Julius Caesar Theme Essays - Cultural Depictions Of Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar Theme The play Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, or as I prefer to believe Edward de Vere, introduces many readers to a world where speeches are made on many occasions. In this world of rhetoric, persuasive oratory, speeches help people persuade crowds. However, a crowd is not always persuaded by speeches. If a speech is poorly developed with no supporting evidence, a crowd may not agree with an orator. They may instead support the ideas of another orator. In the play Julius Caesar, two prominent figures, Decius Brutus and Mark Antony, try to persuade a crowd of Plebeians. Both men use appealing tactics to sway the crowd. Brutus appeals to the crowd's love for Rome (patriotism), while Antony appealed to their emotion and logic. Brutus' speech is defensive and poorly structured. He begins his speech by addressing the crowd as "Romans, countrymen..." (Julius Caesar 3.2, 13), making it known that he is talking to the crowd as Roman citizens. One of the first mistakes Brutus makes is he bases his whole speech on his honor. He tells the crowd to believe and agree with everything he says because he is an honorable man. This is not a strong line of defense or persuasion because it is hard to believe the things someone says especially if they do not offer you supportive evidence. Rather than giving evidence, Brutus gives an arrogant request, "Believe me for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor, that you may believe." (Julius Caesar 3.2, 14-16). This is interesting because Brutus does not back up his statement (that he is honorable) with evidence. Already, Brutus is overestimating the trust of the crowd. Brutus attempts to cover up his lack of evidence by flattering the crowd by telling them that he will let them be the judge of his actions. (This is a big honor because in Rome at the time, Plebeians receive horrible, degrading treatment.) "Censure me in your wisdom, and awake your senses, that you may the better judge." (Julius Caesar 3.2, 16-17). Brutus continues to tell the crowd that he wants them to know all the facts so they can "awake their senses" and judge him better. This is rather ironic since Brutus never gives facts in his speech. He gives his opinions about Julius Caesar's ambition, but not facts. Even so, the crowd begins to sway at Brutus' flattery. Brutus moves on and starts justifying his actions. He claims that he is responsible for the death of Caesar because of Caesar's ambition. "As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honor him; but as he was ambitious, I slew him." (Julius Caesar 3.2, 24-27). Brutus is appealing to the crowds wish to be free men without Caesar rather than be slaves under Caesar's tyranny. However, Brutus does not cite any examples to support his allegation of Caesar's ambition. He instead leaves his statements"open-ended". Brutus seems to expect the crowd to believe his arguments just because he is honorable. This is not a wise choice because the crowd is too emotionally shocked (about Caesar's murder) to excited about patriotism. Brutus fails to incorporate "logic" and "emotion" in his speech. Many critics believe that this is the factor that leads to the "mutiny" against him. Brutus seems to have no other supporting arguments for his case, so he asks the crowd questions like; who is so corrupt to want to be a slave under Caesar's rule rather than be free without him. Even if someone would rather be a slave, it is not likely that they will admit to being corrupt. When Brutus starts judging the crowd, he begins to lose his effect on them. "Who is here so base that would rather be a bondsman? If any speak, for him have I offended. Who is here so vile that would not be a Roman? If any speak, for him have I offended. Who here is so rude that would not be a Roman? If any speak, for him have I offended. I pause for a reply." (Julius Caesar, 3.2,29-34) The crowd responds to his questions by telling him that no one is base, rude or vile, but then again who would agree with those statements? Brutus ends his speech saying that he would kill for Rome and die for Rome. Funny, why should anyone believe him? He doesn't even have evidence to prove his honor or Caesar's ambition. On what should the crowd base their

Intertidal Zone Characteristics, Challenges, and Creatures

Intertidal Zone Characteristics, Challenges, and Creatures Where the land meets the sea, youll find a challenging habitat filled with amazing creatures. What Is the Intertidal Zone? The intertidal zone is the area between the highest tide marks and lowest tide marks. This habitat is covered with water at high tide and exposed to air at low tide. The land in this zone can be rocky, sandy, or covered in mudflats. What Are Tides? Tides are bulges of water on the Earth caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun. As the moon rotates around the Earth, the bulge of water follows it. There is an opposite bulge on the other side of the earth. When the bulge happens in an area, it is called high tide, and the water is high. In between bulges, the water is low, and this is called low tide. In some locations (e.g., the Bay of Fundy), the water height between high tide and low tide may vary by as much as 50 feet. In other locations, the difference isnt as dramatic and could be just several inches.   Lakes are impacted by the gravitational force of the moon and sun, but since they are so much smaller in comparison to the ocean, the tides even in large lakes arent really noticeable. It is tides that make the intertidal zone such a dynamic habitat. Zones The intertidal zone is divided into several zones, starting near dry land with the splash zone (supralittoral zone), an area that is usually dry, and moving down to the littoral zone, which is usually underwater. Within the intertidal zone, you’ll find tide pools, puddles left in the rocks as water recedes when the tide goes out. These are great areas to gently explore: you never know what you might find in a tide pool! Challenges in the Intertidal Zone The intertidal zone is home to a wide variety of organisms. Organisms in this zone have many adaptations that allow them to survive in this challenging, ever-changing environment. Challenges in the intertidal zone include: Moisture: There are usually two high tides and two low tides each day. Depending on the time of day, different areas of the intertidal zone may be wet or dry. Organisms in this habitat must be able to adapt if they are left â€Å"high and dry† when the tide goes out. Sea snails such as periwinkles have a trap door called an operculum that they can close when they are out of the water to keep moisture in.Waves: In some areas, waves hit the intertidal zone with force and marine animals and plants must be able to protect themselves. Kelp, a type of algae, has a root-like structure called a holdfast  that it uses to attach to rocks or mussels, thus keeping it in place.Salinity: Depending on rainfall, the water in the intertidal zone may be more or less salty, and tide pool organisms must adapt to increases or decreases in salt throughout the day.Temperature: As the tide goes out, tide pools and shallow areas in the intertidal become more vulnerable to temperature changes that could occur from increased sunlight or colder weather. Some tide pool animals hide under plants in the tide pool to find shelter from the sun. Marine Life The intertidal zone is home to many species of animals and plants. Many of the animals are invertebrates (animals without a spine), which comprise a wide group of organisms. Some examples of invertebrates found in tide pools are crabs, urchins, sea stars, sea anemones, barnacles, snails, mussels,  and limpets. The intertidal is also home to marine vertebrates, some of whom prey on intertidal animals. These predators include fish, gulls, and seals. Threats Visitors: People are one of the biggest threats to the intertidal zone, as tide pools are popular attractions. The cumulative impact of people exploring tide pools and stepping on organisms and their habitat, and sometimes taking creatures has resulted in a decrease in organisms in some areas.Coastal Development: Pollution and runoff from increased development can damage tide pools through the introduction of contaminants. References and Further Information Coulombe, D.A. The Seaside Naturalist. Simon Schuster. 1984, New York.Denny, M.W. and S.D. Gaines. Encyclopedia of Tidepools and Rocky Shores. University of California Press. 2007, Berkeley.Tarbuck, E.J., Lutgens, F.K. and Tasa, D. Earth Science, Twelfth Edition. Pearson Prentice Hall. 2009, New Jersey.

Behind Mud Walls Paper

Only then one can learn about the cities because one needs to understand the relationship between the two in India. Behind Mud Walls provides the opportunity to examine a north Indian village from a non-Indian point of view; in other words, a non-biased point of view. Since the book is broken up into parts by years, it gives the reader a great way to examine the changes that take place in this village; it shows how it was then and how it is now. Karimpur in 1930 was very different from Karimpur in the 80’s and 90’s. Many changes were observed by Wisers and Susan Wadley, who writes the later chapters in the book. These changes were social, economic, educational, technological, political and cultural but most significant of these were social, and educational. The social changes with an emphasis on role of women, the slowing down of the Jajmani system and the rise in education will be the focus of this paper. What was Karimpur like in 1930? Women in Karimpur in late 1920s were very traditional. They had a purdah (covering of the face) on at all times and were dependent on males (husbands, father or brothers). They were uneducated and illiterate. They had limited movement outside the house and were usually tied to raising children and doing household work. They worked almost entirely in mud enclosures. Their days were spent largely in menial labor, ensuring that their family could subside on a day-to-day basis. Their days began at dawn, when they gathered water for their family and their daily tasks of cooking, brushing, and cleaning. They ground flour for bread. They milked the family’s cow or buffalo. They prepared the ovens or chulas for the day’s cooking. They swept. They collected dung for fuel. They gathered vegetables from the fields. It is safe to say that these women lived entirely behind â€Å"mud walls†. (144). They were also not allowed to go to the fields by themselves to relieve themselves. (46). Moreover, a system called Jajmani was widespread in Karimpur when the Wisers first visited. It was basically a system that bounded upper castes to lower castes in the villages. There was exchange of goods and services between landowning higher castes and landless service castes. The relationship was to be permanent, hereditary and lower castes generally received grains against rendered services. Dhobis (washers), chamars (tanners), faqirs (beggars) dhanuks (midwives), sudras (lower caste), and bhangis (sweepers) were all treated in a degrading manner. (47). The upper caste people, the Brahmins, would not like when the Wisers’ children played with those of bhangis. A touch of a bhangi would bring pollution to the upper caste Brahmins since they carry human waste and clean the courtyards. The Brahmins dominated the village. They owned most of the land and also took part in religious rituals due to their priest roots. Therefore, the caste system was a major social structure in Karimpur. Every individual had to stay within their caste boundaries; everyone had a hereditary job to do. Two different castes could not marry and an upper caste could eat or drink anything offered by the lower caste. Even when the Wisers offered peanuts to the children, their parents refused to let them eat. Only food offered by Brahmins would be acceptable for other upper castes. Therefore, caste system played a huge role in the lives of people in Karimpur. Furthermore, education was very low in Karimpur in 1925. Both males and females could barely read or write. As a result, there were no technological developments and therefore, agricultural production was low. Lower education rate also meant that people strictly followed the caste system to keep order in the society. Another observation made by the Wisers during their first was that most village houses were made of mud and were called â€Å"kaccha† houses. An interesting relationship noticed by the Wisers was that of newly wed girls and their mother-in-laws. Mother-in-laws would keep an eye on their daughter-in-laws or â€Å"bahus. † These bahus would have to please their mother-in-laws and take care of the household and everyone living in the family or in this case joint-family where brothers and their families live together with their parents under one roof. Therefore, one can see that Karimpur described by the Wisers in 1930 was quite backward and orthodox. The next half of the paper will be focused on the changes that took place over the decades in Karimpur. What were the changes in the second half of the century when Wisers and Susan Wadley visited Karimpur? Firstly, the role of women had changed a little bit. Secondly, education had increased and more and more villagers had B. A. degrees and moved to cities to find work. Thirdly, technological changes had brought enormous agricultural growth in the farms. The rigid caste system had slowed down a little bit and the mutual relationship of Jajmani system had declined as well. Finally, the younger generation was more in touch with the world through cities and education, the lower castes had more access to land ownership and most of the mud houses were transformed into brick houses or â€Å"pakka† houses. The roles of women had started to change in the 60s and later as observed by Susan Wadley. The purdah declined except during ritual occasions. The dress style also changed. Head was less covered. They started to show more head and face unlike before. When women went out in the fields to work still wore long sleeve blouses and had their head covered. The ones who worked in their own courtyards or left their house briefly started wearing dhotis which was something shorter than saris and other traditional long sleeve garments that they wore. (193). This was a radical change. It really showed that times had changed and people were becoming a little more open-minded. The younger generation of women was far more educated than their mothers or sisters and also wore baggy pants (Panjabi suits) by 90s. At times they would refuse to help their female figures in preparing and collecting cow dung, calling it â€Å"dirty. † They no longer had to collect water for their families since the introduction of hand pumps in their courtyards. This made their job a lot easier. Women also experienced change in their work. Due to the decline in the jajmani system and male employment in the farms, women no longer worked on the farms. The decline in the jajmani system meant more opportunities for women. Female servants were more acceptable as household servants. The decline in the purdah also helped women since now they could get their own water without males, carry their own messages and pick their own flowers from the fields. (289). They also took part in Hindu rituals. At the same time, one can argue that the voice of women in a household declined. Females were excluded from farm work since men had moved to the cities for work. They were replaced by machines and pumps on the fields and farms, and traditionally employed women in caste-based jobs through the jajmani system were no longer employed. Therefore, the changes in the lives of women were both negative and positive although the changes in the levels of education in Karimpur definitely helped women. Education was beneficial to both men and women. Better opportunities for jobs and marriage increased education rates among men and women. Women were expected to be educated to train their future generations. An educated girl was a likely girl for a marriage proposal. In 1984, three schools were set up for both boys and girls. An astonishing forty nine percent of boys attended school. That is a big percentage for a backward village like Karimpur. (291). Fifty seven percent of girls attended primary schools. (291). All these numbers aside, education was still a luxury not a privilege in Karimpur. It was only accessible to upper castes that had money and the poor could not afford the cost of books and clothes. It is also important to note that it was extremely difficult to pass the sciences in schools without proper tutoring. As a result, the spread and benefit of education remained low. Still, it was a crucial change because it did make life better for some of the people. Many Brahmins obtained B. A. and M. A. degrees and most were literate including women. Increased education for men meant more opportunities in the cities for work which meant more money to provide for families back in village. Those who stayed in villages chose to be intermediates between the Brahmins and the government officials in matters of the village. Another reason why education was an important change for Karimpur was because it changed caste relationships. Education loosened the bonds of Brahmin dominance. Education brought knowledge and knowledge brought changes in caste relationships. Different lower castes were no longer tied to their jajmans or patrons. They were able to deal with banks, lawyers, doctors and government officials. There was a decline in the traditional jajmani system due to abundance of labor. The farmers no longer needed to maintain their workers when they could hire labor for a cheaper price. Wealthy farmers in the 80s did not need that many laborers. They had machines that took care of their daily work. Hand pumps were a great tool for rich farmers. (285). There were two new tractors in the village. As a result the whole relationship between the jajmans and their servants declined due to abundance of cheap labor and new technology in the farms. The jajmani system no longer provided services, wage labor was more focused and employment networks were more focused and laborers were in constant demand. (283). Some lower castes were also able to raise their status in the society by changing their caste names. Scheduled or backward castes like the chamars and telis became jatavs and rathors, both subcastes of the Kshatriya. (262). This type of upward mobility shows that progress did take place and this is the type of mobility is portrayed in the sacred Hindu texts like the Vedas. The system of hereditary caste system was never propagated by any texts. Rather, a system based on meritocracy was promoted in ancient Sanskrit texts and it was good to see such changed in a small north Indian village. Thus, one can see many social changes in Karimpur starting in the 60s and lasting till the 90s. Other important changes that took place were the transformation of the kuccha houses into pakka houses. Pakka houses were no longer limited to Brahmins. Even a sweeper had a pakka house. (248). Economic growth enabled people to buy bricks and build these new types of houses. Payments are done in rupees rather than grains due to cash economy. Jajmani system no longer controlled the exchange of goods. Agricultural production was booming due to technological changes and introduction of necessary materials by the government to increase production. Better seeds, more fertilizer and more irrigation were provided by the government. One can credit increased education for more interaction between the villagers and the government officials. 252). Crops other than grains were produced and more number of farmers from all castes planted more crops and vegetables unlike only the Brahmins forty years ago. Green revolution also brought tremendous change in agriculture along with introduction of pumped irrigation water. Family incomes increased for many castes and access to land ownership also increased for middle and lower castes. The dominant Brahm in influence declined over the years but they still had a huge presence in the village. Overall, Karimpur in 1920s was different from Karimpur in the second half of the century. The reason why it was different was because of the changes in the roles of women over the years, the decline in the caste and jajmani system, and increased education. These changes were tied to each other and a change in one system brought a change in another. Finally, Karimpur serves as a model for modern India; it shows how a socially orthodox and economically backward place can experience changes at all levels in the society and improve the lives of its people. Works Cited Wiser, Charlotte, William Wiser. Behind Mud Walls. Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: University of California, 2000. Behind Mud Walls Paper Only then one can learn about the cities because one needs to understand the relationship between the two in India. Behind Mud Walls provides the opportunity to examine a north Indian village from a non-Indian point of view; in other words, a non-biased point of view. Since the book is broken up into parts by years, it gives the reader a great way to examine the changes that take place in this village; it shows how it was then and how it is now. Karimpur in 1930 was very different from Karimpur in the 80’s and 90’s. Many changes were observed by Wisers and Susan Wadley, who writes the later chapters in the book. These changes were social, economic, educational, technological, political and cultural but most significant of these were social, and educational. The social changes with an emphasis on role of women, the slowing down of the Jajmani system and the rise in education will be the focus of this paper. What was Karimpur like in 1930? Women in Karimpur in late 1920s were very traditional. They had a purdah (covering of the face) on at all times and were dependent on males (husbands, father or brothers). They were uneducated and illiterate. They had limited movement outside the house and were usually tied to raising children and doing household work. They worked almost entirely in mud enclosures. Their days were spent largely in menial labor, ensuring that their family could subside on a day-to-day basis. Their days began at dawn, when they gathered water for their family and their daily tasks of cooking, brushing, and cleaning. They ground flour for bread. They milked the family’s cow or buffalo. They prepared the ovens or chulas for the day’s cooking. They swept. They collected dung for fuel. They gathered vegetables from the fields. It is safe to say that these women lived entirely behind â€Å"mud walls†. (144). They were also not allowed to go to the fields by themselves to relieve themselves. (46). Moreover, a system called Jajmani was widespread in Karimpur when the Wisers first visited. It was basically a system that bounded upper castes to lower castes in the villages. There was exchange of goods and services between landowning higher castes and landless service castes. The relationship was to be permanent, hereditary and lower castes generally received grains against rendered services. Dhobis (washers), chamars (tanners), faqirs (beggars) dhanuks (midwives), sudras (lower caste), and bhangis (sweepers) were all treated in a degrading manner. (47). The upper caste people, the Brahmins, would not like when the Wisers’ children played with those of bhangis. A touch of a bhangi would bring pollution to the upper caste Brahmins since they carry human waste and clean the courtyards. The Brahmins dominated the village. They owned most of the land and also took part in religious rituals due to their priest roots. Therefore, the caste system was a major social structure in Karimpur. Every individual had to stay within their caste boundaries; everyone had a hereditary job to do. Two different castes could not marry and an upper caste could eat or drink anything offered by the lower caste. Even when the Wisers offered peanuts to the children, their parents refused to let them eat. Only food offered by Brahmins would be acceptable for other upper castes. Therefore, caste system played a huge role in the lives of people in Karimpur. Furthermore, education was very low in Karimpur in 1925. Both males and females could barely read or write. As a result, there were no technological developments and therefore, agricultural production was low. Lower education rate also meant that people strictly followed the caste system to keep order in the society. Another observation made by the Wisers during their first was that most village houses were made of mud and were called â€Å"kaccha† houses. An interesting relationship noticed by the Wisers was that of newly wed girls and their mother-in-laws. Mother-in-laws would keep an eye on their daughter-in-laws or â€Å"bahus. † These bahus would have to please their mother-in-laws and take care of the household and everyone living in the family or in this case joint-family where brothers and their families live together with their parents under one roof. Therefore, one can see that Karimpur described by the Wisers in 1930 was quite backward and orthodox. The next half of the paper will be focused on the changes that took place over the decades in Karimpur. What were the changes in the second half of the century when Wisers and Susan Wadley visited Karimpur? Firstly, the role of women had changed a little bit. Secondly, education had increased and more and more villagers had B. A. degrees and moved to cities to find work. Thirdly, technological changes had brought enormous agricultural growth in the farms. The rigid caste system had slowed down a little bit and the mutual relationship of Jajmani system had declined as well. Finally, the younger generation was more in touch with the world through cities and education, the lower castes had more access to land ownership and most of the mud houses were transformed into brick houses or â€Å"pakka† houses. The roles of women had started to change in the 60s and later as observed by Susan Wadley. The purdah declined except during ritual occasions. The dress style also changed. Head was less covered. They started to show more head and face unlike before. When women went out in the fields to work still wore long sleeve blouses and had their head covered. The ones who worked in their own courtyards or left their house briefly started wearing dhotis which was something shorter than saris and other traditional long sleeve garments that they wore. (193). This was a radical change. It really showed that times had changed and people were becoming a little more open-minded. The younger generation of women was far more educated than their mothers or sisters and also wore baggy pants (Panjabi suits) by 90s. At times they would refuse to help their female figures in preparing and collecting cow dung, calling it â€Å"dirty. † They no longer had to collect water for their families since the introduction of hand pumps in their courtyards. This made their job a lot easier. Women also experienced change in their work. Due to the decline in the jajmani system and male employment in the farms, women no longer worked on the farms. The decline in the jajmani system meant more opportunities for women. Female servants were more acceptable as household servants. The decline in the purdah also helped women since now they could get their own water without males, carry their own messages and pick their own flowers from the fields. (289). They also took part in Hindu rituals. At the same time, one can argue that the voice of women in a household declined. Females were excluded from farm work since men had moved to the cities for work. They were replaced by machines and pumps on the fields and farms, and traditionally employed women in caste-based jobs through the jajmani system were no longer employed. Therefore, the changes in the lives of women were both negative and positive although the changes in the levels of education in Karimpur definitely helped women. Education was beneficial to both men and women. Better opportunities for jobs and marriage increased education rates among men and women. Women were expected to be educated to train their future generations. An educated girl was a likely girl for a marriage proposal. In 1984, three schools were set up for both boys and girls. An astonishing forty nine percent of boys attended school. That is a big percentage for a backward village like Karimpur. (291). Fifty seven percent of girls attended primary schools. (291). All these numbers aside, education was still a luxury not a privilege in Karimpur. It was only accessible to upper castes that had money and the poor could not afford the cost of books and clothes. It is also important to note that it was extremely difficult to pass the sciences in schools without proper tutoring. As a result, the spread and benefit of education remained low. Still, it was a crucial change because it did make life better for some of the people. Many Brahmins obtained B. A. and M. A. degrees and most were literate including women. Increased education for men meant more opportunities in the cities for work which meant more money to provide for families back in village. Those who stayed in villages chose to be intermediates between the Brahmins and the government officials in matters of the village. Another reason why education was an important change for Karimpur was because it changed caste relationships. Education loosened the bonds of Brahmin dominance. Education brought knowledge and knowledge brought changes in caste relationships. Different lower castes were no longer tied to their jajmans or patrons. They were able to deal with banks, lawyers, doctors and government officials. There was a decline in the traditional jajmani system due to abundance of labor. The farmers no longer needed to maintain their workers when they could hire labor for a cheaper price. Wealthy farmers in the 80s did not need that many laborers. They had machines that took care of their daily work. Hand pumps were a great tool for rich farmers. (285). There were two new tractors in the village. As a result the whole relationship between the jajmans and their servants declined due to abundance of cheap labor and new technology in the farms. The jajmani system no longer provided services, wage labor was more focused and employment networks were more focused and laborers were in constant demand. (283). Some lower castes were also able to raise their status in the society by changing their caste names. Scheduled or backward castes like the chamars and telis became jatavs and rathors, both subcastes of the Kshatriya. (262). This type of upward mobility shows that progress did take place and this is the type of mobility is portrayed in the sacred Hindu texts like the Vedas. The system of hereditary caste system was never propagated by any texts. Rather, a system based on meritocracy was promoted in ancient Sanskrit texts and it was good to see such changed in a small north Indian village. Thus, one can see many social changes in Karimpur starting in the 60s and lasting till the 90s. Other important changes that took place were the transformation of the kuccha houses into pakka houses. Pakka houses were no longer limited to Brahmins. Even a sweeper had a pakka house. (248). Economic growth enabled people to buy bricks and build these new types of houses. Payments are done in rupees rather than grains due to cash economy. Jajmani system no longer controlled the exchange of goods. Agricultural production was booming due to technological changes and introduction of necessary materials by the government to increase production. Better seeds, more fertilizer and more irrigation were provided by the government. One can credit increased education for more interaction between the villagers and the government officials. 252). Crops other than grains were produced and more number of farmers from all castes planted more crops and vegetables unlike only the Brahmins forty years ago. Green revolution also brought tremendous change in agriculture along with introduction of pumped irrigation water. Family incomes increased for many castes and access to land ownership also increased for middle and lower castes. The dominant Brahm in influence declined over the years but they still had a huge presence in the village. Overall, Karimpur in 1920s was different from Karimpur in the second half of the century. The reason why it was different was because of the changes in the roles of women over the years, the decline in the caste and jajmani system, and increased education. These changes were tied to each other and a change in one system brought a change in another. Finally, Karimpur serves as a model for modern India; it shows how a socially orthodox and economically backward place can experience changes at all levels in the society and improve the lives of its people. Works Cited Wiser, Charlotte, William Wiser. Behind Mud Walls. Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: University of California, 2000.

Identify qualitative methodology in journal articles and critically Research Paper

Identify qualitative methodology in journal articles and critically review its applicability to the study - Research Paper Example ents were quite appropriate for the study, as capturing the essence of what drives both the management of change and the influence of the processes and systems at two different companies on female workers with varying degrees of education and experience. In order to fully assess different perspectives on these views, the unstructured interview allowed the subjects to freely express their unique experiences and viewpoints regarding the role of women in the workplace and how their roles are defined through different social lenses. Additionally, the unstructured interview, as opposed to the simple survey or questionnaire format, allows the researcher to dig deeper into the human behavioral aspects which drive various decision-making in the workplace. It is a relatively common fact that, from an HR perspective, people have various needs in the professional environment linked to autonomous working conditions and empowerment in order to feel fully valuable to an organization. With this in mind, had this study taken a more quantitative approach, such as the utilization of surveys to locate patterns of behavior at the two workplaces described in the research article, it would have limited the potential of the study by limiting responses to a set series of researcher-designed criteria. For instance, a multi-tick survey instrument, such as a series of questions with potential responses ranging from 1-10 based on personal opinion, might have captured whether specific patterns existed in terms of individual worker pers pectives on the role of women in the workplaces. However, the more behavioral aspects of managing people, such as the soft approach to human resources management where people development is paramount, would be missing from this approach, which justifies this study’s use of the informal interview template to provide for free expression of ideas and unique perspectives. One notable limitation to this study’s design involves its lack of clear objectives: What

Substance abuse among teens Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Substance abuse among teens - Article Example y get into substance abuse owing to peer pressure or just for the sake of pleasure, the long term consequences are extreme and thus, they must be educated on the issue which makes them direct stakeholders in the issue. Thus, both parents and their children as a family unit make an important stakeholder to the issue. For instance, if the child is indulged in the perils of substance abuse, it would be the family who will have to bear the brunt while the child is in rehab, also medical expenses would also be borne by the family. Thus, in any way, the family unit has the most stakes in the issue (Monty, Suzzane & Tracy 22-23). Similarly, the community of the teachers and instructors directly associated with these teenagers also has stakes in the issue since they will be ones looking after the well being of the community. Thus, as an institution these teachers, professors and instructors must also be directly engaged in a meaningful discussion since they understand the behavioral patterns of the issues well, which makes them stakeholders in the debate. On a macro level, the policy makers who are looking after the demand supply pattern of these drugs involved, and thus awareness over the issues is also significant for them. For instance, these policy makers have to be mindful of developing strategies over the age limit of legal availability of certain legalized drugs, similarly, of the level of taxation to be imposed on the purchase of such drugs. Thus, on a holistic level, advocates, community mobilzers, family units and other similar institutions stand to be significant stakeholders in this context. The study aims at addressing the gap in information specifically for the stakeholders identified. In other words, assessing substance abuse with a focus specifically on teenagers is the need of the time since the issue is now affecting stakeholders at a macro level. The paper will thus offer information for these stakeholders who are looking for figures and estimates in a

February Action - creative writing Essay Example for Free

February Action creative writing Essay So, after my great holidays, back to reality. In this case, it meant moving flats. I moved out of my friends flat and in with two Mexican siblings, girl (spoilt acting student) and boy (pain in the ass lawyer student). (The statements in this part are highly influenced by later experiences with the two people, I got along with them and their family fine. ) And when I moved I found the flat under water. So the first thing I did was spend hours soaking towels. Apart from that the two were always nice to me, the guy was almost never there and the girl went home on weekends, so I had the place to myself a lot, which was great. The flat was on the ground floor, so despite great sunny weather outside, I lived in freezing conditions. But it was well-located for work and social life. My room consisted of a bed and a built in cupboard (already provided) and a very useful box (which I found on the street and stayed with me until I moved out). I started working too giving English classes in the Bank of Mexico, some 20 hours a week, all 1-1 classes with mostly enjoyable students. As I had already found a football team, it meant I had found friends who took me out, to the cinema and every sunday the PUMAS (one of the local teams) game was a must. I was introduced to the stadium, the anthem (!!!! ) and the during match entertainment (beer and crisps) and the after match entertainment (more beer, discussion of game, and strange activities like having electric shocks outside of the stadium). Although not completely my description of a great time, it was good fun nevertheless. I otherwise spent quite lazy weekends, enjoying the company of my friend Itziar and playing football. At the end of February, the football girls had a huge party, which was great great fun, a lovely, welcoming group of girls who know how to party. There I became better friends with a lot of them, which was very nice. The party was full of good food, dancing, dancing and dancing and when it ended, we decided to go to a friends house to continue the party, but we all ended up falling asleep there. So some good weekend action. I was invited by the family of my flatmates to Cuernavaca, which is the getaway for inhabitants of the big City. (btw, if New York City is the Big Apple, Mexico City must be something like the Big Papaya) I went out on the Saturday morning by bus and then spent quite a relaxed time in the house, which is quite a bit outside of the city center. We had a lovely meal and then they took me into the city center, where they, interestingly enough, put me on the tourist bus and I went around on that. Pity really, because the main square had some really interesting and fun dancing and singing going on, surrounded by people selling handcrafts and other oddities. So the bus ride was quite amusing, lots of historically interesting information that I forget while the guide is finishing the sentence. Cuernavaca is a nice city and the bus also took us on a walk through some park/ravine, which was also umm nice. Then in the evening I met the family to have supper at a very good Italian restaurant before we headed back to their house, where I fell right to sleep (tired from the party, obviously). Sunday just meant a long sleep, another nice meal and then the return journey back to the city. So I got a look at what Cuernavaca was like, which was enjoyable. Next time, Ill just go by myself to see more of the place instead of seeing it wizzing by from the Touribus.

McDonaldization Essay -- essays research papers

George Ritzer describes McDonaldization as â€Å"the process by which the principles of the fast-food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as the rest of the world†. McDonaldization is the idea that our society is becoming more efficient and more fast paced. Rational systems can be defined as â€Å"unreasonable, dehumanizing systems that deny the humanity, the human reason, of the people who work within them or are served by them†.1 Today there are many types of businesses that are increasingly adapting the same values and principles of the fast-food industry to their needs. Rational systems are dehumanizing our society and seem to be even more irrational than convenient. â€Å"Almost every aspect of today’s society has been affected by McDonaldization including the restaurant business, education, work, healthcare, travel, leisure, dieting, politics and the family†. McDonaldization is turning our society into one which is built upon convenience and gaining the most for our money in the fastest way possible. The significant success of McDonalds, and of McDonaldization as a whole, is due to four basic elements- efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control.(Ritzer, p.12) The first dimension of McDonaldization is efficiency. Efficiency means choosing the optimum means to a given end. Efficiency does have its advantages for both consumers, who get what they want quickly and with little effort, and for workers, who can perform their tasks...

History of insurance in Argentina Essay

In 1984, about 200 insurance companies were in operation in Argentina. Although various legal restrictions have been placed on foreign insurance companies, many retain offices. The Superintendent of Insurance of the nation regulates the insurance market, which is a branch of the Ministry of Economy. The Argentine insurance market is characterized by a relatively large number of insurers with no single organization dominating the industry. From 1994 to 1997, there was a reduction in the number of insurers as some closed operations or were liquidated. Observers believe that there will be further reductions in the number of insurance companies as consolidation of the industry and the quest for economies of scale and critical mass continues. In Argentina, insurance companies are not allowed to raise their prices without notifying their customers and explain why the raise in prices took place, nor are they allowed to renew policies without prior notification of the changes in the policy. If an insurance company does not comply with this regulation, one can take legal action against them by contacting the National Supervisory of Insurances (Advameg Inc, 2007). This paper will address the significant development of the Argentine life market of insurance, especially under the stable current conditions. Insurance Landscape in Argentina Types of insurances Apart from the obligatory social insurance, there are also a number of possibilities for obtaining private insurance to cover other eventualities. The most common insurances include: Life Insurance The need for a life insurance depends on age, and dependents. Life insurance foresees in a payment to the beneficiaries of the deceased one. This payment can take place at once, or as a partial interest bearing payment. The names of the beneficiaries are stated in the insurance policy. Insurance companies calculate the costs of your policy based on three factors. The first one is the mortality table that classifies people into groups and their rate of mortality. The higher the risk of the mortality group you belong to, the higher your cost of policy. Next is the interest rate. Insurance companies invest their money in stocks, bonds etc. The higher the interest rate of the investments, the lower the cost of the insurance. Last factor of influence on the price are the operating costs of the insurance company. Life insurance are classified according to duration where distinction is made between temporary (term) insurance and life-long insurance. Temporary insurance only covers the insured person for a time-span specified in the policy. Life long insurance provides covers until death. Secondly is premium which bring in a distinction between Fixed Premiums and Risk Premiums. Fixed premiums mean that the same amount of premium is paid during the insurance. Risk premiums rise in premium as the age of the insured person goes up. Thirdly is the persons being covered by the insurance. Lastly is the flexibility of payment of premiums where a distinction is made between traditional life insurances and savings life insurance. The traditional insurance demands that premiums are paid at set dates. With savings insurances the date and amount of premium payment are more flexible. Take into account that price is not the only criteria when choosing a company. The reputation and service the insurance company offers should also be considered importantly. Furthermore, the company should be registered so that assistance can be given in disputes between the insurance company and clients. When buying a life insurance, one ought to answer all questions on the policy form correctly which mainly refer to health issues before signing and submitting the forms.   This is mainly because if later it turns out any questions where not answered truthfully, the insurance company can decide not to pay.   Further important points when buying a life insurance include the start and end of the policy, the benefits that might be paid out and those that can become less after a certain age is reached, Clauses regarding age and payments, and the time the company takes to start the running time of the insurance. Car Insurance By law it is mandatory to have car insurance in Argentina. Car insurance in Argentina covers the driver and/or insured person and third parties from damages suffered from fire, theft and accidents. Premiums paid are calculated based on the brand and model of car, usage of the car , geographic location, marital status, sex and age. The peson buying the cover must keep in mind the start and end of coverage, how old a car is, and the value of the parts to be insured   especially if they are to be insured independently. Household Insurance The household insurance in Argentina covers the material as individuals in your household. Examples of what is covered by household insurance are damages due to fire, theft and burglary, water damages, civil responsibility, personal accidents, accidents of domestic employees. Wear and tear of property, damages due to war or natural disasters such as earthquakes and tornados is not covered. Choosing insurance Make sure before deciding with which company to buy an insurance, you know what the financial situation of the company is. Besides the price of the policy the service and reputation of the company should also be important factors to consider when deciding. If to buy directly with an insurance company or through an agent is also another factor. The Argentina Insurance Report provides independent forecasts and competitive intelligence on Argentines insurance industry. It includes BMI’s Insurance Business Environment Rating (IBER), which brings together a number of pieces of relevant quantitative data, together with BMI’s Country Risk Rating (CRR). It is now much easier to consider the business environment for the insurance sector in any one country relative to the business environment for other industries in that country that are surveyed by BMI, and the business environment for the insurance sector in other countries. Argentina’s IBER is a moderately attractive insurance market for foreign insurers. Within the region, the Bahamas has the highest IBER ranking, with a very high score in the risks to realization of potential returns. The competitive landscape, in both the non-life and the life segment, is fragmented. Both segments are open to participation by foreign groups. It is likely that the landscape will change dramatically in the next few years, possibly after considerable consolidation. This means that there is opportunity for cross-border operations that currently have a relatively small presence to become major players in the market. We do not however, expect any completely new market entrants. Although there a strong growth forecasts for Argentina, these are not at the moment translating into high growth rates for the insurance market. (BMI, 2008). The competitive landscape, in both the non-life and the life segment, is fragmented. Both segments are open to participation by foreign groups. It is likely that the landscape will change dramatically in the next few years, possibly after considerable consolidation. This means that there is opportunity for cross-border operations that currently have a relatively small presence to become major players in the market. ` However, completely new market entrants are expected. Economic and political reform if reinvigorated provides positive flow-on effects for the insurance market. Increased transparency has been campaigned on as an issue. However, it remains to be seen if it will be implemented. Although there is a strong growth in Argentina, this is not at the moment translating into high growth rates for the insurance market. (Braga, 1996). SWOT Analysis for Insurance in Argentina (Strength Weakness Opportunity Threats) SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning tool used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieving that objective.The aim of any SWOT analysis is to identify the key internal and external factors that are important to achieving the objective. Internal factors are the strengths and weaknesses internal to the organization. External factors are the opportunities and threats presented by the external environment.The internal factors may be viewed as strengths or weaknesses depending upon their impact on the organizations objectives. What may represent strengths with respect to one objective may be weaknesses for another objective. The factors may include all key fields; as well as personnel, finance, manufacturing capabilities, and so on. The external factors may include macroeconomic matters, technological change, legislation, and socio-cultural changes, as well as changes in the marketplace or competitive position. The results are often presented in the form of a matrix. The aim of the insurance company ought to be maxinizing the strengths and opportunities and minimizing the weaknesses and threats. (Business help, 2008) Opportunities and threats Opportunities SWOT Analysis influences the Opportunities for the insurance businesses and these can be seen as targets to achieve and exploit in the future for example: Being in a good financial position creates a good reputation for future growth, Skilled and experienced workforce means that they can be moved and trained into other areas and locations of the business, competitor going bankrupt therefore creating a takeover opportunity, availability of broadband technology plus the installed in the area which is useful for Internet use, Increased spending power in the Local/National economy, and moving the insurance services into a new market sector . (Business help, 2008) Threats The final part of the analysis will also be seen as the most feared: the Threats. It has to be done and therefore taking into account the weaknesses, the threats seem too clear. For examples: Large and increasing competition from other insurance companies, Rising cost of Wages, Possible relocation costs, Local authority refusing plans for future building expansion, Increasing interest rates by lenders therefore increases borrowing repayments, and lastly existing covers becoming unfashionable or unpopular. (Business help, 2008) Opportunities for a US Insurance companies. As consolidation of the insurance industries and the quest for economies of scale and critical mass continues companies can still find their ways to certain regions as long as they meet the requirements and laws. (Wray, 2008). Need to Resort to International Law Accordingly, a body of international law, not dependent on the law or interpretation of any one country, has developed as the standard for expropriation claims against a host government. In turn, most political risk insurance policies over the years have required that for there to be an expropriation, the government’s actions must be in violation of this standard of international law. Application of the traditional standard to regulatory takings has proven to be difficult. Because of the â€Å"public purpose† test, normal regulations or change of law is not a wrongful action under international law and therefore is not an insurable event under political risk insurance expropriation Coverage. On the other hand, it is easy to imagine a host government attempting to cloak a wrongful expropriation with the appearance of legitimate regulatory action. (Wray, 2008). The credit derivative market: During the past ten years, credit derivatives have become a basic tool for risk management in the banking sector for both corporate credit and country risk management. Since the mid-1990s, banks have increasingly used credit protection to diversify and reduce corporate and emerging market exposure inherent in their lending activities. Insurance companies have also participated (mostly in the non-emerging market arena) both as providers of protection (to capture higher returns and better spreads), and as buyers of protection (to manage their exposure and diversify their portfolios). Insurance companies buy insurance to transfer resources from good times to bad times.  They do this by pooling risks, e.g., motor vehicle insurance. If population is large and individual risks are independent then aggregate loss is predictable. This enables simple strategies for setting premiums as a mark-up over the expected aggregate loss. Practical considerations  include availability of data for insurance companies, which enables them to estimate the distribution of aggregate losses from their pool of risk. Low enough transactions costs (collecting data, writing policies, settling claims) are what are considered as policies, which make risks attractive. Catastrophe risks, e.g., floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes together with weather risks temperature and rainfall fluctuations are not attractive to many insurance companies. The Catastrophe risks are low-frequency high-severity risks unlike motor vehicle risks, which are high-frequency low-severity risks. Low frequency has probabilities of occurrence and damages are not precisely computed. There is need for a lot more data than when it is high frequency, Variance of loss is high, Premium setting is difficult, and Capital requirements to ensure solvency are large. Markets for Catastrophe Risk A large proportion is not insured or under-insured. Premiums can be high (as high as seven times the expected losses the actuarially fair level). Premiums can change drastically with an event suggesting that probabilities of extreme events is not well established and therefore revised with any new information.   Markets for catastrophe risk do not work very well. Conclusion Recent developments. Congressional legislation now allows insurance carriers and other financial institutions, such as banks and securities firms, to sell one another’s products. More insurance carriers now sell financial products such as securities, mutual funds, and various retirement plans. This approach is most common in life insurance companies that already sold annuities, but property and casualty companies also are increasingly selling a wider range of financial products. In order to expand into one another’s markets, insurance carriers, banks, and securities firms have engaged in numerous mergers, allowing the merging companies access to each other’s client base and geographical markets therefore Argentines can be covered by US insurance companies. This way many insurance companies are able to insure unattractive risks. Insurance carriers have discovered that the Internet can be a powerful tool for reaching potential and existing customers. Most carriers use the Internet simply to post company information, such as sales brochures and product information, financial statements, and a list of local agents. However, an increasing number of carriers are starting to expand their Web sites to enable customers to access online account and billing information, and some carriers even allow claims to be submitted online. Many carriers also provide insurance quotes online based on the information submitted by customers on their Internet sites. In fact, some carriers will allow customers to purchase policies through the Internet without ever speaking to a live agent. In addition to individual carrier-sponsored Internet sites, several â€Å"lead-generating† sites have emerged. These sites allow potential customers to input information about their insurance policy needs. For a fee, the sites forward customer information to a number of insurance companies, which review the information and, if they decide to take on the policy, contact the customer with an offer. This practice gives consumers the freedom to accept the best rate. If this does not make the insurance landscape manageable then it is on the collapse. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2008). Work cited: Business Monitor International, (n.d.). Argentina insurance report. Accessed 16thMay 2008 from: http://www.businessmonitor.com/insurance/argentina.html Business Monitoring International (BMI), (2008, March). Argentina insurance report, pages: 31. Accessed 16thMay 2008 from: http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c89667 Michael Braga, Tempa Bay business Journal, (1996, 21st June). Bankers insurance group on EEC Argentina. Accessed 16thMay 2008 from: http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/1996/06/24/newscolumn1.html Business help, (2008). SWOT Analysis-Opportunities and threats Analysis. Accessed 16thMay 2008 from: http://www.bizhelp24.com/marketing/swot-analysis—opportunities-and-threats.html Robert Wray. (2008, April). Political risk Insurance Newsletter. Connecticut Avenue, nw suite 350, Washington dc, Volume 4, Issue 1 Advameg Inc, (2007). Argentina forum. Accessed 16thMay 2008 from: http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/ Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Career Guide to Industries, 2008-09 Edition, Accessed 16thMay 2008 from: http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs028.htm

Memory Management Essay

The difference between Windows and Linux memory management starts with understanding the requirements of memory management in today’s multiprogramming systems. Memory management requirements are relocation, protection, sharing, local organization, and physical organization. These requirements play a vital role in the processing speed response when using the computer. Windows and Linux have several similarities in regards to memory management but also differ especially with Windows being a sophisticate system and Linux being open sourced. â€Å"Linux shares UNIX characteristics but has its own features and is very complex† (Stallings, 2012, p. 384). Linux virtual memory uses a three- level page structure. The first part is the page structure which is an active process having the size of one page. The entry goes to the page directory and the page directory must be in the main memory to be active. Next is the page middle directory which can span multiple pages. Each entry will point to one page of the table. Last is the page table and refers to one virtual page of the process. A virtual address is used consisting of four fields which are the index into the page directory, index into the page middle directory, index into the page table, and the offset in the selected page of memory. The table structure was designed for 64-bit Alpha processor and is independent. Linux uses the buddy system for efficiency of reading in and writing out pages to and from memory. The buddy system splits and merges pages which are allocated and deallocated in the main memory. The page replacement algorithm in Linux deals with a simple clock which gives each page an age variable. The more times the page is accessed, the age variable is increased. A page that is old would be replaced since it has not been accessed in quite a long time. Linux kernel memory allocation manages the main memory page frames which allocates and deallocates frames for the virtual memory management. When the minimum amount of allocation is less than a page, Linux uses a slab allocation for these smaller chunks making the system more efficient. Windows memory manager is designed to use 4 to 64 Kbytes page sizes and controls how memory is allocated. On 32-bit systems, the Windows process  shows a 32-bit address which allows 4 Gbytes of virtual memory for each process which half is for the operating system and half is for the virtual address space when running in kernel-mode. With the introduction of 64-bit, systems can run more efficiently with larger memory intensive programs. Windows paging can make use of the entire space which can then be brought into the main memory. The operating system manages the address in three regions; available references the address not currently used, reserved for setting aside the process through the virtual memory manager, and committed address for processes to access virtual memory page. When virtual memory is high, the processes increase, and when they are low, older pages are swapped out. In conclusion, Windows and Linux have a few similarities. Both swaps out older pages that are no longer needed to improve the processes Window memory management is more secure and performance orientated, but is more complex. Linux is simpler and easier to maintain but is not secured due to being open sourced and need improvement. Linux was originated in a hacker’s environment while Windows is in a commercial environment. Windows has more effort through design and Linus was favored for simplicity. Each one has their own positives and negatives and the final decision is what system is he and she more comfortable with. References Stallings, W. (2012). Operating Systems: Internals and Design Principles (7th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.

Long Term Investment Decisions

Long Term Investment Decisions Outline of plan The plan for the company, which faces increases in costs of the major ingredients, is to lobby government for recognition of its products as important for consumers and intervene through fiscal policies like taxation to reduce the cost of ingredients.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Long Term Investment Decisions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Meanwhile, the firm will concentrate on product differentiation, which should allow it to have a unique value proposition to customers and increase the inelasticity of the product’s price. As for capital projects, the firm would consider outsourcing non-core responsibilities to reduce cost and achieve agility in response to market changes. A strategy for making products response to price less elastic and rationale The main reason for reducing the price elasticity of a product is the maximization of profits. An increase in price lowers the demand for a p roduct in a perfect economy when the product is a normal good. However, when the product does not behave as a normal good, its price can increase and the demand stays the same or increases too. In essence, the product’s response to price becomes less elastic (Forgang Einolf, 2007). Based on the above discussion, the company can make the product qualify as a necessity for consumers. When it achieves the objective, people will have to buy the products, even when the prices increase. Typically, the firm will have to reduce the threat of substitute goods by making its product unique in their value proposition. Customers should be able to get a significantly higher utility from the company products than they can obtain from the closest substitute. Consequently, the biggest focus of the firm should be on product differentiation and market research to ensure that its products meet consumer demand better than substitute products and consumers understand the value difference when mak ing purchase choices. Marketing campaigns using product samples would be a favorable strategy for the firm in this endeavor. Major effects of government policy The free market economy is often sufficient for rewarding risk takers with favorable business returns and in the process, ensuring that the demand for goods and services is fulfilled by the available supply. However, there can be loopholes in the system that give suppliers or consumers an unfair advantage, such that they are able to get more than a socially fair return for their investments or the price they pay for goods and services.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Government intervention through policy often comes as a way to correct the inability of the market to allocate resources where they are most needed. The government regulates trade. In doing so, it limits the extent to which producers and sellers can manipulate prices. It also regulates trade to limit the distribution of certain goods or services and it can also ban their trade. In regard to low-calories frozen, microwavable food, such a policy can be about increasing taxes on high calorific foods to limit their consumption and ensure that the populace remains healthy (Deng, Falvey, Blake, 2010). The second major effect of government policy is the equitable distribution of public goods that the market is unable to do. Entrepreneurs may not find it profitable to invest in low-calorific foods when there is a limited demand. Therefore, the government would intervene in the market to reduce the cost of production for producers such that the microwaveable foods are affordable to produce. Since the producers also want to increase sales, they will likely lower prices to match demand. On the other hand, consumers would have higher purchasing power for the low-calorie, frozen microwave foods because of the low prices. In this regar d, the effect of the government policy to lower costs of production would be an increase in the demand for the products, which would allow the company to increase its production capacity and distribution channels to match the new demand. A similar increase in demand could be achieved by government sensitization of the benefits of the product. In the end, the company will employ more people and contribute to the reduction of unemployment in the economy. Need for government involvement and reasons for involvement in market economics The reason for government involvement in a market economy is to correct possibilities of market failures. On the other hand, markets could qualify as failures when there is evidence suggesting that they do not supply goods, which in this case are low-calorie, frozen microwaveable food desired by consumers (Auerbach, Gale, Harris, 2010).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Long Term Investment Decisions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Secondly, interventions could also occur because consumers do not have enough information to make informed food choices. Lastly, interventions by government would rise to correct social consequences of individual food-consumption choices. While market failure situations outlined above justify government involvement, they do not guarantee the cost-effectiveness of the policy. The intervention by the government often mitigates the market imbalances for a short while and may not be very responsive to changing factors that influence supply and demand of low-calories, frozen microwaveable food (Suranovic, 2010). Two examples of government involvement in similar market economy to support the answer In the first example, the government can choose to own enterprises so that it is able to influence their business choices because of its powers as a major shareholder. In this case, the government would be able to direct investments and strategies tow ard the education of consumers and the reduction of manufacturing costs through the use of state resources. The second example is where the government establishes anti-competition laws to prevent mergers and acquisitions that would allow firms to become dominant in the market and be able to manipulate prices. Explain major complexities that would arise under expansion via capital projects After undertaking a capital expansion project, the business opens up itself to a set of new problems that are not necessarily the same problems experienced by the smaller business on a larger scale. Instead, these problems are brought about by a restructured nature of the business and its operation in different markets and trading environment. The business could have grown too fast to meet demand when management realizes that its present contractual agreements with suppliers curtail its growth. For example, the company could sign leases for warehouses and exclusive transport services for five years , but three years into the business it realizes that the provided capacity is not enough for additional growth. Indeed, the biggest problem with capital project is the underestimation or overestimation of the actual behavior of the market and the actual demand of the capital project from the business in the future.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More When undertaking a major infrastructural project, the business has to update its systems of monitoring cash flow and tracking inventories and deliveries because some of its operations would be unique to its normal business operations. At the same time, when the capital project is complete, the business realizes that its payment obligations increase significantly that they may cause a problem for management. In addition, the project may stall midway as the business exhausts its available capital for expansion and misses out on opportunities to get more capital to finish the project. The consequence of such a scenario is a diminished ability of the business to meet the present demand due to the sunken capital costs and is yet to provide any returns to the business. On the other hand, capital projects create a business demand for new hiring in various positions and the business has to have the adequate hiring capacity. Otherwise, it could make mistakes in the evaluation and fulfillment of personnel needs such that it is unable to effectively operate competitively after commissioning the new project. Lastly, the business leadership faces the challenge of adapting to the changing roles brought by capital projects. The business leaders often fail to let experts in accounting, legal, and human resource matters assist, which makes the leader less capable of managing the expanded organization. Key actions that the company could take to prevent or address these complexities It would be advisable for the company to seek the services of consultants to help it increase its capital projects. The consulting services may be costly, but they allow the company to avoid making bad decisions that could jeopardize its ability to respond to demand in the future. A second viable action is the engagement of third-party firms in manufacturing and research to reduce the initial capital outlay for expansion. Lastly, the firm can use a long-term strategy that is responsive to market chan ges such that management retains the leeway to modify strategy parameters and go slow on expansion when the firm needs to reallocate capital. This way, the firm could hire more personnel when operational challenges arise. Finally, the important thing for the company would be to limit its contractual agreements such that it does not find itself in positions where its long-term obligations are too costly to terminate and do not add to its profitability and business opportunities. Suggest the substantive manner in which the company could create a convergence between the interests of stakeholders and managers It is usually hard to have CSR and good governance being executed concurrently in a smooth way. Even when a company chooses not to have its managers free of social responsibilities, problems still arise as the company tries to institutionalize the concept. On the other hand, expanding the responsibilities of managers to answer various stakeholder groups may worsen the problems of t he firm such that managers have a hard time of having effective discipline. According to Ferrell, Fraedrich, and Ferrell (2014), it is not greedy shareholders who are the enemies of other stakeholder of the firm. Instead, it is the lazy and greedy managers who operate in an unsupervised and unethical way who are the enemy of other stakeholders. The managers who lack a moral obligation can take the firm to profitability as desired by shareholders, but may also open up the firm to social inconsistencies and legal problems that expose it to the wrath of other stakeholder groups. The practical way of converging stakeholders and managers is by sacrificing profits and shareholder wealth so that that firm can meet its extra-legal and moral obligations. It is not always practical to sacrifice shareholder interest for overall stakeholder interest as the case is with corporate social responsibility. Such interventions fail because shareholders still have a right to compel management to increa se profits, which could mean abandonment of the corporate social responsibility strategy. Nevertheless, most firms still practice CSR, albeit on a small scale. Deliberately foregoing profitability of the firm causes the firm to lose its appeal to investors and may jeopardize its intentions to raise additional funds. It is not enough to have a system of stakeholder governance where managers are free to carry out profit-consuming CSR activities and strategies. Such an intervention is open to abuse by management, who would be shielded from shareholders. In addition, it is not possible to have all managers being motivated to act in stakeholder interests other than their self-interest. In light of the above discussion on the possible shortcomings of CSR or lack of it, the best way to balance the issues of stakeholders and managers is by making CSR as part of the firm, but only incorporates CSR activities that enhance the profitability of the firm. The activities should be measurable and visible to both managers and stakeholder groups. However, their contribution to profitability does not necessarily have to match the contribution of other core business activities. The aim here is to prevent managers from abusing their privileges to allocate funds for CSR related activities and for stakeholders to gain from the activities of the firm without curtailing its ability to exist in a competitive environment. Indicate the most likely impact to profitability of such a convergence When the convergence of stakeholders and managers takes place as proposed above, the firm will likely incur increased costs and have a slight drop in its profit, at least for the initial period of implementing the strategy. Nevertheless, when the CSR activities start to pay off by increasing the firm’s brand reputation and its market penetration, then profits will again grow to match the potential of the firm’s main business activities in relation to available market opportunities. Th erefore, long-term profitability of the company would be sustained by the convergence (Ferrell, Fraedrich, Ferrell, 2014). Provide two examples of instances that support your response According to Karnani (2010), companies working on fuel-efficient vehicles were not common in the past as they are today because they had little demand for fuel efficiency. The demand arose with the sensitization of consumers by various stakeholder groups. Its acceptance by managers only arose when they saw a clear pathway to profitability. They could use the projected performance of their firms to convince shareholders to allow the firm to make investments on corporate social responsibility with the aim of reducing emissions. This would both allow the company to emerge as a pioneer in the new market and grow its reputation as a champion for fuel efficiency. Another example is managers being unable to go against shareholder interest of increasing profits such that they can only invest in social program s to meet stakeholder interest when they have a connection to future profit. According to Reinhardt, Stavins, and Vietor (2008), in Delaware, a court ruled that the business judgment law protects a corporate manager’s decisions as long as they are rational. However, the law does not recognize non-financial incentives as conflicts of interest. In this regard, it allowed managers of Occidental Petroleum to pay for an art museum named after the company CEO, even when the cost was almost half of the company’s profits (Reinhardt, Stavins, Vietor, 2008). In the first example, managers succeed because they focus on a profitable social intervention. In the second example, managers sacrifice profits for a cause that appeals to some stakeholders. References Auerbach, A. J., Gale, W. G., Harris, B. H. (2010). Activist fiscal policy. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 24(4), 141-164. DOI: 10.1257/jep.24.4.141 Deng, Z., Falvey, R., Blake, A. (2010). Swapping market access for tec hnology spillovers? Tax incentives and foreign direct investment in China. International Conference on Applied Economics-ICOAE, pp. 147-159. Web. Ferrell, O. C., Fraedrich, J., Ferrell, T. (2014). Business ethics: Ethical decision making and cases (10th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning. Forgang, W. G., Einolf, K. W. (2007). Management economics: An accelerated approach. New York, NY: M. E. Sharpe, Inc. Karnani, A. (2010, August 23). The case against corporate social responsibility. Wall Street Journal. Web. Reinhardt, F. L., Stavins, R. N., Vietor, R. K. (2008). Corporate social responsibility through an economic lens. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research. Web. Suranovic, S. (2010). A moderate compromise Economic policy choice in an era of globalization. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

House (Tv Series) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

House (Tv Series) - Essay Example According to the research "House (Tv series)" findings, â€Å"House† is a medical TV series that does not just give a glimpse of the daily activities of doctors in the hospital but also gives a lot of information about diseases. It is an interesting material that can be used by medical students because the series can really serve as strong motivations to know the facts and not just rely on what is seen on TV. Of course, for the laypeople who view the episodes, they will definitely be in awe of the stories but when one really digs deeper into the diseases presented, mistakes will be discovered and this will serve as a material that encourages research or the like. In addition, the stories also delve into the personal lives of the characters involved. The series perhaps tries to show how normally doctors live and not idolize them thinking only of the prestige and salary they enjoy. Behind the wonderful image, people see doctors being, there are so many difficulties that they als o struggle with. They have their relationship problems to deal with but they try as much as they can to serve in the hospital in the most professional way. Moreover, there were times that the doctors were emotionally affected by the death of their patients. One example of which is the story of a patient in season 6 episode 21, who was trapped in an accident area and has to have her leg amputated so she can be moved out of the debris. Unfortunately, the patient dies from a fat embolism. This affected Dr. House so much that he turned to his drug addiction.

Financial management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial management - Essay Example This is different from For-Profit organizations that source their funds from shareholders who are the real owners of these organizations. Organizational structure of NGO’s and For-Profit are a bit similar in the sense that both set of organizations are managed by boards of directors. Financial management entails the processes of budgeting, Taxation and corporate governance. NGO’s typically have financial budgets prepared over the period of the activities they are undertaking. On the other hand, For-Profit organizations have their financial budgets prepared for a period of one financial year. Governments levy taxes on all organizations for the purpose of implementing public project or service provision but with the exemption of NGO’s. According to Brigham (2010, 65), the main difference between NGO’s and For-Profit organizations is the objectives and goals of these organizations. NGO’s are set up to provide charitable goods or services to people with out need of making a profit. This major differentiating factor is the reason behind the differences in financial management practices between these organizations. Corporate governance is important in implementing integrity and management of organizational strategies. NGO’s are not particular in enforcing prudent corporate governance practices compared to For-Profit organizations. ... NGO’s are organizations which are not set out to make profits but instead they are meant to provide a service. This is opposed to profitable organizations which are meant to make profits. Organizational Structure The organizational structure of NGO’s is different from that of a profitable organization in that NGO’s are mandated to offer services compared to profit organizations which are meant to make profits. NGO’s are registered or mandated either by governments or special bodies to undertake projects or service delivery to different people. The major difference between NGO’s and profit organizations stems in the ownership structure of the two bodies. NGO’s are owned or operated by a board of directors or a steering committee in some cases; this board of directors is responsible for drawing up the financial strategies for the organization. The board of directors of an NGO are responsible for sourcing funds for the organization through diffe rent ways (Brigham 94). In some instances, some NGO’s have adopted the structure of a private company and used this structure to manage their financial operations. Most NGO’s source their funds from governments, churches and donations this is because these organizations act as governments and they only use their funds for capacity building. This is in contrast to profitable companies whereby ownership of these organizations belongs to some individuals. Profitable companies are owned by people known as shareholders; shareholders are responsible for funding the organization to undertake the goals and objectives of these organizations. Public owned organizations are profit organizations which comprise of a many owners in a company