Arizona State University Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Arizona State University - Essay Example As the requirement for professionalization in all the fields of organized undertakings is the index of modern business, universities and institutional managements are forced to induct more new courses in campuses with a motive of selling education at a higher price than ethically permissible. From the profit-making angle, most universities are adopting the policy of upsizing the classes inconsiderate of the defects awaiting their students and their own reputation in the future. This essay will focus on the argument that addition of excessive number of students to a classroom eventually damages the morale of students and the quality of the education offered by the university suffers due to the profit-motive ventures of most of the management of educational institutions today. The real impact The pressure imposed by the total system of a formative education that requires them to develop a career demands the students’ hard struggle for excellence. Induction of more names in the r oll means a teaching burden for many teachers. Faculty of many institutions have their grief that the increased class size adds pressure to their job and the quality of student attention suffers when the class is formed with a difference in performance levels of the students. They strongly argue that student outcomes from classroom lectures and practical demonstrations deteriorate easily with the students outnumbering the manageable proportions and also, the result of such forcible conditions before the faculty may force them to deleteriously change the mode of teaching. There have been a number of studies on the impact of classroom size on student performance in which many researchers rule out such possibilities. For instance, the study conducted by Glass and Smith in 1978 â€Å"concluded that if class size decreases, achievements increase for all students† (qtd in Rochester, 27). They believe that formative lectures and academic materials are distributed equally among all t he students irrespective of the size of the classroom and that they retain all essential subject information and material resources equally. However, it can be implicitly suggested that as the level of education goes higher, it becomes tougher for the students to learn the teachings without proper attention of lecturers. When the number of students becomes more, there are chances of classroom management issues related to time and discipline whereby the meritorious ones may face the serious threat of loss of quality education. Considering such spiritual elements involved in the course curriculum and the expectations of students about their achievement at classrooms, the student-teacher ratio must be optimally regulated. The impact of an increasingly high level competition at job markets and the random rearrangement of syllabus for the achievement of required accreditation status by many universities have made education a herculean task for most of the students. In many cases, student s feel annoyed about the sudden changes inside and outside the campuses, as the process of education becomes tougher for them with having to meet new challenges every day. When such conditions perturb the performance of the student with a better learning skill, they gradually become hopeless about their future in classroom filled with underperforming ones. The expectations are always seen high with bright students as their choices are mostly related to professional courses and comprehensive learning. The faculty, on the other hand can be demoralized by such hugely forcible insertion of more students as their lecture goes ineffective for the smarter ones in the classroom, and also for the reason that they lose their productive time meant for spending with top layer performers. When the size of the c

Homosexuality should be socially accepted in China Essay

Homosexuality should be socially accepted in China - Essay Example 1. Lots discrimination to homosexuals is also the main reason why most of them get married to the opposite sex, this is usually not out of love but because they want to camouflage (Der Spiegel). Such marriages normally result to break ups. 2. Another reason why homosexuals get married to the opposite sex is due to fear of stigmatization. According to Chinese culture, bearing children is a sign of prestige and honor. Therefore, same sex marriages, apart from being seen as a taboo, it is also against the Chinese religion (Der Spiegel). 1. According to China’s ministry of health, the rate of homosexuals contracting Aids is becoming an issue of national concern. This is because statistics show that the rate of Aids in homosexuals is above average and keeps rising annually. This rate is almost 88% higher than the general population (Der Spiegel). 2. Apart from the ministry of health, part of the Chinese government is against the legalization of homosexuality. The government through the civil affairs department, human province, firmly stated that homosexuality was not only a violation of morals but also the spiritual civil construction (Tatlow). Although homosexuals need to be recognized and granted their civil rights, the rate at which gays and lesbians are contracting Aids is appalling and need to be given much consideration. Sine many homosexuals are married to partners of the opposite sex for fear of victimization and discrimination, the government ought to realize that those opposite sex partners are at a high risk of contracting the disease. Therefore, by legalizing homosexuality, the government will have helped minimize the rate of aids in married couples. Since foundation of the People’s Republic in 1949, homosexuals in china have undergone many horrific situations such as victimization, torture and stigmatization. Legalizing

Technology developments over the past 30 years have had only positive Essay

Technology developments over the past 30 years have had only positive effects on people's health - Essay Example The aim of man has been to pursue such a goal that is everlasting and beneficent for him and the people to come. Technology that is in fact for the sake of betterment of our lives has â€Å"proven to be the best companion of man† during this epoch (Kincaid, 2004). It all started with the invention of â€Å"cotton gin in 1792†, which proved to be a great turn in human history. People were able to turn from Neolithic mode of living to more improved life style. The pinnacle of the era that started off during the late 15th century matured in the mid 1850s. And it was the beginning of industrial revolution where mass production, and social revolution, took place of intensive farming and symbiotic lifestyle. Thus it can be said that late 20th century was the finality of man to realize that his salvage for the sake of longevity and betterment can only be achieved through technological advancement and (Lakwete, 2005). People devised ways for healthy living through the use of te chnology. Impetus for such a move was from the ailment, problematic and contorted living man has been in, throughout his history. Thus science for the sake of technology for better living has proven to be the answer (Intille, 2004). It has caused a great deal of help in achieving physiological or biogenic need of man. It has been able to provide secure lives to people and thus has been able to revolutionise our society. Attending to the negative side of the use of technology, one can see that the use of technology in for increasing the ways for mass production and better crop yield, has brought along with it great problems that pertain to the â€Å"environmental pollution† and deterioration of the ecological balance. However, it is up will of people to pay heed to these issues. Their whimsical moves have, of course, created problems, and to contain unwanted and extravagant life, man should be mindful to the facts about his environment. (library.thinkquest.org) Past 30 years h ave been very much important since they advancement in technology tends to concentrate during this era. The invention of integrated circuits has caused compact designs and miniature devices, available for the general use of man. The important factor that has emerged during this era is the work and field specialization and their integration for the collective working for the man. People have been able to deduce solutions that are based on two or more separate specialized streams of technology, say, use of medical science and the proposals from athletes, and mechanical engineers to form such a device that may help in overcoming obesity (ScienceDaily.com, 2011). Taking this technological facet we can put forward an example which proves the notion that â€Å"mix of technologies† has literally improved and achieved those blessings of science that were not thought of ever before. The technologies used by physiotherapists, engineering scientists and medical scientists in tandem with each other can prove to be of great use. The gym equipment, today, is used for targeting a special slack in human physiology (Mishra, 2010). â€Å"Machines that are operated manually and with electronic aid can help regulating health† concerns like blood flow, tissues development, and cell physiology. Tread mill is one such example that helps in curtailing the mental constrains and extra physical exertion during typical arduous terrain exercises. Specialized weight equipment that concentrates on specific muscle is in common use (Plowman & Smith, 2008).

Comparative and interactional Aspect of Hinduism and Buddhism Religion Essay

Comparative and interactional Aspect of Hinduism and Buddhism Religion - Essay Example One thing common about the two, they emanated from India thus sharing common ideologies and roots (Elliot 16). Buddhism, in its origin at least is an offshoot of Hinduism. Though ranked amongst the profound religions in the world, Hinduism comes third and is much more popular than Buddhism. The founder of Buddhism known as Guatam Buddha had in early life brought up in posh life of Hindu society. This gives reference for Hinduism that it interconnects with Buddhism. Hinduism, better known as ‘Sanatan Dharma’, according to the Hindu people, it forms the indigenous life of the society, though its origin is still not certain. Factual studies have concluded that Buddhism grew because of the intricate nature involving Hinduism. Despite these differences, the two share a lot in common. This paper will draw the comparative analysis of the two religions, as well as how they differ from each other. On ritual dimensions, Buddhism and Hinduism belief and in practice of meditation. B uddhism does follow some rituals like meditation, bowing to the ground in worship while offering their prayers in their Buddhist holy places. Buddhist practices and rituals do not require any priest. On the side of Hindus, their rituals are complex as they vary from birth to death of that particular person. Unlike in Buddhism, priest on the part of the Hindus plays a major role in practice of these rituals (Elliot 140). This aspect form part of their ethical teachings. Despite this difference in them, meditation as a ritual has influenced their life. The two religions believe that meditation brings them close to nirvana. In Hinduism, someone has to intone in repetition the words ‘OM’ for focus and extol himself to higher realm. Through meditation, the worshipper drives to deep link to the holy deity. This comes due to the continual practice of this focusing technique; it brings them closer to eventual certainty and close to the proximity of more knowing. Equally, Buddha went through this thorough deep meditation. In their belief, through Buddha’s meditation He realized the power within, the deity of Dharma. This makes the ritual important to the followers of Buddhism. In order to reach nirvana, Buddha learned that inward reflection was the only way thus encouraged others to do so by practicing meditation (Elliot 270). Therefore, the two faiths delve on meditation. s Buddhism and Hinduism have universal understanding on the concepts of soul recreation. They differ on the value of sacred texts. As for the Hindus, Vedas is their pinnacle Smriti writings. It is part of the old age drafts, the times of Aryans. There are four divisions on Vedas . They contain over a thousand hymns, prescriptions on customs and fairy-tale stories on their gods. The writings travel around cyclical ideas as in other religions such as sustaining tranquility and normalcy in the world we live in. On contrary, Buddhism does not believe in such doctrines, or any other Hi ndu scriptures. They have they own scriptures known as the Tripitaka. This highlighted Buddha’s tradition. Rules of basic living and moral modalities as well as Buddha’s teachings and sermons abound there. They teach philosophical collections as well (Elliot 214). These comparisons highlight the nature of these two world religions and their etymological ratings. On the issue of Samsara, Hinduism and Buddhism converge to it. To both, living never ends for there exist circle of birth, death, and re-birth. For the Hindu’s, life is recurring, having neither the beginning nor demise. On point of death, away from the world we are reborn in another life but in very unimaginable form. These forms can vary. This successive rebirth allows one to continue learning, and live in respect of the personal dharma. Hinduists believe living in

Technology developments over the past 30 years have had only positive Essay

Technology developments over the past 30 years have had only positive effects on people's health - Essay Example The aim of man has been to pursue such a goal that is everlasting and beneficent for him and the people to come. Technology that is in fact for the sake of betterment of our lives has â€Å"proven to be the best companion of man† during this epoch (Kincaid, 2004). It all started with the invention of â€Å"cotton gin in 1792†, which proved to be a great turn in human history. People were able to turn from Neolithic mode of living to more improved life style. The pinnacle of the era that started off during the late 15th century matured in the mid 1850s. And it was the beginning of industrial revolution where mass production, and social revolution, took place of intensive farming and symbiotic lifestyle. Thus it can be said that late 20th century was the finality of man to realize that his salvage for the sake of longevity and betterment can only be achieved through technological advancement and (Lakwete, 2005). People devised ways for healthy living through the use of te chnology. Impetus for such a move was from the ailment, problematic and contorted living man has been in, throughout his history. Thus science for the sake of technology for better living has proven to be the answer (Intille, 2004). It has caused a great deal of help in achieving physiological or biogenic need of man. It has been able to provide secure lives to people and thus has been able to revolutionise our society. Attending to the negative side of the use of technology, one can see that the use of technology in for increasing the ways for mass production and better crop yield, has brought along with it great problems that pertain to the â€Å"environmental pollution† and deterioration of the ecological balance. However, it is up will of people to pay heed to these issues. Their whimsical moves have, of course, created problems, and to contain unwanted and extravagant life, man should be mindful to the facts about his environment. (library.thinkquest.org) Past 30 years h ave been very much important since they advancement in technology tends to concentrate during this era. The invention of integrated circuits has caused compact designs and miniature devices, available for the general use of man. The important factor that has emerged during this era is the work and field specialization and their integration for the collective working for the man. People have been able to deduce solutions that are based on two or more separate specialized streams of technology, say, use of medical science and the proposals from athletes, and mechanical engineers to form such a device that may help in overcoming obesity (ScienceDaily.com, 2011). Taking this technological facet we can put forward an example which proves the notion that â€Å"mix of technologies† has literally improved and achieved those blessings of science that were not thought of ever before. The technologies used by physiotherapists, engineering scientists and medical scientists in tandem with each other can prove to be of great use. The gym equipment, today, is used for targeting a special slack in human physiology (Mishra, 2010). â€Å"Machines that are operated manually and with electronic aid can help regulating health† concerns like blood flow, tissues development, and cell physiology. Tread mill is one such example that helps in curtailing the mental constrains and extra physical exertion during typical arduous terrain exercises. Specialized weight equipment that concentrates on specific muscle is in common use (Plowman & Smith, 2008).

How media violence contributes to the violence at home Essay Example for Free

How media violence contributes to the violence at home Essay People have always believed that the various movies and violent dramas that are shown on TV are just but entertainment. In fact, some adults who feel that since they watched television when they were young and it had no negative effects on them tend to think that television violence cannot be a contributor to home violence. However this could not be the case in the present world. This is because the type of programs that were shown in the TVs in the early years did not contain many violent scenes as it is now. Many television programs are characterized with violent acts like abuse and rape, criminal acts and diminished trust. Indeed many researches that have been conducted clearly show that the increases in violence in the television are having a significant contribution to the violence experienced at home. Furthermore, the media portrays that problems both family and social are to be confronted with force or threats of force The effects of the violent scenes on television vary in the adults and children. Children are the ones who are highly affected since they are not able to discern what reality is and what fiction is. This makes them believe almost everything they see as being what the real world is. The present lifestyle has lead to most children spending many hours glued to the television something which itself can affect their behavior. In fact many researchers have shown that both the adults and children who spend most of their time watching television may develop the following perception. First is that there is an increase in crime even if it is not the case (Media Issues). Secondly that they can overestimate the risk of being victimized by crime and lastly they develop fear of crime which in itself sees crime as something that is all around. Some get mislead that violence rarely has negative consequences. In these programs a very high percentage of the violence acts go unpunished. In fact in some, those portrayed as heroes never get punished despite their violent acts. Furthermore, too much violence in the television leads to over aggression among children and in some adults. This has lead to an increase in violent behaviors in the world majorly due to imitation. People who see those being violent on TV try to copy them as models. This character is common among children. Studies have as well shown that children who watch violent shows and even identify with the violent characters are about twice as likely to be violent as young adults. The studies have as well indicated that men are more likely to embrace the violent acts as compared to their female counterparts. Other indicators of contribution of television violence to the home violence include increased desensitization and heartlessness (Christian answers). People tend to be more callous towards those who may have become victims of violence. In this they tend to ignore or just take easy incidences of violence claiming that they are common occurrences in television. This normalizes violence making it to look like part of daily life. Furthermore, in this way it dulls the emotion response to violence’s and its victims. In conclusion the influence of the media content on people has been openly quite evident. Anyone would agree with this. The advertisers use the media to sway consumer’s perception towards given products. This is equally the same to violence in the media which can as well sway peoples’ perceptions towards violence. Due to the above points it is clearly necessary for parents to take action against the viewing of television programs. Parents ought to talk to the children about what programs are good for them and which are harmful. Children should get encouraged to spend most of their time in sports and hobbies or friends other than watching television. Furthermore special banns ought to be put on some programs that have too much violence References Christian answers, Violence in the media – How it affects families? Accessed on August 16, 2010 from http://www. christiananswers. net/q-eden/edn-f012. html Media Issues, Research on the effects of media violence, Accessed on August 16, 2010 from http://www. media-awareness. ca/english/issues/violence/effects_media_violence. cfm

BMW: Marketing Process Analysis

BMW: Marketing Process Analysis Marketing is a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtain they need and want through creation and exchanging products and values with others (Kotler et al. 2005). This definition incorporates both societal and organisation involvement in the realisation of the needs and wants of consumers through delivering products that is evaluated in terms of value created for the creator as well as the consumer rather than just offering a product. According to Groucutt (2005), marketing is all about symbols, brands, and choosing of products and services which are focused and related to the customer. This definition indicates the symbolic meaning of products as socio-economic symbols to alter the ego state of the target consumer. Marketing is a process for defining markets, assessing quantitatively the need of the consumer segments within the markets, allocating value propositions to cater to the needs, conveying the value propositions within the responsible zones of the organisations in relation to the output, communicating with respect to the delivery of the value propositions, and finally monitoring the delivery of the values (McDonald 2007). This definition point out the very calculated movement from the organizations part in utilising its resources to suitably target the right markets through properly defining the market and thereby providing the right product attached with the right value. The feedback from the related market is also a part of the marketing process to ensure the commercial viability also. BMW- Marketing process (LO 1.1) : Marketing process lays down the pathway to fulfill the unfilled needs of the customers by introducing products and services in the market to satisfy growing needs of the customers. The marketing process of BMW is modeled in sequence of steps which includes situational analysis, defining marketing strategy and appropriate marketing mix which promotes products sale (Kotler 2006). One of the key advantages of marketing process of BMW lies in the fact that its marketing approach is based on the situational analysis which catches the attention of the target audience, who are the segment A of the society (BMW 2010). Situational analysis as part of marketing planning process of BMW serves as a powerful tool to capture Australian luxury market by satisfying the changing consumer trends in the market. The advantages from the elements of marketing process are discussed in the following paragraphs. the benefits and costs of a marketing orientation (LO 1.2) : Cost Benefit 1. The two recently launched models X3 and X5 of BMW are a result of the market research conducted to serve the target audience. The cost spent on the research and development activities was enormous. Besides cost, lot of time was spent to conduct analysis on the target market and to find out the requirement of the customers. These Sport car models are the result of the in-depth market research to satisfy the customer demands. 2. The cost incurred on the marketing activities including the promotion, press conference, press release to target the audience was skyrocketing high. 1. Increased customer satisfaction as many people were craving for these new models of BMW. 2. The increase in sales and profits helped the company to attain competitive advantage in the age of growing competition. Micro and Macro Factors affecting Decision Making SOWT (LO 2.1) : The success of BMW lies in the STP strategy which is based on segmentation, target audience and positioning strategy to capture the targeted population (www.bmw.co.au). By means of segmentation, BMW identifies specific buying characteristics of the target audience. BMW segments the society on the basis of geography, demography, socioeconomic and behavior characteristics of the society (Drummond and Ensor 2001). Geographically, European countries and North America serve as the main markets for BMW automobiles as these areas are most industrialized nations and the local residents are financially well off to buy high priced cars due to the increased per capita income. In respect to demographics, the men and women both aged 30-50 years are the main users of M3 and M5 models. Behaviorally, these audiences have a clear image about the company and its products. They believe in superiority, performance and excellence before making a purchase. BMW has excelled in its performance as its produc ts are high in quality and also technologically superior. BMW has been able to create a good brand image in the minds of the people by means of innovative advertising campaigns. BMW due to its strategic positioning is known for age old tradition of quality. BMW M series is among one of those luxury cars which can be recognized by the crowd at a distance due to its successful marketing strategy based on positioning, targeting and segmentation. SWOT Analysis Strengths: BMW Automobiles is consistent in delivery quality projects. The firm comprises of robust workforce for effective product delivery. The firm makes use of latest technology, owns world class equipment and all the modern facilities in the designing and development of car models. Weakness: BMW is a global leader but still faces some shortcomings which are its incapability to work on small scale projects. BMW is known for its large seated cars and its inability to target the smaller segment is the only weakness. Opportunity: BMW automobile is rapidly expanding in different parts of the world. BMW makes use of latest technology to develop best of cars and operate effectively in international markets. Threat: The survey shows that the target market for BMW car model is looking for more value in the product which serves as a serious threat to the company. Marketing Mix and Marketing Process-4ps (LO 2.2) : While considering marketing process, marketing mix of BMW cannot be kept in isolation. The marketing mix forms an important part of the decision making process. The first P is the product which provides customer with the description about the product and how it meets the customer requirement. Example BMW X3, BMW X5 models, offered by BMW go through product life cycle which determines the age and maturity of the product in the market. The products developed ensure constant income and the company also develops replacement products on consistent basis for a fair settlement. The prices of BMW cars varies depending upon model customer has asked for like sports car which are priced high, the engine size also determines the price of the product and many more. The pricing for BMW X3 is competition oriented and same for similar brands as the market is large and creating large profits is not as important as it will be for a small car. The place and location for BMW cars follows a distribution chain network comprising of manufacturer, dealer and consumer. The organization is in tie ups with the superior dealers across the world and they are further responsible to offer the product to the customers across the globe at strategic locations. To promote the BMW models X3 and X5, a broad range of advertising campaigns including print and television media are used for product launch, color supplements etc. the slogans used for BMW are smart choice, the ultimate driving machine designed for peace of mind have been used to create competitive edge in the market, change the perception of people, mould their behavior towards car consumption and differentiate their products from competitors. Target Strategy ( LO 2.3 ) BMW follows a differentiated strategy catering to people with specific segmentation (David 2006). An example, BMW M series is a super sports vehicle and refers to specific target audience. BMW made changes in its car models when introduced in India as compared to its American version. There was higher ground clearance so as to make the cars compatible to Indian road surface, high resistance to dust in Indian market, horns located on the steering and not lever were some of the changes introduced to make it suitable for Indian market. Buyer Behavior and Marketing Activities ( LO 2.4 ) Consumer buying behavior is a blend of mental and emotional process and involves elements from sociology and psychology which affects consumer behavior while making purchase. In case of exclusive products like BMW M series the consumer purchase behavior is triggered by psychological factors, status symbol which influences customers attitude and behavior to make a purchase. Product Positioning ( LO 2.5 ) BMW M series, X3 and X5 are synonymous with performance and advanced technology used in driving. Drivers can now connect sports vehicle to the roads with high performance. The sport seats provide supportive front, back and thigh comfort. There are powerful headrests for drivers comfort with leather steering wheel with the horn placed at the lever comes to the ease of the driver. The motronic engine is powerful on all road surfaces and provides smooth drive in all season (www.bmw.co.au). Sustainable Catchment Management: Principles and Practice Sustainable Catchment Management: Principles and Practice What is meant by the world water crisis? Critically assess the contribution of River Basin Management in addressing this crisis The worlds freshwater is commonly discussed in the literature as being a finite resource under increasing pressure from the greater demands being placed upon it globally (Postel 2000, Hamdey et al 2003, Oki and Kanae 2006, UNEP 2007). It has consequently become a highly contentious resource, and in recent years the focus of much debate on how best to manage it; with the latest favoured paradigm (particularly in developed countries) being that of holistic sustainability achieved using the best practice of basin-wide management (Biswas 2004, Watson et al 2007). Such an approach is particularly emphasised in key policies such as Agenda 21 and the Water Framework Directive, with the latter enforcing the creation of River Basin Management Plans by law for all EU member states. This paper will discuss whether there really is a world water crisis, and if so to what extent river basin management (RBM) can help to address this using case examples such as the Murray-Darling basin to discuss t his in context. According to the research of Oki and Kanae (2006 pp1068) the global consumption of renewable freshwater resources is well below its Malthusian limits, with only 10% of the maximum available blue water and 30% of green water being presently used. However, because its distribution both in quantity and quality for purpose is spatially and temporally uneven as shown in figure 1 water stresses exist through a demand and supply imbalance. Gleick 1998, Hamdey et al 2003, and UNEP 2007 amongst others cite figures such as already 80 countries with 40% of the world population suffer serious water shortages (Hamdey et al 2003 pp3) and more than a billion people in the developing world lack access to safe drinking water (Gleick 1998 pp487), which suggests that water stress is a major issue (as reflected in the Millennium Development Goals); and with population growth/demographics (figure 2), economic, standard of living, and climatic factors set to change, such stresses are expected to worsen on the whole through increasing the imbalance. This is especially true for developing countries since an estimated 90% of the 3 billion people expected to add to the global population by 2050 are expected to reside in such countries with many of which already experiencing high water stress (UN 2007 cited UNESCO 2009). At what point down the line an actual absolute crisis at a nation scale is reached is still yet to occur; although given the social and economic value attached to water, and its three-dimensional effect upon food supply, ecosystem health, and standard of living for example, it may already indicate a crisis is underway (Newson et al 1999 cited Newson 2000). This is especially true if freshwater access is considered as a basic human right (Gleick 1998). Assuming this, RBM is often discussed in the literature as being a viable management option to address the crisis, since its approach is holistic and all-encompassing. Its current favour comes from the fact that unlike the traditional response to water shortages assessed through developing more supplies often via unsustainable sources and hard engineering practices such as damming rivers (Hamdey et al 2003) it tries to achieve long term sustainability through encompassing land-use planning, environmental management, and agricultural policy into the management of all surface and subsurface water within a catchment. This theoretically allows for all of the direct and indirect natural and anthropogenic demands placed upon the resource to be addressed and met under a best-practice regime to achieve an optimal relevant management outcome. A classic example of where such a policy has been successful is in the Murray-Darling basin, southeast Australia. The RBM regime here is a highly evolved form of institutional arrangements first started in 1917, and consequently modified, to meet the desired outcomes and changing pressures on the 1 million Km2 five jurisdictional state catchment. At its heart the scheme seeks to promote and coordinate effective management planning for equitable, efficient and sustainable use of water, land and other resources (Pigram 1999 pp108), which it achieves through a hydraulic approach using top-down policy making and bottom-up implementation, coordinated through the central Murray-Darling Commission (Shar et al 2005). In doing this it allows for all of the key stakeholders within each state to meet and discuss how best to manage the water resources to maximise the resultant biophysical, economic and social interests not only within each state (and its respective water share), but for the whol e catchment. Theoretically this coordinates the upstream-downstream interests and encourages more productive/efficient use of water through improved technology such as crop per drop (Postel 2000), which in turn allows all of the water demands to be attained equitably. And, combined with the top-down governance system setting standards which need to be reached by every state regarding water quality and quality, ecological requirements and permitted degradation levels through land use policies, it ensures that management is not static and behind the changing catchment pressures upon the water resource. This is not to say however the system is perfect since its effectiveness depends on the cooperation of each state government, and as of yet no true full sustainability has been achieved (Pigram 1999). However, with regards to the world water crisis it is clear to see that in this instance, along with many others, RBM is having a positive impact. This is because it is encouraging through laws and other means the more efficient and equitable use of water (Postel 2000), whilst regarding the whole basin and its long term demands and pressures such as climate change. In doing so it may lessen the effect of future crises/pressures through being proactive. Similar RBM regimes also exist under other political systems such as throughout the whole of the European Union (due to Water Framework Directive legislation) and South Africa (since 1998). In the latter Gregersen et al (2007) states that although the regime is working it is not yet sustainable, since such management systems take several years to develop and offer no ready made solutions. Therefore at its national level it is not fully able to address the water crisis, although it seemingly is on the way to try to do so through using a management system which looks to achieving this from the outset. It must be said however that most of the successful RBM regimes are in developed formalised society countries where the fundamental water stresses are often far lower in the first instance (see figure 1). Such systems cannot be directly transferred between political institutions easily due to the context in which the regime was fundamentally formed to meet within the founding country regarding the hydraulic and climatic conditions, demographics, socio-economic conditions and the structure of the water sector (Barrow 1998, Hunt 1999, Shar et al 2005). For example Hu (1999), Malanu et al (1999) (cited Shar et al 2005) and Hunt (1999) each found that the Murray-Darling RBM system could not be successfully transferred to the Chinese, Vietnamese and Solomon Island contexts because of such issues; with Shar et al (2005 pp46) arguing that transferring RBM regimes between developed and developing countries is particularly problematic since the problems developing country find critical have e ither remained unresolved or irrelevant in developed country river basins such as ground water exploitation. Thus in regard to the world water crisis it provides little use in this sense, especially since the greatest stresses/crises are expected to occur here. Hunt (1999) therefore argues that the contextual fit between policy development and application is key to managing the water resource successfully. In setting the correct framework to set play and play in provides an effective environment to address the water crisis in, whether through RBM or not. In some cases I would also argue that to address the current water crisis RBM can only be used as part of the solution, due to the interconnectivity of the water resource with standard of living (relating back to the Millennium Development Goals) and economic development. If full RBM sustainability is strived for under the current conditions, inclusive of the environmental requirement, it may only serve to worsen the current crisis such as in Jordan which withdraws some of its supply unsustainably from non-renewable aquifers (Macoun and El Naser 1999). The same is true for other basins globally such as in the Colorado, Tennessee and Yangtze river basins, since in order to meet their past a nd current demands, supply had to be increased through building dams for instance. This could be seen in some cases as being unsustainable due to the impact it has on the basin, and even though the two former river basins are now managed under RBM regimes (Newson 2009) they are operating under modified conditions. RBM still has value however in promoting more efficient water use (Postel 2000) and sustainable ethical management, so should not be completely ignored in management. The contextual fit of countries as a whole is important in determining the best approach to address the world water crisis. RBM may also fail in addressing the world water crisis too if it fails to be effective itself in the first instance. For instance since RBM seeks to achieve equitable sustainability (Barrow 1998), unequal power sharing may result in such a failure. To exemplify this if a dam was allowed to hold back more water for power generation it would put increasing pressure on the quantity of flow for the ecological needs and irrigative agriculture uses amongst others. Similarly if a factory was allowed higher pollution levels then the changes in the water quality could draw a system closer experiencing a water crisis (assuming it was already highly stressed). This is especially true if a non-integrated RBM regime is used, since the different interests of each RBM stakeholder groups, such as land owners, farmers, developers and conservationists would prioritise their needs over others. This consequently may be ineffective due to the differing overall outcomes, needing some coordination and comp romising to a certain degree to be effective in terms of long-term holistic management. A similar failing may occur within international river basins also if a common-goal transboundary management agreement cannot be established in practice even if it is agreed upon politically. This is the case today between Israel and Palestine despite the fact of the road to recovery (common goal) plan. Israel in 2003 abstracted 95% of the water from the diverted Lower Jordan to meet its own abstraction needs and left Palestine with only 5%. Consequently Palestine is in a water crisis since it cannot meet its own water needs (Frederiksen 2003). To be effective therefore in the first instance RBM plans need to be authoritative, equitable, coordinated and true to RBMs initial purpose. Only then can it help in addressing the world water crisis. In conclusion therefore it can be successfully argued that RBM is a worthwhile management option to pursue in relation to addressing the world water crisis. Where such regimes are well established and operational, such as in the Murray-Darling catchment, its sustainability approach to management allows for all of the demands and threats/pressures to the freshwater resource (such as excessive nutrient runoff from poorly managed land) to be identified and dealt with equitably and accordingly within the basins long-term carrying capacity. But, given the contextual fit of each country with regards to its current resource base, water pressures, and demands/needs, it may mean that in the grand scheme of things RBM may not be the most suitable management option to address the crisis with on its own. Interestingly RBM is according to Shar et al 2005 harder to implement in developing countries due to its developed background, but it is such countries where the water stresses are already at hi gh stress levels and expected to worsen from most through the predicted population growth and climate change pressures (UNESCO 2009). Only time will tell how useful and politically favoured RBM is in addressing the crisis, and whether it is continued to be used alone or alongside other water management concepts cuch as international virtual water sharing.