the past, coffee has been a common drink in the morning for all people so most don’t think twic e about what’s actuallyRead MoreNight Terrors And Sleep Nightmares1290 Words   |  6 PagesINTRODUCTION A night terror or sleep terror is a very frightful event that a child and parents go through. Many parents who have a child who experiences night terrors have many questions. What is a night terror? How did he/she get night terrors? What are the symptoms? What can I do to stop night terrors? Those are many questions that parents and family members want answered by a doctor, psychologist or therapist. Unfortunately, they won t receive many answers Night terrors also knownRead MoreSleep Deprivation : A Better Night s Sleep2437 Words   |  10 Pagesinclined to get a better night’s sleep. Although the United States has a workforce that ranks 13th in the world in education ranking, as stated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which includes tertiary level education as well as educated adults, students, parents, and educators must be informed as to the dangers of sleep deprivation, outlining chronic ailments, as well as dangers in everyday life. Possible solutions and results of sleep deprivation will also be includedRead MoreNight Activities And Sleep Runs1570 Words   |  7 Pagesthe performance, appropriately ending the play in a puzzling state of confusion. The theme of night activities and sleep-runs are found throughout the play. The majority of the plot takes place at night, even the rehearsal for the farcical play. All the mishaps occur during the midnight hours and the confu sion is not cleared up until the next morning when the four lovers are discovered. This setting of night allows for the audience to drift into the idea that the entire show very well could have beenRead MoreA Good Night s Sleep876 Words   |  4 PagesSawyer began to stir from a good night’s sleep, which is rare due to her stress accumulated from her job. She instinctively reached to other side of the bed expecting to feel the warmth of human flesh. Opening her eyes only to confirm the vacant spot she sighed. She flipped to the other side to look at the alarm clock the resided on her nightstand, 7:52 it read, contemplating rather to try to go back to sleep or to get up. Choosing the latter, she sat up rolling her neck, stretching her stiff limbsRead MorePersonal Narrative : My Night At Sleep Essay2285 Words   |  10 PagesFriday night, my night to sleep. College football season was over, which meant that I had nothing to do the next morning. These were the kind of nights of sleep that I looked forward to. I crawled into bed around my usual time. With an e mpty house, a slight buzz from my glass of wine, and my Hans Zimmer music, a deep incredible night of sleep was inevitable. At the time, I had no idea just how true that was. Some people claim they do not remember the dreams that they had during the night. For meRead MoreHow Sleep Disorders Change a Day and Night1106 Words   |  5 Pagessomnipathy or more commonly known as a sleep disorder, which can affect a persons sleeping pattern if there are severe effects. There are many sleep disorders but the most common ones people know about are Insomnia, Sleep apnea, night terrors, and Narcolepsy. Amongst these four sleeping disorders, their effects could potentially cause pain to a person not only mentally but physically. Insomnia is â€Å" the most common of sleep disorders involving insufficient sleep, the inability to fall asleep quicklyRead MoreHow Did You Sleep The Night Before?1570 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"How did you sleep the night before?† â€Å"Not the greatest. I had some strange nightmare† â€Å"Please explain.† â€Å"Well I saw my father and he looked kind of demonic or something and he attacked me.† â€Å"Attacked?† â€Å"Yes, it startled me somewhat† â€Å"Is this the first time you dreamt about him?† â€Å"Nah, it’s quite frequent actually† Adrian let me ask you something. Dr. Sprice leaned back in his chair. He examined him. He appeared to be somewhere in his mid-sixties with dark gray hair and glassy grey eyesRead MoreA Night Where I Didn t Sleep1983 Words   |  8 Pages I was having a night where I couldn t sleep. Earlier that afternoon, I had followed through with a short, painful conversation with my father over exactly what had happened earlier. Ana hadn t answered any of my phone calls or texts, but luckily, Tod had. I informed him of the ordeal, and much to my relief, he was alright. So... in that case, what could she have possibly meant by Too Late ? Closing my eyes, I let out a sigh. Of course I wasn t going to be able to sleep. Tomorrow was Tuesday

Monday, December 9, 2019

Essay on Human Resource Management

Question: Write an essay about the Human Resource Management. Answer: Abstracts The assignment has been prepared to study the two most important concepts of human resource management in the present day business world. The two concepts are flexibility at the workplace and work life balance of the employees, which are being highly considered by the managers these days to improve the work environment, maximise productivity, retain employees and increase the levels of job satisfaction amongst them. The assignment has been very helpful in gaining a thorough insight into the two concepts and gaining knowledge about their past, present and future status. It also helps us in understanding the effects that the long working hours can have on employees and the initiatives that a company can take to facilitate work life balance for the human resource even when the company is going through an economic downturn. Introduction The assignment has been prepared to study the concepts of flexibility and work life balance. The basic purpose of the assignment is to study the concepts and find out the entities that benefit from the implementation of flexibility at the workplace. It further aims to study the effect of long working hours on the human resource and how can the management promote work life balance even in the periods of economic downturn. To study all of the above points, we would consult a number of online websites and articles to come to a conclusion. Flexibility at Workplace The modern day business world is quite complex and the introduction of globalization has further increased up the complexities. The companies are now striving for their survival in their market and are willing to do anything that would help them in achieving a competitive advantage over other firms. In such a scenario, it is almost impossible to achieve a competitive advantage through products, services or processes as they can be easily reverse engineered and replicated within no time. Therefore, the companies are relying upon their human resources to achieve competitive advantages which they cannot achieve otherwise. In order to achieve such competitive advantages, the companies are trying to establish the best possible work environment for the employees so that they can perform well and contribute more towards the overall productivity. Flexibility at workplace is one such approach that aims at improving the work conditions by allowing the management and the employees to together d ecide the working conditions, which would be suitable to both the parties. The basic aim of workplace flexibility is to provide flexibility in the work conditions to the employees and achieve an increase in the productivity and efficiency while bringing down the operating costs side by side. Flexibility is talked about a lot in the present day organisations and is almost demanded by all employees because it helps the employees in maintaining a better balance between their work life and personal life ("Flexibility in the workplace Employee entitlements Fair Work Ombudsman", n.d.). Let us discuss some advantages of implementing flexibility at the workplace: Workplace flexibility can help the organisation in increasing the employees commitment towards the job and the organisation. Workplace flexibility can also help in increasing the quality of life of the employees The biggest advantage of implementing flexibility at the workplace is that it helps in the optimisation of productivity and efficiency. Workplace flexibility is a concept that was introduced a couple of decades ago. There are plenty of business organisations that have based their success stories on workplace flexibility while there are also organisations that have not been able to implement the concept successfully and have lost their productivity and efficiency due to the failure. Flexibility is also in a great demand as the employees prefer to work with the companies that offer flexibility to their employees. Such companies are able to maintain a positive image in the market and are able to retain their existing workforce and attract new pool of talented employees. Furthermore, a number of researchers have concluded that workplace flexibility can help in improving the work life balance of the employees and reduce the levels of stress amongst them ("why employees need flexibility", n.d.). Workplace flexibility is proving to be a very crucial concept in the management of human resources despite many believes that it has lost its original paradigm and is no more effective as it used to be earlier. According to Juliet Bourke, the concept of flexibility has lost its original paradigm because now the same work is expected to be accomplished by a lesser workforce. The viewpoint of Juliet Bourke is totally incorrect as such things depend upon the policies that the management is able to formulate under workplace flexibility. Flexibility does not mean all the work for some employees and no work for the other employees. Rather, it means that the work is the same for each employee but they are just allowed to accomplish it within any time of the day. Further, if only a few employees were overloaded with all the work then the researchers could not have concluded that flexibility at workplace could help in bringing down the levels of stress. Therefore, it can be easily said that w orkplace flexibility has not lost its original paradigm and the only problems being faced in flexibility are due to the issues in proper implementation. Implications of Long Working Hours on Employees Long working hours or overtime is a concept where the employees working in a company are allowed to work for an extra duration of time so that they can earn more than they get paid for their regular work. It is an exceptional approach to earn money for those employees who are undergoing harsh times or are unable to make both their ends meet. It also helps the company in fulfilling the demands of the human resources when the supply gets lower due to unexpected reasons as the company can pay extra to the employees and still get the work done. However, the negative impacts of long working hours have been carefully considered and they outweigh the benefits of long working hours any day. Let us now discuss some of the negative impacts of long working hours: Increase in problems related to health of the employees a number of researchers have tried to study the effect of long working hours on the health of the employees and have concluded that there are serious negative impacts of long working hours on the health of the employees. Some of the common problems, which have been found to be common in employees that work for longer hours, are listed below: Increased possibility of injuries due to physical exertion Higher blood pressure in people performing white collar jobs An increase in the mental health problems Possibility of reduction in gestation age in women and birth weight An increase in the amount of alcohol consumed by males A considerable increase in the number of suicides A number of studies have also concluded that the employees who work for more than 50 hours in a single week have more problems in their families, reduced mental health, drug addiction and divorces. Decrease in productivity Some companies believe that by making the employees work for longer durations, they would be able to achieve an increase in the overall productivity and efficiency, which is obviously not true. Employees are humans not machines and they tend to get bored with a piece of work if they have to do it again and again and for longer durations. When the employees get bored of their work, there would be an obvious decline in the productivity and efficiency as they would not want to do the same work again and again. Further, some of the employees might even leave an organisation which asks them to carry on doing a same piece of work for very long period of time. Increased absenteeism one of the most serious impacts of long working hours on the human resource of a company can be an increase in the absenteeism of employees. When the employees are given a piece of work which they have to perform repeatedly and for very long periods of time, they often tend to get bored of their work. Long working hours also disturb the work life balance of the employees, which ultimately increases the levels of stress amongst them. As a result, sooner or later, the employees feel stressed with their work and tend to take unnecessary leaves from their jobs so that they can take rest and can improve their work life balance. Stalled work another negative impact of long working hours is stalled work. Overtime and long working hours are in other way a system of appraisal that appraises the employees putting in extra time in the form of monetary compensations. To make the best out of it, the employees might sometimes stall their regular work so that they can make an excuse and carry it further to their overtime periods. They might not work with the same speed as they would have done in the absence of an overtime opportunity. By stalling the work, they can complete the same work in more time and earn extra incentive ("How Does Overtime Affect Employee Performance?", n.d.). Increased in turnover rates as absenteeism is one of the consequences of long working hours, it is obvious that slowly and steadily, the workforce would reach a stage where they would prefer leaving the organisation as working there would increase the work load on them and disturb their work life balance. As a result, they finally quit the organisations and end up increasing the turnover rates. Turnover rates can increase exponentially when organisations ask their employees to work for longer periods of time without actually providing them with any kind of compensation for the extra efforts put in by them. Segmentation long working hours can also cause segmentation in the human resource of a company. This is one of the least expected impacts of long working hours. Sometimes, the workers who mostly work for longer hours or for extra time might have a tendency of becoming territorial and would want to take over all the responsibilities as they would want to be the only ones to receive the benefits of overtime or long working hours. Increase in mistakes a number of researchers have concluded that long working hours or overtime can increase the number of mistakes committed by employees that work in jobs which require interpersonal communication, making judgement calls, managing emotional reactions or dealing with emotions or feelings of other people. As a result, the performance and accuracy can greatly suffer because of overtime work or long working hours ("The Research Is Clear: Long Hours Backfire for People and for Companies", 2015). Work Life Balance in Economic Downturn Work life balance is one of the most important concepts that have emerged in the past history of human resource management. Work life balance, in simple words, is defined as the balance between the personal lives and work lives of employees. In the modern day business world, business organisations as well as the employees are facing a number of complexities and as a result, they are experiencing greater levels of stress. Further, the employees also have a personal life and what happens in their personal lives can also become a reason for stress. When the stress resulting from one source interferes with their other life, it is said that the employees lack a proper balance between their work and personal life. Absence of work life balance can have serious consequences and as a result, the human resource managers a retrying their best to undertake approaches that would help the employees in improving their work life balances (Naithani, 2010). Ensuring work life balance for employees can become quite difficult in periods when the business is experiencing an economic downturn or a recession. During economic downturns or recessions, business organisations experience a drastic fall in the sales of their goods and products. As a result, the levels of stress creep up and it becomes difficult to maintain a balance between work and life. Ensuring work life balance for employees becomes essential in such conditions as it not only benefits the employees but also benefits the employers in the form of reduced operating costs and highly productive workforce. Let us discuss some initiatives that the management can undertake, in periods of economic downturns, to ensure proper work life balance for the employees: Part time working and job sharing one of the best ways to facilitate work life balance in economic downturns is by providing part time work options to the employees. It would allow them to manage their work life and personal life in a better way and they would ultimately become more productive. It would also help the management in reducing the operating cost as there would be less employees working at the workplace (Buchholtz, 2016). Sabbatical leaves another way to help the employees in managing their work life balance is to provide them with sabbatical leaves. Sabbatical leaves are those leaves in which an employee remains employed with the employer but is not required to assignment to the employer for a fixed period of time. It could help the employees in taking some time off from their work and would help the company in reducing the wage bills of the employees ("Sabbatical leave dictionary definition | sabbatical leave defined", n.d.). Term time term time is a concept where the employees are required to work more in a particular period of time so that they can work less in the rest of the time. This approach can be very helpful to the companies that have seasonal production and demands as both the employees and the employer reach a win-win condition. E-working one of the best gift of technology to this world is technology and information systems. E-working is an approach where the employees can work from anywhere using an information system and an internet connection. E-working is becoming very popular as the employees can easily work from their home at any time they feel like. Further, it eliminates the requirement to maintain huge office spaces and to provide perks and benefits to the employees while they work. It greatly helps in reducing the operating costs as they company does not has to attend its employees and pay for their welfare or recreational activities. It also helps the employees as they can work according to the time that suits them the best (Buchholtz, 2016). Conclusion The journals and the website consulted for the purpose of gaining information on the topic clearly show that flexibility and work life balance are very closely related and it is very important to introduce flexibility if a company wants its employees to have a work life balance. The concepts of flexibility and work life balance have a bright future as they are still being implemented by a number of organisations while some of the famous business firms in the world have already achieved success in their implementation. Further, the study also helped in understanding the importance of providing flexibility and work life balance opportunities to the employees during an economic downturn and how the employers can facilitate them during recession. References 5 Negative Effects of High Overtime Levels. (2016). Circadian.com. Retrieved 18 May 2016, A Revolutionary Change: Making the Workplace More Flexible | Solutions. (2011). Buchholtz, K. (2016). Work Life Balance is Beneficial in a Recession!. Davis, M. (2008). The Impact Of Recession On Businesses | Investopedia. Flexibility at work - the business case - Professionals Australia. (1969). Flexibility in the workplace Employee entitlements Fair Work Ombudsman. Forbes Welcome. (2016). Forbes.com. Retrieved 19 May 2016, Forbes Welcome. (2013). Forbes.com. Retrieved 19 May 2016 How Does Overtime Affect Employee Performance? How Risky Is Overtime, Really?. (2007). Harvard Business Review. Managing work-life balance in a recession. W3.unisa.edu.au. Retrieved 19 May 2016, Morgan, H. (2015). 3 Benefits of Workplace Flexibility. US News World Assignment. Retrieved 19 May 2016, Naithani, P. (2010). Recession and Work-Life Balance Initiatives. Romanian Journal Of Economic Forecasting, Research Summary: The impact of overtime and long work hours on occupational injuries and illnesses: Sabbatical leave dictionary definition | sabbatical leave defined. Yourdictionary.com.

Monday, December 2, 2019

International Economic Conditions in Ukraine

Introduction Ukraine is the largest country in Europe in terms of land mass. The country borders Belarus on the northwestern side, Russia from its eastern and northeastern side, and Black Sea from its southwestern side. Ukraine also borders Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia. It continues to enjoy the second largest military body among all European nations.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on International Economic Conditions in Ukraine specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The country has a population of about 45.4 million people. Most of the Ukrainian Christians are members of the Eastern Orthodoxy. Ukraine has a market economy that formed immediately after the planned economy of the former Soviet Union. However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the economy of Ukraine began experiencing a major slump. Ukraine’s population also gradually became poor. In the efforts to curb this situation, the government suc cessfully liberalized trade in 1991. The government also subsidized most of the public industries and the agricultural sector in the country. However, high rates of inflation grew speedily in 1990s to a hyperinflation. For example, Ukraine had the highest rate of inflation in the world within a period of one year. In 2008, the economy suffered the great economic crisis effects. As the paper reveals, the country is currently facing various international economic conditions. Ukraine and the International Trade Many countries have expanded their businesses to the global levels as a way of boosting their productivity. Ukraine is not an exception. As Dabrowski and Taran confirm, the country has been a major player, especially in the European Union (2). The major international trade partner to Ukraine is Russia. Other trade partners include Turkey, Italy, Germany, China, Poland, USA, France, and Turkmenistan among others. Ukraine is both an exporter and an importer of various goods to and from other countries.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The major exports from Ukraine include iron and steel, mineral fuels, oil, gasoline, nuclear reactors, machinery, cereals, tools, and base metals. Ukraine also imports goods from various nations in the world. Such commodities include mineral fuels and crude petroleum, nuclear reactors, vehicles, electronics, paper and paperboard, and articles of pulp (Hoekman, Jensen, and Tarr 796). For several years before the onset of economic and political crisis, the economy of Ukraine was rated one of the best in Europe. The country has relied on imports to sustain its economy. Several factors come into play to necessitate the country’s imports. To begin with, Ukraine’s internal energy sources can only cater for 15% of its yearly energy needs (Dabrowski and Taran 6). This finding implies that Ukraine has to import energy sources, including oil, nuclear reactors, and electricity. Secondly, the forest cover in Ukraine is small and inadequate for its timber and wood product needs. Hence, for it to sustain its pulp, timber, and paper-dependent industries, it has to import wood products. Thirdly, Ukraine does not have the absolute advantage of manufacturing cars as the situation is witnessed in Germany and Japan. Therefore, it is economical for it to import cars from various nations of the world. Deploying the Heckscher-Ohlin model, a nation that is abundant in the production of a particular factor has the advantage of exporting the item it produces extensively. The model also affirms that a country will export goods that it produces intensively through resources that it is endowed with. This theory explains the iron, steel, grains, and grain products that Ukraine exports. Hoekman, Jensen, and Tarr assert that Ukraine has abundant fertile farmland that it uses for the production of grains for loc al markets and export (796). On the other hand, the demand for energy and energy products outdo the country’s local production.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on International Economic Conditions in Ukraine specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Bilateral trade between Ukraine and Russia can be seen from the specific factor model. Although, Russia has played a major role in positioning and projecting the economy of Ukraine, Russia’s gains are incomparable to the losses that Ukraine encounters (Dabrowski and Taran 4). According to the specific factor model, the international trade has the ability to change income distribution in countries. The result is the witnessed unleveled gains and losses by some people. For instance, the Russian economy is currently slumping due to the political crisis and demonstrations in Ukraine concerning Russian annexation of the Ukrainian land. Trade agreements that were si gned by the two countries in the view of streamlining the economy of Ukraine have not taken off. Ukraine import cars and electronics from Russia since it has an absolute advantage over such products (Hoekman, Jensen, and Tarr 796). Export of grains, iron, and steel to Russia does not compensate the gap. In fact, the population of Ukraine demonstrates regularly to press the government to cut its ties with Russia over the annexed land and political interference. Economic Conditions that affect Ukrainian International Trade Government Policies on International Trade The Ukrainian government has enacted protectionist policies to gain its international trade. For instance, the Ukrainian government has put tariffs on automobile imports (Hoekman, Jensen, and Tarr 798). Although this move vehemently affects international trade with various countries such as Germany, Japan, and Russia, Ukraine has gained some milestones from it with reference to the Heckscher-Ohlin Model. For instance, these laws have benefitted the local business, but not the international business.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Automobile tariffs make it prohibitive for Ukrainian importers and exporters to bring automobiles for sale. Such countries may opt to export their automobiles to other parts of the world consistent with the specific factor model of international trade where trade between one nation and the other may affect the partners in a way that one partner gains while the other loses. In this case, Ukraine has gained by imposing high trade tariffs on automobile imports. As a result, its automobile manufacturing industry has grown to the extent that the country can now export its household automobiles. In addition, owners and employees of Ukrainian automobile industries have benefitted from the protection policies that the government has imposed on automobile imports (Hoekman, Jensen, and Tarr 798). The growth of the automobile industry implies more employment opportunities and technological advancement in the country. Moreover, the other consequence of automobile import tariff is that prices of Ukrainian automobiles such as cars have gone up very much. Cars are very expensive in Ukraine. Competition for car manufacturing is just within where few international motor dealers can penetrate the automobile markets in Ukraine. Therefore, exporting automobiles such as cars, airplanes, motorbikes, and other vehicles to Ukraine is a venture that the country’s international trade partners reject. With the imposition of steel tariffs by the World Trade Organization (WTO), prices went up for steel and steel products in the US where Ukraine imports its items. Since steel is used in the manufacturing industry, its rise in price is likely to affect exports from the manufacturing industry (Kostenko 56). Therefore, international trade policies are likely to affect the global business relationship between Ukraine and its partners. The implication is that the protectionist policies benefit the country that imposes them, as opposed to the situation with the specific model theory. Non- membership of Ukraine in the World Trade Organization According to Kyzym et al., although there has been an outcry in Ukraine for the country to join the WTO, it has not yet become a member (7). Lack of membership to the WTO makes the trade relationship between them strained. Ukraine is likely to face limitations when trading with the WTO members. Most of the trading partners of Ukraine are members of WTO, apart from Russia. However, its major trade partner (Russia) is on the verge of registering its membership in WTO (Kostenko 54). Therefore, Ukraine is likely to face protectionist rules in its trade with members of the WTO as a nonmember. Ukraine is not protected from the abuse of patent or trade disputes in the international markets. Therefore, whenever there is a trade dispute concerning quotas, protectionism, and duties between Ukraine and its partners, the situation remains at the partners’ mercies. Most of the trading partners such as China are also cautious of lack of surety that Ukraine puts on the table in trade relations. Membership in the WTO provides some confidence to traders in the international market (Kyzym et al. 8). The WTO rules bind all members. Hence, as a non-member, Ukraine cannot be bound by the rules and regulations of WTO whenever it contravenes them. Lack of membership to the WTO has negatively affected Ukraine’s imports and export processes. For example, there were embargoes on Ukraine grains in 2006 and 2007. This case contradicted the WTO regulations on exports. However, since Ukraine was a non-member, nothing could have been done. Trade Embargoes The impact of the 2006-2007 trade embargoes on Ukraine grains still affects its international trade (Kyzym et al. 22). According to the WTO, trade embargoes can only be applied when an exporter is suffering from a serious shortage of the commodity. However, no serious shortage of grains was witnessed in Ukraine during the period when it embargoed its grains. As a result, m ost of the exporters of grains from Ukraine suffered great losses and cancelation of international contracts. In addition, a general imbalance of grain products was witnessed in the international market. Traders also suffered losses from the depreciation of grain prices locally. Moreover, the country’s farmers also suffered a lack of the market share since it was oversupplied to the tune of $200million (Dabrowski and Taran 3). Today, grain exporters fear buying grains for exports from Ukraine, unless the prices are discounted to cater for the appreciation in the international market. The government must also provide a room for the high risk that grain traders pose to Ukraine. Export Taxes and Prohibitive Energy Cost Export taxes on some commodities such as scrap metal, skins, sheep and goats, and sunflower in Ukraine are prohibitive (Kyzym et al. 8). These taxes negatively affect Ukraine’s poor citizens who rear sheep and goats, grow sunflower, and/or buy scrap metals. On the other hand, rich citizens who are involved in this trade gain highly. This observation reflects the specific factor theory where the international trade affects the participants differently. Hence, the affluent class grows wealthier while the underprivileged one continues to be deprived while still trading. For instance, sunflower farmers in Ukraine are forced to pay a 16% tax on their sunflower overseas sales as export tax (Kyzym et al. 23). As an implication, the farmers opt to smuggle their sunflower to other parts of the world, thus resulting in uncontrolled domestic prices. In line with Heckscher-Ohlin model, export taxes benefit the rich people and not the poor ones. They also prohibit the commitment of the international investors. The energy sector in Ukraine is prohibitive for foreign investors (Dabrowski and Taran p.3). Laws and policies on energy in Ukraine are also limiting for foreigners to operate. For instance, foreign companies that are interested in oil explo ration in Ukraine are required to bid and complete their tasks within a period of not more than five years. Such policies prohibit the entry of international explorers of the Ukraine market. Another crippling factor in the energy sector is that the government does not offer any information concerning energy resources (Hoekman, Jensen, and Tarr 812). The contract winner is supposed to collect data and explore the resource within the limited period. This situation has affected the gas industry. Hence, Ukraine continues to import gas. Energy regulations in Ukraine also make it difficult for foreign investors to run their industries. Prohibitive Laws and Regulations on Investment Laws that guide the business environment in Ukraine make it difficult for foreign direct investment to succeed. Foreign investors face difficult processes in terms of registering businesses and running them in Ukraine (Kyzym et al. 7). For instance, the law requires businesses that are owned by foreigners to be regularly inspected and satisfied for health and human resource safety. This rule has become an avenue for corruption through bribery where investors bribe government inspectors to avoid prosecution and withdrawal of permits. Laws on business regulations in Ukraine do not come from a specific arm of the government (Kostenko 54). For example, the president, ministers, and individuals who are in charge of the department can enact them. This flexibility makes it difficult for foreign investors to carry out their business operations smoothly. Dabrowski and Taran say that obtaining the right of ownership in joint companies is difficult in Ukraine (4). A deficiency in laws that regulate shareholding in joint stock companies opens up the economic environment to corruption. This gap has negatively affected the stock markets in Ukraine. As a result, major firms in Ukraine have turned into investing in foreign markets, for instance, in the United Kingdom and China. Foreign and international companies avoid investing in Ukraine since no clear laws on joint stock companies have been established (Dabrowski and Taran 4). This situation contradicts the specific model theory since both the national economy and the international investors do not benefit from poor joint stock laws in Ukraine. Conclusion Ukraine is one of the major economic hubs in Europe. Since its independence in 1991, the country has experienced both vicissitudes in its international economic endeavors. As discussed above, various conditions influence Ukraine’s international economic environment. Such conditions include government policies on international trade, protectionist policies, non-membership of Ukraine in the World Trade Organization, and trade embargoes. Besides, export taxes, prohibitive energy cost, prohibitive laws and regulations on investment, laws on business environment, inconsistency in commercial laws, and deficient laws on joint stock companies are part of the conditions that infl uence Ukraine’s global business operations. Works Cited Dabrowski, Marek, and Svitlana Taran. â€Å"Is Free Trade with the EU Good for Ukraine?† CASE Network E-briefs 1.6(2012): 1-4. Print. Hoekman, Bernard, Jesper Jensen, and David Tarr. â€Å"A Vision for Ukraine in the World Economy.† Journal of World Trade 48.4(2014): 795-814. Print. Kostenko, Nataliya. â€Å"Geo-Economic Strategy of the European Union: Experience for Ukraine.† Economics Business 25.1(2014): 54-60. Print. Kyzym, Onesmus, Vera Yaroshenko, Yasmin Matyushenko, Bahma Semyhulina, and Malik Makhansova. â€Å"Opportunities and Threats of Ukraine WTO Membership to the Production and Foreign Trade of Grain Crops with the EU and Customs Union and EurAsEC.† Problems of Economy 1.2(2014), 7-24. Print. This term paper on International Economic Conditions in Ukraine was written and submitted by user The Watchers 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.