Compare the view of class in Homer, Boccaccio, Austen Essay

Compare the view of class in Homer, Boccaccio, Austen - Essay Example With his kindness, Odysseus wins the total loyalty of his thankful slaves. In Homer’s poem there are moments when Odysseus is described as inconsiderate and stubborn. He loses his caution when he is elated by his triumph over the strong Kyklops Polyphemos. Because of his temporary loss of common sense his puts his men in great danger. Despite his crew unwillingness, Odysseus embarks into the Kyklops’ island. There are other scenes in which Odysseus shows his selfish nature, for example the moment when he sends his crew to the unknown land of Kirke. He does this to avoid a potential danger which puts his life in peril. Although the initial description that Mentor gives is true, to an extend he idolizes Odysseus and portrays him in idealized fashion. In comparison, the protagonist in Dante’s Inferno is Dante himself. The novel is written from first-person perspective, which indicates that the character Dante is narrating the story. In Inferno we have to distinguish between the author Dante and the protagonist Dante. The author creates his character as a fictional one. The novel represents a journey of the protagonist Dante, written as if it was happening to the author Dante. At the beginning the protagonist has pity for the sinners in Hell. He shows how merciful he is. Then he realizes that the sinners deserve to be punished for their wrongdoing. Here the protagonist is described as ruthless. Dante’s character undergoes a noticeable change throughout his journey. His compassion for the sinners reduces as he goes down through Hell. The protagonist is also described as curious and caution at the same time, because he asks Virgil for advice every step on his way. Dante’s character is also adventurous during his journey. He is not afraid of what is happening around him and shows no fear. The protagonist is also wise, because he knows that he can not be hurt, and he can prevent the suffering that the sinners experience. In Emma, Jane

Independent Auditors Report Essay Example for Free

Independent Auditors Report Essay LCC has conducted an audit of Apollo Shoes, Inc. balance sheets, the retained earnings, cash flows, and other related statements of income for the year ended December 31, 2006/2007. Apollo Shoes Inc management is responsible for maintaining the effective internal controls that goes along with the financial statements and how well the accuracy is going to be. LLC has evaluated the effectiveness of the said controls and with everything to see the relevance in the timing, the substantive in quality, and the comprehensive in nature. The responsibility of our firm is to express an opinion that is supported by audit evidence in regards to the accuracy of the Apollo Shoes, Inc. financial statements. Our firm has conducted all audit related services that is accepted by the United States and the generally accepted auditing standards. The planning and performance done ensures that the audit was done to execute and obtain reasonable assurance that the financial statements published by Apollo Shoes, Inc. are free and clear of material misstatement. It is going to include the examination of the evidence and/or the supporting documentation for the amounts that are disclosed and included in the financial statements. The assessment of the accounting principles that were used, how the management did their estimates and the overall evaluation of the presentation of the financial statements (Arens, Elder, Beasley, 2006). Therefore, we assert that this audit provides a reasonable basis for our rendered opinions with the information that was provided by Apollo Shoes, Inc. The consolidated financial statement referred to above have been presented fairly, in our opinion, based on the LLC audit services and those of the prior auditor. While accompanied by an explanatory paragraph below, the results of Apollo Shoes, Inc. financial position of the company as of December 31, 2006/2007 the cash flows and the operations for the year are in conformity with the generally accepted accounting principles. The financial statements of Apollo Shoes, Inc have been prepared assuming that they will remain in a going concern. The purpose of the LCC audit was not to evaluate the health of the company; SAS 59 indicated that the auditor has the responsibility to evaluate the company and to see whether the company is likely to remain a going concern (Arens, Elder, Beasley, 2006). LLC have expressed some uncertainty over Apollo Shoes, Inc. status as a going concern for a couple of factors. They are related to a loss of major customers that are pending legal proceedings, which could jeopardize the organization and its ability to operate. Mall Warts, the largest customer for Apollo Shoes, Inc. has declared bankruptcy, which has prompted a reduction in the clients operating activity, workforce and now an ongoing labor strike. It is a class action lawsuit for $12,000,000 for a gross negligence and violation of warranty on the merchantability that was filed in early 2008. With the legal fees that had incurred in 2007, the financial statements do not include any adjustments that may result from the outcomes of the uncertainties that are there.

A Technophobic Confession :: Personal Narrative Computers Papers

A Technophobic Confession I am a technophobe. There, I admitted it. The Unabomber, George Orwell, my hardheaded grandfather and I are all members of the same fraternity. I am in the closet no longer. Just because I don't blow up buildings doesn't mean I'm not afraid of the unrelenting onslaught of technology. I went to high school in a small town in rural Illinois, and until the age of sixteen, I was able to survive without touching a computer. In fact, the only one I remember seeing on a regular basis was the one in the corner of the public library. Up until my junior year in high school, that computer was just about the loneliest thing in the world. Most of the people in town used a computer for one of two things: word processing or playing video games, and anybody who really had any desire to do either of these owned a computer or had access to one at work. The librarian's daughter used to set books on top of that computer when she was sorting them out to be reshelved. I always thought of the computer as just that, an overglorified bookrack. I laughed to see a tall, precariously balanced pile of books on top of the monitor, which was all but hidden by its dust cover body bag. I laughed because I am a technophobe, and to see it being used in this manner reassured me that computers were, quite obviously, a waste of time and money. Then the e-mail epidemic began cropping up in cities across the nation, and it spread quickly. Like all innovations, it eventually made its way to the Middle West. The outbreak in my hometown started where I least expected it: in that eternally slumbering computer sitting underneath the stack of book returns. It happened overnight. The computer was wired to the Internet. The small weekly local paper pushed the Knights of Columbus hall off the front page to run a story about the Information Superhighway. Clouds brooded on the horizon and little children tossed uneasily in their sleep. I was good friends with the librarian’s daughter. We went to the same high school. She was in my circle of friends. We were juniors. She was the first to get an email address.

Aryabhata I and How He Influenced Math Essay

Aryabhata I was born in Kerala, India, but moved to Kusumapura early in life. His contribution to mathematics and science is vast, from approximating Pi better than anyone in his time period to deducing the Earth is round. He had many scientific and mathematic discoveries, which he wrote about in his book, the Aryabhatiya. He declared that the Earth rotates on its own axis and used logic to determine that this is what created night and day. (Jain) Part of Aryabhata’s fame was brought by his debunking myths of both religious and general varieties. Instead of the previously believed â€Å"fact† distributed by the Hindu priests that it was a demon’s head named Rahu swallowing the sun and moon, Aryabhata proved them wrong by driving the theory that eclipses happen because of the shadow given off by the earth and moon in place of the Hindu myth. Another myth he disproved by declaration was the thought that the moon gave off its own light, giving it the glow that dominated the night sky. In 499 A.D., at age 23, he wrote Aryabhatiya, which would be known as his famous astronomical opus. As a result of his paper, the Gupta dynasty ruler, Buddhagupta, gave him the title of Head of the Nalanda University to recognize his intellect (Kumar). Later, it is believed that he wrote another book, called the Aryabhata-siddhanta, but it is now lost (Jain). The book is split into three parts: the Ganita, which translates to Ma thematics; the Kala-Kriya, which contains Time Calculations; and the Gola, which is mainly sphere mathematics. The Ganita is astonishing because of its lack of proof concerning the 66 rules it provides (â€Å"Aryabhata I†). Aryabhata’s mind is also the basis of algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. He created the equation for finding the circumference of a circle using the radius instead of the diameter, like the Greeks used. For  this equation, C = 2Ï€r2, he had to have a close value for Ï€, which he successfully approximated somehow, and shared his discovery in Aryabhatiya: â€Å"’Add four to one hundred, multiply by eight and then add sixty-two thousand. The result is approximately the circumference of a circle of diameter twenty thousand. By this rule the relation of the circumference to diameter is given.’ In other words, n = 62382/20000 = 3.1416, correct to four rounded-off decimal places† (Jacobs). The advancements on finding the numerical value of Ï€ have dramatically increased since then, having calculated numbers on the upside of 5 trillion. His contributions to the mathematical world are still vast, and his discoveries are the foundation for modern algebr a and through that, most of math overall. Aryabhata I calculated the length of a sidereal rotation and year in his book as well. As for the sidereal rotation, he used the stars to determine that the time per day was 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4.1 seconds. The present value is 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4.091 seconds. For the sidereal year, he found it to be 365 days, 6 hours, 12 minutes, and 30 seconds, when the modern calculation is a mere 3 minutes and 20 seconds less than Aryabhata’s value. Aryabhata also impacted Trigonometry by his definitions of sine (jya), cosine (kojya), versine (utkrama-jya), and inverse sine (otkram jya). â€Å"He was the first to specify sine and versine (1-cos x) tables, in 3.75 ° intervals from 0 ° to 90 °, to an accuracy of 4 decimal places† (Kumar). The modern names â€Å"sine† and â€Å"cosine† are also believed to be mistranslations of the words introduced by Aryabhata, Jya and Kojya. In the field of Algebra, he provided results for the summation of series of squares: He did not disappoint the series of cubes: As for remembering the great Aryabhata, he has many colleges named after him, such as the Aryabhata Knowledge University in Bihar and the Aryabhata Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIOS) near Nainital, India. India’s first satellite also shared his name. (Kumar) Works Cited â€Å"Aryabhata I.† Medieval History. About.com, 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2014. . Jacobs, James Q. â€Å"The Àryabhatà ­ya of Àryabhata.† The Àryabhatà ­ya of Àryabhata by J. Q. Jacobs. J.Q. Jacobs, 1997. Web. 15 Mar. 2014. . Jain, Ankur. â€Å"Aryabhatta Biography.† Aryabhatta Scientists | Biography. Study Helpline, 2011. Web. 27 Apr. 2014. . Kumar, Amit. â€Å"Aryabhatta- The Great Indian Mathematician.† The Braves and Smarts. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. . O’Connor, J.J., and E.F. Robertson. â€Å"Aryabhata the Elder.† School of Mathematics and Statistics University of St. Andrews, Scotland. Nov. 2000. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. .

Disillusionment in the Stranger

In Albert Camus' The Stranger the Meursault is clearly disillusioned of life and two examples of this disillusionment occurred in the instances of his mother's death and an offer to be transferred to another work environment. The novel The Stranger by Albert Camus portrays how Meursault is disillusioned about things that seem to be the most normal basic human concepts of understanding such as his mothers death. With his mother's death, he seemed indifferent at the loss of her life in every way possible. He was so uninterested in her funeral that he remarked the following: â€Å"†¦I can be there for the vigil and come back tomorrow night† (Camus 3). His mother appeared to slow him down. As if he felt he had better things to do. He claimed he never went to visit her in the nursing home because she enjoyed it too much. Nonetheless, he admitted, that the visit â€Å"took up my Sunday — not to mention the trouble of getting to the bus, buying tickets, and spending two hours traveling† (Camus 5). This shows the true lack of care in his mothers death. To further define his insensitivity, Meursault shed not even one tear in this part of the novel; moreover, he expressed no form of sorrow whatsoever.Secondly, Meursault's attitude and reaction toward an offer to be relocated to a Parisian location was a monumental indicator of his insensitivity. One would expect him to accept or decline the offer graciously and respectfully. Meursault proved, again, to be unpredictable when he states, in regard to his then current life in Paris: â€Å"†¦ it was all the same to me† (Camus 41). Caught off-guard by his response, Meursault's boss asked yet another question: was Meursault interested in a change of life? Unmoved, Meursault further retorted that one life was as good as another, and, furthermore, he wasn't unhappy with his current life in any way.Meursault's boss screamed at him, crying that Meursault never gave him a straight answer and had no ambition; his boss sad both of which were â€Å"disastrous† qualities in business (Camus 41). Both scenarios are synonymous in that they are prime examples of Meursault's stolidity and relentless un-appreciation of life. In both cases he was unexpressive, unmoved in either direction: happiness or sorrow. The funeral director and Meursault's boss were indeed taken aback at Meursault's attitude. Neither, however, was successful in swaying Meursault and drawing him away from his uncaring way of thinking.

African safari essays

African safari essays Your African safari has been upturned. Your excursion leaves you helpless with nowhere to hide when a herd of aardvarks draws nearer by the second. Without a drink of water for days, you cannot organize your thoughts well enough to even formulate a plan. Your adrenaline rises, and instinct kicks in. You begin to run in the opposite direction in desperation, knowing that it is hopeless. You approach a dead tree, and a light turns on. You snap off a Y-shaped branch, and place around it the rubber band that held together the pages of your safari log. You stand idle with confidence as the herds cloud of dust closes in on you. Upon the opening of your backpack, you remove some ammunition. Unfortunately, the contents consist only of todays food supply: a small quantity of tomatoes. Today you left the carrots at the campsite. Nevertheless, you ready your slingshot with a tomato at the helm. The ground shakes under the weight of the aardvarks, and at this point their thumpings are the clearest you have heard them. Before you get a chance to release the first tomato, you lose your footing on a puddle of water beneath your boots. Had you observed this puddle earlier, you would have quenched your thirst and had the strength to outrun the stampede. However, the moment your body meets the ground, an aardvark steps on your left hand and you lose grip of the slingshot. A second aardvark steps on the slingshot, snapping it in half. You give up all hope and the remaining members of the herd trounce on you to the point of your death. ...

How Will Outreach Marketing Make You More Successful

How Will Outreach Marketing Make You More Successful The story of the â€Å"great† blogger with â€Å"great† content but no traffic is a common one. Your excuse may be that youre blogging as a hobby, maintaining an online journal just for fun, or not in it for the money. But who are you kidding? Be honest with yourself- if you wanted to journal and didn’t care about having an audience, it would have been easier to write in a diary or Word doc. If you didnt care about an audience, you would have written a diary. #blogoutreachSo, you want traffic, right? Even if you aren’t blogging with the intention of building a million-dollar blog, it’s nice to have your ideas, words, and hard work appreciated. The unfortunate thing is that this idea of â€Å"content is king† has got you believing that, if you write amazing content, the traffic will somehow find you and because of this, you’ve been producing a post or two a day for the last 6 to 12 months. While you haven’t wasted your time, this strategy is incomplete. Whether or not you run your blog like a business, you need to strategize like a business. Focusing on your â€Å"product† with no investment in marketing is like a business sourcing materials, manufacturing 100,000 widgets, storing the inventory in a warehouse, and then wondering why the customers haven’t been buying the product. Not all is lost, however. You have tons of great blog posts already published and now you need to find the right bloggers or audience to share it with. Link Building Strategies: Guest Blogging And Outreach Marketing Unless you’re already recognized as an authority or have thousands of readers a day, a passive form of content marketing isn’t going to work. Instead, your link building campaign must take two forms- guest blogging and outreach marketing. For purposes of link building in this article, let me define guest blogging and outreach marketing: Guest blogging is contributing a blog post to a publication. Outreach marketing is requesting that a blogger link to your content from an existing or upcoming post. Any effective link building campaign should, at the minimum, incorporate a combination of these two tactics. But how do you decide where to leverage each one? Guest blogging Guest blogging should be reserved for highly-relevant, powerful authority sites. This is because, as an individual blogger or one part of a small team, you don’t have the resources (time, energy, money, opportunity cost, etc.) to contribute to every single guest posting opportunity. You have to pick and choose where your resources will yield the greatest results. The obvious example is that you would make a concerted effort to contribute to the Blog, whereas a smaller, lesser-known blog might get a pitch to be included in next month’s roundup. Prioritize your guest blogging opportunities. #marketingtipsFinding guest blogging opportunities. To evaluate a blog, you must find relevant ones. This is really the easiest task of all because whose job is it to return relevant blogs? Google’s! However, you need to be specific. If your blog is about â€Å"personal finance†, you wouldn’t try to reach out to CNN, Yahoo Finance, Wall Street Journal, or Bloomberg, which happen to be some of the top results for that keyword search. Instead, pick a related, niche topic such as â€Å"how to become financially independent† and open up every website in the first 300 results (maybe not all at once). Just remember that, as you work through this guide, it will benefit you to repeat the following process multiple times with different keywords to find the greatest number of bloggers to contact. To find the best guest blogging opportunities, search for one that is relevant and in your niche.Evaluating blogs. To determine if a website is worth guest blogging, don’t bother with the standard PageRank and domain authority (DA) metrics. PageRank hasn’t been updated since December 2013 and doesn’t seem to have the weight it once did in Google’s algorithm. Furthermore, as a third-party metric developed by Moz, DA is easily manipulated. For example, I’ve come across dozens of penalized sites with high domain authority, and I view penalized sites as essentially useless for SEO purposes. If Google penalizes a site and takes away its traffic, it is effectively stripping the strength of that domain, so why get a link from one? Beware of link sellers and SEO’s selling links on crappy high DA sites. Forget DA  and PageRank to find guesting opps. Organic traffic is  better.Ultimately, the best indication of a blog’s strength is the amount of traffic Google sends to it via organic rankings, making SEMrush my favorite SEO tool. Just enter the blog you are interested in contributing to, choose â€Å"Positions† under the â€Å"Organic Research† tab on the left, and click on â€Å"All time† in the â€Å"Organic keywords† section. If you find a level or upward trend, the blog is trusted by Google. Here’s a blog that ranks for nearly 10,000 keywords and is one you would likely be interested in earning a link from: This is a great blog to prioritize for guest blogging opportunities. Note that this  blog has been around for at least 4 years and enjoyed gradual growth until recently exploding with traffic. That’s the kind of blog you should want to be featured on. However, if this blog only had a 6-month history, now that might be a red flag indicating black hat SEO. And while you may get a temporary boost in rankings by guest posting on a site like that, it might be short-lived and thus a waste of your time because the goal is to build a strong, sustainable, long-term business model even if it takes more time and energy. An example of a blog to avoid may have a chart like this: Google penalized this blog, so it's probably not worth your time to send them a guest post. As you can see, this blog was hit by a penalty in late 2011 and has slowly been losing its keyword rankings. Not all penalized domains will demonstrate an obvious trend like this one, but anytime you see a huge drop in traffic and no recovery, the blog is in decline. This doesn’t necessarily make it unworthy of contributing to, assuming the traffic hasn’t finally reached 0; it just means it isn’t a priority right now. Save it for a lull period when you want to tie up loose ends. Guest blog vs. outreach: How to decide? Once you’ve decided a blog is worth reaching out to, you must determine your approach. There aren’t strict rules for pitching a specific blog; it really depends on a number of factors, such as: How many keywords is the domain ranking for? How relevant is the blog to my target audience? Is there a â€Å"Guest Post†, â€Å"Contributor Guidelines†, or â€Å"Write For Us† page? If so, how demanding are the guidelines? Does the author link out often? If so, are the links dofollow? How commercial does the site look? For me, a domain needs to rank for at least 300 keywords or have a large, loyal following (subscribers or social media) to be worth investing hours writing content. The bigger the blog, the more time you should invest in making your contribution absolutely memorable because eventually, your portfolio of work will be your future credentials in email pitches. Guest blogging guidelines:  Blogs must rank for 300 keywords or have  loyal following.On the other hand, if a blog is weak, you’re better off pitching the blogger on giving you a quick link by asking them to check out your content. Here  is a template of the email pitch I use: Here's a template you could follow for outreach marketing. Ask a fellow blogger to include a link to your relevant content. To make this feasible, the page you ask them to check out and possibly link to must be impeccable. Your content has to be extremely unique and insightful, your graphics need to be beautiful and vibrant, or you need to find some way to make a strong emotional connection with the blogger. The page must offer exceptional value to the blogger’s readers to convince him/her to share your resource; otherwise, you are wasting your time. Choosing the right content to promote. I’ve never been a prolific blogger. In fact, I probably don’t build â€Å"blogs† the way traditional bloggers do because I don’t develop content on a daily or even weekly basis. Since I create and grow so many websites, I focus on writing content where it makes strategic sense. There isn’t an exact formula for that, but I’ll use my latest project as an example. After 5 years of being a full-time Internet marketer and SEO expert, I finally thought it was time for me to start sharing my Internet marketing and SEO knowledge. I created StartABlog123.com to teach beginners how to start a blog. Given that the competition in the all-encompassing â€Å"blogging† niche is intense, it was important that I make my content stand out. This meant comprehensive non-commercial content, useful guides and resources, custom images, infographics, etc. For instance, I noticed a lot of solo bloggers discussing burn out, not knowing what to write about anymore, and linking to other resources that helped blog owners come up with new ideas. Knowing there was a â€Å"market† for this type of content, so I created the â€Å"Ultimate List of Blog Post Ideas†.

Brahmanism For Beginners

Brahmanism For Beginners Brahmanism,  also known as Proto-Hinduism, was an early religion in the Indian sub-continent that was based on Vedic writing. It is considered an early form of Hinduism. Vedic writing refers to the Vedas, the hymns of the Aryans, who if they actually did so, invaded in the second millennium B.C. Otherwise, they were the resident nobles. In Brahmanism, the Brahmins, who included priests, performed the sacred offices required in the Vedas.   The Highest Caste This complex sacrificial religion emerged in 900 B.C.  The strong Brahman power and priests who have lived and shared with the Brahman people  included an Indian society caste where only members of the highest caste were able to become priests. While there are other castes, such as the Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and the Shudras, the Brahmins include priests who teach and maintain sacred knowledge of the religion. One large ritual that occurs with local Brahman males, that are part of this social caste, includes chants, prayers, and hymns. This ritual occurs in Kerala in South India where the language is unknown, with words and sentences being misunderstood by even the Brahmans themselves. Despite this, the ritual has been a part of the male culture in generations for more than 10,000 years. Beliefs and Hinduism The belief in one true God, Brahman, is at the core of the Hinduism religion. The supreme spirit is celebrated through the symbolism of the Om.  The central practice of Brahmanism is sacrifice while Moksha, the liberation, bliss and unification with the Godhead, is the main mission. While the terminology varies by the religious philosopher,  Brahmanism is considered to be the predecessor  of Hinduism.  It is regarded as the same thing due to the Hindus getting their name from the Indus River where the Aryans performed the Vedas. Metaphysical Spirituality Metaphysics is a central concept to the Brahmanism belief system. The idea is that That which existed before the creation of the universe, which constitutes all of the existence thereafter, and into which the universe will dissolve into, followed by similar endless creation-maintenance-destruction cycles according to Sir  Monier Monier-Williams  in  BrÄ hmanism and HindÃ… «ism.  This type of spirituality seeks to understand that which is above or transcends the physical environment we live in. It explores life on earth and in spirit and acquires knowledge  about human character, how the mind works and interaction with people.   Reincarnation The Brahmans believe in reincarnation and Karma, according to early texts from the Vedas. In Brahminism and Hinduism, a soul reincarnates on earth repeatedly and eventually transforms into a perfect soul, reuniting with the Source. Reincarnation can happen through several bodies, forms, births, and deaths before becoming perfect. Sources From Brahmanism to Hinduism: Negotiating the Myth of the Great Tradition, by Vijay Nath. Social Scientist, Vol. 29, No. 3/4 (Mar. - Apr. 2001), pp. 19-50.

Employee rights and employee responsibilities Essay

Employee rights and employee responsibilities - Essay Example Human Resource Management (HRM) Departments face six challenges.First,HRM must plan for organizations,jobs,and people. An organization's top management works with HR managers to seamlessly link resources to organizational strategies and objectives. A company's human resources is a vital, if not the most vital component of the organization, and this human resource pool must function in a way aligned to the organization's goals. Second, HRM must be able to get the required human resources into the organization. New employees need to be recruited, positions must be filled either through new recruits or by transferring or promotion from within the organization. In performing this function, the company through HRM must comply with employment laws, such as the equal opportunity law. Third, HRM should build employee performance. Employees must be trained either formally or informally on methods. They must be motivated to improve their performances through total quality management programs, self-management programs and other programs that enhance the quality of work. Fourth, HRM should reward employees for good performance. Employee appraisal systems should be developed and monitored. Fair and effective ways to reward good performance should be developed and implemented. Direct and indirect compensation programs must be put in place to form part of rewards. Fifth, HRM should oversee its human resources with health and safety programs, good employee relations, participation in collective bargaining with unionized employees, and control employee turnover such that valued employees are kept in the payroll. And sixth, HRM must manage resources at the multi-national or multicultural level. With increasing diversity in the workplace coupled with the globalization of businesses, HRM must be able to integrate HR practices that are applicable in different cultures and legal systems (Burnham, 2003). 2. What are some of the reasons why affirmative action remains controversial Affirmative action involves taking positive steps to increase the representation of women and minorities in areas of employment, education, and business from which they have been historically excluded (SEP, 2005). When affirmative action involves preferential treatment by basis of race, gender, religion or ethnicity, affirmative action generates controversy. While some experts believe that preferential treatment of women and other racial minorities sort of compensates for discrimination against them in the past, other experts believe that preferential treatment of minorities today, benefits individuals who have not experienced past wrongs while burdening individuals who were not responsible for past wrongs, thus tantamount to reverse discrimination. Another reason for the controversy is that the Civil Rights Act provides that no person shall be discriminated upon or denied employment on the basis of sex, race, religion or national origin, but it does not actually mandate affirmative action. And thus, the debate and controversy goes on, since various legal and administrative rules require affirmative action yet this is not grounded on the provisions of the constitution. 3. Compare and contrast three approaches to job analysis: (1) functional job analysis (FJA); (2) the position analysis questionnaire (PAQ); and (3) the critical incident technique (CIT). The functional job analysis (FJA) approach was developed by the U.S. Training and Employment Service. It utilizes an inventory of the various types of functions or work activities that can constitute any job. FJA assumes that each job involves performing certain functions related to data, people and things. The three categories are subdivided to form worker-function scales. The position analysis questionnaire approach (PAQ) is a quantifiable data collection method covering 194 different worker-oriented tasks. Using a five-point scale, the PAQ seeks to determine the degree, if any, to which the different

Medicaid Block Grants Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Medicaid Block Grants - Term Paper Example On average, Washington pays 57 percent of the costs. Wealthy states get at least 50 percent of Medicaid costs covered by the feds; poor states get as much as 85 percent (Vestal, n.p.). In return, states must meet minimum standards for benefits and eligibility. For example, states are required to provide Medicaid services to low-income children, pregnant women, some adults with dependent children, people with disabilities and frail elders. Benefits must cover doctor’s visits, hospital stays, emergency room services, diagnostic and outpatient services and long-term care (Vestal, n.p.). Governors have long lobbied for a freer hand on Medicaid, which they say would result in a cheaper, more effective program. Lately, Republican governors have more aggressively pursued the block-grant idea, partly because they’re worried about the cost of adding millions more people to the program beginning in 2014. The federal government will pick up the whole tab for new enrollees for the first three years, tapering down to 90 percent in 2020 and beyond. Governors also are alarmed at Medicaid’s growth rate, which the CBO estimates at 7 percent annually over the next decade. The program, some state officials say, is crowding out other needs, such as education (Carey & Serafini, n.p.). The different types of Medicaid Block Grants are: Block Grants and Welfare Reform.  Federal block grants consolidate various aid programs into a payment to each state based on a formula set by law. This eliminates the ability of federal agencies to allocate grant funds to favored applicants, establish program priorities and set requirements. Block grants give the states increased flexibility to experiment, improve programs and allocate funds to their priorities. Welfare reform is an example of a successful block grant program.  In 1996, the Aid to Families with Dependent Children entitlement program was replaced with the

The Lord Of The Ring Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Lord Of The Ring - Research Paper Example Long before, there existed twenty rings: nine were for men, seven for dwarves, three for elves and another unique ring was made by the Dark lord Sauron in Mordor and would rule all the others. This last ring is the one that stirs conflict in the story and ensures continuity. The story is divided in three parts: the Fellowship of the Ring, the Two Towers and the Return of the King. This paper will discuss the conflicts faced by the protagonist, the ways he deals with them and whether he succeeds in his quest (Tolkien 49). Conflicts between the Protagonist and Other Characters and how he resolves them Frodo is the ring bearer and the protagonist in the trilogy. He is a young hobbit chosen by the wizard Gandalf to return the ring to Mordor. This happens when the eccentric hobbit Bilbo departs from his home in the Shire and gives his most treasured ring to Frodo. Due to the difficulty he had in giving away his ring, the Wizard Gandalf suspects that it is the powerful ring forged by Sauro n. The wizard warns Frodo that the ring must be destroyed since Sauron had already learnt of its whereabouts from the creature Gollum (Tolkien 53). This is the main conflict in the story that revolves around the protagonist. The conflict is to get the ring destroyed and prevent Sauron from getting it. Frodo accepts this quest and burden and promises to take it to the safety of Rivendell. In the first part, the protagonist is in conflict with the obstacles that come between him and his destination. He sets off for the journey with three other companions, Merry, Pippin and Sam, his fellow hobbits. The black riders are an obstacle that conflicts with Frodo on the road. They are attacked near the ancient Watchtower of the Weathertop. The ring wants to reveal itself since it senses the close proximity of its servants. Frodo, on the other hand, wants to hide the ring. Part of the desire to slip on the ring comes from its power. Frodo copes with this mind conflict when the black rider sudd enly sits up and rides away. In another episode, Frodo is not tempted to put on the ring. Instead, he invokes Elbereth and Luthien; the leader stabbed him with an evil enchantment and tried to force him to surrender. Heavy floods wash the black riders away while Arwarm rushes to Rivendell on a horse back with badly injured Frodo (O'Day 123). In Rivendell, it is decided that the ring must be destroyed at mount Doom, its place of origin which is also Sauron’s home country. Frodo for the second time accepts to deliver the ring to its destruction. The fellowship of the ring is formed to accompany him in the journey. Many obstacles triggers conflict between them and Frodo as there were many others who wanted the ring for themselves. First was one of the wisest wizards, Saruman the white, who wants to keep the ring to himself. This episode is followed by an unnatural snow that almost burries them, but they retreated. These obstacles act as a physical conflict between Frodo and his quest. But he does not give up the ring to the wrong people. Frodo carries a sword to defend himself, but he rarely uses it. His heroism is brought out by his endurance to the weight of the ring (Tolkien 169). They decide to brave themselves through the mines of Moria which also has many darker obstacles. Gollum begins to go after them, and they are later attacked by a terrible demon known as Balrog. Gandalf holds it

Women in James Bon films from a feminist perspective Essay

Women in James Bon films from a feminist perspective - Essay Example Some of the Bond women and Bond female characters are now seen as more than sexual interest for the lead character, but as characters also toting guns, karate chops, heroism, and villainy (Garland, 2009). Still, Bond women are viewed in general by society as simply entertaining eye-candy. This paper shall present an analysis of women in James Bond films from a feminist perspective, using some of the thoughts laid out by feminist philosopher Luce Irigaray. An analysis of the evolution of these female roles shall also be evaluated, mostly determining how the perspectives have changes and how feminism has impacted on how these female roles have been portrayed in the films. According to Jenkins (2005), the James Bond films have a persistent appeal based on the fantasy world from its parade of attractive female Bond characters. Such distinct female roles are often crucial to the story being told including the overall feel of these films. Each Bond movie has numerous female characters who are usually meant to distract and also help Bond in his spy mission. More often than not, there is one distinct, strikingly beautiful and, svelte Bond girl who is presented as a potential love interest for Bond; she is usually cunning, and judging from the name she goes by (Pussy Galore, Honey Ryder, Holly Goodhead), also self-assured (Rubin, 2003). Bond girls have become a staple in Bond movies and the casting of such female role has often attracted major global attention, with the chosen female often gaining much media attention even before the films start to shoot (d’Abo and Cork, 2003). The dominant preference of the Western culture for the lead female charac ter in the Bond films to comply with such attractive and often sexist parameters have been viewed by feminists with much disdain (Carpenter, 2000). Through the many incarnations

Safer Staffing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Safer Staffing - Essay Example The audience intended by the source are people who want to start new businesses or learn how to start. The source is credible because it offers practical strategies to form new businesses. The authors in this source are experienced in business planning. In this source, they provide advice on how one can develop a business plan fast but in an effective manner. This source is intended for all persons who want to know how to develop successful business plans but in a fast way. The source is credible because it offers practical information and examples The authors in this source have written extensively on issues of business startups. In this source, the authors address issues of researching, writing up and presenting a winning business plan. The audience intended in this source is the people who would like to know how to establish businesses and also those who want to write successful business plans for exams or for businesses. The source is credible because it offers practical and current information on business planning. Blackwell is an experienced author in business planning. In this source, he offers advice on the simple steps one can follow to produce a good business plan. The audience intended by the source is the people who would like to understand every step of developing business plans. The source is credible because it is a current source and offers practical steps to follow in developing business plans. Brandt, J. A., Edwards, D. R., Sullivan, S. C., Zehler, J. K., Grinder, S., Scott, K. J., ... & Maddox, K. L. (2009). An evidence-based business planning process. Journal of Nursing Administration, 39(12), 511-513. The authors in this source are experienced in developing business plans for nursing businesses. In this source, they discuss evidence-based business planning that is important in nursing and offer an important contribution to nursing. The audience intended by the

INTRODUCTION TO CIVILIZATION-unit 4, question #3 Essay

INTRODUCTION TO CIVILIZATION-unit 4, question #3 - Essay Example The biggest similarity between the tool-kits of the farmer and hunter-gatherer groups were the materials that they tools were made from. According to Howard Spodek, author of the book entitled The Worlds History, tools were generally made of materials such as stone, wood, and bone(Spodek, 2006). Additionally, both hunter-gatherer and farming civilizations had tools for cutting and scraping specifically as these tools were necessary for every day life, according to Spodek(Spodek, 2006). Lastly, hunter-gatherer and farming communities utilized similar tools for their pottery, which was a big part of their lives in terms of its cultural implications, and its daily usability as storage for food, water, and other supplies(Spodek, 2006). For the most part, however, the tool-kits between these two groups differed greatly. The hunter-gatherer society had tools that were geared toward hunting, fishing, and collecting. Spears, knives, harpoons, and baskets were the primary tools utilized by this type of society(Spodek, 2006). Farming civilizations, on the other hand, had tool-kits which were much more complex because they had much more variety in terms of their daily tasks. Instead of just creating shelter and finding food, farming communities were â€Å"domesticating animals†¦cultivating crops† and also developing culture in the form of â€Å"pottery and weaving and jewelry†(Spodek, 2006). According to Spodek, farming villages had tools such as â€Å"blades, knives, sickles, arrows, daggers†¦mortars and pestles†¦and rudimentary plows and hoes(Spodek, 2006). This toolkit would be considered much more advanced than the hunter-gatherer tool-kits. Hunter-gatherer and farming societies contributed greatly to the success of humanity. Both groups had different goals and different experiences, which influenced the tools they needed on a daily basis. Due to the fact that hunter-gatherer communities began to

Safer Staffing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Safer Staffing - Essay Example The audience intended by the source are people who want to start new businesses or learn how to start. The source is credible because it offers practical strategies to form new businesses. The authors in this source are experienced in business planning. In this source, they provide advice on how one can develop a business plan fast but in an effective manner. This source is intended for all persons who want to know how to develop successful business plans but in a fast way. The source is credible because it offers practical information and examples The authors in this source have written extensively on issues of business startups. In this source, the authors address issues of researching, writing up and presenting a winning business plan. The audience intended in this source is the people who would like to know how to establish businesses and also those who want to write successful business plans for exams or for businesses. The source is credible because it offers practical and current information on business planning. Blackwell is an experienced author in business planning. In this source, he offers advice on the simple steps one can follow to produce a good business plan. The audience intended by the source is the people who would like to understand every step of developing business plans. The source is credible because it is a current source and offers practical steps to follow in developing business plans. Brandt, J. A., Edwards, D. R., Sullivan, S. C., Zehler, J. K., Grinder, S., Scott, K. J., ... & Maddox, K. L. (2009). An evidence-based business planning process. Journal of Nursing Administration, 39(12), 511-513. The authors in this source are experienced in developing business plans for nursing businesses. In this source, they discuss evidence-based business planning that is important in nursing and offer an important contribution to nursing. The audience intended by the

Civil cases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Civil cases - Essay Example There are various factors in consideration before a case is allocated; case complexity, parties involved, financial worth of the claim, oral evidence, significance of claim to other people, kind of remedy being sort, and views of other parties. Cases allocated to this track are worth  £10,000 or less (Freer, 2006). These are the straightforward cases which do not require a prehearing procedure like in the case of a normal trial. Small claims cases incur a small legal cost. Cases in small claims include accident claims, consumer disputes, ownership of goods disputes, and disputes between tenants and landlords. Some cases however are not included in this claim even though they are worth less than the stated amount. These include, personal injury claim whose value for loss and suffering is more than  £ 1,000, repair claims by tenants of more than  £ 1,000, and disputed allegation claims (Freer, 2006). Cases allocated to the small claims track have restrictions on recovery costs and evidence. Hearing is short and the concerned parties represent themselves. Fast claims cases are worth up to  £ 25,000 in value (Freer, 2006). They have certain conditions that make them allocated to this claim. It is a requirement that the cases should not last for than one day, and that parties should have expert representatives in two areas of the case. Normal cases to allocate to the fast track include; personal injuries with a value of up to  £25,000, personal injuries with claims of pain worth more than  £1,000, and repair claims by tenants worth more than  £1,000 (Freer, 2006). As the trial is restricted to one day, it does not allow opening speeches. The multi claims track involves cases which have a value exceeding the fast track limit or other cases that have less value but are termed to be complex or too important to be allocated to the fast track and small claims. In essence multi track cases have a value exceeding  £25,000 (Freer, 2006).

Characterisation Essay Example for Free

Characterisation Essay Main character: The character that plays the biggest role in the plot of the story. Major character: Characters that play a big role in the story. Minor character: Characters that play a minor role in the story. Round characters: Round characters are like real people. They have complex, multi-dimensional personalities. They are capable of growing and changing. They are often, but not always, major characters. Flat characters: They have one-dimensional personalities. They represent or portray one particular characteristic. They are a type, e. g. the jealous lover, the fool or the grumpy, old man. They are often, but not always, minor characters. Dynamic characters: They change as a result of their experiences. Static characters: They do not learn from their experiences, and, thus, remain unchanged. How does the author convey character? 1. Telling: The narrator tells how the character is, feels, thinks, etc. 2. Showing: The character reveals his or her personality through what the character says and does. 3. Setting: The author might use the setting (time and place) to say something about the character, e.g. about the character’s emotions or feelings. 4. Comparison to other characters: It might be useful to analyse how the character relate to the other characters in the story, e.g. if there are characters that are in opposition to, or different from, the character in question. 5. Appearance: The character’s clothes, looks and general appearance can often tell us something about the character’s personality. Questions to ask when analysing characters: 1. Is the character a main, major or minor character? 2. Is it a round or a flat character? 3. Is it a dynamic or a static character? 4. Does the author reveal the character through showing or telling, or both? 5. What does the way the character speaks reveal about his character? 6. What does his behaviour reveal about his character?  7. Is she similar or different from other characters in the story? How does she relate to the other characters? 8. Has the setting shaped the character’s personality? 9. Does the setting reflect the character’s mood or emotional state?

Security in dorm halls Essay examples -- essays research papers

Security in dorm halls on universities across the nation is a huge problem that each campus must address, due to the amount of people living in such close quarters. Residence hall security should be an important factor in the college decision making process. Today’s college freshman arrives for the first day of his/her college career hampered with personal property of substantial value. Most students come to college equipped with an advanced computer system and can be the target of burglary. Many other items of value accompany the student. Sexual assaults are also a potential problem. The possibility of theft and sexual assaults make residence hall and individual room security a basic prevention strategy. To ensure a safe campus, it is imperitive to secure residence halls and escort all guests.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most college students do not think about the repercussions of being lazy about security in their respective residence halls. However if there is no attention paid to who comes in and out, many crimes can and usually do happen. For instance, at the University of Connecticut, a survey of 690 undergraduates found that more than half of dorm residents say they have propped open a secured door. Nine out of ten know someone else who have also done the same. Half of those students who had witnessed these doors left partly open, knew of incidents where strangers had come into the building unescorted. Of those strangers, one in five knew of a crime that resulted b...

Massacre in Edwidge Danticats The Farming of Bones Essay -- Edwidge D

Massacre in Edwidge Danticat's The Farming of Bones The massacre that Edwidge Danticat describes in The Farming of Bones is a historical event. In 1937, the Dominican Republic’s dictator, Rafael Trujillo, ordered the slaughter of Haitians on the border of the two countries. Twelve thousand Haitians died during the massacre (Roorda 301). The Massacre River, which forms the northern portion of the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, was named for a separate massacre in the nineteenth-century of French soldiers by revolting native slaves. Although the river has been the site of much tragedy in the past, it â€Å"shows no mark† of the violence that has taken place there (Van Boven par. 2). Danticat states that â€Å"nature has no memory† (qtd. in Holmes par. 5). On a visit to the Massacre River, Danticat observed that â€Å"people were using it, almost oblivious† (Holmes par. 6). Even Haitians did not know the truth about the past of the river. One of Danticat’s reasons for writing The Farming of Bones was to tell the story of the 1937 massacre for the world to hear â€Å"so that [these things] don’t happen again† (Holmes p. 12). The Massacre River was, in fact, Danticat’s inspiration to write the book (Wachtel 108). She sees the river as â€Å"both sad and comforting† in Hispaniola’s history (Wechtel 107). The river is both a site of grief and a site of hope. Although so many people have died in the river, Haitians still use it to â€Å"cleanse their labor’s residue off their bodies, reconnect with their community, and pay homage to their dead† (Shemak 96). Danticat also sees the river as dividing between torment and hope (Bell xi). This idea of water being both divisive and comforting is prominent throughout the novel. .. ...e/issue_10.22.98/art/danticat22.html. Houlberg, Marilyn. â€Å"Sirens and snakes.† African Arts 29.2 (1996): 30+. Leyburn, James Graham. The Haitian People. New Haven: Yale, 1966. Loederer, Richard A. Voodoo Fire in Haiti. New York: Literary Guild, 1935. Ogungbile, David Olugbenga. â€Å"Water symbolism in African culture and Afro-Christian churches.† Journal of Religious Thought 53.2 (1997): 21+. Roorda, Eric Paul. â€Å"Genocide next door.† Diplomatic History 20.3 (1996): 301+. Shemak, April. â€Å"RE-MEMBERING HISPANIOLA: EDWIDGE DANTICAT’S THE FARMING OF BONES.† Modern Fiction Studies 48.1 (2002): 83+. Van Boven, Sarah. (1998, September 7). Massacre river. Newsweek, 132, 44. Wachtel, Eleanor. â€Å"A Conversation with Edwidge Danticat.† Brick 65 (2000): 106-119. Wesdake, Larry. â€Å"Mystic Traveler.† Ceramics Monthly Nov. 2000: 53-57.

Living longer now Essay

These days, people in all over the world have a higher level of standard in their lives. Food preparation has become easier and they do not consume just local food. Education gives people to learn more about their world and also themselves. Now they know what is better and how they can get it. A very important matter that has reached a better situation with respect to those days is health. This is obvious that people live longer than before because there are different statistics which show this fact. I think the development of science that results the technological progress and also the improvement of the health system in all societies are two important reasons for a longer life. Man has a lot of progress in scientific areas. He has discovered unknown rules, achieved new theories, and invented different tools and instruments. All of these give him the ability to increase his knowledge and consequently find more and more. Developing new instruments is medical science is one the most important things that helps people to have a better opportunity for a healthier life. For example, different diseases can be cured by new method operations that have not existed before and these operations would not be possible without hi-tech tools. Governments realized that a country with healthy people can be more successful and the only way they can achieve this aim is improving the public health system. Water should not be contaminated. There must be an inspection system that supervise food standards. Sufficient number of hospitals and doctors in different regions are curtail. People should be acknowledged to avoid what is not good for their health. For example, having a lot of fat in dairy diet will affect them by increasing blood cholesterol and other chemicals that may increase the death toll. As a result, I think in a world that has a fast pace and when every one must try hard to get a better life, health problems are the most important problems that education and health system in each society are two different factors that decrease the death rate and help people to have a longer living.

Korean Wave Being South Korea’s Economic Growth Booster Essay

Korean Wave is the growing aspiration to know more about South Korean culture. South Korea itself is an export-orientated country with a total trade volume of 884.2 billion in 2010, which makes South Korea the 7th largest exporter and 10th largest importer in the world. The cultural sector is the second biggest contributor after technological sector to the South Korea’s economic growth. The goods produced by the cultural sector are brought by the Korean Wave not only to the Asian but also to the American and Western markets. Korean Wave does give big contribution to South Korean’s economy through movies, pop music, tourism, and traditional arts. When we think of Korean Wave, we should mainly think of Korean drama and film industries. For example, the Korean wave took an extra boost with the popular TV dramas like â€Å"Winter Sonata† and â€Å"Jewel Palace†. For film, we can take â€Å"Old Boy† and â€Å"Bin Jip† as examples, which were extremely popular, even in Europe. The fact that importing a Korean dramas is a lot cheaper than having to purchase it from any other country can be a reason as well as the emotionally powerful plots they have. Besides Korean movies, Korean pop music also deserves a place on the list of exported Korean culture. K-Pop or Korean Pop is a musical genre originating in South Korea consisting of pop, dance, electropop, hip hop, rock, R&B, and electronic music. Let’s say Super Junior, 2NE1, SNSD, Wonder Girls, Big Bang, 2PM, JYP, IU, and many more, who does not know them? In 2011, these groups and singers have donated 35 trillion rupiah to South Korea’s GDP. These idols have a big impact on their fans’ culture, including food, fashion, make-up trends, and even plastic surgery. Leading talent agencies such as S.M. Entertainment Co. and YG Entertainment said recent concerts held by Korean entertainers in the United States and Europe have shown the potential for growth in markets outside of Asia. Korean big business is trying to transform those fans into consumers of Korean products and services. Korean Wave is exposing the â€Å"beauty attracts† that both of their celebrities and the places used by their popular movies have. The locations of the Korean movies took place has become a main destination for tourists. These tourists are mostly the fans who are willing to collect all their savings and travel to Korea just to see the place where their favorite scene in their movie took place, or even to watch their idols on a live show. The filming location of †Full House† in Shido Island, â€Å"Jewel in the Palace† in Daejanggeum Theme Park, Winter Sonata in Nami Island, and so on. Another tourism spots that people aim to visit in Korea are â€Å"Locks of Love† in Namsan Tower, a historic pagoda-style gateway Namdaemun, and another shopping places like Myeong-dong shopping area and Busan market. South Korea is also well-known as a hot spot for medical tourism, the country is expanding its one-stop plastic surgery centers to deal with the influx of foreigners flying in for surgical procedures. The government’s goal is to attract one million foreign patients by 2020. Thus, interest in flying to Korea is rising, so is the national income. There are also some Korean traditional arts that interest foreigners to visit Korea. They are like Hanok, Jeongjae, Buchaechum, Nongok, and Taepyeongmu. Hanok is Korean traditional house, whereas Jeongjae , Buchaechum, Nongok, and Taepyeongmu are Korean tradional dances. And don’t forget the Korean ceramics and Korean pottery, that most of them are went to Japan The road to Korean Wave is trodden everyday by new visitors who are warmly welcomed by Korean people and fascinated by the culture. The drive to know more about Korea stimulates Korean Wave to develop into more sophisticated cultural forms, which in turn, brings Korean Wave to a higher level. With this Korean Wave showing the advanced condition of South Korea itself, another countries’ awareness to invest in South Korea increases.

Promotional Process for the Fire Department Essay

Promotion process is an activity that is conducted in a given frequency in order that individuals in the fire department will qualify for promotion and allow taking of the testing for these individuals. Most of the fire departments require that before an individual is promoted in the rank do an exam. Most of the professional fires fighting departments require professional qualifications like a bachelor’s degree. In order to qualify for a promotional process in the fire department, one may require to have been employed in a good length of time, training and certification to the subjects related to the fire fighting, and educational requirements. Such eligibility is communicated for example prior to the date of the beginning of the promotion process. Usually, the evaluation procedures will also be published and the scores communicated. The written examination and subjective evaluation are administered for a particular rank the promotion process includes administration of the examination and the evaluation, and posting of the scores and determination and posting of the seniority and ascertained merit scores. The passing score is the aggregate score for all the components tested or examined. The score may be announced prior to the date of promotion. The law may stipulate that the components of the written exam reflect the issues related to the duties to be performed in the rank expected for that examination. The appointing authority may appoint agents to administer the examinations, and will test a written exam based on the material which they identify and make available to the potential examinees at least 90 days before administration of the examination. Grading of this written exam is done at the examination site on then examination day after completion of the test in front of observers. If done offsite by an agent, the observers will be expected to observe sealing and shipping and the opening latter upon return from the agency. T6ehre are bases for awarding ascertained merits based on education and training, certification which may be published earlier on. Subjective evaluation may include an oral interview, tactical evaluation, performance evaluation, or other components based on the subjective evaluation of the person. Applicants will be notified of the component prior to application of it. The examinee may be assessed to determine their leadership, communication, interpersonal, incident command and judgment. Significance of Problem This paper will seek to discuss issues related to and answer the following questions related to the issues in the fire departments. †¢ Why is the test generated from an outside party with no fire dept. ties? If the department are fare enough should the agencies still be used and the necessity of it. †¢ Why is the cut-off grade not given until the test is completed? †¢ Why is the passing cut-off grade lower than normal academic requirements? †¢ Is the test politically based or is it set for all to succeed? Studying these issues would help one to know the effects of the tests and their impact. Research on these and related issues would reveal irregularities existing, and look for ways to mend the holes. Source Review Tests for promotion in the fire department involve written and evaluation test. In a writing test for uniform fire department personnel, bonus points are assigned so that a third of the group will receive a minimum of 75%. Except for the position of a fire captain where three quarter of the participants is allowed to achieve this. A passing score for the next evaluation is a 75% mark. A second written test would be conducted if only one or none passes since the requirement for further evaluation except for the only one that passes alone who has the chance to choose when to take the next evaluation. He may also stand with the previous mark or sit for another one. Some of the things that may be tested in an evaluation are cooperation, initiative, personal effectiveness, attitude towards others, use and delegation of authority, organization and planning, persuasive ability, training and utilization of the subordinates, integrity and loyalty on the part of the leadership ability. They may also require knowing the health and physical fitness of an individual which may entail scrutiny of frequency of accidents while at job, physical condition of the individual, sick leave activity, attendance and ability to perform all duties physically. According to Spielman (1996), firefighters were proposed to wait a minimum of five years before qualifying to take promotion examinations, and proposal by the Union Local 2 added that the seniority and education points be awarded in a weighted process which also factors in test scores and in-person interviews. The committee which recommended changes to the Chicago fire department and handed the report to the then, Mayor Darly, called for oral portions in exams to consist a greater percentage of testing knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the job . Irregularities in the tests The fire fighting departments has not been without complains. Cheating in the promotional examinations has been reported in the fire service for example in Boston, MA where cell phones were used by FFs to text answers to their friends; in Baltimore, MD where top scorers had questions from 2001 examinations that were reused and in Chicago, Illinois where FFs cheated on EMT training examination (Bellenger, & Dean). Thus their administration should be carefully checked to make sure that such incidences do not occur. Exams for promotion have also been dogged with issues of discrimination of people with their races. For example, in the 1990 exam, out of the 117 who qualified for promotion, there were only 17 black. In a memo to city officials in the 2000, the Madison Fire fighting Department was accused of being discriminatory and unfair by the city’s affirmative director, Kirbie Mack. The department, according to The Capital Times (Shepard, 2000) had promoted no person of color since 1996, out of a total of 47 people. The fire Chief Amesqua had argued that the reasons people of color had not been promoted to lieutenant position was because a few had applied and that seniority had placed them low on the list for selection. Data however had indicated that such low applications were real and in the then three recent promotional cycles, 14 people of color out of 150 had applied and three had failed to show up for the written exams while five failed it. Only six made it to the final position out of the 100. He latter in January 12, 2001 (Judith, 2001) denied this allegation that his department was discriminatory and unfair, and presented figures to show that the diversity in the department mirrored the larger community: the people of color made 9 % of Dane County’s population and 16 % of employees in the fire department. In the Chicago Fire Department , only less than 5% of the department in 1970s composed of the blacks and the Hispanics and the Justice Department sued the city; the case which was settled by the court orders requiring hiring and promotion of more minorities in the department. The city is said to have responded by stopping to hire for years (Judson Miner-an attorney representing the black fire fighters and the city’s corporation counsel in 1980s). There was a strike that followed and a contract to affirmative action was settled on till 45% were employees in the department. In 2004, according to out of the total of the uniformed department, about 31% represented the minorities. There are whites who have raised issues as being passed over in favor of the minority groups and view it as unfair. Wherever the truth lies, firefighters feel the heat when they go out and do their jobs. Causes and reduction of irregularities Irregularities may occur as a result of delayed time which could allow manipulation of the results to favor some candidates. The cut off grade is delayed so that there will be regulation of the number qualifying. If everybody was to qualify, then there would be a problem in choosing the person to occupy the position. Usually, the examination should be set free of political influence. There have been claims of bias towards some of the races who have been said to be discriminated against. Reduction of irregularities can be achieved by a careful selection of an unbiased agent to administer the test. The process should be as open as possible to avoid bias and arising of complains. If the tests are not conducted in an open way it is difficult to avoid problems and claims. Conclusion/Recommendations There are laws as discussed regarding promotion process in the fire department. Requirements include academic qualifications, work experience and personal abilities to do the job. All these can be proved when one passes examinations that are administered for promotion in the field. These include the written and evaluation tests. Cases that are received of allegations should be addressed a proper means sought to reduce such occurrences. There are issues that have been raised in the past concerning issues of promotion that needs to be addressed and a long lasting solution sought. Promotion process itself ought to be a fair, open and a clean process. The problem underlying could be as a result of the process itself; the delays and issues to do with the agents. The fire department must ensure that current stringent measures are put in place to allow only agents who qualify to standards administer the examinations so as to minimize cases of complains. Since affirmative actions have raised issues, they should be scrutinized and offered at an open way where everybody will understand and know. The process should be kept as open as possible. Reference Baker Bill. Policy 12-1 Promotion system for uniform fire department personnel. 1 March 2000. Fire Department. Retrieved from http://www. cityof. lawton. ok. us/CityCode/Administrative_Policies/Section_12/1. html on 9 October 2008. Bellenger, B. L. and Dean C. R. Cheating on promotional public safety examinations: Strategies for responding to a widespread test scrutiny compromise. Personnel Board of Jefferson County. PDF. Retrieved from www. ipmaac. org/conf/08/bellenger. pdf on 9 October 2008. Fire promotion assessment package. Fire & Police Selection Inc (FPSI). Retrieved from http://www. fpsi. com/fire_promotional. html on 9 October 2008. Jason Shepard. Bias Alleged in fire promotions. (Front). The Capital Times (Madison, WI). November 11, 2001. Judith Davidoff. Amesqua: No bias in promotions. (Local/State). The Capital Times (Madison, WI). January 12, 2001. Spielman Fran. Panel offers Fire Dept. promotion proposals. September 13, 1996. Chicago Times.

Aryans and Dravidians Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Aryans and Dravidians - Essay Example This essay will discuss the history and culture of two of the most unique civilizations that inhabited the Indian continent, the Aryans and Dravidians. The term ‘Aryan’, according to the Indo-European philology, refers to an individual, recognized ethnically or racially, and the Aryan language, regardless of the ethnicity or race of the inhabitants speaking its different variants (Basham 1954). The Aryan civilization was a new beginning in the culture of India. Harappa was basically a blind alley; the Aryans borrowed almost nothing of the culture of the Harappan civilization (Basham 1954). They did not develop a writing system, built no states, and cities. Rather they were a hostile civilization that governs themselves in kinship, tribal, and individual units (Gottschalk 2000). Basically, the Aryans were a group of nomadic and tribal people inhabiting the remote part of Euro-Asia in unfriendly steppe territories hardly making a sufficient subsistence (Gottschalk 2000). They were undoubtedly a strong population, and they were brave and aggressive. Their religion is governed by a sky-god that commands combat and invasion (Gottschalk 2000). The culture of the Aryan civilization was concentrated around warfare. They were exceptional horseback riders and charged into combat in chariots (Knott 1998). They were ruled by a raja, or a war-chief. They started to move southwards in series of continuous invasion across Persia and India at some point in the second millennium B.C. (Knott 1998). The term ‘Dravidian’ is given to peoples of India related by language. They are claimed to be the earliest inhabitants of ancient India (Basham 1954). The population is mostly made up of the lower class Indian people. Particular groups of people comprise the Tamil, the Todas and the Ghats (Basham 1954). The culture of the Dravidian is quite diverse, with several

The mechanism of the money multiplier Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The mechanism of the money multiplier - Essay Example This paper will aim to provide an explanation and illustration of the essential mechanisms behind the concept of money multiplier and intensively the manner monetary authorities can control its size and influence money supply in the economy. First, an overview of money measure will be put forth. Secondly, the mechanism in light of money multiplier will then be explained by use of symbols and equations to elaborate the cyclical variations in the multiplier factor. This will be followed by a scrutiny of money multiplier in the present economic environment which will be explained and lastly a description of the instruments of controlling money supply such as open market operation, reserve ratio and the discount window will be put in details to explain the impact in the size of money supply. A conclusion will then be provided of the general overview of the essay. The Reserve Ratio According to Valdez & Molyneux (2010, p. 111), different measures or dimensions can resolve on the issue of money supply denoted as M via monetary aggregates such as M2 and M4. The monetary aggregate M1 equals to the cash held household whilst M2 refers to the sum of deposit within the bound of retail banks and building societies in addition to the cash held by the household. M4 gives a broader measure of money which comprise of wholesale bank deposits and certificate deposits. These can be expressed as; M1 = Cash held by households M2 = M1 + retail banks and building society’s deposits M4 = M2 + wholesale banks deposits + certificate deposit The measures of money explained above shows the liquidity level of money held in supply even though broader measures indicate less liquidity held. The correlation amidst the bank of England, commercial banks and the households and the behavior which describes the supply of money in the form of deposit ratio of the currency and the reserve ratio. This can be expressed as; M = Deposits (D) + Currency deposit ratio (CU). The money multiplier main tains the mathematical connection amidst the monetary base and the economic supply of money. The monetary base or the high powered money is the summation of the currency in supply in addition to the banking system’s reserves. The money Multiplier can be articulated as; 1/rr this is the inverse of the reserve requirement ratio. For example if the reserve requirement is 20% then the multiplier effect is equal to 5. The extension of a nation’s Money supply that comes from banks ability to lend, the extent of the multiplier effect relies on the fraction of deposits that the banks are stipulated to maintain as reserves. In other terms, it is money used to make more money and is established as division of the total Bank deposits by the requirement of the reserve. The effect of the multiplier is dependent on the reserve requirement that has been set. Thus to get the effect of the multiplier on the supply of money, the first step is to get the amount banks earlier on take in v ia the deposits and then divided it by ratio of the reserve. For example, in case the reserve requirement is about 20% for each ? 200 a customer makes deposits into a bank, then ? 40 must be maintained as reserve. Nonetheless, the remaining ? 160 can be advanced to other banks customers as loans. This ? 160 is then made as deposits by the customers into other banks which simultaneously also keeps 20% or ? 32 in reserve but can loan out the remaining ? 128. This cycle goes on as more customers’ makes deposits of money and more banks proceed with the lending process until the ? 200 earlier deposited makes a total of ? 1000 (?200/0.2) in deposits. These deposits created forms the multiplier effect. It must be noted that the higher the reserve requirement, the tighter the supply of money, which eventually lead to a lower multiplier effect for every pound deposited (Cecchetti, 2008, p. 47). Subsequently, the lower the effect of the multiplier, the greater the supply of

The Rise of Blogs in Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Rise of Blogs in Media - Essay Example More important than any other factor, it means that the way of communication is changing. It also means that ideas and opinions are going to be a way of growing on the Internet, as opposed to the polished facts that were seen in mainstream media. The rise of blogs is one which is bringing a mixture of the good, the bad and the ugly to those who are in media and communication. While most are excited about the boom in social media on the web, there is also two questions which many should ask. The first is: what does this mean about the information that is available? The second is: where will blogs lead in the future in creating new ways of communication and the interpretation of information. OKeefe, Kevin.   (2010).   "Blogging for Business by U.S. Companies on the Rise."   Retrieved from: http://kevin.lexblog.com/2010/09/articles/blog-basics/blogging-for-business-by-us-companies-on-the-rise-/.    One of the reasons why blogs are popular is because it gives room to design. If you just write a paper, essay or other print communication, you are limited to editing needs. However, with an online blog, you have complete digital freedom to do what you want with color, design and the overall look and feel, all which is a personal expression of what you want to retrieve to others. What most overlook with the designs of blogs is that it refers directly to the communication that you are using for others. Most don’t consider design as a strategic way of making a statement and instead get the best colors or the design that is most convenient. The number one problem with publishing blogs and the designs are used is the desire to put too much in too little of a space. Liquid content, calendars of posts, tag clouds, widgets and RSS feeds are some of the problems that are associated with blog design.  

The Microenvironment of Amazon.com Research Paper

The Microenvironment of Amazon.com - Research Paper Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that collaboration is concerned with how firms participate in the market through channel members and/or customers leading to the co-creation of value, strong supply chain relationships, partnerships and use of social media. Amazon.com is always seeking collaborative relationships to help grow its business, leading to the creation of customer value and market performance. According to Cimpanu, Amazon collaborated with Target from 2001 where the latter’s e-commerce platform was managed by Amazon.com as it had the capability and experience to do so. This collaboration was however ended in 2011 after several lawsuits against Amazon. The company has also collaborated with some partners in the fashion industry. For instance, according to Vogue, Amazon launched an exclusive collaboration with Meadham Kirchoff designers for a collection of sweatshirts. Still, in the same industry, Amazon is collaborating with another designer for Derek Lamâ₠¬â„¢s 10 Crosby contemporary line. Amazon has also opened up collaboration with other entrepreneurs through its cloud system whereby other entrepreneurs can use it at a cost of 10 cents an hour and harness its computing capability. McConnell reports that Amazon launched ProductWiki which opened the door for citizen marketing as it allowed customer editable information. These collaborations have enabled Amazon to deliver value to customers by providing a variety of products at affordable costs and at their convenience. Customers can, therefore, find a wide variety of products from books to electronics to clothes, courtesy of the various collaborations that Amazon engages in with a number of partners.

MGT599 - Strategic Management, Mod 3 Case Assignment Essay

MGT599 - Strategic Management, Mod 3 Case Assignment - Essay Example In this paper we will make a detailed analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of Southwest Airlines and see how they contribute to its overall success. A firm is blessed with its own resources of men, money, machines and materials that can be used to its best advantage if the strategy it is following is correct and feasible in the present conditions. Strong and Robust Reputation: One of the best strengths of Southwest Airlines is its strong reputation and brand name in the airline industry. Established in 1967, it changed its name to Southwest Airlines in 1971 and from them on has been dominating the local air transport sector in the USA. According to its Annual Report 2011, it presently flies to 76 destinations within the USA, and following its acquisition of Air Tran and strategic alliance with Volaris, Mexico it has also established routes to the Caribbean and Mexico in Latin America, making it an emerging regional player (Annual Report, 2011). Zealous and Committed Staff: Southwest Airlines makes no secret of the fact that it works hard to be the leader in the domestic airline sector. It spends a lot on the training and education of its staff and likes strong, enterprising and hard workers who can do a variety of tasks. Even its internship program encourages this attitude. A unique combination of zeal and enthusiasm on the part of its workers coupled with a businesslike but courteous customer service plan makes for a WOW experience even on this low cost service provider. Although Southwest Airlines has in excess of 45,000 staff belonging to as many as 18 different Collective Bargaining Agents in Unions, yet it has managed to coexist with their needs (Annual Report, 2011). Exemplary Pricing and Service Plans: Another plus point for Southwest which other airlines are struggling to emulate are its challenging low fares and variety of pricing plans,

MBA Corporate Governance And Responsibility Essay Example for Free

MBA Corporate Governance And Responsibility Essay Why did it take 10 years to bring Harshad Mehta to justice? What weaknesses in the financial markets allowed such abuse to succeed? Harshad Mehta’s scam was one which involved huge magnitudes, which is why it probably came into light in the first place.[1] Scams of smaller magnitude are happening almost everyday at the Bombay Stock Exchange but not coming to light. There are many reasons for this. Some of the major reasons are briefly discussed below. The Indian businesses have traditionally being family owned. Owing to concentration of money in a few hands, most people have concentrated on survival and security due to which the risking loving entrepreneurial skill has not developed much. Being family owned businesses, a lot of insider and sensitive information is often available to the owners and their relatives even though the company is technically a separate legal entity. Given this insider information and the relatively weak legal machinery, it is easy for the insiders to manipulate prices of stocks by large buying or selling. The reason outlined above also gives rise to the herd mentality i.e. if bulk activity is seen on a stock on a particular day in a particular reaction; people seem to trust it quickly believing that some one with insider and reliable information is acting upon it. This is what helped Harshad Mehta in pulling off the scam. Further, there are hardly any checks and balances on the end use of loans given by banks and other financial institutions. They seem to be satisfied by the reputation of the borrower and once they are convinced that he can return the money, the end use of the same whether for speculation or any other activity is hardly looked into. It took as long as ten years to bring Harshad Mehta to justice due to the combination of many systemic failures and procedural lacuna. Firstly, it is difficult to pin point in such a huge market as to where the first default or breach of law took place. Further, there are many procedural approvals that must be taken before the regulator can take any concrete action. The country’s civil procedure process is quite slow too, with many appeals available before an offender is finally convicted. Therefore, even high profile cases such as these often take several years before finally being disposed off. How can ethics in the boardroom be monitored and controlled? Ethics, in the first place, is a rather complicated and complex issue. There is no straightjacket formula as different situations would demand different measures. In the boardroom, where money is at stake, and everyone has their own business to mind, it is probably even more difficult. This has been a subject of considerable debate, and there are certain measures which companies should generally apply, with specific variations in accordance with the particular situation at hand. Some of these general principles are briefly discussed below.[2]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Firstly, there has to be strict avoidance of concentration of important powers and functions in a few hands. As can be seen from the Maxwell Affair of 1991, too many responsibilities in different areas of management are likely to be fatal to the company. Further, the delegation of power must not be absolute. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. There should be checks and balances right upto the top level. At the top most level, where it is difficult to have checks and balances in a vertical hierarchy, the same should be had using a horizontal structure.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Strong ethical base and principles must come in from the top and trickle down to the bottom. It is important that these principles are insisted upon, no matter how bad a situation a company is in. They should be introduced as non-negotiable to every new employee who joins, so that when he climbs the ranks in the corporate ladder, he is equally insistent about such principles. Gradually, a strong ethical culture is built. Is there a discernible difference between Enron’s fraud and Madoff’s appeal to elite investors? There is quite a discernible difference between Enron’s fraud and Madoff’s appeal to elite investors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Enron’s fraud was a clear case of lack of watchful auditing and poor accounting practices. The profits were terribly overstated and the accounts were shown to pose a rosy picture of the state of affairs of the company. The true state of affairs was not revealed to the shareholders and other stakeholders in the company. The auditors were cleverly deceived, and they too didn’t do any follow up action.[3]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Madoff’s case is a much more complex one than Enron. Madoff’s case has largely been seen as one which could never be expected, and therefore no laws are in place to remedy such a situation. Unlike Enron’s case, which can be foreseen, Madoff’s case was completely unique and innovative. Enron’s case has been foreseen by the law makers, due to which many laws are in place to keep in check of the same. Firstly, there are accounting standards and conventions which must be adhered to by all companies. Second, all companies are statutorily required to get their accounts audited so as to doubly ensure that they reflect a true and fair view of the affairs of the company. Although it has been said in a landmark decision, that an auditor is a watchdog and not a bloodhound, it can be said that the auditors failed to do an upto-the mark job in Enron and hence the scandal.[4]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, in complete contrast, Madoff’s case is so unexpected that there are no laws which effectively deal with such a situation. He used his reputation of being an expert at the Wall Street and a continued promise to offer secured and steady returns to swindle many high net worth individuals of millions of dollars. Such an exercise of personal confidence is difficult for the law to stop. Now, in retrospect, of course there are laws which mandate certain disclosures in case of any broker or person dealing on another’s behalf in the stock market. Further, there are investor awareness and know-your-rights campaigns by the regulator.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, another importance difference between the two scandals which essentially flows from the main difference is the solutions that they demand are very different from each other. What steps would you take as an independent director on the board of a company where you had reason to believe that fraudulent or unethical activities were being carried out by the high-profile company leader? First of all, being an independent director, there is a great amount of responsibility on my shoulder to ensure that such policies are pushed for, which make it near to impossible for fraudulent or unethical activities to be carried out by any individual in the company. However, if this was to happen, there would be a series of measures I would attempt to take. Firstly, it would be important to get the whole Board of Directors, or as far as it may be practicable, into confidence so as to ensure that the top level management is not divided on such an important issue. Once this is done, it is important to have an internal conference with the suspected offender about his objectionable activities. It is important at this stage to consider all possible solutions to the problem, as open action against such a person should be the last resort, given that such information is particularly sensitive, and it would adversely affect the reputation of the company, if it were to get leaked. Therefore, it is also important that only so many people are made aware of such a situation as are required. It is essential that the matter not be lingered, and damage control be the top most priority.   Again, every possible option should be explored including plea bargaining and settlement through mediation or negotiation.[5] The suspected offender should also be taken into confidence that full disclosure would be in his best interests too. No threat or action should be immediately taken against him, as then he might attempt to conceal the substance of the matter, which would be eventually then take a long time to be fathomed. Any severe action contemplated should be taken only once the issue has been fully resolved. Finally, once the issue has been resolved, there should be a fall back to see why such an event happened, and what can the company do in future to prevent it. The offender should not be let off lightly, as this may go on to set a bad example. At the same time, the best interests of the company in the long run must be kept in mind. REFERENCES Anonymous, â€Å"Harshad Mehta: A Scandal to Remember† f. www.casestudy.co.in (Last Visited 25 July, 2010). Anonymous, â€Å"Key Biscayne Connection in Madoff Scandal†, Key Biscayne Times, 23 July, 2010. Cathy Thomas, â€Å"Behind the Enron Scandal†, TIME Magazine, June 2002. Kevin MacDonald, â€Å"Is the Madoff Scandal Problematic?†, Occidental Quarterly Online, July 2010. Stephanie Maier, â€Å"How global is good corporate governance?†, EIRIS Report, Aug 2005. [1] Anonymous, â€Å"Harshad Mehta: A Scandal to Remember† c.f. www.casestudy.co.in (Last Visited 25 July, 2010). [2] Stephanie Maier, â€Å"How global is good corporate governance?†, EIRIS Report, Aug 2005. [3] Cathy Thomas, â€Å"Behind the Enron Scandal†, TIME Magazine, June 2002. [4] Kevin MacDonald, â€Å"Is the Madoff Scandal Problematic?†, Occidental Quarterly Online, July 2010. [5] Anonymous, â€Å"Key Biscayne Connection in Madoff Scandal†, Key Biscayne Times, 23 July, 2010.

Strategic interactions of players in Oligopoly Markets

Strategic interactions of players in Oligopoly Markets The strategic interaction between players in the oligopoly markets gives its study a tint of dynamism. This interdependence nature of oligopolies brings about the concept of conjectural behaviour, a situation whereby the actions and decisions of firms in the markets depends on the actions and decisions of the others. This brings about many of the theoretical problems in modelling oligopolistic behaviour (Waterson 1984, pg 17). An extension of such problem is borne on the willingness of firms to gain market power, and most cases; it is done through integration into lines of business that are related. Literature varies with respect to the theoretical aspect of integrating related firms with unrelated ones, as there has been mixed results in the area of profitability. Rumelt found out that firms that are not vertically integrated are more profitable (Rumelt 1976). Whereas, the situation was different with Luffman and Reed, who argued that vertically integrated firms are more profitable (Luffman and Reed 1984). Policy actions is said to cause a loss in social welfare rather than the actions of the firms themselves, and that integration is used strategically to achieve anticompetitive effects (Cowling and Mueller 1978). This study assesses the measurement of monopoly profit in a collusive oligopolistic market and also deals with the estimation of welfare loss in the distribution aspect of the British film industry. It will also deal with whether vertical integration contributes adversely to consumers welfare or not. The analysis is carried out using the gross profit, general selling administrative expenses and after tax profits of the distributors in the British film industry for the past 20 years, ranging from 1990 2009. As is in the treatment of oligopolies, there are different ways of measuring the game theory. It is either the use of Bertrand equilibrium (which focuses on the manipulation of price to gain market power) is employed, or the Cournot model (which talks about the adjustment of quantity) is used. In other cases, there is the use of intermediate models which deals with the combination of price and quantity adjustment to achieve competitive edge over other players in the industry. In t his analysis, Cowling and Muellers (1978) model will be employed. Their method is based on the Cournot-Nash equilibrium model. The distributors involved in this analysis will be divided into two categories as is the industrial structure. There will be a set that is involved in integration of the production and or exhibition aspect into the business of distribution, while the other set is basically the independent distributors, that is, those involved only in the business of distribution without recourse to other aspect of the industry. The next section will deal with a discussion into the industry. This will involve the history of the industry, the basic structure, size of the industry, how concentrated the industry is and a look into the recent development in the industry. A descriptive statistics into the distribution aspect of the industry will also be discussed. Chapter 3 (i.e. literature review) will deal with the approaches used in the analysis of the behaviour of oligopolies that collude in other to gain monopoly profits. The section will start with a brief review of the oligopoly theories as it affects the industry. The main model in this work, the Cournot-Nash model, will be reviewed before the discussion of the complications in the work of Cowling and Mueller (1978). The assumption that welfare loss is enhanced through vertically integration will then be reviewed. The methodology chapter (i.e. chapter 4) will be based on how the analysis is to be carried out. There will be the description of data, the met hods used and the problems encountered during the analysis. Chapter 5 will be based on the findings of the work. It will involve the presentation and discussion in the findings. The final section, chapter 6, will be a conclusion on the work and policy recommendation, if any. Chapter 2 The Industry The British film industry, over several years, can be classified as undulating, with its high and low peaks. The industry is characterised by volatility and persistent instability, and due to such inconsistencies, has attracted government intervention. There are catastrophic cycles in the history of British film. Fluctuations in cinema attendance and the degree of American dominance in the industry were major factors that influenced the industry. Despite these cycles, the industry is said to be the second largest in the world, next to that of US. This section would look at the history of the industry, the industrial structure (i.e. the key distinct but related sectors in the industry; production, distribution and exhibition), size and concentration. This would involve focusing on the pertinent issues that have contributed to the development of the industry over the years. After this, a discussion into recent developments of the industry would be done. History The emergence of the film industry can be attributed to the series of innovations encountered in the nineteenth century in the US, France and UK. Shortly after the UK dominance in the American market (accounting for about 15% share of the market), there was a slum in their dominance as a result of Americas expensive and heavily marketed productions, which resulted into the loss of indigenous followership to less than 10% (Bakker 2005). Despite this, the home audience increased prompting the government to introduce the Entertainment Tax in 1916. This is based on the premises that the industry is a sleeping giant, thereby including other forms of entertainment, like music hall and theatre in the tax. However, the tax was abolished in 1960 (Murphy 2004). The dominance of the American film market was unprecedented in the 1920s that the government had to intervene by the establishment of the Cinematograph Films Act in 1927. The act was to encourage the production of films indigenously and also set the criteria for the distribution and exhibition of films in the home industry. It was believed that the industry could help stimulate the exports of other goods and services in the British economy, and that it would help wade off American dominance in the industry. This act recorded significant success, as more production companies sprang up, among which are Warners, Fox and British International Pictures. The production of films in the UK doubled as a result. However, the criticism faced by the act has to do with the production of low quality films and low cost of the films, in order to meet the quota requirement set out by the Act. In 1936, the act was reviewed and it allocated quotas to both the distribution and exhibition sector of the i ndustry. Also, quality test was also included in the act. This was to encourage competitiveness in the international market for the industry. Financial institutions were also encouraged to participate in the industry through the provision financial assistance to firms in the industry. At the end of World War II, the industry experienced a boom, which saw cinema attendance soar. Of worthy mention is the existence of the Rank Organisation, a vertically integrated firm, involved in the production, distribution and exhibition of films in the industry. The firm dominated the industry in the 1940s, and was the largest film distributor at the time (UK Film Council Research and Statistics Unit 2009). The British government enhanced their role in the administration of the industry when it was realised the American film industry is taking over the home market, through the establishment of the National Film Finance Corporation (NFFC) and the Eady Levy in 1950. The Eady levy was a law enforcing the ploughing back of a percentage of the film profits back into the development of the industry (UK Film Council, 2009). In the early 1980s when Margaret Thatcher came into power, there was an attempt to create a free market in all industries, with the use of a deregulation policy. This was in view of breaking up monopolies, thereby, enhancing competitiveness in the economy. However, there was criticism that there would be a preference for profit maximisation of firms rather than the welfare of people (BFI Institute 2005, pg 1). In line with this deregulation policy, the Eady Levy was abolished in 1985 and the 25% tax break for film investors was removed. The withdrawal of government support in these areas made getting involved in the film business more risky. At the time, the only hope from the state was also privatised thereby curtailing financial assistance. The Rank Organisation failed at this time. Despite this, the industry still witnessed unprecedented growth. In the words of Leonard Quart, in his work The religion of the market cited in Friedman (1993), despite the Thatcher governments unwillin gness to aid the film industry, it did establish a general mood that encouraged economic risk-taking and experimentation with new and more innovative business practices (Friedman 1993, pg 25). Cannon Group became the dominant player in the industry and was involved not only in the financing of films, but was also engaged in the production, distribution and exhibition. But due to over expansion, the group became bankrupt. Structure, Size and Concentration The industry is characterised basically by activities in three areas, which include the production, the distribution and the exhibition of films. These activities are unique but are related in that the films produced are given to distributors, who market to the exhibitors that show it to the final audience. Thus from the process of production till the final stage where the films are screened, there is distributors who serve as middle men, who helps realise the potential of the film. Production The industry is production led. By production expenditure, the market is the fifth largest and is the eleventh largest with respected to the number of films produced as at 2008. The production sector is heavily dependent of inward investments, basically from the United States. This was attributed to the availability of tax relief, the high quality of workforce and the strength of the exchange rate. The fall of the UK pound contributed significantly to the rebound in the production of films. The total expenditure appreciated to about 20 per cent in 2009 when compared to that of the preceding year. Based on the UK Film Council Statistics in 2008, the sector has about 202 active production companies, with few large ones making films of substantial budgets and others producing mainly low budget films (UK Film Council 2009). Distribution Distribution has to do with the management of the release of films produced in order to earn revenue. The main function of the distributor is to convince the exhibitor in renting or booking each film after production. This is a value chain and it involves negotiation with exhibitors, sequencing of the various windows at which to screen the films, advertisement of the films produced and printing production of the films. However, there is also a weakness in this arm as most of the firms are dominated by the UK subsidiaries of American studios. As at 2008, these subsidiaries accounted for 78 per cent of the market power and the top distributors, numbering up to ten, were responsible for 95 per cent of the market share. The largest indigenous distributor in the industry in terms of gross box office is Entertainment Plc. It was responsible for 8 per cent of the market share in 2008. However, the distribution arm of the industry is taunted by audiovisual piracy, which contributed largely t o most of the losses experienced by firms involved. The marginal profit encountered are as a result of retail sale of DVDs and showing on television, with the Video on demand (VOD) market relatively underdeveloped, contributing marginally to the total revenue. The focus of this analysis is on the distribution aspect of the industry. Based on the characteristics of the sector, it is highly concentrated with few firms assuming a greater control of the market share. Unfortunately, this aspect of the British film industry has been given less attention in the past by state regulations, with more emphasis being given to production rather than distribution. However, the bulk of the profit generated in the industry is greatly enhanced by the activities of distributors as they are involved in the promotion and distribution of the work of the producers, helping achieve the full potential of the films. As stated earlier, this is because they act as intermediaries between film makers, exhibition outlets and the final audience. Due to their indispensable role, there absence in the industry would create a situation where there is neither reinvestment in film production nor the display of viable movies to the final consumers. Also, in their absence, the industry would be open to exploitation from external market, such as the domination in existence in the production aspect of the industry. There are several independent distributors who are UK-based operating in the sector and are basically divided into small and large independent distributors. Even though the large distributors are involved in the release of fewer titles in comparison with smaller ones, they still have control of the market share. Exhibition Exhibition has to do with the display of films to the final audience through theatre screening. The market is dominated by few large numbers, as is the case of the distributors, of firms. But these firms are not predominantly owned by foreign firms. In 2008, majority of the screens were controlled by firms; Odeon, Cineworld and Vue, two of which were owned by private equity firms. Recent Development Insert The industry contributed a total of GBP2.5bn to the economy in 2007, with production cropping up a large chunk of 48 per cent, distribution responsible 36 per cent and exhibition taking up the remaining 16 per cent. The industry also contributed to other aspects of the economy like exports and employment. In 2007, the balance of payment surplus accruing to the industry was estimated to about GBP232m. According to the Labour Force Survey conducted by the Office of National Statistics, there were over 35,000 jobs in the industry. There were over 7000 firms in the industry as at 2008 and these were mainly concentrated in the production arm of the industry. However, the concentration of activities in the distribution arm of the industry is concentrated in the hand of few. The contribution of distributors to the industry, and ultimately to the economy, makes it interesting for a study into how they contribute to welfare loss and how vertical integration affects the accumulation of monopoly profits/losses. Chapter 3 Literature Review From previous studies carried out by researchers, there were mixed results as regards the loss in social welfare by firms trying to gain the bulk of the market share in various industries. In the case of Harberger, he found out that the loss of welfare in the United States is at 0.1 of 1 per cent of the Gross National Product (GNP) (Harberger 1954). This finding confirmed that the loss of social welfare as a result of monopolistic tendencies is insignificant. This idea was also backed by others, even with the use of varying assumptions. However, this was under attack by Bergson (1973) who criticised the partial equilibrium framework employed. Bergson employed the general equilibrium approach, which assumed that social welfare can be captured through a social indifference curve. According to Cowling and Mueller (1978), it was argued that such assumptions brings about discrepancy between the variations in the price cost margins and the supposed constant elasticities of demand (Cowling and Mueller 1978). Thus, this analysis will employ the use of the partial equilibrium approach, following the work of Cowling and Mueller, which was based on the Cournot-Nash equilibrium approach. The next section deals with the brief review of oligopoly theories, the review of the model used, discussion of the complications of the Cowling-Mueller model, and how it affects the industry. Review of oligopoly theories The main feature of an oligopoly is the reliance of firms on the actions of the others, which makes it difficult to assume the simple solutions of a monopoly or perfect competition. There are two main forms clearly distinguished under the classical oligopoly theory, both being majorly determined by either price or quantity (Tasnadi 2006). In order to study the oligopoly markets, economists make use of the game theory in modelling their behaviours. There is the Bertrand competition, which relies on the manipulation of prices as a way of competition. On the other hand is the Cournot Nash competition, which describes the industry with oligopolistic tendency, as one in which companies compete on the amount of goods produced, with the assumptions of homogenous goods, no collusion, existence of market power, and rationality. There is no single model describing the workings of an oligopolistic market. This is because companies compete on varying platforms such as price, quantity, marketing , reputation, technological innovations, etc (Colander 2008). The Bertrand model of oligopolies focuses on price. The model illustrates the interactions between the firm (one who sets the price) and the customer (one who chooses the quantity to buy at the price given by the firm). The working of the model is based on the assumptions that goods are undifferentiated, no collusion and prices are set at the same time. Given the rationality of consumers, they buy from the firm who offers the lowest prices and if all the firms give the same price, they choose the firms to buy from at random. Assuming there is no capacity restriction, if a firm raises the price of its goods, it becomes likely that such firm would lose most or all its customers. In the same light, if the firm reduces prices below its marginal cost, it would lose money on every unit sold (Binger and Hoffman 1998). Thus, under the Bertrand model, the equilibrium is where the price is equals to marginal cost, resulting in zero-profit for the participating firms. However, relaxing the assu mption of capacity restrictions results in a situation where equilibrium is not achieved. The Cournot-Nash Model While the Bertrand model focuses on price, Cournot-Nash model emphasises the importance of quantity adjustment. The model assumes the existence of Cournot conjecture; that firms compete based on quantity rather than prices and that the behaviour of firms are stable. Equilibrium is reached at a point where neither firm desires to change what it produces based on its knowledge on what other firms produces. This is regarded as the Cournot-Nash equilibrium (Kreps 1990). Traditionally, the model considers two firms with the assumption that their marginal costs are linear but not necessarily identical. Each firm is believed to have the ability to decide on the level to produce in other to maximize profit, given the output level of the other firm and this is called the reaction function. In the case of N-number of firms, overall industry production curve is based on the reaction functions of other firms with respect to what the market leader produces. As in the game theory, each firm decide s on the best response function that helps maximize their profit, and if followed at all times results into the Nash equilibrium (Fulton 1997). In general, the Cournot theorem states that as the number of firms in the industry grows to infinity, it brings about competitive tendencies and pushes price towards marginal cost. In perfect competition, allocative efficiency requires that prices to be set equal to the marginal costs of production throughout the economy. If firms are able to restrict output in order to maintain price above the marginal costs this leads to a misallocation of resources and loss of economic welfare. The monopolist is able to raise his price above the level of marginal cost, as he is a price maker. This situation can be compared with the benchmark case of perfect competition where firms are price takers and cannot sell any unit of goods produced at a price higher than the marginal cost and cannot earn supernormal/abnormal profits. Fig 1: Welfare effect of Competition and Monopoly profits Figure 1 compares the welfare effects or performance of perfect competition and monopoly. It depicts the neoclassical case against monopoly. Theorists have formulated the welfare loss concept which measures the potential gain of a movement away from monopoly to perfect competition. The analysis shows the basic deadweight loss model used by Harberger (1954). In order to simplify the analysis, the assumption that costs are constant is used. If the industry is competitive, the firms cannot set price above MC (P=MC), thus the quantity produced is Qc. In figure 1, under perfect competition price would be at Pc and output Qc. Marshall stated that consumer surplus is the difference between what a consumer is willing to pay for a good and the amount actually paid for it. It is a measure of the benefits to a consumer of trading in a market. It is shown by the triangle between price and demand. Market demand is refered to as D (the amount consumers are willing to pay for an additional unit of the product). Thus, consumers pay a price Pc for all units purchased. Any marginal increase in output below Qc generates a difference between the price actually paid and the price consumers are willing to pay. This is the consumer surplus, represented by the larger triangle above marginal cost, depicting an absence of abnormal profit. Given a monopoly facing an equivalent demand and costs conditions, the maximisation of profit may be achieved through output reduction, which is at a point where MC=MR. Here, the price shifts to Pm, thereby setting price above MC, and quantity produced falls to Qm. The triangle above Pm is referred to as the surplus due to consumers in a monopolistic setting. The shaded portion A in the diagram is the supernormal profit due for a monopoly, which signifies the redistribution of wealth from consumers to firms. Thus, the decrease in consumer surplus, as a result of a competitive entity moving to monopoly is represented by the addition of the two shaded portions A and B. However, the net social loss accruing as a result of the existence of monopoly power is represented by the shaded part B (Sawyer 1981). In the work of Harberger, he argued that this triangle is really tiny and is nothing to worry about. Posner, in describing the net social loss, stated that: When market price rises above the competitive level, consumers who continue to purchase the sellers product at the new, higher price suffer a loss exactly offset by the additional revenue that the sellers obtain at the higher price. Those who stop buying the product suffer a loss not offset by any gain to the sellers. This is the deadweight loss from supracompetitive pricing and in traditional analysis its only social cost, being regarded merely as a transfer from consumers to producers (Posner 1975, pg. 807). Complications of the Cowling Mueller Model Observing the mark-up of price on marginal cost helps define the implied price elasticity of demand with the assumption of a profit maximizing behaviour, which also applies to a colluding oligopoly or pure monopoly. Following the work of Cowling and Mueller (1978), in defining a firms implied elasticity of demand, assumed that welfare loss will be estimated from their cost margins. (1) where we have as the price elasticity of demand for the industry; as the price given by firm i; and as the marginal cost of firm i. The estimates derived would help explain the amount of welfare loss (the single firms decision to set price above marginal cost) realised from the reaction functions of firms. The assumption that each firm in the industry possesses some degree of monopoly power is employed and will be applied on a firm by firm basis. This enables them to charge prices higher than the marginal cost of production, given there is perfect competition. This is to help in estimating the relative importance of the variations in each firms outputs. This draws more light on the interdependence of observed price distortions (dp) and changes in output (dq), as seen in the work of Cowling and Mueller (1978). Based on this assumption, the welfare loss of the firms can be derived from the partial equilibrium formula for welfare loss; Â ½dpdq. In a situation where the firms expectatio ns about the behaviour of other competing firms are borne out, it is assumed that = and = =1. Hence the equations; (2) (3) Following the assumption of constant marginal costs, monopoly profit term can be incorporated into the equation, thereby, resulting into (4) Harberger (1954) equated the elasticity of demand to be unitary, i.e. ÃŽÂ · = 1. This depicts that if dpi/pi is small, the social cost of monopoly would be insignificant. He argued that representing the elasticity of demand with a value of 1 was an attempt at compensating for the demerits of using a partial equilibrium measure of welfare loss to examine a structural change in the general equilibrium, and that this would not be so if individual firms cannot act as monopoly in terms of price manipulation. However Cowling and Mueller (1978) refuted this assumption by referring to it as a very awkward way of handling the problem which answers the criticisms raised by Bergson (1973) against the partial equilibrium approach as regards the interdependence of price distortions and change in output (pg. 730), even though their analysis was based on the so criticised partial equilibrium approach. Wenders (1967), as cited in Cowling and Mueller (1978), questioned Harbergers position, but wer e erroneous in their calculations due to ignorance in assuming that the degree of collusion is a variable. Thus, the assumption of joint profit maximization need not be used. Based on this, there is need for proper definition of the methodology involving the partial equilibrium approach, so as to derive plausible estimates from it (to be done later on in this discussion). In measuring the monopoly profits, the excess of actual profits over the long run competitive returns (which are the profits that are compatible with the long run survival in an equilibrium economy) is determined, after adjustment is made for the accommodation of risk, as in the case of Worcester (1973). He used a median profit rate of 90% in allowing for biasness: a rather ad hoc adjustment. The divergence of actual rates of profits and the mean rates was the root of monopoly profits in earlier studies, following that of Harberger. These studies treated industries whose profit is in the range of 5% above or below the mean profit as those that have created welfare loss. However, this will result in a downward biasness of the monopoly welfare estimate as it underestimates the level of monopoly returns. It is not feasible to lean ones analysis on the premises of equal effects on welfare loss by monopolists and firms in perfect competition. Even if the assumption holds, the problem of how to handle firms experiencing loss would arise. Rather, it is plausible to argue that these firms are in disequilibrium and as such, have costs above the competitive levels. Hence, in deriving the social cost of monopoly, the firms experiencing loss will be dropped. This is in line with the work of Cowling and Mueller, who assumed that the firms would return to their normal profits or would disappear, thereby, creating no long run loss to the economy. The role of vertical integration The effect of the firms trying to gain market power is also a contributory factor into the loss of social welfare. Vertical integration carves out niches for monopolistic possibilities in product and geographical areas. Vertical integration is divided into upstream (backward, deals with the production of basic inputs) and downstream (forward, deals with the production of finished or nearly finished products). When two or more operations are vertically integrated, there is a natural bias towards internal procurement of components even in the presence of inefficiency. Bounded rationality also has its role in the diseconomies effect of vertical integration. It would basically take place where it is mutually beneficial to do so and not necessarily when it is cheaper. According to Greenhut and Ohta (1976), vertical integration does not increase integrators monopoly power, but rather, eliminates transitional twist caused by increasing mark-ups. Not only does it eliminate such distortions, it improves the provision of differentiated goods. Carlton (1979) assumes the prevalence of downstream over upstream in an integrated world. Hence, integration is socially undesirable since the downstream firms cannot absorb risk as efficiently as the upstream. The market is less to be contestable if integration is embarked upon by established firms. This is because the possibility of a potential entrant having the know-how and the economies of scale in the successive stages of production is very slim. There is likely to be sunk costs, which may be too expensive for the new entrant, thereby raising entry barrier. However, the ability to discriminate hinges on being able to identify groups of customers having different demand elasticities, then being able to preven t them from price discrimination. This firm structure helps to prevent leakages between markets if the collusive oligopoly, engaging in the upstream successive stage of production, integrates into one or more downstream markets, while still possibly allowing sales of the upstream product to unintegrated firms for specific uses (Waterson 1984). In general, the vertical integration accrues to the firm benefits, which would not have been possible if independently functioning. Among the benefits are lower transaction costs, capturing upstream and downstream profit margins, reduction in uncertainty (i.e. there is always supply assurance), expansion of core competence and the ability to gain a considerable part of the market share. These benefits are supported by the existence of taxes and regulations of market transactions, economies of scale, and similarities between the integrated activities (Greaver 1999). According to Buzzel (1983), he argued that operating in an integrated basis results in the benefits being offset by costs and risks, among which he noted capital requirement, reduced flexibility, and loss of specialization. Firms enjoying monopoly power would act to defend their market through entry barriers, which is a potential free rider problem. Unless, the barriers to entry can be effectively coordinated, it would be difficult to derive a means of calculating above competitive profits. Given the unlikelihood associated with gaining monopoly profit without the expense of extra resource, it would be profitable to utilise extra resources to deter entry. Tullock (1967) and Posner (1975), as cited in Cowling and Waterson (2003), maintained that if the existence of competition for market power is granted by some authority and that the practice acquire real resource costs, it is possible that all the gains due on monopolistic tendencies may be frittered away in the struggle to obtain it. These resource costs may be in the form of excessive generation of advertising goodwill stock; involvement is excess production capacity and excessive costs on Research and Development by engaging in product differentiat ion. It was also believed that the efforts to acquire patent protection, tariff protection and other forms of unwarranted state treatment contribute significantly to welfare loss meted out by monopolies. So, Cowling and Muell