OECD Countries and Iran Essay Example for Free

OECD Countries and Iran Essay As internet is gradually maturing and presenting a paradigm shift in its very ideation, the infrastructure has acquired a business character, a transcontinental personality and a vending framework of wide-ranging, business, educational, scientific and personal data. Now the use of internet covers real-time computer conferencing, audio broadcasting, video broadcasting, real time telephony and of course real-time business. Therefore, broadband is one of the finest and reliable means of having internet at affordable prices. Globalization has opened up newer vistas of trade and business all around the globe. With globalization regime coming into effect all over the world, there’s increasing emphasis towards networking and broadband technologies. During 1996-2001 Ireland has shown the highest share of ICT exports while Korea took the lead after 2002. Finland and the Netherlands started making rapid strides in the field of ICT exports during 1996-2003. Japan used to be the leader in innovation, quality and ICT applications, but with the emergence of new actors like Hungary, Mexico, Finland and Sweden on the horizon, Japan’s export market share has come down in the recent past. During the course of this study, it was found that the share of ICT exports in total exports from OECD nations has increased in almost all countries. For example, in South Korea it has more than doubled, while in some countries like United States and United Kingdom and Japan it has decreased to some extent. The results show that in 1996, the major players namely U. S. A, United Kingdom and Japan had 54. 37% of total OECD export but in 2004 this percentage came down to 40. 21%. While the Balassa index of Korea is the highest from 2000 and during selected time period (1996-2004), while the Balassa index of Germany is somewhat less. United state and Japan are surely losing some export market shares with the emergence of new leading nations like Hungary, Finland and Czech Republic. The results show that in 1996, 2003 and 2004 only 9 countries have shown comparative advantage in ICT export products. It is interesting to note that out of these 9 countries, 8 countries have been able to show consistent performance in 1996 as well as in 2003, while Sweden happened to be the leader in 1996 duly replaced by Hungary in 2003 which came out with impressive figures of ICT exports. Figures for 2004 and 1996 indicate that 7 countries are the same while Hungary and Czech Republic join the club in 2004. But the Korean republic, United States, Japan and Mexico have come out with impressive figures and find a place in the all three list. This effectively means that only 5 countries of EU are in the list. As is evident from table 6, there is no country from Central European region in list for the year 1996. But in subsequent years representation from this region has shown some improvement. The list contains one name in 2003 and two countries from Central European region in 2004. It means the role of Central European countries in ICT export goods is on an upward journey and will increase in future as well. The Middle East countries: Lesser ICT export oriented The results show that the ICT export has a positive situation in Israel. Similarly Jordan, Lebanon and Oman appear far better than other countries in the region. But with the exception of Israel, the ICT export has not been able to register much of gain in this region and the entire middle appears slow in picking up the benefits of ICT exports. The RCA index of Israel is more than 5 during 1996-2003. It means ICT exports in Israel have an important position. The RCA index of Jordan is under 1, but it increased during 1996-2003. The RCA indexes of other countries in Middle East are almost near Zero. It means that ICT export in these countries has not found a significant role. The result demonstrates that countries with lower DSL/Cable Ratio have higher broadband penetration (except Iceland). It indicates Countries with higher broadband penetration have significant facilities-based competition between telecom companies offering DSL and cable TV operators and therefore the DSL/Cable ratio in these countries is low. The result also shows negative relation between DSL subscribers and Monthly charge. It means countries with lower Monthly charge have more DSL subscribers. The distribution of countries in the graph is very wide and far from correlation Line. It means correlation is not strong. Similarly, the result shows direct relation between DSL subscribers and Speed of Connection. It shows where the Speed of connection is higher, there are more DSL Subscribers. We’ve used the regression’ coefficient for measuring the correlation between two variables namely ‘Monthly Charge’ and ‘Speed of Connection’ on dependent variable namely ‘DSL subscribers’. The results show that; ? On an average 33% changing of DSL Subscribers is from Monthly Charge and Speed of Connection and rest is from other variables. It says influence of Speed on DSL Subscribers is more than the influence of Monthly Charge on DSL Subscribers. In addition, it says that the Influence of Monthly charge on DSL Subscribers is negative i. e. with decrease in Monthly Charge the number of DSL Subscribers will register an increase. ? The relation between Broadband subscribers and ICT export is very strong in Middle East. It says 98% changing of Broadband Subscribers in Middle East is related to ICT Exports. In general, the result can be considered as relevant for other countries as well, but since there are not many countries with Broadband subscribers, therefore the results cannot be termed as reflective of the internet penetration for all Middle East countries. ? That there isn’t a correlation between DSL subscribers and ICT exports in OECD countries. The result shows only 3% changing of Broadband Subscribers in OECD countries is related to ICT Export. It supports the Idea that there isn’t correlation between DSL subscribers and ICT export. ? That there’s no relationship between GDP and three factors (Internet, Mobile, Fixed telephone). The GDP has not been found to have an influence in the penetration of Internet, Mobile and Fixed telephone in Middle East. ? The relation between Population and Internet users is positive and implies direct association (in Middle East). ? A direct relation between population and Mobile users (Middle East). ? The relation between Population and Fixed telephone users is positive and it implies direct association (Middle East). Conclusion and Policy Recommendation for OECD It is quite apparent that OECD region is rapidly becoming a region with deep penetration of ICT technology. In addition in today’s era of Information Technology the world is increasingly becoming networked, technical, and closer to each other. Over the years IT has led to revolutionizing the way business is conducted, education is imparted, we communicate, we socialize, illness is cured etc. IT has made its mark in almost all spheres of life. Increasing use of DSL/ broadband technology by the citizens in general is therefore an healthy sign. Therefore it is quite encouraging that OECD nations have not only improved their performance in implementing IT initiatives but have also improved the percentage of exports to the outside world. That speaks volumes about the emphasis that these nations have been placing on quality and future readiness of these nations. It is therefore worthwhile to mention here that, for becoming more competitive and success oriented, the OECD nations; i. Must try to see the reasons behind the increasing emphasis of outsourcing towards the Asian region in general and India and China in particular. ii. Implement more such policies encouraging the IT industries. iii. The training and development opportunities in this field must be strengthened because, newer technologies and concepts are emerging faster on the horizon, and the students need to be aware of all such developments to competitively take on the world. Conclusion and Policy Recommendation for Iran Iran is a formidable component of Middle East formation. Though, Iran has been known as a progressive nation amongst Islamic nations, but the extent of IT penetration amongst the citizens in general requires more thinking. The fact that a strong relationship is found to exist between the Broadband subscribers and ICT exports is a pointer towards the readiness of the people in taking up the ICT initiatives. Moreover, Iran in particular needs to put more emphasis in imparting future ready education to its citizens and the students, the budding IT citizens of tomorrow. E-commerce and M-commerce are the trendy application of this IT era. Now a company or business entity has plenty of avenues to reach to the customer. Business on the move is the latest addition. Iran could very well prove to be an attractive market for the multinational enterprises, a cheaper manufacturing hub for the production oriented companies and an upcoming outsourcing destination for the IT companies. So there needs to be more emphasis on strengthening the communication networks, which provides an opportunity for indulging in reliable m-commerce activities, besides imparting quality education to the youth. A number of business establishments and financial institutions the world over have already explored the use of mobile commerce through mobile banking to broaden their reach by letting their customers access their account information and make transactions through their mobile phones. Similarly online trading in debt and equity instruments, mobile brokerage have empowered the common investor and made the share market more transparent and investor friendly. All these revolutionary concepts of Information Technology have the potential of substantially enhancing the work performances, but these gains prove elusive if the user cannot use the technological gadget to its fullest advantage. Therefore Iran needs to be more forthcoming these innovative ideas for a better tomorrow and a formidable place for itself in the Middle East formation.

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Word Count: 1486 The Differences in Lucy Salyer’s and Cybelle Fox’s Criteria For Citizenship Throughout American history, the United States government created policies that decided who can and cannot come to America to be recognized as a full fledged citizen: an individual who has been recognized as a loyal member of a nation and receives benefits granted by the government. Lucy Salyer, author of Baptism By Fire, and Cybelle Fox, author of Three Worlds of Relief, emphasize that the government based their immigration policy on issues such as race and occupation. Despite their agreement that the United States government played a major role in deciding who can and cannot become full fledged citizens, Salyer and Fox disagree on the main criteria in which they decided which immigrants could have this recognition. Salyer argues that immigrants’ race and service decided whether they should be included or excluded from full citizenship, while Fox asserts that individuals’ occupation determined this matter. As Salyer and Fox both mentioned, the government played a vital role on deciding who can become citizens through legislation, organized groups, and judicial rulings. The government can be defined in this case as legislatures, agencies, and the justice system. Throughout American history, legislatures made laws in which included and excluded newcomers to America. Aristide Zolberg, author of A Nation by Design, emphasizes this by stating, â€Å"nationality involves the delineation of a boundary, denoting simultaneously inclusion and exclusion† (Zolberg,17). A country can tend to be welcoming or unwelcoming to foreigners. In the United States, legislatures have been inclusive and exclusive to foreigners depending on the national interest. Lu... .... 56% of workers were covered, while 67% of them were Europeans and 57% were white. According to Fox, Europeans benefitted the most since majority of them held manufacturing jobs and were more likely to turn sixty-five when it was grandfathered in. Yet, approximately 38% of Mexicans and blacks were covered. This was due to the majority of them being agricultural workers or domestic workers. Therefore, Europeans held occupations that allowed them to meet the criteria for social security benefits, while Mexicans and blacks did not (Fox, 251-253). Salyer and Fox agree that the government played a role in shaping immigration during the 1920s and 1930s. Yet, they disagree with the criteria that the government used to decide who received full-fledged citizenship. This debate still continues today and this nation continues to base a criteria on who to include and exclude.

The Black Man and Langston Hughes

The term identity is defined by Webster’s dictionary as being â€Å"the state or fact of remaining the same one or ones, as under varying aspects or conditions† however in exploring the concept of Identity in black literature, we can find no definite explanation or definition. We can try to accept that it has been rooted in social situations that are generally more discriminatory, such the institution of slavery. In some way shape or form, the average or normal African American is confronted with the question of where do I fit in amongst the white society? The problem with African American Identity has many dimensions, such as community, class, and color. The reality of the African American is one that is inescapable in America. Color which is inherent in the concept of self, manifest in race consciousness. This is extremely significant because an African American establishes his identity with other individuals, known or unknown, on the basis of a similarity of color and features, that allowing the individual to be included in groups membership, â€Å"the subject of his self identity. After the African Americans began to search for their identity looking through heritage, tradition, and folk traditions. Langston Hughes to me has been nourishing the black sensibility and inspiring it to create Afro American literation and transforming it into a â€Å"literature of struggle. † The poetry of Langston Hughes has the theme of â€Å" I, too sing America† He made extraordinary contributions to American literature and has came t o be regarded as a leading voice in the Renaissance of the arts in the 1920’s. Hughes growing up asked the same question to himself of who he was, his lack of identity in society, which put a large impact on his mind and soul and made him a poet of the blacks. Hughes developed a distinct movement of â€Å"negritude† which may be regarded as the soul of the Renaissance. Rising from the consciousness of his skin color and passing through various stages of identification with people and territory of Africa, and finally grounding it in the American Past. Negritude â€Å"in the poetry of Hughes evolves into a definite and enduring concept expressive of definite vision. He Hughes doesn’t suffer from what W. E. B Dubois terms as a double consciousness. â€Å"Two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings, two warring ideals in one dark body. † Search for identity seems to be a vital aspect in the work of Langston Hughes. The identity of an American black citizen was denied to him and there was a loss of identity which a modern man living in the 20th century experiences. The Black people of America are American, the African and Black Americans are at the same time. Africa which is thought to be homeland for blacks, was dealt with by Langston Hughes, who missed the natural beauty of Africa and dreaded being caged in the mayhem of civilization. He searched his roots back in Africa. Primitivism had already become a fascinating alternative for people for people not interested in the 2nd industrial revolution. It gave new meaning of going back to the roots and ones identity. The poem â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers† is an example of the of the urge and need of the Negro to go back to his own land to find ethnic connections. The poet says: I've known rivers: I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins. In the poems entirety the rivers symbolize the glorious past, which have been flowing since humanities inception. So the African who has known rivers cannot be rootless or without past. Hughes also established a definite identity between the Blacks of America and the continent of Africa which he states in his poem called â€Å"Negro† I am a Negro: Black as the night is black, Black like the depths of my Africa. I've been a slave: I've been a worker: I've been a singer: All the way from Africa to Georgia I carried my sorrow songs. It was not easy to just up and go back to Africa. It became the dreamland for the poet, a country in which he could escape into when he finds life difficult to cope with. The poet to me seemed widely aware of misery, frustration, and isolation which to him is something that other blacks are facing. This epiphany of his leans him to the universal significance and appeal to the poets treatment of black life in America. His retreat into African is not a romantic escape from realities of life, but it provides a point of view to look at the realities of the life of black people in America. To say the blacks were treated horribly by white Americans is an understatement, they were compared to beasts and were treated accordingly. The black man was lynched, maimed and burnt, while the black woman was raped and desecrated. Lynching of the black on the charge of raping a white woman was one of the most commonplace events. Fear to the race and hatred, for the black was a common behavior of the white masses. The treatments to the blacks becomes evident in the following lines of â€Å"I, too sing America† I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong. Hence the stanza shows that the black worker doesn't find any place in the heart of the whites. He is sent to the background by the company bosses who are indifferent towards the blacks. The African American feels lonely in the northern city where there are large The Negro feels lonesome in the northern city where there are a large number of people, yet he still feels lost in the Poem â€Å"One† he relates his profound sense of isolation Lonely As a bottle of licker On a table All by itself. The whites don’t permit the political freedom to the blacks. Blacks are deprived of their basic necessities of life. They don’t have a proper place to live in. Their miserable condition is shown in the poem â€Å"Vagabond† Who have nowhere To eat. No place to sleep, The tearless Who cannot Weep. In this the blacks are alien on their own land. The blacks want a chance to eek out a decent living and have equal rights across America. Langston Hughes says â€Å"undemocratic doings take place in the shadow of the world’s greatest democracy† The blacks have no right to participate in the political affairs. Langston Hughes poetry is also preoccupied with the social problems faced by the blacks. Man is called a social animal. Blacks are not given the equal place in the society. The poet shows this inequality in the poem â€Å"Merry Go Round† the social whites have no sympathy even for a young black child. He has to sit in a segregated section. Hughes writes: Colored child at carnival: Where is the Jim Crowe section On this merry-go-round, Mister, cause I want to ride? Down South where I come from White and colored Can't sit side by side. Thus the merry go round is a metaphor for America. It is a kind of Satire on the American Society which we know as a free Society. A clear picture of the exploitation of the blacks is presented that cultural, social, and psychological space has been denied to them. Hughes never forgetting the images he has seen growing up, he has grown up shell shocked. He can clearly make out the contradiction of principles, for America was a democracy, but for the Negroes, America was fighting for a free and equal world. One where Jim Crow was eradicated, however he understands that the flame of freedom can not be extinguished by lynching and imprisoning blacks. From all this it become evident that Langston Hughes deals with the racial discrimination, lack of identity in the society and lack of freedom for the blacks. His aim and ultimate effect of his poetry is raising awareness and strengthening of the black people in their struggle for freedom in America. He was proud of his Afro-American legacy and tradition. He forcefully projects the theme of identity in his poems. He not only inspires the black to make it to the top but more than that he evokes a vision of a just society. works sited Georgene Seward, Psychotherapy and Culture Conflict (New York: Ronald Press, 1956), p. 129. Arthur A. Schaumburg's â€Å"The Negro Digs up his Past†, in Alain Locke's The New Negro, pp. 931-37. Jay Saunders Redding, To Make a poet Black (Washington:McGrath, 1969), p. 3. James A. Emanuel, Langston Hughes (New Haven: College and University Press, 1967), pp. 148-162. W. E. B. DuBois, The Souls of Black Folk (New York: New American Library, 1969), p. 45. Langston Hughes, â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers. † Selected Poems (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1979), p. 4. Langston Hughes, â€Å"Negro. † Selected Poems (New York:Alfred A. Knopf, 1979), p. 8. Langston Hughes, â€Å"I, too, Sing America. † Selected Poems (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1979), p. 275. Langston Hughes, â€Å"One. † Selected Poems (New York:Alfred A. Knopf, 1979), p. 92. Langston Hughes, â€Å"Vagabonds. † Selected Poems (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1979), p. 91. Langston Hughes, â€Å"The Big Sea† The Collected Works of Langston Hughes ( New YorkJoseph Mclauren, 1979) Volume 13 P 165 Langston Hughes, â€Å"Merry-Go-Round. † Selected Poems (NewYork: Alfred A. Knopf, 1979), p. 194.

An Adventure of the Quantum Universe in Alice in...

The novel, Alice and Quantum Land, by Robert Gilmore is an adventure in the Quantum universe. Alice, a normal teenage girl, goes through quantum land and understands what quantum is and how it works. The quantum world is a difficult one to understand, as its nature is one of complex states of being, natures, principles, notions, and the like. When these principles or concepts are compared with the macro world, one can find great similarities and even greater dissimilarities between the world wherein electrons rule, and the world wherein human beings live. In Alice in Quantumland, author Robert Gilmore converts the original tale of Alice in Wonderland from a world of anthropomorphic creatures into the minute world of quantum mechanics, and†¦show more content†¦All in all, this idea is one of the more significant ideas in the book. Moreover, the principle of superposition states that if the world can be in any configuration, any possible arrangement of particles or fields, and if the world could also be in another configuration, then the world can also be in a state which is a superposition of the two, where the amount of each configuration that is in the superposition is specified by a complex number. Superposition is a principle of quantum theory that describes a challenging concept about the nature and behavior of matter and forces at the sub-atomic level. The principle of superposition claims that while we do not know what the state of any object is, it is actually in all possible states simultaneously, as long as we dont look to check. It is the measurement itself that causes the object to be limited to a single possibility. In the novel, the mechanic mentions to Alice the Schrodinger experiment. This experiment was analogous to superposition in the macro world. Schrodinger’s experiment was to put a cat, flask of poisonous glass, and a mechanism to break the flask should substance decay in a closed box. Mechanic then stated that the substance may or may not decay, therefore, â€Å"according to the rules of quantum physics you would have a superposition of states, in some of which the decay would have happened and in others it would not. Of course,