What are the consequences of WTO accession for Russia Dissertation

What are the consequences of WTO accession for Russia - Dissertation Example In 2006, Russia had crossed an important barrier in its route to accessing the membership of World Trade Organization (WTO), with the signing of the bilateral agreement with US, though the process for a full membership would take longer to be completely realised. Russia's gradual progress in the negotiations for acquiring the WTO membership, is a positive signal for the international community, as it reflects Russia’s willingness to have an open trade relations within the global commerce. In the negotiation rounds, Russia had agreed to decrease its import tariff on the industrial and agricultural products by 3 % points, in slow progression. It had also agreed to free the domestic service sector, with a certain amount of restriction. There is a general belief that WTO accession will bring about a positive influence on the economic development of Russia by improving economic efficiency, increasing market competition, and by increasing the flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) to Russia. However, on the other hand with the opening up of the Russian markets there are some fears on the survival of the domestic firms under increasing competition from the foreign corporations. The chief objective of this paper is to understand and analyse implications that Russia may have to contend with WTO accession. Based on a secondary and qualitative form of research that involves literature review and analysis of Russia’s economy, all implications of WTO accession will be discussed to support the conclusion that WTO membership may be beneficial for Russia in the end. 1 Introduction â€Å"Russia risks taking a back seat to new post-crisis rules of world trade if it doesn’t join the WTO.†1 1.1 Background history In 1993, Russia officially applied to the General Agreement on Trade and Tariff (GATT) for accession, and in 1995, the World Trade Organization (WTO), the organization that succeeded GATT, took up its application. However, during the initial years a complete lack of political will and a general initiative by the Russian government, which was new and yet to create any structural framework to regulate the socio-economic and political environment, soon made the Russian impetus to join the WTO, lose its steam.2 After the 1998 economic crisis, as the Russian rouble deval ued, with a subsequent failure to repay the nation’s debt, the government became more involved in trying to revive the economy, with very little focus on the subject of WTO accession and the necessary negotiations. Fresh impetus to the issue was derived when the Vladimir Putin after being elected as the President of Russia in 2000, declared WTO accession as one of his prime goals, during his tenure at office. Under his interest and will, fresh rounds of negotiations and discussions were initiated. The Russian President’s declaration created a political commitment of sorts that allowed Russia to take initiative and search for meaningful resolutions, on various contentious issues related to its WTO accession. In May 2001, Russia created a ‘Review of the Russian Trade Policies,’ a report that was seen as the Protocol for the Russian accession to WTO. By early 2002, the WTO’s Working Party on Russia’s accession reviewed the first draft of the rep ort. 3 At this time, this signified that Russia had almost entered the last phase of the accession process, where it was negotiating the terms and conditions pertaining to its entry into the WTO, and contemplating the implementation of the necessary legislative reforms. However, soon there were

Social Media Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Social Media Marketing - Essay Example According to the report findings  the measurement of social media has been stated to relate to the actuality of trailing the diverse and assorted content associated with the various types of social media on the whole. This particular process is observed to be carried out for ascertaining the specific quantity and attitude and reaction with regard to a particular brand in terms of the social media by the concerned marketers. Social media is being increasingly considered to be a popular form of marketing platform for the marketers owing to which the facet of measurement is considered to be quite a decisive constituent for the purpose of attaining success.From the essay it is clear that  the process of web analytics not only entailed the function of a measuring instrument in order to ascertain the web traffic but was also used for the purpose of business as well as market research. This stated measurement technique also aided in evaluating along with enhancing the efficacy of a defi nite web site. The web analytics were known to involve two groups and they were the off-site as well as the on-site. However, it needs to be mentioned in this regard that the advanced measurement tools in relation to the social media are believed to incorporate the two groups with regard to web analytics into tools that have been found to satisfy the functions related to both the groups.  The present measurement tools are known to provide a qualitative insight regarding the thinking, sentiment, behavior and demographics of the viewers.

Process of Embedding Fuzzy Logic Methodology In Racing Game

Process of Embedding Fuzzy Logic Methodology In Racing Game Alamin Hussain Key words: fuzzy logic, XNA, AI, racing game ABSTRACT Fuzzy Logic has many opinions and understanding from people to people. In its simplest understanding Fuzzy Logic outputs truth(s) based on approximation for reasoning. In essence compared to traditional binary sets, which outputs absolute truths or false values, Fuzzy Logic may have a false or truth-value which ranges in degrees from 0 to 1. Using the above notion, I will be implementing this ideology or method in the perspective of providing behaviors for my Non-Playable-Opponent. What this means is that I will be programming Fuzzy Logic into my video game. Which should provide a more human like interaction. I will be utilizing the Microsoft XNA framework and C# programming language to output the implementation. In attempting to program in Fuzzy Logic, I had come across several hurdles. Such as breaking the rules and calculations down to the most possible simplest form possible, then trying to implement line by line each element. Thereafter running into Syntax Errors and Runtime Errors of which there were many. Finally I was forced to remove some more complex forms of Fuzzy Logic due to time constraints and inability to fully comprehend Fuzzy Logic and apply it via programming. INTRODUCTION Fuzzy Logic is an area of study in Artificial Intelligence built on the idea that in a fuzzy set, each element in a given set which can assume a value from 0 to 1 and does not follow the conventional classic or crisp theory of just 0 or 1. Basically this method follows the conception that approximation is used for reasoning rather than a fixed value. An element is categorized in its gradual inclination towards its relevant set, this is known as the degree of membership. The objective of this project is to efficiently utilize the XNA game engine using C# programming language and DirectX graphics API, to create a function racing game which utilizes Fuzzy Logic artificial intelligence. Previous programmers and coders have utilized Fuzzy Logic in video games, but the use for fuzzy logic in real world applications for video games has been minimal due to more popularity of other methods such as the A* artificial intelligence model. The reason of this project is to identify how fuzzy logic can allow for more human like interaction in a video game setting. In essence providing human feedback and reactions to the player and establishing cohesion in immersive game play. Throughout the main chapters of the thesis, I will going through the process in which I have understood general AI in video games and how fuzzy logic can be applied in this territory. Due to my illness, which has made me bend bound and on medication for just over 2 months from the beginning of February, my research and understanding is very little. As such I will try my best to demonstrate my current knowledge and how I established it into my project. I will be providing and understanding of Artificial Intelligence in video games and how the two are intertwined; he current state and use of AI in video games; Game AI techniques; Fuzzy Logic AI; how Fuzzy Logic is utilized in video games; the benefits of fuzzy logic; the cons of Fuzzy Logic; Fuzzy State Machines; the use of fuzzy logic in the video game industry and previous research conducted on fuzzy logic. MAIN CHAPTERS Artificial Intelligence in Video Games In the study of artificial intelligence in video games it is made up of all the methodologies and techniques for implementing intelligence into video games. Artificial Intelligence in video games contain aspects of, but are not limited to: path finding, control of animation, strategic thinking, procedural generation and learning. All of which require some form of solving problems, which are executed utilising Artificial Intelligence algorithms. The main essence of using game artificial intelligence is bringing a more human like interaction for the player, in creating a more fun, immersive and strategical play. This can be in the form of enemy bosses or interaction with NPCs (Non-Playable-Characters). In the words of Alan Turing, considered the father of of artificial intelligence, an agent is intelligent if its behaviour cannot be distinguished from that of a human[1]. From real human perspective Game artificial intelligence is in essence not real intelligence but the illusion of such methods[2]. Successful video games implement varying degrees of compelling artificial intelligence. It is not a requirement to implement very intelligent, unbeatable smart opponents but a much fun and some what realistic opponent who does not do damagingly stupid manoeuvres of which could ruin the whole game play and remove a player from the immersion. Like in most aspects of a video game, the game AI compliments and provides a higher realisation of a given video game, such as maintaining high levels of entertainment and fun game play. From the beginning of video game development to the the present times of complex large project based games, Artificial Intelligence has certainly been widely used and with the passage of time has increased usage and complexity with it. As such video games such as online multi player games have brought forward advanced artificial intelligence and have changed the habits and perception of players. This in effect has made players demand much more intricacy in game play in regards to artificial intelligence and developers are more and more focusing in providing human-like methods in AI, which are capable of learning from the players inputs. Developers have since moved away from predictable and scripted opponents and heavily focused on the advanced artificial intelligence in games. Due to the nature of video game development, game AI has real world constraints, in terms of time management and scheduling of a project. As such tested and working methods are used in development and the lack of innovation in the field of game AI is very much not visible. Game Artificial intelligence borrows knowledge from academic based AI such as robotics. But has its own parallel workforce of improvement and research and development, whilst keeping practicality in mind due to the nature of the game industry[3]. All forms of AI research and development borrows elements of information and as such same techniques can be found in some form in all fields of study. This thesis will delve on the study of a particular method of video game artificial intelligence, which is Fuzzy Logic and the use of such AI in video game. Then bringing a conclusion from my findings and usage of Fuzzy Logic game AI. Current Usage of Game AI Game artificial intelligence had gained traction from the late eighties early nineties, as such has gained much more attention from the game industry in the last decade or so. Traditionally video game have been pushing boundaries in the composition of visual graphics and audio realism in a bid to gain traction from end consumers. This in return had made it so that CPU (Central Processing Unit) processing powers was largely given precedence to graphics computation, followed by sound computation and then the game logic. This process of allocation of resources in previous game development left very little computation al power to artificial intelligence, which resulted in very stupid, generic and easily overpower enemies and or opponents. The previous process of developing video games and limitations on resources meant that artificial intelligence was very minimal. In more recent times graphical fidelity has improved so well that the visuals on screen are indistinguishable to their real life counter parts. As well as the costs of provided more resources on a much lower capital and recent inclusions of GPU (Graphical Processing Unit), meant that visual graphics had a dedicated resource in providing improved graphics, whilst freeing up the CPU to focus more on intricate computations. This has allowed artificial intelligence and physics to flourish and become more improved over the years, allowing more immersive game play. This trend of game development and resource allocation has allowed video game artificial intelligence to become some what of an essential necessity to differentiate and better develop high quality video games. As costs are minimising and developers improving, there are more and more dedicated teams of developers focusing on game AI, in creating seemingly intelligent NPCs, opponents and enemies, thus enabling challenging and interesting video games for the players. Following these development cycles and improvements over the years in the study of video game artificial intelligence has allowed people studying and or researching artificial intelligence to use video games as a mean of testing their research. This in essence allows reducing large overheads, increasing safety and utilising a simple environment in a virtual world. As opposed testing in the real world, which would increase costs and potential pose a risk to researchers if it were a large scale project utilise large physical object(s).

Pat Buchanan :: History

Pat Buchanan Pat Buchanan is currently campaigning to become the Republican representative in the next U.S. Presidential election. He is credited with striking a chord amongst the main stream, blue collar sector of the country. This is because he has based his economic platform on common myths about free trade and how it is the cause of the economic problems in the U.S. His theme is that layoffs and the closing of American plants are the result of foreign companies and countries taking advantage of easy access into U.S. markets which, in his opinion, is not being reciprocated abroad. This is how he accounts for the current trade deficit that the U.S. is running with countries like Japan. Pat's economic platform regarding trade policy can be summarized as follows: * Impose a 10% tariff on Japanese imports and a 20% tariff on Chinese imports. This would generate, in his opinion, $20 billion in government revenue and reduce the trade deficit which could be reinvested into the American economy and help create tax cuts for small businesses. * Impose a social tariff on Third World manufactured goods to protect U.S. workers' wage rates from the foreign laborers who are paid a fraction of what their U.S. counterparts earn. He also resents that foreign companies do not have to adhere to the strict environmental, safety, and health standards that American firms do yet get free access to the U.S. market via GATT and NAFTA. It is evident that Pat Buchanan believes that trade deficits and trade with Third World countries are at the heart of what he perceives to be America's economic problems. He feels that through tariffs the burden of income taxes paid by U.S. workers and small businesses can be shifted onto consumers who purchase foreign goods. His underlying sentiment about his trade restrictive policies is, "This is our land; America is our country; the U.S. our market. We decide who enters here and who does not." The basis of international trade is that their are gains to be had from partaking in it. This was proven by David Ricardo, an economist in the early 19th century, who introduced the concept of comparative advantage. His theory stated that a country's "absolute advantage (overall productivity differences between countries) should be reflected in differences in income, whereas comparative advantage (variations in productivity differences by sector) will determine the pattern of international trade.

Adolescent Sex

The prevalence of teenage pregnancy in the society and the alarming increase of such are often perceived to be caused by inadequate government and educational programs about sex. While most people continuously adhere to this idea, the role and responsibilities of parents in their child’s sexual quandaries, to some extent is set behind the veracity of the problem. Some parents even exhibit lack of authority over their children by allowing them to have sex at home.As a parent your basic instinct is to weigh the consequences when your child is already engaged in premarital sex or if his or her relationship is already progressing on that direction. On the affirmative side of the scale, today’s liberal society demonstrates that everyone is doing it and it is part of your child’s learning experience.The unconstructive scale on the other hand, carries out issues on morality, sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. Instead of allowing them to engage in premarital se x inside your home, provide your parental guidance by teaching them abstinence-only sex education which emphasizes morality and having sex within the boundaries of marriage (Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, Episode 823).This will establish a platform for your children to know that having sex at a very young age and outside the sanctity of marriage can result to heavy emotional and physical costs which are not only limited to diseases and pregnancy but is also a ground to bring into a halt their supposed bright future.Though, an open communication with your children regarding their sexual experiences is a great start to take a hold of them when they are already engaged in sexual activities, allowing them to do it in your home is improper and inappropriate decision to make as their parent and guardian.The foremost situation of your children living in your house and exclusively depending on you to fill their stomachs are substantial evidences that they still are not capable of taking ca re of themselves and their actions to include having premarital sex.ReferencesPBS, February 4, 2005 Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, Episode 823 Retrieved on 2009-21-02

Educational programs Essay

There are of course limits to the parallel between the regulation of firms and the regulation of churches. A basic difference is that a church draws its support on the basis of religious commitment–presumably a quite different source of commitment than consumer preference for many people. In the fundamental relationship between the church and its members, there is no clear unit of exchange that lends itself to quantification. Perhaps much more so than firms, however, churches have the capacity to mobilize their memberships on behalf of their objectives in negotiating with the state. Another difference is that states’ seeking to regulate churches often lack doctrinal competence. They may be ill-equipped to understand the church’s mission and lack information as to church resources and the best uses of those resources. Finally, another principal difference is that the relationship between a nation and the religious commitments of its citizens is the consequence of many forces acting over long periods of time. These forces may have created in a population religious commitments of singular intensity or, on the other hand, apparent disinterest that has little to do with the direction of contemporary state regulation of religion. Despite these differences, however, the case can still be made that regulatory theory is relevant to the understanding of church-state relationships. This essay argues that the direction of contemporary state regulation may help shape the direction of a church’s priorities and activities independently of the condition of the population’s religious commitment. Churches as organizations will respond to regulatory incentives and costs, just as they respond to the political environment. Why do states seek to regulate churches? Historically, as will be shown below, rulers may have sought to impose on their subjects their own respective judgments about the correct institutional expression of their faith. States have seen regulation as a means to weed out corruption or to redress the distribution of resources in their society. Quite often, states have appeared to fear churches as challenges to the political order that need to be contained. Historically, regulation of churches by the US and European states has embraced some or all of a number of areas. States have played significant roles in regulating or ultimately selecting senior church readerships within the country. States have assumed the power to determine the numbers and types of clergy allowed to practice their religious responsibilities within the nation. The state’s approval has been sought in determining the boundaries of church administrative territories. The state’s acquiescence has played a role in church reform of doctrine or liturgy. States have from time to time set limits on the nature of church participation in education, public communication, social welfare, and health care. Finally, states have limited- or enhanced- churches’ ability to own property or businesses. At this time, virtually every church, at least in Western Europe, has achieved a remarkable measure of autonomy in the determination of its leadership, its size, and the direction of its clergy. By contrast, historically in Roman Catholic countries, the state or the aristocracy controlled higher-level clerical appointments or shared in appointment decisions with the Vatican. In many Protestant states, the state exercised the power of appointment with relatively little formal consultation with church hierarchies. At the same time, the capacity of the church to establish a central role in a society’s institutions has diminished and a review of church attendance in Western Europe suggests remarkable declines in membership. Churches may find that regulation benefits their own positions in society. In many cases these churches confront receding memberships. Catholic churches in nearly all Western European states enjoy sustained and significant declines in the conflicts with state authorities that were recurring crises during the nineteenth and a good deal of the twentieth century. This decline in conflict undoubtedly is related to the effective dechurching of many of the US and European populations. Regulation in these cases appears to be actively sought by churches as a means of sustaining resource flows. This relationship of negotiating support in exchange for some measure of regulation appears to be the emerging norm of convergence in state-church policy throughout Europe. But it raises the perplexing question of how new churches will respond to a structure of church-state relations that does not reflect the neutral tradition of liberalism but rather expresses clear although measured support for some churches over others in practice and often in theory as well. A church may seek several objectives in regulation. These objectives may undergo change as the regulatory context shifts. A church may conclude that regulation provides a competitive advantage in dealing with competition with other churches. Established, long-existing churches that now enjoy some measure of recognition from the state may wish to stabilize the situation by delimiting the boundaries of state recognition from newer or missionary churches that threaten the membership base of the established churches. The established churches may simply be concerned with maintaining their existing obligations to staffs, buildings, and educational programs. The longer established the church, presumably the greater the obligations it has to sustain existing organizations. The theory of regulatory capture would predict these observations. There is always the risk, however, that the capture model of regulation is not predictive of future state-church relationships, given the possibilities for new directions coming from within the state or from groups found neither in established church(es) nor in the state. New churches are the most likely sources of pressure for changes in the direction of regulation.