Oil and Gas Exploration and Production

Question: Discuss the issues concerning the process of negotiation and mission and Vision of the Government in relation to Negotiation? Answer: Introduction Nations that are rich in natural resources tend to use these resources to obtain funds. The governments of these resource-rich nations enter into oil and natural gas contracts with the international oil companies. The international oil companies is thereby enabled to develop and explore these resources. These negotiations are very challenging in the present times. The negotiation process is a very challenging aspect as a lot is at stake, and a lot of research, knowledge and technical knowhow is required to get a good bargain at these negotiation processes. The oil-rich nations regard the oil and gas resources to be the assets of the nation as a whole and not the property of individual members of the society, irrespective of the rights over the surface land. Oil-rich nations are eager to involve the participation of the international oil companies for the exploration of their natural resources. These oil companies are well equipped for exploiting and marketing the said resources. The governments faces many problems while negotiating the terms of the contract. This is owing to the fact that oil companies have high knowledge regarding the exploration processes and also they are highly experienced in negotiating these contracts. The oil companies generally get a good bargain on these contracts. The oil companies approach these contracts in a cynical, aggressive nad inflexible manner (3 oil gas contracts for Aker Kvaerner, 2007). In this paper, we will evaluate the various aspects of oil and gas negotiations between the governments and the international oil companies and would emphasize the significant areas of these contracts which the governments should keep in mind while negotiating the oil and natural gas contracts (Ario et al., 2013). Issues concerning the process of negotiation The oil contracts emerge out of the direct negotiation between the parties, and various complex issues are involved in these types of contracts. The various factors that the governments must keep in mind while undergoing a process of negotiation for oil and natural gas contracts may be summarized as follows; Time Factor Time plays a very important role in the negotiation process of the oil and gas contracts. These contracts are to a great extent dependent on time responsive factors, like, the economic and political situation which is prevalent in the host country and the possibility of variation of such factors in future; the present market price of oil as oil prices vary considerably. Keeping these factors in mind the oil contracts are supposed to be drafted. The terms of the contract must be such that they end up surviving the challenge of time (Babusiaux, 2004). Such survival is only possible if the terms of the contract are responsive to the foreseeable as well as unforeseeable changes and demands. The only solution to the problem of dealing with the ever changing circumstances is to make the contracts responsive to such changes and not static. The drafting of the terms of the contracts must be such that in case, the rules and regulations governing exploration or the laws of the host country change, the government should compensate the oil companies (Bantekas, 2009). Interests of the Indigenous Communities The oil contracts are entered into between the oil companies and the governments, but there are many stake holders of these contracts. For instance, the indigenous communities, the surface land owners. These groups of individuals are not part of the formal negotiation process, but their interests have to taken into consideration while entering into these contracts. The government has to make sure that the demands of the indigenous communities are met through the process of negotiation. Mostly the indigenous communities demand jobs and compensation. Since, many-a-times the oil companies make commitments but do not meet the commitments, the governments should take steps to ensure that such commitments are met (Bath, 2012). Transparency The negotiators must conduct the negotiation process in a transparent manner. In fact, transparency of the negotiation process is one of the aspects which ensures that the contracts are acceptable to the public. By transparency, we mean that the terms of the contract and the consideration involved must be disclosed to the public at large. Transparency is a mode by which corruption may be controlled. If the government officials are aware that the terms of the contract are susceptible to being criticized by the public, they will deter from incorporating such terms in the contract (Bindemann, 2000). Conflict of Interest Conflict of interest is a common feature of these contracts. On the one hand, the government is acting as a business entity with the motive of profit maximization out of the negotiations on the other hand the government has to act as a protector of the interests of the public and attempt to magnetize the participation of the oil companies (Bret-Rouzaut and Favennec, 2011). So the government has to play dual roles of acting as a successful business negotiator, and also it must keep in mind public good. Negotiators The team that would negotiate the contracts on behalf of the government must be chosen very carefully. The process of negotiation is an art. A good negotiator is capable enough to segregate the negotiable factors, such as compensation from the non negotiable ones like giving importance to the concerns of the oil companies. The oil companies has an upper hand in these negotiation processes because of their experience, technical knowhow, and financial stability. Since the governments of the host countries generally lack these resources they must hire skilled negotiators having expertise in all the aspects that are involved in an oil contract. The negotiators ought to keep in mind that the purpose of the negotiation is to reach a mutually agreeable point that serves the inertest of both parties concerned. Better bargain in a negotiation process would not be possible without expert advice (Contracts. Future Prices and Their Duration Left to Negotiation, 1923). Contractual Framework The form of contract which would be adopted to give effect to the negotiations is one of the critical decisions that the parties have to take. The government and the oil companies may decide to enter into any of the following types of contracts; Licensing or Concession Agreements These agreements are in vogue since the beginning of the 1900s. Under this type of agreement, the oil companies acquires exclusive rights for exploring, developing and selling the oil or the minerals for a specific period. These are single ended contracts. This is one of the commonly used modes of contracting by the oil companies and the governments of the oil-rich nations. The host companies receives lump sum bonus from the oil companies as consideration of granting the exclusive rights (Crump, 2011). These contracts are very advantageous for the governments of developing countries. This is a straight forward mode of contracting between the parties. In fact, the extent of advice and support required for entering into this type of contract is far less. But this type of contract is not free from disadvantage. The commercial aspect of the negotiation process is a disadvantage to the developing countries when entering into this type of contract. Joint Venture Agreement A joint venture agreement is entered into between parties when the parties are consensual about entering into a joint venture with respect to oil exploration. While entering into a joint venture, the parties concerned must possess adequate knowledge about the interest, business modes and goals of each other (Ghandi and Lin, 2014). If the parties are not consensual on these aspects, the joint venture would not be a success. Owing to the open-ended nature of the joint venture agreements neither the governments nor the oil companies are very keen to enter into this type of agreements. The only advantage that the government can get by entering into joint venture is that it would be able to count on the expertise of the companies and would not have to make decisions on its own. The government is in a position to share profits with the oil companies under this type of agreement. There is also a risk associated with the process of profit sharing. The government will have to share the associated risks and costs along with the oil company. This type of contract engages the direct participation of the government of the host country. Production-Sharing Agreements (referred to as the PSA') The peculiar aspect of this type of agreement is that the citizens of the host country are in fact the owners of the oil and minerals and not private entities. The responsibility of operating and managing the oil resources lies with the oil companies. The PSA is similar to a licensing agreement in many aspects. In both these agreements, the government of the host country receives a signing bonus. The expenses of operation are to reimbursed by the government to the oil companies. Current expenditure must be reimbursed immediately, and reimbursement of capital expenditure may be done over years. The oil companies under this agreement have to pay taxes applicable under the laws of the host country but in most cases the government tends to waive the taxes and the amount is included in the profits of the government. If the existing legal system in the host country is not accurate, a PSA would not be successful (Jennings, 2002). This type of agreement is very advantageous for the governments as all associated risks with oil exploration are vested on the oil companies. The only expenditure of the host government is the cost that it has to incur for proper negotiation. Even in case of failure of the exploration project, the government would not have to incur the losses. The governments of the host countries have an opportunity of earning profits with this type of contract without making the investment (Sas, 1989). The fact that A PSA is an inclusive document is a disadvantage if this type of contract for the government. Service Agreements In addition to the above-stated types of contracts, the parties may as well enter into service agreements. In essence, this type of agreement allows disbursement. This agreement does not prove to be a useful one in the long run (Mabadi, n.d.). Terms of Contracts There are certain provisions that may form a part of all the types of contracts and agreements described in the above section. These include the following; Parties When the government enters into the contract, the direct party to the contract must be chosen very carefully keeping in mind that if the government, itself, becomes a party to the contract then it would be directly responsible and the liability of the government would be unlimited. But on the other hand if one of the enterprises of the government is a party then this liability would be limited (Martin, 2009). Stabilization Stabilization clauses are not of much benefit to the governments as it has the effect of making the laws of the host country inapplicable and as a consequence the oil companies may demand compensation from the government (Mosburg, 1983). Work Plan The government of the host countries must insist on such a work plan that clearly provides the circumstances under which an exploration project may be shelved or delayed. This is essential because the oil companies have a tendency of setting aside or delaying projects that are not very profitable. Termination The provisions regarding termination must be clearly laid down in the contract. All instances under which a contract may be terminated must be exhaustively laid down (nawawi and rahayu, n.d.). Mission and Vision of the Government in relation to Negotiation The prime reason owing to which the governments of the host countries are keen to enter into these oil and natural gas contracts is securing funds for the development of the country. The governments earn huge profits out of these contracts which it an utilize for developing the infrastructure of the country. The oil companies try to maximize their profits out of the negotiation process but the government must keep in mind the development of the country. If the government fails to secure its interests in the negotiation process then the oil companies would take up the maximum share of the profits and the country would not be able to gain anything out of the contract (Oil and gas exploration and production: reserves, costs, contracts, 2005). Thus, the government must put forward certain terms before the companies. These terms should encompass the following; Corporate Social Responsibility (also referred to as CSR) During the process of negotiation, the government may compel the international oil companies to abide by its CSR while carrying on the exploration project in the host country. The government may require that al the rules applicable to the domestic companies with regard to CSR would be applicable to the oil company as well during the tenure of the project (OIL AND GAS: New Contracts, 2008). If the government does not emphasize this point, there is every possibility that the company would evade the obligation of CSR and the coutry would lose an opportunity of development. Job Oil projects involve a lot of capital and man power. The government may require the oil company to provide jobs to the people of the indigenous communities. If the unemployment prevailing in the host country can be taken care of, the country would be able to strengthen its financial standing. These clauses are profitable for the companies as well because they get local labor and do not have to get labor from outside. Sustainable Development Sustainable development is a very important concept in the present times. Ecological balance can be maintained by way of adopting sustainable development techniques. The government may require the oil company to maintain the sustainability of the environment (Soyer and Tettenborn, n.d.). Oil and natural gases deplete with continued usage. Thus, the companies should take care that such quantity is extracted which is capable of being restored. Thus, the permitted quantity for extraction must be specified by the government to the oil companies so that they do not extract above the specified level. Development of the Country The government may also require the oil companies to make endeavor for the overall development of the country (Thornton, 1992). These may include, setting up hospitals and schools, developing the roadways, providing funds for development of sectors like, health care and education, etc. Conclusion From the above discussion, we may conclude that there are several aspects which the government must take care of while negotiating the terms of a contract of oil and natural gas with the international oil companies. The oil companies are profit oriented and thus it is the responsibility of the government to make sure that such terms are entered in the contract which in the long run would be beneficial to the country as a whole. Since a lot is at stake the governments should make sure that the negotiation is done in a proper manner so as to be able to get a better bargain. The good negotiation would enable the government to maintain the economic, social and environmental well being of the country. References 3 oil gas contracts for Aker Kvaerner. (2007). Pump Industry Analyst, 2007(8), p.3. Ario, A., Reuer, J., Mayer, K. and Jan, J. (2013). Contracts, Negotiation, and Learning: An Examination of Termination Provisions. Journal of Management Studies, 51(3), pp.379-405. Babusiaux, D. (2004). Oil and gas exploration and production. Paris: Editions Technip. Bantekas, I. (2009). Oil and Gas Production Contracts. The Journal of World Energy Law Business, 2(3), pp.263-264. Bath, D. (2012). India Legal aspects of oil and gas projects for foreign investors. ac, 1999(21). Bindemann, K. (2000). The response of oil contracts to extreme price movements. Oxford: Dept. of Economics [Oxford University]. Bret-Rouzaut, N. and Favennec, J. (2011). Oil and gas exploration and production. Paris, France: Editions Technip. Contracts. Future Prices and Their Duration Left to Negotiation. (1923). Columbia Law Review, 23(8), p.783. Crump, L. (2011). Negotiation Process and Negotiation Context. International Negotiation, 16(2), pp.197-227. Ghandi, A. and Lin, C. (2014). Oil and gas service contracts around the world: A review. Energy Strategy Reviews, 3, pp.63-71. Jennings, A. (2002). Oil and gas exploration contracts. London: Sweet Maxwell. Mabadi, A. (n.d.). Transfer of Technology in Oil and Gas Contracts. SSRN Electronic Journal. Martin, T. (2009). Oil and Gas Exploration Contracts. The Journal of World Energy Law Business, 2(2), pp.173-174. Mosburg, L. (1983). Contracts used in oil and gas operations. Oklahoma City, Okla.: Institute for Energy Development. nawawi, a. and rahayu, s. (n.d.). Sharing Revenue of Oil and Gas Industry between Center and Local Government from Legal Perspective. SSRN Electronic Journal. Oil and gas exploration and production: reserves, costs, contracts. (2005). Choice Reviews Online, 42(07), pp.42-4042-42-4042. OIL AND GAS: New Contracts. (2008). Africa Research Bulletin: Economic, Financial and Technical Series, 45(3), pp.17792B-17792C. Sas, B. (1989). Legal Aspects of Risk Management and Forward Oil Trading: The Forward Oil Markets and their Contracts. Journal of Energy Natural Resources Law, 7(1), pp.1-33. Soyer, B. and Tettenborn, A. (n.d.). Offshore contracts and liabilities. Thornton, W. (1912). The law relating to oil and gas. Cincinnati: W.H. Anderson.

Performance Measurement and Management †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Performance Measurement and Management. Answer: Introduction: Human resource management is the essential part for the effective business operations in every company. For the discussion, famous retail company Tesco is selected. Tesco is famous as the largest company in the private sector of UK. In current time, there are around 360000 employees working in Tesco. Now, company is operating in almost 12 countries including Japan, UK, China and Turkey. Core business operations of the company are in the grocery sector. Tesco has diversified its range of products and services such as mobile phones and personal finance. The report provides human resource system and organizational chart to analyze that how HR can contribute and impact on the growth and success of the company (Zhao, 2014). The organizational structure of Tesco is hierarchical that reflects large size of the business. At the store level, there are four layers of management in large stores. The organizational structure of Tesco is described below. It is essential to note down that the given structure is not rigid for all the Tesco stores as some stores are operating with the different structure including their size, location, and various specific factors. In case of human resource system of Tesco, there is the guest model which describes overall strategy of human resource management. The human resource system of the company is divided into five different stages i.e. HRM practices, HR outcomes, behavioral outcomes performance outcome and financial outcomes. The human resource department of the company depends upon five basic activities such as recruiting the employees, training and development of the employees, performance appraisal, compensation and improvement of the employees. In the HRM system of Tesco, there are various activities such as recruitment talent analysis, programs to retain the employees, provision of good working environment and ensuring the employees to be treated equally. Based on some frameworks, human resource of the company will be successful in achieving organizational goals (Khalid Rehman, 2010). In the legislative framework, there are some laws which have to followed by the company i.e. health and safety act 1974, working time regulations 1998 and parental leave 2008. There would be new performance management based on the role of employees, objective of work and types of appraisal. HR managed will, try to implement 360 degree feedback to understand the performance of the employees. Company trains employees on the disaster management which is positive for the staff. The staff receives such training so that customers can shop with safety as staff is responsive and trained. In terms of human resource model, Tesco will be evaluated on using range of various models to make sure that is meeting its core business objectives. For the rewards and wages, Tesco will be in line with the existing laws and rules and pay salaries based on the minimum wage law. With the increase of annual profit, the salaries and rewards will also be increased for the employees. Such rewarding of talent wou ld have positive impact on the employees as well as company (Syed Yah, 2012). Organizational and business ethics framework- In the business and organizational ethics framework of Tesco, human resource would focus on the principles of ethics rather than providing products and services. In this manner, human resource will be focused on the implementation of standards related to right, wrong fairness and other behavioral practice in the company. Ethics would be helpful in sharing the decisions taken by the management. Human resource management would need to train the employees with the expertise for ensuring the key skills sets among the employees. In Tesco, managers can identify the needs of training support by the performance measurement of the employees. Further, managers can identify the needs of training based on the analysis of three needs i.e. industry-related needs, job-related needs and task-related needs. Managers can also use some assessment methods for identifying the needs of training like organizational perspective, task related perspectives and individual assessment. By focusing on every type of training need before moving forward in the business, managers would implement best course of action for the company. Each assessment will be helpful in improving various aspects of the company and develop specific training programs to address essential gaps in the company. By these assessments, managers would also be able to improve effectiveness of the company (Waal Kourtit, 2013). Human resource return It is estimated that the cost of the project of human resource is $230,000. It is also assumed that benefit of the project for 1st year is $430,000. So based these assumptions, human resource return on investment is as follows: HROI= Net project benefits / Projects costs Cost of the project = $230,000 Benefits of project (1st year) = $430,000 So, HROI = $430,000-$230,000 / $230,000 = 0.87 x 100 =87% There are number of legal regulations that are needed to be considered by the HR managers while formulating the business operations. Employment protection is one of the major areas that directly impacts to the process of HR policy development in Tesco. Further, health and safety are primary factors as per the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Equality rules have to be followed by Tesco under Equality act 2010 to protect employees from discrimination. One of the important aspects of HR department is related to the development of the various tactics and strategies for the organizational growth. The management of Tesco is focused on the HR strategies for achieving corporate objectives. For this manner, HR managers are focused on motivating employees for the business activities. It is an important part as more motivated employees, better would be their performance. HR is focused in developing the workplace environment more effective for the employees. Further, training and development sessions are also conducted on the regular basis so workforce can be enhanced and motivated efficiently (Briscoe, Schuler Claus, 2011). Performance measurement In Tesco, performance management system has aim to ensure the business objectives are met by the employees. It is the strategic tool to measure the performance of the employees at work. By the performance management system, company is able to analyze individual and groups performance and competencies objectives. For implementing performance management in the company, managers should considered integrated training facility to provide essential training based status and responsibility of the employees to achieve performance goal. In performance management system of Tesco, there are six components i.e. Performance planning in the performance management system, Performance appraisal and review, Feedback on the performance of employees by managers, Pay and reward system i.e. annual compensation, bonus, perks and rewards etc Performance improvement plans by training, mentoring or coaching, and Potential appraisal of employees including promotion and growth plan (Aguinis, 2013) Managing HR contacts To manage the HR contracts in the company Tesco, there is the need the need to adopt an effective system of process. The steps for managing the contract are described below: Reviewing the existing contracts and making appropriate changes, Making clear that what changes are required and comparing them with the original contract, Sending changed documents to the employees, making them comment, amendments or flag any kind of queries and send back to the management, Keep the track of all the comments done by the employees, Review and incorporate the changes as required, and Sending changed contracts back to the employees for the approval and acceptance (Gurbuz, 2009). References Aguinis, H., (2013), Performance management, (3rd), NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall Briscoe, D.R., Schuler, R.S., Claus, L., (2011), IHRM: Policies and Practices for Multinational Enterprises, (3rd), Routledge: Chapman Hall Gurbuz, S., (2009), The effect of high performance HR practices on employees job satisfaction: Istanbul University Journal of The School Of Business Administration, 38, 110-123 Khalid, G., Rehman, M. Z., (2010), Impact of HRM Practices on Orginizational Performance: NUML Journal Management and Technology, 16-27 Syed, N., Yah, L., (2012), Impact of High Performance Human Resource Management Practices on Employee Job Satisfaction: Empirical Analysis: Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 4(2), 318-342 Waal, A., Kourtit, K., (2013), Performance Measurement and Management in Practice: International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 62(5), pp. 446-473 Zhao, S., (2014), Analyzing and Evaluating Critically Tesco's Current Operations Management: Journal of Management and Sustainability, 4(4), 184

5 Unique Questions to Ask in a Job Interview

5 Unique Questions to Ask in a Job Interview We all know the line we’re supposed to work into the â€Å"Do you have any questions for us?† section of the interview. Typically, we take a deep breath and ask our interviewer to talk us through a typical day in that particular office so that we can get a idea of the workplace culture. It’s a great question. But everyone is asking it, pretty much verbatim. Here are five alternative versions that will help distinguish you from your fellow interviewees, and will also be a refreshing way to get the same answers from your interviewer.1. â€Å"What do you feel prepared you most for this job?†It’s sort of a backwards way in, but you’ll find your interviewer will end up emphasizing the parts of her background that were most useful for acclimating to that particular environment. You’ll get a sense of the size and scope and daily feel of the company from which of her skills were the most appropriate preparation for the job.2. â€Å"What makes this [company] special?†No matter what kind of company it is, asking how it distinguishes itself from others in the field can be very revealing. If it’s all about hard numbers and results, that will tell you one thing. If it emphasizes personal relationships and loyalty, that’ll tell you something else.3. â€Å"Why are you excited about filling this position?†This might be the best way of discovering your boss’s goals and whether your vision of the job aligns with their vision of the job, or the particulars of what you’d be doing day to day.4. â€Å"How do your company’s values affect your work on any given day?†Probably best to do a bit of homework first and have a specific value in mind when you ask this one. One that company has been explicit about in its marketing materials or in the job listing. It’s a good way of showing off your thorough preparations for the interview, and also making sure the company is really do ing what they say they care most about.5. â€Å"How would you describe the leadership style here?†This is probably the best way of finding out if you’re going to be walking into a nest of micromanagers, without the stigma of actually asking that outright. And it’s a great way to see whether your working style will jive with your boss’s working style.

Human Cloning3 essays

Human Cloning3 essays Most people panic when they hear the words Human Cloning. Crazy thoughts run through their heads, imaginations run wild. They think of the world being run over by a million little Hitlers. They think of people thinking exactly like one another, and that no person would be different. And for some reason because of cloning, the world, as we know it will cease to exist. Cloning to some people is even considered evil. Most religious people believe that it is Playing God, they think that mankind is not supposed to have this power. Cloning, however, is not a magical way of creating life. It is a scientific procedure that will save many lives, cure diseases and let infertile couples have biological children of their own. Many mammals have already been cloned successfully and lead normal lives. The clone will not be the exact same person as the donor. They will look alike and have the same genes, but they will not talk, think, or act alike. In fact, if someone attempted to clone Hitler they might end up with a moderately talented artist. Neither will the clone start off at the same age as the donor. If the donor is 35 the clone will start off as a normal baby. The benefits of human cloning are many. One of the most crucial problems in the world is finding organ donors that have compatible organs with the person that needs them. If there is a patient with a very rare blood type, chances are that they will die before they find a match. Using cloning technology, you can clone a persons organs, grow them, and then use them for a transplant. The organ is guaranteed to be 100% compatible with the patient. This procedure could save millions upon millions of lives. I can not understand how anyone could say that we have A moral obligation to ban cloning when it could save millions of peoples lives. I am sure if it was ...

Global Media & Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Global Media & Communication - Essay Example The information presented entails complete and reliable information, but the directive of the independence press states that information presented to the general public should be factual, and obtained through methodical investigation (Sarikakis, 2004, p. 90). According to Barnhurst & Nerone (2002, p. 67), the theory maintains certain limits of free media, but also puts some restrictions on what is presented to the media. For instance, in India, the press has certain obligations to the public, and they must show truth and accuracy in any information they present. The media is free, but regulated by the government. On the other hand, the Chinese administration has always kept rules on traditional and the current media rules to protect its government political wishes through the use of watchdogs. The watchdog units ensure that these principles entail strict rules placed on the media that are used to control them. They even punish the media houses that break the rules by either jailing t hem or shutting down the entire publication firm and their websites. 1.2 The relation between economic, technological and political order on the globe to communication Society economy and technology are highly linked through communication. Internet, mobile phone services and satellite broadcasting services influence economic technological developments. With the increase in globalization, the economic technological and political developments have taken a positive outlook (Ferree, et al., 2002, p. 44). Globalization is also a requirement and driving force for all other types of communication. Several technological developments have improved the communication process, and this development in turn affects the press (Levira, 2004, p. 13). Technology like video communication through the internet has made communication essay and simple (Ferree, et al., 2002, p. 44). For instance in China, the types of communication in a country is determined by the country’s political ideology. The established controlling ideas have developed through different states without the citizens noticing and deliberating on their development. The authority of a neoliberal position in themes presented in mass media and the rise of the authoritarianism of the financial leaders, the increase of free communication principles, but also a commercial approach in broadcasting of information to the abandoned views of workforces is a characteristic of China media (Barnhurst & Nerone 2002, p.89). Similarly, through globalization in India, technology has assisted the government in improving its economy. This improved economy has improved the ways of life for the masses. In India, globalization has influenced technology development where it has shifted the pattern of its economy. In economic terms, technology influences the forms of production, asset and employment. It also changes the activities taking place within a company. This is because through improved challenges of communication, Indiansâ €™ business process has improved thus improving its economic activities (Rajagopal, 2012, pp.1). Mass media in India is also seen to be influencing globalization. This was achieved using several media channels like televisions, music, and new technological developments. The international flow of information has highly been

Parliament and policy making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Parliament and policy making - Essay Example However, recent studies in this field show that parliamentary lobbying and pressure group activities are on the rise in the past two-three decades, both in the House of Commons and in the House of Lords. Moreover, both chambers of Parliament are viewed by pressure groups not only in the light of institutions of last resort but also as â€Å"access points† which play an important role in the entire process of influencing political and governmental decisions. Thus, during and after the rule of the Conservative governments of Margaret Thatcher, Parliament became more important for pressure groups not only as an institution of last resort but also as a place to express their views and to influence the overall decision making process. Traditionally, British MPs were depicted as the ’major channel of communication between the government and the governed’ (Wright 2000). On the other hand, the presence of a parliamentary government in the British political tradition means a form of government ’in which the executive is drawn from and is constitutionally responsible to the legislature’ (Rush 2005). In this respect, Rush explains, this is a government through parliament but not government by parliament (2005). Therefore, many theorists observed that in the UK the largest proportion of pressure group activities is focused towards senior government officials and ministers, in particular, the power-holders in the British system of government. On the other hand, Parliament possesses powerful tools to influence both cabinet ministers and legislation they are trying to pass through Westminster. In the case of legislation proposed by backbenchers themselves, the Parliament has the final word on bi lls; hence, it is really the institution of last resort to which pressure groups are turning. Moreover, UK Parliament has a monopoly to recruit cabinet ministers as opposed to the US where those seeking political posts could pursue their objectives also

Desmond Morris reaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Desmond Morris reaction - Essay Example The territorial space was most interesting to me because I have noticed that people make a fairly wide combination of affiliations depending upon the circumstances. For instance, not everyone in my group of flats has the same political affiliations, but we are all neighbors and form a solid group whenever anything unfamiliar enters the neighborhood. At the same time that we identify ourselves as residents at this place, we also identify ourselves as students at the same school, workers at the same place, ‘workers’ or ‘students’, members of particular political parties and members of different and usually much smaller social groups and clubs. When our group of flats gets together for community events, we present a solid group to the outside, but inside, we are organized and divided according to some of these other affiliations. While I had always assumed this affiliation process was a natural process of sorting according to individual personality types, I had n’t considered how we established these associations so quickly within the group setting. Morris’ explanation into the various visual clues we provide in our daily interactions as he came down to the familial level began to make this clear. For example, I suddenly realized that no matter which door in the complex I come to, I can usually tell which resident lives there by the way they have customized their entrance area, which is otherwise identical to everyone else’s entrance area.