Economic Background – Greece

Greece has a mixed capitalistic economy with a large public sector that accounts about half of GDP. Besides, Greece is a major beneficiary of European Union aid, which equal to about 3. 3% of annual GDP. In addition, Greece is an agricultural country and one of the poorest countries of the European Union with the second to lowest average income, after Portugal. In January 2002, Greece adopted the euro as its currency. The adoption provided Greece, formerly a high inflation risk country under drachma, with access to competitive loan rates and also to low rates of the Eurobond market which led to a dramatic increase in consumer spending and gave a momentous boost to economic growth. Between 2003 and 2007, Greece economy grew by nearly 4. 0% per year. The preparation for the Athens Olympic Games during 2004 gave an impulse to the Greece economy. However, the financial crisis had slowed down the Greece’s economic growth to 2.0 % in 2008. As a result of the world financial crisis and its impact on access to credit, world trade and domestic consumption, the economy went into recession in 2009 and contracted by 2. 0%. In late 2009, eroding public finances, misreported statistics, and inadequate follow-through on reforms prompted major credit rating agencies to downgrade Greece’s international debt rating, which has led to increased financial instability and a debt crisis. Greek government has approved a three-year reform program that includes cutting government spending, reducing the size of public sector, tackling tax evasion, reforming the health care and pension systems, and improving competitiveness through structural reforms to the labour and product market under the intense pressure by the EU and international lenders. The Greek Government projects that its reform program will achieve a reduction of Greece’s deficit by 4% of GDP in 2010 and allow Greece to decrease the deficit to below 3% by 2012. Greece requested activation of a joint European Union-International Monetary Fund support mechanism designed to assist Greece in financing its public debt in April 2010.

World Conflict essays

World Conflict essays The 20th century was the bloodiest 100 years in human history. Based on numbers killed, in warfare, the 20th century exceeds all other centuries combined. The three major conflicts between 1901 and 200 were World War I, World War II, and the Cold War, respectively. At the turn of the millennium, a new type of conflict arose. This would come to be know as Modern Throughout the essay, how the various wars are linked to one another will be explained. Starting with WWII, the events will eventually lead to the end of the century all the way to our most current and somewhat ongoing conflict with terrorism. Many of the worlds nations were left in ruin after the first World War. The leaders of these countries were willing to do whatever it took to prevent another catastrophe such as WWI. Over 60 different countries formed the League of Nations under the Treaty of Versailles, hoping However, not all nations felt the same about these new ideals. Germany was one of them. The Germans were infuriated about how the treaty disarmed them and forced them to pay reparations. Germany was one of the nations hit hard by the post-war Great Depression. They needed someone to lead them in a time of struggle. That man would be Adolf Hitler. The first thing Hitler did after he rose to power was re-arm the German military, under direct violation of the Versailles Treaty. Then he made plans to take over Europe. Another fascist nation building up its army was Italy. Under Benito Mussolini, the Italians invaded Ethiopia. A few tried to stop Mussolini by boycotting the sale of arms to Italy, however, that failed and the aggression continued. In 1936 the Spanish Civil War broke out and gave Italy and Germany a chance to show off their power. The two would form an alliance know as the Axis Powers. Hitler and Germany began expanding. German troops moved across France&apos...

Improving School Lunches (for Kids and the Environment)

Improving School Lunches (for Kids and the Environment) Now that many schools have stopped selling sodas and other unhealthy vending machine items to their students, improving the nutritional quality of cafeteria school lunches is on the agenda of many parents and school administrators. And luckily for the environment, healthier food usually means greener food. Connecting School Lunches with Local Farms Some forward-thinking schools are leading the charge by sourcing their cafeteria food from local farms and producers. This saves money and also cuts back on the pollution and global warming impacts associated with transporting food long distances. And since many local producers are turning to organic growing methods, local food usually means fewer pesticides in kids’ school lunches. School Lunches Linked to Obesity and Poor Nutrition Alarmed by childhood obesity statistics and the prevalence of unhealthy foods offered to students in schools, the Center for Food and Justice (CFJ) in 2000 spearheaded the national Farm to School lunch program. The program connects schools with local farms to provide healthy cafeteria food while also supporting local farmers. Participating schools not only obtain food locally, they incorporate nutrition-based curriculum and provide students with learning opportunities through visits to the local farms. Farm to School programs now operate in 19 states and in several hundred school districts. CFJ recently received significant support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to expand the program to more states and districts. The group’s website (link below) is loaded with resources to help schools get started. USDA Offers School Lunch Program in 32 States The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) also runs a Small Farms/School Meals program that boasts participation in 400 school districts in 32 states. Interested schools can check out the agency’s â€Å"Step-by-Step Guide on How to Bring Small Farms and Local Schools Together†, which is available free online. Chef Alice Waters Teaches School Lunch Cooking Classes Other schools have taken the plunge in their own unique ways. In Berkeley, California, noted chef Alice Waters holds cooking classes in which students grow and prepare local organic fruits and vegetables for their peers’ school lunch menus. And as documented in the film, â€Å"Super Size Me,† Wisconsin’s Appleton Central Alternative School hired a local organic bakery that helped transform Appleton’s cafeteria fare from offerings heavy on meat and junk food to predominantly whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables. How Parents Can Improve School Lunches Of course, parents can ensure that their children eat well at school by forgoing the cafeteria offerings altogether and sending their kids to school with healthy bag lunches. For on-the-go parents unable to keep up with a daily lunch making regimen, innovative companies are beginning to sprout up that will do it for you. Kid Chow in San Francisco, Health e-Lunch Kids in Fairfax, Virginia, New York City’s KidFresh and Manhattan Beach, California’s Brown Bag Naturals will deliver organic and natural food lunches to your kids for about three times the price of a cafeteria lunch. But prices should change for the better as the idea catches on and more volume brings costs down.

Crazy Horse and Custer essays

Crazy Horse and Custer essays Stephen Ambrose, in his dual biography entitled Crazy Horse and Custer: The Parallel Lives of Two American Warriors, recounts a vision of young Crazy Horse in which he was given advice by a mysterious warrior that, if followed, would give him a powerful medicine of invulnerability against arrow and bullet alike (Ambrose 68). Despite the historically accurate nature of the story, there is very real symbolism found in this dream, best suited for a young brave seeking his identity on the Plains. This vision event could fall into a number of benchmarks within Campbells Cosmogonic Cycle and the adventure of the hero. For example, it might represent the call to adventure, a time when Crazy Horse (or Curly, as he was known then) found his place within the tribe as a great warrior of powerful skill and constitution. It is more likely, however, that the vision marks the supernatural aid, a helpful force beyond human comprehension, perhaps from the world of the Great Sprit, or simply the hidden wisdom of the mind, unlocked through hunger and hardship (Campbell, 69). This vision, regarded as spiritual fate, was much more than prediction; whatever the vision proscribed for the dreamer, it was wakan, and never to be disregarded (Ambrose 67). This also marks the crossing of Crazy Horses first threshold (Campbell 77). The sequence of symbols and images, although not interpreted until later, represent the rest of his life, from his battle rituals to his untimely death at the hands of the white man. Although some ambiguity exists as to what entity might represent the Threshold Monster, the most likely explanation would be that Curly himself is the monster, and a great deal of self-discovery and conquering of personal fear must take place before any individual growth can be accomplished. In terms of symbolic importance, the dream is unquestionably key. It carries ma ...

Employee Satisfaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Employee Satisfaction - Essay Example Promotion should purely be merit based so that everyone in the organization gets an opportunity to move up the ranks. Also, in the event of job openings, it is advisable to first try and hire from within. This not only saves costs on training but also in a great platform for employee stimulation. It is important for the employees to be challenged to a reasonable level so as to encourage them to be interested in their job, thus, it is likely that the productivity levels will remain high. Motivation is key to increasing the productivity of a workforce. Compliments, for example, are excellent motivators. Satisfied employees are aware that they are appreciated as they constantly receive positive feedback from their superiors. High employee satisfaction levels are directly linked to employee productivity and employee retention as satisfied employees are more productive and loyal to their organization that their unsatisfied counterparts. An employer who understands what motivates his staff has definite control over his staff. The article "dispelling the modern myth: Employee satisfaction and loyalty drive service profitability" gives a report on research findings on operation management, service management, Total Quality Management (TQM) and Human Resource Management. The research focuses on the correlation between employee satisfaction and performance. It is a general belief that better satisfied employees have higher levels of productivity. Rhian & Silversto cites earlier works by the Americans Deming(1986), Juran (1989) and the Japanese Ishiakawa(1985) who are all management experts their writings shows that improved job satisfaction increases the productivity of employees. These authors' argument supports the belief that better performing enterprises always treated their employees in a better way. True to its title, the research finds contradicting evidence to earlier works and the general beliefs to what had been commonly accepted in the management world. The author's gives the example of Isakawa 1985 who argues that with better satisfaction, one has improved drives hence will tend to co-operate with fellow employees. The research findings from an empirical study of one of UK's Supermarket chains showed that this is not always true. The most profitable stores were the ones with the least satisfied employees "implying a negative correlation between employee satisfaction and measures of productivity, efficiency and profitability" Rhian & Sylvester. However, reports by management experts that employee satisfaction and loyalty are key factors to enhancing productivity efficiency and increasing profit. The paper puts into application, Heskett, Sasser and Schlesinger's service profit chain model to a UK supermarket. The major aim is to determine the performance linkages between employee perception and performance, customer perceptions, behavior and financial performance. Works by both Hesket and Schlesinger (1991) and Reichheld (1996) improving employee loyalty through poor rewarding helps in improving the services the employees provide hence profitability is improved. The research is a case study of the Home Improvement Store Chain in the United Kingdom. This is a large group of supermarket chains in the UK. The company was chosen since it had senior management believed that satisfaction was key to

External vs. Internal Recruitment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

External vs. Internal Recruitment - Essay Example Recruitment refers to the process of locating potential applicants and encouraging them to apply for the anticipated or existing job openings. In simple words recruitment strategies are adopted with the purpose of creating a group of qualified, experienced and skilled people beforehand so that selection processes becomes easier and effective. In other words, recruitment is all about finding the right people in the right place at the right time with the right price. The entire recruitment process involves five key steps. These are preparing, selecting the recruiter, sourcing the candidates, taking legislative aspects into consideration and selecting the methods to be applied. The preparation process involves deciding on the various alternatives of recruitments. Sourcing of candidates might be done through consultants, the internet, and advertising. Each and every recruitment exercise can be considered as an opportunity of analyzing the job, updating person specification and describing the job. The main objective of any recruitment process is to ensure the presence of adequate and effective staffs in the organization. To guarantee this, appropriate people must be made aware of the existing job opportunities and efforts must be taken to make sure to these vacancies are properly filled. There are internal recruitment and external recruitment. Between the two the one that would be chosen depends on human resource policies, organizational strategies, financial condition and employee morale.

Computers and the law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Computers and the law - Essay Example An attempt to address these problems in the Act was implemented in controversial amendments, which came into force in October 2008 through the Police and Criminal Justice Act 2006 . With regard to the unauthorised access and attempted intrusions this could constitute an offence under the Act of the conduct satisfies the requirements as follows: 1) Unauthorised access to computer material (Section 1 of the Act); 2) Access to computer material without authorisation with intent to commit or assist the commission of offences (Section 2 of the Act); and 3) Modification of computer data without authorisation (Section 3 of the Act). With regard to the current factual scenario, it is evident that there have been attempts to hack the Macrobox system without success so far. Accordingly, whilst there has clearly been an intention to commit the office, there does not appear to have been actual access to the computer system or computer material. ... Accordingly, if we apply this to the current scenario, whilst the access to Macrobox’s computer and servers were not successful, the attempt to hack will constitute a criminal offence under Section 3 of the Act. With regard to potential penalties, the Police and Criminal Justice Act 2006 provides for criminal liability on the following basis to be included in the Act for the Section 3 offence: 1. On summary conviction a prison sentence of up to 12 months and a fine not exceeding the statutory minimum; or 2. On conviction on indictment, imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years or a fine or both (Section 36(6) of the Police and Criminal Justice Act 2006). Additionally, as the forum users have been trying to encourage others to hack Macrobox, this also potentially falls within incitement offences, which have now been removed from the Act and inserted into the inchoate offences section of the Serious Crime Act 2007. Furthermore, it is important to highlight that the encoura gement on online forums to hack Macrobox’s computer systems could also constitute a potential offence under the Terrorism Act 2000. Section 2(e) of the Terrorism Act provides that an act of terrorism includes any act which is â€Å"designed seriously to interfere with or seriously disrupt an electronic system† if the act is undertaken with the objective of furthering a political, religious or ideological cause. In the current scenario, it is evident that the attempts to hack and interfere with Macrobox’s computer systems and servers were as a result of the disclosure on public forums that Macrobox is a major software supplier for Staffordshire