Case Study – Ford Motor Company

Introduction Ford Motor Company was founded in 1903 by Henry Ford and eleven business associates. The company was responsible for the innovation of the moving assembly line where employees would remain in the same place while performing the same task on each automobile that move along the assembly line. Ford Motor Company has been a prominent car producer for over 100-years – an icon of U. S. manufacturing. However, the company has reached a pivotal impasse where timely planning has become crucial. Hence, to reestablish the brand and Henry Ford’s original vision to produce â€Å"cars that were affordable to the masses† (What Would You Do? Ford Motor Company, n. d. p. 1). This case study will examine four options; the first option is whether to close down older plants in an effort to realign production and sales. The second option is to re-engineer the company to produce smaller cars eliminating or sharply reducing the SUV and truck lines. The third option is to take the unprecedented step of dramatically reducing North American presence and focus the company efforts on international markets where the company has been very successful. The fourth option is to sell the entire Premier Automotive Group (PAG). To determine what the criterion for the Ford Motor Company four options are, Ford’s management team should collectively utilize the rational-decision making model that is define as â€Å"a systematic process in which managers define problems, evaluate alternatives, and choose optimal solutions that provide the maximum benefits to their organizations† (Williams, 2010, p. 85). In addition, management should utilize the SWOT (acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis, to identify their internal strengths and weaknesses and their external opportunities and threats. Ford can use the SWOT analysis for assessing their strategic position in its internal and external environments. Rational decision-making and the SWOT analysis will allow Ford to obtain and ascertain key issues to determine what strategic plans to implement. The case outlines four strategic options Ford is pursuing to increase its profitability. Describe each of the four options. For each option list two criteria, you would use to evaluate the option. Option number one recommends closing older plants to realign production and sales. Closing the older plants managers would have to evaluate how these closures will affect their internal environment, employees will lose their jobs; the company will be obligated to buy out each employee. In addition, the company has to evaluate their external challenges; how will the closure of these plants affect the community. The plants are currently producing more cars (supply) than the consumers are purchasing (demand). Therefore, Ford Motor Company’s has to create and implement a tactical plan that denotes how the internal threat of buying out the employee’s will occur, hence buying out the employees will reduce Ford Motor Company’s operation expense and maximize their internal opportunity because there will be more resources (cash) to invest in other areas of the business. In addition, the company could sell their supply to employees at a discounted price and offer the consumers in the community this same discount at a point lower to achieve goodwill in the community, thus minimizing their external challenges. Option number two is eliminating or sharply reducing the SUV and truck lines and concentrating on the production of smaller cars. The company managers should determine the strength of this option, the company would need to evaluate the following: can fuel economy be realized in these particular vehicle lines without significant cost being passed on to the consumer; will there be a continuing market for SUVs and how will reducing or eliminating truck lines affect overall sales. Therefore, to evaluate these challenges I propose managers review their industry forces that address the question; how should Ford Motor Company compete in the SUV and truck line industry. According to Harvard professor Michal Porter (as cited in Williams, 2010), â€Å"five industry forces determine and industry’s overall attractiveness and potential for long-term profitability† (p. 107). The company can determine if this is a feasible market for the company to continue participating in by assessing their positioning strategies. Option number three requires reducing Ford’s North American presence and focus the company’s efforts on international markets where the company has been very successful, particularly in Europe, South America, and China. Again, it is imperative that managers utilize the rational decision-making process to determine; what is the sustainability of the Ford brand in the international market, how will reducing or removing North American presence affect the overall brand, and which plants in North America should be closed for short periods to allow the demand to catch up with the supply. In addition, Ford should implement an aggressive marketing strategy in Europe, South American and China to gain a sustainable competitive edge in a market that is receptive. Option number four is to sell the entire PAG. The PAG group is part of Fords portfolio strategy that did not align with Ford’s vision. Therefore, retrenchment strategy should be applied for this option, sell the entire line because it is not part of Ford’s original vision – â€Å"production of cars that were affordable to the masses† (What Would You Do, Ford Motor Company, n. . p. 1). According to the Boston Consulting Group, BGC matrix, â€Å"is a portfolio strategy that managers use to categorize their corporation’s business growth and relative market share, helping them decide how to invest corporate funds† (Williams, 2010, p. 103). The PAG group can be defined as a dog; a company that â€Å"have a small share of a slow-growth market† (Williams, 2010, p. 104). I n addition, the hand-built PAG automobiles do not fit Ford’s innovation of the assembly line. In light of the possibility that market conditions can and do change, discuss at least three examples of how the company should build-in flexibility to back-up it decision-making process. Ford Motor Company should implement flexible back-up plans and one plan or method is the option based planning that is the goal â€Å"to keep all options open and acquiring small investments in alternative plans† (Williams, 2010, p. 81). Therefore, when one or several of the alternative plans flourish Ford would invest more in those plans, while reducing investments in other, for example, the North American plants. The second plan for the company to build in flexibility would be its slack resources that are people, money or production. Hence, the partial closing of the North American plant, slack resources would enable Ford to adjust, when demand increases there will be resources available to accommodate these changes. In addition, for any plan to work well, management has to keep communication open with all members of the team to develop and encourage commitment. List at least three steps that make-up a workable plan and explain why each is important. To determine and execute strategies for the four options managers at For Ford Motor Company have to be aware of the essentials steps in preparing a workable plan. Therefore, step number one to prepare a workable plan is setting specific goals, using the S. M. A. R. T. guidelines that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. This is important because it directs behavior and increase efforts when the plan stipulates specific goals. Step number two is developing commitment. Goal commitment â€Å"is the determination to achieve a goal† (Williams, 2010, p. 80). Therefore, both managers and employees should collectively set goals to encourage commitment; setting goals collectively encourages employees to intensify their efforts. The third step is developing an effective action plan that list the specific steps, how the options will be carry out, which employees will perform each task, and what resources are going to be needed and how long it will take to accomplish the goal. The fourth step is tracking progress this will allow you to track your short-term (proximal) and long-term (distal) goals. In addition, the company managers should use a Gantt chart that will aid them in tracking this progress and keeping projects on task. When you know where you are going, how you getting there, who is assisting and how long it will take allows you to be flexible when conditions change. Discuss the option or combination of options you selected as the best course of actions for Ford Motor Company and detail your reasons for selecting that option or combination of options. I recommend Ford Motor Company put into operation, option number three, to take the unprecedented step to dramatically reduce their North American presence and focus their efforts on international markets where they have been successful. Ford Motor Company also should elect option number four, to sell the entire PAG group. To maximize Ford’s profits, it is clear that North American factories are not doing well and are the major sources of losses. Ford has lost a substantial amount of market share to its competitors. Ford does not want to produce more cars than they sell. Therefore, by reducing production in this market will provide them with slack resources to fund their European market. In addition, operation expense for their North American operations is expensive due to unionization. The United Auto Workers (UAW) â€Å"represents most of the company’s production employees and the contract terms over the years have been designed to provide significant long-term support to those employees† (What Would You Do? Ford Motor Company, n. d. , p. 1), and these generous benefits are weighing down the company operations and liquidity; therefore, Ford Motor Company should pay out the severance package to these employees and this will free up those monies to reinvest in the markets that are doing well or to repair older plants. In addition, due to the general environment changes – the economy, the company should negotiate new compensation packages with UAW to decrease their operational expenses. Additionally, Ford Motor Company should sell PAG because they are not in the luxury car business and refocus their attention to what they do best — producing cars that are affordable to masses. ? References Williams, C. (2010). Management. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

Water Scarcity & The Importance Of Water Essay

Clean, safe drinking water is scarce. Today, nearly 1 billion people in the developing world don’t have access to it. Yet, we take it for granted, we waste it, and we even pay too much to drink it from little plastic bottles. Water is the foundation of life. And still today, all around the world, far too many people spend their entire day searching for it. In places like sub-Saharan Africa, time lost gathering water and suffering from water-borne diseases is limiting people’s true potential. Education is lost to sickness. Economic development is lost while people merely try to survive. But it doesn’t have to be like this. It’s needless suffering. WHAT IS WATER SCARCITY? More than just a lack of water†¦ Simply put, water scarcity is either the lack of enough water (quantity) or lack of access to safe water (quality). It’s hard for most of us to imagine that clean, safe water is not something that can be taken for granted. But, in the developing world, finding a reliable source of safe water is often time consuming and expensive. This is known as economic scarcity. Water can be found†¦it simply requires more resources to do it. In other areas, the lack of water is a more profound problem. There simply isn’t enough. That is known as physical scarcity. The problem of water scarity is a growing one. As more people put ever increasing demands on limited supplies, the cost and effort to build or even maintain access to water will increase. And water’s importance to political and social stability will only grow with the crisis. WHY IS WATER IMPORTANT When water comes, everything changes†¦ Education When students are freed from gathering water, they return to class. With proper and safe latrines, girls stay in school through their teenage years. Health Safe water, clean hands, healthy bodies. Time lost to sickness is reduced and people can get back to the work of lifting themselves out of poverty. Hunger Access to water leads to food security. With less crop loss, hunger is reduced. Schools can feed students with gardens, reducing costs. Poverty Access to water can break the cycle of poverty. The communities we serve are ready to grow. We can’t wait to see how they choose to do it. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP? See how we’re working to address the water crisis in Africa In some places, it is simply dry. Water is hard to find. In others, this most critical need is literally only a few feet below ground waiting to sustain life. The Water Project, Inc. is a non-profit organization working to provide access to clean water to people in developing nations who suffer needlessly without it. With our team of supporters we’re funding clean water projects like water wells and rain catchment systems. â€Å"The old water source gets salty in rainy season and people could not drink it. The new water well is good, it has clean water and is located closer to the community.† Edison N – Farmer The Water Project: Kinama II The new water is very clean compared with the old one because people were getting diseases due to the bad water. Now this is helpful to the people in this village we are happy and many thanks to God and the people providing water for us. Water scarcity From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia â€Å"In Meatu district, Shinyanga region, Tanzania, water most often comes from open holes dug in the sand of dry riverbeds, and it is invariably contaminated.† Physical water scarcity and economic water scarcity by country. 2006 Water scarcity is the lack of sufficient available water resources to meet the demands of water usage within a region. It already affects every continent and around 2.8 billion people around the world at least one month out of every year. More than 1.2 billion people lack access to clean drinking water.[1] Water scarcity involves water stress, water shortage or deficits, and water crisis. While the concept of water stress is relatively new, it is the difficulty of obtaining sources of fresh water for use during a period of time and may result in further depletion and deterioration of available water resources.[2] Water shortages may be caused by climate change, such as altered weather patterns includingdroughts or floods, increased pollution, and increased human demand and overuse of water.[3] A water crisis is a situation where the available potable, unpolluted water within a region is less than that region’s demand.[4] Water scarcity is being driven by two converging phenomena: growing freshwater use and depletion of usable freshwater resources.[5] Water scarcity can be a result of two mechanisms: physical (absolute) water scarcity and economic water scarcity, where physical water scarcity is a result of inadequate natural water resources to supply a region’s demand, and economic water scarcity is a result of poor management of the sufficient available water resources. According to the United Nations Development Programme, the latter is found more often to be the cause of countries or regions experiencing water scarcity, as most countries or regions have enough water to meet household, industrial, agricultural, and environmental needs, but lack the means to provide it in an accessible manner.[6] The reduction of water scarcity is a goal of many countries an d governments. The UN recognizes the importance of reducing the number of people without sustainable access to clean water and sanitation. The Millennium Development Goals within the United Nations Millennium Declaration state that by 2015 they resolve to â€Å"halve the proportion of people who are unable to reach or to afford safe drinking water. Physical and economic scarcity Around one fifth of the world’s population currently live in regions affected  by Physical water scarcity, where there is inadequate water resources to meet a country’s or regional demand, including the water needed to fulfill the demand of ecosystems to function effectively.[6] Arid regions frequently suffer from physical water scarcity. It also occurs where water seems abundant but where resources are over-committed, such as when there is over development of hydraulic infrastructure for irrigation. Symptoms of physical water scarcity include environmental degradation and declining groundwater as well as other forms of exploitation or overuse. Economic water scarcity is caused by a lack of investment in infrastructure or technology to draw water from rivers, aquifers or other water sources, or insufficient human capacity to satisfy the demand for water. One quarter of the world’s population is affected by economic water scarcity. Symptoms of economic water scarcity include a lack of infrastructure, causing the people without reliable access to water to have to travel long distances in or fetch water, that is often contaminated from rivers for domestic and agricultural uses. Large parts of Africa suffer from economic water scarcity; developing water infrastructure in those areas could therefore help to reduce poverty. Critical conditions often arise for economically poor and politically weak communities living in already dry environment.

Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 25

Annotated Bibliography Example [http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/05/opinion/finally-some-optimism-about- obesity.html?_r=0 ] The article compares the responses of the government and related institutions in fighting obesity; with the previous actions taken to reduce smoking in the country. The authors feel that the fight against obesity may be successful like the one of tobacco, which became successful in 2009 when the state raised smoking taxes. The article discusses the effects of the obesity pandemic in the United States where a third of adults suffer from the disease while two thirds are overweight. The article argues that the continued rise in the prevalence of the disease would lead to the swelling of productivity, human, medical, and transport costs in the United States. Heuer, Chelsea A. â€Å" ‘Fattertainment’ – Obesity in the Media.† Obesity Action Coalition. 2015. Web. April 19, 2015. [http://www.obesityaction.org/educational-resources/resource- articles-2/weight-bias/fattertainment-obesity-in-the-media] The article explains how the media has increased awareness obesity by using images, movies, commercials, and programs that ridicule obese people. The author argues that the media’s focus on the disease is caused by the American ideology that people are responsible for everything that happens to them. The author, however, argues that although this is a good strategy, it discourages the obese people from losing excess weight. Kotz, Deborah. â€Å"Cause of obesity epidemic remains elusive.† The Boston Globe. July 13, 2014. Web. April 19, 2015. [http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/health- wellness/2014/07/13/cause-obesity-epidemic-remains- elusive/EEpcpoWB9Fyi6CDUgCw8RP/story.html ] Kotz’s article compares the findings of various studies that have been conducted in the past to find out the exact cause of obesity. The author argues that the varying findings of these researches indicate that no one has found out the real cause of the disease. This means there

The Realistic Theory of International Relations Research Paper

The Realistic Theory of International Relations - Research Paper Example Two options are available to the players in such a scenario. To gain power and to survive, countries can attack and capture other areas ruthlessly as Napoleon and Hitler did. The other option is to see that a balance of power is maintained. This can be done by diplomatic relations, alliances or by force. Bilateral trade agreements, aid to other countries are examples of diplomatic relations. NATO and the European Union are examples of alliances. There was a time when the US and the USSR were the two balancing powers of the world. The US attacked and also supplied arms to Vietnam fearing that the spread of communism in the country and other places may shift the balance of power in favour of the USSR. It would be effective to define realism at this point. A Cambridge University Press publication defines realism in three steps. An instance where this theory does not hold good or becomes ineffective is the case of terrorism. Terrorism is practically invisible even if countries who abet t errorists are identified. The terrorists do not come to the negotiating table nor do they work in visible organized structures. If the opponent is not available for negotiations or to fight with, it is not possible to think of survival or strength. A country may be hit by a terrorist attack at any time. Security becomes practically ineffective if suicide attacks are resorted to by the terrorists. Even a strong nation like the US can be shocked by attacks such as the September 11 suicide attacks on the Twin Towers. But there is practically nothing that can be effectively done by any country in such a situation. The US attacked Iraq and set up a new administration.

U.S. Space Program vs. Japan Space Program Essay

U.S. Space Program vs. Japan Space Program - Essay Example Subsequently, both countries grew stronger in space exploration and became unchallenged pre-eminence in space activities and technologies. However, in recent years, the international interest and activities in space exploration has grown tremendously and many countries have started taking part in the same. This change of heart by most countries towards space exploration has been brought about by many factors including maturation of industries, markets for communications satellites and transferable space technologies. In addition, space development and assured access to space have become vital factors for high technology growth and national security. With these benefits in mind, many countries have fostered space programs which are promising and successful. A good example of such a country is Japan whose space program grew in less than 20 years from the launch of its first satellite in 1970 to participation in the international space station freedom project. In comparison to US space program, Japan’s space program has used US technical capabilities as a benchmark for its own capabilities thus causing a conflict in program philosophy between them and the United States. Therefore, since operational philosophies and styles of the two countries’ space programs are distinct, their comparison is important as can give insight into their relative strengths and weaknesses as well as their long term objectives and strategies. United States The United States space program began in 1958 with the launch of its scientific satellite explorer. Towards the end of that year, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) whose purpose was to direct the nation’s civilian activities in space was formed. For almost a decade, US space program concentrated on developing satellite and launching vehicle technologies, supporting solar system research and developing manned spaceflight capabilities. The launch technology efforts led to creation of the early model s of the Titan, Atlas and Delta launch vehicles. The program also carried out unmanned research missions throughout the solar system such as probes to the sun, Venus, Moon and Mars. During 1970s, the United States carried out further manned missions to the moon and launched the Skylab station program. In 1980s, the program began developing the international space station freedom. In the US, the space activities are managed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Department of Defense (DOD) which have different roles, styles and responsibilities. NASA emphasize on peaceful exploration and development of space whereas DOD is concerned with national defense and security. It is important to note that although the two organizations have different responsibilities, they at times work together. For instance during the National Aerospace Plane (NASP) project they worked together. The US space programs are also funded by the government through the two organizations wh ich are the administrators and project managers of space exploration (Wells and Hastings 15). The space programs of the United States usually revolve around increasing human exploration of the space, supporting national security, rejuvenating space science and research, developing higher capacity and cultivating the involvement of private sector into the space programs. Generally, the United States’ space program is more concerned in maintaining its status as the leading world power in space exploration and development (Wells and Hastings 22). The United States’ entrance into space exploration was influenced or driven with the need to be a super power and establish superior military space systems, and the race to reach the moon first before Soviet Union

International Trade Meets Intellectuall Property Essay

International Trade Meets Intellectuall Property - Essay Example These policies include the granting of trademarks, copyrights and patents. Patents protect inventions that are novel, not obvious to those in the field, and useful. Trademarks are commercial symbols that producers use to identify their services and products. Copyrights protect authorship works, such as books, from the time of their creation. The protection extends to integrated circuits lay outs designs, trade secrets, geographical indications and industrial design (Bainbridge 100). The stakes in protecting intellectual property were high for many companies in the US. Not only in the product development is cost, in the knowledge-based and artistic industries, but success rarely guarantee. Before TRIPS, the completion of TRIPS, US International Trade Commission estimates were that American companies lose between $50 and $70 billion annually to inadequate intellectual property protection abroad. Most affected of this are Pharmaceuticals, films, publications, chemical products, sound recording and software. For example, international markets were of growing significance to the US film and television business. However, as videocassette recorders became readily available the level of film piracy increased (Idris 241). The position IP-based industries were not universally accepted, however. Many developing nations oppose the idea of strengthening international intellectual property rights. Moreover, not only the developing countries opposed to it but also some industrialized countries. These nations, traditionally did not allow patents on food and medicines holding that monopolies should not be permitted on products so essential to consumer welfare. Developing countries argue that increasing IP protection brings no significant, dynamic gains but inflicts considerable static costs: price increases, harm to consumer welfare and more royalties to foreigners (Goldstein 150). Many developing countries did not that intellectual property

Is Wind Power Green Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Is Wind Power Green - Research Paper Example On the other hand, fossil oil is not green. Fossil oil produces carbon monoxide (the motor vehicles’ intoxicating exhaust fumes). Fossil oil pollutes the earth’s atmosphere. Fossil oil suffocates the lungs of city residents. Fossil oil destroys life. Green power comes from several sources. First, solar energy comes from maximizing the suns’ energy. Solar panels can convert the sun’s energy to electrical energy. Second, geothermal energy, comes from hot springs. Another source of geothermal energy is the volcanic heat escaping the earth’s internal areas. Third, Ethanol energy comes from grain alcohol. Ethanol is extracted from corn, barley, sugarcane another sugar-based feedstock. Fourth, wind energy comes from windmills and tall free standing turbines. Historically, windmills have been used in Holland for generate energy. Also, the use of green wind energy creates eliminates the hazards and pollution of fossil fuel-based energy. Sidney Borowitz (199 9) emphasized â€Å"Fossil fuels are the remains of organic matter that, over hundreds of millions of years, have undergone substantial physical changes induced by pressure and chemical changes caused by the action of bacteria. The fossil fuels are coal, oil, and natural gas. They provide the United States with about 90 percent of the energy it uses. This energy was originally provided by the sun, which made it possible for the plants to grow.† In terms of wind energy, Borowitz (1999) reiterated â€Å"Fossil fuels are the remains of organic matter that, over hundreds of millions of years, have undergone substantial physical changes induced by pressure and chemical changes caused by the action of bacteria. The fossil fuels are coal, oil, and natural gas. They provide the United States with about 90 percent of the energy it uses. This energy was originally provided by the sun, which made it possible for the plants to grow†. Using coal will damage the earth’s envir onment. Borowitz (1999) insists coal is the most abundant fossil fuel on earth. Coal creates the biggest damage on the environment. Burning coal creates polluting smoke. The polluting smoke makes breathing difficult. The polluting smoke damages the Ozone layer. Wind energy reduces the air pollution trend in major cities of the United States. Judith Cherni (2002) states the concentration of industrial manufacturing plants’ exhausts immensely contributes to the atmosphere’s pollution. The air pollution significantly derails the average person’s health. Different air pollutant types exert different degrees of health damage to the people. The degree or concentration of the pollutants generates various effects on the average county resident. To reduce the current air pollution trends, the states’ air pollution policies must be effectively and deficiently revised and set into immediate motion. Likewise, a research conducted by Cornelis Van Kooten (2009) shows t hat the earth’s wind energy supplies potential research shows that the world’s wind energy supply potential influentially surpasses the world’s energy needs. However, only one percent of the world’s electricity need is presently supplied by the green wind power. The fact is true even though there is an almost fifty percent yearly growth in the wind producing capabilities over the past twenty five years. Almost 100 percent of the entire green wind energy had been

Fiscal Stimulus Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Fiscal Stimulus - Assignment Example The appreciation in the average hourly earnings also remained more or less fixed in the last six months, hovering around 10.5 percent (United States Department of Labor: Online). To improve the circumstances in the labor market, certainly some sort of a fiscal stimulus is imperative. Resorting to the monetary policy adjustments alone is not sufficient to rescue the current economic slowdown. The handling of the Japanese economy has proved beyond doubt that it is always wiser to intervene when the situation could still be rescued (Coy: Online). The economy is deteriorating at a fast pace and monetary measures alone will not be enough to restrain the current economic meltdown. This is an exceptional situation that validates opting for hitherto untried initiatives. The damage wrecked by the recessionary circumstances can be limited by a second fiscal stimulus. It was definitely wise on the part of the government to deal with the excess capacity by nudging the companies like GM and Chrysler into bankruptcy (Coy: Online). However such measures have worsened the unemployment situation. Hence, enhanced public expenditure is the only possible way to create more jobs. It could be said that the first fiscal stimulus failed to rescue the unemployment situation. Yet it is too early to analyze its impact. So a second fiscal stimulus is a step more on the side of caution and care. ... Augmenting fiscal deficit is a cause of concern. However, it is a phenomenon that could be managed and whose impact will be felt in the long run. By that time, the improved economic circumstances caused by the second fiscal stimulus will cushion the fallout of a high fiscal deficit. The immediate priority should be to rescue the credibility of the sinking markets and assuring the apprehensive investors. Dwindling credibility of Fed is often cited as a grave issue. The thing that needs to be kept in mind is that a fiscal stimulus should be seen as a measure that is aimed to extend first aid to the ailing economy and not as something that will be continually and irresponsibly repeated.Hence a second fiscal stimulus do stands an approval in the contemporary circumstances. However, care needs to be taken that the proposed bill is trimmed of all the expenditure to be diverted towards activities that will yield a harvest over a prolonged period and could be classified as non-productive in an immediate scenario. Total Words: 555 (2 pages and 55 words)Works Cited United States- Monthly Data. United States Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 13 Dec. 2009 http://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.us.htm Coy, Peter. "Do we Need a Second Fiscal Stimulus". Business Week. 7 July 2009. 13 Dec. 2009

Thornton Wilder Essay Example for Free

Thornton Wilder Essay Either we live by accident and die by accident, or we live by plan and die by plan. In Thornton Wilders The Bridge of San Luis Rey, Brother Juniper strives to make this determination. Thornton Wilder may have also tried to ascertain this himself. As one of Americas most respected contemporary authors, Thornton Niven Wilder has received much renown for his works, especially Pulitzer Prize winning The Bridge of San Luis Rey . Why Wilder wrote the novel and why the novel is so famous may be argued through his background and use of specific themes (Books). Thornton Wilders background contribute to his way of writing as well as his outlook on life. In his novel In Life as we Live it, Wilder expresses his strong belief in the preciousness of life: Do humans ever realize life while they live it? (Simoni).When someone asked Thornton Wilder about his purpose in writing The Bridge of San Luis Rey, he replied that he was posing a question: Is there a direction and meaning in lives beyond the individuals own will? (Society). The three principle influences on the writings of Thornton Wilder were his religious background, his love of classicism, and his worldwide travels. Wilders Family and homelife also affected his writing greatly, especially his father (Books). The time period of his life aslo brought influence on Wilders writing. During this time was World War II in which Wilder served and received ideas. The reason for Wilders wide acceptance and large renown in society may be answered through the authors Life influences, the time period in which he grew up, and the style and themes that he uses in his writing. Thornton Niven Wilder was born in Madison , Wisconsin on April 18, 1897, as one of five children, one of which was his twin, of Amos Parker Wilder and Isabella Wilder.Thorntons father was a newspaper editor, diplomat, and a strict Calvinist. His father had a great impact on Wilders writing. In The  Bridge of San Luis Rey, the Wilder said that the idea of the collapse of the bridge stemmed from arguments with his strict father. In 1906 the family moved to Hong Kong, where his father had been appointed American Consul General. After six months his mother returned with the children to the United States, but the family rejoined again in 1911 in Shanghai, where his father had been transferred. Wilder stayed in China for a year (Encyclopedia). Wilders home life was characterized by a strong religious and intellectual atmosphere which allowed him to read expansively. This habit was the main ifluence in his career (Books). In 1915 Wilder enrolled in Oberlin College, where he studied the Greek and Roman classics in translation. Classicism played a major role in the works of Thornton Wilder. Classicism is the imitation or use primarily of the style and aesthetic principles of ancient Greek and Roman classical art and literature. In 1917 the family moved to to New Haven, Connecticut, and Wilder entered Yale University. He bagan to write The Bridge of San Luis Rey on the winding walk from the golf club to graduate college. Although the novel asks the question of why those five died? Wilder states, I have left this question unanswered. As I said earlier, we can only pose the question correctly and clearly, and have faith one will ask the question in the right way. (Society). He began to write it in his rooms on the top floor of the eleventh entry of graduate college and finished it the following year while teaching at Lawrenceville (Books). The time period of all these events also contribute to Wilders way of writing.

How the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou Essay Example for Free

How the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou Essay In the chapter 15 as we call Sister Flowers from How the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, allows us the readers to experience the day with Margareute Johnson through her writing style as if we were experiencing it through her eyes and deep inside her thoughts. Her use of imagery, metaphors, similes and narration helps us paint and imagine a vivid picture in our own minds. Just like when Angelou is describing Sister Flowers, â€Å"Her skin was a rich black that would have peeled like a plum if snagged . . .† Her use of a simile comparing a plum helps us imagine the details such as being smooth, soft, and shiny, just as she saw Sister Flower’s dark black skin. Her use of imagery helps us experience things she saw, the smells she smelt, as if we were right there experiencing it with her. â€Å"The sweet scent of vanilla had met us as she opened the door.† As we read this we can in our heads invent in our minds how Sister Flowers house smelled like vanilla, as she was about to step into her house. Angelou gets us thinking that Sister Flowers had probably just got done baking. â€Å"They were flat round wagers, slightly browned on the edges and butter-yellow in the center.† Angelou already gave us her sense of smell, now she is using imagery to describe her sense of sight of the cookies that Sister Flowers just baked especially for Margareute. Now she is getting our mouths watering for some of Sister Flower’s cookies. Angelou with out a doubt had a good writing style using a lot of similes, imagery, metaphors, and narration to improve our ability to acknowledge every little smell, every little detail and that she saw, just pretty much everything that was going through her head as she was living it first hand.

Sources Of Finance For Kfc Finance Essay

Sources Of Finance For Kfc Finance Essay KFC began with Colonel Harland Sanders. He discovered his penchant for cooking when he was only 9 years old. Through the years he grew up to become a personage the world knows as Colonel Sanders, founder of KFC. He reached celebrity status in 1952, when he decided to franchise his famous Kentucky Fried Chicken recipe blends of 11 herbs and spices to the rest of America. By the early 70s, that special recipe reached Malaysia. KFC Holdings owns approximately 27 Kedai Ayamas and 4 Ayamas Depots, making them the nations first branded chicken and chicken-based retain chain. KFC Holdings operates the KFC chain of restaurants in Malaysian, Singapore and Brunei (523 restaurants) and the Rasamas chain of restaurants in Malaysia (about 37 outlets). Sources of finance are where finance comes from. There are three kinds of sources which are Bank loans, Owners (share) capital and Trade credit . Finance is money which is a scarce resource. To obtain it, a business has to compete for it. Individuals, the government and other businesses all seek money to finance their needs. Those with money to lend will lend it provided the rate of return (interest), the risk and flexibility (how quickly the money can be repossessed) are consistent with their expectations. The word lend often implies to short-term; the word invest implies to long-term. Individuals or organisations that lend money, expect to get their money back, with a fixed annual return in a comparatively short time. Those who invest in a company become part-owners share holders. They expect regular payment of cash dividends (whose size varies with the companys success) plus an increase in the value of their shares. A major source of finance for many businesses is the retained profit from sales to customers. A business just starting up or one expanding rapidly has to raise its finance from other sources. There are three kind of finance question which relates the finance which the management should consider. Duration: for how long is the finance required? Cost: which source of finance is the least expensive? repayment: what level is acceptable Duration Duration depends on the reason the money is needed. No-one would take out a 25 year mortgage to finance the purchase of a personal HiFi. Few people would buy a house with a bank overdraft. Businesses apply the same principles of matching the purpose of finance with the source of finance. This makes sense all round. For the business it ensures that finance is guaranteed as long as it is needed. For the investor it ensures that adequate security is available for the duration of the loan as in the case of a 20 year loan secured against a property that will continue to have value for all the 20 years. Cost In general, businesses look for the cheapest source of finance. The easiest way to compare the cost of finance is to express the annual payment to lenders/investors as a percentage of the amount of finance provided. Interest on a loan can be expressed in percentage terms. So can the rate of return to shareholders. Return on investment in shares = Dividend per share, share price change since the start of year The rate of return expected by shareholders becomes the cost to the business of using this form of finance. Repayment A business should not get into a position where all of its profits are being swallowed up in interest payments. There is a real danger of borrowing too much. The same applies to individuals. Type of sources of finance: government purchase loan stock leasing venture capital hire purchase ordinary shares warrant retailed earning borrowings Ordinary Shares Ordinary shares also known as common stock or voting share is a share of stock giving stockholders the right to vote no matters of corporate policy and the composition of the members of the board of directors. Ordinary shares are issued to the owners of a company. They have a nominal or face value, typically of RM1 or 50 cents. The market value of a quoted companys shares bears no relationship to their nominal value, except that when ordinary shares are issued for cash, the issue price must be equal to or be more than the nominal value of the shares. Preference Shares Preference shares, also called preferred stock or preferred shares, is typically a higher ranking stock than common stock, and its terms are negotiated between the corporation and the investor. Preference shares usually carries no voting rights, but may carry priority over common stock in the payment of dividends and upon liquidate Preference shares may carry a dividend that is paid out prior to any dividends being paid to common stock holders. Preference shares may have a convertibility feature into common stock. Preference stockholders will be paid out in assets before common stockholders and after debt holders in bankruptcy. Terms of the preferred stock are stated in a Certificate of Designation. From the companys point of view, preference shares are advantageous in that:  · Dividends do not have to be paid in a year in which profits are poor, while this is not the case with interest payments on long term debt (loans or debentures).  · Since they do not carry voting rights, preference shares avoid diluting the control of existing shareholders while an issue of equity shares would not.  · The issue of preference shares does not restrict the companys borrowing power, at least in the sense that preference share capital is not secured against assets in the business. Loan Stock Common or preferred stock shares that are used as collateral to secure a loan from another party.  The loan will earn a fixed interest rate, much like a standard loan, and can be secured or unsecured.  A secured loan stock may also be called a convertible loan stock if the loan stock can be directly converted to common shares under specified conditions and with a pre-determined conversion rate, as with an irredeemable convertible unsecured loan stock (ICULS).   Retained Earnings Retained earnings refer to the portion of net income which is retained by the corporation rather than distributed to its owners as dividends. Similarly, if the corporation makes a loss, then that loss is retained and called variously retained losses, accumulated losses or accumulated deficit. Retained earnings and losses are cumulative from year to year with losses offsetting earnings. Retained earnings are reported in the shareholders equity section of the balance sheet. Companies with net accumulated losses may refer to negative shareholders equity as a shareholders deficit. A complete report of the retained earnings or retained losses is presented in the Statement of retained earnings or Statement of retained losses. The major reasons for using retained earnings to finance new investments, rather than to pay higher dividends and then raise new equity for the new investments, are as follows: a) The management of many companies believes that retained earnings are funds which do not cost anything, although this is not true. However, it is true that the use of retained earnings as a source of funds does not lead to a payment of cash. b) The dividend policy of the company is in practice determined by the directors. From their standpoint, retained earnings are an attractive source of finance because investment projects can be undertaken without involving either the shareholders or any outsiders. c) The use of retained earnings as opposed to new shares or debentures avoids issue costs. d) The use of retained earnings avoids the possibility of a change in control resulting from an issue of new shares. Borrowings Receiving something of value in exchange for an obligation to pay back something of usually greater value at a particular time in the future. Borrowings are divided into three terms. Short term lending may be in the form of: a) An overdraft, which a company should keep within a limit set by the bank. Interest is charged (at a variable rate) on the amount by which the company is overdrawn from day to day; b) A short-term loan, for up to three years. Medium-term loans are loans for a period of from three to ten years. The rate of interest charged on medium-term bank lending to large companies will be a set margin, with the size of the margin depending on the credit standing and riskiness of the borrower. A loan may have a fixed rate of interest or a variable interest rate, so that the rate of interest charged will be adjusted every three, six, nine or twelve months in line with recent movements in the Base Lending Rate. Longer-term bank loans will sometimes be available, usually for the purchase of property, where the loan takes the form of a mortgage. Leasing Leasing is a process by which a firm can obtain the use of a certain fixed assets for which it must pay a series of contractual, periodic, tax deductible payments. The lessee is the receiver of the services or the assets under the lease contract and the lessor is the owner of the assets. The relationship between the tenant and the landlord is called a tenancy, and can be for a fixed or an indefinite period of time (called the term of the lease). The consideration for the lease is called rent. There are two basic forms of lease: operating leases and finance leases. Operating leases Operating leases are rental agreements between the lessor and the lessee whereby: a) The lessor supplies the equipment to the lessee b) The lessor is responsible for servicing and maintaining the leased equipment Finance leases Finance leases are lease agreements between the user of the leased asset (the lessee) and a provider of finance (the lessor) for most, or all, of the assets expected useful life. Suppose that a company decides to obtain a company car and finance the acquisition by means of a finance lease. A car dealer will supply the car. A finance house will agree to act as lessor in a finance leasing arrangement, and so will purchase the car from the dealer and lease it to the company. The company will take possession of the car from the car dealer, and make regular payments (monthly, quarterly, six monthly or annually) to the finance house under the terms of the lease. Hire Purchase Hire purchase is the legal term for a contract developed in the United Kingdom. It is also called closed-end leasing. In cases where a buyer cannot afford to pay the asked price for an item of property as a lump sum but can afford to pay a percentage as a deposit, a hire-purchase contract allows the buyer to hire the goods for a monthly rent. When a sum equal to the original full price plus interest has been paid in equal installments, the buyer may then exercise an option to buy the goods at a predetermined price (usually a nominal sum) or return the goods to the owner Venture Capital Venture capital (also known as VC or Venture) is a type of private equity capital typically provided for early-stage, high-potential, growth companies in the interest of generating a return through an eventual realization event such as an IPO or trade sale of the company. Venture capital investments are generally made as cash in exchange for shares in the invested company. It is typical for venture capital investors to identify and back companies in high technology industries such as biotechnology and ICT (information and communication technology Franchising Franchising is a method of expanding business on less capital than would otherwise be needed. For suitable businesses, it is an alternative to raising extra capital for growth. Franchisors include Budget Rent-a-Car, Wimpy, Nandos Chicken and Chicken Inn Other possible alternatives can be used by KFCH KFC Holdings have been running their operation with all the types of source of finance as stated above. In order to further enhance themselves as well improving their investors relations, they can apply other kind of source to run their business KFC has not issue warrants throughout the financial year. Warrants are, in effect, options granted by the business that entitle the holder to subscribe for a specified quantity of ordinary shares, for a specified price at, or after, a specified time- usually several years following their issue. The business would usually issue the warrants in one of two ways, that is to sell them, in which case it would derive a cash inflow, or attach them to a loan stock issue as a sweetener or incentive to investors to take up the loan stock. Apart from that, KFC can even issue Employees Share Option Scheme at various options. An employee share scheme is one way to give employees a stake in your business and help  improve its performance. As employees normally have to remain with the business to get this benefit, share schemes encourage loyalty and can help you retain valued staff. They act as an incentive or reward and may also help recruitment. (Extracted from Business Link, http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/layer?topicId=1074472937) In fact, KFC could even use hire purchase to source their finance. Hire purchase is referred to sales promotion device that creates customers purchasing power in the form of a fixed cost, fixed period installment loan, secured by a lien on the purchased item as the collateral. In case of capital equipment, the customer repays the loan from the earnings generated by the purchased asset (which otherwise would have remained unsold due to the customers lack of cash). During the repayment period the buyer has the possession and use but not the ownership (title) to the item. Only upon the full payment of the loan, the title passes to the buyer. Also called installment buying, it is a social innovation that expands the economy with additional income. (Extracted from Business Dictionary.com, http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/hire-purchase.html) APPENDIX Share capital From the financial statement for the year 2008, KFC holdings issued 1,000,0000 new ordinary shares valued RM1.00 each for the year 2008 and 2007. . However, only 198,275 shares at RM 1.00 each was issued and fully paid. SHARE CAPITAL Number of Ordinary Shares of RM1 each Amount 2008 2007 2008 2007 2008 2007 000 000 RM000 RM000 Authorised At 1 January/ 31 December 1,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000 Issued and fully paid At 1 January/ 31 December 198,275 198,275 198,275 198,275 Retained Earnings The percentage of net earnings not paid out  as dividends, but retained by the company to be reinvested in its core business or to pay debt. It is recorded under shareholders equity on the balance sheet. The formula calculates retained earnings by adding net income to (or subtracting any net losses from) beginning retained earnings and subtracting any dividends paid to shareholders: KFC Holdings recorded RM 316,703,000 of retained earnings in year 2008 compared to RM 257,611,000 in year 2007 for company. This shows that KFC retained their net earnings higher in year 2008 so that they can reinvest in its core business to pay its debt. Borrowings Borrowings are classified under short term borrowings and long term borrowings. KFC Holdings borrowed RM 20,000,000 in year 2008 while there were no borrowings for the year 2007 under company. On the other hand, KFCs long term borrowings amounted to RM 40,000,000 in year 2008 compared to RM 60,000,000 in year 2007. The total borrowings for the two years were RM 60,000,000 respectively. (Refer note: 26) The term loans granted to the Company are secured by the following: i First and third party charge over certain land and buildings as disclosed in Note 12(b) and Note 15 ii Deposits pledged with licensed banks as disclosed in Note 18 iii Corporate guarantee of the Company and a related company iv Debenture of a subsidiarys assets Company 2008 2007 RM000 RM000 Short term borrowings Secured Term loans 20,000 Unsecured Term loans 20,000 Long term borrowings Secured Term loans 40,000 60,000 Unsecured Term loans 40,000 60,000 Total borrowings Secured Term loans 60,000 60,000 Unsecured Term loans 60,000 60,000 Leasing KFCs leasing is analysed as long term leasehold land and short term leasehold land. The groups long term leasehold land notched RM 63,733,000 in 2008 compared to RM 63,868,000 in 2007. However, their short term leasehold land was RM 68,000 in 2008 while in year 2007, it was RM 73,000. Overall, their total leasing was RM 63,841,000 and RM 63,941,000 for the two years respectively. Leasehold land with an aggregate carrying value of RM30, 434,000 (2007: RM30, 822,000) are pledged as securities for borrowings. Group 2008 2007 RM000 RM000 At 1 January 63,941 62,687 Addition 1,830 Disposal (106) Acquisition of a subsidiary 722 Reclassification from property, plant and equipment 333 Amortisation for the year (822) (803) At 31 December 63,841 63,941 Analysed as: Long term leasehold land 63,773 63,868 Short term leasehold land 68 73 63,841 63,941 INCOME STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2008 Group Company Note 2008 2007 2008 2007 RM000 RM000 RM000 RM000 Revenue 3 2,179,788 1,730,371 97,220 88,000 Cost of sales 4 (1,064,548) (770,048) Gross profit 1,115,240 960,323 97,220 88,000 Other income 22,615 22,797 30,210 26,972 Administrative expenses (118,670) (109,061) (28,757) (22,713) Selling and marketing expenses (837,547) (712,109) Other expenses (6,622) (24) (2,310) (26,229) Operating profit 175,016 161,926 96,363 66,030 Finance costs 5 (7,559) (11,302) (2,887) (5,823) Profit before tax 6 167,457 150,624 93,476 60,207 Income tax expense 9 (47,107) (45,081) (9,522) (23,437) Profit for the year 120,350 105,543 83,954 36,770 Attributable to: Equity holders of the Company 118,535 1 04,269 Minority interests 1,815 1,274 120,350 105,543 Earnings per share attributable to equity holders of the Company (sen): Basic, for profit for the year 10 59.8 52.6 BALANCE SHEETS AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2008 Group Company Note 2008 2007 2008 2007 RM000 RM000 RM000 RM000 Assets Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment 12 615,059 529,658 19,750 19,908 Investments in subsidiaries 13 354,250 353,590 Investment properties 14 898 2,000 585 Prepaid land lease payments 15 63,84 1 63,941 Intangible assets 16 69,835 68,063 Other investment 17 4,500 Fixed deposits 18 6,324 6,324 749,633 674,486 374,000 380,407 Current assets Inventories 19 158,474 112,312 Trade and other receivables 20 128,112 78,972 222,742 156,642 Other investment 17 20,203 Cash and bank balances 21 97,985 140,358 6,797 11,826 404,774 331,642 229,539 168,468 Total assets 1,154,407 1,006,128 603,539 548,875 Equity and liabilities Equity attributable to equity holders of the company Share capital 22 198,275 198,275 198,275 198,275 Other reserves 23 47,705 50,963 22,080 26,560 Retained earnings 24 446,178 352,783 316,703 257,611 692,158 602,021 537,058 482,446 Minority interests 10,232 6,920 Total equity 702,390 608,941 537,058 482,446 Non-current liabilities Retirement benefit obligations 25 3,313 3,758 Borrowings 26 65,944 110,907 40,000 60,000 Deferred tax liabilities 27 31,602 25,036 107 444 100,859 139,701 40,107 60,444 Current liabilities Retirement benefit obligations 25 623 Borrowings 26 75,111 12,080 20,000 Trade and other payables 28 275,424 242,110 6,374 5,985 Current tax payable 3,296 351,158 257,486 26,374 5,985 Total liabilities 452,017 397,187 66,481 66,429 Total equity and liabilities 1,154,407 1,006,128 603,539 548,875

Moral Disintergration of America Exposed in The Winter of Our Disconten

Moral Disintergration of America Exposed in The Winter of Our Discontent The Winter of Our Discontent The life of Ethan Allen Hawley, which had for so long held to an irrefutable ethical standard, was about to undergo an unexpected and irreversible change. Likewise he was not alone; progress was descending upon all of New Baytown like the jets which swarmed "with increasing regularity" (196) at the nearby Templeton airfield. With them was coming a new breed, more and more focused on material wealth rather than honesty and principle. Ethan’s fourteen-year old son, Allen, was the embodiment of this new morality by which money was God and "morals are paintings on wall and scruples are money in Russia" (from the movie Sabrina, 1995). There was only one goal for this "forward-looking group" (141): money; and as Allen so clearly states, for them "it’s all dough, no matter how you get it" (91). Ethan had always believed there existed certain "unchanging rules" (217) of basic kindness and decency which had always, and should always, govern men. He lived his life simply and honestly, guided by visions of his grandfather and Aunt Deborah who had, from his early youth, instilled in him this strong moral foundation; he was" the kid with the built-in judge" (153). The rules, however, were changing, and changing rapidly. No longer would virtue be the deciding factor when faced with temptation; if one stood to gain from a situation, "who gets hurt? Is it against the law?" (34). Quite the contrary, by the new standards, it would be a crime to act on one’s own behalf. Moral consequences were irrelevant; the only consideration was success, and "success is never bad" (239). Those still cl... ...the end, Ethan’s scheme was a success; the store was his, and the most important piece of property in town now lay under his name. The Hawley name would once again command respect in New Baytown. He had needed only to adopt the new morality for a moment, like a man trying on a different suit . . . The only "trouble with a well-made suit, it lasts too long" (233), a truth Baker knew only too well. Too late, Ethan realized that abandoning his entire code of ethics was not so simple a matter; even if he did return to his old principles, as if he had never strayed from them, his conscience would be forever marred by his indiscretions. Not hat the rest of the world would ever notice. Maybe he’d got a little blood on his fingers, but Ethan had fought the fight; and more importantly, he’d won. "After all, in the end "it’s all dough, no matter how you get it" (91).

Voting Rates of the American Poor :: Politics

In The Working Poor, David Shipler reports that in the 2000 presidential election only 38 percent of Americans with incomes less than $10,000 voted compared to 75 percent of those with incomes over $75,000. (278) These sorts of statistics are not limited to 2000. In the six elections from 1980 to 2000, the average voter turnout of people in the bottom fifth of the income quintiles was 53 percent, while the top fifth averaged over 80 percent (â€Å"Election Results†). For the bottom fifth, the average household income was under $11,500 during each election year. The top fifth averaged an income close to $118,000 (DeNavas-Walt, et al.). The 2004 election was no different with 55 percent of the votes cast by people with incomes of $50,000 and up. That means over half of the votes cast were by a group that controls 70 percent of the nation’s wealth. In every election since 1964, when these statistics were first recorded, the South has had a lower voter turnout than the other three major regions. The South has also consistently had the highest poverty rate of the four regions. On average, there is a twenty-five to thirty percentage-point gap between the turnouts of the lowest and highest income quintiles in the United States (Cevrantes and Gluckman). Though it is clear the poor generally don’t vote, the reasons for this are not so clear. Education seems to be biggest factor. Less than 40 percent of citizens without a high school degree voted in the 2000 election, compared with an 80 percent turnout for those with an advanced degree. The percentages rise with more education. A connection to poverty can be drawn when considering that over 13 percent of workers without a high school degree are in poverty, compared with only about 1 percent of workers with a college degree. It should be noted these statistics concern only workers, and not the unemployed. As a United States census report noted, â€Å"Those with a high school education or less were more likely than those with more education to respond that they were not interested in the election or felt their vote would not make a difference.† Even more significant among the poor than the feeling that their vote will not make a difference is the feeling their vote may not be counted. Claims of voting irregularities, true or not, often keep the poor away from the polls. A large bloc of poor Americans disenfranchise themselves out of the fear of being disenfranchised. With a mindset that their vote will just be erased after leaving, the poor avoid Voting Rates of the American Poor :: Politics In The Working Poor, David Shipler reports that in the 2000 presidential election only 38 percent of Americans with incomes less than $10,000 voted compared to 75 percent of those with incomes over $75,000. (278) These sorts of statistics are not limited to 2000. In the six elections from 1980 to 2000, the average voter turnout of people in the bottom fifth of the income quintiles was 53 percent, while the top fifth averaged over 80 percent (â€Å"Election Results†). For the bottom fifth, the average household income was under $11,500 during each election year. The top fifth averaged an income close to $118,000 (DeNavas-Walt, et al.). The 2004 election was no different with 55 percent of the votes cast by people with incomes of $50,000 and up. That means over half of the votes cast were by a group that controls 70 percent of the nation’s wealth. In every election since 1964, when these statistics were first recorded, the South has had a lower voter turnout than the other three major regions. The South has also consistently had the highest poverty rate of the four regions. On average, there is a twenty-five to thirty percentage-point gap between the turnouts of the lowest and highest income quintiles in the United States (Cevrantes and Gluckman). Though it is clear the poor generally don’t vote, the reasons for this are not so clear. Education seems to be biggest factor. Less than 40 percent of citizens without a high school degree voted in the 2000 election, compared with an 80 percent turnout for those with an advanced degree. The percentages rise with more education. A connection to poverty can be drawn when considering that over 13 percent of workers without a high school degree are in poverty, compared with only about 1 percent of workers with a college degree. It should be noted these statistics concern only workers, and not the unemployed. As a United States census report noted, â€Å"Those with a high school education or less were more likely than those with more education to respond that they were not interested in the election or felt their vote would not make a difference.† Even more significant among the poor than the feeling that their vote will not make a difference is the feeling their vote may not be counted. Claims of voting irregularities, true or not, often keep the poor away from the polls. A large bloc of poor Americans disenfranchise themselves out of the fear of being disenfranchised. With a mindset that their vote will just be erased after leaving, the poor avoid

Salem Telephone Company – Essay

Salem Telephone Company 1. ) Variable and Fixed Costs The variable costs that Salem Data Services incurs with respect to revenue hours are power usage and hourly personnel wages. Power usage is a variable cost because the monthly power expense changes as a result of how much of the computer service is used. The hourly personnel wages are a variable cost as well because hourly workers are required to work when the computer service is operational. The revenue hours change each month and this causes the hourly workers salary to change too.The fixed costs, with respect to revenue hours, are rent and custodial services for the space that is leased by Salem Data Services as well as the computer leases, maintenance, depreciation of the computer equipment and the depreciation of the office equipment and fixtures. Other fixed costs include the salaried staff in charge of operations, the salaried staff that are in charge of the systems development and maintenance, the administration staff and the sales staff, which are also salaried. These are all fixed costs because they stay the same each month and are not affected by the change in revenue hours each month.The last two fixed costs are sales promotion and corporate services. Sales promotion is considered a fixed cost because the expense is not related to the current level of work. This cost was determined by the managers’ estimation of how much they needed to spend in order to acquire new clients. Corporate services are also considered a fixed cost because they not related to the level of work or monthly revenue hours that are generated. Exhibit 1A on the attached worksheet shows the variable and fixed cost breakdown for each month. 2. ) Cost Per Revenue HourFor the power variable cost, the cost per revenue hour is found by taking the power expense for each month and dividing it by the total revenue hours for each month. For January, the power expense is $1,546 and the total revenue hours are 329. The cost per re venue hour is $4. 70 ($1,546/329). For February, the power expense is $1,485 and the total revenue hours are 316. The cost per revenue is $4. 70 as well ($1,485/316). For March, the power expense is $1,697 and the total revenue hours are 361. Cost per revenue is again $4. 70 ($1,697/361).For the hourly personnel, the steps taken above are used to compute the cost per revenue. For January, the hourly personnel wages are $7,896 and the total revenue hours are 329. The cost per revenue hour is $24 ($7,896/329). In February, the hourly personnel wages are $7,584 and total revenue hours are 316. The cost per revenue hour is again $24 ($7,584/316). Finally in March, the hourly personnel wages are $8,664 and the total revenue hours are 361. The cost per revenue hour comes out to be $24 ($8,664/361). The total cost per revenue hour for each is $28. 0 and this is computed by adding the cost per revenue hour for the power expense and the hourly personnel together. These calculations can be fo und in Exhibit 2A on the attached worksheet. 3. ) Contribution Margin Income Statement Exhibit 3A on the attached worksheet shows the contribution margin income statement for Salem Data Services when Salem Telephone usage is 205 hours and the commercial usage is at the March level of 138 hours. The total sales are $192,400 of which $82,000 belongs to sales made from Salem Telephone at a $400 sales price and $110,400 of this belongs to commercial usage at a sales price of $800.The total variable costs are $9,844. 10. This was found by taking the total cost per revenue hour of $28. 70 and multiplying it by the total revenue hours, which were 343 (205+138). The contribution margin is $182,555. 90. This was determined by taking the total sales of $192,400 and subtracting out the variable costs of $9,844. 10. To get the net income, the total fixed costs of $212,939 are subtracted from the contribution margin, which produces a loss of ($30,383. 10). 4. ) Breakeven Point In order for Salem Data Services to breakeven each month, they will need to produce roughly 178 hours.Exhibit 4A on the attached worksheet shows the equation and calculation for the breakeven point. The equation for breakeven point is total sales equals total cost (variable and fixed). The total sales for Salem Data Services was the intracompany sales of $82,000 (205 hours X $800) plus the commercial sales of $800(X). The (X) represents the amount of unknown commercial hours that we are trying to find. The total costs are the cost per revenue hour of $28. 70 multiplied by both the 205 intracompany hours and the unknown commercial hours (X) plus the fixed costs of $212,939.The breakeven point is 40 more hours than Salem Data Services sold in March. Overall, from January to March, the amount of commercial hours sold has increased, but in small increments. Salem Data could reach this breakeven point in a future month if their hours continue to increase, but they will be susceptible to an increase in the ir variable costs and an increase in a couple of their fixed costs, such as sales promotion and corporate services. 5. ) Income Effect Estimation In option 1, Flores has suggested that Wu increase the price to commercial customers from $800 to $1,000.He projects that this will decrease demand by 30%. If this were to occur, the net income would be a loss of ($42,995). Exhibit 5A on the attached worksheet illustrates how this number was determined. Total sales were $178,600, variable costs were $8,656, and fixed costs were $212,939. When the variable fixed costs were subtracted from the total sales, this produced the loss mentioned above. Option 1 would not be a viable option for Salem Data Services because it still produces a negative net income.In option 2, Flores suggested that Wu decrease the price to $600 for commercial customers. Making this change is projected to increase demand by 30%. In this projection, net income will still be a loss of ($34,331). Exhibit 5B illustrates how this number was determined. Total Sales were $189,640, variable costs were $11,032, and fixed costs were $212,939. After the variable and fixed costs were subtracted from the total sales, the effect was a loss. Option 2 would also not be a viable option for Salem Data Services because again it still produces a negative net income.In option 3, Flores has suggested to Wu that increased promotion would increase revenue by 30%, but Wu is not sure how much promotion would be needed. To find how much promotion would be needed, we calculated the effect of the 30% increase. The price in this option remained at $800 for commercial customers. Exhibit 5C illustrates this. The total sales were $225,520, variable costs remained the same as in option 2 of $11,032, and fixed costs were still $212,939. When the variable and fixed costs were subtracted from the total sales, this produced a positive net income of $1,549.Wu should increase the sales promotion expense by this amount to generate positi ve income. This, however, is contingent upon the demand increasing by 30%. 6. ) Based on my analysis, Salem Data Services is a problem to Salem Telephone Company right now because even with a price increase or a demand increase, the company will still produce a loss. If Flores were to close down Salem Data Services, he would save Salem Telephone Company the following costs: Rent| $8,000| Maintenance| $5,400| Power| $1,697| Operations: Salaried Staff| $21,600| Operations: Hourly Personnel| $8,664|Systems Development and Maintenance| $12,000| Administration| $9,000| Sales| $11,200| Sales Promotion| $8,083| Total| $85,644| The custodial services and the expenses for the equipment and depreciation are not included in this list because the custodial services were based on an estimated annual cost per square foot and will still have to be paid for the remaining months of the year. The leases for are noncancelable and will still have to be paid until the lease period is up. The depreciatio n will also still occur while Salem Telephone has the equipment in their possession.Moreover, I did not include the corporate services in this list because I assume that Salem Telephone will still have to collect some accounts receivable and will still try to collect on past-due accounts, even after Salem Data Services is closed. Furthermore, if Flores decides to shut down Salem Data Services, he will have to outsource his computer services to another company and pay the market price of $800 instead of $400, which is currently being paid to Salem Data Services. If Salem Telephone were to use the 205 hours as estimated previously, then the company would have to pay $164,000 (205 hours X $800) monthly to another ompany. This means that Salem Telephone would end up paying $78,356 ($164,000-$85,644) more to another company rather than keeping Salem Data Services in business. My recommendation to Flores would be to keep Salem Data Services open. I believe as Wu does that given time, the company will start to generate a profit. In the meantime, Flores should have Wu keep the price of commercial usage at $800, but try to increase demand by 30% to at least breakeven each month. Once this occurs, then Wu should increase sales promotion to try to obtain more customers and increase commercial usage.

American Military Might

Present American military and law enforcement agency might has been put to a test both internally and externally in recent years. With the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, which was born, in large part, in response to the events of September 11, resources for battling terrorism have increased. Nevertheless, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have shown that the United States is not adequately equipped militarily to confront and defeat sophisticated terrorist operations.While there has been a decrease in  terrorist acts occurring in the United States, acts of terrorism abroad have not decreased. Clearly, the adequacy of military planning and military preparedness has been called into question. Douglas Bodero (1999) has identified four major theological extremist areas. These four groups are apocalyptic cults, Black Hebrew Israelism, the Christian Identity movements, and white supremacy religions. Doomsday cults believe that they must take offensive action in order to b ring about the end of the world (White:2002). These beliefsform the basis and justification for the use of violent methods which are often directed at the United States. â€Å"†¦ (T)errorist weapons are increasingly sophisticated and deadly. † (White: 2002). Osama bin Laden excluded, intelligence agencies in the United States have been highly successful in locating and identifying terrorist group leaders. Unfortunately, the failure to obtain intelligence from Middle East sources before terrorist acts occur has often been a challenge for the United States military and law enforcement agencies.This -1- is demonstrated by the failure to win battles in the Vietnam, Korean, and Iraq Wars. While the United States certainly has a tremendous military advantage with highly technological weapons, including nuclear weapons and satellite surveillance, access to nuclear weapons has no advantage unless the United States is willing to use such weaponry. Treaties with the United Nations have outlawed the use of nuclear weapons by any country. By doing, the United States has no ability to use such military might.In the countries previously described, ground war tactics and guerrilla warfare have proved a match with American troops (White:2002). The unpopularity of the military draft, which originated in the Vietnam era, has prevented the United States from building sufficient troops needed in fighting terrorism and state-sponsored terrorism. Clearly, the United States simply has insufficient troops to battle terrorism occurring abroad. An increasing trend comes in the form of state-sponsored terrorism. Libya, Syria,and Iran are but some of the many countries which finance and provide weaponry and safe havens to terrorist groups. In the past, terrorist training camps located in Afghanistan have assisted in training aspiring terrorists from all over the world, including the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) (White:2002). In order to make a dent in preventing terrorism, the United States must recognize that a policy which publicly states that â€Å"We will not negotiate with terrorists† is often an impossibility. Certainly, the British initially believed that rogue colonies in the AmericanRevolution were terrorists and Britain used that policy to no avail. The policy which is advanced herein ignores basic crisis negotiation tactics. Just as police must negotiate with -2- kidnappers and hostages to prevent harm to citizens, it is asserted here that the major conflicts could be mitigated and prevented (to some extent), with a different ideology in dealing with the â€Å"terrorists† and terrorist groups involved in the Iraq Civil war. CITATION White, J. (2002). Terrorism: An Introduction (4th Ed. ). Belmont:CA Wadsworth. -3-

Upon reflection of my conversation Essay

I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine regarding his out of control gambling habits as well as the level of debt he is quickly finding himself in. My friend hasn’t approached anyone else about this issue and thought because of my current study that I could help. I explained to my friend that I am not qualified to deal with issues such as these as I am not counsellor yet and only a student but would hear what he had to say as a friend. I listened to what he had to say with empathy and understanding while he told me his problems. After he had explained his situation to me I assessed what was going on and uncovered that he is suffering from depression, loneliness, helplessness and has thoughts of suicide. I told my friend that I think that he should talk to a counsellor about his problems and he told me that he didn’t want to and wanted me to tell him what he should do. Knowing that he wouldn’t seek professional help worried me greatly and I was finding myself trying to find solutions. Reflecting Upon reflection of my conversation with my friend I realized numerous things I shouldn’t have done such as: Find solutions for his problems Give advice as to what actions he should take Telling him the consequences of his actions Going through the Possibilities of his future without professional help Pushing my own point of view across The things I thought I do right in this situation were: Advice professional help Give support Showing empathy and understanding Explore possibilities Conceptualising After my friend had told me that he would not seek professional help and I knew there was no way I could persuade him to I started to give advice which felt like a lecture. After sometime I saw that he was losing interest in the discussion which made me feel helpless in helping him and was not the way I wanted the conversation to go. Planning In the future as a counsellor faced with this situation I think it would be much different given the client has already taken the first step in seeking help. In addition to dealing with this similar situation as a counsellor I feel I would be better equipped being fully qualified as a professional counsellor in a counselling environment, felling more confident in my ability’s in using a variety of skills and techniques. Given the same situation again with my current level of counselling I feel that I would still be understanding and caring but maybe less pushy in trying to help when all other options fail. I think what brought out this pushing of my own point of view across was my friend talking of suicide then refusing help so it felt like a matter of life and death to me.

Characteristics seen in Hamlet throughout the play Essay

I have been studying the text of Hamlet and the following characteristics are what he shows throughout the play. We see that Hamlet can be ‘Nationalist’. He is being nationalist when he is criticising Denmark and says it is a drinking country which is saying he does not trust them much. He is also like this when he says that Norway is robbing the land from Denmark, so this is then proving that Claudius is weak and so they might as well lose all their land. Hamlet is being very nationalist, when he says that Denmark is like a prison. This means that he feels as if he has no freedom to do what you want to do. Hamlet can be loving towards his friends and family easily, except to his uncle. He can be loving in a friendly way towards Horatio. He shows love towards his mother all throughout the play. He is being loving because he does not want his mother to flirt and have sex with his uncle so close after his father’s death. Hamlet says he is disgraced and when he confronts his mother in her bedroom, he asks her questions about his uncle. He then sees movements behind the curtains and thinks that it is his uncle who is too scared to face him, and so he draws his sword and stabs the person behind the curtain only to find out that it was Ophelia’s father (Polonius). He then plays around with his uncle and he acts as if he is mad and he will not tell him where the body is. I think Hamlet killed the person behind the curtain because he thought it was time to get revenge for his father, by killing his uncle. So this was the right thing to do, but only if he definitely knew who was behind the curtain in his mother’s bedroom. He is seriously in love with Ophelia, and both she and Hamlet admit their love for each other. Hamlet expresses his love for Ophelia on page 187 Act 5 Scene 1: â€Å"Forty thousand brothers Could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum. † Earlier on in the play, Hamlet shows his love for Ophelia his girlfriend. The second time he expresses his love for her was at her funeral. This was in front of everyone and then a fight ensued between Hamlet and Laertes. Ophelia shows her love for Hamlet on page 84(Act 1 Scene 3). She also tells everyone that Hamlet has said he loves her. Hamlet is very religious and he goes to a Protestant school in Wittenberg, but on the other hand he is a Catholic because when he is going to kill his uncle in a religious place he realises he will go to heaven. This was on page 144. Act 3 Scene 3: â€Å"Now might I do it pat, now ‘a is a-praying†¦ I, his sole son, do this same villain send To Heaven†¦ † We see that when Hamlet finds the ghost he is very shocked by it and yet he still does what it says. He tells his friends that it is real and to believe in it, which also proves he is religious. Throughout the play, he uses two different religions, which are found to be; Protestant and Catholic. Hamlet can be very sarcastic and intelligent in the play especially when Polonius asks him what he is reading, and he replies with â€Å"Words! † This then leads Polonius to start quizzing Hamlet on ting about him and Ophelia. Therefore, the answers that Hamlet gives Polonius he then goes and tells them to King. Due to the answers, that Hamlet has given leads to Polonius to say it proves that Hamlet is mad. So the King and Polonius set up a trap for Hamlet to fall into by getting Ophelia to ask Hamlet questions, but Hamlet plays smart and so he gives weird answers which leads people to think he is mad and then he uses it against his uncle at the end of the play. Hamlet is also intelligent when he is being sent to England by boat because he reads the Kings notes on what they have to do to him and then he changes the notes to what he wants them to say, so this is Hamlet playing smart. He then seals the envelopes, by using his ring to put an indent into the wax on the page so it looks as if it was from the King. The page where he finds out about the letter was; Page 153 Act 3 scene 4: â€Å"There’s letters sealed†¦ Let it work. † At this time, he was talking to his mother. Hamlet is also intelligent when he gets the actors to act out the death of his father. By doing this he can find out if his uncle is guilty or innocent. By doing this and constantly taking to the King, he is using his educated mind to find out the truth. Therefore, throughout this play we see that Hamlet can use a lot of emotions and characteristics. When Hamlet uses them, they are used with power and forcefully to make an effect on who ever he is talking to. He makes an impact most of the time except from when everyone thinks he is mad they just think that he is talking rubbish. His intelligence brings out the best in him especially when he gets the play put on for his uncle. So in my opinion Hamlet is smart and very intelligent.

Autism 2

Autism 2 Essay There are many diseases and disorders that plague todays society, but one of the most serious of those disorders is autism. Autism is not nearly as widely known as the familiar Downs Syndrome, yet, surprisingly, autism is far more widespread. In fact, autism is the third most common developmental disability, affecting 400,000 people worldwide (Autism Society of America). As of yet there is no cure for this debilitating disorder, only a variety of treatments. Autism is a developmental disability, not a mental illness, that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects 15 of every 10,000 individuals. No one is certain why it occurs, but researchers have found that MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans of people with autism show abnormalities in the structure of the brain. Significant abnormalities include differences in the cerebellum and in the size and number of Purkinje cells within the brain. Sometimes there is a pattern that exists within families from generation to generation. This indicates the possibility that autism is genetically related. However, no gene has been found. Every person with autism is different and there is no set type or typical person with autism. This is because autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning that symptoms and characteristics of the disorder can present themselves in a variety of ways, from mild to severe. Usually children with autism have deficiencies in both verbal and non-verbal communication. Their language develops slowly or not at all and they have very short attention spans. They often lack social skills and will spend time alone, rather than with others. In more severe cases, children have unusual reactions to physical sensations such as being overly sensitive to touch or under responsive to pain. Most commonly, children with autism lack imagination and imitate others ideas, rather than initiate their own. Lastly, behavior is greatly affected by autism. They may be overactive or very passive and throw frequent tantrums, injuring themselves, for no apparent reason other than to gather attention. They often lack common sense and show aggressive or violent behavior. While some people only show one or two symptoms, others have all or nearly all and find it extremely difficult to function in society. People with autism do live normal life spans and the behaviors associated may change or disappear over time. As of yet, there is no cure for autism. However, with the proper treatment, many of the behaviors can be positively changed. Some of the treatments include behavioral training, teaching of communication and social skills, auditory training, medications, and a change in diet. Behavioral training or modification, as it is also called, deals with changing or extinguishing inappropriate behaviors and increasing positive behaviors. A few methods are used to do this. One way is self-management where the individual monitors their behavior and receives self-reinforcement. Another method used is modeling. This is when the teacher or therapist demonstrates what is being done so the child can model the steps. Behavioral training is effective in stopping self-inflicted pain by shaping and distributing positive reinforcement. The teaching of communication and social skills is an integral part of treating autism. Speech therapy may include gaining language skills or learning sign language. Some devices are used frequently such as picture communication boards. Another device is used with a trained professional supporting the hand or arm of the person helping them to punch keys on a device. This technique, called facilitated communication, is highly controversial because it is sometimes thought that the facilitator is directing the persons arm unknowingly. One of the main characteristics of autism is the lack of understanding of social cues (Autism Society of America). The person with autism may be taught how to communicate in social situations or respond to certain facial expressions and emotions. If the emphasis is on social communication, a speech therapist will work closely with the child to ensure proper communication in social situations. Auditory training is sometimes used for those individuals who are oversensitive to sound. An audiologist plays a different variety of sound frequencies in this therapy. Food allergies and sensitivities have been shown to produce a variety of symptoms associated with autism .

Discussion and Planning Log Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Discussion and Planning Log - Assignment Example Nevertheless, Gunther offers useful tips that include being specific, addressing the topic, focusing on strengths, good communication, include authoritative links, and being formal. However, some tips like reading everything aloud before sending the email and using paragraph breaks are too basic for any writer to forget. Notably, Gunther would have helped the applicants by offering short, detailed, and positive advice without irritating them with his pride and all-knowing attitude. He should have started with appreciating the applicants for applying and include only the most important tips to shorten the letter. Having received other rejection letters, I think Gunthers approach was ineffective. The other rejection letters were short, objective, and communicated the unavailability of the applied position in a courteous manner. This letter should be shorter for the reader to develop some interest on its content. The letter should also be positive, sincere, courteous, and objective. The rudeness, emotions, and pride depicted in the letter discourage the applicants from appreciating its contents. This letter should advice the rejected applicants on how to write successful job application emails. The letter should also inform them of the reasons for their rejection in a short, sincere, polite, and positive manner. Addressing the letter to only the rejected applicants would be the most effective manner to help future job applicants. The letter should only include the most important tips. In writing the letter, I will consider the fact that the readers do not like long letters, hate a negative approach in writing, appreciate objectivity and sincere rejection, and need advice on how to apply for a job. The readers have prior knowledge of rejection letters after failures in applying for jobs. They know the contents, length, and tone of a rejection letter. However, they lack knowledge on unique rejection letters that define the reasons for a rejected

Capacity and Legality Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Capacity and Legality - Assignment Example The law states that there are three classes of persons that may not have the mental capability or adequately developed minds to convene. They include the minors or infants, people suffering from mind defects or illnesses that are cruel enough to negate their mental ability, and individuals under the influence of alcohol whose intoxication is harsh enough to wipe out their mental capability. When a contracting person is impaired by mental defects to a level that he is formally adjudicated; then the contract is void and disaffirmed. In the case of Della and Perry, they can disaffirm the contract because they are highly intoxicated thus not in the right capacity of mind to meet the agreement conditions. The agreement is void. 2. Jasmine can disaffirm the following items: the tickets to the concerts, the medication recommended by her dermatologist for acne, and the down payment for the care. This is because her age does not permit het to enter into a contract with anyone. She does not have the mind competency to understand the requirements for her to enter into agreement. Her mental capacity does not allow her to buy medicine for herself and also to enter in to the cinemas. 3. Keeping the car means that her mother will enter into the contract with the other party on behalf of Jasmine. To ratify t5he agreement, Jasmine’s mother has to sign it on behalf of her daughter. Jasmines mother will be liable for the car agreement in case Jasmine does not honor the monthly payment agreements. 5. Alex should argue that his agreement was non-complete and the time allocated did not allow him to have the competency to complete to think through the agreement comprehensively. In addition, the contract is unenforceable since it is illegal for the firm to infringe the rights and the privileges of others. They could not give him a job continuously, thus he deserves a new job. 6. An exculpatory clause is a section of an agreement that allows one party to liberate the other

KAFKA, HAWTHORNE, AND COETZEE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

KAFKA, HAWTHORNE, AND COETZEE - Essay Example The protagonist of Kafka's The Trial, Josef K, and the protagonist of Coetzee's book share a lot in common, even if the latter book is more political than anything by Kafka. These issues, and the full power of Kafka's The Trial, will be explored in this paper. Many might suggest that Kafka's work has no fore-bearers and that it appeared fully formed. There is sense in this suggestion. The period and place in which his books and stories were written were historically unique. The First World War had demolished many naive beliefs about the world and the rapid industrialization of the modern world was creating difficult conditions for many people. World War II and the destruction of European Jewry lurked on the horizon. The sense of dread in Kafka's work seemed in some way to have the power of a fortuneteller. It is truly terrifying. It is almost as if Kafka knew what was awaiting the world. If he had lived, he too may have perished in the Holocaust. Nevertheless, there were works of lit erature before Kafka that in someways suggest his work. One of these is Nathaniel Hawthorne's the Scarlet Letter. In this famous novel, Hester Prynne is branded with a scarlett A, after committing adultery. She is ostracized from her community and refuses to publicly identify the father of the child that is then illegitimately born. The community has turned against her. She is removed from the community by the force of the institutions that protect public morals. This is similar to Kafka's The Trial, but the most important distinction to be made, however, is what each authors' real subject is. Hawthorne's target is society's hypocrisy and its willingness to ostracize essentially good people. But however much we may dislike the methods of the town people and their treatment of Hester Prynne, we nevertheless recognize their cruelty and hypocrisy as deeply human. We are familiar with the human hypocrisy which these people represent. Additionally, we might even understand that adultery would be a big problem in a small town in New England during that period. The treatment of Hester may be over the top, but perhaps she did deserve some sort of censure. Kafka's work, however, is very different. There is little to be understood about the forces arrayed against his various protagonists. These forces are not really human, they seem to not even be living. In the Trial, Josef K. is accused of an unspecified crime which he did not commit. Although the i nstitution that tries him appears to be human, it is clear that it is instead a monstrous machine at work, slowly seeking to crush him. There can be no appeal to passion or humanity, as in the Scarlet Letter. Josef K. is trapped by forces that do not feel. At first, he feels like if he just explains himself to the court they will understand: â€Å"He had often wondered whether it might not be a good idea to work out a written defence and hand it in to the court. It would contain a short description of his life and explain why he had acted the way he had at each event that was in any way important, whether he now considered he had acted well or ill, and his reasons for each. There was no doubt of the advantages a written defence of this sort would have over relying on the lawyer, who was anyway without his

Utilitarian vs Kantian Views on Hurricane Katrina Doctors and their Essay

Utilitarian vs Kantian Views on Hurricane Katrina Doctors and their Patients - Essay Example In this case, ethical guidelines will be followed; thus, success in providing services for the persons in question. As seen in the work of Rachels & Rachels (2011), Kantian ethics are founded on the thought that human beings are rational beings and have the capability of governing themselves. The authors also indicate that from the Kantian point of view all human beings have the right to be treated with deference and self-respect regardless of their affiliation (Rachels & Rachels, 2011). From this argument, it is evident that equality and freedom are major tenets of the Kantian ethical argument. On the other hand, utilitarianism ethical view argues that actions should be done for the great good of all persons (Rachels & Rachels, 2011). The view also indicates that all choices have consequences and that all actions will evaluated based on their consequences. From this ethical view, it is justified to indicate that the utilitarian view is consequential in nature as it makes sure that all ends are justified by their means (Rachels & Rachels, 2011). The ethical view also ensures that the overall welfare is maximized at all costs. For Hurricane Katrina, the utilitarian and Kantian views are relevant. Most importantly, since disasters present different conflicts of interests, response to disasters such as Hurricane Katrina need to be discussed if the common good has to be achieved. Regarding Hurricane Katrina, there was a general feeling that the greatest good was giving help that will suit the community at large. This is to mean that the benefits were to be maximized for the community. In regard to the utilitarian approach, the healthcare providers were seen to have a challenge of whether to care for the ones that were badly injured or deal with the patients that had the chances of surviving with proper treatment given to them at the required time (Morrison, 2009). In line with the utilitarian argument, the