Good and Evil Hand-In-Hand

Characters such as Wolverine from the X-men, Batman from The Dark Knight, and Shrek from Shrek the movie are great examples of people who seemly are evil, but really do good for others around them. These characters are very similar to Jean Valjean in Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. People, in general, have both good and evil in them. Hugo proves this by showing that characters that do bad can still be a good person, that they use their conscience to make decisions, and that if they try they can make bad situations, good. In Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, Hugo proves that people that do bad things can still be a good person. When you first learn about Jean Valjean, he seems to be this criminal up to no good. When he entered a town unknown to him, people â€Å"regarded this traveler with a sort of distrust† (7), which means he seem deceitful and mysterious. But throughout the book, Jean Valjean becomes a much kinder, nice person. At one point, he saves a young girl, named Cosette, from the abuse she was enduring from the Thenardiess. Before he leaves the Inn that the Thenardiess were running, when he is talking to the lady innkeeper, he asks if he can take Cosette with him. All he says is, â€Å"suppose you were relieved of her? † (174) and she was his. He did a lot for this young girl. One major thing he did was risk his life to save the man that she was in love with. After a big fight, Marius becomes greatly wounded, and Jean tries to save him. Marius was helped from â€Å"the hand which had seized him from behind at the moment he was falling†¦ was the hand of Jean Valjean† (505). Jean tried to help everyone, even though he did badly when he was younger. In Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, Hugo shows that characters use their conscience to make decisions. Everyone has choices to make on a daily basis and they can choose to do good or bad. In the book, the characters had the attempt to make the good choice in their decisions. When Jean Valjean stole from the bishop and got caught, he busted himself out even when the bishop covered for him. When the gendarme brought him back to the bishop, Jean â€Å"raised his head with stupefied air† (33) because he knew he had to face the kind people after he had stolen. After this bad choice, he made the choice to do better, which theoretically his conscience is telling him to do good things. Javert also made the better choice by, at the end, letting Jean Valjean free. Throughout the whole book, it’s been a wild goose chase for Javert to catch Jean and finally he does. While Javert, he went on a walk. There he realizes that â€Å"there was matter for self-examination† (529) and he revaluates his situation. During his â€Å"self-examination† he realizes that Jean was good and that now Jean has saved him from death, he couldn’t send him to jail. That self-examination is like having a conversation with your conscience and thinking of if you should do good or bad. And in the end, he did good and let Jean go. In Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, Hugo shows that anyone can make a bad situation, good. If you’re stuck in a bad condition, you need to think fast and get yourself out of that bad situation. Most people would do that by doing well. When Fantine gave up her daughter because she knew she couldn’t take care of her alone, she was trying to make a bad situation, better for someone else. She even cut her hair off, so that her daughter had money. Towards the end of her life, she goes a tad crazy. She would say to herself, â€Å"When I am rich, I shall have my cosette with me, â€Å"(64) and she laughed, like she knew what she was saying was totally insane, but she kept telling herself that anyways. When Jean Valjean first took Cosette, he had to hide from Javert and the others with him. He was in a bad situation, but he tried to remember that he had a young girl with him and tried to make it a good situation. When they were running and finally gave up, Jean heard voices. And â€Å"while these voices were singing Jean Valjean was entirely absorbed in them. He no longer saw the night, he saw a blue sky† (200). So even though he was in pain and struggling to go on, he let his religion over take him and he knew he had to go on to have Cosette. No matter how bad a person is, there is always some good in them. Hugo has proved this by conveying that characters that do bad can still be a good person, that they use their conscience to make decisions, and that if they try they can make bad situations, good.

Administrative Reform in Bd

[pic] ASSIGNMENT ON ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM SUBMITTED TO SHAMIMA AKHTER [pic] (JKKNIU) SUBMITTED BY SAIFUDDIN AHAMMED MONNNA Dept. of Public Administration and Governance (JKKNIU) Roll no-11123144, Session-2010-2011 Course code PA-122 {1th Batch (1st year) 2nd Semester B. S. S. Honours} Submission date-01. 22. 2012 Table of Contents Serial no | Subject |Pages | |1 |ABSTRACT |2 | |2 |INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND |31 | |3 |Brief Review of Administrative Reforms in Bangladesh |6 | |4 |Major Issues of Administrative Reform in Bangladesh |8 | |5 |List of Major Committees and Commission for Administrative Reform |20 | |6 | 25 | | |DISCUSSION ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS ELABORATELY IN THE FOLLOWING | | |7 |CONCLUSION: |36 | |8 |REFERENCES |37 | ABSTRACT This assignment explores the interplay politics and administrative reform in Bangladesh by drawing some perspectives from other developing countries. It covers the period both before and after democratization of the country, hinging around the even ts of 1991, and thus provides the opportunity for comparisons. It has sought to draw out the relative importance of political will (including the intentions and authority) of governments, and to critically assess their capacity, the degree of co-operation they gained from civil service actors, and to assess the relevance and appropriateness of international donor interventions. INTRODUCTION All countries strive to reform their administrative system in response to the challenge posed by socioeconomic posed, political, and technical environment. Bangladesh is no exception. Since its emergence as a nation- state, Bangladesh has been trying hard to reshape its administrative system. However, despite their perceived importance, administrative reform in Bangladesh has encountered serious hurdles over the last thirty years. Since 1971 after a civil war 17 reforms have been taken from which some reforms are very crucial. The major administrative reforms and their fate are discussed elaborately in the following†¦ BACKGROUND: Bangladesh bears a colonial legacy in its entire public administration system. Presentday Bangladesh was part of the British Empire for almost two hundred years. In 1947 Pakistani rulers replaced the British and dominated the area then known as East Pakistan until a bitter war in 1971 brought about an independent Bangladesh. A colonial imprint persists in Bangladesh especially in political and administrative Arrangements . The British tradition helped the bureaucracy to become an essential tool of governance. At the same time, it is accused of following the â€Å"Pakistani tradition of involvement in power politics† (Hague, 1995). The political system of Bangladesh has survived a series of transitions. A few years of democracy were followed by nearly fifteen years of military rule. In 1990, for the first time, Bangladesh achieved a fully functioning democratic structure. Ironically, the nature and role of bureaucracy in both the pre and post-democratic period remained almost the same except for an increase in number of ministries, divisions, departments and statutory bodies (Ahmed, 2002: 323-26). The role of government has changed in the course of Bangladesh’s development. After independence its focus was the attainment of development in all spheres of life by intervention and the use of administration in a constructive way. Government and administration were seen not merely as a regulator but as a facilitator. However, it can be argued that development, when considered as a multi-dimensional concept, cannot be attained and sustained without good governance. The term â€Å"good governance† has Acquired tremendous importance in the contemporary world, especially in the context of the developing countries. For example, many developing countries have prepared . Essential component in implementing the plans and strategies to achieve the targets set forth by PRSP; but good governance is a component that most developing countries seriously lack. Merilee S. Grindle points out that when determining their priorities and taking steps to ensure good governance, most developing countries go too far: they chalk out a plan or strategy far beyond the limited capacity of the institutions charged with implementation responsibilities. Grindle suggests redefining â€Å"Good Governance† as â€Å"Good Enough Governance†, that is, â€Å"a condition of minimally acceptable government erformance and civil society engagement that does not significantly hinder economic and political development and that permits poverty reduction initiatives to go forward† (Grindle, 2004: 526). In Bangladesh, a second-generation development challenge is to achieve â€Å"good enough governance†. No matter how much a government tries, success will not be attained if it lacks competent institutions to implement policies. Public administration is the key institution for policy implementation. If it is not functioning well, then PRSP targets are unlikely to be met. The state has to make sure that its administrative apparatus is functioning well, so that it can innovate and implement solutions and that it can ensure that the poor will not be excluded from the process and benefits of development. From the beginning of the 1990s, the role of government has changed from an intervener to a referee; instead of playing the game, its main duty is to make sure that a fair game is being played. This reinvented role of the government necessitates redefining the role of the bureaucracy. Bureaucracy can be considered as an â€Å"open† system that interacts with or is affected by the environment in which it operates. Traditionally, this environment consisted of only the â€Å"domestic economic, political and social context within which the organization is located. † Now, however, â€Å"public organizations are more often faced with global threats and opportunities that affect their operations and perspectives† (Welch and Wong, 2001: 372-73). The performance of a public organization depends largely on how the domestic political institution handles global pressures as well as how it interacts with the bureaucracy. In a country like Bangladesh, where global pressure is eminent and the domestic political institutions are ill structured, the colonial legacy places the bureaucracy in a difficult position. As globalization or market liberalization changes both the domestic context and the functioning of the bureaucracy, it is possible—but not necessarily desirable—that the two primary state institutions, politics and bureaucracy, forge an alliance. All countries strive to reform their administrative system in response to the challenge posed by socioeconomic posed, political, and technical environment. Bangladesh is no exception. Since its emergence as a nation- state, Bangladesh has been trying hard to reshape its administrative system. However, despite their perceived importance, administrative reform in Bangladesh has encountered serious hurdles over the last thirty years. Since 1971 after a civil war 17 reforms have been taken from which some reforms are very crucial. The major administrative reforms and their fate are discussed elaborately in the following Brief Review of Administrative Reforms in Bangladesh: Since the emergence of the country, a number of commissions and committees (for details, please see Annex-A) were constituted by different governments for administrative reform and reorganization to suit the needs of their respective policy declarations. The development partners also prepared several reports toward that end. A review of the major efforts is summarized below. The first political government in Bangladesh felt it necessary to rationalize and transform the provincial administrative system it had inherited into a national system which would be able to shoulder the responsibilities of a new born sovereign nation. Accordingly, the government constituted a Committee known as the Administrative and Services Reorganization Committee. The committee reviewed the administrative system thoroughly and proposed a comprehensive structure to enable it to undertake increasing development responsibilities. The recommendations were not, however, implemented due to resistance from different quarters. The subsequent military government in 1976 constituted a commission called as the Pay and Services Commission for recommending measures for administrative reform. The recommendations of the Commission were partially implemented. The Commission recommended for the introduction of an open structure system in the secretariat administration and creation of 28 cadres in the civil service. While the cadre principle was implemented, there was, in essence, a failure to introduce open structure system in the secretarial administration. The martial law government of General Ershad appointed a Committee for examining the organizational set up of the ministries/divisions, departments, directorates and other organizations. The Committee recommended reduction of the number of ministries/divisions, and of staff at the lower levels of secretarial administration, reduction in the layers of the decision making and fixing the supervisory ratio, formalizing and regularizing recruitment processes, emphasizing the principle of merit in promotion, delegation of financial and administrative powers down the hierarchy and providing training for officials. But major recommendations of the Committee were not implemented (Khan, 1991). Later, the martial law government appointed another committee, known as Committee for Administrative Reforms/Reorganization (CARR). The Committee recommended for renaming of Thanas as Upazilas (sub-districts), upgrading the Sub-divisions into districts and installation of elected local governments at district, Upazilla and union levels for the transfer of development functions to these elected local bodies. This time, the government implemented most of the recommendations of the Committee. It upgraded Thanas into Upazilas and sub-divisions into districts. It introduced democratic governance though limited in scope at the Upazila level. In 1987, a Cabinet Sub-committee was formed to recommend policy measures for implementing recommendations of the Secretaries Special Committee on the Structural Organization of the Senior Services Pool (SSP) and the Secretarial Committee relating to the problem of unequal prospects of promotion of officers of different cadre services. The Committee recommended the abolition of the SSP and certain other measures to improve prospects of promotion of officers of various cadre services. The government accepted the recommendations of the Committee and abolished the SSP in 1989. In the same year, another committee was constituted to reexamine the administrative structure and the man power position. The Committee found that 7000 officers and employees were surplus in 37 departments and offices. On the basis of its findings, the Committee recommended the abolition of 27 departments (Khan, 1991; USAID, 1989; Ali, 1993). During the tenure of the last government, an empirical study was conducted and two committees were constituted to look into problems of public administration and recommend measures for reforms. The Public Administration Sector Study was sponsored by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) with a view to suggesting an open, transparent, accountable and performance oriented administrative system to support parliamentary democracy. The Four Secretaries Committee and Committee for Restructuring Ministries/Department were constituted by the government. The areas of investigation of these committees and study included secretarial administration and work procedures, ministry-department relationship, ministry-corporation relationship, project cycle, organization and structure of government, decision making, accountability, human resources development, financial management and corruption. Recommendations made by them were of multifarious nature corresponding to the nature of the problems. The present government constituted the Public Administration Reform Commission in 1997 with the mandate to recommend policies, programs and activities to improve the level of efficiency, effectiveness, accountability and transparency in public organizations and to enable them to fulfil the government’s commitment to ensure socio-economic development and reach out its benefits to the people. The Commission made three types of recommendations, interim, short term and long term for administrative reforms in areas such as, defining of mission and functions of the public offices; affirming professionalism in the civil service; performance monitoring and result oriented performance, audit of government agencies; delegation of powers to subordinate and field offices; open and free access to government documents and reports for the sake of transparency and accountability; separation of judiciary from the executive; separation of audit from accounts; simplification of outdated laws, rules, regulations and forms (GOB, 2000). The Government has implemented some of the interim recommendations of the commission. The cabinet in a recent meeting accepted in principle the other recommendations of the commission. Major Issues of Administrative Reform in Bangladesh: The importance and significance of various reform efforts can not be denied as these have addressed to a large number of is sues relating to public administration in Bangladesh. But it is believed that the following issues should be taken into consideration while attempting for any comprehensive eform effort in the future. 1Role of Government The role of government in terms of dimension and nature of involvement in various activities has direct bearing on any reform effort. With respect to size and functional involvement, the Government of Bangladesh has assumed an all pervasive character. The lack of private initiative, which is a historical phenomenon, as well as government’s compulsions, especially just after the emergence of the country, provided the basis for the extended role and functions of the government. As a result, the role and functions of the government in Bangladesh has become all encompassing from the centre to the grassroots level. Its traditional functions also termed as regulatory functions (maintenance of law and order, collection of revenue and administration of justice) now constitute only a small segment, though their importance has not been reduced at all; rather increased manifold, of the voluminous functions of public administration. But by the nineties of the last century, some major and qualitative changes have taken place both in the internal and external environment of the country. The thrust for the reduced and limited role of the government is recognized nationally and internationally. In the economic sector, local private, and international and multinational initiatives are quite successful in various ventures while the government is found unsuccessful in managing and running public enterprises. On the other hand, a large number of Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), national and international, are shouldering some service and development responsibilities and also demonstrating better performance in their own spheres (CDRB and DPC, 1995). All these realities are now considered as the reflection of the freedom of individual belief and rights-two lofty ideals of modern day democracy. Thus there are both objective and subjective reasons to review the role and functions of the government. 2Public Policy Commitments Public policy commitments generally reflect the hopes and aspirations of the people and the demands of the time. These commitments are made in a democratic polity by the political parties both in power and aspiring to go to power. Public policy commitments are later translated into administrative actions. In Bangladesh, it has been observed that the public policy commitments made by the government are not pursued wholeheartedly. The institutional mechanisms, both internal and external, are also weak to monitor the translation of these into concrete administrative actions. Internal mechanisms include, administrative and political will of the government and effective administrative monitoring system. On the other hand, external mechanisms are specific parliamentary standing committees and effective role of the political parties in parliament and constructive role of the press and media. Moreover, public policy commitments lack consensus especially of the opposition political parties. As a result, public policy commitments made by one government are, in many cases, scraped or set aside by the next government that comes to power. 3Neutral Governance Currently neutral governance has become a common concern of politicians, administrators, academics and common people as every body are beneficiaries of it. Neutral governance is essential for the sustenance, growth and development of democratic polity. Modern day parliamentary democracies are based on multi party system. Under the system, a number of political parties with varying ideologies and agenda compete for assuming the state power or forming the government through the electoral process. Political parties stay in power so long as they enjoy the support and confidence of the people. The public administrative system that symbolizes permanency and continuity has to function under and at the direction of different political parties at different points of time. Under the above reality, the administration must ensure neutral governance. The concept of neutral governance with respect to a developing country like Bangladesh could be viewed from the perspective of Maintenance of Law and Order/Enforcement; Administration of and Access to Justice; and Planning and Execution of Development Programs. 3. 1Maintenance of Law and Order/Enforcement Maintenance of law and order is essential for ensuring neutral governance. Broadly speaking, maintenance of law and order has two aspects viz. maintenance of public peace, investigation and trial of criminal cases (GOP, 1960). The above involves both executive and judicial functions. Three elements are involved in it, the police, the magistracy and the judiciary (Ali, et. al. , 1983). The maintenance of public peace does not mean pre vention and control of any special type of crime. This deals with general law and order situations that may even be disturbed by non-criminal activities. Though crime may be committed, the real nature of the emergency here may be political or economic or communal. On the other hand, the investigation and trial of criminal cases may be described as prevention; investigation and detection; and prosecution of crime. It is believed that first of all crime should be prevented. If not prevented then the crime is committed. Once a crime is committed it must then be investigated and detected. The successful investigation leads to prosecution. Besides these, the police perform many other functions that have direct or indirect bearing on the maintenance of law and order/enforcement. Some of these are: execution of processes of criminal courts, regulation of crowds and traffic and other duties to meet emergency situations. To ensure neutral governance with respect to the maintenance of law and order/enforcement, the police administration should enjoy freedom from interference from any quarters. If interference are made Police administration can not function or discharge its duties and responsibilities without fear or favour. But in recent years, it has been alleged that the law enforcing agencies have been subjected to influences of various kinds to meet the political ends of the parties in power. Such practices seriously erode the confidence of the people and directly violate the principle of neutral governance, above all, they encourage the police particularly at the lower echelons, to take advantage of such biased position of the authorities to convert the opportunity for unrestrained personal gains. And this is what has happened in Bangladesh. 3. 2Administration of and Access to Justice-Rule of Law Administration and access to justice is a primary requirement for establishing the rule of law in the country. Again, the rule of law must be considered as an important dimension for sustainable democracy, accountable administration and equitable development. In the area of administration of justice in Bangladesh, the judicial system is subjected to some fundamental and procedural problems. Although there is constitutional provision for the separation of judiciary from the executive, concrete steps are yet be taken to separate the two especially at the lower level. It has been reported that now a bill proposing the separation of the judiciary and the executive is pending in the parliament for enactment. The combination of the executive/police and authority of criminal justice in the hands of the executive government was the innovation of the colonial power and it was specifically designed to meet the colonial purposes. However, non-action to separate the judiciary from administration helped accentuate bureaucratic authoritarianism and interference in the judicial process especially at the lower levels. Moreover, certain constitutional provisions require collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and the Supreme Court in the area of personnel management of the judges. Interference of the executive branch in the personnel management of the judiciary hampers judicial independence. In Bangladesh, successive governments meddled with the affairs of the judiciary to serve their narrow political ends. This state of affairs has seriously eroded the confidence of the people in the impartiality of the judicial process. Access to justice is another precondition for establishing rule of law in the country. Easy and timely access to judicial redress is essential for limiting or arresting the high handedness of the executive organ of the government. Repressive and sweeping laws also limit the private citizens’ access to the judiciary. Moreover, the structural and institutional inefficiency of the judicial system has created manifold problems which fails to check the excesses of the executive arm and the bureaucratic authority and to safeguard the civil rights of the people at large. 3. Planning and Execution of Development Program Another dimension of the concept of neutral governance is the neutral or impartial planning and execution of development programs. In developing countries like Bangladesh, initiatives for balanced development of the different parts of the country should come from the government. Moreover, for obvious reasons, the government has to shoulder the major responsibility with respect to economic and social sector development. But it has been observed that, in many cases, development programs are undertaken and executed to serve the narrow party interest of the political party in power at the expense of the national interest. The other phenomenon that is very much in existence in Bangladesh is that the people who are associated with the ruling party are awarded with various contracts relating to the execution of the development programs. Such practices breed corruption and the quality of the execution of the development programs also suffers. Sometimes, a nexus is developed between the political parties, government executing agencies and the implementers/contractors that results in waste and unnecessary cost escalation of development projects. But the concept of neutral governance with respect to planning and execution of the development programs suggests that national, not narrow party and or other interests, should come into prominence in the planning and execution of the development programs. The legitimate policy bias should not pervade the concept of neutral governance with respect to planning and execution of specific development plans and projects. It is natural that different political parties will have different policies and programs but this does not mean that their implementation should any way suffer from any partisan application. .4. Provider of Services Government’s role has changed with the passage of time. In the beginning, the basic purpose was to maintain the steady state. As such, the role was basically regulatory in nature. The concentration was on revenue collection, maintenance of law and order and administration of justice. The administrative system that Bangladesh inherited from the British in 1947 was developed for assuming the above stated roles. Then the government for the first time was called upon to shoulder new responsibilities in addition to its earlier role in traditional/regulatory administration. In the sphere of traditional administration, the emphasis was on maintaining steady state so that the nation can strive for better life both at the individual citizen’s level and also at the national level (Hussain, 1986). With the changed scenario, a new dimension was added to the role of the government, i. e. , development administration. The assumption of this new role was necessitated with the rising expectations of the people. Government at this stage, in the absence of any other alternative choice, had to intervene in different sectors (broadly, economic and service) of the national life to ensure all round national development. The situation in 1947 was such that there was virtually no private sector and entrepreneurial capacity of the private citizens was almost non-existent. Under compulsion, the government had to intervene in all sectors. This phenomenon continued through out the Pakistani period. Another point should be noted here that during this period whatever capacity developed in the private sector was confined mostly to the erstwhile West Pakistani (now Pakistani) nationals (Ahmed, 1980; Jahan, 1977) After the emergence of Bangladesh the situation was even worse. The institutional business enterprises and industries were mostly owned by the Pakistanis and these were left behind by them. The government had no choice but to nationalize those. On the other hand, government of the time also opted for a mixed economy. Consequently, the government’s roles and functions increased manifold. Besides, this period also witnessed the creation of a number of public enterprises especially in the economic sector (Sobhan and Ahmed (1980). In the service sector the government’s role and functions also increased considerably. The government ultimately became the main provider of services to the people. After the change of government in 1975, Government’s policies regarding its role underwent fundamental changes. Emphasis was put on the development of private initiatives in all sectors of national life. In the economic sector, thrust was given for the development of private entrepreneurial class (Ahmed, 1980). At the same time, the government went for the denationalization of different state owned enterprises. This period also saw the rise of a large number of Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs). These organizations started to take active part in development and service sectors especially at the grassroots level. In spite of all these developments, the government in Bangladesh still remains the primary providers of services in all sectors. The all encompassing role of the government resulted in mismanagement and overburdening of the administrative system. Now the time has come to redefine and delimit the role of the government as provider of services and also to look for alternative strategies for providing these to suit the demand of time. 5Civil Service An efficient and effective role of civil service in a developing democratic polity is of vital importance. The efficiency of public servants is a sine qua non for managing the affairs of the state. On the other hand, the involvement of the public servants must not transcend the boundary of the democratic framework. However, bureaucratic efficiency depends on conducive political and bureaucratic environment and culture suiting the needs of the hour; existence of the democratic values in the administrative system; and existence of mechanisms to have checks on bureaucratic excesses. 5. 1Bureaucratic Norms In multi-party democracy, public servants have to perform functions, such as, to inform the ministers and parliament with complete and accurate data presented objectively and in time; to advise ministers by analysis of data and appraisal of options in which they can have confidence; to implement ministerial decisions and to administer resultant decision; and to be responsible to minister and parliament for their actions (or inaction) with particular reference to the safeguarding of public funds and ensuring effective value for money (Stowes, 1992). With respect to the bureaucratic norms of the civil service in Bangladesh experience reveals that these are adhered to a very limited scale. A number of socio-economic and political factors, including historical peculiarities have impeded the growth of accountable structure of administration in Bangladesh. As a result, the ‘high office arrogance’, unethical behaviour, gross inefficiency, failure to respect legislative intent a nd failure to show initiatives have become apparent in the civil service of Bangladesh (Hussain and Sarker, 1995). 5. 2Decision Making Process Efficient decision making procedures are part of the professional and result-oriented administration. The organization and structure of the government and public service and administrative culture have bearing on the decision making system. In Bangladesh, the Rules of Business outline the basic provisions relating to the distribution of responsibilities among different units of government. Under the existing arrangement of the governmental administration, the ministry is responsible for formulating policies. The directorates/departments/statutory bodies and field offices implement policies. In fact, the existing arrangement implies a policy formulation-implementation dichotomy. Interestingly, such a dichotomy has a corresponding relationship to the structural arrangement of the system, resulting in the conflicting relationship between generalists and specialists. There is also confusion about the nature of decisions. It is difficult to draw a demarcation line between the policy decisions and the operational decisions. This confusion complicates the disposal of cases. This, along with centralized tendency in administration causes delay in decision making. Jurisdictional infringement, buck passing, distortion of priorities, employee disorientation and misallocation of resources are many of the factors responsible for such a state of affairs (Huda and Rahman, 1989). The other important aspect that may be noted here is that the discourse on decision making is confined only to the bureaucratic structure. For instance, there is no indication in the Rules of Business regarding the role of parliament members in decision making particularly at various administrative levels, without violating the separation of power policy. 5. 3Corruption Corruption has been and continues to be an unfortunate integral part of administrative culture in Bangladesh. But in recent times, it has taken an all pervasive form. A recent donor sponsored study reflecting on the harmful effect of bribery, corruption, kickbacks and under the table payments for various administrative decisions and actions noted that the per capita income in corruption free Bangladesh could have nearly doubled to US$ 700 (currently it is estimated to be US$350) (Transparency International, Bangladesh, 2000). Government officials especially, involved in development projects, service delivery, enforcement and regulatory agencies at all levels are reported to be colluding with private bidders and contractors and service seekers and consequently amassing vast illegal incomes in the bargain. The reasons for such corruption can be summed up: Firstly, because of institutional weaknesses, civil servants involved in corrupt practices, in most of the cases, are not taken to task and they indulge in corruption with impunity. Moreover, even if found guilty, they have never been adequately punished nor compelled to return to the state their ill-gotten wealth. Secondly, for quick service delivery, citizens in general, now do not mind to pay bribes and kickbacks. Thirdly, there is now social acceptance of corruption. Fourthly, barring occasional public procurements, the representatives of the people, i. e. politicians especially those who are in power, are not very enthusiastic to take effective measures to curb corrupt practices in public dealings. Rather in many cases, it is alleged that they have become party to various dubious deals. 6. Administrative Accountability Government policy decisions are implemented through bureaucratic mechanisms; as such, administrative accountability is essential for good government. In developing polity, there is a tendency on the part of the public bureaucracy to exercise power in an authoritarian manner. Bangladesh bureaucracy is also no exception to that. Authoritarian organization culture still persists. Democratic values are still lacking in the bureaucracy. This is due to the colonial legacy that the administration inherited and lack of experience of the bureaucratic system to function under broader democratic political environment. There is a marked lack of clarity and in deed there is an imbalance between the role of bureaucracy and the role of public representatives and political leaders in the policy making and overall governance system. No systematic measures have been taken so far to streamline the institutional integration of popular interests and technical expertise at all levels of government. As a result, efficiency and accountability suffer under democratic political leadership. The arrogance of high office, unethical behaviour, failure to respect legislative intent and apathy towards work have been rampant (UNDP, 1993). However, elaborate measures should be undertaken to curtail bureaucratic excess. Its role should not go beyond the limits that may thwart democratic ideals and practices. Some of the measures could be through the effective roles of the parliament, media and the civil society. . 1Role of Parliament Bangladesh has again gone back to the parliamentary form of government after amending the constitution (GOB, 1998). Under the present system, the executive branch is responsible to the parliament and that the peoples’ representatives must have sufficient voice in the design and formulation of public policy. In Bangladesh, the parliament is primarily concerned with enacting legislation and ratifying decisions that the executive has already taken. Thus, it is clearly observed that peoples’ representatives have no substantive role in policy formulation. The role of parliamentary committees is very significant in this regard. These statutory committees are expected to scrutinize various aspects of government actions. Moreover, they should function in such a manner so as to ensure transparency of vital government businesses. However, in Bangladesh, the parliamentary committees so far have failed to play the vital role in making the administration accountable. Some important committees such as, Public Accounts Committee, Committee on Estimates, Committee on Public Undertaking and other standing committees on various ministries are not performing well enough to ensure accountability of executive government. Committee meetings are not held regularly and ministers in many cases do not attend the meetings. More importantly, the decisions of the committees are not followed by actions. The other feature of Bangladesh politics is the excessive reliance on exercising executive authority by keeping the parliament in the dark. In most cases, policy issues are not discussed in the parliament. This weakens parliament’s authority to hold the executive accountable to it. Another interesting feature of Bangladesh politics is that the opposition political parties oppose the ruling party for the sake of opposition only. Moreover, boycotting/non-participation in the sessions of the parliament has also become a regular practice of the opposition political parties. But to have healthy political environment and to hold the party in power responsible for the actions/inaction, opposition political parties should play a positive role both within and outside the parliament. 6. 2Role of Media Role of media is very important in ensuring administrative accountability. Information about government actions are largely reported through the media both electronic and print. By ensuring free flow of information, the media also ensures transparency of administrative actions. Currently, the print media is enjoying considerable freedom in Bangladesh. They bring lapses and excesses of the executive to the notice of the public and thereby making them accountable. But exclusive government control over state run mass media like radio and television run contrary to the concept of free flow of information and transparency. Such exclusive control has negative bearing on ensuring administrative accountability. In Bangladesh, both radio and television are solely owned and controlled by the government. As a result, these two media are acting as the spokesmen of the government or rather the party in power. Impartial information and views, in most of the cases, are not usually broadcast. Moreover, views of the opposition political parties and groups do not receive proper and adequate attention of the state run radio and television. As we know, the role of media by facilitating the free flow of information of all government actions is very essential for ensuring executive and administrative accountability. The reforms which, according to the press reports, are on the anvil appear to fall short of expectations of the nation in as much as the government control on the state run electronic media remains virtually overlooked. 6. 3Role of Civil Society From a functional perspective, there is a general tendency to treat civil society as one of the three sections that constitute a nation – the other two being the public sector or the government and the private sector or the profit-seeking enterprises. Very broadly, civil society can be defined as those organizations that exist between the level of the family and the state and enjoy a degree of autonomy from the state and the market, and provide a counter-balance to the power of the state and the market. Civil society may also be viewed as organized activities by groups or individuals either performing certain services or trying to influence and improve the society as a whole, but are not part of government or business (Jorgensen, 1996). In Bangladesh, civil society includes indigenous community groups, mass organizations, cooperatives, religious societies, trade unions, and professional bodies. Given the dynamics of the political process, it is indeed difficult to set a prescribed role for the civil society in Bangladesh. The role of civil society, in fact, depends on the nature of the demand and prevailing conditions of a polity. However, areas of involvement of the civil society in the context of Bangladesh are policy advocacy, mobilization of public opinion, demand creation, active participation in policy formulation process, bridging the gap between citizens and government, pressurizing the government with the help of the media, supporting the popular movement in favour of a given policy issue, lobbying with the donor groups/development partners, playing the role of mediator/ arbitrator between citizens and government, and policy analysis, etc. Civil society, by its actions, performs as pressure group in the polity in attaining administrative accountability. In the true sense of the term, the civil society is only emerging in Bangladesh. In recent years, the civil society has made some limited but positive contributions towards ensuring executive and administrative accountability. But it has been observed that some groups of the civil society movement are politicized and divided on political lines. Though there has been a steady and random growth of the civil society organizations, there is virtually no active network of them to look after collective interests of the people. More concerted efforts are needed to organize and further develop the civil society institutions so that they can play an appropriate role in making the executive and the administration accountable to people. MAJOR ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS The major administrative reforms and their fate are discussed elaborately in the following List of Major Committees and Commission for Administrative Reform |S. n. |Name of the Committee/Commission |Focus Areas |Major Recommendations |Observation | |1 |Civil Administration Restoration |Organizational set up for the |Establishment of 20 Ministries, 3 other secretariat organizations and|Secretariat administration was reorganized with 20 ministries. | |Committee, 1971 |Government after the emergence of |7 constitutional bodies |Constitutional bodies like Supreme Court, the High Court, the Public | | | |Bangladesh |Detailed specification of functions of civil servants at the |Service Commission, the Election Commission and the Office of the | | | | |Div ision, District, Sub-division levels |Comptroller and Auditor General were established | | | | |Providing appropriate status and respect to the officers and staff of| | | | | |civil administration as lawful organs of the Government | | |2 |Administrative and Services Structure |Civil Service Structure |Unified civil service structure with a continuous grading system |The report of the Committee was not published | | |Reorganization Committee, 1972 | |from top to the bottom. Division of all posts into two broad | | | | | |categories: Functional and Area Group Posts. Top 3 grades, i,e. I, | | | | | |II and III to be designated as Senior Policy and Management Posts | | |3 |National Pay Commission, 1972 |Pay Issues |10 scales of pay in line with the recommendation of the ASRC |New national pay scale with 10 grades was introduced | |4 |Pay and Services Commission, 1977 |Civil Service Structure and Pay Issues |52 scales of pay and equal initial scales of pay and equitable |The New Na tional Grades and Scales of Pay was introduces with 21 | | | | |opportunities for advancement to the top for all |scales of pay | | | | |Introduction of Superior Policy Pool at the top of the civil service |28 services under 14 main cadres were created within the civil service| | | | |Establishment of Civil Service Ministry by abolishing Establishment |A Senior Services Pool was constituted | | | | |Ministry | | |5 |Martial Law Committee for Examining |Reorganization and Rationalization of |Reduction in the number of ministries/divisions/directorates and |Number of ministries were reduced from 36 to 19 | | |Organizational Set up of |Manpower in Public Sector Organizations|sun-ordinate offices |Number of other offices were reduced from 243 to 181 | | |Ministries/Divisions/Directorates and | | |Number of constitutional bodies were reduced from 12 to 9. Number of | | |other organizations, 1982 | |Reduction of layers for decision making |officials and employees mostly working at the lower levels was reduced| | | | | |from 9,440 to 3,222 | | | | |Delegation of administrative and financial powers down the hierarchy | | |6 |Committee for Administrative Reform and |Reorganization of Field Level |Up gradation of Thanas with Thana Parishads as the focal point of |The new system of administration and local government was introduced | | |Reorganization, 1982 |Administration |local administration |in 460 Thana’s (Thanas were later renamed as Upazilas) | |7 |National Pay Commission, 1984 |Pay Issues |New National Pay Scale with 20 grades |The New National Scales of Pay was introduces with 20 scales of pay | | |Secretaries Committee on Administrative |Promotion Aspects |Maintenance of status quo for 10 cadre services as promotion prospect| | | |Development, 1985 | |had been satisfactory | | |8 |Special Committee to Review the Structu re |Structure of Senior Services Pool (SSP)|Continuation of SSP as a cadre |Recommendations were referred to the Cabinet Sub-committee for | | |of Senior Services Pool, 1985 | |Entry into the SSP only through examination to be conducted by the |examination | | | | Public Service Commission | | | | | |Tenure of Secretaries be limited to 8 years | | |9 |Cabinet Sub-committee, 1987 |Review of SSP and Promotion Aspects |Creation of 50% of posts of Deputy Secretaries within the pay scales |Recommendations were referred to the Council Committee for | | | |Rules of Business |of Taka 4200-5200 for making SSP more attractive |examination. The recommendations of the Council Committee were not | | | | |Tenure of Secretaries should not be limited |approved by the President | |10 | 1996Committee to Re-examine the necessity|Necessity or otherwise of keeping | | | | |of keeping certain Government Offices in |certain Government Offices | | | | |the light of changed circumstances, 1989 | | | | |11 |National Pay Commission,1989 |Pay Issues |Revised National Scales of Pay |20 revised Nation Scales of Pay was introduced | |12 |Administrative Reorganization Committee, |Administrative structure and staffing |Reduction of the number of ministries from 35 to 22 and the number of|The report of the Committee was not made public | | |1993 |patterns |administrative organization from 257 to 224 | | | | | |Provisional structure for the Office of Ombudsman | | | | |Creation of a Secretariat for the Supreme Court | | |12 |National Pay Commission, |Pay Issues |Revised National Scales of Pay |20 revised Nation Scales of Pay was introduce d | | | |Structure and reorganization of | | | | | |manpower across | | | | | |Ministries/Departments/Directorates, | | | | | |etc. | | |13 |Administrative Reorganization Committee, |Administrative structure for improving | | | | |1996 |the quality and standard of service, | | | | | |achieve transparency and efficiency | | | |14 |Public Administration Reform Commission, | |Determination of Missions and functions of the public offices |Some of the interim recommendations have been implemented | | |1997 | |Formation of a professional policy making group â€Å"Senior Management |The recommendations of the Commission have been accepted by the | | | | |Pool† Lateral entry into the civil service |government in a recently held cabinet meeting | | | | |Reduction of the number of ministries from 36 to 25 and the abolition| | | | | |of 6 organizations. Establishment of the Supreme Court Secretarial. | | | | |Establishment of the Office of the Ombudsman | | | | | |The local co uncils/Parishads at the district, Upazila and Union | | | | | |should have overall authority of coordination of development | | | | | |activities . Establishment of an Independent Commission Against | | | | | |Corruption, Establishment of a Criminal Justice Commission | | | | | |Magnetization of public service benefits; Establishment of a Public | | | | | |Administration Reform monitoring Commission | | DISCUSSION ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS ELABORATELY IN THE FOLLOWING†¦. Administrative and service structure reorganization committee(ASRC): On 15 March 1972 a four members administrative and service reorganization committee (ASRC) was appointed and submitted its report in two phases in April 1973 and in May 1974. Mission of ASRC: The ASRC was asked – To consider the present structure of various service†¦.. And determine the future structure keeping in the view fundamental needs. To consider the amalgamation of all civil services †¦.. Into one unified service. To determine the principle of integration of the personnel of various service in the new structure and to determine inter seniority of personnel in different service. To determine the future recruitment policy in the government service and various levels. To prepare and recommend a comprehensive scheme for administrative reorganization. Significant recommendation: The ASRC have done some important recommendations. As like- The committee felt that division between former all Pakistan and other central superior services and the former provincial service as well division between higher and lower classes be abolished and a continuous grading system from top to bottom should be substituted in each occupational group. The committee suggested that reservation of posts for various groups within the public service should be discontinued. All public servants, the ASRC recommended, should be organized in a single classes unified grading structure (UGS) covering the whole public service. To inculcate professionalism in the public service, the committee suggested, division of all posts within it into two broad categories to be designated as functional posts and area group posts. The ASRC called for designating posts in top three grades, i. e. I. II and III as senior policy and management posts and tightening selection procedure for entrance into senior management positions. The committee also suggested a detail plan as to how its proposal for UGS be implemented throughout the public service. The ASRC felt that individuals should be recruited to various grads as in the public service on the basis of merit as tested by their performance in competitive public examination. The ASRC also made a number of specific recommendations to democratize the governance and reduce the powers. As like- Increasing devolution of power and authority to elected local governments at different levels district, Thana, and union was forcefully argued to enable locally elected officials to provide leadership in developmental activities without interference from central government officials placed in the field. Different local levels field tiers had to be rationalized with upgrading of subdivisions into districts and abolition of division. Separation of the judiciary from the executive had to be ensured for successful functioning of a democratic policy. At the central levels the role o the secretariat needed to be restricted to policy formulation, planning and evaluation of the executed plans and programs. Fate of ASRC The ASRC submitted its recommendations to the government in two phases. But there was no official response to the committee’s work till the end of the Mujib government. It is difficult to understand why far- reaching recommendations of ASRC was shelved in spite of the fact that accepting the members. All members including the chairman were close to Mujib both politically and personally. It is on record that Mujib was unhappy with the poor performance on lack of commitment of many senior civil servants. He knew the problems but did not want to go all the way to solve the malices. That created the paradox and consequently Mujib’s lack of action. National pay commission(NPC): A nation pay commission (NPC-1) was appointed on 21July 1972 under the chairmanship of a retired secretary to the government. Besides the chairman, there were nine members. The membership of the commission included full –time and five part-time members. Mission: The national pay commission (NPC-1) was assigned with a number of tasks. These included: Reviewing the pay structure of all employees in the public sector keeping in view the government’s policy of socialism. Recommending rationalization and standardization of pay scales of those who served under erstwhile central and provincial governments. Significant recommendations: The guiding principles followed by NPC-1 in recommending a rational pay structure were a livable wage, social acceptability, functionally distinguishable levels of responsibility matched with standardized pay levels and motivation based on patriotic grounds. The NPC-1 felt that a nine tiers administrative structure with corresponding pay scales could meet the requirements of a rational structure in Bangladesh during next five years 1973-1978 of the nine scales for would be normal direct entry tiers, three promotion tiers and two conversion ties but the commission’s plan had to be modified to bring it in line with ASRC recommendation. Fate of NPC Some of the recommendations f the commission were partially implemented however, majority of the recommendations of the NPC-1 were not implemented. Reasons can be offered as to why the commission’s recommendations suffered such a fact: Compression of 2200 scales into 10 scales was very difficult task and it proved to be at the implementation stage. No major segment within the civil service supported the recommendations. Rather almost everybody who mattered opposed it. Pay and service commission(P&SC): The pay and service commission (P&SC) was appointed on 20 February 1976 consisted of thirteen member including the chairman, headed by retired secretary who was changed in mid-way and replaced by another senior civil servant. Mission: The P&SC was asked to examine the existing pay and service structure of public sector except defense service and university’s teaching posts, recommend suitable service structure and pay structure including fringe benefits for civil service. In marking its recommendation, the commission had to consider some factors such as: Functional needs and requirements of the government, job requirement or various service and posts, cost of living, resources of the government and public sector enterprises, reduction of disparity between the highest and the lowest salary levels, demand and supply of various profession and occupation. It had another main business to examine both service and pay matters of all employees in the traditional public sector and this had to be accomplished within a given set of constraints. Fate of P&SC: The government slowly and implemented some of the recommendations in modified form and it took two years. Creation of twenty eight services under fourteen main cadres within the civil service. The government in 1977 provided for twenty –one scales of pay through the introduction of new national grades and scales of pay (NNGSP). In the process the government drastically scales down the number, that is fifty scales of pay which P&SC recommended but the NNGSP satisfied very few people. Constitution of senior service pool (SSP) by the government. The (SSP) was modeled in light of the P&SC call for creation of a superior policy pool (SSP), but the SSP order was formulated and implemented in such a manner that the objective behind SSP was willfully ignored. Martial Law Committee -1(MLC-1): A five – member martial law committee for examining organization set up of ministries /divisions , departments , directorates and other organization under them (MLC) was appointed on April 18,1982 under the chairmanship of a Brigadier . The other members of the committee were two lieutenant colonels, one major and one mid ranking civil servant. The latter was made secretary to the committee. Mission of MLC-1: The committee’s responsibility included: To review and recommend charter of duties of various sectors, branches, wings, divisions and departments. To scrutinize existing and

Gwendolyn Brooks and Edwin Arlington Robinson Essay

Gwendolyn Brooks and Edwin Arlington Robinson are two out of many fine poets that have written inspiration poetry that has had an impact on our country. Gwendolyn Brooks achieved success at an early age. Brooks is best known for her lyrical style of urban poetry, such as the poem â€Å"We Real Cool†. Brooks was the first African-American writer to win the Pulitzer Prize for her poetry with the poem, â€Å"Annie Allen†. Edwin Arlington Robinson was the first person ever to receive the Pulitzer Prize in 1922. Robinson’s poetry did not capture the attention of the public until he was almost 50 years old. President Theodore Roosevelt discovered some of his poetry. He was so impressed that he offers him a clerk position at the New York Customs House. â€Å"We Real Cool† by Gwendolyn Brooks and â€Å"Richard Cory† by Edwin Arlington Robinson demonstration how both authors compare/contrast in their poems as it relate to tragic ending in death, the usage of first person plural, and learning message to the reader. â€Å"We Real Cool† demonstrates how it relates to tragic ending in death, the usage of first person plural, and learning message to the reader. The poem relates to tragic ending in death. These teenagers explain how they engage in activities such as playing pool, drinking, and sinning. Though they believe they have everybody else fooled, they know themselves that the behavior will eventually lead to death. The poem is written in first person plural. It allows the pool players to speak for themselves and not allow the reader to draw their own assumptions. Also â€Å"We Real Cool† sends a learning message to the reader. The message that Brooks sends out is that what seems cool in someone else’s eye, isn’t cool in another, and it can lead to a destructive life. â€Å"Richard Cory† demonstrates how it related to tragic ending in death, the usage of first person plural, and learning message to the reader. The poems relate to tragic ending in death. Richard Cory is very successful in the view of the peers but in his own self judgment, he is inadequate to fulfill his purpose in life. So therefore, he commits suicide. Secondly, first person plural was not used in the poem. The town people are speaking about how they view Richard Cory. They do not know his personal struggles and only see the human side that he shows. They admire him and are quite envious of him. Thirdly, in the poem of â€Å"Richard Cory†, is sending a message that you cannot judge a book by its cover. Just because someone appears happy and wealthy does not mean that they are truly happy with their lifestyles. What one may perceive may be an allusion to the eye. Furthermore, a person must get to know a person to understand the views and thoughts. In conclusion, â€Å"We Real Cool† by Gwendolyn Brooks and â€Å"Richard Cory† by Edwin Arlington Robinson demonstration how both authors compare/contrast in their poems as it relate to tragic ending in death, the usage of first person plural, and learning message to the reader. We observed that â€Å"Richard Cory† is straight forward, direct and has plenty of descriptions unlike the poem â€Å"We Real Cool†, that requires the reader to use their imagination. However, both poems rhyme. Both poems talks about the importance’s of education of how the advantages of staying in school can get you far or how it can hinder your life. Even though both authors were born in different time era, they both share the same struggles and disadvantages.

The reasons for price drop of crude oil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The reasons for price drop of crude oil - Essay Example Crude futures declined in the recent past on concerns global oversupply is hurriedly  filling oil stocks. Total petroleum output in the year 2015 is expected to go up to 9.35 million barrels every day, slightly more than the 9.3 million barrels daily forecast in the previous period, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said last week in its monthly short-term energy outlook. Independently, oil stocks went up more than anticipated marking the several consecutive week of a higher overall than at any other time for the last 80 years and more. The American commercial crude oil stocks rose by appoxialely4.5 million barrels from the previous week, the EIA said Wednesday. Another reason weighing on oil price is the OPEC. The U.S. oil output could be adversely affected in the years due to low oil prices offered by the OPEC countries. In addition, the lower global oil prices may have affected the marginal barrel output from other sources, such as shale, OPEC said.  The OPEC body controls a significant percentage of the world’s fuel production. As such, any decision they make directly affect the market prices of the commodity. In this case, the petroleum trading block may take actions targeting their competitors. Such actions may include flooding the market with the commodity leading to market forces coming into play and hence price decline. America has been in the frontline in the war against terrorism. As such, the country has formulated various policies aimed at reducing terrorism. Such policies have been affected towards Iran and Tehran for their alleged involvement in nuclear weapon manufacturing. In this case, the two countries are prohibited from placing their products in major global markets. However, USA and the two countries have signed several deals that have seen the reintroduction of petroleum product from two nations. In this case, the total global supplies increase prompting the market forces to push the prices

Jews of Germany and Austria-Hungary, 1780-Present Assignment

Jews of Germany and Austria-Hungary, 1780-Present - Assignment Example He came to Berlin in 1743 and taught himself many languages such as German, English, French and Latin, and read other writings by philosophers in order to enlighten himself. He translated the Torah into German and this book was used to teach the German language to the German Jews. They were taught how to read and write in German. Moses began enlightening the German Jews but upheld his Jewish heritage. He encouraged the Jews to speak both German and Hebrew. However, some Jewish believers were against his ideas and considered it profane to learn anything else apart from Hebrew. Several Jewish education institutions were founded from 1778 to 1815 to instruct the German Jews in general science and scripture in German. With time, the Jews changed their thinking which was mainly centered on their religion into an enlightened culture focused on man. Once they learnt German, the Jews started following the ways of the Germans .The Jewish and German culture became more integrated and some Jews completely adopted German culture (Volkov 254). In 1782, a new law was enacted by Emperor Joseph II of Austria. This law was called the Edict of Tolerance and it aimed to fully integrate Jews into German life. They were granted access to education and training for jobs. The law also abolished all documents written in Jewish and decreed the use of German language only. The Jews were also required to use German surnames and drop the Jewish ones. German states followed the example of Austria and in 1812, the Prussian King, Frederick William enacted his Edict and many Prussian Jews were given rights of citizenship and change of names (Hertz 108). Goethe’s concepts of Bildung and Kultur were promoted through literally salons in the 1780s and 1790s. The literary salons were mainly apolitical meetings. Rahel Levin started the most prominent salon in 1791. This woman did not uphold her Jewish identity and supported the

Impact of the Housing Market on the US GDP Term Paper

Impact of the Housing Market on the US GDP - Term Paper Example There are different types of competition and different types of markets available in economic sense. Why is GDP important? The GDP Gross domestic product is one of the primary indicators to predict a country’s stability and economic health. â€Å"Gross domestic product (GDP) tells you about the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period. GDP per capita is often considered an indicator of a country's standard of living.† Impact of the Housing Market on the US GDP (Facts and Statistics): the housing market of US includes the construction, sale, and resale; of all residential properties all over the country, people might underestimate the US housing market but usually the conditions of the housing market indicates the stability of the entire economy. Homes are fixed Assets. Constructing and selling of the houses are highly related with the economic society. People usually buy houses for the purpose of long term investment. Hous es are their tangible assets. People only buy houses when they are confident enough that they will be able to pay entirely for the house. But often people take loans and borrow money from people to purchase a house and when they fail to pay back, this has a very diverse impact on the economy. Besides the basic buying and selling of the houses, whenever a new house is built or purchased many new appliances, furniture, utility services, and many other goods and services are brought. Many people earn their livelihood by constructing, buying and selling of the houses in US. Hence the Housing market has a vast impact on the US economy. â€Å"The best way to judge the stability of any country is to look at its GDP, the U.S. economy, as measured by GDP, is everything produced by all the people and all the companies in the U.S. In 2010, it was $14.7 trillion. (The American Bureau facts and statistics 2010)† Housing is a â€Å"mid-stream† sector of the economy, meaning that man y other industries, both upstream and downstream, is affected by the health of the housing market. For example, the demand for building materials increases in a booming housing market, as does the demand for appliances and furnishings. Even more important in terms of dollars pumped into the economy, is appreciated home values, which have been an important source of stimulus over the past few years. Housing sector contributes to GDP in two main ways: through private residential investment and consumption spending on housing services. In times gone by, residential investment has averaged roughly 5 percent of GDP while housing services have averaged between 12 and 13 percent, for a combined 17 to 18 percent of GDP. These shares tend to vary over the business cycle. The construction of the houses has a small portion of the Gross domestic product i.e. $573 bill-lion. Other investments like furniture and household equipments, comprises another 5 percent of GDP. Altogether, currently the h ousing sector comprises 15 percent of the economy. (The American Bureau facts and statistics 2011) Constructing a new home building generates income and jobs for the citizens, as well as becomes a source of revenue for the government. Whereas home building also generates liability for the government and increase their costs by

Discuss the usefulness and problems with contingency theories in Essay

Discuss the usefulness and problems with contingency theories in understanding organisational structure. How relevant can they b - Essay Example It is relevant to consider development of contingency theory and its application to organizational structure in order organizations’ managers had an opportunity to develop flexible approaches to organizational structural development. Therefore, contingency theory is an alternative for organizations looking for solution of their current problems and tending to structural changes. A basic conceptual framework of contingency theory is a phrase â€Å"it depends† (Donaldson, 2001). Therefore, any managerial solution should be made with regard to the external factors of a certain situation in an organization. Moreover, a great role in establishing organizational structure plays nature of the environment of organization. In accordance with the contingency theory: â€Å"there is no one best way to organize; any way of organizing is not equally effective† (Galbraith, 1973). In case a perfect relation between nature of organization, external environment and organizational characteristics is established, an organization is on the right way to performance. Such kind of match is called a ‘contingency theory’ or ‘contingency perspective/view’ (Donaldson, 2001). Studies of organizational structures in relation to external conditions of organizations’ operation resulted in studies based on the contingency theory. ... In the study made by Burns and Stalker (1961) mechanistic and organic principles of organizations were discussed. In organizations, where mechanistic principles prevailed, top managers developed a policy. Such kind of organizations was characterized by inflexible policies and rigid decision making. Luthans (1973) develops the idea of relation of contingency theory to management theory. Before theory developed by Luthans management theories were not related to each other. For example, process theory was based on planning, organizing, directing, and controlling (Donaldson, 1996). In order to find a perfect balance between management theories, contingency theory was a unifying approach defining interrelatedness and mutual dependence of all integrative parts of management theories. This approach was broadened and resulted in a â€Å"theoretical model of Structural Adaptation to Regain Fit (SARFIT)† (Donaldson, 1987, 2001). This model can be interpreted in the following manner: in case an organization finds a best relation between internal and external resources, it reaches high performance levels. It is a right way to reach size growth, introduce innovations and diversification (Hamilton and Shergill, 1992). Contingency variables may lead to organizational misfit to external factors. As a result, levels of performance are decreased and structural changes are introduced (Chandler, 1962). SARFIT theory implies consideration of structural contingency theory as relation between divisionalization changes and strategic changes. Bums and Stalker (1961) are focused on â€Å"discussion about changes in mechanistic and organic structures with regard to technological and market change in the external conditions† (Bums and Stalker, 1961).

Financial analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Financial analysis - Essay Example It serves government consumers, individual consumers, small and midsized businesses, and education enterprises. Apple’s financial year ends on the last Saturday of September and has an approximate period of 52 or 53 weeks. In connection to this, the main aim of this paper is to take out Apple Inc. financial analysis. Financial Analysis refers to the assessment of the profitability, stability and viability of a business entity or project. It is based on information derived from the financial statements including the Balance Sheet, Statement of Cash flow and the Income Statement, a single financial statement cannot give full information about the firm but together they give useful information (Gibson 2012, pg. 6). It is useful in benchmarking that majorly involves comparison of different companies’ performance comparison or comparing the company’s performance over time. The information is also used by management and investors in decision making and forecast future performance. We analyze data as revealed by Apple Inc.’s annual Reports and also carry out ratio analysis that helps us discover more information about the business (Michelle 2012, pg. 45). Apple operates in different geographical areas including the Americas, Japan, Europe, Asia Pacific and retail operations, it is hence involved in segment reporting and all the information from various sources is consolidated and used as the company’s financial information from which the company’s performance is analyzed (Brooks 2012, pg. 86). This paper aims to analyze the financial statements of Apple Inc from 2011 to 2013 to determine which year was more profitable, that is, time series analysis. The results could also be useful in performing industrial analysis which involves comparing one company’s performance to another in order to determine which one is doing better. Measure the ability of

The Super Bowl Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Super Bowl Project - Research Paper Example A project manager is responsible for assigning tasks and managing resources around the project until its completion. In the Super Bowl Project, the project manager is supposed to oversee smooth completion of all modules of the project (Leiker, Ellenport, 2005). The management approach used in the project is chiefly qualitative and also in their research. The project manager aims at proper understanding othe activities involved in effectively running a Super Bowl Project. His decision making aims at answering the how and why such events fail or prosper by checking a small sample. Before the project commenced, the manager checked cases occurring in similar events and their effects. The conclusions that have been prepared by the project manager have been used in efficient administration of the project and avoiding uncertainties. Quantitative approach is only slightly used in the procurement department in making projections for proper use of the budget (Buehring, Cassell, Johnson, Symon, 2006). The Super Bowl Project encompasses the events that run prior to the actual games, which are held in different venues. Project management will involve searching for sponsorship and broadcasts to create exposure for the Super Bowl. The city where the event is happening should have a good reputation so as to encourage more people to attend it. The project manager is conscientious for planning the event and creates provision and solutions for any uncertainties that may occur. Uncertainties include the venue being declared unavailable as the event approaches or lack of enough boosts from sponsors. On the actual day of the Super Bowl, the safety of attendants should be enhanced ensuring that there are health facilities close to the venue. Due to hysteria during games there is a possibility of mass illness and so the medical facilities should accommodate above 25,000 people. As a result of the recent terrorism threats, the project manager should liaise with the governor to provide extra National Guards. A proper evacuation plan should be made in case of an emergency to ensure the fans safely make it out of the Super Bowl venue (Leiker, Ellenport, 2005). Proper insurance measures should also be placed against the property used during the event, as well as the participant’s health. The coverage should also apply to the media and sponsors in case there is a cancelation and fans need a refund on their ticket money. The project manager has to gather a number of insurers and choose the most suitable for the job. Most of the risk management that is involved in the Super Bowl project revolves around the activities happening outside the football games. The project manager should ensure that proper planning in ancillary events as well as the actual Super Bowl. The Department of Code Enforcement of Indiana has actively inspected the venue where the Super Bowl is set to be held (Leiker, Ellenport, 2005). Each structure involved in the event is inspected and the st andards used to set up temporary structures set together with those of permanent structures. The organizational structure used in the project is matrix, which involves grouping the people involved on functionality and expected results. This ensures that the people in both groups make up for each other’s weaknesses and increase productivity of the product. Balanced matrix was applied to divide the project in phases and departments to

Panama Canal Lock Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Panama Canal Lock - Case Study Example The whole of the Guton Lock system works in three steps. The ship enters the first chamber at the Guton lock which is at the sea level on the Atlantic side. The water tight gates are closed after the ship get in to the first chamber. A valve is the opened to allow water from the second chamber into the first chamber until both chambers the water levels up. Following this equalization of the levels of water, the valve is the closed and the gate between the first and second chamber is opened for the ship to move to the second chamber (Sherman 35). The first operation is repeated between the second and third lock to move the ship into the third lock which raise the ship to the Guton Lake water level. After closing of the final valve and opening of the final gate, the ship will have been raised up to 85ft to the Pacific Ocean water level. The forces that act on the first lock on the pacific side are majorly from the water in the Pacific Ocean that exerts pressure on the first gate. In the subsequent locks, forces act from both sides of the gates due to the water that is held inside the chambers. The Key factor in the design of the Guton lock was the water. The lifting of the ships in the lock to the level of the Guton Lake is done by water (Ulrich 9). The water in the lock lifts the ship up to 85feet and floats the ship across the divide. After crossing the continental divide, the water is again used to lower the ships to the sea level in the opposite side of the ocean. This therefore means that water was the major important consideration in the construction of the Guton Lock just like in the other three locks of the Panama Canal. In the design therefore, it was important to consider the force that the water exert on the locks. As more water is allowed inside the chamber of the lock, it exerts pressure to the walls. Another source of force on the walls of the lock chamber is the weight of the ship that is being raised by the lock up to 85 feet above sea

Teacher Competency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Teacher Competency - Essay Example Students, meanwhile, also expect to be able to learn from the teacher. Some even think that teachers can make them smart, an expectation which can not be discounted. Although intelligence is primarily a result of a student’s diligence and genes perhaps, a teacher’s input is a major contributing factor. This is where teacher competency comes into the picture. For a teacher to be able to facilitate learning, he must be competent. Now what is competency? Competency is â€Å"the ability to perform a particular skill or to demonstrate a specified level of knowledge† (D. Sadker & M. Sadker, 2005, p. G-2). A competent teacher therefore is one who not only facilitates learning but does so in a specified, and shall we say exemplary, level. There are a lot of characteristics or qualities that make a competent teacher, all of which are related to the dimensions of one’s personality – intellectual, physical, social, ethical, and emotional (Zulueta, 2006). However, there is no standard which can be considered as the universal set of characteristics a teacher must have in order to be called competent; these qualities are dynamic in that what works for one teacher may not work for another, or what is effective for a student may not be as effective for another, or what applies now may not be applicable years from now. Lack of knowledge on a subject and inability to answer a question is such a horror to think of. Teachers fear it too. It must be understood that learning is a continuous process and no one, not even a teacher knows the answer to everything. Some students are ruthless; they like to test the extent of a teacher’s knowledge. Teachers must be prepared for such events. Although there may be times that he will not be able to answer a question without further research, these instances must be kept to a minimum. Looked up to as a fountain of knowledge, a teacher must therefore be a master at the subject

The principles of infection prevention and control Essay Example for Free

The principles of infection prevention and control Essay Outcome 1 Understand roles and responsibilities in the prevention and control of infections 1.The main roles and responsibilities of the employee in relation to prevention and control of infection are as follows: To use protective clothing when needed to stop cross contamination. This includes gloves, aprons and masks. To wash hands regularly and effectively. This needs to be done after handling food, personal care, toileting etc. To ensure your health doesn’t pose a risk to others. This can be if you have been vomiting, cold symptoms etc. To avoid cross contamination. To ensure your hygiene is good at all times as not to pose a risk to others by passing on germs and cross contaminating. 2.The main roles and responsibilities of the employer in relation to prevention and control of infection are as follows: To ensure protective equipment is available at all times, and that they have plenty in stock. To make sure the employees are aware of all health and safety aspects of the job. This can include having posters around, having files for the employees to read and putting the employees through training. Keep all records related to infection control using the appropriate documentation and keeping them in a safe place. The employer needs to ensure that the relevant standards, policies and guidelines are available in the work place. Read more: Outline potential risks of infection within the workplace Outcome 2 Understand legislation and policies relating to prevention and control of infections 1.The current legislation and regulatory body standards which are relevant to the prevention and control of infection are as follows: Health and safety at work act 1974 Health and social care act 2008 The public health (control of diseases) act 1984 Personal protective equipment (PPE) regulations 1992 Controlled waste regulations 1992 Management of health and safety at work regulations 1999 Food Safety Act 1990 The NICE guidelines COSHH RIDDOR Relevant codes of practice National Minimum Standards (CQC) 2.The following local and organisational policies relevant to the prevention and control of infection are The public health (control of disease) act 1984, The social care act, The NICE guidelines and also company policies and procedures that relate to infection prevention and control. Our company states that anyone suffering from and infectious disease must have clearance from a doctor or you should seek guidance from your manager. Outcome 3 Understand systems and procedures relating to the prevention and control of infections 1.Procedures and systems relevant to the prevention and control of infection are as follows: Hand washing Hand washing is important in the work place as it stops cross contamination with residents and other members of staff. You should wash your hands after touching anyone, after handling food, after being to the toilet and after using equipment. Using PPE PPE is important in the care home as it protects you and others from infection. You should always use PPE when dealing with food and when dealing with personal care. You should always dispose of PPE before leaving a room or dealing with someone else. This stops cross contamination, protecting yourself and others. Disposal of clinical waste The correct disposal of clinical waste is important. Clinical Waste should be disposed if in yellow bags and tied straight away. This stops cross contamination. 2.An outbreak of infection can effect the organisation and the individual. The impact it can have is as follows: Impact on organisation The impact on the organisation can be costly, this is due to staff being sick and cover being needed for them. There can be a loss of confidence from the public and the residents giving the home a bad reputation. There is also a risk of infecting family members and visitors. Impact on individual There is a big impact on the individual as their health deteriorates meaning they need time to recover. It can effect their eating and drinking habits leading them to lose weight and become more ill. It could be fatal resulting in death. Outcome 4 Understand the importance of risk assessment in relation to the prevention and control of infections 1.Risk is a situation, action or event that may cause harm or damage to an individual or to yourself. Risk of infection can be not hand washing, not cleaning equipment after use and not disposing of clinical waste safely and properly as not to cause cross contamination. 2.Infections are unavoidable in the care home as there are so many risks. Potential risks can include the poor hygiene of a resident. This can be caused by them refusing to wash or bathe. Food poisoning is a risk if the kitchen and food surface aren’t kept clean at all times. Another potential risk is not cleaning equipment after use, as this can cross contaminate others causing harm to them. You must also make sure you dispose of clinical waste in the correct way, in the correct bins and tie bags up straight away as this can lead to a risk of infection. 3. Five steps to risk assessment can be followed to ensure that your risk assessment is carried out correctly, these steps are as follows: Identify the hazards Hazards can be identified by using a number of different techniques. This can include walking around the workplace, asking employees and asking family members. Who might be harmed and how? Once hazards have been identified you need to understand who will be harmed and how. This could be the resident themselves, the staff or visitors. Evaluate Risks After identifying the hazards and deciding who may be harmed, you then have to protect the people from harm. This is done by removing the hazards or controlling the risk so an injury is unlikely. Record findings Recording your findings shows that you have identified hazards and shows how you plan on removing the hazards. It is a legal requirement to record your documents to prove you are stopping any harm to others. Your recordings should be stored in a safe and locked place. Re view and update regularly It’s important to regularly review risk assessments so you can update any changes immediately. This is so the risk assessment is always accurate. 4.It is important to carry out risk assessments as it’s aim is to make sure that no one comes to harm and that nobody becomes ill. Risk assessments will  not prevent accidents and illnesses but play a crucial part in reducing the likelihood of it happening. They should be reviewed by all members of staff and kept up to date at all times so all changes are documented. Risk assessments are essential for legal reasons, ethical reasons and for financial reasons. This is so nobody can sue you. Outcome 5 Understand the importance of using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the prevention and control of infections. 2.Personal protective equipment (PPE) is a term which covers all equipment intended to be worn, or held by employees that protects them against risks to their own and others health. There are different types of PPE used for different reasons. They are as follows: Gloves Gloves prevent self-contamination when dealing with bodily fluids, chemicals or to protect breaks in the skin. Once gloves are removed you should discard them immediately into a clinical waste bin and thoroughly wash your hands. Aprons Aprons should be worn whenever there is a risk of bacterial contamination. This includes bed making, toileting or barrier nursing. Aprons should be changed after every task. This includes resident contact, and between rooms. Masks Masks should be worn when there is an increased risk of blood splashing or an other bodily fluids splashing. They also provide resi dents protection from staff who have a respiratory infection. Eye Protection Eye protection (goggles, visors etc) should be worn when there is a risk of bodily fluid splashing to protect the eyes from infection. 3.Personal protective equipment is used to protect employees and residents from potential risk of harm. Everyone that uses PPE should be properly trained by the employer and follow all correct instructions and procedures. PPE should be used when handling contaminated items, to prevent cross contamination, to protect yourself from infections and to avoid diseases. 4.There are many relevant regulations and legislations relating to PPE. These should be read by everyone that uses PPE. They are as follows: Personal protective equipment at work regulations 1992 Control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH) regulations 2002 National institute for health and clinical excellence (NICE) guidelines The public health (control of diseases) Act The public health (infectious diseases) regulations 1998 Health and safety at work act 1974 The management of health and safety at work act 1994 The environmental protection (Duty of care) regulations 1991 Hazardous waste regulations 2005 5.Employees must wear personal protective equipment (PPE) while performing tasks to prevent themselves and residents from getting an infection and to prevent cross contamination between individuals. The employees responsibilities are as follows: To use PPE appropriately and as instructed by their employer Check PPE for damage before and after use Report any damage or wear to PPE Make sure PPE is stored in the right facilities 6.Employers must provide personal protective equipment (PPE) required by employees for free of charge, and must provide training to all staff. The employers responsibilities are as follows: To make sure PPE is available to staff at all times That staff know how to use PPE correctly That all staff know the correct application of PPE That all staff know the correct disposal of PPE That all staff know the correct preparations for use of PPE 7.Before putting on PPE, you must always thoroughly wash your hands. Different protective equipment should be applied and removed differently. Staff should be trained in all different types of PPE. Gloves Application Select the correct size of glove and correct type of glove (e.g. latex free) Wash hands thoroughly Pull over hands far enough that your wrists are covered Removal Grab the outside of the glove with the opposite gloved hand and peel off Hold the removed glove in the gloved hand Slot your finger under the lip of the remaining glove and peel it off carefully making sure not to touch contaminated surface of glove. Dispose of the gloves in the clinical waste bin Wash hands thoroughly Aprons Application Wash your hands thoroughly Pull the apron over your head carefully by trying not to come into contact with your skin Tie the straps around your back carefully not to rip it Removal Unfasten (or break) the ties around your back Pull the apron away from your neck and shoulders taking care to touch the inside only and not the outer side that is contaminated Fold the apron into a bundle with the inner side on the outside Dispose in the clinical waste bin Wash hands thoroughly 8.It is important that PPE is disposed of correctly to avoid contamination and infection to yourself and others. This is done as follows: Put on some medical gloves and place the PPE into a plastic garbage bag Tie the garbage bag tightly and securely to prevent dripping. If dripping does occur and touches your clothes or skin, make sure you wash them thoroughly to prevent infection. Place bag in the correct bin. These are normally labelled. Clean waste containers regularly to stop infection growing. Wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. Outcome 6 Understand the importance of good personal hygiene in the prevention and control of infections 1.There are many principles to maintain good personal hygiene. These help prevent infection and cross contamination. The main principles of good personal hygiene are as follows: Clothing Uniforms must be clean and free from contamination and washed separately from other clothing on a high temperature. Uniforms should be changed before  leaving the care home to avoid contamination. Nails Nails should be kept short and clean with no polish on and no extensions. This can cause contamination if polish flakes onto an individual or into food. Hair Hair should be kept clean at all times and tied up in a bobble out of the way. This is to prevent the risk of infection. Jewellery Jewellery should not be worn as they harbour dangerous bacteria. Jewellery can also cause harm to the resident by causing damage to the skin. 3. The correct hand washing sequence is as follows: Remove all jewellery Turn the water tap on making sure it’s at a comfortable temperature Wet both hands Apply soap from a dispenser and lather both hands palm to palm Rub each hand over the back of each other Interlock fingers and rub fingers thoroughly Rub thumbs Rinse hands to remove the soap Dry your hands with a paper towel or hand dryer 4.The purpose of hand washing is to reduce the risk of carrying infection on your hands which could be a risk to yourself or to others. Washing hands with soap and water is the most effective measure in the prevention of infection. Routine hand washing should be done after the following: After using the toilet After handling laundry or waste After handling a resident Before and after handling , preparing or eating food Before and after giving medication Before and after removing gloves Before starting work and after leaving work After touching animals 5.There are different types of products that should be used for hand washing. Soap, antiseptic gels and alcohol based hand rubs. Soap from a dispenser should be used in communal areas as bars of soap can carry bacteria that  will then be passed around to different people. Antiseptic gels contain chemicals that destroy pathogens and these are used when there is a higher risk of infection. Alcohol based hand rubs should be used as well of and no instead of hand washing as these add an additional protective barrier against infections. 6.It is important that hand cream is applied regularly to the hands as frequent hand washing can cause skin problems. It can cause them to dry out which can cause the skin to develop cracks, this itself causing bacteria. Allergies to washing preparations and gloves can sometimes occur and need reporting to your manager straight away, in order for them to get you the equipment to protect your hands. If there are any cuts or grazes of the skin, they should be covered by a plaster or bandage at all times to prevent infection into the wound and from the wound to others.

Bilateral Ankle Fusion in Leak Syndrome Induced Deformity

Bilateral Ankle Fusion in Leak Syndrome Induced Deformity ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Systemic capillary leak syndrome is a rare condition of unknown etiology defined by sudden episode of hypotension, high hematocrit and low serum protein concentration due to capillary hyperpermeability. Several treatments have been published for this pathology and eventual compartment syndrome but not for the disabling consequences. This clinical case highlights the negative orthopaedic consequences of a severe systemic attack and reports a subsequent deformity treatment option that resulted in patient quality of life improvement. To our knowledge, orthopaedic surgery for systemic capillary leak syndrome induced foot and ankle deformity is presented for the first time. CASE PRESENTATION: A 40-year-old caucasian female patient was referred to our institution for bilateral foot and ankle deformity after compartment syndrome during systemic capillary leak syndrome attack. She presented a bilateral rigid equino-cavo-varus-adductus deformity causing walk impairment. Bilateral ankle fusion by retrograde nailing was performed in a two-staged procedure. Rigid claw toes were also surgically addressed in an additional procedure. Radiologically, apparent ankle fusion occurred at 3 months post-op in both sides. Deformity correction allowed the patient to regain walking capacity. A right ankle tibiotalar failed arthrodesis was noticed at 24 months post-op. Prophylactic human immunoglobulin therapy was initiated after the last surgery with no recurrent attack registered during the 38 months follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Bilateral ankle fusion improved this patient quality of life by restituting walking capacity and lowering the probability of lower limb deformity related ulcers and infections. Major and minor complications are also discussed. This report contributes to the global knowledge about this syndrome and elicits the importance of the induced deformities surgical correction. Keywords: systemic capillary leak syndrome, (SCLS), compartment syndrome, equino-varus, ankle fusion, ankle retrograde nailing, human immunoglobulin. INTRODUCTION Systemic capillary leak syndrome (SCLS), describedby Clarkson et al. in 1960 [1], is a rare condition defined by sudden episodes of hypovolemic shock, elevated hematocrit and hypoalbuminemia without albuminuria [2, 3]. The etiology is still unknown, although several possible triggers have been reported as upper respiratory tract infections, sustained physical effort and menstruation [1, 4]. It results in generalized or segmental edema and, in severe cases,compartment syndrome requiring emergent fasciotomy [2-5]. The sudden intracompartimental high pressure often originates vascular and neurological damage and consequent lower limb deformity [3, 6]. Prolonged hospital stay may also aggravate this condition with osteoporosis following a long-term immobilization or limb disuse. Deformity frequently leads to walk impairment and decreased quality of life [7]. A few retrospective studies report ankle fusion for correction of compartment syndrome induced deformity. None of them included SCLS etiology for compartment syndrome [6,7]. Several treatments have been published for SCLS and compartment syndrome [1-5] but not for the disabling consequences. To our knowledge, orthopaedic surgery for SCLS induced foot and ankle deformity is presented for the first time. CASE PRESENTATION A 40-year-old caucasian female patient was referred to our institution due to bilateral foot and ankle deformity. She had been previously diagnosed with systemic capillary leak syndrome after sudden episode of hypotension, high hematocrit and low serum protein concentration. This acute phase was managed by fluid resuscitation.The consequent generalized compartment syndrome was treated with extensive fasciotomies of both arms, forearms, hands, thighs and legs. She stayed three weeks in the intensive care unit and eight months hospitalized. Although an intense physical therapy program was applied, she was unable to walk and autonomy was limited to a wheelchair. On examination she presented a bilateral severe stiff equino-cavo-varus-adductus deformity with retraction due to subcutaneous and muscle scarring and neurological deficit. Claw hallux and lesser toes were also present bilaterally. Plantigrade weight bearing was not possible (Fig. 1). American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score was 20 points. Plain radiographs showed bilateral equinovarus ankle deformity with supinated feet (Fig. 2). Achilles, posterior tibial and flexor digitorum longus tendons lengthening was performed by medial approach associated to right tibio-talocalcaneal arthrodesis with a retrograde locked intramedullary nail (PANTA ® IntegraTM) by lateral approach. Distal fibula bone was used as an autograft. At 8 weeks of follow-up, plastic surgery applied a free skin graft over a persistent post-operative medial blister (Fig. 3). Apparent fusion was obtained at three months post-operatively (Fig. 4). Six months after the initial surgery, fusion of the left ankle was performed in exactly the same fashion. Surgical wound dehiscence was the short-term complication and was resolved with dressing changes. Fusion was obtained at three months post-operatively. (Fig. 4). Fourteen months after the first surgery, we documented recurrent dorsal proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints inflammation with shoe wear. Right foot Moberg osteotomy, resection arthroplasty of PIP joints and flexor tendon tenotomy of all the lesser toes were performed. Left foot Moberg osteotomy, PIP joints fusion of the 2nd and 3rd toes with intramedullary guide implant (Ipp-On ® IntegraTM), PIP joints resection arthroplasty of the 4th toe and flexor tendon tenotomy of all the lesser toes were performed. Failure of the left hallux Moberg osteotomy staple caused hardware removal at 6 weeks post-op (Fig. 5). The rehabilitation protocol included immediate weight-bearing with walking boots and lower limb drainage. Prophylactic human immunoglobulin therapy was initiated after the last surgery. She regained walking capacity with balanced shoes and returned to work four months after left foot surgery. AOFAS score was 61 points. No toes related complaints, pressure ulcers or terminal necrosis of the toes were found. Twenty-four months after initial surgery she complained of right ankle pain de novo with weight bear and local swelling. Radiologically, failed arthrodesis with tibiotalar and subtalar bone reabsorption, peri-implant proximal radiolucency and distal calcaneus screw fracture were shown (Fig. 6). No local drainage or blood test infection parameters were found. Only symptomatic treatment and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were prescribed. At 38 months of follow-up the patient refers no significant right ankle pain and no SCLS attacks recurrence were registered. DISCUSSION This high-risk patients and the unpredictable course of the disease required a multidisciplinary treatment options discussion. The patient never accepted irreversible autonomy loss and was aware of all the possible negative surgery consequences when she signed the surgery consent. There are few treatment options for long-term sequelae of compartment syndrome that include arthroscopic assisted arthrodesis, fusion with external fixator or internal devices such as plates or intramedullary nails. Arthroscopic arthrodesis is an excellent option when sparing the soft tissues is needed, however, this correction is limited to mild deformities. External fixation represents a serious risk of pin tract infection with no consensus about prevention treatment [8] and therefore we advocate as a potential risk for SCLS relapse. Fusion with plate and screws implies a considerable aggression to the already damaged soft tissues, although it represents a high stiffness construct. The authors managed this clinical case as an equino-varus-cavo-adductus deformity after lower extremity compartment syndrome. Retrograde nailing avoided extensive striping and Berend et al. has demonstrated better biomechanics stiffness compared to crossed screws [9]. Wang et al. [6] described excellent satisfaction rate after retrograde nailing for lower extremity compartment sequelae. No tendinous transfers were considered due to neurological deficit, scarred muscles and stiff joints. Claw toes deformity has a high risk of pressure ulcers by shoe wear conflict. Local infection in SCLS patients may represent a potential trigger for relapse and therefore must be corrected. Considering the stiff interphalangeal joints, hallux claw deformity was managed by bilateral Moberg osteotomy. Lesser toes were addressed by resection arthroplasty of PIP joints with the exception of the stiffer left second and third toes that were fixated with an intramedullary guide implant [10]. Fusion rate of only 50% (1/2 ankles) was low compared to another published study that show rates around 91% of primary bony union after bilateral ankle arthrodesis. However, none of these patients had post-compartment syndrome ankle deformity and related sequelae [11]. With no signs of infection, late failed arthrodesis may be related to compartment syndrome, local vascular and neurological damage, technical error or even SCLS per se. Three minor complications were registered. One large posteromedial blister required skin grafting six weeks after right ankle procedure. A left ankle lateral surgical wound dehiscence healed by secondary intention only with dressing changes. Failure of left hallux Moberg osteotomy staple was managed by hardware removal. These complications are relatively common and have been previously described in foot and ankle deformity correcting arthrodesis [6, 12]. They are usually due to poor skin and vascular conditions. No delayed weight bearing was noticed in rehabilitation program due to prompt and successful treatment. Concerning deformity correction, the results were very satisfactory. The AOFAS score increased from 20 to a total of 61 points even after tibio-talocalcaneal arthrodesisthat does not allow any hind foot movement. Moreover, the painless plantar support permitted walking without crutches after 24 months confined to wheelchair. Returning to work was also an important milestone for this patient. At 38 months of follow-up the patient is now asymptomatic with minor local right ankle edema and no walking limitation. Radiologically the bone reabsorption appears to have stabilized. Anecdotal evidence has shown good results in ankle arthrodesis revision after compartment syndrome [6]. However, one must consider unpredictable consequences of fusion revision in a SCLS patient, including a severe attack during the anaesthesia or post-op infection with potential lethal consequences. This patient has been diagnosed with idiopathic form of SCLS. Although no direct cause was identified she had been taking azithromycin for a respiratory tract infection which may represent a potential trigger [4,13]. Monoclonal gammopathy was also present at follow-up lab blood tests as seen in more than 90% of cases [2, 4]. There are several possible prophylactic treatments, which include B2-agonists, thalidomide, calcium channel blockers and chemotherapy with limited evidence considering the rarity of the disease. Intravenous immunoglobulin was administered in the last 12 months of follow-up with no relapses adding to the hypothesis that this may represent an effective prophylaxis [4,14]. CONCLUSION Bilateral ankle fusion improved this SCLS patient functional outcome by restituting the walking capacity. One late failed arthrodesis was the major complication and may require a secondary procedure although the patient is currently asymptomatic. Four surgeries were performed with no SCLS attacks recurrence registered at 38 months follow-up period. Prophylactic human immunoglobulin may have contributed to the absence of relapses. Although surgical correction of SCLS skeletal deformities sequelae represents an orthopaedic challenge, we believe that this treatment should be considered in previously autonomous highly motivated active patients. REFERENCES 1. Clarkson B, Thompson D, Horwith M, Luckey EH. Cyclical edema and shock due to increased capillary permeability. Am J Med. 1960 Aug;29:193-216. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0002934360900188 2. Atkinson JP, Waldmann TA, Stein SF, Gelfand JA, Macdonald WJ, Heck LW, Cohen EL, Kaplan AP, Frank MM. Systemic capillary leak syndrome and monoclonal IgG gammopathy; studies in a sixth patient and a review of the literature. Medicine (Baltimore) 1977 May;56(3):225-39. http://journals.lww.com/md-journal/Citation/1977/05000/SYSTEMIC_CAPILLARY_LEAK_SYNDROME_AND_MONOCLONAL.4.aspx 3. Sanghavi R, Aneman A, Parr M, Dunlop L, Champion D. Systemic capillary leak syndrome associated with compartment syndrome and rhabdomyolysis. Anaesth Intensive Care. 2006 Jun;34(3):388-91. http://www.aaic.net.au/document/?D=2005303 4. Gousseff M, Arnaud L, Lambert M, Hot A, Hamidou M, Duhaut P, Papo T, Soubrier M, Ruivard M, Malizia G, Tieulià © N, Rivià ¨re S, Ninet J, Hatron PY, Amoura Z. The systemic capillary leak syndrome: a case series of 28 patients from a European registry. Ann Intern Med. 2011 Apr 5;154(7):464-71. http://annals.org/aim/article/746914/systemic-capillary-leak-syndrome-case-series-28-patients-from-european 5. Kyeremanteng K, DEgidio G, Wan C, Baxter A, Rosenberg H. Compartment Syndrome as a Result of Systemic Capillary Leak Syndrome. Case Rep Crit Care 2016;2016:4206397. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5027304/ 6.   Wang X, Ma X, Zhang C, Huang JZ, Gu XJ, Jiang JY. Ankle fusion with a retrograde locked intramedullary nail for sequela of lower extremity compartment syndrome. Chin J Traumatol. 2012;15(3):140-4. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1008127515302911 7. Lintz F, Colombier JA, Letenneur J, Gouin F. Management of long-term sequelae of compartment syndrome involving the foot and ankle. Foot Ankle Int. 2009 Sep;30(9):847-53. http://fai.sagepub.com/content/30/9/847.abstract 8. Jennison T, McNally M, Pandit H. Prevention of infection in external fixator pin sites. Acta Biomater. 2014 Feb;10(2):595-603. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1742706113004790 9. Berend ME, A biomechanical comparison of intramedullary nail and crossed lag sure fixation for tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis. Foot Ankle Int. 1997; 18(10). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9347301 10. Coillard JY, Petri GJ, van Damme G, Deprez P, Laffenà ªtre O. Stabilization of proximal interphalangeal joint in lesser toe deformities with an angulated intramedullary implant. Foot Ankle Int. 2014 Apr;35(4):401-7. http://fai.sagepub.com/content/35/4/401.long 11. Henricson A, Kamrad I, Rosengren B, Carlsson Ã…. Bilateral Arthrodesis of the Ankle Joint: Self-Reported Outcomes in 35 Patients From the Swedish Ankle Registry. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2016 Sep 7. pii: S1067-2516(16)30176-4. http://www.jfas.org/article/S1067-2516(16)30176-4/abstract 12. Asomugha EU1, Den Hartog BD, Junko JT, Alexander IJ. Tibiotalocalcaneal Fusion for Severe Deformity and Bone Loss. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2016 Mar;24(3):125-34. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26829585 13. Amoura Z, Papo T, Ninet J, Hatron PY, Guillaumie J, Piette AM, Blà ©try O, Dequiedt P, Talasczka A, Rondeau E, Dutel JL, Wechsler B, Piette JC. Systemic capillary leak syndrome: report on 13 patients with special focus on course and treatment. Am J Med. 1997 Dec;103(6):514-9. http://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(97)00272-6/abstract 14. Marra AM1, Gigante A, Rosato E. Intravenous immunoglobulin in systemic capillary leak syndrome: a case report and review of literature. Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2014 Mar;10(3):349-52. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1586/1744666X.2014.882771