Jane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte Essays (796 words) -

Jane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte In Charlotte Bronte Jane Eyre, the main character faces many struggles. One of the struggles she faces is the temptation to run away with the man she loves and be his mistress or to marry a man who offers her the contrary where it would be a legal and highly respectable marriage but with no genuine love. Jane Eyre returns to Rochester because she values love and passion more than reason and when she hears his mysterious voice calling for her, she is also sure that Rochester and her share a spiritual link. Jane must decide between two men who have similar characteristics but are offering her almost exact opposite relationships. Jane must decide between reason and passion which is on of the main themes in the novel. The characteristics of the two men, who propose to Jane, conjure and symbolize the themes in Jane Eyre. Although, Rochester and St. John offer Jane entirely different relationships both men are noticeably selfish and disregard Jane's feelings to some degree. Both men are strong-willed, powerful, and stubborn about their ways of thinking and living. This is especially seen in St. John as Jane describes her cousin as being "as stiff about urging his point" as possible. They believe that want they do is in the best interest of Jane and use unfair methods to tempt Jane into going against her own morals. Rochester tries to convince Jane to run away with him by using the tragic story of his marriage to Bertha Mason. His story makes Jane feel sympathetic and only makes her "work more difficult." Rochester turns to emotional blackmail when Jane still resists him. He tries to use her affection towards him to his advantage by accusing her of pushing him "back on lust for a passion ? vice for an occupation." He questions her on whether "it is better to drive a fellow-creature to despair than to transgress a mere human law...?" St. John, on the other hand, is far more convinced that he knows what is truly best for Jane. His plan for her is moral and appeals to her loyalty and idealism about God. He claims her "not for pleasure" but for his "Sovereign service." But Jane must refuse him too because of her strong belief in that there must be love between two people for them to unite in marriage. St. John does not understand Jane's passionate nature, for him passion is an earthly emotion which must be put aside so that God can be served. He, himself, sacrifices his love for Rosamond Oliver because he thinks she would not make a good missionary's wife whereas Jane would but he does not truly love her. St. John uses his own ways to try to manipulate Jane but he does also try to use her affection towards him to his advantage. Unlike Rochester, St. John uses religious arguments to try to convince Jane to marry him. He tells her that her rejection is not of him but of God. He believes "it is the cause to God" he advocates and "it is under His standard" that he enlists Jane. But Jane states that she could never marry a man who is "as cold as an iceberg" and "has no more of a husband's heart." She "scorns the counterfeit sentiment" he offers to her and scorns his "idea of love." When his forceful attempts fail, he changes to a gentle tone which almost wins over Jane but in her confusion and sadness is when she hears Rochester's voice call out for her. Rochester's voice is speaking "in pain and woe, wildly, eerily, urgently" which sends Jane heading back to Thornfield. This time, it is not Jane's conscience but her passion and love for Rochester which convinces her to not marry St. John. Jane returns to Thornfield stronger morally and spiritually than before and finds that Rochester has changed for the better. Both characters have changed through the novel after suffering through hardships which indicates they should be together. Jane gradually matures through the whole novel but the most significant stage is after she leaves Thornfield. She learns her hunger and her need for shelter are her problems. Unlike her experiences at Gateshead and Lowood, Jane handles herself in a much more dignified manner when she arrives at the Moor House. Jane proves the housekeeper wrong by answering in a civil manner when the housekeeper believes Jane is a beggar. Jane learns to accept responsibility for herself and her actions. Rochester changes

buy custom Effects of New Technologies essay

buy custom Effects of New Technologies essay The word technology derivates from Greek word technologia which refers to, the practical submission of knowledge, principally in a particular discipline of study. It is significant to note that technology is a conceptual term that falls short of a particular universally acceptable actual definition. Nevertheless, it can be referred to as, the utilization and application of knowledge pertaining to techniques, crafts, tools, systems or methods of organization, or a substantial end product of these things, such as computers. It is a remark that is utilized collectively to depict or illustrate the undertakings, creations, views, advancements, knowledge and abilities of a distinct faction of natives (Basalla 25). Impact of New Technology All through the past, technologies have considerably impacted on the lives of human beings and other animal species in their capacity to manage and adapt to their innate atmosphere. Traditionally, human beings commenced the exploitation of technology with the invention of the accessible innate resources into easy tools and equipment. For example, the comprehension of the ability to control fire improved the available sources of food, while the discovery of the wheel aided the human beings to organize their environment and boost transport. On the other hand, contemporary technological innovations such as the printing press, television, the telephone and the internet have decreased the physical impediments of communication. Furthermore, they have facilitated rapid and free associations among the humans globally by transforming the planet into a global village. As much as not all technologies have been utilized by human beings for serene intentions, the positive impact it has on the soc iety is immense (Basalla 26). This paper delves into how the employment of machines has affected the competence of employees and computer and cell phone effects to the society

Management Innovation and New Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management Innovation and New Technology - Essay Example However, modern theories are moving away from this inventor mythology to more holistic approaches that are often based on complete processes and this has led to successful commercialization of new products and processes. An individual can confidently state that product innovation is a complex process rather than a one-day event. This means that there is a lot that is involved in product innovation. A number of insights are evident in the product innovation complexity. To begin with innovation starts and ends with invention (Wield & Rhode, 82). Invention refers to the discovery of new and intelligent ideas and artefacts. Despite the fact, that creating new idea is the baseline of innovation, it is noteworthy that the idea must be sorted out as to whether it is workable and or applicable into the societal context. In other words, innovation takes into consideration adapting the newly found ideas into practical productive application in particular work processes or product markets of a particular firm. The applications should not only be to specific firms but also to the entire economy and into the society. This proposition can be justified by the fact that despite Spencer Silvers discovering the Post-it brand adhesive before 1970 this noble invention was only commercialised in 1978 after the company (3M) had ignored for that long owing to lack of practical applicability (Ketteringham & Nayak 427). Silver’s moment of discovering the Post-it brand adhesive began in 3M’s Central Research Laboratories under program dubbed â€Å"Polymers for Adhesives† in 1964. It is unfortunate that despite the fact that silver came up with unique form of adhesive his new idea could not be taken seriously by the management because Silver could not find a problem to apply this great idea. It was until Arthur Fry a 3M chemist, a choir director and an amateur mechanic found a problem to Silver’s idea when he came up with the paper to paper application of the adhesive. According to Wield & Rhode (84), the complexity of product innovation can be understood by withdrawing the assumption that innovation takes a â€Å"linear flow†. It is noteworthy that successful innovation has no straight line considering that it does not spring from scientific invention all the way to develop a competitive edge. The nature of the link between a scientific invention and the technological development is in itself very complex and because of this reason, the link has often been confusing. Individuals need to understand that scientific invention benefits a lot from technological development in a number of ways that include but not limited to transfer of knowledge, network of profession, skills and instruments. In the case of 3M, it is evident that the company boasts of a poll of skilled scientists that range from chemists and engineers who worked tirelessly in 3M’s Central Research Laboratories to come up with new inventions. The idea that led i nto development of one of the best selling product of 3M named Post-it Note Pad resulted from a series of technological developments that took approximately 10 years (Ketteringham & Nayak 425). Successful product innovation is also a matter of interaction between a number of factors within and outside the organization (Wield & Rhode, 84). Studies indicate that those factors that key determinant to the commercial success of a product are found outside the areas which are commonly associated with the with the

Issue of the Internet Freedom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Issue of the Internet Freedom - Essay Example One of the benefits of Internet freedom exists in different sectors of the economy especially business organizations. Throughout the years, different business organizations have been able to benefit from the use of the internet which has helped these firms grow and expand and also in a way advertise the company. This is because the internet has opened them up to a larger market whereby people around the world have access to the services offered by these organizations (Davis 54). For example, a company like eBay has made it probable for all people to trade goods, as well as exchange services through the internet saving people time and costs they would have incurred by going around the world in search of these same goods and services. Organizations have also mutually benefited from each other. For instance, companies are able to outsource the different services or commodities that they might need from the wide selection of firms and individuals that present their profiles online. This is seen clearly when companies outsource recruitment services from other companies (Davis 67). Throughout the years, internet freedom has been a resourceful and information's a valuable source for people in the education sector. Both teachers and students within various educational organizations refer to the internet when looking for information about topics they might be researching (Christine 45). The internet contains a wide range of information about different topics; moreover, there is the presentation of information provided from different people’s perspective on the various topics. This allows students, and teachers to analyze and evaluate the different perspectives provided and come up with a detailed compilation. Internet freedom has also allowed for correspondence within the field of education. Most institutions are now embracing the use of e-learning. This service eliminates the barrier of geographical distance between the student and the learning institution and e nables students to pursue and achieve the same quality of education from a specified institution without being physically present there. The main requirement tends to be a computer with an internet connection and both teachers and the student can converse and interact in the virtual classes creation. Testing and grading can also be done in the same way (Christine 98). Internet freedom has also allowed students around the world to interact and share their different ideologies on various topics whether controversial or noncontroversial. This has shown to be beneficial especially when discussing prevalent issues such as global warming, HIV/AIDS etc. This also may play a part in fostering strong relations and co-operation among diverse peoples. From all these benefits of internet freedom, there is the facilitation of knowledge expansion in and out of the education sector (Christine 55). Internet freedom has also encouraged the growth of the entertainment industry. People resort to the i nternet when in search of ways of entertaining themselves by listening to music, watching movies or interacting with other people on social networking sites. The internet provides a wide range of entertainment options to cater for diverse and unique preferences of different individuals (Adam 63). The current popular form of entertainment dominating the internet in this modern day is the use of social network websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Skype among others.

Analysis of Retail Marketing Nuances Term Paper

Analysis of Retail Marketing Nuances - Term Paper Example Of all the changes in distribution during the last century, those taking place in retailing have been the most dramatic. Totally new institutions have appeared in an industry that a hundred years ago consisted mostly of small general and specialty stores. The principle retailing innovation in the 1930s was the supermarket, which introduced a number of principles of mass merchandising that cut costs and increased volume at a time when family incomes were strained. The original supermarkets, in fact, were not very attractive, but times have now changed. With innovative techniques of attracting the customers, supermarket chains have established themselves in a big way. Supermarkets introduced the principle of self-service, wherein the customer is supposed to do the leg work, which resulted in a reduction of the personal cost of the supermarket. Self-service also resulted in encouraging impulse purchases, as the consumer could physically touch and feel all the attractively packaged stuff kept on display. In this study I'll study the nuances of retail marketing through my superstore 'Woolworth' a major superstore chain having branches in many countries and offering a range of products from consumer durables, electronic items, toys, sports and leisure items to fresh food. We take pride in customer assistance and a range of extra services and facilities. Woolworths Group plc is principally a UK retailer focused on the home, family, and entertainment. Woolworths offers its customers value-for-money on an extended range of products. It is built around the well known Woolworths brand which is represented in towns and cities throughout the UK Frank Woolworth started his retail career as a sales assistant like me in the Augsbury and Moore Dry Goods Store in Watertown, New York in 1873. This young boy was desperately in need of a job and the co-owner William Moore took pity on the young farm boy and accepted his offer to work 'free of charge' on a three month trial in the store. If we see this episode in retrospective we'll find a trace of the retail marketing principles even in this offer of this young boy. The boy not only proved his worth but went on to create history in the retailing industry.  

Globalisation: The Food Industry In Philippines

Globalisation: The Food Industry In Philippines This study aims to explore how globalization has affected the food industry in the Philippines. By looking at the Nestle Company, the research paper seeks to look at Multinationals as agents of globalization and how they have affected the Philippines food industry. Research design/methodology: This study employs descriptive research method. This type of research approach involves data analysis, and a particular set of questions, which do not deflect certain topics. The researcher analyzed the data presented on the impacts of Nestle in the food industry in Philippines guided by specific designed questions. Findings: The study found out that Multinationals act as agents of globalization. By looking into the Nestlà © Company, the research found out that Multinationals act as agents of globalization affecting the food industry both negatively and positively. Limitations: The research employs primary and secondary data hence it would be difficult to find out whether the data is true or biased. Recommendations: In order to reach a generalized conclusion, more study needs to be conducted in this unexplored area of study. Value: Considering the rise of Multinationals, the paper will assist governments to be able to implement proper policies while dealing with Multinationals in their nation states. Key words:-MNC (Multinational Corporations), globalization, socialization, colonization, third world countries. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Introduction, Aims and Objectives, Research Questions and Hypothesis 4 1.1 Introduction 4 1.2 Overall Aims and Objectives of the research 9 1.3 Hypotheses: 10 Chapter 2: Literature Review 11 2.1 Introduction 11 2.1.1 Theory 11 Chapter 3: Methodology 21 3.1 Introduction 21 3.1 Research Design 22 Chapter 4: Data presentation, Evidence, Analysis and discussion 26 4.1 Introduction 26 4.2 Data analysis 26 4.2.1 T-Test Analysis 27 Chapter 5: Conclusion 33 5.5 Conclusion 33 5.4 Limitations of the study 35 5.6 Recommendations 35 Time Scale and plan 36 Questionnaire 38 List of References 42 Chapter One Introduction, Aims and Objectives, Research Questions and Hypothesis 1.1 Introduction This research paper is designed to assess the effects of globalization on the food industry in the Philippines. It is motivated by the controversies that have surfaced on the role of these Multinational Corporations (MNCs) as agents of globalization in the Philippines. Globalization has resulted in a lot of positive and negative impacts especially in the third world countries (Robertson, 1992). In the sector of agriculture, crops that have been imported can be bought at cheaper price than domestic products. Nations states like the Philippines, which depend on agriculture as their main export and import have suffered a lot as a result of globalization. The Philippine agricultural sector only accounts for 14.8% of the gross domestic product (GDP) (Frost, 2003). For instance, crops that are imported could be bought at a much cheaper price than value. This is because globalization has created the free trade area as stated by the World Trade Organizations. Hence, nation states with higher productivity in agriculture could dump their produce to their counterparts in the third world nation state. This means that the third world nation states will be given sub standard produce (Frost, 2003). By definition, globalization implies the movement of information and people across borders of any nation state. Consequently, this transfer has control over the nation-states political, environmental and cultural affairs (Dasgupta, 2004). Economically, globalization has been able to assist nation states to grow through the introduction of various Multinational Corporations like the Nestle. As a result, these foreign direct investments bring a lot of foreign exchange in the host nation state. This foreign exchange comes from the sell of Philippines agricultural produce and products in the international market. This is a positive effect in the economy of the nation state. However, in many Asian nation states like the Philippines, majority of the population are plagued with poverty. This means that these people are more willing to work and earn the lower wages that the MNCs (Multinational Corporations) would give them. As a result of globalization, many multinational corporations have set up their branches in these nation states. MNCs (Multinational Corporations) like Nestles have managed to set up their manufacturing facilities in these nation states to benefit from the cheap labor (Jensen, 2008). This has affected the food industry in the Philippines as many local food industries are able to access cheap labor for their industries. The new industries assist the poor nation states to solve their crisis of unemployment thus reducing poverty in the nation-state. In addition, this may help in increasing the living standard of the people and increasing the contribution that the lower class in the society makes in their GDP (Frost, 2003). This ensures that the local farmers are empowered from their agricultural products thus developing food industries in the Philippines. Furthermore, lower class is socialized to be able to consume the products produced by these multinational companies. This creates local market for the products from the food industries thus generating income (Robertson, 1992). Consequently, Nestle has become very significant in building a Food industry in the Philippines. From a negative perspective, globalization has resulted in Multinational Companies like the Nestle that tend to exploit their workers. This is especially in the poor nation states like the Philippines. This is mainly because such nation-states lack proper policies and regulations to ensure that the MNCs act accordingly (Jensen, 2008). This affects the local food industry because the domestic food industries are not able to maximize on the Philippine market like their international counterparts. Most Multi nationals aim at reducing their expenditure costs while remaining competitive to the domestic market. Furthermore, most of these MNCs destroy the environment in the host countries because of lack of proper environmental policies (Athukoralge, 2007). For instance, in the fiscal year 1980, a US chemical business Union Carbide in India endured very poor working environment. The chemicals in the end resulted in explosions that killed very many people (Athukoralge, 2007). These companies seek to not only capture but also to control the resources of the host nation state. This affects the food industry because the destruction of the environment leads to the destruction of food crops and the amount of rainfall that may come in the Philippines. Consequently, this reduces the crop yields of that year. With this background, it is imperative to note that this research will employ Nestle, to depict the impact of globalization in the food industry in Philippines. The research will look into both the harmful and positive characteristics of globalization by looking into Nestlà ©s affairs in the Philippines (Nestle Philippines, 2011). Presently, the Nestle is known as a very established organization globally. The company has various food and beverages amongst its list of products. Past cases will be employed to depict the impact that globalization has in the Philippines food industry. Background The economy of Philippines heavily depends on agriculture for survival. The country of Philippines has a high level of education and literacy rate. The economy of the Philippines is relatively strong with moderate savings rates. It has been ranked as the 46th nation state globally economic wise. Additionally, the nation state has an export oriented agricultural sector (Nestle Philippines, 2011). Consequently, this has resulted in the generation of sufficient foreign exchange for the economy. Despite the fact that it was rich in natural resources, the economy of Philippines is agrarian and produces staple food to support the economy. However, the country had started growing economically with the entry of major corporations like Nestle. The Philippians industrial sector was increasing at a very fast pace. Consequently, the nation state was named as one of the nations with the utmost salary earnings in the Southeastern part of Asia (Divina Roldan, 2010). Many changes in the Philippines have been brought about because of globalization. Furthermore, globalization through MNCs has brought vast penetration of technologies and vast penetration. This has affected the food industry as more farmers are able to venture in the food industry availing more products to the consumers. The Nestle Company began from a simple idea into a giant multinational corporation. In 1866, a pharmacist named Henri formulated a food formula for babies who could not be able to tolerate breast milk. As a result, the products became so successful that the entire Europe demanded for the product (Nestle Philippines, 2011). Because of the popularity, great companies desired to merge with it. Between 1866 and 1947, the company had changed its name severally to suit the mergers. For instance, in 1905, a company named Farine Lactee Henri Nestle and Anglo-Swiss condensed milk Co merged with Nestle to create Nestle Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Co. These consolidations permit a company to improve on the efficiency of production through scale economies. In addition, these mergers result in the closing down of firms that are less efficient. This is normally seen as a very fast way for companies to expand on their product offering and in turn gain market share. Furthermore, some companies engage in mergers and acquisitions to block other companies from becoming greater players in the market. Most of the food manufacturers enter the foreign markets through foreign direct investments like in the Philippines. The Nestle Company has been able to stay successful for a very long time. Consequently, this has created room for them to be able to expand their markets globally making them the worlds greatest beverage and food industry (Schwarz, 2003). The Nestle Company has made the food industry to orient itself more to its customers rather than themselves. The advanced technology has enabled them to know the interests of the consumers and thus make products that can suit their needs. Agricultural goods like spoilt milk that could not be used has now been turned into a tradable substance because of globalization. Their headquarters is locates in Vevey, Switzerland (Nestle Philippines, 2011). However, most of the companys industries are located in many parts of the world. Since the publication of the companys case in 1998, Nestle has, managed to employ nearly 230000 people worldwide. Currently, the number has increased to 253000 people and over 88 billion dollars of sales. This means that the com pany is increasing on an annual basis. Additionally, the company has managed to increase their products that they offer to their customers. Their business strategy has been mainly to encourage the growth of their products through various innovations and renovations. Consequently, the strategy has enabled the company to be able to create many other products like breakfast cereal, baby food, dairy products, chocolates, ice creams, prepared foods and beverages. The company has also diversified to produce pet foods, food services and water that are bottled. This means that the Nestle Company has managed to set the pace for the standard of food to be consumed by the Filipinos. Eventually, food regimes have come up to check on the standard of food that is being produced in the Philippines. Currently, Nestle Philippines has been able to employ over 3200 employees and support thousands of people indirectly. Nestle has managed to establish three factories and a fourth one is coming. The company claims to provide the Filipinos with products that will bring a healthy and happier life. In addition, the Multinational Company endeavors to become good and caring to the corporate citizens and in ensuring that the welfare of the Filipinos is taken care of (Divina Roldan, 2010). The Nestle Company has had several accusations on its exploitation of workers in the food industry. In 2002, the rights of more then 600 workers was violated by Nestle in the Cabuyao factory (Cabuyao workers briefing, 2009). The workers desired to enforce their rights and to negotiate with the managers on their retirement benefits. This was because the Multinational had not included retirement benefits on their employment contract at Nestle. However, the Nestle management purported that it was the companys decision to decide whether or not they would give their workers the benefits (Cabuyao workers briefing, 2009). The Supreme Court of Philippines gave justice to the workers and stated that retirement benefits ought to be a subject to be discussed by both parties. Despite all this, the Multinational has not complied with the ruling. As the set pacers in the food industry, the Nestle has made other food industries like the MacDonalds to follow suit. 1.2 Overall Aims and Objectives of the research Globalization has significantly affected food industry in most developing nation states. This is because of the liberalization of the economy and great technological advances. Through various Multinational Corporations like the Nestle, globalization has managed to occur in nation states like the Philippines. This has affected the food industry in many ways both positively and negatively. The colonial structures set by the European powers ensured that the economies of these developing nation states entirely relied on the developed nations (Jensen, 2008). This has made the economies of the third world nation states like the Philippines heavily rely on developed nations for economic prosperity. Against this backdrop, this research desires to look into the effects of globalization in the food industry in the Philippines. By looking into the Nestlà ©, the research seeks to look into these corporations as agents of globalization and how they have affected the food industry in third world countries like the Philippines. To achieve this aim, the research outlined the following objectives: To know the strategies that Multinationals like nestle employ to gain maximum profits. To identify if the Nestle collaborates with the mother nation state (Switzerland) to gain maximum profits in the Philippines. To know the role of colonization in ensuring that third world nation states like the Philippines had weak economies. To know how globalization has affected the tastes of the local people thus affecting the food industry. 1.3 Hypotheses: Hypothesis 1: Globalization has been able to impact the food industry by affecting their tastes of the local people. Hypothesis 2: The Nestle multinational has led to a decline in the local food industries through their effective strategies Hypothesis3: Effective strategies have assisted the Nestlà © Multinational to be able to gain maximum profits in the Philippines. Chapter 2: Literature Review 2.1 Introduction This part of the dissertation seeks to review the literature concerned with the effects of globalization in developing nation states. It is here that the various theories that talk about globalization are discussed. Furthermore, the various literatures on the impacts of globalization and multinationals are reviewed. 2.1.1 Theory To explain this research topic, many theories have been proposed. In any disciplinary research, it is imperative that a theoretical framework that discusses the problems affecting this research is employed. In addition, the theoretical framework will assist in formulating the necessary research questions for designing the research study. It refers to various collections of interrelated concepts such as a theory (Kaplan, 1964). Although various literatures have been able to cover broad diversity of theories, the theory of world systems will be employed to explain globalization and its impact on food industry in the Philippines. The theory emphasizes on the fact that the systems of the world ought to be the basic unit of analysis. The theory refers to the international labor division and this is the basis of globalization. According to the theory, the world is split into the semi periphery, the periphery and the core nation states. The core nation states center on having high skilled l abor and a production that is capital intensive. The rest of the nation states have low skilled labor with a production that is labor intensive. In addition, they specialize on the extraction of minerals. This explains how the process of globalization has emerged in the world (Chase-Dunn, and Grimes. 1995). The nation states with capital and high technology have been able to move into nation states that have labor and no capital. The system changes rapidly because of globalization and individual countries can be able to lose their status as core nation state very fast because of changes. The theory was formulated by Immanuel Wallenstein in 1978 (Wallerstein, 1974). Wallenstein has been able to trace this theory to the 15 century where the feudal economy in Europe went through a major crisis but was changed into a capitalist society. This is what globalization has done to developing nation states. It has been able to transform developing nation states like the Philippines into a capi talist one (Jensen, 2008). This is by opening up the markets and allowing the establishment of foreign investments in the country. The food business has managed to exist even before civilization took place. The advancement of this trade in the 16th and 17th centuries was mostly premised on the discovery of commodities that were geographically specific and tropical plant products (Brenner, 1982). It is agriculture that made the developed nation states become powerful as they sold their agricultural produce to international markets. Wallenstein purports that that the nation states in Europe were able to employ the advantages they had like technology to dominate other nation states economies. They were able to spread the capitalist economy and industrialization resulting in unequal development (Jensen, 2008). Agricultural globalization was seen as a means through which they could construct their economy. In capitalist globalization, jobs and capital move from one nation state to another. This is mainly from the nations that are rich (the core) to the developing nation states (periphery). This made them created thei r own industries that could process food premised on what could be gotten from the local raw materials. Capitalist corporations like the Nestle in Philippines have increased exploitation by paying less money to their staff in developing nation states (Wallerstein, 1974). Globalization is referred to as capitalism but on an international level. In an economy that is globalized, the economic activities of the nation state exist. This is because of an exchange in notions, services, labor forces and technical advances. This has made people do business globally, travel and communicate with each other. The theory can be perceived in the same way as Karl Marx saw class. This means that ownership is compared to non ownership as the means of production. The nation states classified as the core possess and control the main means of production. That is why the core nations are able to dominate the developing nation states. The periphery countries do not own much of the means of production in the world. This is irrespective of the fact that they carry out higher level of the production works. Like in any other class system in many nation states, there exist class positions in the world that lead to uneven wealth distribution. The core nation states get the greatest share of the surplus production (Wallerstein, 1974). Despite owning the raw materials and labor, the periphery nations receive the least of their production. In addition, the core nation states are able to buy raw materials and other goods from the nation states at a cheaper price. The core nation states demand the periphery n ations to buy the products at a higher price. The Nestle was able to gain access in the Philippines because the Multinational comes from the nation state in the core. The Nestle employs the cheap labor from the developing nation states and their raw materials. Wallenstein argues that in the twentieth century, the world systems theory had reached its limits geographically (Wallerstein, 1974). This is because state systems that were capitalist in nature and capitalist markets were extended to all other regions. The United States rose to become a hegemonic power. This means that it had political as well as economic powers. These newly independent nation states were able to confront the control of the core in the entire century (Borines, 2001). Some of the states that had gained independence decided to confront the cores dominance by improving the status of their economy. In the 19th century, liberalism took over as the ideology. It was designed with the hope that there will be equal share markets and individual rights. It also desi red to advance the economic status of the nation states. This is what Wallenstein calls, the transition period. However, the period has been brought about divisions and unequal wealth distribution in the world. Technology is the factor that makes the core nation states to remain in their dominant position. Wallensteins theory has attracted a lot of criticism. The theory has focused a lot on the economy instead of the culture of the nation states. These critics can be categorized in four ways. First of all, the orthodox Marxist who argue that the world systems theory has moved away from the principles of Marxism. This has been depicted in the way the concept of social class has not been given much gravity (Wallestein, 2004). Secondly, the positivists have criticized the theory for being too prone to generalization. The world systems theory is devoid of quantitative data and has failed to put forth propositions that can be contradicted by an observation. Thirdly, the state autonomists have criticized the theory by saying that there lacks a boundary between businesses and the state. All the critics purport that the state should be regarded as the focal point of analysis. Other critics like Brenner have purported that prioritizing the world market means that the local struggles amongst the classes and structures ought to be neglected (Brenner, 1982). 2.1.2 Positive of globalization in the Philippines food industry Globalization refers to the increase in interdependence amongst various business firms in the economies of various nation states in the world. The change agent of this nation state is normally businesses that are owned by various multinational organizations. A Multinational Corporation is an enterprise that involves itself in the management of production in more than one nation state (Tolentino, 2000). Furthermore, Multinationals deliver various services in many other nations. Many scholars have researched on the impacts of globalization in the food industries of many developing nation states. For example, according to Dasguta (2004) globalization has resulted to a rise in products that are consumed in different nation states. Consequently, this results in the rise of many food industries that compete against each other to try and meet the demands of their customers. Eventually, globalization has resulted in increased competition amongst the food industries. This in turn has culminat ed to a greater level of independence to global companies for both global collaboration and economic activities. Harley (2006) argues that most companies have begun to operate globally on an economic scale. According to his studies, the revenue of the company in their nation state was regarded as the highest in their country of origin in the past. However, in this present time, the opposite of the above statement is deemed to be true. Scholars have written on earliest form of globalization. Berberoglu, (2005) purports that since the 1400; globalization took place in the form of capitalism. During this period, the Europeans began forming colonies that could supply them with raw materials and cheap labor for their products. The economies of most developing nation states were developed in such a way that they supplied for the requirements of the integral nation states that existed in the global system that was capitalist in nature (Berberoglu, 2005). The rising trend of markets, finances, services and goods that are interconnected have resulted in the trend of globalization. This has created development in technology as afar as food industry is concerned. In addition, the rise in the stature of multinational companies in developing nation states has influenced the economical, cultural and political aspects of many nation states. In the economic dimension, globalization revolves around the accumulation of capitalism a s the current trend. This is clearly depicted by the widespread labor division that exists in the world, raising numbers of industries within the MNCs and the movement of capital globally from one nation state to another (Suarez-Villa, 2012). Through colonization, these nation states were able to get countries at the periphery like the Philippines to supply all that they need for their economy to expand. This affected the food industry as it made the Philippines become dependent on the developed nation states. The Filipinos grow their own food only to be processed in the developed nation states because of lack of better technology to do the job. In turn, the Filipino farmers get little from their produce while the multinationals get a lot of money. American exploited the Filipinos by forcing them to work for them and buying their produce. This provided cheap labor and market for the American products. The Americans prioritized on accumulating the wealth, industries and the capital o f the Filipinos (Borines, 2001). Harley (2006) argues that for these Multinationals to remain competitive globally, they mostly aim at reducing their costs and prices. This works concurrently with their desire to produce goods of a high standard. Companies look to third world nation states as their centers of operation. They see their firms as a way to benefit from the third world nation states as they would gain a working force that is skilled/unskilled with very low cost. This has been achieved by setting up their operations in nation states like Philippines, Malaysia and India. Borine (2001) argues that colonization left the economy of Philippines in a very weak state. This meant that despite the fact that they were granted sovereignty by the Americans; the Philippines were still not sovereign in their economy. Borines (2001) purports that most of these developing nation states had to rely on the American markets for survival. The economy of the Philippines is highly dependent on agriculture and three quarters of the poor Filipinos depend on agriculture for their livelihood (Borines, 2001). As more and more firms become global, the numbers of competitors increase. In addition, the intensity of the competition increases too. In these nation states, the MNCs have access to untapped markets that will increase their volume of products (Billet, 1991). In addition, these firms have access to a manufacturing low cost base for their exports to the surrounding markets. These multinationals like Nestles have opened up the Philippine food industry to the international market. This has created new opportunities for the Filipino farmers to be able to trade on an international scale. With an increasing population of over 80 million, about 60% of the Philippine populations lives live below the poverty line. The poverty level in the nation state has brought a lot of corruption or exploitation by various Multinationals. In order to reduce the costs, these companies employ exploitation methods to be able to hurt the workforce or damage the environment. Carbaugh (2010) purports that multinational corporations search for places where they can be able to access labor that is inexpensive in order to build their factories. For example, United Fruit is a multinational banana producing corporation in Honduras. The region was chosen because of pursuit of cheap raw materials and labor (Carbaugh, 2010). Normally, these companies are aware of the situations in a nation that will cause them be able to attract maximum gains. These Multinationals are not required to follow any guidelines that may be present in their countries of origin (Rachman, 2008).This means that some of them operate in developing nation states without taking heed to the local regulations concerning businesses. In addition, these companies engage in activities that increase their cost of operation. A weak legal and regulatory system will result in exploitation of labor and resources in the developing nation state. Most developing nation states like Philippines hope that through Multinationals, globalization would transform their poor economy into an active participant in the global economy. As a result, globalization has been able to transform this nation state by increasing the employment opportunities (Rachman, 2008). This is because more foreign companies have come into the Philippines to assist in its ailing economy. This affects the food industry as it avails the necessary labor required. Globalization has resulted to other consequences. First of all, globalization makes nation states that have different value systems are able to try to win each other in the same level (Dasgupta, 2004). This means that different nation states set up structures and policies that will be able to attract more foreign investors in their nation. Globalization has resulted in greater mobility of capital and workers in the international market. Consequently, this has led to a global market place where there has been an increase in the opportunity for employees, customers and managers of the company. For instance, the coming of Nestle Company to the Philippines brought in capital for erecting factories and offices (Local Philippine Context, 2010). Foreign workers were granted an opportunity to work in Philippines. This gives them a greater exposure internationally. However, the entry of Nestle in the Philippines has been able to create an intense level of competition with the local market. The local market is left to compete with the global giant for markets shares and revenues. The most basic requirement of individuals is food. This means that most multinationals that deal with food like the Nestle have very great power. Being the worlds leader in the manufacturing of baby food, the Nestle Company has managed to open up the fo od industry in making baby foods (Borines, 2001). This is despite the various practices like corruption and monopoly that are deemed to be misguided. The Nestle has introduced new techniques of processing like condensation and roller drying. Consequently, this has led to a surplus of cheap milk in the Philippines. The Nestlà © Company commenced exporting its milk to developing nation states in the fiscal year 1873. 2.1.3 Negative aspects of globalization Like in other developing nations, globalization has changed the culture of most Filipinos thus bring obesity to the children and adults. In the fiscal year 2008, the National Statistics Coordination Board revealed that 26.6% of Filipino adults were obese. This has increased by 10% from 1993(ABS-CBN, 2011). 6.6% of children of age 5 to 10 years have b Modern Organizations | Globalization and the Environment Modern Organizations | Globalization and the Environment This essay is based on organizations internal and external environment in todays modern economy. It also discusses the drivers of globalization and effects of globalization on organizations environment. Firstly, it is important to understand the definition of globalization as there are many definitions. Secondly, the drivers of globalization are discussed in this essay including the history, aim and role of World Trade Organization. Further, the relationship between organizations internal and external environment in global market is analyzed. It also highlights the changes that organizations have to face when going global. However, it is very challenging as an organization can control their internal environment but can not control the external environment. An early description of globalization was penned by the American entrepreneur-turned-minister Charles Taze Russell who coined the term ‘Corporate Giants in 1897. However, it was not until the 1960s that the term began to be widely used by economists and other social scientists. It had achieved widespread use in the mainstream press by the later half of the 1980s. Since its inception, the concept of globalization has inspired numerous competing definitions and interpretations. Globalization refers to the shift towards a more integrated and interdependent world economy. Globalization has several different facets including the globalization of markets and globalization of products (Hill, 2004).Globalization has led to increasingly integrated markets across the world, changing the competitive environment in which firms operate. In the face of international competition in domestic and foreign markets, the least productive firms may be forced into bankruptcy while the most productive ones will take advantage of new business opportunities in foreign markets (IMF). Globalization attracts increasing interest and importance in contemporary world affairs. It also inspires passionate supporters and critic (BBC). Globalization is the process of increasing the connectivity and interdependence of the worlds markets and businesses. This process has speeded up dramatically in the last two decades as technological advances make it easier for people to travel, communicate, and do business internationally. In general, as economies become more connected to other economies, they have increased opportunity but also increased competition. Thus, as globalization becomes a more and more common feature of world economics, powerful pro-globalization and anti-globalization lobbies have arisen. The pro-globalization lobby argues that globalization brings about much increased opportunities for almost everyone, and increased competition is a good thing since it makes agents of productio n more efficient (investorwords, 2009). The two most prominent pro-globalization organizations are the World Trade Organization and the World Economic Forum. The World Trade Organization is a pan-governmental entity (which currently has 144 members) that was set up to formulate a set of rules to govern global trade and capital flows through the process of member consensus, and to supervise their member countries to ensure that the rules are being followed. The World Economic Forum, a private foundation, does not have decision-making power but enjoys a great deal of importance since it has been effective as a powerful networking forum for many of the worlds business, government and not-profit leaders. The anti-globalization group argues that certain groups of people who are deprived in terms of resources are not currently capable of functioning within the increased competitive pressure that will be brought about by allowing their economies to be more connected to the rest of the world. Important anti-globalization organizat ions include environmental groups like Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace; international aid organizations like Oxfam; third world government organizations like the G77; business organizations and trade unions whose competitiveness is threatened by globalization like the U.S. textiles and European farm lobby, as well as the Australian and U.S. trade union movements. There are four main elements and drivers of globalization: globalization of markets, globalization of production, technology innovation and falling of barriers to trade and investment which is analyzed in more depth including the role and aim of WTO. Globalization of markets refers to the merging of national markets into one huge global marketplace. Now selling internationally is easier due to falling barriers to cross-border trade. A company doesnt have to be the size of these multinational giants to facilitate and benefit from the globalization of markets. It is important to offer a standard product to the worldwide. But very significant differences still exist between national markets like consumer tastes, preferences, legal regulations, cultural systems. These differences require that marketing strategies in order to match the conditions in a country. Globalization of production refers to the sourcing of goods and services from locations around the world to take advantage of national differences in the cost and quality of factors of production. The idea is to compete more effectively offering a product with good quality and low cost. For example, Nike is considerate one of the leading marketers of athletic shoes and apparel on the world. The company has some overseas factories where has achieved a super production with low cost. Unfortunately Nike has been a target of protest and persistent accusations that its products are made in sweatshops with poor working conditions. The company has signaled a commitment to improving working conditions, but in spite of the fact, the attacks continue. Technological changes have achieved advances in communication, information processing, and transportation technology, including the Internet and the World Wide Web (www). The most important innovation has been development in the microprocessors after that global communications have been revolutionized by developments in satellite, optical fiber, and wireless technologies, and now the Internet and the www. The rapid growth of the internet and the associated www is the latest expression of this development. Besides, innovations have occurred in the field of the transportation technology. The development of commercial jet aircraft has reduced the time needed to get from one location to another. Now New York is closer to Tokyo than ever. Another example of technological change would be websites such as ebay.com where any individual can sell any item to anyone in the world; it is essentially the biggest garage sale ever. A third example of technological change would be production; in the 1900s people were making products largely by hand. Today, machines can whip out a dozen sweaters in an hour and make them higher quality. This way the global market can demand more products at a higher quality. The falling of barriers to international trade enables firms to view the world as their market. The lowering of barrier to trade and investments also allows firms to base production at the optimal location for that activity. Thus, a firm might design a product in one country, produce a component parts in two other countries, assemble the product in another country and then export the finished product around the world. The lowering of trade barriers has facilitated the globalization of production. The evidence also suggests that foreign direct investment is playing an increasing role in the global economy. For example, Panama is now allowed to trade Pharmaceuticals, foods, and school supplies without suffering a tariff. Also, any other import is subject to only a 5% tariff as opposed to the previous 8%. Decreasing and lowering of the trade and investment hurdles internationally is one of the important reasons of globalization. After the establishment of the world trade organization in which many countries participated due to the free trade agreements in the countries around the world. After the establishment of GATT (General Agreement of Tariff and Trade) it is the trade agreement between the countries that are willing to carry the free trade around the world. The aim of these tariffs was to protect the local industries of those countries. But now the scholars of prosperity have though that the world would be become more peaceful and good place to live in when all the countries and their representatives coordinate with each other. The benefit of this is to the countries who do not have much source to utilizes their resources so that they can attract the large foreign investment in their countries. The WTO provides a forum for negotiating agreements aimed at reducing obstacles to international trade and ensuring a level playing field for all, thus contributing to economic growth and development. The WTO also provides a legal and institutional framework for the implementation and monitoring of these agreements, as well as for settling disputes arising from their interpretation and application. The current body of trade agreements comprising the WTO consists of 16 different multilateral agreements (to which all WTO members are parties) and two different plurilateral agreements (to which only some WTO members are parties). Over the past 60 years, the WTO, which was established in 1995, and its predecessor organization the GATT have helped to create a strong and prosperous international trading system, thereby contributing to unprecedented global economic growth. The WTO currently has 153 members, of which 117 are developing countries or separate customs territories. WTO activities are supported by a Secretariat of some 700 staff, led by the WTO Director-General. The Secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland, and has an annual budget of approximately CHF 200 million ($180 million, â‚ ¬130 million). The three official languages of the WTO are English, French and Spanish. Decisions in the WTO are generally taken by consensus of the entire membership. The highest institutional body is the Ministerial Conference, which meets roughly every two years. A General Council conducts the organizations business in the intervals between Ministerial Conferences. Both of these bodies comprise all members. Specialized subsidiary bodies (Councils, Committees, Sub-committees), also comprising all members, administer and monitor the implementation by members of the various WTO agreements. More specifically, the WTOs main activities are: Negotiating the reduction or elimination of obstacles to trade (import tariffs, other barriers to trade) and agreeing on rules governing the conduct of international trade (e.g. antidumping, subsidies, product standards, etc.) Administering and monitoring the application of the WTOs agreed rules for trade in goods, trade in services, and trade-related intellectual property rights Monitoring and reviewing the trade policies of our members, as well as ensuring transparency of regional and bilateral trade agreements Settling disputes among our members regarding the interpretation and application of the agreements Building capacity of developing country government officials in international trade matters Assisting the process of accession of some 30 countries who are not yet members of the organization Conducting economic research and collecting and disseminating trade data in support of the WTOs other main activities Explaining to and educating the public about the WTO, its mission and its activities. The WTOs founding and guiding principles remain the pursuit of open borders, the guarantee of most-favoured-nation principle and non-discriminatory treatment by and among members, and a commitment to transparency in the conduct of its activities. The opening of national markets to international trade, with justifiable exceptions or with adequate flexibilities, will encourage and contribute to sustainable development, raise peoples welfare, reduce poverty, and foster peace and stability. At the same time, such market opening must be accompanied by sound domestic and international policies that contribute to economic growth and development according to each members needs and aspirations. (WTO, 2009) An organizations internal environment is composed of the elements within the organization, including current employees, management, and especially corporate culture, which defines employee behavior. Also organizations resources, its capabilities and competencies make up the internal environment of the organization. The internal environment plays a crucial role in the strategic management process of the organization. (Hill, 2004) Although some elements affect the organization as a whole, others affect only the manager. A managers philosophical or leadership style directly impacts employees. Traditional managers give explicit instructions to employees, while progressive managers empower employees to make many of their own decisions. Changes in philosophy and/or leadership style are under the control of the manager. To analyze the internal and external environment of an organization SWOT analysis is carried out to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The Internal Analysis of strengths and weaknesses focuses on internal factors that give an organization certain advantages and disadvantages in meeting the needs of its target market. Strengths refer to core competencies that give the firm an advantage in meeting the needs of its target markets. Any analysis of company strengths should be market oriented/customer focused because strengths are only meaningful when they assist the firm in meetin g customer needs. Weaknesses refer to any limitations a company faces in developing or implementing a strategy. Weaknesses should also be examined from a customer perspective because customers often perceive weaknesses that a company cannot see. The external environment in which an organization operates presents both threats and opportunities. Growth or decline in international trade, national protectionism and regional trading blocs are some examples of the political and economic environment, which have considerable impact on the marketing of the maritime industry. There are different ways of classifying the types of external environment that usually just reflect the preferences of different authors, but there are some core types which are always identified. Your Kotler et al. (2004) text provides a comprehensive classification of the external environments, which it refers to as the macro-environment, as listed below: demographic environment, economic environment, natural environment, technological environment, political environment, cultural environment, technological environment, administrative/legal environment. Administrative/Legal Environment The administrative and legal environment in a country provides a framework within which an organization operates. In some countries this environment is very restrictive and has significant impact on all aspects of the organization; in other countries the administrative/legal context is more permissive. Understanding the administrative/legal environment is essential to determining if organizational change can take place. The administrative context within which the organization operates may be shaped by a unique combination of forces, including international, governmental, nongovernmental policy, legislative, regulatory, and legal frameworks. An organization is affected by the policy or regulatory context that gave rise to it. This includes specific laws and regulations that support or inhibit the institutions development. Technology Environment Both the types and the level of technology in the society give insight into understanding an institution. Institutions dealing with Western paradigms are dependent on the state of national infrastructure, e.g. power, water, transport; those which concentrate on indigenous research paradigms may have totally different dependencies. Thus, it is important to understand the level of relevant technology in the institutional context and whether such technology is defined by computer literacy or by highly developed indigenous methods of verbal and nonverbal communication. It might also be helpful for an assessment to include a consideration of the process by which new technology comes into use, both to understand how difficult it is to acquire needed research technologies and to develop an appreciation for the societys willingness to embrace both new knowledge and change. Political Environment The economy and legal system of a country are shaped by its political system. As such, it is important that organizations understand the nature of different political systems. Political system means system of government in a nation. Political system can be assessed according to two related dimensions. The first the degree to which they emphasize collectivism as apposed to individualism. The second dimension is the degree to which they are democratic or totalitarian. These dimensions are interrelated; system that emphasize collectivism tend toward totalitarian, while system that place a high value on individualism tend to be democratic. Economic Environment In the economic environment, the organizational analysis should centre on those aspects of the economic system that directly impact the type of project being considered. For example, inflation, labour laws, and opportunity costs for researchers in public institutions directly impact organizational activities in different countries. Countries with foreign currency restrictions represent different environments for institutions than countries without them, for such restrictions have ramifications for research, e.g. for equipment procurement and maintenance. Social and Cultural Environments Social and cultural forces at local, national, and often regional levels have profound influence on the way organizations conduct their work and on what they value in terms of outcomes and effects. For example, the mores of an indigenous culture have a bearing on the work ethic and on the way in which people relate to one another. Undoubtedly, the most profound cultural dimension is language. The extent to which organizational members can participate in the discourse of the major scientific language will determine the extent to which research efforts focus inwardly or contribute to regional and global research agendas. Understanding the national/regional/local values toward learning and research provides insight into the type and nature of research that is valued. For example, what is the relative priority placed on contract research in partnership with local clients, e.g. testing products and procedures with indigenous populations, as opposed to sharing information with academic pee rs internationally, or generating biostatistician data that will shape national or regional policy. Arriving at these priorities involves culture-based decisions. Organizational architecture can be used by multinational enterprises to manage and direct their global operations. To succeed, a firm must match its architecture to its strategy in different ways. Firms whose architecture does not fit their strategic requirements will experience performance problems. It is also necessary for the different components of architecture to be consistent with each other (Hill, 2004). Organizational architecture refers to the totality of a firms organization, including formal organizational structure, control systems and incentives, processes, organizational culture, and people. An organization should be able to analyze their internal environment including their capabilities before they decide to go global. It requires different know-how of the new geographical market and an organization would need to make necessary changes in internal environment to enter the new geographical market successfully. References http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/CliffsReviewTopic www.imf.org www.wto.org www.bbc.co.uk www.Investorwords.com Culture in Mexico | Essay Culture in Mexico | Essay Mexico The country that we had chosen was Mexico. One interesting fact about Mexico is that the country is the 11th most populated country in the world , around 117 million people. The relationship between Mexico and the United States are that they are two countries that share maritime and a land board in North America. Before, Mexico and the United States had a war, that war was called the Mexican War. The war was about Mexico invading the United States, was an armed conflict between the two countries. The official name for Mexico is the United Mexico States. The continental location of Mexico is North America. Mexicos bordering countries are the United States (to the north) and Belize and Guatemala (to the south). The area of Mexico in square miles are 758,400 mi ². The economics of Mexicos energy industry are petroleum industry, oil companies, gas stations, natural gas, coal gas, electrical power industry, electricity generation, electric power distribution, coal, nuclear power, renewable energy industry, alternative energy, sustainable energy, hydroelectric power, wind power, solar power, alternative fuels, and firewood. The manufacturing in Mexico is highly skilled workforces such as engineering, supervisors, and professionals. Because of the highly skilled workforce the competitiveness id at a high level around the world. The primary language the Mexico speaks is Spanish and English. The holidays the are celebrated in Mexico are Cinco de Mayo, honored for the Battle of Puebla, Diez y Seis, honored for the Independence Battle for Mexico, Day of the Dead, for the ancestors of the Mexican culture., etc. The education in mexico is currently controlled by Secretariat of Public Education. The education standards are based on a Ministry at any level in school. The levels in the education have three steps, the steps are primary school (grade 1-6), junior high school (grade 7-9), and high school (grades 10-12). The typical Mexican diet food that is popular is the chicken and fried rice, usually as a main protein as fish and topped with chili. The diet actually depends on what region you are in. The most common cuisine dish is a mix of indigenous and spanish influences. Even though most mexicans prefer/continue to eat more native foods, such as, corn, beans, and peppers. The difference of Mexicos and the United States includes family, religion, education, nationality, personal sensitivity, personal appearance, and status. Mexico also came up with different cultures causing a set of distinctive beliefs. Some interesting facts about Mexico is that Mexicos official name is Estados Unidos Mexicanos, which means United Mexican States. The first press printer used in mexico was in 1539. Millions of monarch butterflies migrate to mexico each year, from United States and Canada destroying their habitat. Mexico City was built over the remains of Aztec, Tenochtitlan. Modern Mexico citizens are a unique mix of different ancient races including Olmec, Zapotec, Toltec, Maya, Aztec, Inca, African, French and Spanish. Mexico is located in the Ring of Fire. Mexico introduced chocolate, corn, and chilis to the world. The largest monument is the Pyramid of Cholula in Mexico. Mexico is second to Brazil in the number of Catholic citizens. Mexico is the most populated Spanish-speaking country in the world and the United States is the second. One sport in Mexico that is in our slides is the Mayan Sport. The Mayan sport is the try to get a rubber ball without making it touch your hands then they have to try to get the rubber ball through one of the rings. The only reason why you cant use your hands is because the rings are high and it would be an advantage. The  winners are rewarded with a large feast. The clothing in Mexico is very unique in many different ways. The types of clothing is quechquemitl, huipiles, puebla dresses, for women and sombreros, sarapes, and guayaberas for men. Quechquemitl can be compared to a poncho, they clothing is used for special occasions. Huipiles represent lots of personality and is usually worn for everyday events. Puebla dresses are used everyday and are becoming more popular in the United States. Sombreros are one the most common Mexican garment. Sarapes are very colorful and serves a functional purpose. Guayaberas is made of lightweight cotton and are pastel colored shirts. Mexico is one of the most populated countries in the world. Filled up with over 117 million people. Mexico and the United States are share a maritime and a land which border. I hope you have learned a bit about Mexico and the countrys culture.

An Analysis of the Hurricane Catrina Relief Effort Essay -- foreign ai

In a state of national emergency, the United States government is expected to be efficient and organized. When Hurricane Katrina struck on August 25th, 2005, the United States government was not readily prepared for such an immense disaster. The mismanagement of relief efforts by the U.S. government led to a lack of adequate assistance to U.S. victims along with a prolonged restoration period for those in need. Had the government accepted more foreign aid and further prepared for the storm, hurricane Katrina may not have proved such a disaster in our nation’s history. This essay will explain how foreign aid was integrated into the relief effort. Additionally, this essay will explore the government’s refusal of aid from various countries willing to provide assistance and the lessons that can be learned from our nation’s actions in the aftermath of Katrina. In August of 2005, no one could predict the brutality and intensity of the natural disaster that was about to strike the city of New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina, known as one of the top natural disasters in our nation’s history, filled the city of New Orleans with water, leaving it a disaster area. Thousands of people’s lives were turned upside down by the damage and devastation that occurred from the impact of the storm. With a storm surge entering the city over 20 feet high, residents were forced to flee and abandon their Louisiana lifestyles. The Port of Mobile in Alabama, which did not even endure the full impact of the storm, sustained an estimated 28 million dollars in damages alone due to the storm (GAO 2006). Although an official estimate was not released, the total economic impact from Katrina is predicted to be around $150 billion in total damages (Kenny, 2013), an i... ...alth Reports 123(5):555. Kelman, Ilan. 2007. "Hurricane Katrina Disaster Diplomacy." Disasters 31(3):288-309. McNeill, Jena. 2/7/2011. "Accepting Disaster Relief from Other Nations: Lessons from Katrina and the Gulf Oil Spill." The Heritage Foundation:3/1/14. Nation Master. 4/18/2006. "International Aid Response: Countries Compared." Nation Master:3/1/14. Provost, Claire. 4/6/2011. "Aid from OECD Countries - Who Gives the most and how has it Changed?." The Guardian Data Blog:3/1/14. Robillard, Kevin. 10/3/12. "10 Facts about the Katrina Response." Politico:3/1/14. Solomon, John. 4/30/2007. "U.S. Refused most Offers of Aid for Hurricane Katrina." The New York Sun:3/1/14. Walker, David. 3/8/2006. "Hurricane Katrina - GAO’s Preliminary Observations regarding Preparedness, Response, and Recovery." United States Government Accountability Office:3/1/14.

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THE EVOLUTION OF THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL SYSTEM* CONTENTS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Introduction The Philippine Statistical System Through the Years The Present Statistical System Recent Initiatives of the Philippine Statistical System Lessons Learned, Challenges and Opportunities ______________________________ Philippine country paper prepared by the National Statistical Coordination Board and disseminated during the Seminar on the Evolution of National Statistical Systems organized by the United Nations Statistics Division in celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations Statistical Commission held on 23 February 2007 in New York, USA. 1 THE EVOLUTION OF THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL SYSTEM COUNTRY PAPER By The National Statistical Coordination Board, Philippines1 1. INTRODUCTION This country paper presents the history and existing features of the Philippine Statistical System (PSS).It also articulates the system’s recent initiatives as well as the lessons learned through t he years and the challenges and opportunities currently faced by the system. The Philippines is one of many countries with a decentralized statistical system. The PSS has evolved through several stages in response to the prevailing political, economic and social policies of the government. The emphasis on development planning in later years led to the creation of research and statistics divisions in existing departments to provide for their data and information needs.As a result, a decentralized system emerged whereby statistical services are managed and supervised by the respective agencies with overall coordination by a national body. The present PSS is the result of a comprehensive review of the system that was undertaken in 1986 by a multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral committee constituted by the Philippine government. The review was also undertaken in line with a government-wide reorganization which saw the need for necessary and proper changes in the bureaucracy in order to promote efficiency and effectiveness n the delivery of public services. The recommendations of the committee, which recognized the need to maintain a decentralized statistical system characterized by independence, objectivity, and integrity to make it more responsive to the requirements of national development, provided the basis for the reorganization of the PSS in 1987. Its mission is to provide timely, accurate and useful statistics for the government and the public, especially for planning and decision making.With the inadequate resources and other constraints, the PSS continues to seek for alternative measures and strategies toward responding to the current and emerging demands of the various clientele and stakeholders. The PSS also continues to effect improvements in its capacity to provide quality statistical products and services. Likewise, it recognizes the need to conform to international standards, comparisons and practices, and it provides support and cooperation to the statistical endeavors of the international community. Dr. Romulo A.Virola is the Secretary General of the National Statistical Coordination Board, Philippines (ra. [email  protected] gov. ph). 1 2 2. THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL SYSTEM THROUGH THE YEARS2 Government statistical activities in the country have gone a long way from the Spanish regime to the present statistical system. From the simple attempts of the Spanish monarchy to collect information on the country and its resources, the PSS has evolved to become a decentralized system with a strong coordinating body to serve the more complex needs of policy formulation and decision making.The following were the significant developments in the country’s statistical system at various periods and stages. 2. 1 Spanish Regime (1571 – 1898) During the Spanish regime, there was no regular and systematic data collection in the country except in the later years of the colonial period. Information on the people, villages, set tlements, tributes collected, judicial cases settled and the natural resources were obtained by the governors-general upon instructions from the King of Spain to the Spanish governorgeneral in the Philippines.From about the middle of the 18th century, the priests kept records of baptisms, marriages and deaths, making possible some population estimates. The first census under the Spanish regime was conducted in 1877 with the issuance of a royal decree ordering the enumeration of the population. Succeeding censuses were conducted in 1887 and 1897. The results of the first census were published in Archipelago Filipino en la Oceania Censo de Poblacion Verificado in 1887 but those of the latter were never published.The Spanish colonial statistical system began when an Officiana Central de Estadistica was established in the Direccion General de Administration Civil in 1889. The priests were obliged to report births, marriages and deaths which occurred within their parish to this office. T he publication of the Boletin de Estadistica de la Ciudad de Manila, a monthly journal, was started in 1895, making available population and vital statistics. 2. 2 American Regime (1898 – 1946) The onset of the American regime brought with it a more systematized data collection system.This was marked by the creation of a statistical unit in the Bureau of Customs to collect, tabulate, and disseminate statistics on imports and exports. Although no statistical units were formally created in other government offices during the time, information were nevertheless collected and compiled by them for administrative purposes. The Bureau of Agriculture, created in 1902, compiled data on the number of farms, irrigated areas, and cultivated land.The Bureau of Labor, created in 1908, gathered data on the number and membership of labor organizations and labor cases. Vital registration likewise improved during this period. The first census under the American regime was conducted in 1903, wi th the next censuses undertaken in 1918 and 1939. Different organizations carried out the censuses each time. The PSS – Composition, Organization and Coordination, NEDA, 1980; Executive Summary of the Phase 1 Report of Decentralization and the PSS Project, 1994; History of the PSS – http://www. ire. it-u. ac. jp; Executive Order No. 121 – Reorganizing and Strengthening the PSS and for Other Purposes, 1987. 2 3 The Department of Public Information carried out the 1903 census and the United States Census Bureau processed the statistics while the ad hoc Commission of Census conducted the 1939 census. In 1918, the Bureau of Commerce and Industry was created (with a statistics division) under the Department of Commerce and Communication. For thirteen years, this division served as the clearing house of all statistical information in the country.The data were published yearly in statistical bulletins, which served as the comprehensive and authoritative sources of stat istical information during the period. The first attempt to consolidate statistical authority and responsibility in the country came about with the transfer of the Bureau of Commerce and Industry to the Department of Agriculture and Commerce, which was organized in 1932. A special statistical division in the department was created which absorbed the Bureau’s statistical functions as well as those of the Bureau of Agriculture.The statistics produced were published in the Philippine Statistical Review. The centralization of all statistical activities in one agency was realized when the Bureau of the Census and Statistics (BCS) was created by Commonwealth Act No. 591 in 1940 under the Office of the President. All major statistical units of the Department of Agriculture and Commerce, Department of Labor, the Bureau of Health, the Bureau of Customs, the National Library, Department of Public Information and the 1939 Commission of Census were merged to the new Bureau.The move to ce ntralize the statistical system was interrupted because of World War II. 2. 3 Postwar recovery period starting in 1946 When the Philippines gained independence from the U. S. in July of 1946, the urgent need for data with which to plan and implement rehabilitation programs for a war-ravaged economy manifested itself. The BCS remained under the Office of the President until 1947 when it was placed under the newly organized Department of Commerce and Industry for administrative purposes.In 1948, the BCS conducted the first postwar census. The creation of the Central Bank of the Philippines in 1949 and the Agricultural Economics Division in the Department of Agriculture in 1953, as well as the return of the Labor Statistics Division to the Department of Labor, ushered in a period of great activity. With the expansion of government activities in the fields of public health, education, social welfare, public administration, crop subsidies, monetary stabilization, and agro-industrial deve lopment, statistical units gradually resurfaced.Consequently, the need for a decentralized statistical system with a central authority responsible for coordinating all the statistical activities of the government was recommended. 2. 4 Reorganization in 1956 Through the Government Survey and Reorganization Commission created in 1954, a set of recommendations was formulated which provided the framework for the administration of a coordinated decentralized statistical system.These recommendations brought about two significant changes in the statistical system, as follows: (a) the emergence of the Office of 4 the Statistical Coordination and Standards (OSCAS) and (b) the transfer of some statistical functions from the BCS to other government agencies. The decentralization of statistical activities was carried out in 1956 with the creation of a central coordinating authority, the OSCAS under the National Economic Council (NEC) by virtue of Executive Order No. 119.Among the functions of t his body was to oversee the coordination of all statistical activities of five major statistical operating agencies and more than a hundred administrative agencies which carry out statistical activities as part of their administrative and regulatory functions. The five agencies were the following: (1) Bureau of the Census and Statistics, (2) Bureau of Agricultural Economics, (3) Department of Economic Research, Central Bank of the Philippines, (4) Labor Statistics Service, Department of Labor, and (5) Disease Intelligence Center, Department of Health.Later, more government agencies surfaced to become major producers of primary statistics to meet the increasing needs of government planners for statistical data. Likewise, all statistical functions pertaining to agriculture and natural resources, banking and finance, labor, vital registration, and education were transferred from the BCS to other government agencies, which by nature of their administrative and regulatory functions and f or highly well-organized statistical units, were better qualified to undertake them.This set up existed for about a decade and a half until another government-wide reorganization of the executive branch of the government was introduced based on the Integrated Reorganization Plan (IRP) in 1972. 2. 5 Reorganization in 1972 The implementation of the IRP in 1972 abolished the NEC and set up in its place the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) headed by a Director-General. One of the offices under NEDA was the Statistical Coordination Office (SCO), which was made up of two staff units drawn from the three branches of OSCAS.Meanwhile, in 1974, the BCS under the Department of Commerce and Industry was reconstituted and renamed National Census and Statistics Office (NCSO) and placed under the administrative supervision of the NEDA. During this time, only one official served as the NEDA Deputy Director-General for SCO and, concurrently, as Executive Director of NCSO. The offic ial also acted as Chairman of the Statistical Advisory Board (SAB), which was the forerunner of the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB). The existence of SCO, NEDA brought about a number of developments in statistics, particularly through its Statistical Development Fund.Among them were the following: (1) expansion in standardization work as exemplified by the publication of the Manual on the Philippine System of National Accounts, Frameworks, Sources and Methods; (2) first Philippine Statistical Development Program; and (3) development of statistical frameworks, such as Input-Output Tables (in collaboration with NCSO), Flow-of-Funds Accounts (in collaboration with the Central Bank), Social Accounting Matrix, and Agriculture Economic Accounts (in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture). . 6 Reorganization in 1987 Recognizing the need to further enhance the efficiency of the statistical system and improve the timeliness and accuracy of statistics for planning and decision making, a comprehensive 5 study and review of the PSS was conducted by a special committee in 1986. The committee recognized the need to maintain a decentralized statistical system with a strong coordination characterized by independence, objectivity, and integrity to make it more responsive to the requirements of national development.Thus, the PSS was restructured with the issuance of Executive Order No. 121, entitled â€Å"Reorganizing and Strengthening the Philippine Statistical System and for Other Purposes† on 30 January 1987. The Executive Order provided the basis for the present structure of the decentralized PSS. By virtue of this order, the NSCB as the highest policymaking and coordinating body on statistical matters was created in 1987, replacing the NEDA Statistical Coordination Office and the Statistical Advisory Board.The Statistical Research and Training Center (SRTC) as the research and training arm of the PSS was also established. The NCSO was rename d National Statistics Office (NSO) and was tasked to be the major statistical agency responsible for generating general-purpose statistics and undertaking such censuses and surveys as may be designated by the NSCB. The demands of national economic recovery after the EDSA Revolution in 1986 necessitated changes in the organizational and functional structure of the entire bureaucracy. Under Executive Order No. 16 issued on 30 January 1987, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) was established as one of the seven bureaus of the Department of Agriculture to take charge of the production of statistics on agriculture, fishery and related fields. The BAS has assumed most of the functions of its predecessor, the Bureau of Agricultural Economics. It was also on 30 January 1987 when the Department of Labor was reorganized anew under Executive Order No. 126 and one of its provisions was the abolition of the Labor Statistics Service and the creation of the Bureau of Labor and Employment S tatistics (BLES) as one of the six bureaus of the Department.The other departments have maintained the statistical units within their respective offices. Meanwhile, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) created its Department of Statistics on 20 March 2005 to assume the statistical functions lodged before at its Department of Economic Research. 3. THE PRESENT STATISTICAL SYSTEM 3. 1. LAWS AND OTHER LEGAL PROVISIONS FOR STATISTICAL ORGANIZATION AND SERVICES3 The following are the laws that govern the operations of the PSS: 3. 1. 1 Executive Order No. 121 – Reorganizing and Strengthening the Philippine Statistical System (PSS) and for Other Purposes issued on 30 January 1987 3. 1. 2. Commonwealth Act No. 91 – An Act to Create a Bureau of the Census and Statistics to Consolidate Statistical Activities of the Government issued on 19 August 1940 Other legal provisions concerning the statistical affairs in the country are the following: 3 Agency websites. 6 3. 1. 3. Executiv e Order No. 116 – Renaming Ministry of Agriculture and Food as Ministry of Agriculture, Reorganizing Its Units, Integrating All Offices and Agencies Whose Functions Relate to Agriculture and Fishery into the Ministry, and for Other Purposes issued on 30 January 1987, which includes the creation of the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics within the Ministry 3. . 4. Executive Order No. 126 – Reorganizing the Ministry of Labor and Employment and for Other Purposes issued on January 30, 1987, which includes the creation of the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics within the Ministry 3. 1. 5. Executive Order No. 135 – Providing for the Establishment of A Well-Coordinated Local Level Statistical System issued on 6 November 1993 3. 1. 6. Executive Order No. 352 – Designation of Statistical Activities That Will Generate Critical Data for Decision-Making of the Government and the Private Sector issued on 1 July 1996 3. . 7. Executive Order No. 406 – Inst itutionalizing the Philippine EconomicEnvironmental and Natural Resources Accounting (PEENRA) System and Creating Units Within the Organizational Structure of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) issued on 21 March 1997 3. 1. 8. Proclamation No. 647 – Declaring the Month of October of Every Year as the National Statistics Month signed on 20 September 1990 3. 1. 9. Proclamation No. 93 – Declaring the Month as National Census Month signed on 7 June 1995 of September 1995 3. 1. 10. Proclamation No. 248 – Adopting the Philippine Statistical Development Program (PSDP) for 1999-2004 issued on 24 February 2000 3. 1. 11. Proclamation No. 1140 – Adopting the Philippine Statistical Development Program (PSDP) 2005-2010 issued on 19 September 2006 Board resolutions and memorandum orders/circulars are likewise issued as necessary by the NSCB Ex ecutive Board when there are new statistical frameworks and indicator systems, new mechanisms for statistical coordination, new methodologies or concepts, etc. or adoption and implementation by the various stakeholders of the system. 3. 2. THE COMPONENTS OF THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICAL SYSTEM The PSS consists of statistical organizations at all administrative levels, its personnel and the national statistical program. Specifically, the organizations comprising the system include the following: A policy-making and coordinating body – the National Statistical Coordination Board A single general-purpose statistical agency – the National Statistics Office 7A research and training arm – the Statistical Research and Training Center Units of government engaged in statistical activities either as their primary function or as part of their administrative or regulatory functions – all departments, bureaus, offices, agencies, and instrumentalities of national and loca l governments and all government-owned and –controlled corporations and their subsidiaries The major statistical agencies in the PSS include the NSCB, NSO, SRTC, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) of the Department of Agriculture, the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES) of the Department of Labor and Employment, and the Department of Economic Statistics of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). Other data producers in the government include research and statistics divisions/units usually within the planning service of the various departments and bureaus. The major statistical agencies and all other data producers are situated in various administrative hierarchies of the country with each unit collecting and aggregating data. The said administrative areas include the national, regional, provincial, city, municipal and barangay levels. In addition, the local government units (LGUs) in each province, city, municipality or barangay are rich sources of data.T he enactment of the Local Government Code of 1991 which mandated the devolution of basic government services to LGUs had some implications on the data generation activities of the affected sectors. The chart below shows the linkages among the various institutions and players in the PSS. Framework for the Management and Coordination of the PSS 3. 2. 1. The policy-making and coordinating body 8 National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB)4 The NSCB was created as the highest policy-making and coordinating body on statistical matters in the Philippines. It is under the administrative supervision of the National Economic and Development Authority. The NSCB formulates policies, delineates responsibilities, sets priorities and standards on statistics and administers the one-stop statistical information center.It also maintains multi-sectoral statistical frameworks and indicator systems which serve as bases for the improvement of statistical coordination. It provides links and fora for c oordination between and among these key players. It also serves as the statistical clearing house and liaison for international statistical matters. Foremost among the objectives of the NSCB is to develop an orderly PSS capable of providing timely, accurate, relevant, and useful data for the government and the public for planning and decision-making. The major goal of the NSCB is to promote the independence, objectivity, integrity, relevance and responsiveness of the PSS. The powers and functions of the NSCB as defined under Section 5 of Executive Order No. 21 are as follows: Promote and maintain an efficient statistical system in the government; Formulate policies on all matters relating to government statistical operations; Recommend executive and legislative measures to enhance the development and efficiency of the system, including the internal structure of statistical agencies; Establish appropriate mechanism for statistical coordination at the regional, provincial and city lev els; Approve the Philippine Statistical Development Program; Allocate statistical responsibilities among government agencies by designating the statistics to be collected by them, including their periodicity and content; Review budgetary proposals involving statistical operations and submit an integrated budget for the Philippine Statistical System (PSS) to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM); Review and clear, prior to release, all funds for statistical operations; Develop, prescribe and maintain appropriate framework for the improvement of statistical coordination; and Prescribe uniform standards and classification systems in government statistics. The NSCB as coordinator is not engaged in primary data collection. The Executive Order further provides that the decisions of the NSCB on statistical matters shall be final and executory.At the helm of the NSCB is the NSCB Executive Board which is composed of the undersecretaries of the different departments and heads of major statistical agencies and chaired by the Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning. The NSCB Executive Board holds quarterly meetings. The NSCB has a Technical Staff which performs the following functions: Provide technical and secretariat support to the NSCB; Serve as the statistical clearing house and liaison for international statistical matters; and Executive Order No. 121 – Reorganizing and Strengthening the PSS and for Other Purposes issued on 30 January 1987; NSCB website – http://www. nscb. gov. ph 4 9 Perform other functions as may be assigned by the NSCB and as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of Executive Order No. 21 The products and services provided by the NSCB Technical Staff are the following: Statistical policies and measures to resolve specific issues and provide policy directions in the PSS National Accounts and related economic accounts to assess the economic performance of the country Economic and social indicators Standards and classification systems to prescribe uniform standards in government statistics Statistical publications and CD Roms to disseminate the most relevant data produced by the PSS and to make statistics more accessible to the public The PSDP to serve as a blueprint of priority programs and activities to be undertaken to improve the PSS in the medium term Services †¢ Coordination of inter agency concerns †¢ Coordination of subnational statistical systems †¢ Statistical survey review and clearance system †¢ Development of statistical standards and classification systems †¢ Designation of statistics †¢ Local and international data requests †¢ Technical services †¢ Advocacy for statistical awareness †¢ One stop statistical information centers †¢ On line statistical service thru the Internet (www. nscb. gov. ph) 3. 2. 2. Data Producers In the government, the major agencies that produce statistics as their primary function are as follows: National Statistics Office (NSO)5 The NSO is the major statistical agency responsible in collecting, compiling, classifying, producing, publishing, and disseminating general-purpose statistics as provided for in Commonwealth Act No. 591. The NSO is under the administrative supervision of NEDA. It generates data on population, housing, agriculture, fisheries, business, industry, prices and households through periodic censuses and sample surveys.NSO also has the responsibility of carrying out and administering the provision of the Civil Registry Law as provided for in Act No. 3753 dated February 1931. It also processes and compiles administrative-based statistics on domestic and foreign trade, business permits and vital statistics from the civil registration system. More specifically, the NSO is tasked to: Prepare for and undertake all censuses on population, agriculture, commerce, and industry (Section 2, C. A. 591; Section 1, Batas Pambansa Blg. 72); 5 NSO website – http://www. census. gov. ph 1 0 conduct statistical surveys by enumeration, sampling, and other methods (Section 2, Batas Pambansa Blg. 2); compile and classify other statistical data and information (Section 2, C. A. 591); conduct social and economic studies and make projections of population, agricultural production, income and the number of livestock (Section 2, C. A. 591); publish and disseminate all information related to the above functions (Section 2, C. A. 591); assist the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) in the formulation of a continuing comprehensive statistical program for the government (Section 5, Presidential Decree 418); provide technical assistance and support to projects of other statistical agencies and institutions (Section 5, P. D. 418); carry out and administer the provisions of Act. No. 753, entitled â€Å"An Act to establish a Civil Register† (Section 2, C. A. 591) and other laws on civil registration; and issue authorization to solemnizing officers in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 of the Family Code of the Philippines (Executive Order No. 209 effective August 3, 1988). Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS)6 The BAS, which is under the Department of Agriculture, produces agricultural statistics. It generates statistics on crop production, prices of agricultural commodities, volume and value of livestock traded, farm income and expenditure, farming systems, agricultural finance, through sample surveys. Section 16 of Executive Order No. 16 defines the functions of the BAS as follows: to collect, compile and release official agricultural statistics; to exercise technical supervision over data collection centers; and to coordinate all agricultural statistics and economic research activities of all bureaus, corporations and offices under the Department of Agriculture. Further, Section 41 of Republic Act No. 8435 or Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997 approved on December 22, 1997, mandates the BAS to serve as the centr al information source and server of the National Information Network (NIN) of the DA; and to provide technical assistance to end-users in accessing and analyzing product and market information and technology. In 2000, the BAS structural organization was strengthened and reoriented pursuant to the relevant provisions of DA Administrative Order No. series of 1998 in compliance with the provisions of the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act or RA8435 of 1997. This law designates BAS as the central information source and server of the National Information Network (NIN) of the DA. Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES)7 6 7 BAS website – http://www. bas. da. gov. ph BLES website – http://www. bles. dole. gov. ph 11 The BLES, which is under the Department of Labor and Employment, produces labor and employment statistics. It generates establishment-based labor data, such as labor turnover, labor practices, organizations, occupational injuries and illnesses an d wage rates. Section 21 of the Executive Order 126 andates the BLES to carry out the following functions: Formulate, develop and implement plans and programs on the labor statistical system in order to provide the government with timely, accurate and reliable data on labor and employment; Conduct nationwide surveys and studies which will generate trends and structures on labor and employment; Develop and prescribe uniform standards, nomenclatures and methodologies for the collection, processing, presentation and analysis of labor and employment data; Establish appropriate mechanisms for the coordination of all statistical activities in the Department and for collaboration with other government and private agencies including international research organizations in the conduct of surveys and studies in the area of labor and employment; Disseminate statistical information and provide statistical services/advice to the users by establishing a data bank and issuing the Bureau’s s tatistical materials and research findings; Develop and undertake programs and projects geared towards the enhancement of the technical competence of the Department on theories, techniques and methodologies for the improvement of the labor statistical system; Monitor and exercise technical supervision over the statistical units in the Department and its agencies; and Perform such other functions as may be provided by law or assigned by the Secretary. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)8 The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is the central bank of the Republic of the Philippines.It was established on 3 July 1993 pursuant to the provisions of the 1987 Philippine Constitution and the New Central Bank Act of 1993. The BSP took over from the Central Bank of Philippines, which was established on 3 January 1949, as the country’s central monetary authority. The BSP enjoys fiscal and administrative autonomy from the National Government in the pursuit of its mandated responsibilities. Th e BSP has supervision over the operations of banks and exercises such regulatory powers as provided in the New Central Bank Act and other pertinent laws over the operations of finance companies and non-bank financial institutions performing quasi-banking functions.The BSP, through its Department of Statistics, monitors and compiles various statistical series on monetary, financial and external variables useful for the formulation and analysis of monetary, banking, credit and exchange policies. To increase public awareness on various economic and financial issues, as well as promote transparency in its operations, the BSP releases various publications, reports, media releases and other relevant resource materials. The BSP also conducts the Business Expectations Survey and the Consumer Expectations Survey. 8 BSP website – http://www. bsp. gov. ph 12 Other Data Producers In addition to the above statistical agencies, various other departments, including the bureaus and attached agencies under them, also generate statistics as by-products of their primary functions.The following are the departments with stronger statistical units and more statistical outputs: Agriculture, Agrarian Reform, Education, Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, Finance, Health, Labor and Employment, Science and Technology, Social Welfare and Development, Tourism, and Trade and Industry. Other sources of data are the following departments: Budget and Management, Interior and Local Government, Justice, National Defense, Public Works and Highways, and Transportation and Communications. 3. 2. 3. Statistical Training, Education and Research Institutions Statistical Research and Training Center (SRTC)9 As the training and research arm of the PSS, the SRTC conducts short-term courses in statistics and related fields and researches to enhance existing methodologies, concepts and systems used in statistical operations. As specified in Section 10 of Executive Order No. 21, the functions and responsibilities of SRTC are as follows: Develop a comprehensive and integrated research and training program on theories, concepts and methodologies for the promotion of the statistical program; Undertake research on statistical concepts, definitions and methods; Promote collaborative research efforts among members of the academic community, data producers and users; Conduct non-degree training programs to upgrade the quality of statistical manpower base in support of the needs of the statistical system; and Provide financial and other forms of assistance to enhance statistical research and development. The SRTC has a Governing Board which formulates policies for the management and operations of the agency.This Board is composed of the Secretary-General of the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) as Chair with the following as members: the Administrator of the National Statistics Office (NSO), the Dean of the UP School of Statistics (UPSS), the Director of the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS), a Director of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and the Executive Director of the Philippine Social Science Council (PSSC). The Executive Director of SRTC serves as exofficio member of the Board. In 2005, the SRTC conducted 29 statistical training courses/programs, equivalent to 1,145 training hours, with a total of 643 participants.Three research projects were also completed Executive Order No. 121 – Reorganizing and Strengthening the PSS and for Other Purposes issued on 30 January 1987; SRTC website – http://www. srtc. gov. ph 9 13 during the year. The training was conducted not only for the major statistical agencies and other data producers in the central/regional offices but also for the local government units. The SRTC has also embarked on partnership with the United Nations Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific for statistical training as well as with other international organizations, such as the German Development Cooperation, UN FAO and UNFPA for the conduct of training courses.Academe On human resource supply, the PSS relies on the academic institutions offering Statistics/Applied Statistics courses and related fields such as Economics, Mathematics, Computer Science/ Information Technology, Demography, Public Administration, and Business Administration/ Management. Several universities throughout the country are offering undergraduate and graduate degree courses in statistics, with the University of the Philippines School of Statistics in Quezon City, Metro Manila and the University of the Philippines Institute of Statistics in Los Banos, Laguna as the leading universities in terms of course offerings in statistics. Statistical researches in the system are usually undertaken in close collaboration with the academe.The PSS benefits from the strong collaboration and partnership between the official statisticians and the members of the academic and research communities who sit as chairpersons/members of various interagency/technical committees, serve as consultants in research activities and projects implemented by the PSS and act as advocates of statistics in general. 3. 2. 4 Data Suppliers/Respondents Collection of data is done either thru sample surveys, censuses or reporting forms. Respondents can be individuals, households, business establishments/enterprises, government or non-government institutions. The extent and quality of data supplied by the respondents critically affect the quality of statistics produced by the data producers.To strengthen the relationship with the respondents, the data producers conduct dialogues and communication programs to advocate support to data collection activities. 3. 2. 5. Subnational Statistical System The NSCB Regional Divisions perform the mandate of coordination at the subnational level using mechanisms such as those mentioned above as well as providing technical assistance to the data producers and users in the regions. Due to the budgetary constraints of government, these units are physically present only in ten (10) regions: Regions 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). They also manage and administer the regional branches of the National Statistical Information Center (NSIC), one-stop shop of statistical information and services.Providing assistance to the NSCB in terms of statistical coordination at the subnational level are the Regional Statistical Coordination Committees (RSCCs). The RSCCs formulate policies and programs particular to a regional statistical system. The members include agency regional directors, provincial planning and development coordinators and a representative from the private sector. These Committees are chaired by the NEDA Regional Director and are coordinated by the NSCB Regional Divisions. 14 The NSO has its regional, provincial and municipal offices. Likewise, the BAS has provincial offices. The other departments ha ve their subnational offices at different levels.These offices gather data at the subnational levels and forward thm to the central offices for consolidation. They also serve as outlets for dissemination. In addition to the statistical agencies and the various departments of the national government, the local government units (LGUs) also generate statistical information covering their respective areas or constituents. They also conduct surveys and process data from local administrative forms for their planning and monitoring purposes. Most of the data generated by the LGUs are municipal and barangay data since these are not available from the national surveys except in the Census of Population and Housing where data are generated down to the barangay level. 3. 3.MECHANISMS FOR STATISTICAL PLANNING AND COORDINATION, INFORMATION DISSEMINATION AND ADVOCACY Different mechanisms for statistical planning and coordination, information dissemination and advocacy being implemented by the NSC B Technical Staff are being advocated to the agencies in order to improve their effectiveness in servicing the data needs of the various stakeholders and users for development planning, policy formulation and monitoring of the progress of government programs. Other initiatives and measures are also continuously being undertaken to improve the organization and operations of the PSS, thereby enhancing the quality of the statistical products and services. STATISTICAL PLANNING AND COORDINATION 3. 3. 1 Statistical PoliciesStatistical policies may be in the form of acts, executive orders, presidential proclamations, and resolutions and circulars issued by the NSCB Executive Board which are intended to guide agencies and other stakeholders in terms of organization and implementation of concepts, definitions, methodologies, new systems, best practices and others. The implementation of and compliance with the statistical policies are being monitored by the NSCB Technical Staff. 3. 3. 2 Stati stical Frameworks and Indicator Systems The NSCB is chiefly tasked to develop and maintain appropriate frameworks and indicator systems to serve as tools for statistical coordination. This includes the System of National Accounts (SNA) that produces estimates of the Gross National Product (GNP) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The SNA is maintained by the NSCB with data inputs coming from various agencies including private institutions.The compilation of the SNA by the NSCB has given it a powerful tool for statistical coordination that allows the identification of data gaps that need to be addressed by the PSS. Other frameworks/indicator systems that are maintained by the NSCB include the Leading Economic Indicators, Foreign Investments Information System, Gender and Development Indicators, Philippine National Health Accounts, Poverty Statistics, Food Balance Sheet, Quarterly Economic Indices and Economic and Social Indicators, the STATDEV which is a tool for monitoring the targets under the 15 Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan and the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). The NSCB also serves as the repository of the MDG database for the Philippines. 3. 3. 3 Philippine Statistical Development Program (PSDP)The PSDP articulates the vision, direction, strategies and priority statistical programs and activities to be undertaken in the PSS for the medium term in order to meet current and emerging needs of the national and local planners, policy-makers and data producers. The formulation of the sectoral statistical development programs was spearheaded by the NSCB through the various inter-agency committees, task forces and working groups composed of the key players and stakeholders in the PSS. Indicative budget requirements for the programs and activities are also included. The PSDP which is prepared every six years is designed to provide vital information support to the Medium-Term Philippine Development Program and to promote efficiency of statistical opera tions through optimum use of available resources and adoption of cost effective measures.It envisions a PSS with greater capacity to provide excellent service and high quality statistical information for better use in policy analysis and decision-making to meet the changing needs of the stakeholders, data users, society and the international community. Several PSDPs were formulated in the past and the current one is the PSDP 2005-2010 which is the 7th PSDP developed by the system. This is the Philippine version of the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS) being advocated by PARIS21 or Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century. 3. 3. 4 System of Designated Statistics (SDS) Executive Order No. 52 was issued in July 1996 to implement the System of Designated Statistics (SDS) as a mechanism for the identification and generation of the most crucial and essential statistics for administrators, planners, policy makers, and decision makers in the gov ernment and private sectors. It is also an important tool in addressing problems, such as data makers in the government and private sectors. It is also an important tool in addressing problems, such as data gaps, duplication, delayed release and inaccessibility of important sets of statistics, and as a framework for setting priorities in data production. The designation includes the implementing agency, frequency of collection, geographic disaggregation and schedule of data dissemination.At present, there are 60 activities/statistics designated; however, it is a dynamic system that allows modifications to respond to changing needs and priorities and to emerging capabilities of statistical offices. The statistics under the SDS form the core of official statistics that constitute a set of public good that the designated data producers must be accountable for. These include censuses, surveys, administrative data systems, derived data systems and statistical indicators. As a result, the se designated statistics receive priority attention in the preparation of the national budget and duplication of statistical efforts is minimized, if not eliminated.Relatedly, the Philippine government has been subscribing to the International Monetary Fund’s Special Data Dissemination Standards (SDDS) since 1996. The SDDS covers economic and financial data and their releases are monitored through the advance release calendar and metadata. The NSCB serves as the coordinator for the SDDS. 16 3. 3. 5 Statistical Budget Review One of the functions of the NSCB is to review budgetary proposals for statistical activities of agencies. For many years now, the annual Budget Call issued by the Department of Budget and Management provides that the NSCB endorse agency budget proposals involving the System of Designated Statistics.Budgetary thrusts are formulated for the guidance of the major statistical agencies and other data producers. In the review of statistical budget proposals, the PSDP and a number of minimum targets/measures aimed at enhancing/ensuring the quality of data and capability building of agencies serve as the criteria. 3. 3. 6 Statistical Survey Review and Clearance System (SSRCS) The SSRCS involves the substantive review of the design and instruments of statistical surveys or censuses sponsored and/or to be conducted by government agencies including government corporations at the national and/or subnational level. Recently, the scope of the SSRCS has been expanded to include administrative recording systems.The system aims to ensure the quality of the data to be generated from the inquiry, to avoid unnecessary duplication in data collection and to elicit the cooperation of data providers and respondents. Some of the review criteria adopted include (1) essentiality and appropriateness; (2) reporting burden; (3) adequacy of survey and forms design; (4) clarity of questions and nstructions; (5) use of standard classifications and definitions; (6) c ompleteness and adequacy of tabulation plans; and (7) schedule and manner of disseminating results. On the average, the NSCB clears around 18 surveys annually which include regular, periodic and one-shot surveys with individuals, households or establishments as respondents. 3. 3. Statistical Standards and Classification Systems The standard classification systems serve as instruments for promoting the comparability and consistency of statistics generated by data producers. These standard classification systems can also be used in the organization of databases and information systems. Annex 1 shows the list of the existing statistical classification systems in the Philippines. Other standards include the prescription of standard concepts and definitions in the various sectors to ensure the comparability of statistics generated. 3. 3. 8 Technical and Inter-Agency Committees on Statistics (TCs/IACs) and Task Forces (TFs)The TCs/IACs/TFs are created (1) to assess and evaluate the qualit y, usefulness and timeliness of sectoral data and determine areas of duplication, discrepancies and gaps; (2) to review the concepts, techniques and methodologies used in the collection, processing and reporting of data; and (3) to recommend an efficient and workable scheme for the allocation of agency responsibilities in the production of statistics. Thru these committees, weaknesses in sectoral statistics including those affecting data quality can be addressed. The committees recommend policy measures to the NSCB Executive Board. The TCs/IACs/TFs are composed of both data producers and users including the private sector and members of the academic and research communities. 17 To date, the committees created by the NSCB include six TCs, ten IACs and two TFs. Annex 2 shows the list of the committees and task forces. 3. 3. 9. Agency Statistical Calendars Agency statistical calendars are useful guide to data users in their search for statistical information from government sources.The statistical calendar contains information on the statistical activities of the agency, such as the frequency, outputs to be generated, expected date and mode of release, and contact person. 3. 3. 10. Bilateral Meetings Bilateral meetings are conducted between two agencies for the purpose of discussing, clarifying and resolving specific problems of the agencies in terms of data production and dissemination, among others. 3. 3. 11. Performance Measurement Scheme for Statistical Agencies and Other Data Producers A Performance Measurement Scheme for Statistical Agencies and Other Data Producers was institutionalized in 2002 after it was pilot tested in 2001.It determines the capabilities of agencies in responding to the needs of their clients and other stakeholders thru a set of indicators of agency performance in terms of relevance, timeliness, accuracy, reliability, transparency and integrity, comparability, effectiveness, accessibility and client orientation. Through the scorecard t hat will be maintained for each agency, the public will be made aware of the success of the agency in accounting for its commitment to the public. Ultimately, the results will be used for advocacy, promoting public accountability and benchmarking purposes as basis for pursuing improvements in the quality of outputs and services.The performance scheme which is proposed to be conducted every two or three years is also seen as an approach in measuring the quality of products and services of the PSS. The criteria considered to assess the performance of national statistical offices are as follows: (a) relevance; (b) timeliness and accessibility; (c) accuracy and reliability; (d) transparency; (e) independence and integrity; (f) comparability; (g) quality of research program and training materials, facilities and resource persons; (h) effectiveness of coordination; and (i) quality of financial and manpower resources, equipment and facilities for statistical operations. Indicators based on these criteria were identified. 3. 3. 12.Hosting of International Conferences/Meetings The NSCB spearheads the hosting of international statistical conferences/meetings by the Philippine government. Topics discussed include developmental/emerging concerns in the field of statistics. This is being done in coordination with international organizations. STATISTICAL INFORMATION DISSEMINATION 3. 3. 1. National Statistical Information Center The National Statistical Information Center (NSIC) was first established in the country in 1993 through a project jointly implemented with the Statistics Sweden and the Swedish 18 International Development Agency (SIDA). The NSIC, which serves as a one-stop shop for statistical information in the country, is lodged at the NSCB.To date, several branches of NSIC have been established in selected regions where there are NSCB Regional Divisions. Services provided include frontline and library services, bookshoppe and technical services. 3. 3. 2. Governme nt Statistics Accessibility Program (GSAP)/General Standards for Statistical Information Dissemination (GSSID) The GSAP was implemented in 1998 with the vision of making statistical information and services in the country highly accessible to users nationwide and worldwide. Its conceptualization was anchored on the fundamental principle that information is used for decision-making and therefore the timeliness and integrity of the information should be ensured.The components of the program include the organization of an inter-agency consortium, issuance of an executive measure providing for the program as a flagship project of the government, investments on technology upgrading, systems and human resource development, adoption of common policies and standards, and alliance with the private sector. The GSAP paved the implementation in 1999 of the General Standards for Statistical Information Dissemination (GSSID) in the PSS. The GSSID was designed as a mechanism of the government in s etting appropriate and acceptable standards of reliability, integrity, timeliness, transparency, and accessibility of government statistics.Specifically, it promotes adherence to these standards in the dissemination of statistical information and greater utilization of data, fosters adoption of generally accepted data dissemination practices, and involves active participation of users in making statistics more accessible and useful. Worth noting is the standard on the dissemination in advance of the calendar of release of the various statistical products of an agency. In the long-term basis, the GSSID also serves as a tool to address data gaps and spur continuing improvements on data dissemination. The GSSID was inspired by the SDDS prescribed by the International Monetary Fund. 3. 3. 3 Press releases/articles/websiteThe issuance of press releases and articles by the major statistical agencies and other data producers on the latest available data or emerging concerns that would be r elevant to national planning and development is another mechanism for statistical information dissemination. These press releases and articles are in print form and/or posted on the agency websites. STATISTICAL ADVOCACY 3. 3. 1. National Statistics Month The NSM is being observed annually during the month of October, following a Presidential Proclamation, as a vehicle for soliciting the support of the public at large in improving and enhancing the quality and standards of statistics in the country.The NSM, which has just completed its 17th year in October 2006, has become an effective venue for strengthening and unifying the Philippine statistical community and in instilling nationwide awareness and appreciation of the importance of statistics. Every year, the NSM focuses on a particular theme to highlight the statistics pertaining to the theme. The major activities undertaken by government agencies and some private institutions include symposia and 19 training/seminars/lectures, in formation dissemination using print and broadcast media and statistical contests. A much-awaited event among fourth year high school students is the Oratorical Contest which is held annually as part of the NSM celebration of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and Department of Education.It has gained popularity because the oratorical contest has served as a venue for promoting awareness in statistics, for instilling pride in the Philippine culture and for hearing the voice of the young. During NSM celebration, other contests held catering to students and the youth include statistical quizzes, poster-making and slogan writing contests. 3. 3. 2. Statistical Conferences The National Convention on Statistics (NCS) is held every three years to provide a forum for exchanging ideas and experiences in the field of statistics, in both theoretical and practical applications, and for discussing recent statistical developments and prevailing issues and problems of the PSS.It further aims to elicit the cooperation and support of statisticians and professionals in related fields from the government, academe and private sector towards a more responsive statistical system. The 10th NCS will be held in October 2007. Statistical congress is conducted annually in Western Visayas which started in 2001 and in Mindanao which was first held in 2004. The statistical congress aims to gather producers and users of statistics as well those from the academe in order to share a common knowledge and understanding of recent developments in the statistical system and address prevailing and emerging statistical concerns in their respective regions.The Philippine Statistical Association (PSA), the professional statistical organization in the country with chapters in selected regions, conducts quarterly/annual conferences to serve as venue for discussing current statistical issues. There are also inter/intra university conferences, such as the Student-Faculty Conferences. 3. 3. 3. Philippine Stati stics Quiz (PSQ) The PSQ is an annual contest that aims to test the knowledge of statistics of first-year college students and is held nationwide. It further aims to contribute to the building of scientific and technological manpower by helping identify and nurture talents in the field of statistics. It is organized jointly by the National Statistics Office and the Philippine Statistical Association. 3. . 4. Press conferences, producers’ and users’ fora Press conferences are held by the major statistical agencies to present latest available data for critical indicators, such as the national accounts, inflation rate and core inflation. Producers’ and users’ fora are also conducted to enhance awareness and appreciation of available statistics and to gather feedback towards the improvement of PSS products and services, and to communicate ongoing developments and plans. 3. 3. 5. Feedback/evaluation mechanisms 20 Feedback/evaluation mechanisms are necessary to solicit comments and suggestions from the data suppliers and providers and data users.Their comments and suggestions would serve as useful inputs towards the improvement of the statistical system. 3. 4 STATISTICAL MANPOWER One of the essential conditions for the PSS to achieve its goals and objectives is the formation of a core of qualified personnel to undertake statistical work and to contribute to the progressive development of its statistical activities. Although there are other factors that play important roles in the ability of an agency to manage its statistical operations, it is the capability of the statistical manpower in the organization that eventually determines the performance of the agency. Statistical manpower includes personnel involved in the collection, processing, compilation, dissemination and publication of data.It includes statisticians, mathematicians, economists, accountants, engineers, information technology specialists, and subject matter specialists in v arious fields who possess the statistical knowledge needed to plan and carry out statistical programs, projects or researches and who use the science of statistics in analyzing data. 3. 4. 1. Manpower Resource As shown in Table 1, the number of personnel engaged in statistical work of the government as of 2003 based on figures from six (6) statistical agencies and 11 selected other data producers totals 5,725 with 2,290 (40 percent) personnel employed in the central offices and 3,435 (60 percent) in the regional/field offices.It is important to note that of the 3,435 personnel in the regional/field offices, those from the NSO and BAS which take charge of conducting regular censuses and surveys account for almost 79. 0 percent of them. 10 Table 1. Statistical Manpower in Statistical Agencies and Selected Other Data Producers, Philippines, as of 2003 Agency Statistical agencies (6) Selected other data producers (11) Total Total 4,535 1,190 Central 1,784 506 Regional 2,751 684 5,725 2, 290 3,435 There are a few professional statisticians in the PSS as majority of those holding statistical positions acquired their skills through training and experience. As of 2003, those with degrees in statistics, whether undergraduate or graduate, account for only 4. percent of the total number of statistical personnel. Hiring professional statisticians and keeping them is a continuing challenge for the PSS. An inevitable problem encountered is the succession and turnover in statistical posts typically due to resignations or retirement. Such turnovers may lead to difficulties especially if there are skill shortages. 10 Results of the 2003 Performance Measurement Scheme for Statistical Agencies and Other Data Producers. 21 In many ways, motivation is the key to the success of statistical human resource management and development. In addition, most government workers perceive that they are not properly financially compensated for the work they perform.The low salaries of statistici ans in the government have actually contributed to the exodus of trained official statisticians to the private sector, the international organizations and even to statistical agencies of foreign countries. Thus, it is important to maintain high morale among statistical personnel, and enhance their loyalty and esprit de corps. 3. 4. 2. Management and Development The PSS recognizes the importance of statistical capacity building such that there is a need to continually build the human capacity of the agencies in order to be more effective and efficient in responding to the ever-increasing demand for statistical data by planners and decision makers from all sectors. With qualified and competent statistical personnel, the capability of an agency to undertake statistical work is strengthened.There should be more concerted efforts and innovative approaches in building the capacities of the agencies to effectively manage the statistical activities and to respond to the demands of the stake holders. Aside from training, other factors in the area of personnel management include good compensation, pleasant working conditions, proper motivation and a dynamic profession. Meanwhile, an inevitable problem encountered with respect to newly-trained staff is the increase in employee turnover. With the new skills acquired by the staff, their marketability increases and if the organization cannot match the attractive offers received by the trained staff, which is often the case, the staff is lost. Capacity building is mostly done through non-degree training which aims to develop statistical expertise at various levels of competencies.Participation in training programs/courses is funded from own agency budget or by availing of training grants/programs sponsored/conducted by local or international institutions. Furthermore, most locally-funded and foreign-assisted projects undertaken by the statistical agencies normally include a training component for the project staff. The SRTC, as the training arm of the system, contributes heavily to developing/strengthening the knowledge and skills of statistical workers on the various aspects of statistical work, such as survey design, data collection and processing, database management, and data analysis, presentation and dissemination.These regular programs are meant to enable civil servants at the central and regional/field offices to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to enable them to improve their performance in producing, analyzing, and disseminating statistical information for public consumption. Aside from SRTC, other statistical agencies such as the NSO, NSCB, BAS and BLES also conduct in-house statistical training and special-purpose statistical seminars/training for advocacy and/or technical assistance purposes. Opportunities are also available for the statistical personnel to pursue advanced degrees in statistics, such as master’s and doctorate degrees, both in local and foreign universities through scholarship grants/fellowships.Also through the Philippine Statistical Association (PSA), the professional organization of statisticians in the country, short training courses are offered to the members as well as the private sector. 22 Despite the conduct of these training activities, there continues to be a number of challenges in building human