Sunday, January 26, 2020

The Importance Of Intimacy And Effective Communication Theology Religion Essay

The Importance Of Intimacy And Effective Communication Theology Religion Essay The Bible gives us deep insight into the biblical principle of communication within our human relationships. God shows us in His Word that He is more concerned about understanding than He is about speaking. Paul tells us that the objective of prophecy is to build up, and if something is said that does not build up, it should not be said. Paul also instructs us about order speaking when its your turn in order to avoid confusion and to pursue peace. When God speaks to us from heaven, 1) it is decent and in order, 2) we will know what He is talking about (we have an understanding), and 3) there is a purpose behind it- to build us up! Communication is a skill! Communication is defined as taking what is inside of us and conveying it to another person. I have also heard it characterized as an exchange of sincerity. Not being able to communicate constitutes the bulk of our marital problems, which is why I decided to give this tool its own chapter. Communication is the process by which we share our thoughts, feelings, and ideas in such a way that others understand us. The goal of communication is to make things common. To do this, we define terms and reduce everything down to its common denominator. If we do not define terms and find commonality frustration will result, leading to conflict. The divorce rate in our country is greater than 60%, and research indicates that one of the biggest problems that lead to divorce is communication issues peoples inability to talk with one another This chapter is designed to help you and your partner learn the art of successful communication, whether that partner is your spouse, your friend, or your significant other. When we make things common, we have communion. When we have communion, we have community, which is belonging or relationship. Unfortunately, with the way that we currently communicate, what is meant, what is sent, what is received, and what is interpreted are different conversations! Before you begin your journey to learning successful communication, realize that this investment will take some effort! Effective communication is not for wimps! Communication is or involves: Dialogue Hard work Time consuming Reveals your perspective Requires courtesy Requires body talk Must happen at the right moment Succeeds with positive regard for the other person Getting an understanding I pray much success as the Holy Spirit guides you in your efforts to learn how to speak, listen, understand, and be understood through the art of successful communication. I also pray that you develop tolerable communication. The Importance of Intimacy and Effective Communication Intimacy is necessary for skillful communication. Intimacy is from the Latin word innimus meaning innermost. We share our innermost thoughts, opinions, feelings, and goals. When we are able to share these things with others, we can connect on another level. Reflection: Have you ever felt like you were talking about something, but the person you were speaking to never quite got what you were saying? How did it feel when you could not connect? A consequence of not being able to communicate due to a lack of intimacy is that it creates distance as opposed to the closeness that we desire from our partner. Reflection: Did you sense a distance between yourself and your partner when you did not connect? Intimacy or the ability to speak freely from your inner being is a must if there is going to be effective communication patterns in the relationship. The stage of negotiation will be ineffective if intimacy does not exist. Why? Because people will not be honest with each other; they will simply say what causes the least amount of stress and conflict. Here are five keys to intimacy the five (5) musts for intimacy: Access you must possess the ability to link spiritually, emotionally, and physically. In order to have access to your partner, your values must be compatible and in the same camp. Exercise: Does your partner share the same values that you do? List three values that you share with your partner. Availability making sure that both you and your partner are available for one another physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Do you and your spouse have a space and a time where you just chill out and talk and laugh? Is there a time for you to access each other? Exercise: Does your partner ever complain that you are not available to him/her? What practical, reasonable steps can you take to ensure that you are available to the extent that it makes your partner comfortable? Argot an inside language that you develop with your partner. No one else may know what you are talking about because this is a language specific to your relationship such that you can have a conversation in the midst of other people and they have no idea what you are talking about. Exercise: Give three examples of the types of words, phrases, or gestures used in the relational argot between you and your partner. Abandonment you have to be willing to become transparent and self-disclosing. If you are unable or unwilling to reveal yourself, you cant become intimate. Exercise: Describe an instance in the past when you or your partner revealed something about yourselves to the point where you understood him/her (or vice versa) on deeper, more intimate level. Application you must be willing to apply yourself in your relationship. Exercise: Give an example of how you might apply yourself even further towards developing a quality relationship with you partner. After having lived with a spouse for a number of years, it is apparent that the couple becomes unable to communicate in a normal, meaningful fashion. If either spouse is unable to avoid exchanges that invariably result in conflict, a communication breakdown in the marriage has occurred. In extreme cases, especially if accompanied by abusive tendencies or other symptoms of dysfunction, a growing inability to deal with any verbal exchanges without conflict could be indicative of a much more serious problem that requires the attention of a mental health professional. More often than not, however, growing differences between the spouses, which may have their roots in the above-mentioned causes, are to blame for communication breakdowns. Treatment: James 1:19-20, Ephesians 4:15, 29-32, Philippians 2:14 Do all things without complaining and disputing Failure to Communicate In any relationship, communication is essential. One needs to let the other person know what is on his or her mind. You cannot keep on second-guessing the other person. Open communication becomes critical, so misunderstanding can be minimized. Problems arise when one partner expects the other to read his or her mind you will agree with me that this is close to impossible. The following five things hinder the creation of a context of toleration of communication. Five Hindrances to Communication The Complexity of Communication Communication is not simply about peoples ability to access vocabulary words. It is a skillful exchange between two people. There are listening styles and communication styles that exist in order to help facilitate this. If your spouse is a visual communicator and you are auditory, saying I love you will never reach them as much as actually seeing a symbol of your love, such as flowers, a card, a nice gift, etc. Many times, we are talking the wrong language to our spouse. Low Self-Esteem If you have low self-esteem, you will not talk, because you feel that what you have to say is not important. At some point in time, you will talk, but that time you may explode. You must learn to value your feelings enough to share them with your spouse. Understand that your unwillingness to share your thoughts can destroy the future of the relationship. Fear of Criticism and Judgment Some people live in fear that what they say may be interpreted in a way that they did not intend, or they are unwilling to allow their words to be potentially judged or criticized negatively. Rather than risk this potentially negative backlash or misunderstanding, they can be hesitant to communicate clearly with sincerity and with honesty. Lack of Knowledge of Internal Happiness You really do not understand what is going on inside yourself, so you are unable to put your true feelings into words. Thus, your words and what is going on inside of you are totally disconnected, and you feel unfulfilled. Inability to Put Thoughts and Feelings into Words Some people put thoughts and feelings into actions, such as being mean, slamming doors, withholding physical intimacy, and name-calling, because they are unable to verbally communicate exactly how they feel. If you can be comfortable without any talking with your significant other, there is something wrong and dysfunctional with your relationship. Exercise: Choose the hindrance that most affects communication within your relationship and then list two alternatives to overcoming those hindrances. Communication involves talking with objectives and the following are the objectives behind talking. Determine which ones you are trying to achieve when talking with your spouse. Information Talking informs you or makes you aware of something you do not know. We must talk in order for others to understand us. We cannot expect others to know what we are thinking or feeling. Some people tend to say, He should ALREADY know! But this is not the case. Simply because we articulate what we want over and over does not mean that our partner gets the message. Revelation Information is based on words; however, the basis for revelation is self. Revelation is the self-disclosure behind the words. The objective of communication is not just words, because words are inadequate to holistically explain what we are trying to say. Communication There is a difference between talking and communicating. Communication is the process by which we share our thoughts, feelings, and ideas in such a way that others understand us. The goal of communication is to make things common. To do this, we define terms and reduce everything down to its common denominator. If we do not define terms and find commonality, frustration will result, leading to conflict. Exercise: Pick one issue or need that you feel your partner has not responded to in ways that satisfies you, and answer the following questions regarding this issue: Have I fully expressed to my partner what it is I want? Yes No Have I revealed to my partner what it is I want? Yes No When I expressed these issues and revealed myself to my partner, based upon the definition of communication, was I simply talking or were we truly communicating? How can I more effectively communicate this particular need to my partner? The 5 Levels of Communication There are, what I refer to as, five levels of communication that at some level are correlated with the objectives of talking, but differ due to the emotional involvement in communication vs. talking. Level 1 Clichà © Shallow level of communication we use when talking with strangers. We dont talk about anything of significance because we are not trying to relate. Level 2 Reporting Facts A simple exchange of data. This occurs frequently in relationships, as people may simply report the details of their day to one another. A husband and wife may talk about the kids, what happened on their jobs during the work day, whats for dinner, and what bills need to be paid, rather than anything on a deeper level. Level 3 Sharing of Ideas and Opinions This is the first level of risk communication, because it taps into the core of who we are. On this level, we risk possible conflict and/or rejection that may result from disagreement. What if your partner shares his/her ideas or opinions about this and you do not agree? For this reason, most people stay away from this level and stick to Level 2. Many couples have tried this level and found it to be too challenging. Level 4 Revealing Emotions This level of risk is the I feel level where you communicate your joys and sorrows to your partner. The problem with this level is that if a woman communicates her emotions to a man, he will tend to blame himself for causing the woman to feel this way. Rather than hear the emotions of the woman, the man may move into a posture of defense that might thrust him into warfare. People may not mind communicating the joyful emotions on this level, but they often do not like to communicate negative emotions on this level. Level 5 Complete Disclosure -The riskiest, but most rewarding level of intimacy, is the unrestrained, honest sharing of ones innermost desires, whether they are popular or not to a partner The partner, in response to the sharing of emotions on this level, will then respond in a loving, accepting way that acknowledges the problem and assists their partner in resolving the problem Exercise: Complete the following chart regarding your relationships communication style. For each level of your relationship, write down you and your partners level of communication at that particular point in time. Check only those relationship levels that apply to your own relationship and skip the levels that do not apply. Relationship Level Communication Level When you first met your partner One year after you met your partner The day you married your partner One year after the birth of your first child Five years into your marriage Ten years into your marriage Your relationship today If you noticed a change in the level of communication, to what might you attribute this change? At what level would you like your communication with your partner to be? If we want to have a tolerable relationship that is healthy, we must be attentive to our communication style. Sometimes we engage in negative communication styles beyond our own consciousness. Virginia Satir offers a model that accentuates what she refers to as the four styles of communication. Four Negative Communication Styles Placater The Yes person who tries to avoid conflict at any cost. Blaming The fault finder who tries to find fault in your argument or something he/she can be critical of in an argument Computing The Cool, Calm, Collected, and Correct person who is always right. They never get excited or emotional, because they know they are right. During their turn in the conversation, they will explain to you all of the facts. They tend to believe that their partner has lost the facts in all of their emotion. Distracting The person who changes topics like crazy because the conversation becomes too conflicting, personal, and intimidating. Circle the Communication Style that best describes YOU: a. Placater b. Blaming c. Computing d. Distracting Circle the Communication Style that best describes your PARTNER: a. Placater b. Blaming c. Computing d. Distracting How do you think either of your negative communication styles has impacted the communication in your relationship? Communication Styles Characterized by Animals Shark The Competitor Gets what they want no matter what it takes by shouting, sulking, withholding physical intimacy whatever works. This type does not mind having disharmony in the home. Bear The Accommodator Keeps peace at any cost Fox The Negotiator Specialist in compromise such that everyone wins a little and everyone loses a little. Both Bear and Fox tend to walk away half-pleased. Turtle The Avoider Pretends that problems do not exit in the relationship. Their partner tends to be the shark-style communicator. This person feels conflict, so he/she becomes passive and withdrawn. Some people think they have happy marriages, because they are married to turtles. The Owl The Collaborator The win-win person who will try to get a resolution for all. Tends to operate with wisdom. Exercise: List the potential strengths and weakness of your animal-type communication style and that of your partner. Communication and Non-Verbals Communication is more than the words you speak. Communication encompasses what you say, how you say it, and how your body is reacting to what you are saying. Research shows that communication is: 7% Words 24% Tonality 69 Body Language and Expressions Reflection: What would happen if your partner shouted to you, I AM interested in what you are saying! while turning away from you to intently watching his/her favorite show on the television? Would you believe the words that he/she was communicating? The tonality and the non-verbals would outweigh the words that were spoken. Key Dynamics of Communication Listening is one of the most important functions of communication there is. If both people are slow to listen and quick to speak, there will be chaos and lack of communication because there will be no understanding. There is a difference between HEARING and LlSTENING! Hearing the auditory reception of sound Listening the ability to hear, interpret, and understand Exercise: Give an example of how your partner may have heard something you said rather than listen to what you said: Listening involves commitment! A commitment to understand, empathize, to put aside ones own interests and prejudices long enough to see the relationship through the eyes of the other person. The goal of listening is to understand, learn, and enjoy helping. Listening involves compliment! Because our partner listens, we tend to feel that we matter. Roadblocks to Listening Most men dread hearing the words, Can I talk to you about something? or We need to talk. They tend to ask themselves, What did I do now? They dread that they will now have to engage in an activity that so many of us are unprepared for the art of intentional listening. The following are roadblocks to listening in which many of us engage in with our relationships: Mindreading ignoring what is being said while trying to figure out what is meant. In other words, ignoring the obvious in favor of the imaginary Rehearsing preparing what is going to be said. You cannot listen you are trying to get your argument together against your partner Filtering keeping the things that you do want to hear or that you do agree with and blocking out all you do not want to hear Judging Listening to criticize, to judge, and to find blame Daydreaming not paying attention or tuning the other person out Advising jumping in to try to fix the problem with a solution rather than hear what the person is saying. Just because your partner has a problem does not mean that he/see wants you to fix it all of the time! Exercise: Evaluate the following scenario. Jesse is listening to his wife complain once again about the gas tank of their car being left on empty after he has driven it all weekend. As his wife proceeds to give him a play-by-play of who drove the car that weekend and when and where it was driven, he is trying to pinpoint in his mind exactly who should have stopped to fill the cars tank rather than hearing his wifes issue. After she finishes, he has already concluded whose fault this whole issue was, deciding actually it was her fault. Which roadblock is Jesse employing? a. Mindreading b. Rehearsing c. Filtering d. Judging e. Daydreaming f. Advising Dynamics of Active Listening Step 1: Pay Attention. Listen without any roadblocks. Step 2: Paraphrase. Restate your understanding of what your partner has spoken to you. Step 3: Clarify. Your partner comes back with what he/she actually meant if you did not get the intended message. Step 4: Collect Yourself and Get Feedback. The feedback should address what you just clarified with your partner. Deal with the facts on the floor and respond with what you feel about what was communicated. The goal of communication is not agreement or convincing your partner. Rather, the goal of communication is to be heard and understood! Exercise: Choose a neutral topic to discuss with your partner, and allow your partner to practice utilizing the four Dynamics of Active Listening while you explain your topic. After you have had your turn, allow your partner to use the same exercise. Write down the results of how this exercise transpired and how active listening made each of you feel. Very few people actually make contact in communication, i.e., two people ending up at the same place, knowing where they are when they get there. We tend to be on different frequencies when we communicate, and thus never end up on the same channel. Everyone wants to grow close with their partner, but when people realize how difficult this is through communication, they tend to shy away from this type of relational intimacy and decided not connect on a deeper level. Communication allows our partners to know us, who we are, and how we think or feel. We want them to enter our world of feelings so that we can enhance them, support them, help them, or simply enjoy them. Expression of oneself is the ability to give voice to ones emotional feelings. The only way to do this is through the process of self-awareness. Youve got to learn how you feel and what it is that you are feeling and then put a voice to it so that the other person can understand it. If you find yourself constantly saying, You dont ever listen to me, you might consider asking the question, Am I listening to myself?, because you might be communicating the wrong way. The Pillars of Communication The following charts are exercises to begin learning about you so you can clearly articulate your issues. Pillar #1: How to Express Yourself Prepare to Talk Step Task 1 Identify what it is you feel (Is it a good or bad feeling?) 2 Ask yourself, How important is this feeling to me? (Is it really important enough to talk about?) 3 What is the feeling saying to me? (Something positive, negative, affirming, etc.) 4 What do I want to do about this feeling? (What do I want or expect to happen?) 5 What past experience does this feeling remind me of? (Have I ever felt this before?) 6 Name your feeling (annoyed, happy, sad, playful, jealous, etc. you cannot explain it you if you cannot name it!) 7 Define the word for the feeling in terms of intensity (Very, a little, not at all) 8 Define the word or feeling in terms of duration (How long youve held the feeling?) 9 Define the feeling in cause and context (When the feeling came, where were you were, and in what context?) 10 Define the feeling in terms of its historical context (Have you ever felt this way at another stage in your life? Pillar #2; Scripting Your Needs Planning in Advance How to Ask for what you want Step Task 1 Say exactly what you mean 2 Send the message effectively by using the right words and action 3 Obey the 10 Commandments of Clean Communication 10 Commandments of Clean Communication Commandment 1 Avoid Judgment Words and Loaded Terms (Words that communicate your partner is flawed, incorrect, and in error) Commandment 2 Avoid Global Labels (Stay away from generalizations and name-calling, as this will shut down communication) Commandment 3 Avoid You Messages of Blame and Accusation (Stay away from always and never, and use I rather than You statements when talking about your feelings) Commandment 4 Avoid Old History (Stick to the issue at hand and discuss one issue at a time) Commandment 5 Avoid Negative Comparison. (Dont ask, Why cant you be like Frank?) Commandment 6 Avoid Threats (Threats bring insecurity in a relationship and causes people to be less self-disclosing with you) Commandment 7 Describe your feelings rather than attacking with them. (Your goal is not to make your partner feel bad, but to express how you feel) Commandment 8 Keep Body Language Open and Receptive (You speak louder with your body than with your words) Commandment 9 Use Whole Messages (Use your thoughts, your feelings, and your emotions) Commandment 10 Use Clear Messages (Make sure youre specific, and do not ask loaded questions of your partner) Exercise: Complete the following exercise by listing which commandments the following statements are violating (some may violate more than one). Statement Commandment Violated You have the biggest stomach in the whole class. Why cant you lose weight? You have one more time to hang the telephone up on me before I walk out for good! I wish I would have known that you were this stubborn before I married you! I am very upset about the way you treated me yesterday. Why did you totally ignore me? This is just like when you almost had an affair three years ago. Youve never changed! I can listen and do my paperwork at the same time. My hands are occupied, not my ears! Sometimes I think that you dont like me anymore. Thats all I have to say. Well, maybe if you werent so uneducated, you wouldnt be so closed-minded! You always decide to call one of your friends on the phone when I say we have an issue to resolve! Yes, I am jealous, and its all your fault! You dont have to hug people like that in front of me! How to Communicate with Your Body The following are steps that you and your partner can exercise to communicate more effectively with your body language: Maintain Eye Contact Lean in Close to the Person Nod and Give Short Verbal Affirmations Smile or Frown, Whichever is Appropriate Keep Your Posture Open. Arms Unfolded, Towards Your Partner Actively Move Away From Distractions Exercise: Evaluate the following scenario: Lynn certainly thinks that she looks like she is listening to her partner. She is seated in a comfortable chair, leaning forward with her arms unfolded, and she is making direct eye contact with him. However, she is neither nodding nor shaking her head, she says nothing, and her face is expressionless. Even further, when her partner finishes talking, Lynn remains in her same posture, gazing intently at him, but not saying a word. Her partner thinks that she is in a daze. What is Lynn communicating to her partner with her body? Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who [are] spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Galatians 6:1 Sometimes you are talking to someone who hurt you, but you have to be eager to restore the relationship. However, if the goal of communication is not restoration, there really is no need to talk. There are certain parameters to fair communication that each partner in a relationship should employ. Dos and Donts of Communication Donts Be judgmental Expect too much from one session Bring up your mates past Butt in or be rude Overstate by saying you a1ways or You never Lose your temper Pout or give the silent treatment Tell endless stories Compete Think in terms of winning and losing Belittle your male Dos Be accepting and tolerant Plan to talk again Be forgiving Be courteous as to a stranger Be accurate by saying Sometimes, Many times, To me it seems Be in control of yourself Be positive, outgoing. and unselfish even when you dont feel like it Be concise See yourself as an equal partner Be cooperative and not combative Be affirming and build up your mate Exercise: Choose three Dos listed and list the possible positive consequences of the chosen behavior. Then, choose three Donts listed above and list the possible negative consequences of the chosen behavior. Difference in the Way Men and Women Communicate There are a number of differences between the communication styles of men and women. For example, you have a 96% chance of the conversation continuing when the man initiates it, and yet, you have only a 36% chance of the conversation continuing when a woman initiates it. Also, because men have a larger ego, this ego drives a mans awareness of what is received and what is blocked out in communication. Differences do not have to hinder our communication if we acknowledge, understand, accept, and learn to work with them. Men and women must have positive regard for the differences that exist between them. Men Women Focus on achievement Focus on relationship Focus on solving problems with the facts Like to share their feelings Need an agenda when communicating Tend to use intense adjectives Tend to interrupt more Tend to be more descriptive in conversation Talk more in public settings than they do in private Tend to talk more in small groups Talk loudly and tell lots of stories Talk more quietly with focuses on fewer topics Talk about reports Talk about rapport Assume you are sharing what you want revealed Ask a lot of questions Tend to be competitive in their dialogue Tend to be cooperative Tend to be exclusive Tend to be inclusive Information Intuition Listen for whats important Listen for details Need time to process their thoughts and feelings Process immediately Say women are too emotional Say men are not sensitive enough Say women talk too much Say men dont listen How God Broke Down Differences to Communicate with Humanity The incarnation was a divine example of communication that transcended differences. In John 1, the incarnation taught us that communication has to be reflective. The Word accurately described what God was feeling. The word God spoke was so reflective of God that it was God Himself. We have to take time to come up with the words that accurately reflect what i

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Republic of Slovakia an economic overview

Ukraine, in the north by Poland and the Czech Republic, in the south by Hungary and in the west by Austria. Slovakia has the reform the advantage of a strategic position between the border of the EX. and the former Soviet Union source: SARIS (2012) According to Trading Economics (2014)9, the main trade partners of Slovakia are Euro members, Germany, Czech Republic, France, Poland, Russia and Hungary. However, even as member of European Union, Slovakia remain very interested in active relations with Eastern neigh boors.Indeed, according to a research led by Alexander Du Elba (2009)10, Slovakia s favorable to an active partnership with the Eastern countries, especially Russ Asia. Indeed, in the text, we learn that â€Å"excepted for Russia and Ukraine, all other Eastern neighbors s 0 far do not play an important role in Slovakia foreign policies and/or are not yet being considered by Slovakia political establishment as weighty actors in terms of their relevancy for the projection of n ational interests of Slovakia within the post-Soviet Eastern Europe†.This is particularly relevant for Ukraine, since â€Å"Ukrainian approach to the EX. that might result in the signing of the Association Agreement, including a deep and comprehensive free-trade agreement, is expected to boost the economic development of Eastern Slovakia and contribute to the lowering of regional did asperities in Slovakia†. More about those regional disparities will be said further in this chapter. Mr.. Dulled concludes by saying that the extension of the EX. zone to the East I s a great opportunity for Slovakia, which may become a turntable between the East and the West Of EX..Indeed, â€Å"The 9 TRADING ECONOMICS, in http://BMW. Tragicomedies. Com/Slovakia/ balance-of-trade consulted 04. 25. 2014 DULLED A. (2009), Slovakian policy towards Russia and Eastern neighbors, 10 priority of Slovakia diplomacy should be the promotion of the membership of I TTS eastern partners in WTFO which is the precondition for further liberalizing of foreign trade with t he EX.†. Regional economic disparities As we will see, automotive occupies an important place among the country's strategic industries beside representing 17% of total GAP.Currently are operating the Volkswagen plants in Deviants Novas Eves (northern Brasilia), in Martin (major city, south-east of Salina), an in Choices ; the AS Peugeot-Citroen plant in Tirana (50 km from Brasilia) and the Aka plant in Salina (Slovakia Northwest). Source: Rheostat On one hand, we have the wealthiest regions (darker blue): the regions of Brasilia and Tirana concentrate the biggest car manufactures in the country and they border Austria and the Czech Republic, two countries that also produce lots of cars or car parts, thus create Eng a synergy with the western and north-western regions of Slovakia.Surprisingly enough, the region n of Salina is not much wealthier than the southern ones, although it hosts two car manufactures: on big in Salina (Aka), and one smaller in Martin (Volkswagen). On the other hand, there is Proves that shares borders with Ukraine and Poll ND, two countries that still are a little behind compared to Slovakia. Plus it mainly hosts agricultural a activities and, in a lesser extent, food-processing and textile industries 1. Those types of industries do not usually greatly encourage development.However, we should look at these figures differently: it's not almost all region s that are behind; it's Brasilia that's far ahead. Indeed, Brasilia always received the greatest part of foreign direct investments, then name Salina and the third position is more or less a tie between Tirana and 11 SARIS, The proves Region (201 2, PA) Trending. But, as we can observe hereunder, the share of FED that the other regions race vied still is negligible: they rarely received more than 15%.One of the reason behind that is that the Brasilia region concentrates Salvo ski's most populated municipalities. Ind eed, only 0. 76% of all the municipalities (there are 3 334 in t total) have more than 10 000 inhabitants 2. It is thus understandable that industries' development I not homogeneous and is concentrated around main cities. Undersecretaries The main natural resources of Slovakia are brown coal and lignite with small q annuities of iron ore, copper and manganese ore as well.

Friday, January 10, 2020

Market Reaction Paper

On the busy streets of the Upper West side lies a two floor petit market named Citarella. Located on 75th street and Broadway, this amazing gourmet market allows buyers to have a great quality of food even though it may cost a little more money. Citarella welcomes guest into a neat and comfortable environment where customers and purchasers can shop for items in a relaxed, well-organized place. All of the food appears fresh and high quality. As a first timer everything in the market seemed more upscale and elegant, which immediately made me realize this market was a great vendor.Citarella creates an atmosphere that makes buyers want to enjoy their food shopping at this market. Upon reaching 75th Street, I noticed the big orange â€Å"Citarella† sign on the corner. The window display had actual meat which already showed me how high quality and value their food was. It seemed very differently than my local markets around my neighborhood. I opened the door and the market was full of people . This must be a sign of a great market. The place was made of bricks, and all the walls were covered in different food displays of each individual food section.The fresh smell of vegetables an area of cooked food cultivated my nose right away. I started my analysis in the vegetables and fresh pasta section. They had various selection from ravioli, tortellini and many others. Across from me, I saw the lettuce at a price range of $1. 89 lbs. This was awkward for me seeing lettuce being purchased by its weight. I also noticed Citarella promotes their new product in every section using big yellow tags stating the product name, price and brand.That idea is great if you are an experimental buyer or chef that like to try new things in the kitchen. Afterwards, I worked my way to the seafood section and noticed all the different types of seafood in stock. I looked down and seen groups of live lobsters in three big tanks. For a small market, there was every product any person would need, from fat-free to organic products. Citarella carries various brands, including their own brand too. The meat department and fruit section were located on the first floor as well.All the meat looked healthy and all the fruits looked nice and ripped. As a gourmet market every section was well organized and established. The products seemed to be handled with best care to provide the best service possible. While looking around the market, a customer who spotted me writing on my pad asked, â€Å" If I was a critic? † I politely responded â€Å"No† then i asked. â€Å" What makes you shop at Citarella? † he replied â€Å"The quality of the food†. The second floor was the dairy, coffee section, and the bakery.I headed straight towards the bakery. I headed straight towards the bakery. I’m addicted to sweets and all the pastries available looked so good and well polished. I ordered myself a small individual size berries tart with vanilla Creme at a p rice of $1. 25. The pastry was delicious and for a small market, Citarella obtains a great bakery. Most markets won’t provide this extra selection, which adds extra advantages to this market. On my right I noticed a big coffee section. There were many coffee beans from various places.Having someone brew your coffee in person immediately appealed as as a great customer service to me. This market was just so welcoming. The experience in the market was great. I loved every aspect of it and entering Citarella open my mind to a different view of a market. I learned and seen so many different things I never realized while food shopping. The customer service was great and the atmosphere was full of tranquility. For a small gourmet market Citarella provides high quality value food at a price range that may be expensive to many but supply you with the best products.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Organised Crime in an Increasingly Globalised World - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1305 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Law Essay Type Argumentative essay Tags: Globalization Essay Did you like this example? Introduction Globalization, apart from the impact it has in our everyday life, has also significantly contributed to the facilitation and the expansion of crime and more particularly the activities of transnational criminal groups. Organised crime is not a new problem for the authorities internationally, but patterns in the incidence, prevalence and concentration of organized crime are interpreted in terms of social trends that generate increased opportunities. For example, technological innovations in communication and intelligence sharing amongst criminal fraternities, together with political developments, such as the abolition of border controls, have created better conditions and more opportunities for committing criminal activities, such as electronic commerce and evasion of customs and exercise duties, whilst negating, or enabling the circumvention of, capable guardians[1]. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Organised Crime in an Increasingly Globalised World" essay for you Create order The present essay will focus on the abovementioned phenomenon, examining whether there are indeed new opportunities for transnational criminals in the era of globalization and, if yes, what can be done for tackling with this issue. Organised crime and globalisation Organized crime has become a reality as a result of a combination of different factors and the cooperation of a wide range of actors. It also covers a wide range of groups and activities, from drug cartels in North America and criminal groups in Central Africa to piracy, cyber-crime and money-laundering in rogue jurisdictions and uncontrolled economic sectors.[2] Transnational crime depends on and is based on the operation of specific networks and proximal circumstances involved in the commissioning of particular crime. It is of key importance to develop the right environment and boarder social context, such as market for production, exchange and consumption of illicit goods and services, the supply network of mot ivated offenders, presence of suitable targets and absence of effective enforcement or prevention mechanisms.[3] It is true that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"globalization has progressed faster than our collective ability to regulate ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ and this is why more unregulated areas have been created as well as more opportunities for organized crime have grown.[4] New Opportunities First of all, nowadays it is remarkable how fast and how cheaply people and goods move around the world. A new form of smuggling involves tourists. Tourists can be effective couriers, helping the promotion of new routes, opening of new markets or sustaining existing ones. The European Union (EU) is an attractive option for transnational criminal activities due to the open borders and the relaxed border controls for EU nationals. For instance, Spain is the major destination for trafficking from South America to Europe, while Caribbean islands, such as Jamaica and St Martin, are main staging posts for drugs on their way to Europe. St Martin is owned jointly by France and Holland, so there are no customs posts between the two parts of the island and no customs posts between the island and its European counterparts.[5] At the same time, remarkable is the growth of global communications and particularly mobile telecommunications. A crime that has found particularly fertile ground to blossom is child pornography. We live in the age of internet, so images can be created, processed and circulated much easier than in the age of hard copies. In this context, cyber-crime and white-collar crimes, such as money-laundering, have transformed to much more advanced and difficult-to-detect activities. The existence of poor-quality exchange controls, low disclosure requirements, offshore financial services, ineffective bank confidentiality rules, areas with loose oversight, in combination with the internationalism of economies and the interconnectednessof markets have paved the way for the cre ation of criminal friendly environments well disguised in an international context.[6] Just because of globalisation there is a globalised criminal economy worth  £1 trillion.[7] Moving now to more traditional types of crimes, it needs to be highlighted that cartel members and criminals have also changed in terms of background, skills and qualifications. Culturally and socially they have little in common with traditional traffickers and regard themselves as superior. Yet they are as central to the operation as the traffickers, for money and drugs are two sides of the same equation. [8] Despite rapid technology advancements and the sophisticated tools used by criminal justice agencies, it is surprising how well criminal groups manage to keep track with advances and new technologies for the purposes of undermining the effectiveness of enforcement and prevention programmes as well as for the completion of their deals. Traffickers are able to use the most sophisticated equi pment, such as GPS and satellite software, while at the same time their methods include even spying the authorities to determine the duty hours of customs radar watch personnel or the schedules of Customs jet interceptorsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ maintenance and operation.[9] Another aspect is the effect of globalisation on third world countriesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ economies. Large populations of impoverished peasants in drug producing countries, such as Columbia, rely on cocaine production seeing it as an opportunity to gain an income higher than that expected in crop-substitution programs.[10] Thus, traffickers have appeared to assist local industries in return for support from peasant unions closely tied to the national labour movement.[11] Since crime has gone global, responses on a national level are by definition insufficient. In this way, the problem is not solved, unless a more international approach is adopted, such as the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organi zed Crime or the Millennium Development Goals. This is the only way forward for combating this threat and minimise the increase of the opportunities that globalisation creates for transnational criminals. Conclusion To sum up, there are considerably extensive opportunities for the occurrence or the expansion of transnational crime in the globalized society we are living in. The criminal organizationsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ global reach and capacity is further fortified by rapid developments in communication, information, and transport technologies, the abolition of internal border controls within continental trading blocks and the deregulation of international markets.[12] This poses a huge challenge for both international and national authorities to reinforce their rules and policies, establish strong networks of cooperation and streamline the use of technology and globalization to their advantage, the same way criminals do. BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS Bean, Drugs and Crime, (William, 2002) Castells, End of Millennium, Volume III: The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture, (Wiley, 2000) Edward and Gill, Transnational organized crime, Perspectives on Global security, (Routledge, 2003) Pearce and Woodiwiss, Global Crime Connections, Dynamics and Control, (Lumiere Press, 1993) Quiggin, Seeing the Invisible: National Security Intelligence in an Uncertain Age, (World Scientific Publishing, 2007) Sheptycki, Transnational Comparative Criminology, (GlassHouse Press, 2005) JOURNAL ARTICLES Aguilar-Millan,Foltz, Jackson, andOberg, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"The GlobalizationofCrimeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢,(2008) The Futurist, https://blackboard.angelo.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/LFA/CSS/Course%20Material/BOR3304/readings/The%20Globalization%20of%20Crime.pdf, accessed 16 March 2014 Farer, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Fighting Transnational Organized Crime: Measures Short of Warà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, in Tom Farer, (ed.), Transnational Crime in the Americas, (Routledge, 1999). Mittleman, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"The Dynamics of Globalizationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, in James Mittleman, (ed.), Globalization: Critical Reflections, ( Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1997), 6-10 Williams, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Organizing Transnational Crime: Networks, Markets and Hierarchiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, (1998) Transnational Organized Crime, Vol.4, Nos. 3 and 4, 57-86. OTHER SOURCES UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), The Globalization of Crime: A Transnational Organized Crime Threat Assessment, 17 June 2010, https://www.refworld.org/docid/4cad7f892.html accessed 15 March 2014 [1] James Sheptycki, Transnational Comparative Criminology, (GlassHouse Press 2005) p.215 [2] UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), The Globalization of Crime: A Transnational Organized Crime Threat Assessment, 17 June 2010, https://www.refworld.org/docid/4cad7f892.html accessed 15 March 2014 [3] Sheptycki (n.1). [4] UNODC (n.2), p. 18. [5] Philip Bean, Drugs and Crime, (William 2002) p.104-5 [6] Frank Pearce and Michael Woodiwiss, Global Crime Connections, Dynamics and Control, (Lumiere Press, 1993) p.45 [7] Manuel Castells, End of Millennium, Volume III: The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture, (Wiley, 2000), p. 361. [8] Tom Farer, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Fighting Transnational Organized Crime: Measures Short of Warà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, in Tom Farer, (ed.), Transnational Crime in the Americas, (Routledge, 1999). p. 251 [9] Pearce and Woodiwiss (n.6) p.46-7 [10] Bean, (n. 5) p.100 [11] Thomas Quiggin, Seeing the Invisible: National Security Intellig ence in an Uncertain Age, (World Scientific Publishing, 2007), p.55. [12] Adams Edward and Peter Gill, Transnational organized crime, Perspectives on Global security, (Routledge 2003), p.39.