Free And Fair Elections Politics Essay

Free And Fair Elections Politics Essay Free and fair elections and functioning electoral systems are the quintessence of democracy. Elections are used to ensure popular support and legitimacy for those who make governmental decisions.  [i]  An electoral system is the set of processes that determine how political candidates are elected to office. These procedures include the ballot structure, how citizens cast their votes, how those votes are tallied, and how the winners are determined.  [ii]  Electoral systems are important in many ways. First, they have significant political consequences. Electoral systems shape the nature of parties and party systems, and they affect the behavior of politicians and the strategies of voters.  [iii]   Additionally, electoral systems have a strong effect on the number of parties and consequently on the nature of competition in the party system. Electoral systems also affect the ways parties are organized and how they function internally. In addition, electoral systems also reveal the preferences of politicians and shape politicians behavior.  [iv]  Brazil pdf Accordingly, there are a small number of states in the world that have very similar electoral or voting systems but continue to have dissimilar amounts of political parties. These similarities and differences are best illustrated when comparing the United States and France. Despite similar electoral systems, France has numerous political parties while the United States has only two major parties. It would be anticipated that France and the United States would contain a resemblance in its electoral system based upon the information that the original French charter was inspired by the U.S. constitution.  [v]  Essentially, both states use a first past the post, winner takes all style of electing their Presidents. The United States also uses a unique system called the Electoral College to select a President from available nominees.  [vi]   This paper will seek to analyze the similarities and differences between France and the United States electoral systems. Firstly, the party system will be compared; secondly the electoral process itself, afterwards the heads of state, the question of reforms and finally the information provided will be summarized. Party System The structure of the party system in France is quite unique compared to other democracies. France has a multi-party system as opposed to the two-party system in the United States, and within those multiple parties, there is a great variety of internal organization.  [vii]  It was in France that the distinction between left and right first appeared and it is there that this distinction is of particular importance. However, the country has developed a multiple party system, so that the differences between left and right are far from clear. The parties have arranged themselves traditionally in the structure of the National Assembly, from the extreme left to the extreme right. The reason for the numerous amounts of political parties is for the most part historical. Successive regimes have passed, leaving their defenders as political parties or factions.  [viii]   Therefore, each party then can be identified with a preferred constitutional form and they each have their own particular ideology. France has gone through a succession of revolutions and regimes in which the new order never succeeded in entirely eradicating the advocates of the old. The older doctrines and their defenders have found that the Cartesian tradition, which is a tendency to pursue theoretical distinctions to the end, has encouraged their survival.  [ix]   The Third and Fourth Republics knew two electoral systems, both of which encouraged proliferation: proportional representation which assures each tiny party of its share of representation and therefore does not discourage the voter from exercising a marginal differentiation in casting his vote, and the single-member constituency system combined with the second ballot which encouraged a multiplication of candidates, and therefore of parties, especially on the first round. This system of many parties inevitably produced political weakness and cabinet instability.  [x]   Now, in the Fifth republic, (enacted in 1958), the electoral system in France depends on the size of the municipality. In municipalities with more than 3,500 inhabitants, the first half of the seats is allocated on the basis of absolute majority and the dHondt method of proportional representation is used to distribute the second half of the seats between lists that received at least five per cent of the votes. Municipalities with up to 3,500 inhabitants elect councils on the basis of absolute majority.  [xi]   In contrast, the American system as previously stated, is based on a two-party system, even though third parties exist. This results in clearly defined political lines in the United States, without the formal need for coalition-building often required to create a ruling majority in a parliamentary system.  [xii]  One factor contributing to the two-party system in the United States is the single-member district system of electing Representatives. Single-member meaning means that whoever receives a plurality of the vote (that is, the greatest number of votes in any given voting district) is elected.  [xiii]   Moreover, the Republican and Democratic parties are the two main political parties in the U.S. The Republicans and Democrats have dominated American politics since the 1860s, and every president since 1852 has been either a Republican or Democrat.  [xiv]  Despite that fact, so-called third parties and independent candidates remain a part of American politics. Most third parties have tended to flourish for a single election and then die, fade, or be absorbed into one of the major parties.  [xv]   Presidential Electoral Process The national election for the president of the United States is held every four years. These elections are far from straightforward in terms of its organization. The procedure for a national election goes on for a year.  [xvi]  A party must present nominated people to stand for election. Of  those nominated, only one is selected by the party delegates at the national convention. This person then goes on to represent that party in the national presidential elections. The running mate for the presidential candidate is also announced. Moreover, the structure of primary elections can differ from state to state. Some delegates are elected in a straight first-past-the-post system while other states use a form of proportional representation to give a greater spread of representation among the delegates sent to a national convention.  [xvii]  The delegates, when at a convention, vote for a candidate to run in the presidential election. After the national conventions, the two partie s presidential hopefuls can focus on campaigning for winning the presidential elections.  [xviii]   A unique feature of the American system is the Electoral College. When Americans vote for a President and Vice President, they actually vote for presidential electors, together as the Electoral College. The Constitution assigns each state a number of electors equal to the combined total of its Senate and House of Representatives delegations; at present, the number of electors per state ranges from three to 55, for a total of 538. It is these elector-candidates, rather than the presidential and vice presidential nominees, which the citizens vote for in the election. In most states, voters cast a single vote for the slate of electors pledged to the party presidential and vice presidential candidates of their choice. The slate winning the most popular votes is elected; this is known as the winner-take-all, or general ticket, system. Separate ballots are cast for President and Vice President. The electoral vote results are counted and declared at a session of Congress. A majority of elec toral votes (currently 270 of 538) is required to win.  [xix]  In the recent American elections in 2008, Democratic candidate Barack Obama won the election with 53% of the popular vote along with 365 electoral votes over Republican candidate John McCain.  [xx]   In comparison, in the French system, candidates for the Presidency must obtain 500 sponsoring signatures of elected officials from at least 30 departments or overseas territories. The post is directly elected in a two-stage voting system. A candidate who receives more than 50% of the vote in the first round is elected. However, if no candidate receives 50%, there is a second round which is a run-off between the two candidates who secured the most votes in the first round. Nicolas Sarkozy, from the ruling UMP, won the second round of the Presidential election in May 2007. He gained 53% of the vote, finishing six points ahead of his Socialist rival, Sà ©golà ¨ne Royal.  [xxi]   Duties of the Head of State The constitution of the French Fifth Republic was approved by public referendum on September 28, 1958. It greatly strengthened the powers of the executive in relation to those of Parliament. Under this constitution, presidents were elected directly for a seven-year term since 1958. However, beginning in 2002, the presidential term of office was reduced to five years and a constitutional reform passed on July 21, 2008 which limits presidents to two consecutive terms in office. The president names the prime minister, presides over the cabinet, commands the armed forces, and concludes treaties. Traditionally, presidents under the Fifth Republic have tended to leave day-to-day policy-making to the prime minister and government; the five-year term of office is expected to make presidents more accountable for the results of domestic policies.  [xxii]   On the contrary, the American presidents chief duty is to make sure that the laws are implemented. Presidents appoint all cabinet heads and most other high-ranking officials of the executive branch of the federal government. They also nominate all judges of the federal judiciary, including the members of the Supreme Court. Their appointments to executive and judicial posts must be approved by a majority of the Senate. The president is also the commander in chief of the US military and has unconstrained authority to direct the movements of the navy, land and air forces. The president has the power to make treaties with foreign governments, though the Senate must also approve such treaties by a two-thirds majority. Finally, the president has the power to approve or veto bills passed by Congress, though Congress can override the presidents veto by summoning a two-thirds majority in favour of the measure.  [xxiii]   Electoral System Reform? With respect to proposals by some American scholars and policy makers to get rid of the U. S. Electoral College system, most reformers advocate for a direct popular vote in the French manner and most also advocate a runoff (also like the French system) in the event that no candidate receives majority support (or or a lower figure such as 40%) in a first round election. But there are many Americans who believe that two presidential elections within a period of a few weeks would be too much.  [xxiv]  Moreover, The French are starting to embrace the concept of having primaries like the Americans. Even though these are not yet systematically organized, they are helpful in sorting out the candidates of each political party. In 2006, for example, the Socialist Party fielded three candidates, and party activists chose one of them, Segolà ¨ne Royal, to represent them. It is not that unlikely to see that same process expanded in future presidential elections.  [xxv]   Conclusion While comparing United States government to French government there are many similarities and differences discovered. To reiterate, France and the United States citizens elect the president of the republic, and both democracies do it by universal suffrage.   The French, on the other hand, prefer a direct election. In other words, a two-round electoral process in which any French citizen can become a candidate given that they collect 500 signatures endorsing their candidacy. The Americans however have a different method. Every state chooses by popular vote a list of electors, each of whom represents one candidate. The list pledged to a candidate who wins a simple or absolute majority of votes takes all of the states Electoral College seats (essentially winner takes all).  [xxvi]  This two-step election process takes into consideration both American demographics and political equality among the states of the Union, which is quite different from the French system.  [xxvii]  Fr ance is a representative democratic republic like the United States. France differs from the United States in political organization. The difference is that the political power in France is split between the president and a prime minister, who leads the political party that holds majority in Parliament.  [xxviii]   In addition, France is characterized by its multi-party system, whilst the United States is seen as a two-party system, even though third parties do exist. Also, Relations between France and the United States have become friendlier after Nicolas Sarkozy was elected President of France. In 2007, Sarkozy delivered a speech before the U.S. Congress which was a strong affirmation of French-American friendship. During his visit he met with President George W. Bush as well as Senators John McCain and Barack Obama. This visit took place before the two senators were chosen as party nominees.  [xxix]  Both also met with Sarkozy in Paris after securing their respective nominations in 2008; after meeting Obama in July, he was quoted saying Obama? Cest mon copain which means Obama? Hes my buddy. Because of Obamas and Sarkozys relationship, relations between the two countries are expected to improve further.  [xxx]  

Crossing the Line in Faulkners Barn Burning Essay -- Barn Burning Ess

Crossing the Line in Faulkner's Barn Burning   Ã‚  Ã‚   The American author Joyce Carol Oats, in her Master Race, wrote that "our enemy is by tradition our savior" (Oats 28).   Oats recognized that we often learn more from our enemy than from ourselves.   Whether the enemy is another warring nation, a more prolific writer, or even the person next door, we often can ascertain a tremendous amount of knowledge by studying that opposite party.   In the same way, literature has always striven to provide an insight into human nature through a study of opposing forces.   Often, simply by looking at the binary operations found in any given text, the texts meanings, both hidden and apparent, can become surprising clear.   In William Faulkner's famous short story "Barn Burning," innate binary operations, especially those of the poor versus the rich and the society versus the outsider, allow the reader to gather a new and more acute understanding of the text.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The most important binary operation in Faulkner's masterpiece is the projected idea of the rich versus the stark reality of the poor.   Throughout the entire work, the scenes of the Snopes family are constantly described in detail and compared to the richness that appears abundant around them.   For example, at the very beginning of the story, the young Colonel Sartoris Snopes is described as "small and wiry like his father" wearing "patched and faded jeans" which are later described as too small (Faulkner 1555).   This poor child, with his tattered clothing, bare feet, and scared-to-the-bone look is juxtaposed against the wealth of the Justice of the Peace's borrowed courtroom--its "close-packed" shelves filled with cans of food, aromatic cheese, and "the silver curve of fish"--th... ...lty, or even the normal versus the audacious.   But, the entire story seems to be focused on two: those of the poor versus the rich and society versus the outsider.   Those two operations allow for, and even demand, a different reading of the text giving us a young Colonel striving to break out of his limitations and become the opposite of what he was.   In the end, Faulkner allows him to succeed.   After his father's death, the young man runs through the woods, forever leaving his family.   The text ends with the powerful line, "he did not look back" (Faulkner 1566). Works Cited Oats, Joyce Carol. "Master Race." The History of Dramatic Theory  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   and Criticism. Ed. John Dukore. New York: Harper Collins,   Ã‚   1992. Faulkner, William. "Barn Burning." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter. 3th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. 1554-66.

Soft Money: It?s Elimination from Governmental Campaigns :: essays research papers fc

Soft Money: It’s Elimination from Governmental Campaigns   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The current use of soft money in the US Governmental elections is phenomenal. The majority of candidates funding comes from soft money donations. Congress has attempted to close these funding loop holes; however they have had little success. Soft money violates standards set by congress by utilizing the loop hole found in the Federal Election Commission’s laws of Federal Campaigns. This practice of campaign funding should be eliminated from all governmental elections.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1907 it was considered illegal for any corporation to spend money in connection with a federal election. In 1947 it was illegal for labor unions to spend any money in connection with any federal election. And since 1974, it has been illegal for an individual to contribute more than $1,000 to a federal candidate, or more than $20,000 per year to a political party (Campaign Finance). Congress defined this as a way to prevent the influence of a candidate or federal election. The so-called â€Å"soft money† which is used to fund candidates’ elections is defined as money which violates the Federal Election Commission’s laws on federal elections. In laments terms a simple loophole was created by the FEC in 1978 through a ruling which allowed corporations to donate large amounts of money to candidates for â€Å"Party Building† purposes (Campaign Finance). In reality, the $50,000 to one million dollar donations gives the candidate the power to put on the most extravagant campaign money will buy. This loophole remained almost completely dormant in federal elections until the Dukakis campaign in 1988, then fully emerging in the later Bush campaign, which utilized millions of dollars of soft money(Soft Money). This aggressive soft money campaigning involved the solicitation of corporate and union treasury funds, as well as unlimited contributions from individuals, all of which were classified for â€Å"Party Building† purposes. The way the money flows is basically from the corporation or union to the political party which the donator favors. The spending of soft money is usually controlled by the political parties; however it is done in great coordination with the candidate. Aside from unions and corporations special interest groups have been large supporters of soft money. These groups band together for a candidates such as groups for, textiles, tobacco, and liquor. The textile giant Fruit of the Loom, successfull y lobbied a campaign which stopped an extension of NAFTA benefits to Caribbean and Central American nations.

Pag-IBIG Fund Essay

Pag-IBIG is an acronym which stands for Pagtutulungan sa Kinabukasan: Ikaw, Bangko, Industria at Gobyerno. In effect, Pag-IBIG harnesses these four sectors of our society to provide its members with adequate housing through as effective savings scheme. Coverage These guidelines shall cover the development and construction of low cost housing units in Metro Manila and highly urbanized cities, and socialized housing units in the provinces by Pag-IBIG Fund. Objectives To provide low-cost and socialized house and lot packages/condominium units either for rent or for sale to low income Pag-IBIG members who cannot afford the housing packages available in the market. To enable Pag-IBIG Fund to perform its mandate by using its funds to provide decent and affordable condominium units as well as house and lot packages for sale to eligible Pag-IBIG Fund members nationwide. To stimulate competition that will bring about better housing packages in terms of price and development that will redound to the benefit not only of Pag-IBIG Fund members but also of the public in general. To help solve the housing backlog by generating further demand for housing through the provision of affordable condominium units and house and lot packages. To equitably distribute nationwide economic opportunities generated from housing production, and in the process, stimulate stability brought about by economic development. To provide an opportunity for Local Government Units (LGUs) to comply with R.A. 7279 by identifying and providing land for socialized housing. To simplify and facilitate the processing of end-user financing for eligible Pag-IBIG Fund members, given that the projects are owned by Pag-IBIG Fund. To develop further sense of ownership, pride and confidence among members of the Fund, knowing fully well that the projects being constructed are direct investments made from their savings with the institution. To generate more membership to Pag-IBIG Fund. To develop and dispose acquired properties of the Fund.

Comparison Between 1920s and 1930s

Michelle Heredia The 1920’s was the first decade to have a nickname such as â€Å"Roaring 20’s† or â€Å"Jazz Age. † For many Americans, the 1920’s was a decade of prosperity and confidence. But for others this decade seemed to bring cultural conflicts, nativists against immigrants, religious liberals against fundamentalists and rural provincials against urban cosmopolitans. There was a drastic change in economy through the course of 1920 to 1930. During 1930 the great depression had turned the American dream into a nightmare and what once was the land of opportunity had become the land of desperation.Both 1920’s and 1930’s have been characterized for radical political movements. Also throughout the course of these two decades entertainment was a big hit. Celebration was a big part of the 1920’s and due to this, many different behaviors were developed among these large populations, dancing became a big thing, people loved to dan ce especially the Charleston, Fox-trot and Shimmy. Dance marathons were something people went to every weekend. The radio became very popular as well; people liked listening to Jazz, especially the king of Jazz, Louis Armstrong.People also tuned in to listen to sports and live events. Movies were also a big thing during this decade. Parlor games and board games were popular in the 1930’s, people gathered around the radio to listen to the Yankees. Young people danced to big bands. The golden age of the mystery novel continued as people escaped into books, reading writers like Agatha Christie, Dashielle Hammett and Raymond Chandler. Big band or swing became very popular. Meanwhile there were also many differences between the two decades. During the 1920’s for the first time more Americans lived in cities rather than on farms.For many Americans the growth of cities, the rise of a consumer culture, the increase of mass entertainment and the so-called â€Å"revolution in m orals and manners† represented liberation from the restrictions of the country’s Victorian past. Sexual mores, gender roles, hair styles, and dressing all changed. In this decade penicillin was discovered and also the insulin for diabetics. The nation’s wealth more than doubled and this economic growth brought many Americans into an affluent but unfamiliar consumer society. October 29, 1929 later became known as black Thursday, the stock market began its downhill drop.Many people believed that after this day prices would rise again as it had occurred in the past, but instead prices kept dropping. America had celebrated for eight years, but now everything was wasted in just weeks by the stock market. It was the sad ending to the glorious decade. Yet the beginning of the 1930’s, in the beginning one quarter of all wage-earning workers were unemployed and money was scarce because of the depression. During the great depression the American dream had now become a nightmare what once was the land of opportunity had turned into the land of desperation.President Herbert Hoover did not do much to alleviate the crisis, he only argued that there was patience and self reliance needed to get them through this incident. But in 1932, Americans elected a new president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who pledged to use the power of the federal government to make Americans’ lives better. Over the next nine years Roosevelt’s New Deal created a new role for government in American life. Many Americans looked at the 1920’s as a decade of confidence and prosperity. However the end of the decade brought about big changes economically, politically, and socially.

Cynthia Morris Essay

There is a quote that says: Mothers are angels who teach their children how to fly. Indeed my mother was an angel who in my younger years I thought was sent here to torture me especially when I wanted to hang out with my friends instead of doing chores or homework. My mother was the pillar of strength, love, and compassion. Mothers may be misunderstood but that doesn’t mean they don’t care or know better. My earliest memories of my mother, was her pretty face, beautiful smile, and small frame. To me she was the most beautiful woman on earth and nothing compared to her. Even though she was unlike the celebrity moms who wore designer clothes and ate in fancy restaurants, my mother was very real. My mother was a very small, petite woman who you did not want to cross. I loved the way she combed her hair. I loved the way she would play with my hair or rub my legs after a track meet even when I smelled like sweat. On the incidents that my siblings and I crossed my mother her big brown eyes would squint with disapproval. But I came to love that about her. When those brown eyes started to squint it meant you had done something wrong. Even though there were seven children my mother never played favorites. But rather, made appoint to be fair and equal with all of her children. Whenever I admitted to making a mistake, Mom would not hesitate to point it out to me, and punish me if needed. At times I detested it but over time I came to realize that Mom did that because she had my best interests at heart. She was never one to hold grudges for long. Like most mothers, my mother was very protective of me that often times I resented her for being so. I did not understand why she had to constantly ask about my whereabouts: Who I was with and where I was going. It never occurred to me that this was an essential part of being a mother. A mother cares and worries for her children. My mother taught me that getting reprimanded did not mean she loved me less. On the contrary, she showed me that when she scolded me, it meant she cared and worried about me. Mother certainly had her own flaws but I came to accept, in fact love every bit of them. When she called me non-stop, it was because she missed me or needed something or I had made her angry about something. Some may have called it nagging, I call it loving. For a person to wear her heart on her sleeves is a vulnerable thing, my mother was never vulnerable. In fact she was very strong. She never backed off in a fight especially if she knew she was right but she also knew how to compromise too. But compromising for her did not mean that you were wrong. Compromising was just another way of getting things done – later. When I started school, mom was my ally. To me, school was a world were ghosts and bad guys lurked. Instead of laughing at my fears, my mother showed me instead how great school was. My first day of school, she prepared my favorite snacks and walked me to school. Instead of leaving me at the gate, she walked me to the door, knelt down and told me: â€Å"Don’t worry, everything will be ok†. Although these words are pretty naà ¯ve, to a child on her first day of school, these words were more than enough for me. I went to school that day knowing that Mom was there for me and I learned to enjoy school. I made a few friends and introduced them to my mother who was more than happy to give us cookies and milk for snacks. Although my mother was a stay at home mom, she taught us how important an education was. Mother also taught us the value of relationships. This was evident in her relationship with my Dad. She was married to him for over 40 years before she passed and that for me was not just a manifestation of an enduring love for a person but of trust and fidelity as well. I am hoping that I can do the same in my relationship. Being married to the same person for over 40 years is not a mean feat. It takes a lot of patience and understanding to do this every day. Our generation today does not seem to realize the importance of maintaining a relationship. I, on the other hand, would want to be like my mother. I want to have a long lasting relationship with my partner just like my mother did with my father. I know my mother is not perfect. She had flaws too. But for me, those flaws were tiny imperfections that made her all the more lovable and perfect. Those flaws just made her humanity more evident. My mother was and now is an angel who taught me to fly and dream.

Clairant Marketing

We are also thankful to Mr.. Oman Patella 0 for his help and valuable Insights Into Strategic Management at Claimant Pakistan Limited. Mr.. Patella, a very dedicated individual, is a competent and proactive professional at analyzing the implications of Claimant's competitive strategic framework on each of the business' operations. He provided us with every detail about Clangors corporate strategic activities and how they are aligned with the core competencies of the company.Without his time and help, it would have been impossible for us to prepare this report. Sincerely, Amber Alicia Ham Named Virus Mason Razz Mohammad Moms Useful Gaga students of ABA (HON.) Institute of Business Management, Karachi. Letter of Transmittal Mr.. Abdul Qatar Mollie Institute of Business Management Koran Creek Karachi – 75190 Pakistan Date: 18th April, 2013 Dear Mr.. Mollie: Management in Claritin Pakistan Limited† as authorized by you.The purpose of this report is to examine how Claritin Pa kistan Limited manages its strategic activities at the corporate as well as the business level. The project report is a comprehensive outline of Claimant's strategic mission, the competitive strategies it has developed to enhance its core competencies, the macro-economic analysis that it conducts for scanning the various environmental threats/pressures, the strengths and opportunities it effectively utilizes and the weaknesses and threats it counter- balances.The group members were immensely excited to work on this project since in a few months' time we will all be part of the work force and will be concerned with these strategic tasks employed in the organization at the basic level of an individual employee. With much effort and diligence all the work was divided equally amongst us. We prepared a questionnaire which contained a list of questions regarding Strategic analysis, development and execution. We then met a representative of Claritin Pakistan Limited, Mr.. Oman Patella 0 wh o responded to our list of questions diligently.Later different parts of the report were asked to be written by each group member. While working on this report we observed the amount of energy, thought process and effort that goes behind into making an organization strategically competitive in its industry We are grateful to you for teaching us the important aspects of Strategic Management, for helping us whenever we needed your assistance and believing in us to complete this report in the best possible manner by fulfilling our capabilities. Contents 1 Objective To conduct Claimant's organizational analysis in the light of the chemical industry.To achieve this objective a broad environmental analysis needs to be conducted in order to recognize the external opportunities and threats along with internal strengths and weaknesses. This would allow us to improvise their existing strategies and suggest recommendations. 2 Industry Definition At present there are nearly 30 Chemical companie s having the total paid-up Capital of RSI. L . 7 billion. Most of them have shown remarkable progress in their sales in the recent years such as Fuji Fertilizer, Icily Pakistan, Negro Chemical, Atwood Hercules,Claritin Pakistan, Sitars Chemical Colgate Palmolive, Berger Paints, BOCA Pakistan, Sins Alkalis, Dyne Pakistan, are considered as market leaders in the field of Chemical Industry in Pakistan. The rapid industrialization resulting in the large increase in chemical consuming products has enlarged the demand of all types of chemicals in the country. Chemical Industry in Pakistan has gradually developed to its present stage and has played a vital part in the development of the country and will continue to do so in future with more foreign investment.The Chemical Industry produces a arioso range of products such as polyester fiber, sodium carbonate, PVC, Soda Ash, PTA, Pharmaceutical, Paints, Fertilizer, Insecticides, Petrol-Chemical and other Chemicals. Chemical industry in Pakis tan is widespread. The chemical imports constitute about 17% of the total import bill. Pakistan has made considerable progress in basic inorganic chemicals like Soda Ash, Caustic Soda, Sulfuric Acid and Chlorine and has acquired sufficient production capacity of these chemicals to cater for the needs of the local industry, while surplus is being exported. 2 Even then there are some challenges to be countered. The chemical industry of Pakistan is lagging behind due to some challenges. The main challenge is that it has to rely on its imports and foreign materials. It does not benefit the economy and results in production of expensive products. Secondly lack of industrial infrastructure and technology in Pakistan results in low quality products which do not mark the standard. Moreover the discriminatory approach of international community does not integrate the Pakistan market into the international economy and Pakistani products are not given access to the international market.Moreove r the lack of resources and weak trade policies of the ministries also result in the weakening of chemical industry. In order to enhance the chemical industry Pakistan must adopt the policy of â€Å"self-reliance†. Instead of relying on foreign designs and engineering it must improve its own production and ensure high quality of chemical products. Pakistan must work towards integrated approach. It must bring four worlds of a society together which are traders, universities, research and development and production partners.This will bring innovation and must utilize its youth which has rest minds and great ideas to enhance the chemical industry resulting in qualitative and quantitative perfection in the chemical products. Pakistan is capable of producing high technological products all it needs is a little bit of effort in improvement of administrative capabilities and induction of new technology and support from government to put things in order. 3 Company Background and Info rmation 3. History Claritin was formed in 1995 as a spin off from the chemical company Sanded, which was itself established in Basel in 1886. Through their direct lineage, Claritin have massed knowledge and experience of chemistry and industry spanning approximately 150 years. Claritin expanded through the incorporation of the specialty chemicals business of Hooch's (Germany) in 1997, and the acquisitions of BIT Pl (I-J) in 2000 and Saba's Master batches division in 2006.In 2008, it acquired the leading U. S. Colorado suppliers Rite Systems and Ricoh Colors. The latest acquisition, the highly-innovative specialty chemicals company SÃ'Ëœd-Chemic (Germany), was completed on 21 April 2011. Additives Catalysis & Energy Emulsions, Detergents & Intermediates Functional Materials Industrial & Consumer Specialties Leather Services Masturbates Oil & Mining Services of specialty chemicals and application solutions for consumer care and industrial markets.Textile dyes include disperse, reactiv e, direct, acid and sulfur dyes. The textile business encompasses special chemicals for pretreatment, dyeing, printing and finishing of textile. Optical brightener and chemicals for special treatment are also the part of the range. Moreover, textile region also include water based application of the emulsion for the paint and the construction industry. Paper business supplies paper dyes, optical brightener and process and pulping chemicals.Leather region produces chemicals for finishing and complete range of wet-end chemicals. The Consumer Care segment includes the Personal Care business which, among others, develops and produces specialty ingredients for skin and hair care, wet wipes and selected pharmaceutical applications. They supply all relevant information and advice for safer use, handling, labeling, storage, and disposal of our products as a part of Claimant's commitment to sustainability and product stewardship to best meet customer needs.Industrial & Home Care business hel ps customers gain a competitive advantage with its product range for household cleaning fluids, disinfectants, industrial and hospital cleaning solutions Claritin, as a world leader in the field of specialty chemicals, is fully committed to sustainable operation and development in all business activities. It develops and offer products and applications that allow for use of the product during its whole life cycle helping to avoid risk to employees, customers, the public and environment.Claritin has signed the Global Responsible Care Charter as our commitment to Sustainability. It is the chemical industry voluntary initiative to continuously improve health, safety and environmental performance, and to communicate with all stakeholders through the supply chain. This enables Claritin to make a strong contribution to Sustainable Development through the Responsible [email  protected] ethic and the Global Product Strategy targets which promote the safer use of chemical products and enha nce product stewardship throughout the whole supply chain.Their comprehensive product stewardship approach includes cooperation and partnership with Claimant's suppliers Claritin is aware that the energy issue is one of he key challenges of today's and future society and industry. Claritin highlights energy efficiency and savings as the most cost-effective and fastest way to reduce CO and other emissions and increase security of supply. 3. 3 Mission Statement Our mission clearly expresses what is important to us and what we stand for – as a brand and as a company. We build leading positions in the businesses we are active in and we adopt functional excellence as part of our culture.We create value through appreciating the needs of: our customers – by providing competitive and innovative our environment our shareholders by acting sustainable – by achieving above-average returns 4 Porters Five Forces 4. 1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers The bargaining power of suppl iers is low. Claritin is a chemical manufacturing firm; they make chemicals used in different sectors like textiles, oil & gas, mining, dyeing etc. Claritin does not have a particular supplier for its raw materials; the Company buys raw material from different suppliers.The planning department is responsible for planning of the units of raw material to be purchased based on the market forecast. The procurement then takes prices from approved suppliers and then laces an order to the supplier who gives the lowest deal on the purchase. The bargaining power of suppliers is low as there are many suppliers in the market and they cannot charge a high price otherwise they would lose business to their competitors. Yes (+) moderate No (-) 1 . My inputs (materials, labor, supplies, services, etc. Are standard rather than unique or differentiated. 2. I can switch between suppliers quickly and cheaply. 3. My suppliers would find it difficult to enter my business or my customers would find it dif ficult to perform my function in-house. 4. I can substitute inputs readily. 5. I have many potential suppliers. 7. My cost of purchases has no significant influence on my overall costs 4. 2 Bargaining Power of Buyers The bargaining power of buyers is high in the chemicals industry as the buyers have many choices from where they can purchase their products from.Claimant's consumer markets include automobiles, candles, cosmetics, detergents, latex, stationery, as well as finishers for aluminum and leather. Claimant's buyers are aware of the need for information and Claritin helps its customers through the technical service centre. But this does not undermine the fact that other local chemical industries are also major players in the market so similar products are available, and buyers do not really incur a switching cost when changing where to purchase from. To what extent are your customers locked into you?No effect 1) Are there a large number of buyers relative to the number of firm s in the business? 2) Do you have a large number of customers, each with relatively small purchases? 3) Does the customer face any significant costs in switching suppliers? 4) Does the buyer need a lot of important information? 5) Is the buyer aware of the need for additional information? 7) Your customers are not highly sensitive to price. ) Your product is unique to some degree or has accepted branding? 9) Your customer's businesses are profitable. 0) You provide incentives to the decision makers. 4. 3 Rivalry among the Competitors Threat of competitors is high. 1 . The industry is growing rapidly. (Not so rapidly due to Energy constraints) 2. The industry is not cyclical with intermittent overcapacity. 3. The fixed costs of the business are relatively low portion of total costs. 5. The competitors are diversified rather than specialized. 6. It would not be hard to get out of this business because there are no specialized kills and facilities or long-term contract commitments etc. 7.My customers would incur significant costs in switching to a competitor. 8. My product is complex and requires a detailed understanding on the part of my customer. 9. My competitors are all of approximately the same size as I am. 4. 4 Threats of Substitutes Threat of substitutes is high. 1 . Substitutes have performance limitations that do not completely offset their lowest price. Or, their performance is not Justified by their higher price. 2. The customer will incur costs in switching to a substitute. 4. Your customer is not likely to substitute. . 5 Threats of New Entrants The threats of new entrants are high. 1 . Do large firms have a cost or performance advantage in your segment of the industry? 2. Are there any proprietary product differences in your industry? 3. Are there any established brand identities in your industry? 4. Do your customers incur any significant costs in switching suppliers? 5. Is a lot of capital needed to enter your industry? 6. Is serviceable used equ ipment expensive? 7. Does the newcomer to your industry face difficulty in accessing distribution channels?