Personal Environmental History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Personal Environmental History - Essay Example ‘The great outdoors’ was definitely not a part of my world. It was only when I went to High School that I began to be aware that our way of life and our economy was all part of larger world picture, which has its effect on the earth. My friendship with an Indian student was the main cause of my ‘wake-up’ call. His stories of life back home, including accounts of his trips to forest reserves and his photographs of lush paddy fields in the villages, made me realize that the same earth, with many different faces, is shared by all mankind. He told me how lucky I was to have unlimited power and water, when many parts of his country were plagued by chronic power shortage and lack of water. This made me do some reading and I realized that Qatar has the highest per-capita carbon-dioxide emissions in the world, and our economic prosperity has a cost in terms of environment. My move to the USA has further strengthened my environmental consciousness. The beauty of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado has made me fall in love with the earth! I am now more conscious of the beauty of our sand dunes back home. I must confess that Americans are closer to nature than my countrymen. Being an avid soccer fan, my hobbies have not taken me close to the earth. Here, I find that fishing and trekking are very much a part of weekend life. The care taken of the National Parks makes me envy the close relationship many people have with the earth. I continue to be proud of Qatar’s place in the world economy. However, I am now conscious that it is possible to maintain this place without harming the earth. Oil is an essential resource to sustain human activity. But this can be produced in ecologically friendly ways. I am aware that energy has a price, and to exceed these limits will do irreparable harm to the earth. I intend to be involved in any efforts of my country to conserve the environment, and am

Answer for exam question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Answer for exam question - Essay Example African culture characteristics Edoho (2001) asserts that the African culture is almost opposite to that of America. In his comparison between the two cultures, Edoho found that the Africa culture exhibits the following characteristics; High power distance, Collectivism, Moderately feminine and Moderate to low uncertainty avoidance. According to Edoho, America has an individualism culture, low power distance, masculine and low uncertainty avoidance. Individualism refers to a cultural state of affairs where individuals’ ties between individuals are loose. Although the extent of collectivism varies within countries, Africa countries are generally collectivist in nature. With regards to masculinity v femininity, African countries are moderately feminine. Uncertainty avoidance is the degree to which members of a culture feel threatened by uncertain circumstances. African culture is generally low on uncertainty avoidance. African culture is characterized by high power distance. The high power distance also gives rise to high social inequality, where subordinates highly depend on managers (French, 2010). A person’s standing in the society depends on the age and social status. In addition, hierarchies, formality and titles are highly regarded in African culture. Africans place value on personal connections, trust, friendship and personal relationships. In addition to valuing relationships, Africans value groups such as clans and ethnic group rather than an individual. This results in the prominence of working for the benefit of the whole instead of an individual. Tradition and honor are highly regarded and the culture endeavors to safeguard the loss of honor. In terms of male domination, African societies are male dominated, although most Africans tend to be modest. While dealing with uncertainty, the African culture stresses on harmony rather than conflict. Africans resort to harmony as they do not feel threatened by unknown circumstances. Africans have a more flexible and relaxed attitude towards time. This flexibility of time in the African culture is unofficially referred to as the â€Å"African time†. Finally, the African culture is characterized by high content where decisions depend on the external environment, circumstances and non-verbal signs. Conclusion In conclusion, the African nature exhibits most of the attributes put forward by Hofstede. Among the most prominent features in the African culture are high power distance, low uncertainty avoidance, collectivism and moderate femininity. High distance in African countries considers inequality as essential and that everyone has a place. Organizational values in African countries hold that most people should be dependent on the leader. People holding social positions are perceived as privileged and people work towards protecting their titles and prestige. As such, only related relationships are accepted in organization as subordinates consider themselves as different from their bosses. Q 1 B: how understanding cultural theories can help international managers to decide on the most suitable management style. Introduction The management of human resources is collective with regard to policies, processes and strategies. Managing and developing human resources in an international setting is increasingly acknowledged as a central challenge, especially for

Perception of Organized Crime Essay Example for Free

Perception of Organized Crime Essay Organized crime has been defined as illegal acts committed by a criminal organization or group. The NCIS (2005) described organized crime as having 4 salient attributes: (1) organized crime group contains at least three people; (2) the criminal activity the group engages in is ongoing and indefinite in duration; (3) the group is motivated by a desire for profit or power; and, (4) the group commits serious criminal offenses (Lynman Potter, 2007). There are different categories of organized criminal behavior. They include the provision of illicit services, provision of illicit goods, conspiracy to commit crime, penetration of legitimate business, extortion, and corruption. Illicit services are services that legitimate business do not provide. These services include but are not limited to gambling that is illegal, protection rackets, loan sharking, and prostitution. Illicit goods are also not available not available from legitimate businesses. Illegal drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and heroin are examples of illicit goods. Unregistered guns and stolen property are also examples of illicit goods. Conspiracy is an agreement between two or more people to violate the law. Conspiracy is a vital category of organized criminal behavior. Organized crime members often work together for the purpose of making money. They work together to sell drugs, stolen property, loan sharking, gambling, prostitution and other illegal activities they have going on within their organization. Organized crime organizations have no legal way to spend their profits so they must hide their revenue. They do this by penetrating legal businesses. Many of these crime organizations have businesses such as construction and contractors. Extortion is another category of organized crime. Many organized crime organizations use extortion to infiltrate legitimate businesses. Extortion is the use or threatened use of violence or force to achieve a criminal end (Lynman Potter, 2007). Corruption is also a category of organized crime. Many of these organized crime groups could not  flourish if it wasnt for for the aid of pubic and private figures such as police officers, judges, prosecutors, mayors, bankers, attorneys, and elected and appointed officials. Organized crime groups have different hierarchies. There is the standard hierarchy in which there is a single organized crime group which is led by a single powerful individual. These organizations have clearly defined roles, a readily identified chain of command, and a hierarchy that is designed to provide a strong system of internal discipline. Then there is the regional hierarchy. These hierarchies are tightly controlled groups with strong systems of internal discipline and clearly defined roles and lines of authority. Next theres the clustered hierarchy. This is an organized crime group that involves a number of smaller organized crime groups that coordinate their activities and enterprises. There is also a core group. This is an unstructured group of organized criminal surrounded by a larger network of individuals engaged in serious criminal activity. Finally, theres the criminal network. Criminal networks are loosely organized, highly adaptable, very fluid of networks of individual participants who organize themselves around ongoing criminal enterprise (Lynman Potter, 2007). The perception I had of organized crime is different from what I read in week one. Before this week, I always associated the Mob or the Mafia with organized crime. I think this comes from the movies and television shows that I have watched. I described organized crime as a group of people working for a â€Å"boss† to break the law. I thought that there was one head and people reported to him. I did not know that there were different categories of organized crime. I always associated drug trafficking and murder for hire as organized crimes. The readings have helped me to understand what organized crime really is and who is or can be involved. Before now, I would have never associated corruption or extortion with organized crime. I ultimately believed that this was something that was made up for movies and TV shows such as The Godfather, Scarface, The Sopranos, and The Wire. Before watching The Wire, I only associated Italians with organized crime. The characteristics I believe are associated  with organized criminal behavior varies. First, all members of the organization are expected to live by a certain set of rules or a code. They should protect the organization and do what is asked of them by the leaders. I thought the characteristics of organized criminal behavior were similar to that of a gang. The people involved in organized crime may not wear a certain color or live in a certain area but they have the same goal in mind. Protect the group by any means necessary. They have to be loyal to the group, do what they are told by someone else, and do what it takes to make money or a profit for the group. After this first week of class my views on organized crime has changed drastically. I now have a better understanding of what organized crime is and a more knowledge on organized criminal groups. I can let go of all of the stereotypes I may have had and now understand that organized criminal organizations have one goal in mind, make a profit for the organization no matter if it is financial or political. References Lyman, M., Potter, G. (2007). Understanding Organized Crime. Organized Crime (Fourth ed., pp. 1-38). New York: Pearson Education.

Energy Efficiency: Directives and Legislation

Energy Efficiency: Directives and Legislation 2.1 Introduction The debate is ongoing, but there is now overwhelming scientific evidence that mans activities are causing significant climate change. Climate change has the potential to affect all aspects of life on earth and will have major detrimental social, economic and environmental impacts. The best response to these challenging issues is to change. Change the way we think. Change the way we act. (Get source) 2.2 Background to Directives for Climate Change The International climate change agenda containing the Directives and Legislation that drives for energy efficiency began in 1992 with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The objectives of the UNFCCC were to: stabilise the atmospheric greenhouse gases at a level that would prevent dangerous interference with the climatic system, to be achieved in a time frame to ensure food production is not threatened and to enable economic development proceeds in a sustainable manner. The UNFCCC is the parent treaty of the Kyoto Protocol (1997) which was developed to implement the UNFCCC effectively and properly. (www.euroace.org/reports) Irelands relation to the Kyoto Protocol is outlined in the subsequent sub-chapter. In December 2007, the latest climate change conference took place in Bali, Indonesia and it included representatives of over 180 countries. The two week period included the sessions of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC, as well as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol. The ‘Bali Roadmap was adopted from the conference which charts the course for a new negotiating process to be concluded by 2009 that will lead to a post 2012 international agreement on climate change. The next meeting of the parties to the climate change convention is scheduled to take place on December 2008 in Poland. After the Kyoto Protocol was established, Europe needed to take action to succeed in cutting its greenhouse gas emissions to 8% below 1990 levels by 2008-2012, as required by the Kyoto Protocol. This action was taken by launching the European Climate Change Programme (ECCP) in June 2000 which was then ratified in October 2005. The main goal of the ECCP was to develop all of the necessary elements of an EU strategy to implement the Kyoto Protocol. From this European Climate Change Programme, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD 2003) was developed. This is explained in chapter 2.4 of this text. (www.euroace.org/reports) In order for Ireland to meet its Kyoto target of limiting the increase of greenhouse gas emissions to 13% above 1990 levels by 2008-2012, a National Climate Change Strategy was implemented. 2.3 Ireland and the Kyoto Protocol The Kyoto Protocol was adopted to tackle the threat of climate change. It contains legally binding greenhouse gas emission targets for developed countries for the post 2000 period. The Protocol promises to move the international community one step closer to achieving the Conventions (UNFCCC) ultimate objective of preventing man-made interference with the climate system. As a first step towards tackling the threat of climate change, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) required developed countries to put in place policies and measures with objectives of returning emissions of greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by the end of the decade. However, in recognition of the need to take more substantial and urgent action, industrialised or developed countries committed to reduce their combined emissions of greenhouse gases by at least 5% compared to 1990 levels by the first commitment period 2008-2012. The protocol came into force on 16 February 2005. As of November 2007, 174 parties have ratified the protocol. Of these, 36 developed countries are required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the levels specified for each of them in the treaty. The EU has an overall reduction target of 8% below 1990 levels and has agreed a burden sharing agreement that recognises the different economic circumstances of each member state.   Irelands target is to limit the increase in its greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto Protocol to 13% above 1990 levels by 2008-2012. To date Ireland has struggled to get on target and at this stage looks unlikely to meet the 13% figure. With the help of the National Climate Change Strategy and the Protocol flexible mechanisms, this target may yet be achieved. The National Climate Change Strategy 2007- 2012 provides the national policy framework for addressing greenhouse gas emission reductions and ensuring that Ireland meets its target for the purpose of the Kyoto Protocol. Ireland may achieve their individual targets through domestic actions and use of flexible mechanisms provided for in the Protocol. The Government has decided that it will use the Kyoto Protocol flexible mechanisms to purchase up to 3.607 million Kyoto Units in each year of the 2008-2012 period. (www.environ.ie) 2.3.1 Kyoto Protocol Flexible Mechanisms / Emissions Trading An important part of the Kyoto Protocol was the introduction of three flexible mechanisms to reduce the costs of achieving emission reductions for the member states with emission reduction or limitation targets. The mechanisms enable Parties to purchase Kyoto Units from other Parties or to invest in cost-effective opportunities to reduce emissions. While the cost of reducing emissions varies considerably between projects and between countries, the effect for the atmosphere of limiting emissions is the same no matter where the action occurs. The three mechanisms are outlined below: Joint Implementation (JI) This is provided for under Article 6 of the Protocol, and enables Parties with reduction commitments to implement projects that reduce emissions in other member states with reduction commitments, in return for credits. The tradable unit under the JI mechanism is an Emissions Reductions Unit (ERU). Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) This is provided for under Article 12 of the protocol and enables Parties with targets to participate in projects that reduce emissions in those Parties that do not have targets under the protocol. This mechanism is aimed at developing countries. Credits generated using the CDM mechanism can be used by the investing Party for compliance purposes. The tradable unit under the CDM mechanism is a Certified Emissions Reduction (CER). International Emissions Trading This is provided under Article 17 of the Kyoto Protocol and enables Parties or member states that have a greenhouse gas emissions limitation or reduction target under the Protocol to acquire Kyoto Units from those Parties that have reduced their emissions beyond their target under the Protocol. The tradable unit under emissions trading is an Assigned Amount Unit (AAU). The National Treasury Management Agency is the designated purchasing agent for Ireland and will administer and manage purchases of Kyoto Units on behalf of the Government. A dedicated Carbon Fund has been established for this purpose. All purchases will be made in accordance with the following objectives: That they contribute to the ultimate objective of the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change That risk is minimised, particularly in relation to the timely delivery of credits That they represent good value for money The National Treasury Management Agency will use the following mechanisms to purchase Kyoto Units: Direct purchase of Kyoto Units from other Kyoto Protocol member states Direct investment in joint implementation and clean development project activities Direct market purchases of Kyoto Units Any surplus Kyoto Units held by the State at the end of the 2008-2012 commitment period can be banked and used in a subsequent commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol or any successor treaty. (National Climate Change Strategy 2007-2012, Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government) Below is a graph illustrating the total greenhouse gas emissions for all sectors of all the member states up to 2005. As we can see, Ireland is somewhat off reaching its Kyoto target. 2.4 The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) 2.4.1 Introduction â€Å"Energy performance demands in the building sector within the EU range from rather demanding energy regulations and already established energy certification schemes in countries like Denmark and Germany, to the situation in countries like France and Spain with low regulation demands and without certification processes established at national level† (Casal, 2006). EU legislation and policies, implemented through the Energy Performance of Building Directive (EPBD), aim to provide a more uniform approach to implementing building energy saving measures and reaching Co2 emission goals. Each member state is required to translate and implement the policies and guidelines within the context of its legal and economic framework. The EPBD was enacted by the European Union in line with the Kyoto Protocol to: reduce European building energy consumption by 10 per cent by 2010 and 20 per cent by 2020; complete energy ratings of 2 million existing buildings by 2010; and cut Co2 emissions by 45 million tonnes by 2010 (Casal, 2006). The directive is the first move to target buildings specifically to reduce emissions and overall energy consumption in the construction sector. 2.4.2 Overview of the EPBD The EPBD is a legislative act of the European Union which requires member states to achieve particular results with respect to the energy performance of buildings. The directive 2002/91/EC (EPBD, 2003) of the European Parliament and Council on energy efficiency of buildings was adopted by member states and the European Parliament on 16th December 2002 and came into force on 4th January 2003. This directive is a very important legislative component of energy efficiency activities of the European Union designed to meet the Kyoto commitment. The directive concerns a large number of participants on all levels with different impacts and different motivations: designers, housing associations, architects, providers of building appliances, installation companies, building experts, owners, and tenants effectively all energy consumers in the European Union. It will greatly affect awareness of energy use in buildings, and is intended to lead to substantial increases in investments in energy efficiency measures within these buildings. The EPBD has created a great challenge for the transformation of the European building sector towards energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy resources. The 4th of January 2006 was the official deadline by which the 25 member states had to transpose the directive. 2.4.3 Objectives and Requirements of EPBD The objective of the EPBD is to improve the energy performance of buildings within the community, taking into account outdoor climate conditions as well as indoor climate requirements and cost effectiveness. The directive lays down requirements regarding: The framework for a methodology of calculation of the integrated energy performance of buildings The application of minimum requirements on the energy performance of new buildings The application of minimum requirements on the energy performance of large existing buildings that are subject to major renovation The energy performance certification of buildings The regular inspection of boilers, an assessment of the heating installation in which the boilers are more than 15 years old and an inspection of air conditioning systems in buildings The requirements for experts and inspectors for the certification of buildings, the drafting of the accompanying recommendations and the inspection of boilers and air conditioning systems. The requirements of each member state are set out in the EPBD under different articles. (EPBD, 2002) 2.4.4 Summary of Articles 2.4.4.1 Adoption of a methodology Each member state is required to have a method of calculating the energy performance of buildings. This calculation method can be set at a national or a regional level. This is an extract of the directive on article 3: ‘Member States shall apply a methodology, at national or regional level, of calculation of the energy performance of buildings on the basis of the general framework set out in the Annex. Parts 1 and 2 of this framework shall be adapted to technical progress in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 14(2), taking into account standards or norms applied in member state legislation. This methodology shall be set at national or regional level. The energy performance of a building shall be expressed in a transparent manner and may include a CO2 emission indicator (EPBD, 2002) 2.4.4.2 Setting of energy performance requirements These minimum requirements shall be reviewed every five years. Some categories of buildings may be exempted from the requirements. These include: Protected buildings and monuments Buildings used as places of worship Temporary buildings Residential buildings intended to be used for less than 4 months of the year Stand alone buildings with a total useful floor area of less than 50m ² 2.4.4.3 Setting of energy performance requirements for new buildings Each member state will set minimum energy performance requirements for new buildings. For large new buildings with a floor area of over 1000m ² member states should consider alternative energy systems before construction starts. These include: Decentralised energy supply systems based on renewable energy CHP (combined heat and power) District or block heating or cooling, if available Heat pumps, under certain conditions The consideration of the alternative energy systems should take technical, environmental and economic feasibility into account. 2.4.4.4 Setting of energy performance requirements for existing buildings Each member state will ensure that when buildings over 1000m ² undergo major renovation that their energy performance is upgraded to meet minimum requirements. The minimum standards may be applied to the whole building or limited to the renovated part. 2.4.4.5 Energy performance certificate Each member state must ensure that when a building is constructed that an energy performance certificate is made available to the owner. When a building is sold or rented out an energy performance certificate must be made available to the prospective buyer or tenant. The certificate is valid for 10 years. For buildings over 1000m ² occupied by public authorities, an energy certificate must be placed in a prominent place clearly visible to the public. 2.4.4.6 Independent experts Member States shall ensure that the certificate of buildings, the drafting of the accompanying recommendations and the inspection of boilers and air-conditioning systems are carried out in an independent manner by qualified or accredited experts, whether operating as sole traders or employed by public or private enterprise bodies. (EPBD, 2002) Implementing EPBD in Ireland 2.5.1 Building Control Act 2007 The Building Control Act provides for the legal transposition of the EUs Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) into Irish law. This will lead to energy efficiency becoming an important aspect of design concern for all buildings, both residential and non-residential. It is essential that the general public and companies involved in the industry understand the impact of the directive on residential and commercial property in Ireland. The Act requires that there will have to be mandatory building energy rating (BER) certificates for some buildings. This means that when a building is constructed, sold or rented out, the owner must provide a BER certificate to the prospective buyer or tenant. The BER will be accompanied by an advisory report setting out recommendations for cost-effective improvements to the energy performance of the building. This is further explained in chapter 3. ‘‘The successful implementation of the directive will require that systems are in place to guarantee the day-to-day delivery of assessment and inspection services by qualified people in a way that is consistent, practical and cost efficient, and with acceptable response times that maintain levels of service in the construction and property markets. (www.lkshields.ie/htmdocs/publications/newsletters) www.sei.ie www.epbd.ie http://www.euroace.org/reports/CIBSE_EUBD.pdf Casal, X.G. (2006), ‘‘Analysis of building energy regulation and certification in Europe: their role, limitations and differences, Energy and Buildings, Vol. 38 No.5, pp.381-92 Energy Performance of Buildings Directive 2002

Life in Colors :: essays research papers

How do colors depict lifestyles? I use colors in every part of life. Color is described as a property that surfaces have when light falls on them and is reflected or absorbed. Colors are the basic way that I describe my life. The colors blue, silver, and gold represent a favorite color, an event and or extracurricular activity, and the future that will be committed to after high school. The color blue which represents the time from when I came into this world up to the years before high school. The color blue started the first day of kindergarten when the teacher said lets go over our colors. As she went through them and then said, â€Å"Well, let’s use your favorite color from the one’s we have just gone over.† Of course, the color that went in my hand was the color blue. A few years down the road when I started to pick out clothes, the color blue was in every item that I bought. And to this day the color blue has been my color of choice as long as I can remember. It will always be that color blue that will be in my fancy wardrobe as long as I live. Silver as a dime, nickel, or quarter is the color that makes up the high school years since starting in the ninth grade. Silver is the color of the star on the uniform for the brigade which I serve proudly. The color silver did not become appealing to me until that night when we (the band) were in Statesboro, Georgia, at the first competition, and we (the band) marched out on the field for our performance and the crowd went crazy. That night when the awards were announced and we came in second out of twenty-two bands, that color silver was the most awesome color ever. Then, we came home and the next weekend we went to Palatka, Florida, and did the same placement. The next year came around, same results. Then it was my junior year and a moment that will never be forgotten. We left on Saturday morning around 9:00 am for Inverness, Florida, and performed the preliminary show at 1:15 pm. The scores came in and that color silver became even more meaningful: we were in first place. That ni ght around 9:30 pm, we entered the field for finals competition. We finished the show, the hats of the directors came off their heads, and the crowd went wild.

Types Of Diabetes Essay -- Health, illnesses

Our modern life is full of illnesses and diseases. Each disorder has its main causes, its effects on our body, and its own treatment. Most of these illnesses have been in our world for a long time. However, our life styles with its inorganic food, stress, and bad habits have assisted these diseases to develop and to spread faster than before. One of these diseases is Diabetes. Diabetes can be defined as a metabolic disease in which the body's inability to produce any or enough insulin causes elevated levels of glucose in the blood. It can lead to a lot of other sickness such as heart diseases, high blood pressure, and blindness. Even though most of these illnesses happen after having diabetes for a long time, the change in glucose levels in the body can cause a coma, or even death (American Diabetes Association). There are 25.8 million children, and adults in the United States living with diabetes, which represent 8.3 percent of the population, according to the American Diabetes Ass ociation. Diabetes has many types. However, we can divide them into a number of different categories: Diabetes type 1, Diabetes type 2, Gestational diabetes, and other types of diabetes. These three types have similar symptoms such as frequent urination, losing weight, and vision changes (Judd). However, each type differs from the other by the kind of people it Infects, the factors that cause it, and the way it can be treated. Type 1 is also known as Insulin-dependent Diabetes. It happens when the pancreas releases less amount of insulin than the proper amount, which causes changes the rate of sugars in the blood. The pancreas’ ability of giving insulin keeps on decreasing until it stops. At that point, people who have this type of diabetes can onl... ...ations, and Insulin : Along with Facts about the Most Common Complications of Diabetes and Their Prevention, Current Research in Diabetes Care, Tips for People following a Diabetic Diet ... 5th ed. Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics, 2011. Print. Metzger, Boyd E., Donna Kotulak, and Pam Brick. Guide to Living with Diabetes: Preventing and Treating Type 2 Diabetes : Essential Information You and Your Family Need to Know. Hoboken NJ: Wiley, 2006. Print. Monterrosa-Castro, A., et al. "Type II Diabetes Mellitus And Menopause: A Multinational Study." Climacteric 16.6 (2013): 663-672. Academic Search Complete. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. Shin Y., Kim, et al. "Fraction Of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Attributable To Overweight And Obesity By Race/Ethnicity, California, 2007-2009." American Journal Of Public Health 103.10 (2013): e65-e72. Academic Search Complete. Web. 13 Nov. 2013

Political Institutions Essay

Political institutions have been around since nearly all human societies were organized tribally. Over time they have developed into various organizational features and eventually taken the shape they do today. They have proven to be fundamental in virtually all societies worldwide and by being so omnipresent we often take these institutions for granted and do not realize how vital they are for our society. Moreover, because they are so important and play such a big part in our society, there is a major purpose to compare them between time and place. Therefore, this paper will first elaborate on explanations for political institutions and through that process come up with a working definition. Furthermore, it will explain why political institutions play such a major role in our society, and lastly it will argue for why we should compare these institutions. There are countless definitions of political institutions making the term somewhat vague (Klingemann & Goodin, 1996; Peters & Pierre, 1998). It refers not only to formal political organizations such as political parties and parliament, but also to informal constraints such as customs, ideals, guidelines and actions (Peters & Pierre, 1998; North 1990). In addition, Wiens (2012) emphasizes that these formal and informal rules establish and stabilize roles. Moreover, although there is no consensus amongst theorists of what makes an institution political (Garret & Lange, 1995), Max Weber (cited in Gerth & Mills, 1946) and Moe (2005) argue that an institution is political if it influences the distribution of power. As a result, for the purpose of this essay I will combine these scholars’ explanations to create a working definition. Political institutions are sets of formal and informal rules that influence the distribution of power, create roles and by combinations of standards, ethics, instructions and procedures stabilize interaction for occupants of those roles (Wiens, 2012; Peters & Pierre, 1998; North, 1990; Gerth & Mills, 1946; Hall, 1986). Thus for being so ubiquitous, political institutions have profound ramifications for politics and for society at large. Political institutions have been developed by human beings throughout history to generate order and diminish insecurity (North, 1991) One of the main explanations to why they create order is because by influencing the way entities interact in politics, these political institutions significantly affect the potentials for individuals and groups to resolve collective problems and identify shared interest (Weir, 1992; Moe, 2005; Johnson, 2001). One apparent example is how parties create political alliances and in some cases governmental coalitions. Therefore, political institutions are vital as they stabilize and structure interactions (Hall 1986; Przeworski, 2004), and by being forces of stability also offer predictability (Hague & Harrop, 2010). Furthermore, Moe (2005) claims that political institutions essentially exist and are significant because they make people better off. Whereas North (1981; 1990) and Minier (2001) do not fully share this opinion and rather contend that in order to benefit everyone in society and also for the economy to grow rulers have to adopt the correct political institutions. Thus, in order to find what the â€Å"correct† political institutions might be, there is an intrinsic motivation to compare these between time and place. To be able to comprehend the bigger picture of political power it is crucial to understand how political institutions work and in order to develop deeper knowledge about those it is vital to compare them (Beck et al, 2001). Moreover, without comparing there is not much to acquire from a mere description (Pennings, Keman & Kleinnijenhuis, 2005). In other words, returning back to North’s argument, one can hardly know which political institutions that are â€Å"correct† in bringing benefits to everyone by merely observing just one institution. Therefore, a vital reason to compare is to look for useful ideas and to see which political institutions might be good and bad at achieving specific political goals and see if these various institutions can survive in different political settings (Przeworski, 2004; Nikandrov, 1989). In addition, by seeing similarity in difference and difference in similarity and linking ideas and theory to evidence we can gain greater insight and be more aware of alternatives (Friedman, 2011). However, some scholars point to the dangers of comparison (see Faure, 1994; Radhakrishnan, 2009) and it is important to acknowledge those risks. Nevertheless, as Friedman (2011) explains: â€Å"For all the problems and dangers of comparison, in the end it is worse not to compare than to compare† (p. 756). To summarize, first of all political institutions are sets of formal and informal rules that have since the early ages of man stabilized and shaped interactions and outcomes by establishing roles and affecting power relations. Secondly, political institutions are important because they structure individuals and groups to overcome self-interest and rather cooperate for mutual gain. Furthermore, they create order and by offering predictability they reduce insecurity. In addition, arguably, political institutions can benefit everyone in the society and support in economic growth. Thirdly, we should compare political institutions to learn about valuable ideas, be mindful about possibilities and to see how similar and different institutions functions in various contexts. Lastly, we should compare to get a wider and enhanced understanding of how political institutions function and thus also enables us to further comprehend the mechanics of political power. REFERENCE LIST: Beck, T. , Clarke, G. , Groff, A. , Keefer, P. , & Walsh, P. (2001). New tools in comparative political economy: The database of political institutions. World Bank Economic Review, 15(1), 165-176. Faure, A. M. (1994). Some methodological problems in comparative politics. Journal of Theoretical Politics, 6(3), 307-322. Friedman, S. S. (2011). Why not compare? Publications of the Modern Language Association of America, 126(3), 753-762. Garret, G. , & Lange, P. (1995). Internationalization, institutions, and political change. International Organization, 49(4), 627-655. Gerth, H. H. , & Mills. C. W. (1946). From Max Weber: Essays in sociology. New York, United States: Oxford University Press. Hague, R. , & Harrop, M. (2010). Comparative government and politics: An introduction (8th ed). New York, United States: Palgrave Macmillan. Hall, P. A. (1986). Governing the economy: The politics of state intervention in Britain and France. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press. Klingemann, H. , & Goodin, R. E. (1996). A new handbook of political science. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Johnson, J. (2001). Path contingency in postcommunist transformations. Comparative Politics 33(3) 253-274. Minier, J. (2001). Political institutions and economic growth. Philosophy & Technology, 13(4), 85-93. Moe, T. M. (2005). Power and political institutions. Perspectives on Politics, 3(2), 215-233. Nikandrov, N. D. (1989). Cross-national attraction in education. Comparative Education, 25(3), 275-282. North, D. C. (1981). Structure and change in economic history. New York, United States: Aldine-Atherton. North, D. C. (1990). Institutions, institutional change, and economic performance. New York, United States: Cambridge University Press. North, D. C. (1991). Institutions. 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