Employment of Minors between the Ages of 12 and 18 Essay - 1

Employment of Minors between the Ages of 12 and 18 - Essay Example (c) It is necessary for the individual to submit the following elements before they are able to be granted a certificate: (1) A certified copy of a birth certificate or birth registration card; and (2) A statement from the potential employer indicating that if he were given a certificate from the school superintendent, he could employ the minor immediately and describing the type of job offered. It shall be understood that the potential employer, by furnishing such statement, does not promise to employ the minor for any specific amount of time. (d) A copy of the certificate will be made a part of the minors school file, for all minors between the ages of 16 and 18. The certificate must show that the minor is at least 16 years of age in order to qualify the minor to work between the hours of 9:00 P.M. and 6:00 A.M. and to be employed in any of the occupations covered by Code Section 39-2-2. In addition to the certificate, the superintendent of schools, or an authorized member of his staff, shall issue an identification card to each minor in this category. The identification card will demonstrate that the minor is eligible for employment. The minor will then not have to attain future employment certificates unless his certificate is revoked by the Commissioner of Labor. (e)(1) The certificate mentioned above must be accompanied by a letter from the minors school administrator indicating that the minor is enrolled in school full-time and has a good attendance record. The employer of the minor must maintain a copy the certificate and the letter in the minors employment file. The letter must be updated in January of each academic year during which the minor is working. This process will continue until the minor turns 18, receives a high school diploma, a general educational development (GED) diploma, a special education diploma, or a certificate of high school completion, or has terminated his or her secondary education and is enrolled in a postsecondary school. Any employer failing to comply with these rules is guilty of a misdemeanor and if convicted will  be subject to a fine not to exceed $1,000.00, up to twelve months imprisonment, or both, for each violation.

Strategic Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Strategic Management - Research Paper Example The mission of the company needs to be different and very clear. The important areas of mission statement include who we are, what is our business, what products do we offer, and why we chose the particular business. The important issues that will be addressed by the company in the global business environment include equal employment opportunities, child labor, and environmental factors. INTRODUCTION Tolapp Corporation is a successful US manufacturing company located in Tennessee that builds power tools, lawn mowers, lawn furniture, microwaves, and ranges. All products are manufactured locally and sold through large retailers like Sears, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart. They have sale papers inserted in every Wednesday and Sunday paper. Although they have a thriving business in the US and Canada, Tolapp is trying to break into the global marketplace. DISCUSSION Part 1 A). How would you go about defining the identity of Tolapp Corporation and creating its mission statement? The identity of Tol app Corporation can be defined by understanding the industry in which it operates i.e. power tools and lawn equipment industry. An important factor in defining the identity of Tolapp Corporation is competitors’ profile. In order to establish an identity, it is critical to focus on specific market segments and products. For instance, the company can focus on appliances or power lawn equipment. There are different ways through which the mission statement of the company can be developed. The most important factor that should be considered when creating a mission statement is the overall objective or scope of the industry. After this, it is important to identify and evaluate mission statements of other companies operating in the industry (Abrahams, 2004). The mission of the company needs to be different and very clear. The important areas of mission statement include who we are, what is our business, what products do we offer, and why we chose the particular business. The mission statement of Tolapp will be communicated to all employees in order to ensure that they share common goals. The purpose of communicating mission statement to all employees and stakeholders is to ensure that it remains real. B). Where would you look for the information? The places that would be accessed for information include websites of companies operating in the power tool industry, industry reports, industry publications, and scholarly journals. In addition, industry reports of lawn equipment and appliance industry will also be accessed. C). What do you already know about Able that can help? Following are the things that we already know about Tolapp Corporation: The first thing about Tolapp Corporation that we know is its origin. Tolapp Corporation is a company that is located in the United States. The company is present in Tennessee, a U.S. state. The second point about Tolapp Corporation is its business. The main business of the company is manufacturing. The products of the com pany include lawn furniture, lawn mowers, microwaves, and other products. The third point about the corporation is its production and distribution. The company manufactures its products locally. The products are distributed and sold with distributors such as Sears, Wal-Mart, and Best Buy. All these are famous retailers. The company is operating successfully in the United States and Canada. The company is also striving to expand its operations to other parts of the world. The company launches sales

Methodology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Methodology - Essay Example With the phenomenological approach the focus is on â€Å"understanding the human behaviour from the participant’s own frame of reference† (Collis & Hussey, 2003, p. 53). As this approach is related to an event within a context of time and place, the aim is to investigate an event by carrying out your own research to â€Å"construct new theory to explain the phenomenon† (Collis & Hussey, 2003, pp. 56-57) or use existing theory. The aim and focus with this approach is â€Å"on the quality and depth of data† (Collis & Hussey, 2003, pp. 56-57). With the positivistic paradigm, the emphasis is on using measurement to find out the relationships between facts and causes of the phenomenon. This is â€Å"an essential element of the research process under this paradigm† (Collis & Hussey, 2003, p. 57). This approach is useful when there is a need to conduct statistical analysis (Collis & Hussey, 2003, p. 56). A positivistic approach will be used and the researcher will be independent, will not be influenced by the subject of research, and will take â€Å"the role of an objective analyst† (Saunders & Lewis & Thornhill, 2000, p. 85). According to Denzin & Lincoln (cited in Silverman 2005), â€Å"qualitative investigators think they can get closer to the actor’s perspective through detailed interviewing and observation† (p. 10). With qualitative researchers, the emphasis is on the close relationship between the subject of research and the researcher where the value is in the social reality and the meaning of the social event or phenomenon. However, in comparison, quantitative researchers focus on the measurement and analysis of facts and causes. The qualitative approach relies on the quality and depth of data and does not focus on the â€Å"measured (if measured at all) in terms of quantity, amount, intensity, or frequency† (Denzin & Lincoln, 2000, p. 8). In addition, as Waters

Strategic Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Strategic Management - Research Paper Example The mission of the company needs to be different and very clear. The important areas of mission statement include who we are, what is our business, what products do we offer, and why we chose the particular business. The important issues that will be addressed by the company in the global business environment include equal employment opportunities, child labor, and environmental factors. INTRODUCTION Tolapp Corporation is a successful US manufacturing company located in Tennessee that builds power tools, lawn mowers, lawn furniture, microwaves, and ranges. All products are manufactured locally and sold through large retailers like Sears, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart. They have sale papers inserted in every Wednesday and Sunday paper. Although they have a thriving business in the US and Canada, Tolapp is trying to break into the global marketplace. DISCUSSION Part 1 A). How would you go about defining the identity of Tolapp Corporation and creating its mission statement? The identity of Tol app Corporation can be defined by understanding the industry in which it operates i.e. power tools and lawn equipment industry. An important factor in defining the identity of Tolapp Corporation is competitors’ profile. In order to establish an identity, it is critical to focus on specific market segments and products. For instance, the company can focus on appliances or power lawn equipment. There are different ways through which the mission statement of the company can be developed. The most important factor that should be considered when creating a mission statement is the overall objective or scope of the industry. After this, it is important to identify and evaluate mission statements of other companies operating in the industry (Abrahams, 2004). The mission of the company needs to be different and very clear. The important areas of mission statement include who we are, what is our business, what products do we offer, and why we chose the particular business. The mission statement of Tolapp will be communicated to all employees in order to ensure that they share common goals. The purpose of communicating mission statement to all employees and stakeholders is to ensure that it remains real. B). Where would you look for the information? The places that would be accessed for information include websites of companies operating in the power tool industry, industry reports, industry publications, and scholarly journals. In addition, industry reports of lawn equipment and appliance industry will also be accessed. C). What do you already know about Able that can help? Following are the things that we already know about Tolapp Corporation: The first thing about Tolapp Corporation that we know is its origin. Tolapp Corporation is a company that is located in the United States. The company is present in Tennessee, a U.S. state. The second point about Tolapp Corporation is its business. The main business of the company is manufacturing. The products of the com pany include lawn furniture, lawn mowers, microwaves, and other products. The third point about the corporation is its production and distribution. The company manufactures its products locally. The products are distributed and sold with distributors such as Sears, Wal-Mart, and Best Buy. All these are famous retailers. The company is operating successfully in the United States and Canada. The company is also striving to expand its operations to other parts of the world. The company launches sales

How does Alexis De Tocqueville fail to see that the unequal Essay

How does Alexis De Tocqueville fail to see that the unequal accumulation of wealth resulting from Capitalism cannot be fully con - Essay Example He was from egalitarian society not the newly formed capitalist society, so this could justify why he had a blind spot concerning capitalism and could not redress the challenges of industrial commercial system on the democratic system that strives towards the equalization of social conditions. Discussion Tocqueville ideas have had extensive impacts on the concept of penance and crime, equality and democracy. His historical background immensely influenced his democracy theories. Equality of conditions is the main point of focus of Alexis Tocqueville theories. He suggests that parity is fundamental to democracy, and absence of parity caused crime. His opponents use this dependence on the concept of equality as the central weakness. For instance, Tocqueville failed to recognize that unequal wealth accumulation resulting from capitalism could not be controlled in a democracy, which meant to have socially equalizing tendencies. The equality of situations denotes a social state where one p erson’s influence over another –based on the aristocratic regime- is substituted with the egalitarian notion of individual consent. In these conditions, the act of each has two main reasonable basis, public will and personal will. The triumph of consent over the impact and the advancement of human autonomy closely connected to it have critical, political and social impacts, leaving little as it was1. Alexis Tocqueville felt religious terror, when he examined the inspiring power of this historical transformation, which he observed as providential and in agreement with humanity, therefore, his examination of the democratic world somehow is an attempt to explore his fear. Tocqueville argues that, â€Å"intellectual life would be changed by democracy, just like the passion of men† p 230. In addition, under pressure from autonomy of individuals, views would be generalized, mores softened. Therefore, public view translates to the central, influential voice. Whereas in dividual rights controls, men’s live, the ends of man heeds into neglect. Similarly, the moral life’s content is emptied from the vessel of democracy. The desire for equality, essential to democracy, overwhelms all other concerns, and starts its powerful battle to eradicate the inherent inequalities of people. It is possible to recognize the modern society in Tocqueville’s views. What critics stress in Alexis works is the tragic, and, in fact, paradoxical, recognition that democracy is extremely natural to human beings and, if not controlled, detrimental to human nature. Allowed free dominance, this desire for equality- an egalitarian instinct- restricts democracy itself, in various ways. For instance, it limits democracy by paradoxically rebuilding a natural state, originally elaborated by critical thinkers such as Plato, Marx and Hobbes as the pre-civilized situation at the centre of democratic civilization. In addition, its spreads envy, destructive of any sy stem; and finally, by gathering the natural autonomies of virtue and reason. Even though, Tocqueville recognized the aristocratic rule to be unfair, as it was anchored on an unnatural principle of familial autonomy, its hierarchical order still preserved room for principles transcending the individual will. The

How We Treat the Animals We Eat Essay Example for Free

How We Treat the Animals We Eat Essay Are the factory farms we buy our meat from treating animals humanely? Animal mistreatment is illegal and we can make a difference to put a stop to it. According to Ethical Farms â€Å"Some of the largest US factory farms refuse to uphold humane USDA and OSHA standards, having unsanitary, unhealthy conditions and animal rights violations. In 1958, the US government composed the Humane Slaughter Act that is not enforced† (Ethical Farms, 2010). There are 7 statutes in effect that comprise the Humane Slaughter Act. Included in these sections are Congress statement that livestock must be slaughtered in a humane manner to prevent needless suffering, research methods on humane methods of slaughter, the non-applicability of these statutes to religious or ritual slaughter, and the investigation into the care of non-ambulatory livestock. There are farms that follow the Humane Slaughter Act in raising their livestock that we can purchase our food from, like Humane Farms for example. By aligning our consumerism with Restaurants and grocery store chains that purchase from humane farms we can make an impact. Also, supporting an Animal Rights group like The American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals(ASPCA) or The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals(PETA) can make a big difference. You can support them either monetarily or by volunteering your time in your local area. In Chapter 17 of the Omnivore’s Dilemma (The Ethics of Eating Animals), Pollan (2006), says that â€Å"Eating meat has become morally problematic, at least for people who take the trouble to think about it. Vegetarianism is more popular than it has ever been, and animal rights is rapidly finding its way into the cultural mainstream†(p. 306). The selections offered at most markets and grocery stores have expanded quite a bit in the last decade or two in order to accommodate the consumerism of a vegetarian making it much easier to choose this kind of diet. Also many fast food and quality restaurants have added vegetarian dishes to their menu. â€Å"The general consensus has always been that humans were indeed omnivores and, whatever spiritual or moral dilemmas the killing and eating of animals posed, our various cultural traditions resolved them for us well enough. For the most part our culture has been telling us for millennia that animals were both good to eat and good to think†(p. 306). I myself have never had an aversion to eating meat. I grew up in the country and we fished for food. I visited a pig farm in school and saw a pig being born; I didn’t see anything inhumane. Until I read this book I honestly did not give eating meat a second thought. When Pollan goes back and forth to himself about how he feels right when he first killed the pig, he was very proud of his accomplishment, to how he felt when he saw the picture with the spilled blood, which was so disgusting he could not look at it. He is very graphic in his writing and gave me a clear picture of something I had never thought about. There is an unusual amount of cultural uncertainty on the subject of animals in today’s society and that may be why people tend to look the other way. Many times while researching this topic I myself read things that I think I really would rather not know. Am I willing to change my shopping and eating habits in order to help make a difference? Right now the answer is Yes! Many of us seem eager to extend the circle of our moral consideration to other species, yet in our factory farms we’re inflicting more suffering on more animals than at any time in history. Pollan also says that â€Å"In recent years medical researchers have raised questions about the good to eat part, while philosophers like Singer and organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have given us new reasons to doubt meat is good to think—that is, good for our souls or our moral self-regard† (Pollan, 2006). In an article called, Mistreatment of turkeys at Willmar hatchery is alleged by Humane Society, Polta describes how the Humane Society found evidence of abuse and cruelty through an investigation and demanded that changes be made. â€Å"Nov. 24WILLMAR An undercover investigation by the Humane Society of the United States has documented what the organization alleges is routine abuse and cruelty involving newly hatched turkey chicks at Willmar Poultry Co.† The article states that â€Å"Among the allegations contained in the Humane Society of the United States report: Sick, deformed, injured and dying birds, as well as leftovers not needed for buyers orders, are routinely disposed of by being thrown alive into a grinder. Sick and injured birds are left in boxes or on the floor all day until being killed. Chicks are routinely de-beaked without first being given a painkiller. Chicks routinely have their back toes clipped off without a painkiller. The report alleges that baby turkeys get trapped and injured in conveyor belts as theyre processed for shipment to farms. It also alleges that boxes filled with poults are sometimes stacked too high or unevenly and crash to the floor, scattering and injuring the turkey chicks inside† (Polta, 2010). This source is more evidence of the kind of abuse happening in factory farms and also shows that getting outside government agencies involved to help uncover the issues and pressure them to resolve the issues is one way to help. Abuses such as this case can not and should not be tolerated throughout the livestock and factory farm industries. National and World Organizations can go a long way to oversee and create changes within the industry. In the article, VanderSpek stated that the â€Å"National Turkey Federation guidelines also comply with World Organization for Animal Health standards†(Polta, 2010). The Humane Slaughter act states: â€Å"Sec. 1901. Findings and declaration of policy The Congress finds that the use of humane methods in the slaughter of livestock prevents needless suffering; results in safer and better working conditions for persons engaged in the slaughtering industry; brings about improvement of products and economies in slaughtering operations; and produces other benefits for producers, processors, and consumers which tend to expedite an orderly flow of livestock and livestock products in interstate and foreign commerce. It is therefore declared to be the policy of the United States that the slaughtering of livestock and the handling of livestock in connection with slaughter shall be carried out only by humane methods†(Humane Slaughter Act). These are the laws and guidelines set forth by congress and all livestock industries should abide by them. Those who do not follow the laws should be heavily penalized even as far as to shut them down until changes a re made if the situation is bad enough. One solution is that you can contact your Congressman and request that he/she take steps to implement USDA animal treatment standards. Evidence that this can make a difference is found in an article by We Care. Contrary to what PETA finds in our factory farms, in that article, I read that â€Å"every day on farms across America, pork producers demonstrate responsibility and concern for the animals in their care. Today, pigs are raised on farms designed to promote the health and well-being of animals and the safety of the food produced† (We Care). This is evidence that we can produce meat from animal factory type farms without being inhumane about it. Other livestock industries can follow this pig industry’s lead in their humane practices of raising livestock for human consumption. You can also send a letter to the USDA and urge them to uphold the Humane Slaughter Act. In an article by Ethical Farms; â€Å"Recently, Burger King implemented Humane Animal Treatment standards from their Poultry Suppliers, and stopped purchasing from factories that had excessive instances of abuse. You can also purchase meats exclusively from Humane Farms† (Ethical Farms, 2010). Taking the time to educate yourself on the companies that purchase from humane farms is important. Where we purchase our food from everyday can make a big difference. Every day, animals endure mass torture, abuse and live mutilation without any conscience from the part of the producers, for the suffering that these animals endure. When we mistreat animals, we generally also worsen conditions for people. Animal-centered diets have been associated with: heart attacks, strokes, various types of cancer, and other diseases. An article by PETA states that; â€Å"When PETA went public with the findings of an undercover investigation at a pig-breeding farm that supplies Hormel in Iowa, we called on the company to ban gestation crates—pens so small that the pregnant sows who are confined to them cant turn around or even lie down comfortably—and then introduced a shareholder resolution to that effect. Less than two years later, the meat giant has announced that it will phase out gestation crates, which cause so much suffering, by 2017† (PETA, 2012). Although they did uncover animal abuse, they were able to do something about it to make things better for the animals being abused. I think it is important that there are real consequences for the factory farms that are irresponsible and choose not to follow the laws that were made to protect all animals. I have to admit that I do not agree with the extremism that PETA takes to this cause. The ASPCA seems to be much more reasonable to me in their efforts to prevent animal abuse in any environment. They were the first humane society to be established in North America. The ASPCA actually has legal authority to investigate and make arrests for crimes against animals. I think either joining or donating to the ASPCA along with purchasing from humane farms would make a great impact on the market and further the cause to humanely treat the animals we eat! References Pollan, M. (2006). The omnivores dilemma: A natural history of four meals. New York: Penguin Books. We Care Initiative. Caring for farm animals. Retrieved from: http://www.wecareanswers.com/gj5he/index.html?gclid=CN_Zvb7M864CFSWFQAodmmvmHg Ethical Farms. (2010). Promoting cruelty free farming. Retrieved from: http://ethicalfarms.org/ People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals(PETA, (2012). A Little Relief, Finally, for Hormel Pigs. Retrieved from: http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/2012/02/02/progress-for-hormel-pigs.aspx Polta, A (2010). Mistreatment of turkeys at Willmar hatchery is alleged by Humane Society. Retrieved from: http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.devry.edu/login.aspx?direct=truedb=pwhAN=2W6448392763site=pov-live

The History And Evolution Of Saarc Politics Essay

The History And Evolution Of Saarc Politics Essay The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) comprises eight countries of South Asia, i.e. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. The idea of regional cooperation in South Asia was first mooted in May 1980 by Bangladesh President Ziaur Rahman. President Rahman addressed letters to the Heads of Government of the countries of South Asia, presenting his vision for the future of the region and the compelling arguments for regional cooperation in the context of evolving international realities. The Foreign Secretaries of seven countries in South Asia met for the first time in Colombo in April 1981 and identified five broad areas for regional cooperation. A series of meetings followed in Nepal (Kathmandu/November 1981), Pakistan (Islamabad/August, 1982), Bangladesh, India (Delhi/July 1983) to enhance regional cooperation. The next step of this process was the Foreign Ministers meeting in New Delhi in 1983 where they adopted the Declara tion on South Asian Regional Cooperation (SARC). During the next two years South Asian nations committed themselves to form this South Asian alliance and the process culminated in the First SAARC Summit held on 7-8 December in 1985 in Dhaka where the Heads of State or Government of seven countries, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka adopted the Charter formally establishing the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). It is an Association based on the consciousness that in an increasingly interdependent world, the objectives of peace, freedom, social justice and economic prosperity are best achieved in the South Asian region by fostering mutual understanding, good neighbourly relations and meaningful cooperation among the Member States which are bound by ties of history and culture The objectives and principles contained in the SAARC Charter are as follows: Objectives a) To promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and to improve their quality of life; b) To accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region and to provide all individuals the opportunity to live in dignity and to realise their full potential c) To promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among the countries of South Asia; d) To contribute to mutual trust, understanding and appreciation of one anothers problems; d) To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic, social, cultural, technical and scientific fields e) To strengthen cooperation with other developing countries; f) To strengthen cooperation among themselves in international forums on matters of common interests; and g) To cooperate with international and regional organisations with similar aims and purposes. Principles a) Cooperation within the framework of the Association is based on respect for the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, non-interference in the internal affairs of other States and mutual benefit; b) Such cooperation is to complement and not to substitute bilateral or multilateral cooperation; and c) Such cooperation should be consistent with bilateral and multilateral obligations of Member States. Preamble to the SAARC Charter The preamble to the SAARC Charter spells out the intention of forming this South Asian alliance as We, the Heads of State or Government of BANGLADESH, BHUTAN, INDIA, MALDIVES, NEPAL, PAKISTAN and SRI LANKA; Desirous of promoting peace, stability, amity and progress in the region through strict adherence to the principles of the UNITED NATIONS CHARTER and NON-ALIGNMENT, particularly respect for the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, national independence, non-use of force and non-interference in the internal affairs of other States and peaceful settlement of all disputes Conscious that in an increasingly interdependent world, the objectives of peace, freedom, social justice and economic prosperity are best achieved in the SOUTH ASIAN region by fostering mutual understanding, good neighbourly relations and meaningful cooperation among the Member States which are bound by ties of history and culture Aware of the common problems, interests and aspirations of the peoples of SOUTH ASIA and the need for joint action and enhanced cooperation within their respective political and economic systems and cultural traditions' Convinced that regional cooperation among the countries of SOUTH ASIA is mutually beneficial, desirable and necessary for promoting the welfare and improving the quality of life of the peoples of the region; Convinced further that economic, social and technical cooperation among the countries of SOUTH ASIA would contribute significantly to national and collective self-reliance; Recognising that increased cooperation, contacts and exchanges among the countries of the region will contribute to the promotion of friendship and understanding among their peoples; Do hereby agree to establish an organization to be known as SOUTH ASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION hereinafter referred to as the ASSOCIATIONà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Changes in SAARC over a period of time After more than two decades since its founding at the initiative of General Zia-ul -Rahman, the then President of Bangladesh, the number of members is being increased from seven to eight. And for the first time a member with no common border with India Afghanistan joined SAARC. Also China, Japan, US, South Korea and the European Union attended the Summit as observers. It is only logical that in the not very distant future Russia too will be added to the list of observers. SAARC was conceived as an organisation to promote regional economic and technological cooperation. It was expected that such cooperation, if it is sustained will lead to increased political and security cooperation. Both in the case of European Union and ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) the countries concerned had a shared perception of their security challenges.  This did not happen in case of SAARC. There was a war between two members of the SAARC in 1999 and a military confrontation in 2002. Therefore nurturing SAARC as a regional organisation has been a far more challenging task than those faced by organisations like the European Union and the ASEAN. In fact one member of SAARC (Pakistan) refuses to extend the normal most favoured nation treatment to its neighbour (India) though this is a basic prerequisite under the World Trade Organisation regulations. Though there has been a formal agreement to convert the SAARC region into a free trade area, Pakistan and Bangladesh have been reluctant to move towards the fulfillment of that objective. In reality SAARC is largely a name board with annual rituals, not always regularly observed. While in other parts of the world, the trend is towards countries coming together to form larger markets, in South Asia this sentiment prevails only among Sri Lanka, Bhutan and India. Pakistan and Bangladesh do not contribute to the world-wide wisdom that countries coming together to form larger markets is a mutually beneficially proposition.  Ã‚   In Europian countries like Germany and France got over their centuries old animosity. This happened when countries like Germany, Italy, Spain discarded their authoritarian regimes and became democracies. In ASEAN too Indonesia and Malaysia concluded peace after years of confrontation. Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia who fought long wars with the US, which was supported by other ASEAN countries have now become economic and political partners of countries which helped to wage war against them. Unfortunately such radical transformation has not taken place in South Asia. There are reasons to believe that underlying this difference in development may be that religion-based identity exercises greater dominance in some countries of South Asia than nationalism-based identity. In admitting a number of successful economic powers as observers to the SAARC, the expectation is that such interaction may help to convert the mindset of the countries which still resist regional economic cooperation and integration in a world which is rapidly globalising. India has attempted to get Bangladesh into a BIMSTECH arrangement consisting of Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Such a change in mindset is a time-consuming process and therefore there should not be exaggerated expectations with the new beginning with entry of Afghanistan into SAARC and five new observers. The future of SAARC appears to be brighter because in the past.   SAARC was buffeted by Cold War tensions and Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh were attempting to exploit the differences between India and China and India and the US. Recent changes in the orientation of US policy and the Washington perception about the need to have a balance of power in Asia and consequent need to enhance Indo-US relations have had a radical impact on Indias relations with China and South East Asia.  Ã‚   Increasingly India is referred to as one of the six balancers of power in the emerging international system. India today has a strategic partnership with Russia, the US and the European Union and a strategic dialogue with China and Japan.  Ã‚   The visits of Premier Wen Jia Bao of China, President Vladamir Putin of Russia, Prime Junichiro Minister Koizumi of Japan and President Bush to India and invitation to India along with China to attend the G-8 summit of advanced industrial powers has helped to transform the situation in the SAARC region towards increasing cooperation.  Ã‚   There is now better realisation that neither India-China nor India-US relations can be exploited by other nations as happened during the Cold War. In the SAARC region democracy is gaining ground. Afghanistan has an elected government for the first time. Recent developments in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal, though yet to result in full blown democracy are moving in a positive direction. In Bhutan monarchy is voluntarily transforming itself into a democracy. Some Pakistani intellectuals argue that the factor that stands in the way of regional cooperation and integration in South Asia is the overwhelming dominance of India which constitutes more than 70 per cent of the population, resources and industrial and agricultural production of the region. It is therefore difficult to compare the evolution of SAARC with that of European Union or ASEAN. In a sense it could be argued that India itself with its multi-culturalism, multilingual, multiethnic and multi religious composition is like a further integrated European Union. Political evolution within India has made it inevitable that India will be federally governed by coalitions of all-India and regional parties with regional autonomy and aspirations fully accommodated. This development is bound to have its impact on the rest of the SAARC region. So will Indias rapid economic development, its aspirations to become a knowledge based society, its secular values and democracy. There were people in Indias neighbourhood who thought Indian unity would not survive. This conviction persuaded them not to invest in the evolution of SAARC over the last two decades. That situation is changing. Though it is unrealistic to expect any immediate radical changes in the attitudes of Pakistan and even Bangladesh towards SAARC there is no doubt that a new era of increasing integration is beginning, because of the forces of globalisation and emergence of an international balance of power. Challenges Opportunities The region is full of challenges and opportunities. South Asia is home to more than 1.5 billion people associated with various racial, lingual and religious groups. Some of the main challenges and problems facing the region include poverty, illiteracy, underdevelopment, terrorism, human trafficking, and racial and ethnic conflicts. Similarly, food and energy crises have also come out as burning issues of the region. In spite of such challenges and problems, South Asia is abundant in human as well as natural resources. When these resources are managed and utilized effectively, the region is sure to make considerable socio-economic progress within a short span of time. The South Asian people have many reasons to be optimistic if we look at the SAARC Charter that has included all the existing realities in the sub-continent, with the countries of different sizes, various levels of socio-economic development, historical legacies between and among the nations of the region. But, when the progress made by SAARC is assessed minutely, we do not find a very encouraging picture in terms of quality of life the people in South Asia. However, SAARC is gradually fostering cooperation among the member states in a wide range of areas. Because of its contributions to promoting peace, good neighbourly relations and bringing about socio-economic transformation in the region, SAARC has become a valuable forum among its member states. As a saying goes: Rome was not built in a day, the regional forum also requires some more time to achieve its goals and objectives.