Saturday, August 31, 2019

Advertisement

Lying and use of fictions in day-to-day adverts has become more persistent in the contemporary society. False advertisement, therefore, refers to the use of misleading and typically unproven information regarded as false, to advertise a product or a service to customers. It also involves the exposing of untrue stories about someone, a product or a service. Such advert does not disclose the sources of information but is basically meant to persuade customers on the benefits of particular products or services. A false advertisement not only provides inaccurate information about something, however, it also omits information which it should contain (Goldman 487). This research paper, therefore, seeks to examine lies and false adverts in their immediate context and their possible effects. Whether on a national television or the local newspaper, the information conveyed by any advertisement must uphold the truth. In recent times, lies and false advertisements have been used extensively by a business enterprise through their sales agents and politicians. Business companies have always engaged in competition for customers. As result, they have conducted frequent business promotions tailored towards increasing their market share. Persuading customers is also about changing their attitudes and capturing their attention towards the products being promoted. It involves conveying of information concerning the health benefits of using a certain product as opposed to their substitutes. Consequently, to increase their sales, sellers have over a long time used exaggerations based on their products and services. They have misled customers using their untrue information on their advertisements on health benefits. In businesses, there are numerous instances under which false adverts has ever occurred. An advert is considered deceptive if it deliberately misleads its intended customers. Among the several deceptions include snapshot retouching, the omission of information, hidden fees and charges, misleading health claims, as well as oversized packaging of products among others (Bevier 25). To begin with, photographic retouching is a false advertisement used in the cosmetic industry besides the weight loss businesses. They depict false unattainable results to consumers and give a false impression of the cosmetic product's factual capabilities. This is intended to help such businesses attain a higher competitive advantage over their competitors since their false impression has fully captured their customers' perceptions regarding the effectiveness of such products compared to those of their competitors without the photo retouch. The second instance is the omission of information. Failure to include any relevant information about a product is a misleading attempt to the customers. A more relevant example is that of a television advert on prescribed drugs which may precisely fulfill the requirements of the regulations by showing a side-effect at the end of the advert. Hidden fees and charges is another strategy used by most companies to trick customer who might end up paying an excess fee on the advertised products as opposed to the actual price of the item or service unknowingly. It is commonly used in taxation levies, insurance, and shipping fee. A good example is the online selling of a product, where the delivery cost is hidden to make the product cheaper to customers. On health claim advertisements, certain words such as cholesterol-free, low sugar and fat levels, vitamins available, chemical-free product etc. in certain manufactured products may not be true but are only meant to convince the customers on the health benefits of a product, although, in reality, such allegations are not based on facts since they have no source of evidence. They are only meant to attract customers. On the other hand, politics has also formed the grounds of lies and dishonesty in many occasions since politicians have been lying to their followers during their election campaigns along the streets that they are the best. Based on their policies, they have always promised their followers many that they end up not fulfilling, rendering their promises untrue. This has built mistrust between the politician and their followers. Campaign advertisements holding untrue information have always been broadcasted on televisions and printed in local newspapers so that citizens can read and change their attitudes towards such politicians and vote them in.However, the use of false advertising to gain customers is misleading since its information lacks substantive evidence. As a result, it is subjected to some effects which are discussed here below. The effects associated with lies and false advertisements include financial loss, broken trust and customer loyalties, distorted competition among others. False advertising is costly to a company and ends up with a huge amount of money are caught (Garramone 148). For example, the uber advert, â€Å"We have made many improvements to the driver experience over the past one year and will continue to focus on ensuring that Uber is the best option for anyone looking to earn money on their own schedule† attracted them a charge amounting to $20 million dollars by the FTC since their advert was found to be based on false allegations. However, the company is also likely to suffer more serious financial losses if the advert is pulled down. By so doing, the so affected company will lose the money spent in developing the advert. The company can also be sued on the basis of a false advert and be charged more fines in court must also pay the customers who filed the caseFalse advertising has a vast effect on braking trust with clients (Garramone 152). A company engaged in such illegal act gives an impression of lack of its trustworthiness to business in the sight of customers. This will affect the relationship of the company with its existing and new customers, who will feel betrayed and are likely to look for new suppliers of the same goods and services somewhere else. Customers may lose loyalty to the business consequently, building a negative reputation of such business on the public domain. This is likely to affect the future operation of a business. Finally, deceptive advertising reduces the competitive advantage of the business. Ideally, a healthy competition between two or many companies should aim at benefiting the customers by providing them with quality products and services at a cheaper cost. However, a company engaged in false advertising may spend a larger amount of money to make their products attractive. This may hamper their creativity and innovation since they will refrain from conducting research to determine the new factual ways of bettering the quality of their services.In conclusion, false advertisement is misleading. It involves the use untrue information, without supportive evidence about the quality of goods and product. In a business perspective, the intention of a false advert is to attract more customers and increase the number of sales. It gives a false impression to the customers about a product quality. However, it affects businesses in various ways, which include excessive loss of finance, loss of customer loyalty, and disrupting healthy competition thus lowers the competitive advantage of a business. Advertisement In todays world,we are surrounded by various types of advertising. Despite the fact that advertising has become a vital part of business world today,I would argue that it has influenced people to such an extent that people start spending money even without thinking and advertising should be regulated to avoid its negative impacts. Adverts forced consumers to buy things that they event don’t need in many different ways. T.V commercials ,billboards alongside roads and in train stations,leaflets and magazines ,product placement in popular websites,all these forms of advertisement present products in such a glamourised way that we ,as consumers,are forced to buy them. For instance,many textile,garment and other industries pay huge amounts to media stars and top models to endorse their products and people,in particular youngsters,buy these products because their favourite star is in that particular product’s advert.Moreover,sometimes people are not even aware that they are g etting convinced and influenced by adverts. For instance,matches and big sports events are sponsored by companies nowadays and inturn they advertise their products and people get influenced by logos and signboards while watching a match. Similarly products are placed in websites so that people can see adds while watching dramas or movies. To put into a nutshell,we cant avoid commercials even we want to do that. However,we can minimise potential hazards of advertising by some simple measures.Firstly, there should be a regulating body to keep check on advertising industry. Secondly government should banned advertisement of those things that can be dangerous for health such as fast food,fizzy drinks,ciggaretes and alcohol. Similarly sports events can be sponsored but it is important to make sure that products of sponsored companies are not something that can have negative infuence on people such as tobacco products. In the end ,I believe that advertisements have very strong inflence on people and it is the responsibility of authorities to make positive use of this influence.Thats why advertising should be regulated and negative effects can be avoided by banning dangerous products and adverts that are aimed at children. Consumers are faced with increasing numbers of advertisements from competing companies. To what extent do you think are consumers influenced by advertisements? What measures can be taken to protect them? Whether it is on TV, radio or hoardings at the side of the road, advertisements have become a part of our lives. Advertising is a powerful and persuasive medium. Consumers are influenced by advertisements in both positive and negative ways.This essay shall delve into the ways adverts affect the common man and suggest ways to protect people from the negative effects of adverts. On the positive side ads tell us about the new products that are launched in the market. They also tell us about the working of these products. After seeing the ads, consumer s can go to the market and select things of their choice. What is more, the advertising industry provides jobs to many. Ads also touch social issues. On the other hand, advertisements can cause people to be dissatisfied with what they already gave and make them want more.Being exposed again and again to products which one cannot afford leads to dissatisfaction. Furthermore, not all parents are in the position to afford the goods which the children see advertised and want to possess. This often leads to feelings of inadequacy among them. In addition to this advertisements lead to materialism and people lay too much emphasis on material goods. People are prepared to work long hours or even turn to crime to get these goods. The solution is not simple as advertising has become a very pervasive medium.To begin with, advertisements which make false claims should be banned. Then there should be consumer awareness programmes. Consumers should be warned against too much consumerism. Finally, advertisements for liquor and those ads which show stunts should also be banned. To conclude, today we are influenced a lot by adverts, both in positive and negative ways, without adverts we would lose a valuable source of revenue which is used for the benefit of majority. Our lives would be dull without these ads and there is not much that can be done against the consumerism they promote.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Motivating Employees in an Organisation Essay

Motivating Employees in an Organization S Santosh Contents Chapter 12 Chapter 25 Chapter 310 Chapter 415 Chapter 1 Motivation: Concepts and Theories Defining motivation The word â€Å"motivation† comes from the Latin word movere – â€Å"to move. † And managers often view motivation in exactly those terms (â€Å"I need to get my people moving! â€Å"). Motivation is the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action. General motivation is concerned with effort towards any goal, whereas effort towards Organizational goals reflects work-related behavior. Many contemporary authors have also defined the concept of motivation. Motivation has been defined as: the psychological process that gives behavior purpose and direction (Kreitner, 1995); a predisposition to behave in a purposive manner to achieve specific, unmet needs (Buford, Bedeian, & Lindner, 1995); an internal drive to satisfy an unsatisfied need (Higgins, 1994); and the will to achieve (Bedeian, 1993). For this paper, motivation is operationally defined as the inner force that drives individuals to accomplish personal and organizational goals. We mainly deal with the motivating employees in an organization towards the organizational goal for the benefit of both the organization and the employee. Understanding what motivates employees and how they are motivated was the focus of many researchers following the publication of the Hawthorne Study results (Terpstra, 1979). Motivation Theories and concepts While there are many theories on motivation, the seven major approaches that have led to our understanding of motivation are the following: †¢ According to Maslow, employees have five levels of needs (Maslow, 1943): physiological, safety, social, ego, and self- actualizing. Maslow argued that lower level needs had to be satisfied before the next higher level need would motivate employees. †¢ Herzberg’s work categorized motivation into two factors: motivators and hygiene (Herzberg, Mausner, ; Snyderman, 1959). Motivator or intrinsic factors, such as achievement and recognition, produce job satisfaction. Hygiene or extrinsic factors, such as pay and job security, produce job dissatisfaction. †¢ McClelland’s Theory of Needs which focuses on three needs, namely need for Achievement, Need for power, Need for affiliation.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Employability and Professional Development Assignment

Employability and Professional Development - Assignment Example These positive figures for the law graduates in terms of recruitment paint a favourable picture for the current law graduates. The same applies in relation to the salary figures as well. When compared with other graduates, law graduates tend to get better salary package. That is, university leavers â€Å"who manage to secure a graduate job in 2014 can expect an average starting salary just short of the  £30,000 mark†, however, when it comes to law graduates, â€Å"who secure a position with a law firm can expect much more – with average starting salaries in 2014 of  £39,000.† (Employment 4 Students 2014). When one analysis a job market from the perspective of prospective employees or graduates, recruitment and salary numbers are the two key factors which will be focused. On those lines, with the recruitment numbers and the salary range in the legal profession showing encouraging signs, it augurs well for the current as well as future law graduates. It is paramount on the part of the law graduates to equip themselves with optimal employability skills and capabilities, so they aptly fill the job vacancies. When the law graduates are imbibed with certain skills from their early years and importantly develop certain skills through their academics, it will aid them to find their dream job in a prestigious law firm. On those lines, I have developed or am â€Å"imbibed† with certain skills which I think will be quite apt for the law firms. Importantly, if those skills and capabilities are critically evaluated and assessed based on the CareerEDGE model of Dacre Pool & Sewell (2007), it will provide key perspectives. CareerEDGE, developed by Lorraine Dacre Pool and Peter Sewell at the University of Central Lancashire, is a practical model that is used to analyze graduate employability. Under this model, graduates need to analyze themselves on the basis of five critical elements. When it comes to the two elements of Career Develo pment Learning and

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

The Internet Provider ASA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Internet Provider ASA - Essay Example This engages the validation of users oriented on their recognition and programmed recommendations like passwords. In order for the organization to have access to the server inside, management will be forced to offer a lot of protection. This is because it is technical and likely straightforward. The security of the DMZ firewall will have the servers of the firm normally placed to give the highest quality of security. A system administrator will have to be accountable for making and sustaining this protective surrounding (Whitman & Herbert, 2011, p. 288). The advantages of the implementation of this system would be cutting off client-confronting ad partner-confronting material to a breakup border network. Material issuing could also be computed (Whitman & Herbert, 2011, p. 288). If the material in the border network is consisted or dishonored due to internet access, the incorporation of the material in the corporate network is sustained. A leading merit of this architecture is that outside customers are not conscious of the fact that their requirements are actually handled by an internal server (Whitman & Herbert, 2011, p. 288). This way, the solution of a web proxy server is brought about as an advantage. One of the prevailing disadvantages of the implementation of this server system to the management of the firm is the need of more hardware to sustain two separate server farms. Another disadvantage is a great data visual projection (Whitman & Herbert, 2011, p. 288).

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 12

Business Ethics - Essay Example Along with this the management accountants also use the financial statements and the statements like cash flow, fund flow (which are not published in the annual reports) and they formulate a plan about the further steps that should be taken by the management so that the company can use the available resources optimally and can perform better. If the accountants doing fraudulent while preparing the statements then the objective of the company can be hampered. The external stakeholders would fail to take the right decisions and the management accountants can’t plan successfully. So protecting the interest of the stakeholders it is necessary to maintain the accounting ethics properly by the company management. The accounting bodies has prepared some rules, the companies are bound to maintain those rules for protecting the interest of the stakeholders. The paper describes the issue of ethics in accounting; the importance of the ethics rules of AICPA is also discussed. A case study will also be discussed by the researcher for depicting the importance of ethics in accounting. Doing fraud in the financial statements is an intentional activity for making the balance sheet stronger, for showing higher profit of the company in the financial year. For showing higher profit than the actual the accountants shows higher value, higher revenue. Enron, the company in the energy sector started its business in 1985. In the 1990s the company’s growth was fine. The growth of the company made it one of the best companies in the world. In Standard and Poor 500 index the growth of the company was also good. But the lack of transparency was the cause of the downfall of the company. Their business model was complex and they used to do unethical practices. The company used to recognize the revenue even when the deal was signed between the two parties. Government deregulation was also a factor for their downfall. Enron used the Special Purpose Entities for accessing

Monday, August 26, 2019

Organizational Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Organizational Behavior - Essay Example According to Kahnweiler (2010),the introvert seeks solitude, thinks first before they speak, focuses on the depth of the problem and prefer writing to talking. They love to manage projects but prefer quiet spaces to do it. They dislike interruptions and they like to finish a project before moving on to a new one. It is noted by the news article that these employees communicate best through relationships and learning to engage them is important as they frequently harbor ideas that will move the team forward. The suggested tactic for dealing with this group of employees is to slow down in meetings, leaving space between directions. This allows this group to think about the issue and respond. Do not stop at their desk frequently. Be aware of what you need to say and bundle it into one visit. Use email or other writing tools to communicate and encourage balanced participation at meetings, allowing introverts to prepare ahead of time. (Kahnweiler, 2010). Sauer, Felsing, & Franke et.al. (2006), describes cognitive diversity and team performance in a diverse organization. As part of the diverse team is the introvert. We often put down the introvert because Freud did not like them and they have been criticized since. Sauer tells us that true to many other researchers, a diverse team is important and that includes the talents of the introvert. Introverts, according to Belleck, (2003) are energized by the internal world of ideas, impressions and emotion. They like to know a lot about what they experience and often build up large stores of knowledge that is often not tapped. This article supports the news article in the need of the introvert to manage projects and to finish a project before they move to a next one, assuring that it is complete. Belleck (2003) finishes her article by stating that a diverse team should include introverts as they are a stabilizing and knowledgeable base for the team as a whole. She goes on to say that provid ing for their communication style

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Barclays Bank Seychelles Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10250 words

Barclays Bank Seychelles - Dissertation Example 1.1 Reasons for Topic Area and Choosing Particular Organization 4 1.2 Project Objectives and Research Questions 5 1.3 Overall Research Approach 5 PART 2 - INFORMATION GATHERING AND ACCOUNTING /BUSINESS TECHNIQUES 8 2.1 Sources of Information for Analysis and Evaluation 8 2.2 Methods Employed to Collect Information 8 2.3 Discussion of the limitations of information gathered 9 2.4 Ethical issues during information gathering 9 2.5 Accounting and/or business techniques used as explained with discussion of their limitations 10 2.5.1 Assumptions in the preparation of financial statements 11 2.5.2 Resulting limitations in financial statements based on assumptions 12 2.5.3 Limitations of Ratio Analysis 14 PART 3 – RESULTS, ANALYSIS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 16 3.1.1 Description of Results Obtained and Their Limitations 16 3.1.2 Limitations of Results Obtained. 16 3.2 Presentation of results 17 3.3 Critical Analysis/Evaluation of Results and Explanations of Significant Findings 23 3.3.1 Brief Introduction 23 3.3.1.1 Overview of the activities of BSS 23 3.3.2. Analysis and Discussion 24 3.3.2.1 Profitability and Efficiency 24 3.3.2.1.1 How interest income as major source of revenue behaved for the last three years? 24 3.3.2.1.2 Profitability phenomenally high after interest expenses has been deducted 26 3.3.2.1.3Further evidence profitability and efficiency 27 3.3.2.2 Liquidity 30 3.3.2.2.1 Liquidity as observed against profitability 31 ... 37 37 4.4 How has undertaking the (Research and Analysis Project) RAP helped you in your accountancy studies and/or current employment role? 38 4.4.1 The financial statements and profitability, efficiency, liquidity and solvency and wealth maximization 39 4.4.2 A group of stakeholders along with owners of the business need to meet their needs as well. 41 4.4.3 To satisfy the needs of stakeholders decision makers must have accountability 42 42 References: 45 Part 1 – Project objectives and overall research approach 1.1 Reasons for Topic Area and Choosing Particular Organization The reason for choosing my project topic area – an analysis of business and financial performance – is to the see the most appropriate application of knowledge regarding and choosing the particular organization that was the focus of your research work. Doing this would be as way to have a strong basis for experiential learning outcome of the BSc (Hons) Applied in Accounting degree programme . What else could be more experiential at this point than to talk and research about a real organization like Barclays Bank Seychelles? Applying ACCA previous learning would be most appropriate when one sees the real events of the events and assuming from the point of view of research that conclusions recommendations for decision makers is something more than an ordinary management act. If I assume as one of the owners of the bank, it would be like asking whether I should maintain my investments with the bank after I have known and researched more information about the company. What else could be more interesting? Choosing a bank like that of Barclays Bank Seychelles (BSS) allows availability of some information for analysis including the financial statements and industry data. Choosing the

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Ideas of Parenting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ideas of Parenting - Essay Example In this paper, a comparison will be developed between the parenting styles of both the Western and Chinese parent as seen from the perspective of the two authors. The paper does not claim that any style of parenting is better but rather that each can learn something from the other. A balance between the two styles could help achieve the best parenting style. The Chinese parenting style is quite strict., Chinese parents have strong expectations from their children and they ensure that their children come up to these expectations. For this reason, the Chinese are expected to follow the guides laid down by the parents and these guides often leave no room for fun. Chinese children are expected to have fun from the activities that their parents decide for them. Chu defines the limitations on children by stating that Chinese children are not supposed to attend sleepovers. They cannot participate in any plays or many extracurricular activities at school. They cannot have a play date and they cannot watch television or play games (Chu, 2011). On the other side of the spectrum, Western children are allowed to participate in as many extracurricular activities as they want. Their parents, in fact, encourage children to participate in activities and events outside the academic curriculum. According to Rosin, children need to lighten up and roam free, to express themselves in ways not dictated by their uptight, over-invested parents (Rosin, 2011). Both Chu and Rosin want the best for their children and are thinking through their own perspectives and cultural lens. A balance between these two styles would be best. While children should be allowed to roam free and express themselves, it is also important to ensure that children are motivated in a positive direction. If you allow a children to watch television without controlling what he sees, there is a lot that he will be exposed to. All this exposure may not be positive for him at his age and the role of parents here is

What are causes and effects of not conforming to social pressure Essay

What are causes and effects of not conforming to social pressure - Essay Example According to Asch’s research, most subjects tend to trust their own decisions even though they are under pressures that the confederates try to force subjects into changing their opinion. As a result, conformity is not totally necessary for people in order to stay in the group. Having a fashionable high technology product is what most people want today, especially the iPhone from the Apple Company. It is built with the latest technology and with elegant looks. Many people are conforming to buy it because of the advertising and existing users’ pressure. Their envy makes them follow others’ behavior. I was once asked by my friends to replace my phone with the iPhone because they are all using it. However, I refused to buy it because I feel I do not need it. It is not necessary to have such an expensive cell phone that I may not use the full functions of. I always ask myself the question of why I have to be like everyone else. Indeed, there is certain conformity such as traditional culture that people should follow, but it doesn’t mean that I should behave like some of those people buying pointless, fancy products. Even though I do not conform to social pressure, there is nothing changing in my life. I am still part of my social group, where my friends do not judge me as an outsider. Actually, there is nothing wrong with nonconformity. At least I have my own value to analyze anything. My mind and behavior are not controlled by someone else. So, I can have my own principle to do what I want. Similar to Asch’s experiment, only people who trust their own judgment will get the correct answer. However, people who conform to the group pressure are just for their self-complacence. They think it is the only way the group can accept them and have the same place in the conversation. In fact, it is how social groups make people think they are in the top trend and control their

Friday, August 23, 2019

Critically analyse the the Mosaic and new Covenants, showing their Essay

Critically analyse the the Mosaic and new Covenants, showing their relationship to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ - Essay Example zing the Mosaic and new covenants in relation to death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, let us first comprehend what a covenant is in biblical stipulations. A covenant is only a formal treaty between at least two parties amongst the agreed sides. According to the Hebrew Bible, a covenant is used in translating the Hebrew word birth (ב× ¨Ã—™× ª) Meaning covenant cutting or cutting in referral to sacrificing (Barr, 1999: 4-17). The scriptures had three major covenants namely, the covenant of Abraham, the old covenant and lastly the new covenant. In all three covenants, it is clear that God is the dominant party in his quest to establish a covenant with all his creation. It is vital to acknowledge that God’s covenant reveals his will; hence allowing humanity to look no further in order to understand God’s desires. Both the Mosaic and new covenants show how God is ready to reunite with humankind. Understanding the covenants is important in knowing a detailed between God and the Hebrews, in the Old Testament. The old covenants are found in the Old Testament; they include the covenant of Abraham and the covenant of Mosaic. The Covenant of Abraham was formed between God (YHWH) and Abram. Moreover, according to (Genesis 12:1), the covenants terms are handed to Abram when God commands him to leave his homeland Ur, to a new place. According to the scriptures of Genesis 17:9-14, Abraham is told by God to circumcise all male offspring as a symbol of the agreement. In return for Abraham’s obedience as well as that of his descendants, God’s promise to Abraham is that of making a great nation, as well as having many blessings (Pate, 2004: 29). The second main covenant found in the Old Testament is that of the Mosaic Covenant. Exodus 19 through to chapter 24 shows that the covenant has the basis for the Torah and is the promise of God to make Israel the chosen land (Exodus 19:5-5) as long as terms of the covenant are preserved. The covenants basic terms included

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Free

Free Allegory of the Cave Essays and Papers Essay The transition from ignorance into knowledge in the pursuit of truth is neither a simple nor easy process. Both Sophocles’ tragedy, Oedipus Rex, and Plato’s philosophical dialogue, â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave,† use dark and light imagery to explore man’s struggle to leave an illusory life of comfort in search of absolute truth. Although Oedipus and the prisoner parallel in their challenges to seek reality, they differ in their reactions to it. Where Oedipus is unable to handle the harshness of the truth, the prisoner accepts it. By associating dark with benightedness and falsehood, and light with sight and truth, both narratives depict that man must not only discern illusion and reality in his quest for knowledge but recognize his own ignorance before he can acquire insight of the world around him. Both Oedipus and the prisoner begin in a state of ignorance, one that is falsely believed to be the reality. Thinking he has avoided fate, Oedipus firmly believes that he is in control of his life, though the reader knows that he is indeed, not. The darkness in his life is represented by his inability to see and understand the truth, as Oedipus’ hubris makes him unaware of the true circumstances of his life. He is a man so self-assured that he is not able to accept the truth when told by Teiresias. Oedipus, blind to the illusion that he is living, \ can not see the evil\(Sophocles, 354) of the crimes he has committed, and cannot view the truth for what it actually is. Teiresias, though blind in both eyes, has true knowledge and understanding of the truth, yet he is mocked by the ignorant king for his lack of sight. In Plato’s Allegory, the prisoner too, lacks knowledge and understanding of the world around him, albeit in a different matter. Where Oedipus is prevented fr om seeing the truth by his own hamartia, the prisoner is restricted by chains that hold him captive within the cave. Plato theorizes that since the cave setting is all the prisoner knows, he would believe and accept that there are no â€Å"realities† other than the â€Å"shadows of handmade things† (2). The absence of light in the cave represents the boundaries of the prisoner’s ability to see; he is unable to achieve true knowledge, as doing so would require him to â€Å"perceive the forms themselves†(1) instead of illusions cast by an artificial light. Dark symbolism clearly demonstrates the parallels between falsehood and illusion in both works, but to achieve true insight, one must pursue a state of knowledge through a strenuous application of insight and reason. The journey to leave the shadows to follow the light is not as favorable as one may be, as true knowledge is harsher and more difficult to accept that the comfort of darkness. Oedipus is relentless in his pursuit of truth in order to catch Laios’ murderer and save his city of Thebes from the plague. Still stuck in his life of illusion, he is determined to â€Å"bring what is light to dark† (135), unaware that his persistence will only cause more problems. He curses the murderer of Laios in his ignorance, wishing the culprit’s life to be consumed in â€Å"evil and wretchedness† (Sophocles, 235). Unbeknownst to him, the sufferings he wishes for do come true, though not in the way he believes. In contrast, The prisoner, having spent his whole life in imprisonment, does not wish to look at what is bright. Too â€Å"dazzled† by the light of the fire to see clearly, he has to be dragged out â€Å"by forceinto the light of the sun† (Plato, 2). He sl owly adjusts to his new environment, and once turned to what is more â€Å"real,† the prisoner realizes that the shadows in the cave were only images of â€Å"foolery,† cast by real objects (2). It is here that the prisoner is seen transitioning from illusion to reality Absolute truth is harsh, and both Oedipus and the prisoner struggle to accept it. Though he strived to do good by himself and his city, Oedipus, unfortunately, brings about his own tragic end by relentlessly pursuing the truth and ignoring warnings of how â€Å"dreadful† (Sophocles, 305) knowledge can be. His quest to find answers does eventually lead him to the absolute truth, but at a heavy cost. Finally realizing the consequences of his actions, and unable to face the evil and horror of his â€Å"blind wrongs† (404), Oedipus looks upon the â€Å"Light†(1037) one final time before gouging out his eyes. Here, light imagery represents truth and knowledge, and although the truth is what Oedipus has so relentlessly pursued, in the end, it is too harsh and he instead chooses to return to the dark. To him, The prisoner, though initially reluctant to explore reality, ultimately achieves enlightenment, represented by his ability to â€Å" look on the sun itself† (Plato, 2). There is a great divide between reality and falsehood. Through the use of contrasting imagery, both Sophocles and Plato illustrate the plights of humanity in the journey to achieve enlightenment and explore the trials man must go through to achieve a similar goal. Through the journeys of Oedipus and the prisoner, the reader understands that however easy one may believe the quest for truth to be, it is often not so, as to achieve absolute truth, man must realize his own unenlightenment before he can perceive things in their true forms.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Effects Of The French Revolution

Effects Of The French Revolution French revolution is a bourgeois revolution that happened on 14th. July 1794. It is the bourgeois revolution of the largest, most complete revolution. The revolution began with the storming of the Bastille was besieged by Pairs. The revolution gone through hardships and passed a tortuous progress. In this revolution, representatives of bourgeois democratic and republican overturned the absolute monarchic together. French revolution is a symbolic time in French history. The revolution happened by many reasons. It came not only because France was backward, but also because of economic and intellectual. Under absolute monarchy, the countrys economic and intellectual was not matched by social and political change. People live in Pair increasingly difficult life. The economic pressure became heavier. Most people had a fat lot rights. What is more, the asset class and the feudal class have the implacable contradiction. So, with a lot causes came together that make a revolution happened. Th e revolution had a profound influence in history and it also had an extraordinary influence on the making of the modern world. In the period of Louis xv regime, since the people responded angrily to under Kings rule. People suffered by various attacked. And this formed of enlightenment. Under enlightenment, the thinking of national rights, constitution monarchy, separation of the three powers had been around. What is more, the development of capitalism has a contradiction with the feudal autocratic rule. Half of the 18th century, capitalist economic had a great development in France. Textile, metallurgy and mining industrys most rapidly. Its level of development ranked first in Europe. Foreign trade had developed quickly. But the feudal autocratic rule has become an obstacle to economic development of capitalism in France. The feudal government continued to raise taxes; checkpoints were set up everywhere around the country; feudal ownership of land still exist. All this made the bourgeoisie very unpleased. They asked for abolition of feudal land ownership, abolition of feudal privileges and against authorita rian rule. Their requirements and ideas, is reflected in the political ideology of bourgeois Enlightenment. The appearance and the spread of enlightenment had prepare for French revolution and the bourgeoisies showing on the political stage, in the aspects of ideologie and public opinion. The sharp classes contradiction is also a propellant that caused the revolution. The French revolution started about 150 years later than the Britain revolution, the French was still in the feudal autocratic reign of the Bourbons when the British had completed bourgeois revolution and had begin the industrial revolution, the class relations was set into opposition sharply. It is as follows: French society was divided into three grades, first grade is priest, and second level is the nobility. They account for less than 1% of the total population in France, but the amount of land they occupied reach 2/3. And they did not bear any tax obligations. Opposed, the majority of third grade has to bear the countrys taxes and other feudal obligations. In particular, workers, urban poor and farmers, living a life in squalor, they demand to change living conditions strongly. Because of sharply antagonistic class relations, the French community as firewood piled everywhere, a revolution would outb reak possibility at anytime. Intensification of the financial crisis is a reason that caused the revolution too. The French authoritarian rulers have been very corrupt. Repeated defeat of foreign wars and rulers extravagant that made Frances budget deficit increased, heavily in debt. The French government fiscal position was on the brink of bankruptcy. All the reasons came together, a long awaited revolution happened. And the French revolution made a far-reaching impact, both of the peoples power and political legacy. Even effected the developed of capitalism. As the French revolution was the greatest bourgeois revolution in 18th century. People have shown great strength in the three uprisings. When get the turning point in the revolution, people were always pushing forward the development of revolution. French revolution also had a deep effect on French political. The French revolution left a compelling and many-sided political legacy. This legacy included, most notably, liberalism, assertive nationalism, radical democratic republicanism, embryonic socialism, and self-conscious conservatism. It also left a rich and turbulent history of electoral competition, legislative assemblies, and even mass politic. Thus the French revolution and conflicting interpretations of its significance presented a whole range of political options and alternative visions of the future. (McKay, J. P., Hill, B. D., and Buckler, J.). Furthermore, the French Revolution was a profound social revolution, which ended a thousand years of feudal rule in France. Trough the revolution, a bourgeois republic has set up in France. As Engels said, It is really fighting for in the end, until the part of noble were eliminated, while the other is the first victory of the capitalist class uprising. In general, the revolution against the French feudal forces and cleared the road of capitalist development in France. What is more, the revolution to the French social ideology, culture and education has far-reaching influence. Even more, the thoroughness of this revolution had set an example to other nation revolution. It has shaken the foundation for the rest of Europe the feudal system. It pushed the development of capitalism in Europe and America. As Lenin said: The revolution of the class that it serves to give the bourgeoisie a lot of things, and the entire 19th century, that is, civilization and culture for all humanity to a century are under the sign of French revolution.. Above all, in the late 18th century, feudal dynasty in the political, economic and social awareness, has emerged all-round crisis, authoritarian rule has become an obstacle to the development of French society. The French revolution was not an accidental event. It is the inevitable outcome of the development of history. The French revolution has promoted the development of capitalism, and pushed people thinking and culture in Europe, even the world.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Law of One Price and Purchasing Power Parity | Analysis

Law of One Price and Purchasing Power Parity | Analysis Introduction The gradual emergence of globalisation in businesses has contributed towards a significant rise in international trade. Consequently, trading across countries has been prominent among businesses in order to seek higher growth opportunities available in the international markets (Michie, 2011). â€Å"Our willingness to pay a certain price for foreign money must ultimately and essentially be due to the fact that this money possesses a purchasing power as against commodities and services in that country† (Gustav Gassel, 1922). The applications and conversions of currencies have become vitally important in international businesses in order to obtain or forecast the substantial costs and revenues for the purpose of financial information. The concept of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) enables one to forecast the exchange rate of two different countries based on the assumption of similar purchasing power under law of one price of two countries’ currencies. However, various cruci al obstacles have been encountered in real life despite the concreteness of the proposed theories and one of the projected main concerns is to determine the price for a similar product across different markets and continents (Wang, 2009). According to the theory of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), one currency should be able to buy the same amount of products which can be purchased from other currencies. This concept suggests that the currencies should be valued in a way that it allows consumers to buy similar quantity of goods irrespective of the currencies that they utilise in making purchases (Manzur, 2008). According to the Law of One Price (LOP), consumers should be able to purchase similar or same kind of goods at the same price despite the utilisation of different currencies. Nevertheless, the application of LOP is considerably difficult and would not prevail in certain predicaments across different economies and countries despite the supportive underlying theories (Mezzera, 19 90). Conceptual Understanding of Law of One Price and Purchasing Power Parity Law of One Price and Purchasing Power Parity play a crucial role in determining the international trade mechanism. The concept of LOP indicates that the price for homogenous goods and services should be the same despite all locations. The theory behind LOP is established through the equilibrium pricing of a product. The equilibrium market price of a product is achieved when market participants realise the different pricing for an identical product in different locations, (assuming no transaction costs and other trade restrictions) and take advantage of the arbitrage opportunities. The principle of LOP is highly justified because differences in the price of the same products in two different markets would create the perfect opportunity for arbitragers to benefit by purchasing products in a lower priced markets and selling them in markets where there are sold at a higher price. The transactions among market participants create pressure through demand and supply effect in the two locati ons and would substantially eliminate such opportunities and hence create an equal and transparent price. As a result, the price for the same commodity traded in two different markets should be same if they are converted into a common currency (Ignatiuk, 2009). The concept of LOP asserts that if same goods enter each country’s market basket, the PPP exchange rate should prevail between the two countries to maintain the principle of one price despite the difference in currencies (Eicher, Mutti and Turnovsky, 2009). The Law of One Price (LOP): Pd=S*Pf Pd is price of the good in the domestic economy whereas Pf is the price of the good in a foreign economy and S* is the nominal exchange rate between the two economies. The concept of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) implies that the nominal exchange rate between two currencies should be equal to the ratio of aggregate price levels between two countries. This will create the similar purchasing power of one currency as compared to that of another. Therefore, according to PPP, exchange rates need to be adjusted between countries so that the exchange can be made equivalent to each currency’s purchasing power. The question arises immediate as there are two possible ways that PPP would hold to create the perfect equilibrium. Absolute purchasing power parity relates to the circumstances when the purchasing power of a unit currency is converted into foreign currency at the exchange rate in market, it is directly equal in the domestic and foreign economy (Taylor and Taylor, 2004). However , it is relatively hard to estimate the amount of identical goods in the baskets of the two different countries. Hence, it is more occurring to test relative PPP, which implies that the percentage change in the exchange rate over a given period just offsets the difference in inflation rates in the different countries over the time horizon (Taylor and Taylor, 2004). Therefore, if absolute PPP holds, then relative PPP must also hold, but if relative PPP holds, there is a probability that relative PPP might not hold as it is possible that at different levels of purchasing power of the two currencies, there are changes in the nominal exchange rates possibly due to the transactions costs (Isard, 1977). To consider whether the theory of perfect commodity arbitrage applies in the real world to create the law of one price, consider Figure 1 and Figure 2 which illustrate the notion of absolute PPP and relative PPP. For the relative data demonstrated in both the figures, it is evidently clear that neither absolute nor relative PPP seems to hold reasonably in the short run, thus does this imply that PPP does not hold in real life? According to the perfect commodity theory, equilibrium will appear and restore the differences between the relative prices which is clearly proposed by the principle of LOP by adjusting the exchange rates for the two locations. Hence, as far as this is concerned, perfect commodity arbitrage guarantees that each good is uniformly priced even with the initial difference of transaction costs between similar products in different locations, thus within a period of time in the long run,, the prices are adjusted to establish the perfect equilibrium of LOP, ensuring the same purchasing power in terms of currencies under the influence of PPP (Isard, 1977). Nonetheless, where does all the disputation arise concerning the practicality of LOP and PPP in reality? Analysis of the Proposition â€Å"In the assumed absence of transport costs and trade restrictions, perfect commodity arbitrage insures that each good is uniformly priced (in common currency units) throughout the world – the â€Å"law of one price† prevails’. In reality the law of one price is fragrantly and systematically violated by empirical data† (Isard, 1977). It is undeniably true that in the presence of perfect commodity arbitrage, each good will be substantially priced accordingly to demand and supply pressure in the assumed absence of transactions costs. However, the immediate response to this is that how practical and realistic is the assumption of transactions costs applicable to the principle LOP in order to create the exchange rate in PPP? The concept of LOP indicates that the prices for the identical products are the same across two countries, but this has not been the case in actual situation proposed by numerous scholars and researchers. The principle of LOP has been violated in actual practice and this has been supported by explanation that the transaction costs make it difficult to ensure same price for the identical products in two markets by creating a restriction in the equilibrium flow of the commodities known as the â€Å"border effect† (Rogoff, 1996). The transactions costs consist mainly of tariffs, taxes, duties and non-tariff barriers costs. For instance, the commodity that is priced lower in one market would involve transaction and transportation costs for participants to trade them in another market, and this will constitute to the additional costs of the commodity (Bumas, 1999). The volatility in the price differential would be progressively higher if the difference between the two countries is large. In addition, the transportation costs will increase due to the driving supply of arbitragers participating to transfer the commodity from one location with lower price to another with higher price, and the resulting impact would be differences in price disrupting the adjustment of arbitrage equilibrium (Clark, 2002). The study by Engel and Rogers (1996) have indicated that the price differential is greater in case of greater distance between the cities concerned, and it leads to substantial increase in the prices when they are compared in different countries proceeding to different continents. Furthermore, single or identical consumption of goods common to everyone is highly unrealistic because different consumers from different locations will have different preferences and choices, and it is always very difficult to have the same proportion of commodity identified in the comparing countries’ consumption basket (Clark, 2002). There is no guarantee that all commodities are traded between international economies and relatively to domestic economies, there are always substitutes in products if level of competitions is high but most of the cases, more differentiated goods are available compared to the product substitutes (Kim and Ogaki, 2004). Hence, when all these circumstances applied, the proportion of consumption from different locations concerning identical commodities in aggregate price indices will vary across countries. In sum, trading goods are more accurate drivers for the estimation of PPP compared to non-trading goods. This is because non-trading goods circulate within the domestic economy of that country and does not cross the barrier beyond international trade which involves additional transactions costs. Non-trading goods are more confined within the domestic economy compared to trading goods which are more expressed in exchange rates term when they are traded elsewhere around the world contributing towards the credibility of PPP. Hence, it is more useful to test with producer price index rather to use the consumer price index as suggested by the graphs in Figure 1 above. There is shorter deviation of PPP in producer price index compared to consumer price index in the short run from both the graphs. Hence, it often suggested that the PPP theory of exchange rates will hold at least approximately because of the possibility of international goods arbitrage. However, in real life, the practicalit y of PPP is disclosed to a visible amount of subjectivity and uncertainty as to which product is categorized as trading or non-trading goods, if identified, will it be the same around the world for the comparison of prices? Non-trading goods in UK might not necessarily be identical in US where that particular product might be a trading good for US instead and will this affect the producer price index, what about the LOP? To conclude the theory of PPP, there are definitely dreadful amount of assumptions underlying it to support its application and reliability. In real life, do all these assumptions prevail? Let’s examine and explore the credibility of the assumptions mentioned above by analyzing the Big Mac Index created by The Economists in 1986. As far as we know, Big Mac is a hamburger available from Macdonald’s Restaurant, the world largest fast food chain. What happens is that the price for a Big Mac in one country is divided by the price of a Big Mac in another country (both in domestic price) to obtain the Big Mac PPP exchange rate. This value is then compared and analyzed with the actual exchange rate in the market. The aim of this discussion is to determine the practicality of Big Mac index in real world in relate to the assumptions of PPP. The limitations are closely related to the assumptions mentioned above: †¢It is not possible to have the same price of a Big Mac from all around the world (results from the diagram below) due to different government tax policies, levels of competition and different transaction costs such as rental for different locations not just within particular area of a city, as well as different countries and continents. This will certainly add up to the costs of a burger and disrupt the notion of LOP. †¢Being the world’s largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, certain products need to be imported or exported by franchises all around the world to maintain the uniformity and the quality of the world’s prominent restaurant and this will certainly contribute to the different costs of the product disrupting the free movement of goods across borders. Source: Big Mac Index, The Economists 2013. Available at: http://www.economist.com/content/big-mac-index Furthermore, the assumption of single consumption is not possible in many countries, for instance, eating in McDonald’s Restaurant in some countries is relatively expensive compared to others and consumers would prefer eating in local fast food restaurants instead as a close substitute at a lower price. In addition, the demand for the consumption of Big Mac varies across different countries and this will not create an equal proportion of commodities in different countries’ basket. For example, buying Big Mac in China is not as high demand as buying Big Mac in the United States. The assumption made by PPP is highly unrealistic due to the disruption theory of LOP as it is not possible to have one common currency price for the same product demonstrated using the study of Big Mac Index. A similar investigation has been conducted by Haskel and Wolf (2001), they explored the deviations from the LOP by making use of the retail transaction costs in IKEA, a multinational Swedish furniture company. In performing the case study, samples were gathered comprising of 100 identical goods sold by IKEA in 25 countries. The outcome of the study indicated that there are significant common currency price divergences across countries for a given product. Conclusion In conclusion, according to PPP theory, the exchange rates should be adjusted in a manner where equal purchasing power is established with respect to a commodity in two markets. In the real world, this is highly unachievable and it is rather unrealistic to the extent that there is always difference in prices of the same goods. However, this scenario might contradict with the results and findings from Figure 1 and figure 2 as both the figures proposed that in the short run, PPP does not hold, whereas in the long run, the law of one price will prevail and PPP is therefore determinable. In practical applications this seems rather convincing as due to the matter of time, equilibrium will kick in and adjust the prices accordingly to the LOP. Nonetheless, one question still remains unanswered, how far can the LOP brings us towards the validity of PPP and determining the exchange rate between two countries? How certain are the assumptions of PPP on the data and findings by researchers and s cholars influence the outcome of the actual results obtained? As mentioned by Keynes (1923), â€Å"At first sight this theory appears to be one of great practical utility. In practical applications of the doctrine there are, however, two further difficulties, which we have allowed so far to escape our attention†. According to Keynes, the first difficulty is to make allowance for transport costs, imports and export taxes. The second difficult refers to the treatment on purchasing power of goods and services which do not enter into international level of trade. In sum, the theory of PPP derived from LOP is useful in theory for product pricing and the determination of exchange rate currencies, but as far as the limitations mentioned above is concerned, it should sensibly be considered as a guidance only rather than a direct application in real world. References: Apreda, R. and Pelzer, L.Z. 2005. Focus on Macroeconomics Research. Nova Publishers. Abildtrup, J. 1999. Modern Time Series Analysis in Forest Products Markets. Springer. Bumas, L.O. 1999. Intermediate Microeconomics: Neoclassical and Factually-oriented Models. M.E. Sharpe. Clark, E. 2002. International Finance. Cengage Learning EMEA. Engel, C. and Rogers, J.H. 1999. ‘Violating the Law of One Price: Should We Make a Federal Case Out of It?. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Eicher, T., Mutti, J.H. and Turnovsky, M.H. 2009. International Economics. Routledge. Haskel, J. and Wolf, H.C. 1999. Why Does the law of One Price Fail?: A Case Study. Centre for Economic Policy Research. Isard, P., 1977. How Far Can we Push the â€Å"Law of One Price†?. American Economic Review, 67 (5), 942-948. Ignatiuk, A. 2009. The Principle, Practise and Problems of Purchasing Power Parity Theory. GRIN Verlag. Jonsson, G. 1999. Inflation, Money Demand, and Purchasing Power Parity in South Africa. International Monetary Fund. Michie, J. 2011. The Handbook of Globalisation, Second Edition. Edward Elgar Publishing. Manzur, M. 2008. Purchasing Power Parity. Edward Elgar Publishing, Incorporated. Mezzera, J. 1990. Monopoly Profits and the Law of One Price: The Cost of Misapplied Theory, Volume 146. Helen Kellogg Institute for International Studies, University of Notre Dame. Rogoff, K. 1996. The Purchasing Power Parity Puzzle. Journal of Economic Literature, Vol. 34 (2), 647-668. Ricci, L.A. and MacDonald, R. 2002. Purchasing Power Parity and New Trade Theory. International Monetary Fund. Silver, M. 2010. Imf Applications of Purchasing Power Parity Estimates. International Monetary Fund. Taylor, A.M. and Taylor, M.P. 2004. The Purchasing Power Parity Debate. Journal of Economic Perspectives, Vol. 18 (4), pp. 135-158. Wang, P. 2009. The Economics of Foreign Exchange and Global Finance. Springer.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Marlow Vs. Willard Essay -- essays research papers

Marlow vs. Willard Charles Marlow and Captain Willard have many characteristics that would make them alike and different. Marlow, from the novel Heart of Darkness, was a man who was on a mission through Cambodia to find Kurtz. Captain Willard, from the movie â€Å"Apocalypse Now†, was a man on a mission to exterminate a fellow member of the United States Armed Forces, Kurtz. â€Å"Apocalypse Now† is a Vietnam parallel of the novel Heart of Darkness. While both these men were on a search for a man, they both went through many difficult hardships on the way. Both of the men had different backgrounds before they began their journey. Marlow was an experienced sailor, while Willard was an experienced warrior. Willard was a man who went to hell and back in Vietnam. His soul was already corrupted and only got worse while his journey to Kurtz continued. Marlow was a man who just wanted a job. His experience in sailing was the reason he got into his mission. Marlow takes the place of a captain who was killed by natives while on a similar journey. Willard was a man who was picked by the secret service. He was looked at because of his strong history in the military. The history of both men was important for each of them to go their perspective missions. The surroundings for each man were unique. While both Marlow and Willard had to put up with natives, they had crews that were different. While Marlow had a crew with mostly natives, Willard had a crew of American soldiers who were serving their country. Willard’s crew was comprised of mostly young men who had no idea what they were doing. â€Å"Come on all of you big strong me,† writes Joseph McDonald, â€Å"Uncle Sam needs your help again†(Class handouts, McDonald). This would describe the men that were with Willard. None of them knew where they were headed or why they were leaving, all they knew was they were serving their country. Marlow’s crew knew that they were trying to figure out what happened to the ivory supply. Marlow had a crew full of mostly natives. Their respective ships were different too. While Marlow cruised on a French steamer, Willard was on a boat provided by the military. Both men had a unique surrounding that helped each respective tale. Both Marlow and Willard became obsessed with a man by the name of Kurtz. Marlow wanted to meet Kurtz very bad. He was so fascinated with his accomplishments that he... ...urtz. Marlow could tell that Kurtz was dying while Willard knew what he had to do and that was kill Kurtz. Willard had doubts about killing Kurtz but after seeing Kurtz’s camp he knew what had to be done. Marlow knew that Kurtz had a good reason to do what he did but the ways he did them was not moral. The plundering of ivory was not good. Marlow and Willard both went through a substantial change after meeting Kurtz. The mystery that both Marlow and Willard had about Kurtz was all over. They met this man that was on their minds since leaving for their missions. One cannot tell, if Marlow and Willard were disappointed, of the states they found Kurtz. Willard at one point was even considering joining Kurtz. Willard finally realized the power of the jungle and how it took in Kurtz. Willard and Marlow are both very similar but have differences as well. Throughout â€Å"Apocalypse Now† and Heart of Darkness, each character went through many conflicts. While the sailor and the soldier went on their search to find Kurtz, they encountered many different obstacles. I believe that Willard went through a rougher time then Marlow, but one can only imagine the struggles that encountered Marlow.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Biography of Karl Marx Essay -- Karl Marx Biographies Essays

Biography of Karl Marx 15Karl Marx was born on May 5, 1818 to Heinrich and Henrietta Marx in the historical city of Trier. Karl was one of seven children raised within a comfortable middle class home provided by his father. Marx’s father worked as a counselor-at-law at the High-Court of Appeal in Trier. David McClellan believes that, â€Å"Trier first imbued Marx with his abiding passion for history.†1 Although the Marx family was linked to a long lineage of Jewish ancestry, Heinrich converted his family to Protestantism in order to keep his position at the courthouse. â€Å"Some have considered this rabbinic ancestry to be the key to Marx’s ideas and see him as a secularized version of an Old Testament prophet.†2 Overall, Marx was raised in a very loving, supportive, environment, and maintained a special relationship with his father throughout his life.3 In 1830, Marx began school at the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Gymnasium, a Jesuit foundation that had become a respectable high school with a liberal headmaster. While in high school, Marx was known as a bully and acted more as a leader to the students than as a close friend. His marks were less than average in history related subjects, French, and mathematics. Marx, however, did earn excellent marks in Greek, Latin, and German.4 In 1835, Marx graduated from high school and fell in love with Jenny von Westphalen the daughter of a powerful politician. The couple was secretly engaged in the summer of 1836, but, because of their conflicting ancestries, their families would not allow the wedding to commence for seven years.5 After the couples engagement, Marx was enrolled into the University of Bonn on October 17,1835 as a stud... ... beyond him to change the world. Notes 1 David McClellan, Karl Marx: The Legacy (London: British Broadcasting Corporation, 1983), 11. 2 McClellan, 12. 3 Top Biography â€Å"Karl Marx: Ancestry and Birth† August 2000, (March 2002). 4 Eugene Kamenka, The Portable Karl Marx (The Viking Portable Library 1983), xiv. 5 Kamenka, xv. 6 Maximilien Rubel and Margaret Manale, Marx Without Myth (New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1975), 12. 7 Top Biography 2. 8 Kamenka, xvi. 9 Kamenka, xvii. 10 McClellan, 20. 11 McClellan, 26. 12 Rubel and Manale, 85. 13 Kamenka, xix. 14 Karl Marx. 15 Marx/Engels Image Library

Merciless Death in Katherine Anne Porters The Jilting of Granny Weathe

Merciless Death in The Jilting of Granny Weatherall      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall," Katherine Anne Porter gives readers a glimpse of the thoughts of a woman about to die.   Lying in her bed in her daughter Cornelia's house, eighty-year-old Granny Weatherall drifts in and out of consciousness.   Through her thoughts of events both current and bygone, it is learned that Granny has worked hard all her life, and frequently tells herself that she did a good job.   She thinks of events that made her stronger: digging holes for fence posts, "riding country roads in the winter when women had their babies" (311), taking care of sick animals and sick children.   Though Granny Weatherall tries to assure herself that her life has been rewarding, she is in fact unsatisfied in her last hours because of things left undone, being treated like a child in her old age, and loved ones she has lost.   When it becomes apparent to her that her time is running out, Granny realizes there are many things left undone that she meant to do.   Granny thinks of tomorrow, a time that is "far away" and ...

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Curleys Wife: Miss Dynamite or lonely victim? Essay

Throughout the book Steinbeck changes Curley’s wife in different ways. He makes the reader feel hatred, sympathy, annoyance and love for Curley’s wife. These different interpretations create an unusual feel for this character. It is difficult to pinpoint one particular character that she is, as our opinions change regularly in the book. Since the beginning of the book Curley’s wife has come across very confident, lustful and bold. She puts on a confident, troubling image to start but as the book progresses she slowly reveals the lonely, apprehensive woman she really is. This image gets her in to a lot of trouble and makes her come across bad. She isn’t liked by the farm-workers, and they treat her very badly. At the start of the book George refers to her as ‘Jesus, what a tramp’ and ‘†¦ no piece of jail bait worse than her,’ these comments show how she comes across to the new characters and how little respect she has on the farm. The hierarchy on the farm is one of the main problems through the book. It causes jealously, rivalry and trouble. Curley’s wife status on the farm is right at the bottom. I feel that throughout the book she’s always thriving to reach some sort of status or level within the community on the farm. I think this because in the book when she asks what happened to Curley’s hand and they don’t tell her she calls them all names, ‘Standin’ here talking to a bunch of bindle stiffs -a nigger an’ a dum-dum and a lousy ol’ sheep. ‘ This shows Curley’s wife trying to grasp some sort of confidence by humiliating the other characters. By calling them names she feels almost superior and special, which is what she always wants. Women are treated with very little respect and were never equal to men in this time. She belongs to Curley like an object or a possession. This is when her lonely victim side of her shines through because she is treated so badly we feel sympathy and sadness for her. A good example to show how women are treated in this day is by her name. In the book we always refer to her as Curley’s wife and never know her actual name that shows how controlling and male-dominated the farm is towards women. At the point in the book where she dies our troubling/ attention-seeking hatred towards Curley’s wife disappears as a sympathetic and sad feeling takes its place. When she tries to break free of Lennie and squirms in his arms we feel a sudden sadness for her, although some people would say that she brought it on herself through her attention seeking ways, others would feel sympathetic. Steinbeck changes the image very well in this chapter, as we start to doubt our previous opinions on Curley’s wife. In the chapter it says, ‘And the meanness and the planning’s and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face. She was very pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young. ‘ This extract reveals a completely different side to Curley’s wife and makes us think more deeply about our attitude towards her throughout the book. It quotes all the reasons we used to hate Curley’s wife in the past and compare it with her now, laying peacefully on the hay. Steinbeck changes Curley’s wife character a lot, which makes it hard to answer whether she is Miss Dynamite or a lonely victim. I think that Steinbeck’s intentions were to make us feel sympathetic towards her but also to have a hidden hatred for her previous attention-seeking character. In conclusion, I think that this question of whether Curley’s wife is Miss Dynamite or a lonely victim cannot be answered. Steinbeck changes the character too much throughout the book so that you can never pinpoint a true opinion. Only till the end do you realise a true sense of loneliness and sympathy, but while she was alive she was an annoying/ troubling character, which will always linger in our minds when we try to understand her image. Jemma Davis Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE John Steinbeck section.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Eating Disorders in Children

When the topic of body image and eating disorders is brought to a person’s attention, more times than not the idea of a self-conscious, thin adolescent girl comes to mind. However, reports have shown that children are exhibiting signs of lowered impressions of their own body and the presence of eating disorders are increasing at a younger age (Kedesdy, 2007). Very little is known about the commonness of eating disorders in pre-pubertal girls and boys. However, eating disorder specialists and programs in the United States are reporting an increase in young children who need help with related eating problems.According to the text book â€Å"Exploring Life Development†, in their attempt to reach â€Å"perfect† slimness, anoerexics lose between 25 and 50 percent of their body weight. (Katzman, 2005). The problem with body dissatisfaction is causing an increase in disordered eating and weight loss in young children. â€Å"Recent studies have shown that 42 % of first- , second- and third-grade girls want to be thinner; that 40 % of almost 500 fourth-graders surveyed said they diet â€Å"very often† or â€Å"sometimes†; and that 46 percent of 9-year-olds and 81 percent of 10-year-olds admit to dieting, binge eating or fear of getting fat† (Equit, M. Palmke, M. , Becker, N. , Moritz, A. , Becker, S. , & Gontard, A. , 2013). This essay will explore the development of eating disorders in children. It will show that these disorders are closely connected to a combination of physiological changes, environmental, and social factors. There are two types of eating disorders which are noted as being used to control food intake and result in extreme weight loss, Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia. Anorexia is a condition in which a child refuses to eat adequate calories out of an intense and irrational fear of becoming fat.Bulimia is a condition in which a child binge eats and then purges the food by vomiting or using laxatives to prevent weigh t gain. Diagnosing a child with an eating disorder is difficult. It is hard for specialists and doctors to diagnosis school aged children for many reasons. The first reason is the frequent growth spurts in both height and weight that pre-pubertal children exhibit during this time in their life. Therefore, it is hard to measure an expected weight for a child at this age because all children are different. Children who do not gain weight around this age, but do grow in height are not always target for an eating disorder. This is the age which children are very active and participate in sports which may be the reason why they do not gain weight (Kedesy, 2007). In addition to the problems with the diagnosing children, specialists and physicians are not adequately trained to look for eating disorders in children. Problems with eating focus on picky eaters and issues of slow weight gain based on the stage of development for younger children. Physicians seldom consider that a child who is not eating may be linked to a problem with body dissatisfaction.It is more common to associate eating problems with the notion that the child is a picky eater rather than with them having an eating disorder. Children raised in a dysfunctional family are at higher risk for developing an eating disorder. A family life where there is physical or sexual abuse may result in a child turning to an eating disorder to gain a sense of control. Eating disorders are a child’s remedy. They help them deal with emotions and are especially prevalent in children who were raised in a home that did not allow feelings to be expressed.Research also shows that children are at a high risk for developing an eating disorder if their parents are preoccupied with appearance and weight. (Equit, M. , Palmke, M. , Becker, N. , Moritz, A. , Becker, S. , & Gontard, A. , 2013). If parents (or siblings) are constantly dieting and expressing dislike towards their own bodies, the child will receive the message that appearance is the most important thing to be concerned about. Society and the media also sends the message that being thin is the most important and necessary thing there is. Media is many things; media is education, knowledge, news, culture, corruption.This has been used as a form of pursing or influencing young children into believing that what they see is real. Commercials are used to tell children what to buy or what is â€Å"in†. There are several messages that that the media sends out to young children, some of them beneficial and some fraudulent. Women in particular have been portrayed to be flawless and tremendously thin, and if you are not then you must become flawless and thin. The textbook â€Å"Exploring Lifespan Development† mentions that this societal image of â€Å"thin is beautiful† contributes to the poor body image of many girls, specially early-maturing girls. (Tyrka, Graber, & Brooks-Gunn, 2000). Media messages have a great effect on you ng children that want to be liked and sadly enough they think that media is what matters. Some of these messages have resulted in young girls and boys going to the lengths of eating disorders to look like some of the messages they receive. Some children are more vulnerable to these messages than others. Children who are insecure about themselves or eager to please others are most likely to fall in to this horrible craze of being â€Å"thin and beautiful†.Children are bombarded with images and messages that reinforce the idea that thin is happy and successful. I believe it's important everyone, especially parents, are aware of these eating disorders. Most importantly, set an example for their children. Children learn by what they observe. If they are observing a healthy environment which is not focused on a negative body image with an emphasis on dieting, then they will be likely to follow the model set in place for them. An eating disorder is a very serious problem and needs to be treated as early as possible. It is important, as mentioned earlier to have treatment which includes the family.This is because the child’s eating disorder may be based on a problem which is deep seeded with in the family dynamics and also because of the child’s age. It is the initial approach to any problem with body image or eating disorder which is crucial for a person to recover and create a positive relationship with themselves and with food. Reports have also shown that 80% of girls in grades 3 – 6 have bad feelings about their bodies (Kedesdy, 2007). This issue of body dissatisfaction diverts the young child’s attention away from school work and from social interactions with peers.Preteen boys also worry about how their build compares with others. They are focused on sports and with the muscular men they see on television and have been conditioned to believe that muscles are more important than what is on the inside. The relevance of my findi ngs to modern society is that there are many extreme pressures existing in the world we live in, which directly affect a large number of the population to the point of extremity. In an age of high technology, rapid development, and intense social pressure, the pressure to be the best of the best prevails.Many people succumb to the pressure in a variety of ways, some beneficial, and some detrimental. Eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia in part result from an intense pressure to achieve the perfect ideal body weight and physical appearance. Emphasis on being perfect begins early in childhood and continues to grow with age, sometimes so much that a personality takes on a perfectionistic drive affecting every aspect of daily life. Perfectionism is a common individualized personality trait which in part stems from this ardent cultural pressure.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

French Education System Essay

In France, education has a clear goal: the system must always produce a group of well-educated individuals with a common culture, language and abilities that can then serve the State. The French educational system has a very large emphasis on content, culturally specific knowledge, scientific and mathematic knowledge. The system is designed to serve the needs of the state; the individuality and originality are not considered worth while values The French Republic has 60 million inhabitants, living in the 22 regions of metropolitan France and four overseas departments (1. million). Despite the fact that the population is growing slightly (up 0. 4% a year), the number and proportion of young people under 25 are, however, falling: there are now fewer than 19 million of them in metropolitan France, i. e. 32% of the total population, compared with 40% around 1970 and 35% at the time of the 1990 census. France is seeing a slow aging of the population — less marked however than in other neighbouring countries (Germany and Italy), especially as the annual number of births is currently increasing slightly. 5 million pupils and students, i. e. a quarter of the population, are in the education system. Just over 2 million are in higher education. In 1999, France’s GDP was close to FF 9,000 billion (EUR 1,330 billion), i. e. FF 150,000 (EUR 22,000) per inhabitant. Of this total, just over FF 600 billion (EUR 95 billion) were devoted to initial or continuing education: 7. 2% of GDP. As far as school education spending is concerned, France is in a middle position, behind the Nordic countries (Sweden and Denmark), but fairly significantly ahead of Italy and Japan. France has a workforce today of 26 million, of whom fewer than 2 million are unemployed: the unemployment rate recently fell to below 9%. 6% of the labor force (about 1. 5 million jobs, including 1 million civil servants and local government officers) are undergoing training. Educational Structure Around 13 million pupils attend school in France. The system is a unified one, whose present general structure (primary schools, colleges, lycees) was gradually put in place during the 1960s and 1970s, ending the formerly more compartmentalized system which was based on a clear separation between rimary and secondary education. Since the 1970s, France has also had an outstanding record with respect to the development of pre-school education; all 3- to 5-year-olds can go to nursery classes. Since 1967, school attendance has been compulsory for those from 6 to 16 years of age. France has 60,000 primary schools catering to pupils during their first five years of formal education: the first three years (CP – cours preparatoire cours elementaire 1 and 2) provide a grounding in the basic skills. The next stage – CM1/CM2 (cours moyen 1 and 2) takes the children up to the end of primary school. Secondary schooling is divided into two successive stages, known as cycles. From 11 to 15 years, almost all children now attend a college, taking them from form 6 (sixieme) to form 3 (troisieme) (1). Since 1975 there has been a single mixed-ability college for all pupils regardless of their level of achievement. After form 3, they move onto a general, technical or vocational lycee. These prepare pupils for the corresponding baccalaureatexaminations (referred to as le bac), which they normally take at the age of 18.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Patrick Suskind- Perfume Essay

Reflective Statement: Perfume Perfume by Patrick Sà ¼skind, exposed me to a series of literary texts, themes and ideas. It also opened me to a variety of cultural developments that happened throughout the book.  Through the interactive oral I gained a better understanding of the historical context and Parisian lifestyle. When reading I had superficial knowledge and I never really analyzed the periodical moment that the book was set in. The presentation helped me broaden my understanding of the French lifestyle by explaining the streets of Paris and the lack of sanitation. I now understand the importance of where Grenouille was born and the significance it holds; but then I also found myself astonished of the extreme conditions humans could endure and call everyday life. The fact that the author chose to set the book in that time period, where Paris was at its filthiest, and decided that the main character shall be born with the gift of scent. This fact gave me an interpretation of the author’s choice in location. It was also through this interactive oral that I got a stronger grasp of the connections between Grenouille and the other gifted abominables that were mentioned in the beginning of the novel. When initially reading the book, I lost the real connections of the characters. It was through the interactive  oral that I made the vital connections between Grenouille and Marquis de Sade and the others that were mention as well. These historical figures were also known for their terrible acts against humanity. As the group described each of them, I was thoroughly interested because I was surprised by some of the horrific things some of them had done. I was most engrossed by the Marquis de Sade; he’s personality and lifestyle as repulsive as it was, interested me a lot and I realized I got the same reaction from him, as I did from Grenouille. I became aware of Sà ¼skind’s directive with such connections. It further strengthens my opinion on how Sà ¼skind antagonized Grenouille from the beginning; because of the comparisons to the horrific figures from history. This interactive oral gave me a simple but direct understanding of the cultural context, by explaining 18th century Paris. I appreciate Sà ¼skind choice of location and including those historical figures, as foreshadowing. Overall I reached an improved understanding of Perfume. [Word Count: 400] Stolen Innocence: The Exploration of the elements of innocence from the fallen victims of Grenouille as he begins and ends his quest for the ultimate scent in Perfume: The story of a murder The roles of minor characters are gravely important to the development of a story. Their character, their actions and what they symbolize lead the protagonist to different points of the beginning or to the conclusion of their journeys. This is clearly shown in Perfume by Patrick Sà ¼skind, as the protagonist Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is led on killing spree in search for a certain element for his ultimate scent; the minor characters aid him as the catalyst and conclusion of his quest. The plum girl of the dark Parisian streets unknowingly awakened Grenouille’s desire for what he perceived to be the ultimate scent. Her role as a minor character was to be the catalyst of Grenouille’s journey, her scent captured him and led him to the discovery that a scent like that was conceivable. She was a fleeting character, barely in the book but her presence and representation brought on the whole premise to Grenouille’s voyage. Sà ¼skind never gives the reader a direct characterization of the plum girl but it is  through her scent that he creates a personality that the reader is supposed to unravel; when he describes her scent we get an indirect form of characterization of her character â€Å"Her sweat smelled as fresh as the sea breeze, the tallow of her hair as sweet as nut oil, her genitals were as fragrant as the bouquet of water lilies, her skin as apricot blossoms†¦ and the harmony of all these components yielded a perfume so rich, so balan ced, so magical†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 41). Linking her scent to her personality we are obliged to believe she was a girl of adoration, because of the description of her scent. The comparisons of her fragrance are all things that one would find beautiful. â€Å"†¦ the scent was not much stronger. It was only purer, and in its augmented purity, it took on an even greater power of attraction. Grenouille walked with no will of his own.† (pg. 40). Everybody admires beauty and it’s through this that Sà ¼skind admits that even Grenouille is unable to resist beauty; fore this beauty was in the scent. Sà ¼skind’s diction further allows the reader to entwine the beauty and associate the plum girl with innocence; despite the little context the readers are given. â€Å"†¦ like a piece of thin, shimmering silk†¦ and yet again not like silk, but like pastry soaked in honey-sweet milk- and try as he would he couldn’t fit those two together: milk and silk!† (pg. 40). The comparison of her scent with milk brings back Jeanne Bussie’s thoughts of the smells of a baby, the link between their milky scent and their innocence. The author’s choice to link the plum girl with those simple forms of innocence shows how she is one of the representations of purity. The plum girl was the catalyst to Grenouille’s quest as it was through her that he gained the incentive to further his knowledge and vision to capture scent. During this time, the enlightenment was at its stronghold, as new scientific experiments took place, and as it took on the form of individuality; where man was fighting for their rights. The people of the enlightenment began to drift apart from the social norms of that time and began to associate themselves as their own being. This was something Grenouille soon realized he lacked as he came to terms that he had no essence to call his own. The thing that in his perspective made everyone who they were, was what was absent from him. As Grenouille is led on his journey to capture his intrinsic scent, as he embarks on his killing spree; Sà ¼skind leads the  reader to believe that Grenouille is seeking a certain element for his perfume. After his first kill every girl that followed next was in one way or another, a form of innocence. From the girl of the rose fields who was â€Å"young, so very young†, to the young Italian girls of the migrants, the Sardinian washer-woman, and th e carpenter’s daughter; they all shared something apart from their youth. â€Å"†¦the college of medicine examine the bodies of the shorn beauties to determine the state of their virginity. It was found that they had all remained untouched† (pg.197). All the girls were virgins. Virgins are a universal symbol for purity and innocence, the point that Grenouille was attracted to their scents further incites the feeling that he in fact was trying to extract what they had and that was their sense of purity. It strongly suggests that Grenouille was seeking the element of innocence for his perfume. Sà ¼skind shows the reader that Grenouille has an exact plan and process; ones that correspond to the enlightenment. As he journeys we discover different aspects to Grenouille’s nature that resemble aspects of the enlightenment. We see this through his methods and his overall perspective throughout the novel; as the enlightenment was entirely about experimentation, the individual rights of man and finding oneself. Sà ¼skind perhaps proposes that through the quest as he seeks the ingredients for his ultimate perfume Grenouille is also creating a recipe for himself. Grenouille’s whole being responds to the views of the enlightenment as he is searches for self-awareness through science and experimentation. Where the plum girl represents the beginning of his quest, it is only through Laure that he concludes the journey. Her role as a minor character was to be a physical representation of Grenouille’s end goal, to conclude his quest. She was the depiction of the ultimate innocence and it was shown all about her, through her appearance, her age and her scent; â€Å"She barely had the rudimentary start of breasts†¦ In a word: the girl was still a child† (pg. 170-171). Sà ¼skind clearly illustrates that Laure was a girl of admiration and beauty; this allows us to make the connections of Grenouille’s craving with one associated with himself. Grenouille’s goal was to be someone that overwhelmed people, someone who could bewitch people; just like he predicted Laure would. She too like the other girls had something that Grenouille wanted, that element of innocence he required for his perfume. As she was the end goal, the others girls were different components to his depiction of  innocence, and Laure was the absolute scent. She was his epiphany, and she completed his composition. â€Å"In a year or two this scent will be ripened and take on a gravity that no one, man or woman, will be able to escape. People will be overwhelmed, disarmed, helpless before the magic of this girl†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 171). Only through Laure would he be able to achieve what she could achieve by just being, and only through her and collecting her scent did Grenouille finally come to self-realization, it’s only after he had completed his quest did he come to gather the â€Å"worthlessness† to this earth. He had completed what he wanted and only then did he come to terms that there was nothing else in this world that he would want. He had overwhelmed people, disarmed them, and bewitched them. It simply was not enough. Her character was the physical embodiment for his masterpiece that he would call his scent. The minor characters are the basis structures that aid the main character in any journey he or she sets of to accomplish; they symbolize different aspects of the theme that the book tries to convey. All the girls were symbols of innocence in one form or another, different ingredients for the ultimate scent. The roles of these girls were to create the hunt for Grenouille, as the plum girl began his quest and Laure brought it to an end. It was only through the quest and these minor characters did he create his recipe for himself and came to self-realization. It was through the quest that Sà ¼skind allows the reader to believe that Grenouille was the epic depiction of the enlightenment as a whole. [Word Count: 1316] Work Cited Sà ¼skind, Patrick. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. Trans. John E. Woods. New York: Vintage, 1986. Print. ere different components to his depiction of innocence and the end goal, the others were merely components to the overall

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

In what ways do fictional representations of British travellers abroad Essay

In what ways do fictional representations of British travellers abroad serve to challenge fixed notions of British national identity - Essay Example As such, they are intended to bring about a specific change or reform in addition to relating an enjoyable tale. A brief understanding of the journeys of Gulliver and Crusoe respectively illustrates the changes these characters undergo throughout the course of their stories, exposing the intended satire intertwined within the work and illuminating some of our fixed notions regarding British national identity. In each story, the travels undertaken by the main character have a great deal to do with the type of growth they experience. Gulliver, for example, makes four separate voyages, each time meeting a different kind of people. His first encounter is with the Lilliputians who, although they are very tiny compared to himself, nevertheless impress him with their technological achievements. Despite this, he soon realizes that outward appearances are not necessarily reflected on the inside as the Lilliputians squabble over such small matters as which side of an egg should be cracked or how high a heel should be worn. His second voyage takes him to the land of the Brobdingnag, who are giants compared to Gulliver. They treat him as a beast or, at best, a unique pet and, despite their size, Gulliver learns that bigger doesn’t always mean better, smarter or wiser when he gains the opportunities to see them at court and realizes not even the king has an understanding of politics. His third voyage takes him to Laputa. On this trip, he learns that highly educated doesn’t necessarily equate with sensible, historical figures were not always heroic and age does not always bring wisdom. Finally, on his fourth voyage, Gulliver loses the last of his innocent assumptions when he finds that men are the most base creatures of the land of the Houyhnhnms. Robinson Crusoe also goes through a series of events in which he is forced to learn more about himself and illuminates the British identity. The book begins with a quick summary

Key Issues Analysis When MRMC Ethical efficiencies in valuing and Essay

Key Issues Analysis When MRMC Ethical efficiencies in valuing and pricing - Essay Example The opportunity costs are the goods and services that consumers want and value. Incorrect pricing has ethical implications. To charge too small a price for a product in relation to its production costs will affect revenue negatively, upset the delicate balances required for profit maximization, and lead to disastrous repercussions, perhaps even to the demise of the company. On the other hand, to charge too much for the product, more than people are willing to pay, will result in the same kinds of consequences. Incorrect payments to the factors of productions is unethical because it would also result in opportunity costs for the company. The opportunity costs include the foregone profits of producing goods and services that consumers want and also the opportunity costs arising from the greater community in which the firm exists - from the immediacy of geographical location to philosophical, religious, legal, sociological, and cultural implications of the greater world. Paid less than the value of his/her marginal product, the employee, a scarce human resource, would leave the company. Paid more, the company's opportunity costs would result in fewer resources from which to produce the goods and services the community wants. One disposition is to put aside individual ethics and adopt only corporate ethics, that is, profit maximization or opportunity costs minimization, producing goods and services that consumers want and value. Price is a measure of how much do consumers want and value the goods and services produced. The payment to all of the factors of production will be equal to the total revenues from the price. The total dollars from the production of goods and services is apportioned among the various factors of production according to the contribution of that factor of production's contribution, called its marginal physical product (MPP) in economics terms. The sum of the MPP of the factors of production equals what is produced. With respect to value, the MPP of each factor of production is sold in the market place for that price the consumer is willing to pay for it. When that price is multiplied by the MPP of each factor of production, the dollars we receive are called the value of the marginal physical product (VMP). Another disposition is to attempt to influence the value that consumers place on goods and services produced by the firm. This could be achieved through advertisements. Value could be added to the factors of production so that their VMP could be increased. For example, labor could be trained and creativity could be encouraged. Also, cheaper factors of production could be used. For example, rather than producing steel in the USA, the firms in the steel industry could have based their production in Venezuela, Canada, and Australia where the cost of production is lower. Nike is a good example of an organization that has adopted this disposition. Its operation is based in China, where the cost of production is low. It tries to influence consumer demand for its goods through advertisements. The value of entrepreneurship is increased by outsourcing all functions in which it has no competitive advantage and focusing instead on marketing. The first disposition is recommended. This is because it essentially means production at the level where marginal cost (MC) is equal to marginal revenue (MR) when profit is maximized.