Psychological Principles of Advertising: Perception in Advertising Ess

Psychological Principles of Advertising: Perception in Advertising Have you ever seen a commercial or an ad and been instantaneously motivated to go out and purchase that product or service that is being advertised? Ever wondered why? I’m sure it’s crossed over a few minds! There is in fact an explanation for the reasoning behind what it is in advertisements that consumers find appealing. Kenny & Associates highly trained analysts give one explanation. They have conducted research in consumer psychology and have come up with â€Å"the right brain analysis†. It explains the â€Å"why† aspect behind consumer decisions and behaviours. First and foremost, we must distinguish the right brain from the left- brain. The right side of the brain is responsible for emotions, creativity, motivation and long-term memory. The advertising stimulus acts on emotions and barriers that drive consumer decisions and behaviour. The left side of the brain is responsible for logic, language and reasoning for behaviour and decision- making and â€Å"[balances] to control and explain actions that begin in the right brain†. (Kenny & Associates, 2000, â€Å"para.† 2) This in fact led them to develop â€Å"The Right Brain Approach†People see a commercial for a product and ration the idea of buying that product through logic and reasoning done by the left brain. However, it is what goes beyond consumer rationalization that makes the basis for strategic direction and decision-making. It is the emotion that makes the decision not the rationalization. For example, someone going to buy a car would go to a Ford dealership first because one finds it to be attractive, reliable and honest. It’s all in the advertisement!! On the other hand, you co... ...4). How big is a chunk? Science, 183, 482-488.  · Webb, P.H., & Ray, M.L. (1979). Effects of TV clutter. Journal of Advertising Research, 19(3), 7-12.  · Kenny & Associates. (1998) The Right Brain Approach. Retrieved March 17, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://www.rightbrainpeople.com/links/the_right_brain_approach.html  · Kenny & Associates. (1998). The Right Brain. Retrieved March 17, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://www.rightbrainpeople.com/brains/right_brain.html  · Kenny & Associates. (1998). The Left Brain. Retrieved March 17, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://www.rightbrainpeople.com/brains/left_brain.html  · Retrieved March 26, 2001 from the World Wide Web: (http://www.crest.com/).  · Retrieved March 26, 2001 from the World Wide Web: (http://www.ford.com)  · Retrieved March 26, 2001 from the World Wide Web: (http://www.absolutad.com)

Sales and Iventory

Online Sales and Inventory System For Marikina Shoe Exchange An Undergraduate Research Proposal Presented to The Computer Studies Department College of Science De La Salle University – Dasmarinas In Partial Fulfillement of the Requirement for the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Inah Denise A. Almera John Florence M. Delimos Patrick P. Lozano September 2010 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1. Background of the Study All things changes as the world progress on time. Man starts to fulfill their work from scratch and as generations have pass, man uses alternative to lessen the aggrevation of work One of these alternatives is technology which is evident in the enormous society. At present time, business establishments wants to seek the use of technology as a tool in incrementing sales and productivity. One of these companies is the Marikina Shoe Exchange. Marikina Shoe Exchange (MSE) is a group of companies selling footwear, apparel, body care, and household products. Most products sold by the company is Philippine made. This company is a family-owned Filipino corporation, owned by the Jardiolin family. MSE engages in direct selling. Natasha, Confetti, Xxtra, Vivacci, Gabrio Franco, and Shoe Studio are its sister companies. MSE’s history shows that it is deeply rooted on it’s sister companies timeline. 1984 marks the opening of the Confetti (named after the events of the EDSA revolution where confetti rains throughout the streets) Greenbelt branch and soon it blossoms around 1987 to 1990 where there is a notable rapid expansion of the said company. One of the company’s peak happens when they open another branch at the SM Megamall during 1989. In 1990, Natasha starts as a retail operation in Robinsons Galleria. Following that year till 1993 engraves the start of the Natasha Department Store outlets in Cinderella stores as well as in Landmark. In April 18, 1994, the group of companies launch its direct-selling marketing plan which is later revised from 1996 to 1997 to a new edge plan which is still used till present. The opening of the first MSE branch which is in Tutuban happens on September 1999. At present, MSE has thirteen branches which includes Tutuban, Dagupan, Alabang, Cubao, Davao, Cebu, Taft Avenue, Bacolod, Isabela, Cagayan de Oro, Starmall Mandaluyong, Pampangga and Imus, which is the location of our study. Although MSE has no mission and vision , it believes that they owe its success most of all to its adherence to its core values, namely customer service, discipline, constant improvement, respect for each other and honesty. MSE is still using its manual system on their transactions that cannot provide the securing and recording of daily transactions, the ability to provide an organized sales reports and the ability to keep track of the inventory, which would be somehow lessen the workload and the ability to keep track of the inventory, which would be somehow lessen the workload of the workers. And because of these problems manual system is very difficult to address. This study aims to dispell these problems by applying modern paradigm and methodologies to solve it and relate these systems synchronously. 2. Statement of the Research Problem MSE being a direct selling company encounters several problems. These problems are: Low Security of Files. There are chances of possibly loosing to data due to absence of citing the access levels in viewing and modifying data. Almost all elements are manually encoded including resultant values from computations. Unable to Monitor Products Thorougly. There are present ncertainties in the system such as assesing the supply if it exceed or is lower number of stocks. Without overseeing the quantity, updating the stocks from the supplier will have a delay which will eventually might run out and could lead to out of stock or phase out. Lackadaisical Report Generation. With the existing system, report generation is manual, resulting in unreliab ility or uncertainties in the reports. Reports needed to other succeeding documentations will have a pending state till the reports are finished eventhough there are chances that is overdue in the required time. 1. 3 Statement of Objectives . 3. 1 General Objectives To develop an Online Sales and Inventory System for Marikina Shoe Exchange. 1. 3. 2 Specific Objectives 1. To analyze and determine the problems and the factorsof the existing system through the use of data flow diagrams. 2. To gather every detail and information required to make the system. 3. To make a system that will catch the the attention and interest of the user. 4. To make meaningful functionalities and features which are user-friendly. 5. To train the users particularly the assigned personnel on how to use the system at ease. 6. To create a database that will store significant datas in online ordering and as well as the inventory. 4. Significance of the Study This study will provide some merits to certain group of individuals. Some who will benefit the study are: Company. By this study, the gap between the customers and the company be shorten, increasing the incoming orders as well as the company’s productivity over time. They can also promote their products everywhere and everytime. Employee. Employees will have lesser work in maintaining their inventory as all orders description and others details are stored in the database. They can easily monitor all incoming orders as well as their remaining stocks and can minimize the cost of receipt generation. Customer. Through this study, the customer will be ensured with convenience in ordering their desired products, as well as being updated to the latest releases of trends and the recent promos, can pay through the net and get their orders on their doorsteps. Proponents. The proponent can have a wider understanding about how does processes in a system cycle throughout the supplier-business-customer relationship. They can also gain knowledge on strategic decisions on how to handle problems encountered by the company and how to formulate the proper solutions. Future Researchers. The future researchers will have ample ideas on how to deal problems in their researches especially those who will have the same topic. Using this research as a guideline, it can aid them in documentations and how to interrelate each concepts to mend the milestones of each activity. 1. 5 Scope and Limitations of the Study Front End. The front-end part of the system is the website which will be seen or used by the customers. The proponents will create a user friendly Website for Marikina Shoe Exchange that will enable users to view and order products online. Through this site, customers will be able register, view products, and receive notifications regarding new promos, and order products online. The Website will be updated regularly to provide excellent customer service. Back End. To make the inventory process of the company easier, the proposed system will include a database system that will lessen the errors made by manual inventory checking. The employee will simply input the number of stocks at hand. If the quantity of a certain product is below the normal level of the number of stocks, the employee will be notified to ensure that they have a good amount of stocks for a certain product. The proposed system will also provide security; only authorized employees will be able to check the database to avoid the risk of other people accessing the inventory files. Maintenance. The proponents will provide a certain device that will serve as the back-up of the proposed system. The said system will also be easy to maintain; all required information is stored in one database. Delivery. Delivery rates will depend on how far the customer is located and will also depend on the total amount of the customers’ ordered products. Mode of Payment. Since the customers ordered online, payment will be made through credit card. Registered customers will be asked to provide a credit card line and number to be able to order products online. This mode of payment is guaranteed on its convenience. 6. Methodology of the Study [pic] One way to reduce cycle time is to use phased development. The system is designed so that it can be delivered in pieces, enabling the users to have some functionality while the rest is being developed. Thus, there are usually two systems functioning in parallel: the production system and the development system. The operational or production sytem is the one currently being used by the customer and user; the development system is the next version that is being prepared to replace the current production system. Often, we refer to the systems in terms of their release numbers: the developers build Release 1, test it, and turn it over the users as the first operational release. Then, as the users use Release 1, the developers are building Release 2. Thus, the developers are always working on Release n + 1 while Release n is operational. There are many ways for the developers to decide how to organize development into releases. The two most popular approaches are incremental development and iterative development. In incremental development, the system as specified in the requirements documents is partitioned into subsystems by functionality. The releases are defined by beginning with one small, functional subsystem and then adding functionality with each new release. However, iterative development delivers a full system at the very beginning and then changes the fuctionality of each subsystem with each new release.

Research Paper on Tax Incentives in Singapore

1. INTRODUCTION 1. Tax Incentives for Investments in Singapore Tax incentives have been an integral part of Singapore's economic development strategy since the 1960s. For more than 30 years, tax incentives have been used to attract investments and create jobs. Now we are the focal point for foreign investments, research and development and services in Asia. Over the years the government has introduced a wide range of tax incentives for a balanced economic growth of the various business sectors. This paper analyses how these incentives play a part in attracting foreign capital inflows to enhance the financial and industrial sectors in Singapore and their effectiveness in achieving our goals. 2. Purpose The purpose of this research is to gain an understanding of the tax incentives scene in Singapore, how it works and it effectiveness in achieving our aim of being a vibrant and robust global hub of knowledge-driven economy. 3. Our Research Questions for this Study As part of our research, the following questions were asked to direct us on our study: †¢ What are the tax incentives available under the ITA, EEIA and DTA to attract foreign capital inflows? †¢ How effective are these tax incentives? 4. Methodology We derived our information from books, online journals and other internet resources. 2. BACKGROUND 1. The Birth of the Income Tax Act, EEIA and DTA From a small fishing island to a cosmopolitan country within a span of 44 years is what Singapore has become today, with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe (Central Intelligence Agency, 2008)[1]. As a small island with limited, or rather, no resources to depend on, we have simply taken the world by surprise through the phenomenal economic growth that has taken place in a short period of time (Fordham, 1992)[2]. Our only resources are fish and deepwater sea and despite all the limitations that we were faced with, we have secured a place in the world map as the leading financial, educational, services, manufacturing and research and development hub. Then, â€Å"what is the clandestine of our achievements? † is the question that arises in all our minds. After being separated from Malaya, the government’s ambitious plans for the country to be industrially developed seemed too far-fetched especially with no natural resources to call its own (Fordham, 1992). It did not, however, relent to the fact that achieving its goals is uncertain now with its given economic state. Its leaders knew at that time Singapore needs to promote investment in new industries so that its goals can be achieved. Being under developed and with no achievements or resources to call its own, it was a palpable fact that Singapore had to make radical changes to attract foreign investors,. This is when tax incentives were spotted as a viable option to magnetize foreign capital inflows. The pre-existing Income Tax Act (1948) was evaluated to see how tax incentives could be integrated to accomplish these aspirations. Along with this, in 1967, the Economic Expansion Incentives Act (EEIA) was first introduced to solidify the expansion and development programs that were being carried out by the Economic Development Board (Fordham, 1992). In early 1960s, Singapore recognised the need for a dynamic manufacturing sector and export policies to draw MNCs so that we could be used as a production base to export goods worldwide. As a result of these aims, EEIA was introduced to grant tax benefits to manufacturing companies setting up production in pioneer areas in Singapore (Fordham, 1992). The development of international trade and multi national corporations has increased the issue of double taxation. As a company or individual looking beyond your own country for business opportunities and investments they would naturally be concerned with the problem of double taxation. Consequently they would seek to structure your operations at a minimum tax cost. This is where DTAs or tax treaties come into play 2. Incentives Available under ITA to Attract Foreign Capital Inflows Singapore has always been maintaining a competitive tax rate by being the lowest among the developed countries. Its purpose is to create an encouraging business environment for economic expansion (Tan, 1996). According to GuideMeSingapore, 2008, a web portal providing one-stop information on Singapore’s business environment to entrepreneurs, commented that â€Å"Singapore is often cited as the leading example of countries that continues to reduce corporate income tax rates and introduce various tax incentives to attract and keep global investments†. This is obvious in the frequent lowering of corporate tax rates since 1987. In 1989 the corporate income tax was reduced to 33 percent from 40 percent to follow the worldwide trend of lowering corporate taxes. The corporate tax rate was further lowered in 1990 to 31 percent to encourage multi-national companies (MNCs) to locate their treasury and financial operations here (Tan, 1996). From then on, corporate tax rate has been gradually decreasing. In 2004 corporate tax rate was reduced to 20 percent and with the release of the 2009 budget speech, corporate taxes will be cut to 17 percent in 2010. The aim of these reductions is to help businesses to curb operational costs so that Singapore can gain a competitive edge in continuing to attract high-tech and high value-added investments (Liu, 2007). From our research we found that there are several tax incentives in place to pull foreign investments to Singapore (IRAS, 2008) and we will be focusing on those that are relevant to our study. 1. DEDUCTION FOR EXPENSES ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (R) This incentive was introduced in 2003 to allow company to deduct a second round of qualifying expenses from its income in addition to the automatic first deduction allowed under section 14D. Further amendments[3] were made in 2008 to entitle companies for an automatic 50 percent tax allowance (PWC, 2008). This R allowance can be used to offset against the company’s chargeable income for the next 3 years (i. e. 2009 to 2013) to motivate companies to carry out more R projects. This is coupled with meeting our aim to be a research and development hub in the global arena (MOF, 2008). After the introduction of the tax incentive, total R expenditure increased from $3. 4 billion to $4. 6 billion in 2005 (Lai, 2007)[4]. Majority of the R spending was contributed by the private sector, whose gross expenditure on R (GERD) increased by 1. 2 percent. By the end of 2005, GERD was at 2. 4 percent of GDP. Singapore had surpassed the EU-15’s[5] and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) averages of 1. percent and 2. 3 percent respectively (Lai, 2007). The increase in figures shows the effectiveness of the tax incentive program. According to the report, this figure is still lower compared to U. S (2. 7 percent) and Japan (3. 0 percent). Considering the fact that these countries are bigger in land and population size, our achievement is still commendable. 2. CONCESSIONARY RATE OF TAX FOR APPROVED HEADQUARTERS PROGRAM The purpose Headquarters Program was to encourage multinationals to base their main back offices in Singapore. This was to be achieved through reduced tax rate which is applied primarily to large-scale multinational corporations that relocate the management and headquarters functions of their subsidiaries and affiliates from other countries to Singapore. Section 43E of Income Tax Act provides that companies with their substantial operations located here can qualify for a 10 percent concessionary rate of tax (IRAS, 2008). This tax incentive has pulled and is continuing to pull foreign venture capitalists who provide the foreign capital infows. One such company is Societe Generale who received the OHQ award in January 2000. Besides this, Legg Mason Asset Management, Deutsche Asset Management, Merrill Lynch Mercury Asset Management and Zurich Scudder Investments are a few that were named in the MAS publication on New Initiatives for Enhancing Financial Sector Expertise, 2001. The motive for large-scale multinationals to relocate in Singapore is not only because of our highly advanced infrastructure, telecommunication and information facilities. It is also due to the support and encouragement that our government has been continuously offering through such tax incentives. 3. CONCESSIONARY RATE OF TAX FOR FINANCE AND TREASURY CENTRE (FTC) Foreign and Treasury Centre was introduced with the aim to entice foreign corporations to use Singapore as a base for conducting treasury management activities for related companies in the region. Under this scheme, foreign companies can enjoy a 10 percent concessionary tax rate from fee income from FTC subsidiaries, related companies and associates for provision of FTC services. According to Mr. Lee Chuan Teck, Executive Director for Financial Markets Strategy in MAS, by 2006 a total of 600 companies had chosen Singapore as their focal point to operate their financial services (MAS, 2006). According to the Survey on Corporate Risk Management Practices, 75 percent of the foreign MNCs cited EDB’s incentives as a reason for relocating their treasury centres in Singapore (Craig, 1997). This tells us the success of this incentive. 4. CONCESSIONARY RATE OF TAX FOR FINANCIAL SECTOR INCENTIVES (FSI) The FSI scheme offers a concessionary tax rate of 5% for qualifying high growth and high value-added activities and 10% for mature but tax-sensitive activities. The FSI is a measure designed to invite the front and back offices of multinational financial groups to Singapore so as to meet our overall goal to be a leading centre for competence in knowledge-driven activities and a choice location for company headquarters with responsibilities for product and capability charters (Geeta, 2002). Singapore’s vision is to be a pre-eminent financial centre in Asia. Technopreneurship 21 is the initiative that the government launched to achieve this goal. FSI plays a key role in attracting foreign multinationals to start-up their financial services in Singapore so that its dream of becoming a financial hub in the international arena can materialize. How far have been successful in this attempt is the question that we should be asking. As at 2005, 24 foreign full service licensees, 35 wholesale licensees and 46 offshore licensees operated in Singapore. Statistics provided by EDB (Embassy, 2006) for 2005 shows that foreign financial institution J. P Morgan Securities Asia, U. S. based MNC, had assets totalling up to US$14. 5 billion in Singapore. Singapore Department of Statistics reported that the financial and insurance services sector had generated US$49,223 of Foreign Direct Investments in 2003. That is 34 percent of the total FDI for that year (Embassy, 2006). 5. APPROVED GLOBAL TRADING COMPANY Global Trading Company was launched to facilitate and develop international trading activities. The GTP is a merger of the Approved Oil Trader (AOT) and the Approved International Trader (AIT) programmes. The programme encourages global trading companies to use Singapore as their regional or global base to conduct activities along the total trade value-add chain from procurement to distribution, in order to expand into the region and beyond (IEsingapore, 2009). Over the years, the programme has attracted a vibrant cluster of global trading companies to hub their strategic business functions in Singapore. These companies are key players in their respective industries such as oil trading, petrochemicals, agri-commodities and metals (IEsingapore, 2009). Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Lim Hng Kiang announced in his speech during the Global Trader Networking Cocktail 2008 that in 2007, offshore trade by companies under IE Singapore’s Global Trader Programme, GTP, grew more than 30% to reach over US$465 billion. These companies employed over 7,000 staff and contributed S$7. 8 billion worth of total business spending. Much of the spending was in shipping, freight management and storage services, lending further testimony to Singapore’s strengths as a logistics and auxiliary services hub. From a modest start of 25 companies in 1989, there are currently more than 230 companies under the GTP (MTI, 2008) . 3. Incentives Available under EEIA Tax incentives available under EEIA are discussed below (IRAS, 2008). 1. PIONEER INDUSTRIES INCENTIVES The first aim of Pioneer Industries was to attract capital from both local and foreign companies who invest in new industries in Singapore. This incentive was introduced to draw investment in innovative areas to enhance Singapore’s industrial development (Fordham, 1992). Companies which qualified for PI were given a full tax exemption on qualifying profits for a period of time ranging from 5 years to 15 years. Implementation of this incentive saw a surge in the number of manufacturing industries that were set up here. By 1997, petroleum industries and electronics industries were dominating the Pioneer Manufacturing Establishments. MNCs like Exxon, Shell Sumitomo, Seagate, Hewlett-Packard and Compaq were already located here then contributing a total of S$117,104 million of foreign equity investment in Singapore (H H, 1997). As at 2004, the qualifying activities include services such as medical, publishing, education, automated warehousing facilities, exhibition and conference, financial, venture capital fund activity and so on (H H, 1997). 2. DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION INCENTIVE (DEI) This incentive is granted mainly to manufacturing and service industries that are engaged in capital investment to upgrade or modernize production capacity. The purpose of this incentive is to encourage greater growth and attract more companies to move into higher value-added activities. Under this scheme, eligible companies are entitled to preferential corporate tax rates for qualifying profits above a pre-determined base for a specific period (SPRING Singapore, 2008). According to the statistics collated by Ministry for Trade and Industry, the total investment by foreign companies in Singapore in development projects increased from$6,608 in 1997 to $17,187 in 2007. 3. OVERSEAS ENTERPRISE INCENTIVE (OEI) OEI was put in place to encourage local businesses to invest in a venture company, technology investment company or overseas investment company. OEI provides tax exemption on the qualifying income. Overseas investment should result in new business opportunities, activities as well as new technology to be introduced in Singapore. For instance DBS Bank, Bakerzin and Charles and Keith are a few prominent local bred companies which have ventured overseas. DBS Bank, Singapore’s local bank, has ventured into countries like Thailand, Hong Kong, India, Japan, U. S and many more (IESingapore, 2008). Bakerzin has franchises in KL, Jakarta, Shanghai and US while Charles and Keith had ventured into the Middle East and Asia Pacific markets (IESingapore, 2008). . Effect of DTA in attracting foreign capital inflows According to the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, we have 59 Double Taxation Agreements with various countries. These treaties were signed to relieve taxpayers from the burden of double taxation when they repatriate their earnings to their home country. These treaties aim to offer relief from double taxation, either by way of tax credit, tax exemption or a reduced tax rate. These reduced rates and exemptions vary among countries and specific items of income. Treaty provisions generally are reciprocal (apply to both treaty countries). Only Singapore tax residents and tax residents of the treaty country can enjoy the benefits of a DTA. Signing of these treaties has resulted in increased foreign investments from countries such as Europe, U. S. and Japan. In 1996 the total foreign investments was $125,274. The major investors then were Japan, Europe and U. S. In 2006 the investments rose to $363,935 and the major players are Japan, Europe, U. S, European Union and South and Central America and the Caribbean. 3. CONCLUSION Policies have been the driving force for a small nation like Singapore to achieve so much within a short period of time. With no natural resources, foreign capital inflows in the form of foreign direct investments has played major part in shaping our nation to what it is today. With less to offer, tax incentives are one of the key reasons that had attracted many foreign companies creating a pool of foreign capital inflows. Our research on the various tax incentives has showed us that, indeed, they were effective enough to attract foreign companies to locate here with their technology and know-how. The early years efforts to industrialize our economy paid off and that had enabled us to improve our air and seaport facilities, telecommunication, information technology, warehousing and logistics facilities. Tax incentives have been working in the background and today these are some of our achievements (www. sedb. govs. sg): Now as we move towards being knowledge based economy with technopreneurial goals, our tax incentives have been further enhanced through the R deductions and allowing more activities to be qualified under the Pioneer Industries. Thus in our opinion, the tax incentives offered under ITA, EEIA and DTA have been effective in attracting foreign capital inflows which have shaped our country thus far. BIBILIOGRAPHY Agency, C. I. (2008). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved March 28, 2009, from CIA: www. cia. gov Craig, F. (1997). Survey of Coporate Risk Management Practices 1997. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from Singapore Foreign Exchange Market Committee: http://www. sfemc. org/annual_report/Tansformation_AR_1997_-b. pdf D. J. (1996, December). Learning from Singapore: Road to Non-agonised Budgeting. Asian Journal of Public Administration . E. o. (2006, January). Singapore Investment Climate Report. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from http://singapore. usembassy. gov: http://singapore. usembassy. gov/uploads/images/HiMDAFJ23iuXGl0Th5mNsA/InvestClimate2006. pdf Fordham, M. (1992). Tax Incentives for Investment & Expansion (2 ed. ). Longman Singapore Publishers (Pte) Ltd. G. H. (2002). Singapore as an Investing Ground: A Review. Retrieved April 2009, from www. excelsol. com. sg: http://www. xcelsol. com/env/envsg. pdf GuideMeSingapore. (2008, April 14). Singapore Corporate Income Tax Guide. (GuideMeSingapore, Editor, & Janus Corporate Solutions 2006) Retrieved March 28, 2009, from GuideMeSingapore: http://www. guidemesingapore. com/corporate-taxation/c321-corporate-taxation-system-overview. htm H H, A. T. (1997, August 27). Official Efforts to Attract FDI: Case of Singapore's EDB. Retrieved April 4, 2009, from National University o f Singapore: http://www. fas. nus. edu. sg/ecs/pub/wp/previous/AHTAN2. pdf IEsingapore. (2009). Global Trader Program. Retrieved April 2, 2009, from IE Singapore: http://www. iesingapore. gov. sg/wps/portal/AssistanceProgrammes/FinancialIncentives/GTP IRAS. (2008, February 14). Applying for Tax Incentives. Retrieved April 2, 2009, from Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore: http://www. iras. gov. sg/irasHome/page04. aspx? id=1746 L. D. (2007, March). Growth of Research and Development in Singapore: 2000 – 2005. Retrieved April 2, 2009, from Singapore Statistics Department: http://www. singstat. gov. sg/pubn/papers/economy/ssnmar07-pg1-7. df L. Y. (2007). Nanyang Technological University. Retrieved April 2, 2009, from ScienceDirect. com: http://www3. ntu. edu. sg/home/ayuliu/2007%20JPM%20LYH%20-%20Facing%20the%20challenge. pdf MAS. (2006). SPEECH ON REGIONAL TREASURY CENTRES IN SINGAPORE BY. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from Monetary Authority of Singapore: http://www. mas. gov. sg/news_room/statements/2006/Speech_on_Regional_Treasury_Centres_in_Singapore. html MOF. (2008). L iberalization of R&D Tax Deduction. Retrieved March 28, 2009, from Ministry of Finance: http://www. gpolitics. net/budget2008/annexb-2. pdf MTI. (2008, May 25). Global Trader Networking Cocktail 2008 Speech By Minister Lim Hng Kiang. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from Ministry for Trade and Industry: http://app. mti. gov. sg/default. asp? id=148&articleID=13861 PWC. (2008, November). IRAS issues a circular on research and development (R&D) tax measures . Retrieved April 2, 2009, from PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited: http://www. pwc. com/extweb/manissue. nsf/docid/6D2E3517BF8BE91DCA25753C00373526 T. T. (1996). Corporate Income Tax in Singapore: Issues and Future Directions. In M. G. Asher, & a. Tyabji (Eds. ), Fiscal System of Singapore (p. 196). Pagesetters Services Pte Ltd. ———————– [1] CIA – The World factbook – https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sn. html. [2] Fordham, Margaret BA Durham â€Å"Tax Incentives for Investment and Expansion 2/E 1992 [3] Based on the IRAS circular, definition of R&D was amended to incorporate the requirements that the R&D study must be systematic, investigative and experimental. R&D project must involve novelty or technical risk and be undertaken with the object of acquiring new knowledge or using the results of the study for the production or improvement of materials, devices, products, produce or processes. The list of specifically excluded activities in the definition of R&D has also been expanded so that routine modifications, cosmetic modifications or stylistic changes, as well as the development of software that is not intended for sale, lease or license to third parties are excluded. However, an exception is introduced for research in the social sciences and humanities and for software development that is undertaken wholly or mainly to support a qualifying R&D project. In these cases, the expenditure can be included as part of the qualifying R&D project expenditure. More information is available at http://www. pwc. com/extweb/manissue. nsf/docid/6D2E3517BF8BE91DCA25753C00373526 [4] The National R&D Survey is attached as Annex 2 [5] The European Union-15 comprises Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom.

Discuss the political, social, and cultural developments of China 1500-1900s

The period between 1500 and 1900 encompasses important years that mark the time that preceded the development of modern China. First oppressed by the Mongolian rule in the 14th century, the nation was taken over by the Ming Dynasty that sought out to rebuild centralized control and reunite the country. The Ming Dynasty was replaced by the Qing Dynasty in the 17th century, signaling the start of the Manchu rule. We will discuss in turn the political, social, and cultural developments in China in that time period. Political Life The Ming DynastyComing to the nation as a break from the hated Mongolian dominance, the Ming Dynasty was started by a Han Chinese farmer and a Buddhist monk. In the early 16th century, its heyday when China conducted intense sea expeditions with the aim to conquer the surrounding area and challenge the Mongol expansion was to a great extent over. The Ming Dynasty had to engage in prolonged wars with Mongols to challenge their dominance and protect its borders. In the meantime, its own coastal areas were often attacked by the Japanese pirates that gave Ming emperors a lot of headache.In the north, even the construction of the world’s best known fortification, the Great Wall, did not prevent the attacks of the Mongols. As a result, the Ming emperors in the 16th-17th century were much weaker than their predecessors, like the powerful Zhu Yuanzhang who founded the dynasty in the early 14th century. In addition, internal conflicts were plaguing the court since â€Å"the harassed emperors abandoned more and more of their responsibilities to eunuchs† (Encarta). The Ming started a war with Japan in 1592 when they sent their troops to help the Korean allies to defend themselves against Toyotomi Hideyoshi.This turned into a prolonged warfare that lasted over seven years and dealt a heavy blow to the Ming’s treasuries. The result was an increase in social tensions all over the country. An example is the peasant rebellions in Nor th China that started in 1628. These revolts finally led to the demise of the Ming Dynasty. A hefty rebellion occurred in 1642 when the dikes of the Huang He were cut by a rebellious group, leading to a flood and a starvation thereafter. The assault on Beijing, the capital used by the Ming, in 1644 resulted in the seizure of the city by the rebels and suicide of the last representative of the dynasty.The Qing Dynasty The Ming was replaced by the Qing Dynasty. As is often the result of a politically weak structure, their rule was in fact a foreign invasion since the Qing rulers were not Han Chinese, but Manchu. In order to be accepted by the Han Chinese majority, they retained a lot of customs of the Chinese and even upheld the Confucian tradition, nevertheless they always remained different from the Han Chinese. Thus, they also imposed some of their customs and traditions on their Chinese subordinates.They forced, for example, the Han to pick up the queue in the Manchu haircut style and to dress in their fashion, in this way replacing the traditional Han pigtail. To this day the Chinese wear â€Å"Qipao (bannermen dress) and Tangzhuang† that actually come from the Manchus (Encarta). It is noteworthy in which way the Manchus forced the Chinese to adopt these styles: the penalty for non-compliance was death. In the political system, the two groups were also separate. As the ruling ethnicity, the Manchus outnumbered the Han Chinese in the highest-ranking offices in the capital.However, there were still a lot of Chinese in other offices in the provinces. The Manchus, as mentioned before, were quick to adopt the philosophy of Confucianism that called on subordinates to obey the emperor. With those means, they were quick to bring the nation to obeyance and reinstate order in the provinces. With that accomplished, the Qing Dynasty also took pains to enlarge the empire through conquests and military raids. They attacked the Mongols, conquering the Outer Mongoli a in the 17th century. In the next century, they added to the empire the territory of Central Asia and set up a protectorate in Tibet.With time, they also gained control of Taiwan. With the efforts of the Qing Dynasty, almost all danger to China Proper had been eradicated. In the 19th century, the Qing Dynasty entered a period of steady decline. Their control of the country became weak, and the nation once again plunged into a state of social tension and economic troubles. The Opium Wars began with the First Opium War in 1840, triggered by the desire of Britain to control the lucrative opium trade in China. The desire of the Western nations to control â€Å"concessions† in China led to unfavorable peace treaty following the First Opium War.The Opium Wars resulted in the Treaty of Nanking in 1842 and the Taiping Rebellion in 1851-1864 and the Boxer Rebellion in the same century. As a result of military campaigns and rebellions, the control of the Qing over the country became e ven weaker. Social Life Under the Manchu rule, the nation was dominated by foreign rulers who imposed their rules and traditions on everything. In addition, they also made efforts to keep themselves separate from the mainstream Chinese life. For example, marriages between the Manchus and the Han Chinese were prohibited.The Chinese could not move permanently into the traditionally Manchu lands, and occupations such as trade or manual labor were reserved only for the Han as the Manchus were prohibited to do these jobs. In many administrative positions, the office was taken by the Manchu person and the Chinese counterpart so that the Manchu official could check in on his Chinese colleague. The Qing rulers also imposed some of their customs and traditions on their Chinese subordinates. They forced, for example, the Han to pick up the queue in the Manchu haircut style and to dress in their fashion, in this way replacing the traditional Han pigtail.To this day the Chinese wear â€Å"Qipa o (bannermen dress) and Tangzhuang† that actually come from the Manchus (Encarta). It is noteworthy in which way the Manchus forced the Chinese to adopt these styles: the penalty for non-compliance was death. Cultural Life The years under the rule of the Ming and the Qing Dynasties were an important period in Chinese culture. The Ming rule is marked by the arrival of the Europeans, among them a lot of Christian preachers. Particularly noteworthy were â€Å"Jesuits, members of a Roman Catholic religious order, showed respect for Chinese culture and overcame the foreigners’ reputation for lawlessness† (Encarta).The Jesuits tried to integrate with the local reality, learning the Chinese language and setting up settlements in the nation from which they could disseminate their religion. One of the important leaders in the Christian community was Mateo Ricci who took effort to learn Chinese and settled down in China. In intellectual life, as said, Confucianism was the dominant influence. The government placed emphasis on conforming to the official interpretation of Confucius’ writings consistent with the one provided by Zhu Xi. For centuries, his interpretation was considered standard, and deviation was not permitted.However, in the later Ming period, a few dissenting ideologies emerged, among them one proposed by â€Å"Wang Yangming, a scholar-official who rejected Zhu Xi's emphasis on the study of external principles and advocated striving for wisdom through cultivation of one’s own innate knowledge† (Encarta). Although the Qing Dynasty was of Manchu, not Chinese origin, they also invested effort in the development of the Chinese culture. Thus, they engaged in projects devoted to Chinese literature in history. In fact, their efforts helped preserve a lot of Chinese ancient literary works.An outstanding effort was made by Emperor Kangxi who â€Å"ordered the creation of the most complete dictionary of Chinese characters eve r put together at the time† (Encarta). The project on compiling the list of the important works related to Chinese culture was undertaken in the reign of Emperor Qianlong. Conclusion China in the period ranging from 1500 to 1900 experienced many events that left a deep imprint on modern China. Torn together by many different rulers, it nevertheless managed to maintain its unique culture and build upon it.It remained loyal to the ideals of Confucianism that were consistently implemented by the powerful monarchs who used the ideology to demand obedience. The rise of the Ming Dynasty was followed by its decline, the end of a cycle that opened the way to new rulers, the Manchus. Even being foreigners, they left a great deal of Chinese customs in place and left China even more culturally developed than it was. Even so, by the end of the nineteenth century, the nation was weakened politically and was heavily influenced by European powers.

Baby Shoes, Never Worn

Baby shoes, never worn The watch that hang over the table was ticking loudly in the silence. The two of them were standing muted in front of each other. They had been together for three years and each year she would ask him the question. She thought it was about time they started trying, but he still felt too young for the commitment. She said her biologically watch was ticking, but he maintained his opinion and told her to stop being anxious. He believed they still had plenty of time.One day she walked along the sidewalk and all she saw on her way was little people. She looked at Jumpsuits, diapers and perambulators. She got to a place with tiny shoes. She picked up a pair and caught herself in a mirror as she turned around. Something wet ran down her cheek and she could hear herself. Coming to her senses she stormed out to her car and drove home. She stayed up that night thinking about her misfortune. She decided to wake him up to convince him that the right moment was now. Luck wa s not with her.Wanting to put herself out of her misery and rage she discovered her hand moving to give him a red mark on the side of his head. She had never worried this much about anything before and he had never seen her this way before. The chaotic atmosphere had filled up the entire apartment. He tried to catch her before she got to the doorknob but failed. Her mind was empty for everything but her wish. She kept driving into the night not stopping at any point. The tank was almost empty when the first light hit the windscreen.A petrol station was the first place she saw and it was about time to stop. She sat on the bench looking at a newspaper with wet eyes when she saw the advertisement. It said â€Å"For Sales: Baby Shoes. Never Worn†. Looking at the address she drove fast across town. The picture of the baby shoes hang from the ceiling. She bulled over when she reached the right block. The young Mrs. opened the door to the apartment. She was home alone. They greeted each other. They had a noiseless clock over their table in the kitchen.The needle went from number to number, silently. She looked around not saying anything, not complimenting anything. The Mrs. observed her walking through the apartment, but stopped her when she came to the room at the far back. She barely got to see the room, but it was plenty. She looked at the Mrs. expression, turned around and walked down to her car on the street. The car was empty when she drove home to him. The clock was still ticking over the kitchen table however not as fast as it used to tick.

Discuss the role of wisdom in true virtue according to Meno and the Essay

Discuss the role of wisdom in true virtue according to Meno and the Phaedo - Essay Example d therefore she abstains from bodily pleasures-not from a desire of having more or greater ones, but because she knows that only when calm and free from the dominion of the body can she behold the light of truth.† (Plato (b)10) A unique concept of good and evil is put forward in Phaedo. The author discounts courageous acts if they are performed to avoid bigger dangers. Similarly, author plays down temperate behavior if there is an accompanying desire to achieve sensual pleasures because of such temperance (Plato (b) 7). Phaedo propagates the idea of life beyond death by distinguishing between body and soul and how virtues applied wisely can lead to liberation of soul. In Meno, Socrates is referred pondering over the question what can be considered the goods of the soul. According to Socrates, they are ‘temperance,’ ‘justice,’ ‘courage,’ ‘quickness of apprehension,’ ‘memory,’ ‘magnanimity’, and the lik e. Interesting to note is the observation that such good qualities are not knowledge, but of ‘another sort’. They are sometimes ‘profitable’ and sometimes ‘hurtful’. Socrates says that when a man has no sense he is hurt by courage, and when man applies courage with sense, he is profited. Socrates opines that the same logic of applying sense can be stretched to other good qualities like ‘temperance’ and ‘quickness of apprehension’. Socrates remarks that activities learned or done with the application of sense are ‘profitable,’ without sense are ‘hurtful.’ (Plato (a) 37) Socrates holds forth that all efforts and endurance under the supervision of wisdom have a happy ending and under the influence of folly, the opposite. Taking forward his argument, Socrates examines that if ‘virtue’ is a characteristic of soul and is... In Phaedo, it is contended that when alive, the soul should try to control pleasures related with the sense organs and body in which it is rebuked to be animate and from which it seeks to liberate itself.Phaedo makes distinction between souls that are not liberated. Some who are used to ‘violence’ and ‘extreme sensuality’ takes the form of likes of an ‘ass’ or’ wolf.’ However, for someone seeking liberation, even such gentle forms making eligible for some earthly happiness is not acceptable.A unique concept of good and evil is put forward in Phaedo. The author discounts courageous acts if they are performed to avoid bigger dangers. Socrates in Meno contends that after deep thought, he has come to a believe there are perhaps no teachers of virtue. According to Socrates those who want to learn any skill takes course to a teacher who is expert in that field. If one wants to learn flute playing, one takes recourse to a teacher who is expert in flute playing. In Meno, it is argued that true opinion is as good a model to rectify action as knowledge. Socrates makes a distinction between knowledge and opinion by giving an example that if someone knows the location of Larisa and leads other people to Larisa, then he is a good guide.Also, if a person has a right judgment about the means, but had never been to Larisa (the destination to be reached) should also be a good guide.

The Different Sources of Law in England and Wales Essay

The Different Sources of Law in England and Wales - Essay Example Judges create common law by delivering written judgments on the cases that have been brought before them. If magistrates’ courts across both Wales and England were to be allowed to follow and make their own precedents, this would have the effect of creating relatively huge variations in both the regional and local legal customs in the two countries (Gearey, Morrison and Jago, 2013). The common law works to ensure that the law remains common throughout the land. However, it is the responsibility of the House of Lords and the criminal division of the Court of Appeal to create legal precedents in relation to criminal matters affecting Wales and England. It is the decision that is made by these higher courts that works to bind the lower courts.  At times, new situations occur that are found to be entirely new in relation to common law. In such instances, courts in England and Wales can sometimes opt to look aboard at the decisions of the courts made in other commonwealth countri es in order to seek the necessary guidance or from them. This allows for common law systems to have a degree of flexibility and stability as they continue to look to each other for guidance (Gearey, Morrison and Jago, 2013).Statute Law and Common Law Interaction  Although the English legal system is primarily founded n common law, this does not necessarily mean that statutes are any less binding. In fact, the relationship between statute and common law is that that statute law codifies certain rules whereas the common law serves to provide clarification.