Privatizing the Electricity Sector

Introduction In the recent past, a number of countries have embarked on an ambitious program of privatizing the electricity sector. While some governments have sold part of their shares to the private sector, there are others who have sold all the shares to the private sector, leaving such governments with no power to control the actions taken by the new electricity company owners.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Privatizing the Electricity Sector specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are some people who perceive this as a bold move while others have a different opinion. Those who view this as a positive move argue that, most of the government owned organizations lack proper ways of carrying out their work because of the bureaucracy involved. Furthermore, most of these institutions have been perceived as havens of corruption, since most of the governments lacked the capacity to fight corruption. Liter ature review A remarkable number of scholars have had their input on this field, where a number of them seem to concur with each other while a substantial of them differ in a big way from their counterparts. This has therefore led to lack of consensus between the two camps since each perceive their arguments as the one holding water. It is important to recall that the ideas of privatizing the government utilities was a condition set out by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in the late 1980s, for any country that wished to have its loan application considered by the two bodies. These reforms were referred to as the Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) and were aimed at minimizing the government expenditure on non performing utilities. The critics of this program claims that it was structured in a way that poor countries in Africa, South America, and Asia would continue depending on the developed countries for assistance. Izaguirre (2000) claims that electricit y privatization has helped eradicate the corruption involved while seeking for electricity connection. According to Cook (2007), in the developing countries for example, it used to take months for a person to have his house connected to electricity because the corrupt officials in the main office wanted kick backs for the whole process to start. He observes that the public demanded accountability from their government and as a result measures were taken to privatize most of the government’s non performing utilities that included the electricity sector.Advertising Looking for critical writing on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The above sentiments were echoed by Vivien (2008) who asserted that privatization has enhanced service delivery to the members of the public. According to her, the private sector is geared towards making profits. As a result of this, Paul (2002) has argued that the people owning this se ctor have to put in measures that ensure that the people, who are the main customers, have their needs addressed as fast as possible. He observed that prior to privatization, other sectors owned by the governments regardless of the country suffered similar problems of slow service delivery and corruption riddled offices. Furthermore, David (2003) has observed that privatization of electricity sector has helped eradicate matters of favoritism. According to him, some governments, especially in Africa and other developing countries in the world, had the tendency of allocating national resources, including electricity, to areas they perceived as having the support from the people. According to Fereidoon (2006), such a move led to an imbalance in development because others who were seen to oppose the government were neglected and made to suffer for supporting the opposition. Therefore, according to Gerard (2008), privatization has helped the distribution of electricity in all areas of a country regardless of the peoples’ support to the government. According to Mark (2006), private companies are capitalist in nature and therefore they would do all within their disposal to make sure that they make an extra coin from their investment. In addition, Paredes (2007) has argued that privatization of the electricity sector is likely to reduce the cases of illegal connections that have been witnessed in the past, when the government was the only shareholder in the sector. According to Mert (2010), the government lacked adequate personnel to monitor how electricity was being distributed to the people and industries. He says that since the private sector is wholly owned by individuals whose motive is making profit, they will make sure that there are no illegal connections that deny them revenue by employing a good number of people to patrol certain areas such as the ghetto, where these acts are common.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Pr ivatizing the Electricity Sector specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In Europe and other developed countries like Japan and United States of America, Czamanski (1999) points out that the number of companies offering electricity is more than one, hence eradicating the idea of monotony in the business. Newbery (2001) has asserted that this has created a battle between such companies, a situation that has led to a decrease in the amount charged per kilowatt used by the people and the industries. He says that, just as is the case with mobile phone companies, the consumers are migrating to the service provider with high quality services and cheap rates as well. According to Stiglitz (2000), the idea of privatizing the public sector has increased the government revenue through the taxes levied on these companies. He points out that, due to the inefficiencies of the former officials in charge the electricity distribution, companies in many coun tries used to record losses year in year out. He claims that since the new owners are profit minded, the government collection will be on the rise. On the other hand, there other scholars as earlier stated who perceive privatization as a negative move that is by no means going to help the consumers. One of such scholars is Knight (2002), who claims that most of these private firms lack sufficient capital to boost their business. The same ideas are shared by Paredes (2003) Bernardo (2004) who point out that the amount of money required to be injected in such a project are beyond reach to most of these companies. Therefore, they argue that unless they get financial assistance from banks and other financial institutions such companies may never realize any meaningful growth in their first years of operations. As a result, Zaccour (1998) recommends that the government should continue running such institutions until when a well financed company comes along and wins the tender to manage and supply electricity on behalf of the government. According to Kilick (2004) privatization of the electricity sector can lead to the exploitation of the consumers by the electricity suppliers. He notes that since the government does not have any significant control in such a company, the management might keep on adjusting their charges upward, making the consumers the victim of privatization.Advertising Looking for critical writing on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To add on that, Jordana (2008) points out that the main objective of adjusting the tariffs on the higher side is to make the company be in a position to finance their new investments. In the long run, Scott (2006) asserts that, the rate of inflation is likely to go up because the costs of producing basic commodities in the industries will go up, making such a commodity be beyond reach of many people. The issue of job security has also been cited as the main reason why privatization should be opposed by all means. This is according to Baldwin (1999) who claims that the new owners of the company have to restructure the company so that they can reduce their expenses incurred, particularly in paying of wages. According to Bacon (2008), majority of employees in the junior positions are usually the main victims, while only a few in the management level are affected. Therefore, in his opinion, the government should have the interests of its people first before it can think of privatizing s uch companies. Critique of the work From the above discussion it is quite clear that the private sector is likely to improve the service delivery to the people. However, Fantini (2003) points out that this has not always been the case because even when the new company starts its own operation independent of the government, the people at the helm are the same who were in charge of the privatized company. Therefore, these people might carry along with them their old ways and as a result make the company be unable to fulfill its objectives of bettering its services compared to the government. This therefore calls for more research to be carried out to identify whether all privatized companies perform as expected of them by the government and the people at large. In addition, Shuttleworth (2002) has observed that privatization of the electricity sector does not always lead to improved service delivery to the people. He claims that privatization has led to many people having access to il legal connection because the company lacks the power to prohibit people from making illegal connections. According to Parker (1997), the illegal connections are in many instances conducted by the current or former employees who want to make extra money from what they are paid at the end of the month. From the above point he has noted that the government revenue might not be realized because as claimed earlier in the discussion, these electricity companies may continue making losses as their predecessor used to do. Furthermore, Cowan (2004) has pointed out that there are some governments that have been regulating the amount levied on the consumers to prevent cases of exploitation by the private companies. Therefore it would be necessary to try and analyze the various actions taken by the government after relinquishing their claims on such public utilities because the writer may have looked at a certain country and left others. The major hurdle affecting these companies is the continu ed interference from the government, even after acquiring the majority of the shares in that company. Such actions are the ones that have contributed to the slow implementation of reforms needed to revitalize the electricity sector. As a result, the company remains in a stagnant position because the government won’t let any meaningful project be undertaken without its consent, despite the fact that it is a minor shareholder. The strength and the weakness of the past scholars The scholars who have carried out this research should be credited for bringing out some of the issues that are of benefit when a government utility has been privatized as well as the short comings associated with such a move. However, the same group of scholars can be blamed for not carrying out a comprehensive research that would have eradicated the critique provided earlier. Most of these scholars seem to agree that although privatization has its own shortcomings, it is the best solution to the majorit y of the government institutions and organization because in most cases sanity is restored. That is, most of these organizations are dens of corruption but when they are privatized most of them are seen to start operating as required of them. However, the same scholars seem not to be reading from the same scripts on matters pertaining to the privatization and the exploitation of consumers. Whereas some see this move as resulting to exploitation of consumers, others see the government’s hand in it to prevent such an eventuality. Conclusion Privatization seems to provide the solution to many government projects that are non-performing. As a result, every government should try and let the private sectors run some of these utilities with close monitoring to ensure the people benefit from such a move. Reference list Bacon, C., 2008. Generating Efficiency in the Public and Private Sectors. Paris: OECD. Baldwin, R., 1999. Understanding Regulation: Theory, Strategy and Practice. Oxfo rd: Oxford University Press. Bernardo, B., 2004.The challenges of privatization: an international analysis. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Cook, P., 2007. Regulation, markets, and poverty. Massachusetts: Edward Elgar Publishing, Inc. Cowan, M., 2004. Regulatory Reforms. Cambridge: MIT Press. Czamanski, D., 1999. Privatization and restructuring of electricity provision. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group. David, P., 2003. International handbook on privatization. Massachusetts: Edward Elgar Publishing, Inc. Fantini, B., 2003. Regulation and Privatization: The Case of Electricity. Milan: FEEM. Fereidoon, P. S., 2006. Electricity market reform: an international perspective. Amsterdam: Elseiver Ltd. Gerard, R., 2008. Privatization: successes and failures. New York: Columbia University Press. Izaguirre, A. K., 2000. Private Participation in Energy. Washington, D.C: World Bank Jordana, J., 2008. The politics of Regulation: Institutions and Regulatory Reforms for the Age of Governance. Cheltnham: Edward Elgar. Kilick, P., 2004. Privatization and Utility Regulation in Developing Nations. Chichester: Wiley. Knight, F., 2002. Risk, Uncertainity and Profit. Washington: Beard Books. Mark, S., 2006. Energy Regulation in the 21st century. London: Routledge. Mert, Y. K., 2010. Privatization and Liberalization of the Electricity Sector in Turkey. Istanbul: Sabanci Center. Newbery, D., 2001. Privatization, restructuring, and regulation of network utilities. Massachusetts: MIT Press. Paredes, J., 2003. Redistributive Impact of Privatization and Regulation of Utilities in Chile. Melbourne: Australian Scholarly Publishing. Paredes, J., 2007. International experience in the Restructuring of Electricity. Melbourne: Australian Scholarly Publishing. Parker, D., 1997. The Impact of Privatization: Ownership and Corporate Performance in the UK. London: Routledge. Paul, S., 2002. Structural adjustment in the transition. Washington: World Bank. Scott, T., 2006. Impacts of energy privat ization. Philadelphia: McGraw Hill. Shuttleworth, S., 2002. Competition and Choice in Electricity. Chichester: Wiley. Stiglitz, J., 2000. Economics of the Public Sector. New York: W. W. Norton Company. Vivien, F., 2008. The impact of private sector participation in infrastructure: lights, shadows and the road ahead. Washington: World Bank. Zaccour, G., 1998. Deregulation of Electric Utilities. Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers. This critical writing on Privatizing the Electricity Sector was written and submitted by user Dangelo Ryan to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Media Synthesis Essays

Media Synthesis Essays Media Synthesis Essay Media Synthesis Essay â€Å"Shouldn’t grown men and women be trusted to judge their own dosages, just as they would decide on the number of drinks they can handle at the bar? (234). I disagree because I can see how some might react to this by saying that sometimes people don’t know their limit and can’t stop. This is 100% accurate when it comes to most things such as drugs, alcohol, and media. People might read that and think that media shouldn’t be placed into such a category, but all three of these things can start as small doses and turn into addiction within the blink of an eye. Parents who watch a lot of television as a child will most likely end up watching more and more television as they get older. If parents are not too concerned about the amount of television they are watching, it’s almost expected that they won’t be too concerned with the amount of television their children are watching. With television over flowing with violence, this will only result in children watching televisions shows that will have a negative effect on them. Parents need to order a wakeup call for themselves so they can be more productive in screening the shows their children are watching. Finding entertainment in such heinous and violent shows is disappointing yet becoming more common in today’s world. Reality Television: Oxymoron†, an article written by George F. Will, tells us how people get such enjoyment out of watching such ridiculous and tactless events. He then goes on to tell us about â€Å"That British pastime involved pitting a chained bear against a pack of dogs, who fought, and usually killed, the bear. The historian Macaulay famously said that the Puritans opp osed bearbaiting not because it gave pain to the bears but because it gave pleasure to the spectators. † (295). This example couldn’t have hit the nail on the head any better. Media is like this in today’s world. Shows like The Real World and Jersey Shore get thousands of viewers each week because America feeds off of watching the mistakes and pain of other people. With this being said, it’s so easy for anyone to just turn on the television and have this cruel and unnecessary type of entertainment right in front of them. Children can be easily influenced by these shows distinct type of behavior. They should not even have the opportunity to watch such shows, but with parents sinking into the unrealistic world of media, they need to open their eyes and be more aware of the toll these shows can take on the becoming of their children’s future. Although media is an uncontrollable part of today’s civilization, television can be controlled by the parents of the children watching it. They need to be more alert when it comes to the violence their children are experiencing when they turn on the television. Some shows out there will show kids nothing but negative cruelties and should not be parentally approved. With this being said, all you parents out there who don’t wish to raise a replica of Peter Griffin or a mini Michael Myers, get up off the couch yourselves and start monitoring the shows your children are watching.

CHINA Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

CHINA - Assignment Example 244). It is, therefore, vital to find out how China has been able to change its economic geography to become a global economic market. The emergence of China and its transformation has challenged many geographers. They are constantly seeking to find out the forces behind Chinas transformation (Williamson 54). Other questions that intrigue economic geographers are how transition and reforms shape regions and if the diverse regions of this country are getting equal benefits from this economic transition. Regional inequality is an important element in economic geography as it draws attention of the proponents of convergence and divergence economies (Zhang 247). On the other hand, it has been important to socialist countries like China that have gone through numerous transitions and reforms. China’s economic success is much attributed to its diversity in terms of size, identity and history. One of the pioneers in Chinas economic policies is Mao, who developed a unique regional policy for the country (Williamson 53). While emerging as an economic giant, China had to deal with the problem of regional inequality. The citizens were much worried of social stability and equity that made Chinese leaders fully to commit themselves to ensuring that they accelerate economic growth, especially in the most interior provinces (Xu and Tan 68). Thus, the Chinese government has increased infrastructure budgets for poorer provinces almost every year. Besides, the country’s growth after 1 978 indicated an existing gap between income and growth rates in the coastal and inland provinces. The divergent in China’s regional income finds its root from preferential policies (Fan and 299). Though the inland provinces did not benefit much from these policies, China’s economy depends on the coastal towns. By focusing on coastal towns, this country has been able to engage in international trades thus transforming it into a market

Guildford Coffee shop Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Guildford Coffee shop - Essay Example (Rickgoossen-makegood.com, 2009) What stimulated such action is a trend towards such products in the UK. Consumers not only care about the products now, but they are very much sensitive to a corporate image that a company carries. Such as being part of fair-trade purchases and network. Coffee is one of the largest and widely consumed fair-trade products in Europe. It was only past 10 years that consumer demand helped the fair-trade coffee brand reach shelves of supermarkets and other brands. Over 55% of consumers in the UK say that they are not just consumers but they are ethical consumers of products(Nicholls, 2002) With all the above trends it seems a right time to open a fair-trade coffee shop in Guilford Surrey. The city currently has Starbucks which specifically sells fair-trade coffee. There is surely a market out there that has not been served. The distribution channels of fair-trade coffee have emerged in the past 10 years as well. Across Europe it is sold in over 35,000 supermarkets, imported by 100’s, served by many corporations and universities and EU government offices. (Raynolds, 2002) The distribution channel recommended to purchase the coffee for the coffee shop is through Fair-trade Foundation UK. The foundation recommends many retailers, and importers of fair-trade coffee. The recommended channel is going through importer of coffee in the UK rather than retail store as it will be a cheaper option. Going through the recommended importer from fair-trade foundation UK will also help coffee shop get the certification of fair-trade coffee seller by Fair-trade Label Organization

Eddie and Beatrice Essay Example for Free

Eddie and Beatrice Essay During the dance between Catherine and Rodolpho, Marco has a short conversation with Eddie and Beatrice. Eddie becomes jealous when Marco brags how well Rodolpho can cook.  We eat very well on the boat especially when Rodolpho comes along; everybody gets fat.  Eddie outbursts with jealousy towards Rodolpho saying he cant cook, he cant sing and he cant make dresses.  Beatrice and Marco realised that whilst he was saying all of this that Eddie was twisting a newspaper into a tight roll. Eddie then goes on taking pity on himself.  If I could cook, if I could sing, if I could make dresses  As Eddie goes on he gets more and more frustrated and agitated, eventually the newspaper snapped in half. Eddie mentions boxing to Marco. Marco felt uneasy due to the fact he knew Eddie was frustrated. Eddie soon gets to his point across he wants to teach Rodolpho boxing. knowing full well that what he had in mind. Beatrice asked  Whats he got to learn that for?  As she tries to come up with a reason not to teach him boxing.  Eddie begins to teach Rodolpho how to lead with his left hand and to block. After all this Eddie temps Rodolpho to hit him. Come on kid, put sumpm behind it  Rodolpho swings aggressively at Eddies jaw and grazes it. This heats up the tension even more. The audience expects a fight as Eddie should react to the blow. Eddie however does react but pretends that it is an accident but you can see that this is not the case. The effect of Eddies punch on Rodolpho was so fierce that the other characters was totally disgusted by it an knew that it was necessary. Catherine runs to Rodolphos aid and Marco rises and Beatrice tells Eddie,  Thats enough.  The audience might have expected this part of the scene to result in a big fight due to the unnecessary force Eddie used. They were stunned to see Rodolpho smirk and say,  I was only surprised. Marco then challenges Eddie. This was a test of strength in which Eddie does not win.  Marco displays his strength to all of the characters. Marco show off his strength and also warn off Eddie using a glare of warning which quickly reverts to a smile of triumph.  This makes the audience feel sorry for Eddie because Marco was now the superior strength in the Carbone household. The audience were left in the dark as the scene ends with Marco holding a chair above Eddies head. Arthur Miller has created the dramatic scene ending.  The instant difference between the end of Act I and the end of Act II is that at the end of Act I Marco proves his stength.

Virgil’s Vision of the Underworld and Reincarnation in Book VI of the A

Virgil’s Vision of the Underworld and Reincarnation in Book VI of the Aeneid â€Å"Virgil paints his sad prophetic picture of the Underworld in shadowy halftones fraught with tears and pathos. His sources are eclectic, but his poetic vision is personal and unique† (Lenardon, 312). Despite countless writings regarding the region of the Underworld, such as Homer’s Odyssey and Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Virgil bases his book upon traditional elements accompanied with his own vision of the Underworld and reincarnation. In doing so, Virgil’s book VI of the Aeneid serves as an exploration of Virgil’s concept of the Underworld and religious beliefs, one in which the hybrid of the traditional and the personal, create a more poetic vision than standard retelling of past illustrations. Following his entrance into the Underworld, with his guide the Cumaean Sybil, Aeneas is thrust into the realm of Virgil’s Underworld, beginning first with primarily traditional elements. â€Å"Now from the Stygian water the boatman, seeing them in the silent wood and headed for the bank cried out to them (lines 516-518).† Upon reaching the River Styx, the traditional river shades must cross to enter the underworld; Charon the boatman serves as ferryman to transport the two across the river. Upon progressing further, the two come to a fork in the road leading to two separate traditional Underworld realms Tartarus and Elysium: â€Å"now of a sudden Aeneas looked and saw to the left, under a cliff, wide buildings girt by a triple wall round which a torrent rushed with scorching flames†¦they came to places of delight, to green park land, where souls take ease among the Blessed Groves (lines 548-678).† Tartarus, the realm of torment, was reserved for those to be eterna... ...rgil creates within these passages. Because of the parallels with Christianity within the Underworld passages, and the notion of Aeneas as an anti-hero with false dreams, Virgil’s work connects itself with future works, inspiring Dante and future authors. As illustrated, the Underworld images Virgil leaves the audience with greatly questions the overall integrity of the epic itself, while not completely alienating his audience through the combination of the new and traditional within the book. In the end, the afterlife is a matter of personal opinion, mixed with tradition, and a dash of doubt and ambiguity. Works Cited/Referenced Fitzgerald, Robert trans. The Aeneid. Vintage: New York. 1990. Lenardon, Robert J., Morford, Mark P.O. Classical Mythology. Fourth Edition. Longman: White Plains, NY. 1991. pp. 312-327. Press, Inc.: New York, NY. 1967.

A Reaction and Analysis of “Saving Grace” by Lee Smith

Lee Smith’s Saving Grace is a novel that features the story of Florida Grace Shepherd, a young Appalachian girl who is brought up in an environment that oppresses the rights and freedom of young women based on the expectations of its very religious nature. Grace, who is also the narrator of the story, tells her own tale about her quest for identity and freedom as well as her ultimate religious awakening. She shares her story as she goes through her childhood despising her father Virgil and the reality that unlike other children, she is growing with insufficient love and care from the people she expects to receive it. Grace’s childhood is bound by religious rules and codes since her father is their community's popular charismatic preacher and serpent handler. She is not free to do what other kids can do, and she is not even free to read anything except for the Bible. Grace and her siblings are not even allowed to read the newspaper as their father stresses that the only news they need to know about is the good news from the Holy Scripture (Smith, 2008). Grace also knows that she is an abused child. Aside from the insufficient affection she gets from home, she also suffers painful maltreatments from her father, whom she wants to respect and adore, but he treats her with coldness instead (Smith, 2008). Because of the absurd religious limitations that prevent her from doing what she wanted as a kid, and due to the agony that she suffered from the hands of her father acting as an honorable man, Grace grows up carrying a bitter resentment toward the home she grew up in. She also becomes pessimistic about the good possibilities in life, and she grows up envying everything that made other girls of her age happy (Smith, 2008). Smith's ability to capture the Appalachian way of life and the reality of growing up in an environment full of bizarre religious traditions has been highly regarded by her critics. Moreover, her ability to mold characters based on the known stereotypes in the society has also made her earn the admiration of critics and readers (Town, 2004). Saving Grace is seen by many as a work filled with symbolisms reflected in the names of the characters. Florida Grace Shepherd is in itself a name full of meanings. Florida is based on the place where Grace was born, while Grace stands for the Grace of God. Her last name, Shepherd, can be interpreted as a reminder of her family’s role as shepherds of their community since they represent the people's shepherd, Jesus, in the eyes of their neighbors (Town, 2004) However, while this is the popular impression about their family, Smith (2008) adds an inner conflict in Virgil’s character. Although considered as a sacred and honorable man, Virgil is inclined to bed a lot of women aside from his wife. He also seems to be incapable of controlling his emotions, particularly his bad temper and rage, which he often takes out on Grace. This sinner-saint conflict in Virgil’s character is the greatest confusion for Grace as well. Yet, despite this conflict on Virgil's personality and attitude, he is still able to win the respect of the people in their church because of his devotion and loyalty to what he preaches. Although he can be seen as a man with normal lustful desires, his ability to strengthen other people’s faith in the Lord remains unquestionable, making him respected despite his worldly sins. In the end, the readers would realize that the title of this novel completely explains Grace’s story. Aside from the fact that the story is indeed about saving the main protagonist from losing her faith and her strength to carry on with life, the title may also say that in all the obstacles and trials Grace faced, there is one saving grace which lifted her spirits up and made her hold on to her faith—her strong desire to repent, to change, and to believe that there is really a Supreme Being who governs and looks after her. The ending appears to be open-ended for the author does not clearly state how Grace chose to carry on with her life. However, as she wanted to start anew, it can be inferred that Grace has met her saving grace which made her realize that being doomed and oppressed for a long time can never be good reasons to give up; rather, they are valuable lessons she can carry with her on her journey to rebuild her new life.