Descartes Free Will - 1986 Words

In Meditations on First Philosophy Descartes attempts to explain the cause of errors in human beings. Descartes says that error occurs since the will extends further than the intellect (Descartes p.39). Thats because our intellect is something that is finite; it is limited to the perception of only certain things. Whereas our will, ability to choose is not limited; it is has an infinite capacity. Therefore we sometimes attempt to will things which we do not have a complete understanding of. Descartes argument, as I will briefly describe, is quite sound, if you agree to all his conditions (being that the intellect is limited and the will infinite). I am not, as of yet, sure if I necessarily agree to the later of his two†¦show more content†¦The first aspect I would like to navigate through is the constraints placed on the ability to choose. One does not have the opportunity to choose freely in an organized society, community or institute. There seems to always be a res triction to the actual amount of choices one has. If Descartes was correct in his assumption of complete freedom of choice and will every option would be available to someone at any given time, in any given situation. But this is not necessarily the condition. There are a few different examples that one can view to comprehend this facet of my argument. Take for instance, perhaps an extreme but an occurrence none the less, people born of poverty do not have the ability to choose to acquire certain things. It is impossible simply by the fact that they do not have the means to get it. There is no choice of purchasing a fifty dollar object if all one has is twenty dollars. I feel though that perhaps Descartes was speaking of another free will, a non-materialistic aspect. Another example one can then try to explain is how in many middle eastern nations individuals are born into a society where one religion is forced upon them. They must live to follow this religion or risk outcas t by the community or even death. In such a decision one does not have the opportunity to choose to not follow the religion because, although it may seem available, most choices against the norm bring with them an extreme consequences.Show MoreRelated The Free Will in Meditations on First Philosophy by Descartes3767 Words   |  16 PagesThe Free Will in Meditations on First Philosophy by Descartes I In Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes takes the reader through a methodological exercise in philosophical enquiry. After stripping the intellect of all doubtful and false beliefs, he re-examines the nature and structure of being in an attempt to secure a universally valid epistemology free from skepticism. Hoping for the successful reconciliation of science and theology, Descartes works to reconstruct a new foundationRead MoreThe Question of Free Will: Descartes, Hume, and Nietzsche Essay2067 Words   |  9 Pagesnecessity and acting on one’s own discretions, free will still enamors debates today, as it did in the past with philosophers Nietzsche, Descartes, and Hume. There are two strong opposing views on the topic, one being determinism and the other â€Å"free will†. Determinism, or the belief a person lacks free will and all events including human actions are determined by forces outside the will of an individual contrasts the entire premise of free will. R ene Descartes formulates his philosophical work throughRead MoreDescartes s Meditations On First Philosophy1295 Words   |  6 Pagesback for centuries, millennia even. Over the years, many great thinkers have struggled to either defend or discredit this belief, a belief that has managed to spread to every corner of the globe. One such thinker is Renà © Descartes. In his Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes attempts to provide logical reasoning to support the existence of God, both asserting his own claims and defending them against possible objections. A prevalent argument against the existence of God is the simple fact thatRead MoreDescartes 4th Meditation Essays802 Words   |  4 PagesAfter Descartes goes over what he has previously covered, including his proving that God exists and that God is perfect, he begins his fourth meditation. In this meditation, titled Truth and falsity, Descartes contemplates how he, Descartes makes mistakes if he is a product of this perfect being. First, he knows that God would not deceive him, since the will to deceive is a sign of weakness or hatred, and Gods perfection would not allow it. Second, if God created him, God is responsible for hisRead MoreThe Philosophy Of Descartes Meditations1698 Words   |  7 PagesDescartes Meditations is said to be the beginning of Western Philosophy. His writings are still greatly referred to to this day, and he is most famous for his quote â€Å"cogito ergo sum† which translates to â€Å"I think, therefore I am.† Each of Descartes’ meditations are followed by objections from other theologists and philosophers, and thereon followed by replies from Descartes. Some objections are made stronger than others, for example, Thomas Hobbes, and it could be doubted whether or not DescartesRead MoreDescartes Meditations Is The Beginning Of Western Philosophy1690 Words   |  7 PagesDescartes Meditations is the beginning of Western Philosophy. His writings as still greatly referred to to this day, and he is most famous for his quote â€Å"cogito ergo sum† which translates to â€Å"I think, therefore I am.† Each of Descartes’ Meditations is followed by objections from other theologists and philosophers, and thereon followed by replies from Descartes. Some objections are made stronger than others, for example, Thomas Hobbes, and it could be doubted whether or not Descartes truly was ableRead MoreEssay about Rene Descartes Faith and Reason1292 Words   |  6 PagesRene Descartes Faith and Reason The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries witnessed a colossal transition in the scientific view of the universe. During this period a profound rethinking of scientific theory as well as moral and religious matters took place. Traditional ideas were reconsidered by religious thinkers. Philosophers began applying rational scientific thought to problems that they considered. The main concept of the Scientific Revolution was to question everything. The ScientificRead MoreEssay on Descartes vs Locke1257 Words   |  6 Pageslargely by experience, observation, and sensory perception. Renà © Descartes and John Locke, both seventeenth century philosophers, are often seen as two of the first early modern philosophers. Both Descartes and Locke attempt to find answers to the same questions in metaphysics and epistemology; among these: What is knowledge? Is there certainty in knowledge? What roles do the mind and body play in the acquisition of knowledge? Descartes and Locke do not provide the same answers to these questions. InRead More The Meditations by Rene Descartes1003 Words   |  5 PagesIn Descartes’ Meditations, his goal to prove the existence of things could only be accomplished if he was logical, clear, and correct in his thoughts and writings. The most important issues he noted were the threat of being deceived and the potential of being incorrect in his judgments, both of which would lead him into error. Error exists as a problem that individuals encounter on a regular basis, and it also exists as a focal point in Descartes’ Meditations. Descartes defines error as â€Å"a privationRead MoreDescartes And Spinoza On The Freedom Of Human Will904 Words   |  4 Pagesour own decisions and judgements or is our will powerless and our actions and decisions are predetermined by prior causes? Well, there are two philosophers named Descartes and Spinoza that have had some disagreements about the human will and will give you their accounts about why their argument is stronger than the other. Descartes account of the will starts from the very nature of the will. The nature of will is given from God to give or withhold assent; to act on desires. When the will and

General Information By Kathleen T. Williams - 1066 Words

General Information Published in 2007 by Kathleen T. Williams, in conjunction with Pearson Assessment, the Expressive Vocabulary Test, Second Edition (EVT-2) is considered an individually administered, norm-referenced vocabulary assessment (Williams, 2007). The EVT-2 is the second edition of the original Expressive Vocabulary Test by Kathleen T. Williams. As the updated version of the original Expressive Vocabulary Test, the EVT-2 includes new features such as a â€Å"second, parallel form for examiners to test and retest to monitor growth and evaluate response to intervention, full-color illustrations that are larger than the illustrations of its predecessor, additional labeling items for a smoother transition into the synonym task and provide a broader sampling of vocabulary for older examinees† (Williams, 2007). According to the publisher, the EVT-2 is available for various settings, however, currently it is only available in the English language (Williams, 2007). In order to accommodate for those who may have special needs (i.e., the hearing-or vision-impaired), the EVT-2 manual provides suggested adaptations that will allow that population to participate in the assessment. In order to access the complete EVT-2 kit for assessment purposes, it will cost the purchaser USD $419 if they choose to purchase through the Pearson publishing company. This complete kit includes the manual, administration easels, 25 record forms for Form A and B, as well as a carrying bag (Williams,Show MoreRelatedObesity : The Fight Against Obesity1425 Words   |  6 PagesOBESITY ENG 122 English Composition II Eunice Williams Ashford University Instructor: Matthew Fox October 6, 2014 While for many feel that obesity is a personal and must be fought in secret with no involvement of anyone else, many will disagree with that because obesity affects every tax payer and impair a community as a whole. Obesity is a big problem here in my America and it has to be a matter of public discussion. This fight can be done through a lot of places, churches, physicianRead MoreLeading and Managing Change in Clinical Practice2930 Words   |  12 Pagesan issue in evidence-based practice. 66% of the interviewed registered nurses stated that the largest obstacle they faced in finding research evidence for evidence-based research was that they do not have sufficient time to search and read this information. 45% of the registered nurses identified the second largest obstacle was that the evidence they were able to find was often in a state which was difficult for them to analyze. It was also revealed that about 1 in every 4 nurses (27%) have the perceptionRead MoreCardiac Arrest and Rapid Response Team4949 Words   |  20 PagesCPNP/PMHNP, FNAP, FAAN; Williamson, Kathleen M. PhD, RN Author Information Susan B. 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Administration of Roman Empire During Augustus Reign free essay sample

Augustus developed a new administration for the empire in three different levels: those in Rome, Italy, and the provinces. Besides from being emperor, Augustus acquired multiple titles and offices that conferred on him the ultimate leadership of the Roman Empire while maintaining the trappings of the Republic. The office of imperator gave him full authority over the Roman legions. The title of â€Å"Princeps† acknowledged his position as first citizen and first among equals with members of the Roman Senate. He shared pro-consular power with the Senate, giving him governing authority of various provinces and direct command of the legions in them. He also had greater pro-consular power, which gave him authority over all other governors in the provinces that he did not directly control. Tribunician power granted him the authority of the tribune, giving him the right to call assemblies, the right of veto power, and the right to appeal to citizens. We will write a custom essay sample on Administration of Roman Empire During Augustus Reign or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Consular power granted Augustus the power to call the Senate and chair meetings and also gave him vast legal and administrative powers. Upon taking all these offices, Augustus effectively replaced what had previously been delegated to single magistrate under the Republic. Augustus wanted to ensure to rebuilt the empire and leave it as a strong and legendary empire after his time. He transformed Rome in various ways. The administrative structures of the capital had become outdated and Augustus adjusted them drastically to suit the new realities. Augustus assured to restore and complete monuments that were either left damaged or incomplete, â€Å"and through the creation of new works symbolizing the grandeur of the regime and celebrating the Pax Augusta, Augustus aimed to make Rome the most beautiful city in the world†. Monuments depicted visually what Augustan poetry worshiped in words, all providing all with a material imagery of imperial ideology. Augustus paid special attention to four areas of the capital: the Roman Forum, the Forum of Augustus, the Campus Martius, and the Palatine. He also accomplished many major road projects, in order to create easy access to and from Rome and center it in the middle of the Empire. â€Å"In 7 BCE, he divided the urban territory into fourteen districts (regions), each in the charge of a magistrate chosen by lot from the praetors, tribunes of plebs and aediles. These districts were themselves divided (in total) into 265 quarters (vici)†. All the divisions and the entire administration of the capital came under senatorial rank. Italy, in a similar manner, was divided into eleven regions. It was divided for several reasons, undoubtedly for fiscal purposes and voting at their place of origin. Italy consisted of a large population ranging from five to eight million people, and it shared a similar administration as Rome, simply on a larger scale. Italy transitioned easily, but a different approach was taken in regards to the provinces outside of Italy. Indifferent to (rather than respectful of) indigenous traditions, Augustan governors also realized that a strict enforcement of conformity to Roman social structures might pressure provincials into undesirable reactions†. Therefore, the administrators established themselves in the administrative and social organizations that preexisted, however, they gradually exploited and shaped the organizations in order to suit Roman interests. In senatorial provinces, the Senate chose the governors. Meanwhile, the emperor chose the governors of the imperial provinces. Augustus changed the administration of the entire empire. He first became emperor and obtained many titles and powers. He placed many administrators in charge of all the Roman provinces as well as in Rome and Italy. Augustus placed much on restoring and creating new public works in Rome, such as, monuments, buildings, and roads. Augustus made many positive changes in order to leave a legendary city of Rome as well as a legendary empire. Works Cited 1. Le, Glay Marcel. , Jean-Louis Voisin, Bohec Yann. Le, and David Cherry. A History of Rome. Chichester, West Sussex, U. K. : Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. 237-238. Print. [ 1 ]. Le, Glay Marcel. Jean-Louis Voisin, Bohec Yann. Le, and David Cherry. A History of Rome. Chichester, West Sussex, U. K. : Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. 237. Print. [ 2 ]. Le, Glay Marcel. , Jean-Louis Voisin, Bohec Yann. Le, and David Cherry. A History of Rome. Chichester, West Sussex, U. K. : Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. 238. Print. [ 3 ]. Le, Glay Marcel. , Jean-Louis Voisin, Bohec Yann. Le, and David Cherry. A History of Rome. Chichest er, West Sussex, U. K. : Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. 238. Print. [ 4 ]. Le, Glay Marcel. , Jean-Louis Voisin, Bohec Yann. Le, and David Cherry. A History of Rome. Chichester, West Sussex, U. K. : Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. 237. Print.

The Role of the Financial Manager

Nokia Corporation used to be one of the key leaders in the international market of mobile devices. Nokia is well-known for the superior quality of its mobile devices and navigation products. The company develops and supplies cell phones and smartphones, mobile computers and applications, as well as Internet services like music and messaging (Yahoo Finance, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of the Financial Manager – Nokia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nokia’s current financial profile is not very attractive: the company failed to retain its leadership in the smartphone market and has almost lost its smartphone business (Butcher, 2010). The company is fighting to restore its position in the financial market, and the price of its shares slowly increases. Whether or not Nokia manages to improve its strategic and financial position depends on the quality and efficiency of the new CEOâ⠂¬â„¢s decisions and actions. Nokia, one of the leaders in the international market of mobile devices, is currently listed on the Frankfurt, Helsinki, and New York Stock Exchanges (Nokia, 2011). The latest closing data for the NYSE shows that the price of Nokia’s shares does not exceed $6.02 (Nokia, 2011; Yahoo Finance, 2011). The 52-week range for Nokia is $5.81-11.75, and it is possible to assume that Nokia is currently near the bottom of its financial performance (Yahoo Finance, 2011). The company was able to improve its financial position in the NYSE, but its corporate future does not look very bright. The company is facing numerous strategic issues. At the end of May, Nokia announced that it would not be able to make any profits on phone sales (Arthur, 2011). The company feels too weak against its competitors, Google and Apple: the former sells millions of cell phones with Android operating system, whereas the latter has turned its iPhone into the source of unprecedented profits (Arthur, 2011). The popularity of Nokia products in Europe and China is decreasing because of price (Arthur, 2011). Whether or not Nokia manages to improve its financial position depends upon the quality and efficiency of the new CEO’s strategic decisions. At the end of 2010, Nokia decided to replace its CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo with Stephen Elop, who used to be the head of a business division at Microsoft (Butcher, 2010). Today, Elop is Nokia’s CEO (Nokia, 2011). Before Elop became the new Nokia’s CEO, he said that his main task was to lead the company through the period of change (Butcher, 2010). Elop was confident that superior financial performance was one of his main professional goals (Butcher, 2010). Little has changed since then: the company is losing its customers and cannot retain its position in the mobile devices market.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The company lost nearly 33% in stock prices over the last year (Yahoo Finance, 2011). Its payout ratio is 63.00% and its return on equity is 8.80% (Yahoo Finance, 2011). Apparently, Nokia is in the dire straits of the mobile devices business and needs an entirely new strategy to improve and capitalize its market position. Compared to 2010, investors holding Nokia’s shares have lost nearly 18%. Nokia hopes that its new CEO will give an impetus to the company’s movement towards new strategic highs. Obviously, the company needs a major move to remain competitive in the technological age. Positive changes in stock prices suggest that Nokia has a chance to revive itself against its competitors, but to make it happen, Nokia needs an entirely new strategic vision, mission, and direction. Years may pass before Nokia restores its position in the international mobile and cell phone industry. Until then, all Nokia can do is to fight with the ghost mills of its former popularity, while other technological giants are developing and selling brand new products. References Arthur, C. (2011). Nokia shares dive after sales warning. The Guardian. Web. Butcher, M. (2010). Nokia’s new CEO has a mobile mountain to climb. Tech Crunch. Web. Nokia. (2011). Investors resources. Nokia. Web. Yahoo Finance. (2011). Nokia Corporation. Yahoo Finance. Web.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of the Financial Manager – Nokia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This essay on The Role of the Financial Manager – Nokia was written and submitted by user Rockslide to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here. The Role of the Financial Manager

Picture of Dorian Gray and Devil Wears Prada Essay

Picture of Dorian Gray and Devil Wears Prada Essay The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Devil Wears Prada Essay The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Devil Wears Prada Essay Speaking about superficiality and corruption of a personality, it is evident that these are the negative phenomena that spoil an individual, damage his/her positive characteristics, and destroy his/her moral image. Everything, even the nature of a personality, is built on opposition. It means that a personality tears between good and evil, conscience and temptation, love and egoism, positive and negative moral influences. The struggle of these oppositions is depicted in the novel of Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray and in the American movie The Devil Wears Prada. The main characters of the novel and the movie did not struggle for staying moral people and followed not positive examples. The Negative Consequences of Superficiality and Corruption in The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Devil Wears Prada In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Lord Henry gives Dorian Gray a French book about hedonistic lifestyles and Dorian begins to engage in this hedonism. They are focused on pleasure, enjoyment, beauty, and sexual desires. In The Devil wears Prada, Andrea, a quiet girl, is turning into a different person by being influenced by the fashion society both physically and mentally. Dorian is a superficial person, as well as Andrea becomes superficial in the fashion society. In both works, corruption would eventually emerge towards the end. Dorian appears as the innocent youth at the beginning of the novel. Under Lord Henrys influence, he becomes corrupt and eventually begins corrupting other young people himself. Superficiality in The Picture of Dorian Gray is connected with the notions of selfishness, supernatural beauty, narcissism, false love, cynics, etc. Corruption is associated with â€Å"the corrupted beauty† when a person has a beautiful appearance, but an ugly soul. However, this person is not aware of this or does not want to do this. Superficiality in The Devil Wears Prada is connected with correspondence of an inner world to clothes and laws of fashion. Superficiality and corruption are displayed in this film when the main character is transformed from a shy and intelligent girl into a fashionable and stylish one. However, this is not her intention. She is influenced by her boss Miranda. The scientific novelty of the paper attempts to analyze The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Devil Wears Prada and to identify similarities and differences between the main characters. This paper intends to underline the peculiarities of superficiality, corruption, and negative influence with the help of two characters: Andrea and Dorian Gray. The theoretical value of this study is the attempt to investigate similarities and differences of the novel and the movie. The obtained data is hoped to make a contribution to the literature. The aim is to show the immorality of actions of the two characters and conditions that influenced their development. The practical advantage of the paper is the fact that one can apply the data to studying literature. Besides, one can use this paper for studying moral principles of behavior. The main questions addressed in this research paper are the following: to reveal main themes, images, and similarities in The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Devil Wears Prada; to show the impact of â€Å"negative consequences†, â€Å"superficiality†, and â€Å"corruption†; and to reveal changes in the characters behaviour. Main Themes, Images, and Similarities in The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Devil Wears Prada Speaking about The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Devil Wears Prada, one can say that these are absolutely different works with different characters and themes. However, if one analyzes both works carefully, one can find many similarities, especially in terms of central themes and images. First of all, one should pay the attention to themes. The Picture of Dorian Gray arouses the theme of corruption of a personality. A young and extremely handsome man Dorian Gray makes everybody fall in love with him. However, Dorian Gray is influenced negatively and corrupted by Lord Henry. This is Lord Henry who incites Dorian Gray to admire his appearance. Dorian Gray is even ready to give up his soul for being eternally young. He sells his soul and does not even think that it was the most valuable treasure he had. With the help of The Picture of Dorian Gray, the author proved that the amoral art did not exist, â€Å"the moral life of man forms part of the subject-matter of the artist, but the morality of art consists in the perfect use of an imperfect medium† (Wilde 5). Another theme revealed in this novel is the theme of morality. The image of Dorian Gray helps to understand that any immoral actions can have the negative consequences. Beauty cannot make the soul beautiful as only moral actions can do this. Philosophy of morality is very intricate and one can notice that in The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Devil Wears Prada. The two main characters, Andrea and Dorian Gray, have their own philosophy of morality. While Andrea hesitates in her actions and doubts the morality of her choices, Dorian Gray does not admit his immoral conduct. This is Lord Henry who turns Dorian Gray to immorality. He is convinced that one should live for pleasure, realizing ones wishes and desires even if it contradicts moral principles and rules. This is a life credo of Lord Henry and he imposes it on Dorian Gray. He says: The mutilation of the savage has its tragic survival in the self-denial that mars our lives. We are punished for our refusals. (†¦) The body sins once, and is done with its sin, for action is a mode of purification. Nothing remains but the recollection of a pleasure, or luxury of a regret. The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, with desire for what its monstrous laws have made monstrous and unlawful. (Wilde 25) Comparing with all the characters in this novel, Dorian Gray is the most selfish and cynical one, especially when it concerns love. For example, Basil’s position is: â€Å"Do not talk like that about anyone you love, Dorian. Love is a more wonderful thing than Art† (Wilde 73). As a result, Dorian Gray does not know love and sincere feelings. The main problem of this novel is the corruption of the soul. Oscar Wilde described in details the process of destruction of the personality because of selfishness and narcissism. The main image of this novel is Dorian Gray and one can observe his evolution under the influence of people who surround him, his attitude to himself, his understanding of beauty and superiority. One can name Dorian Gray a weak person as he is a conformist; he is restricted to his own world and is limited in terms of development. Implicit homoerotic themes are hidden in The Portrait of Dorian Gray. The relationships between Harry, Dorian, and Basil display queer connection, autoerotism, and homosexuality. The portrait symbolizes a queer man with double life, split of self-representation as the element of survival, split between essence and appearance, struggle with identity, and contradiction between the inner world and the exterior one. The portrait is a form of self-love, erotic penetration, homosexual love, and autoerotism (Hansen 2011). As to the movie The Devil Wears Prada, the main theme is the desire of the main character to get into the snooty fashionable environment. Andrea withstands everything like mockery, sneers, humiliation in order to prove that she is ready to do anything to get this job. At first, Andrea is indifferent to the attitude of her colleagues and her boss Miranda. However, soon she begins changing and listening to advice of surrounding people. Who keeps company with the wolf will learn to howl and the same happens with Andrea. Comparing with Dorian Gray who provokes very contradictory feelings, Andrea evokes sympathy, desire to help and support. In spite of her beauty, she is persuaded that she is far from perfection and that she can never reach such a level as Miranda. If in Dorian Gray one could see too much self-confidence and selfishness, here one could see too much underestimation and lack of self-confidence. In both cases, there is no golden middle ground. Too much self-confidence is as bad as lack of self-confidence. Dorian Gray is in a better condition as he is only busy with himself and his life. However, Andrea should struggle for taking a comfortable place in the society. She works a lot and is as busy as a bee. One cannot say that she is self-centered. However, this self-centrism is felt when Andrea turns into fashionable woman who reaches her goals and gets the job. It is also necessary to mention that Andrea has chosen the wrong example to follow, i.e. Miranda. Miranda does not admit love, feelings, sympathy, etc. She is completely devoted to her career. As to Dorian Gray, he listens to Lord Henry who convinces him of his beauty. Ellmann states: â€Å"Dorian has like Wilde experimented with two forms of sexuality, love of women and men† (p. 297). However, studying the relationships of Dorian Grey and his attitude to men and women, one can say that this narcissistic boy is not able to love. He does not know the real essence of these feelings. Dorian Gray’s aim is to seduce and then to ruin a person. The chemist Alan Campbell and Lady Gwendolen are the victims of his love. Impact of Negative Consequences of Influences, Superficiality, and Corruption on Dorian Gray and Adrian Speaking about the notion of superficiality in The Picture of Dorian Gray, it is necessary to mention that this notion is connected with youth and beauty. Youth and beauty are not everlasting things; that is why, one who pays too much attention to them is superficial and selfish. In this novel, beauty reigns. Dorian Gray is completely devoted to himself; he studies rare tapestries, jewels, and music. He distances himself from everyday routine. In The Devil Wears Prada, the notion of superficiality is connected with the tough world of fashion business. Andrea, on the contrary, is completely absorbed in her work and career, completely forgetting about her private life. One can notice that Andrea lives not her life, but a life of her boss Miranda. Andrea forgets about her life she had before accepting the job. She changes her image in terms of clothes and these changes influence her inner world. In The Picture of Dorian Gray, there are the negative consequences of influences. Dorian Gray is influenced by Lord Henry who convinces Dorian of his beauty and changes his vision of life. Dorian Gray lives in a society where beauty, physical attractiveness, and youth are highly estimated. As a result, Dorian is influenced badly by a high society. In The Devil Wears Prada, there are also the negative consequences of influences, but they have a different nature comparing with the novel about Dorian Gray. Andrea is influenced by her boss Miranda and her colleagues. Besides, it is her success that makes her change. Andrea lives in a society where success, career, fashionable clothes are highly estimated. The superficiality of the society is â€Å"the driving force† of corruption for Dorian Gray and Andrea and â€Å"restraining force† of the development of their soul and inner world. As a result, Dorian Gray experiences freedom, forgetting about any moral and ethical principles. There is much evidence proving that a person is developing when he/she is busy with any affair. As to Dorian Gray, he is completely absorbed in art, but such devotion limits him and provokes his immoral behavior. Speaking about Andrea, she is also devoted to her career too much, forgetting about her friends and pleasant moments of her life. Such devotion deprives her of happiness and satisfaction. For his part, Dorian Gray has power over Basil and manipulates him like he himself has been manipulated by Lord Henry. Lord Henry states: â€Å"Something terribly enthralling in the exercise of influence.† Indeed, it is very difficult to avoid somebodys influence, but it is possible to balance this influence and define whether it is positive or negative. Speaking about the level of corruption of Dorian Gray and Andrea, it is necessary to say that they are different. Dorian Gray undergoes complete corruption of his soul, but with Andrea it is only partial corruption. Moreover, Andrea changes her behavior as at the beginning she is shown as a modest and very kind-hearted girl. One cannot say this about Dorian Gray. Not less important aspect of The Portrait of Dorian Gray and The Devil Wears Prada is the corruption of personality. When it comes to Dorian Gray, one may speak about complete corruption, including all sides of his life. As to Andrea, she is corrupted not completely as she has her own opinion and attitude to life. These two characters differ in their character and will. Despite Dorian being self-confident and selfish, he is a weak personality. He does not know how to struggle for being himself. He undergoes quick changes under the influence of other people. Andrea is a strong personality, but on the background of Miranda she is becoming a weak one. Andrea is characterized with lack of self-confidence and uncertainty. Dorian Gray is aware of his physical beauty, so there is no evolution in his attitude to himself. Andrea is not aware of her beauty and her talent in the fashion business, so one can notice the evolution in her attitude to herself. Even without any evolutions in the Dorians behaviour, a reader observes the ugliness of his soul. Without doubt, a novel The Picture of Dorian Gray and a movie The Devil Wears Prada have many similarities, especially when it concerns themes and images. Both characters have suffered from corruption, negative influence, and superficiality. These are really problematic points, and in spite of differences in characters behavior and education, their actions prove their weakness and unwillingness to be themselves. Both sources are common in that their characters want to be in the centre of attention, to be praised, admired, and impressed. Dorian Gray has it in his blood. As to Andrea, she wants this under the influence of her surrounding in which she spends too much time. The main thing is that the authors of these works do not condemn the behavior of the characters. They give an opportunity to their readers and viewers to make their own conclusions. Differences in the behaviour of Dorian Gray can be explained through the theme of private life. In The Picture of Dorian Gray, there are triangular relationships of Dorian Gray, Lord Henry Wotton, and Basil Hallward. However, studying the relationships of Dorian Gray and his attitude to men and women, one can say that this narcissistic boy is not able to love. He does not know the real essence of these feelings. Dorian Gray’s aim is to seduce and then to ruin a person. The chemist Alan Campbell and Lady Gwendolen are the victims of his love. As to Andrea, she has a loving man who condemns her passion of the fashion business and her changes; that is why, Andrea is not as corrupted as Dorian Gray. Frankly speaking, The Devil Wears Prada helps to understand The Picture of Dorian Gray in a bit different light. At first, I categorically condemned the actions of Dorian Gray. However, Andrea helped me to understand that she was not corrupted completely as she was a strong personality and she had friends and a loving man who began to ignore her because of her conduct. As to Dorian Gray, he was too weak to struggle with selfishness and people who surrounded him (they were not his friends) and only reinforced this selfishness and love of himself. The Devil Wears Prada helped me to understand that the problems of corruption, negative influence, and superficiality are modern notions. In spite of changes of values in the society, the problem remains urgent and sharp. live CHAT In conclusion, it is necessary to say that the themes of The Portrait of Dorian Gray and The Devil Wears Prada are similar. Superficiality and corruption of the personality are depicted differently in both works. In The Portrait of Dorian Gray, the narcissistic nature of the main character is evident. One cannot become selfish as one is born selfish, and this feature is developing under the influence of different circumstances and people. Comparing with Dorian Gray who provokes very contradictory feelings, Andrea evokes sympathy, desire to help and support. In spite of her beauty, she is persuaded that she is far from perfection and that she could never reach such a level as Miranda. If in Dorian Gray one could see too much self-confidence and selfishness, here one could see too much underestimation and lack of self-confidence. In both cases, there is no golden middle ground. Too much self-confidence is as bad as lack of self-confidence. In The Picture of Dorian Gray, superficiality is connected with youth and beauty. In The Devil Wears Prada, the notion of superficiality is connected with the tough world of fashion business. In conclusion, it is necessary to say that the themes of The Portrait of Dorian Gray and The Devil Wears Prada are similar. Superficiality and corruption of the personality are depicted differently in both works. In The Portrait of Dorian Gray, the narcissistic nature of the main character is evident. One cannot become selfish, one is born selfish, and this feature is developing under the influence of different circumstances and people.

American Romanticism Literature quiz Essays

American Romanticism Literature quiz Essays American Romanticism Literature quiz Paper American Romanticism Literature quiz Paper Essay Topic: Literature American Renaissance Five year burst of creative energy from 1850-1855 America gained literary independence from Great Britain What happened in American Literature between 1820-1865 1820-1865 What years did the Era of Optimism last? Confidence in the economy, political system, and citizenry of the nation; population of European immigrants rapidly expanded; technological advances such as the Erie Canal, railroad, farming equipment, the revolver, the telegraph, and oil drilling What conditions fueled national optimism? Sectionalism and cultural provincialism What are 2 issues that undermined national optimism? National division between the North and the South; compromises proved to be only temporary solutions; political independence (States Rights) and slavery; civil war What are some causes of sectionalism? Absence of international copyright law; limited perspective and expectation of many American readers; two schools of thought on the issue of a national literature (strikingly American and universality in theme and form) What are some reasons for cultural provincialism? Revolt against the literary values of the previous age; individualism; imagination; emotion displaced reason; nature; the distant What were some romantic emphases in literary romanticism? Individualism What means man as an individual is superior to man in the mass; all men possess the necessary credentials for public office; man is not a fallen creature, just corrupted by corrupting influences in society?

Counting terrorism in Nigeria Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Counting terrorism in Nigeria - Essay Example They are using violence and intimidation in a bid to overthrow the Nigerian government and to replace it with an Islamic one. Boko Haram believes that western education is a sacrilege and is highly prohibited. It has had numerous social, economic and political consequences in the country and should be speedily curbed. The term terrorism is not news to our ears since it has dominated various media outlets. Terrorism has had devastating effects on the political, social and economic development in various societies. The contemporary society is full of mushrooming terrorist groups like Al-Qaida, Taliban, Al-Shabaab, Hezbollah and Boko Haram among others. What is terrorism? The word terrorism, originates from the word terror. According to Hornby (2000), terror is defined as a feeling of extreme fear. â€Å"Terrorism is the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce especially for political purposes† (Dictionary.com 2012). Terrorists often stage sudden attacks on the unsuspecting civilians to push their agenda. Terrorism is an activity that has been condemned by most governments of the world; the United States taking the centre stage. Having explicated terrorism in general, we can now narrow down to a particular terrorist group, Boko Haram, in Nigeria. The paper will explore current terrorist activities in Nigeria by this group. It is in order to understand the term, Boko Haram. According to Domingo (2012), it is a terrorist group that was founded by one Mohammed Yusuf between 2001 and 2002. Northern Nigeria is predominantly occupied by the Kanuri ethnic group, and it is the stronghold of Boko Haram. Terrorist assemblages are often formed and propagated by the drive of revenge, believing that they have suffered historical injustices, which may be religious, political, social and economic in nature. Terrorist groupings do not believe in dialogue and have resorted to barbaric violent ways of handling concerns. They believe that the government is doing

Module 1 and Journal Article Review 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Module 1 and Journal Article Review 1 - Essay Example This change is just an effect of more complicated issues in the society. The changing family structures, the law, the economy, and the innate characteristics of different cultures all contribute to population imbalance between the young and the old. Traditional lifestyle is adapted by most Mexican families, but this did not spare them from the effects of a growing aging population. According to Weaver, â€Å"societal aging may affect economic growth, sustainability of families, and communities to provide resources for older citizens† (â€Å"Why Population† 2). The effect can be largely felt in the economic sector since the future of the workforce is at risk; wherein if there should be a continuous decline of birth rates and rapid increase of the aging population, the future economy would suffer as the nation would seek and import foreign workers. As the economy suffers from the lack of human resource, economy itself is also a major factor in this social shift. Due to th e increased price of basic commodities and other needs related to child rearing such as education, spouses prefer to use modern birth control methods in contrast to the â€Å"God only knows† family size (Weaver â€Å"Aging in Mexico† 3). ... Furthermore, changing perspectives of intimate relationships also contribute much to this issue, which is more complicated than the economic side of the problem since this deals with the opinion and freewill of the people to chose whatever kind of relationship they want. Saying that the kind of relationship they have would develop negative side effects in the economy is against their freedom. The dilemma of having the people gain personal choice and at the same time protecting the national interest would require more studies on social preferences and a solution to fill in employment supply. Article 1 Kevin Kinsella and David Phillips in their article â€Å"Global Aging: The Challenge of Success,† identified what it means to have an economy with an aging population, with the corresponding reasons behind this and their effects on social shifts. Kinsella and Phillips contend that the aging population as a â€Å"success story† also has consequences especially on the economy . There are many factors in the declining birth rates of the population, but major contributors are fertility, sex ratios and the changes in societal perspectives especially to the family. According to Kinsella and Phillips, women nowadays are more adept to the rights concerning their reproductive health and thus, they already take part in deciding family planning. As working mothers continue to rise, the less likely for modern families to have more children. Sex ratio also complicates this problem. In Ukraine, there are only about 50 men per 100 women; more or less, other countries may have the same case. If the ratio would remain disproportionate, many challenges would compromise the

Global Forces Essay Example for Free

Global Forces Essay Introduction This case highlights how the European Brewing Industry is striving to grow and gain competitive advantage worldwide. In line to achieve this there have been a lot of innovation, acqiusitions, mergers and of course rebranding of beer products in the Industry. Companies are further trying to reduce operational costs for improved profit. It is therefore imperative that we analyze the global forces in this industry. 1.A PESTEL ANALYSIS (i)PESTEL FACTOR: Political: Firstly I noted that there have been strong campaigns by Governments to stop drunken driving. This might affect the consumption levels for the beers. More especially when there are functions such as weddings and parties, because during such functions Drivers are tempted to drink as functions unfolds. Also people may start avoiding taking beer from Pubs and restaurants since they are required to drive home from such places. Political effects are further emanating from the Government campaigns against binge drinking or overindulgence on alcoholic beverages, hence discouraging consumers from pubs or any social clubs. This may act as catalyst in the reduction of business opportunities for the brewing companies. I further noted that Governments regulate on how packaging for beer should be done due to environmental issues. For example Denmark the use of Bottles is instead of cans. Politically some this may affect the profitability of some brewing companies in Europe. Economic: The Government’s regulations to restrict alcohol consumption in terms of drunken driving and excessive consumption have really helped in increased sales of beer in supermarkets. As indicated in the case statistics shows that sales increased to 66% in 2005. The shift to Chain Stores has worked to the advantage of the brewing industry as the use cut-price on beer which, attract people to buy the commodity. This scenario or should I simply economically the brewing companies would survive as they are assured of more sales though this is indirect business. However there have been little growth in consumption of alcohol or in a nutshell a shift in demand to the developing economies such as China and Brazil. This requires that the brewing industry in Europe should move its investments to overseas markets. Social Factor: Discouragement of binge-drinking affects some people socially as they are denied happiness that comes with alcohol consumption. Furthermore the highly publicized issues of alcohol effects on Health and fitness cause consumption levels to go down. Due to such awareness people chose to socialize without taking any alcohol in some set ups. Technology: I note from the case the due technological advancement has led to the introduction of new products tailored to peoples tastes such as fruit flavored beers and extra cool lagers. In European brewing industry, it is the technology that makes the products attractive as labeling on packages communicates how good the beers on sales may be and also changes to packaging styles is made easy with technology. It is also clear in the case that there have been economies of scale in brewing and distribution of alcoholic beverages as machineries as readily available due to advancement in technology in Europe. Environment: As stated above the Government’s regulations toward environmental protection affect the brewing industry in the European markets either positively or negatively as they have to change packaging to the preferred bottles than cans. The aim is to sustain the environment hence even consumers are always conscious of such laws as they buy beers. Legal factors: My analysis is that the Brewing Industry in Europe is affected negatively as there are laws to curb binge drinking and drunken driving. I have noted that brewing companies have had low sales a result as people are required to buy their products from chain stores and consume it from homes instead of social clubs or pubs. My conclusion after carrying out the PESTEL analysis is that the Brewing Industry in Europe has potential to grow as there are well established companies that able to merge with other organasations either overseas or locally. Also most brands are well known world over hence able to survive any effects that may impact them negatively due to PESTEL factors. (ii) FIVE FORCE ANALYSIS Threat of New Entrants: The threats of new entrants is low in the European markets due to the following reasons campaigns by governments to curb drunken driving and strong awareness about the effects of alcohol on people’s health makes the business an attractive. It is also a known fact that in areas where there are business leaders who are well established it is difficult for the new entrants to survive as customers switching costs maybe very high. Also the high packaging costs for the product makes it unpredictable as to whether the new entrant will be able to survive. Also the switching cost of customers may be high due to ready established relations and confidence that customers have in some existing brands. Further the upcoming economies such as China or Ukraine makes it very unattractive to establish such a business in Europe as there could less business opportunities. Threats of Substitutes: The threat of substitutes is very high. This is because raw materials are readily available such as barely and other fruits, therefore very is for any orgsanisation to come up a product that my act as substitute. Further Water Industry is taking its shape such that they are now supplying bottled water. This acts as substitute to quench someone’s thirsty, considering that there campaigns for health living and people are now avoiding alcohol to keep fit. Also Laws that govern drunken driving compel customers more especially motorists to take water as a substitute instead of Beers. Moreover due to technological advancement it is very easy to produce substitute products such as Juices that may be appealing to consumers and such is obtaining in the European Markets as these can be consumed in clubs and Pubs. Lastly the move to high consumption of wines in the United Kingdom than usual beers makes it very clear that the threats of substitutes are high. Supplier’s Bargaining Power: It is clear that the suppliers bargaining power is high. For example it noted that the Packaging industry is highly concentrated in Europe and is dominated by international organizations, as such there are no substitutes to packaging hence suppliers of such materials are on the advantageous side. In addition suppliers are on good side in Europe due to the fact that production costs in the Brewing Industry are there is need treat the supplier’s well in order to operate effectively and efficiently. This gives supplier high bargaining power. Buyer’s Bargaining Power: I can simply say buyers are consumers of the products under discussion. In this context their bargaining power is very. This is because they have a wide choice of such products, this means they able to choose which brand or change at any time. Since there are a lot of substitutes available the switching costs are low hence no impact on them. Further customers would survive whether they consume the product or not. They choose when to buy and when not to, this mean that there is no concentration of buyers. Hence their bargaining power is low. Competitive Rivalry: The competition in this industry in the European Market is high. This is due to the fact that consumption levels have been reducing hence all producers have to sell their products to a reduced number of customers. Furthermore there are a lot of new brands arising from emerging markets such as fruit flavored and other exotic beers from international markets. What make competition much high are the distribution channels. The beers are distributed through supermarkets and it’s up to the brewing companies to do a lot of advertising in order to catch the consumer’s eye while shopping in supermarkets. In my conclusion I have noticed the Brewing Business in Europe is very ugly for the new entrants. It is therefore incumbent upon the existing companies to take up survival strategies such merging with others or acquisitioning of shares in the emerging markets such as Russia, China and Baltic Countries. They should also endeavor to re-brand themselves and try to enter other international markets such as Africa where customers are easily attracted to beers from overseas and there are less entry barriers. 2.Impact of trends on the four companies (a)Heineken in Netherlands: This company is named the biggest in European Beer Industry. However in order to survive the flooded market its target is to go in to international markets and use the local companies that they may acquire to introduce their beer. Transferring of Knowledge and technology is another way it aims to strengthen its new markets. The impact is that this company would grow they take up survival measures in the manner outlined above. (b)It’s strength : It holds five percent of sales in Asia-Pacific and 17% in Americas this puts in a good position when it comes to business share in a market where there is high competition. Heineken is better placed in terms of strength has it is the producer of worldly known brands such Heineken and Amstel. Due to family controlled aspect it becomes stable and independent in terms of business growth even in international markets. Economies of scale gives makes it strong considering that brewing is costly in Europe and in a nutshell it is secondary to non in brewing industry in Europe hence claims its strength in these area. Form the case I have deduced that the other strength is that they have a vision or simply where they want to be regardless of the competition industry where they operate from. I also noticed that another strength that Heineken has, is financial capacity to implement new projects as fast as possible as funding is always available for such. Heineken’s Weaknesses: Firstly weakness that, I have picked that they are unable to be innovative due family controlled. This means they may lack new ideas as the family may always influence decision making to suit their investments thus may be compelled to do things in the same manner hence lagging behind. This may result in non existence of new product development in the organization. A high price of Packaging Materials is another weakness at Heineken. They have no control or other sources for such materials this more reason why they complained of 11% price escalation. (ii)Grolsch (The Netherlands) (a)The impact if these existing business trends will cause Grolsh to push for mergers with other international organizations as it commands other brands such as US Miller and flavored beers such as grapefruit. It is also clear that it may require channeling much of resources to branding and innovation since that’s its strategy in line to survive. They believe that better looking product will attract a lot of business such green bottles and swing tops. (b) It’s Strength and Weakness One of its strength is long existence. It is on record that it was established in 1615 hence experienced hence may attract customer royalty as issues of closure may not easily arise. It has further embarked on centralization hence increase in terms of production volume which results in reduced cost. Grolsch also supplies variety of products this is strength as it gives it competitive advantage in the market in which it operates. Furthermore the other strength is its innovation in order to achieve its strategy. It’s Weakness Though its brewery is centralized it is single, thus pose a high risk in that in case of any challenges there can be no production at all. It also lacks financial muscle for example in 2005 when their colleagues Heineken made amassed 11.8 billion British Pounds Grolsch’s income from sales was only 313 Million Pounds hence very easy to fold. (iii)InBEv (Belgium/Brazil) (a)Impact of these trends: Even though InBev is the largest brewer in the world with a huge financial power it cannot survive with the existing trends in European markets. How can it survive? For it to stay alive it should strive to acquire other well established companies in the world. Since the world is more global now its strategy should be to built more global brands and increase it efficiency via purchasing and technology. The trends have impacted positively on InBev has it now sets its direction to growth through the above. (b) InBev’s Strengths The first strength is that it is the largest in the world; it is ranked either number one or two in about twenty lands. It has a sound financial position hence able to establish businesses anywhere in the world. In addition InBev is already established in emerging markets such as Chine and Brazil though acquisitions. It has well known brands such Beck’s and Stella Artois InBev’s Weaknesses Lack of analysis before acquiring other companies, for example it acquired a certain company whose brands were declining in terms sales, such acquisitions may turn out to be loses. (iv)Scottish and Newcastle (UK) (a)Impact of trends on the organization: Due to the business trends Scottish and Newcastle should be able to a lot of acquisitions in the UK being the market in which it operates; this would act as a point of growth. In line to gain competitive advantage the changing trends has pushed this company to invest in the fast growing markets such as Baltic Beverages where it has put fifty percent and China in CBC twenty Percent. (b) Scottish and Newcastle’s Strengths: It gains its strength by possessing strong brands such as John Smith, Baltika and Fosters. The strength are also drawn from its investments in fast growing economies such as China and Baltic nations, this may result in profitability regardless on competition in Europe. They are also market leaders in France, the United Kingdom and Russia as observed this is a very good strength for Scottish and New castle as competitive advantage is not easily achievable in these areas. It’s Weaknesses: Scottish and Newcastle’s financial position is not adequate for the high completion it is exposed to in this industry. My conclusion in to this assignment is that the Brewing Industry in the European Markets is highly competitive hence the need for companies to be innovative them to survive. There is also need for bigger companies to adopt strategies of acquisitioning of small ones so that they may expand their brands. Companies in this industry also need to spread their web to other countries if they are to gain competitive advantage. Bibliography HUNGER DJ/WHEELER TL (5th ed) (1992) Essentials of Strategic Management Global Forces. Online available from: www.opp.com. [Accessed 13 September 2012] 3H Strategy and international business. Online available from: www.dur.ac.uk. [Accessed 13 September 2012]

The Theological Dilemma of Pain and Suffering Essay -- The Problem Of P

The existence of pain and suffering in a world created by a good and almighty God is a fundamental theological dilemma and may be the most serious objection to the Christian religion. In the book, The Problem Of Pain , author C.S. Lewis addresses the issue of pain as a mere problem that demands a solution; he formulates it and goes about solving it. "If God were good, He would make His creatures perfectly happy, and if He were almighty He would be able to do what He wished. But the creatures are not happy. Therefore God lacks either goodness, or power, or both" (p. 16). According to Lewis, this is the problem of pain in its simplest form. In his attempt to solve the problem of pain Lewis evaluates the past and the origin of religion, he offers his interpretation of the various justifications for why pain exists in today's society, and explains how one should deal with pain in order to live out God's will in the future. This essay will examine these rationales and will conclude with a n analysis on how Lewis handles the four foundational sources for understanding the will of God through scripture, tradition, history, and modern context. Lewis evaluates the past in order to explain the problem of pain. He does this by examining the origin of religion and discussing the three elements associated with all developed religions, in addition to an added one in Christianity. The first element is the experiences of the Numinous. Humans are capable of sensing the divine and spiritual presence through the Numinous. The Numinous is a mixed feeling of awe and dread and distinct from fear. Lewis states that there are two possible views of Numinous. The first is that it is simply in the mind and serves no biological function; yet will not disa... ...ainst the traditional and historical interpretations of the scriptures in the Bible. In addition, in becomes apparent early on in his book that Lewis does not believe the Adam and Eve story can be taken seriously by his audience at a literal level in a Darwinian age. In conclusion, Lewis relies heavily on scripture, tradition, and history to explain evilness in terms of the Fall of man, to reject theories of Monism and Dualism, to justify how a good Creator could make a bad creature, and to convey the concept of hell. Conversely, Lewis relies on modern context when questioning God's omnipotence. All in all, Lewis relies to some extent on all four foundational sources in order to understand the will of God and attempt to solve the problem of pain. Works Cited Lewis, C. S. The Problem of Pain. New York: Macmillan, 1962. Print.

Arfa Batik Essay

From the backyard of the founders house, our exclusive hand drawn batik is now a multi million ringgit industry with markets as far ranging as Europe and the Middle East. Our batik fashion house or haute couture combines contemporary design and traditional Malay motifs into batik of simple elegance, and are very much sought out by discerning customers from around the world. WHAT WE DO We are involve in various batik production processes from manufacturing from printing, colouring/dyeing, designing and tailoring, wholesaling, exporting to retailing of our batik products. We seek to open a chain of Noor Arfa Batik retail throughout the world through franchising. Noor Arfa is Malaysian’s largest commercial Batek producer. Noor Arfa has built a reputation as the leading manufacturer of superior hand – drawn fashion items and accessories. We also train and develop master craftsmen that consistently produce quality with excellence. We stand out as leader in our industry in the way we have perfected the art of combining distinct colour with classic designs and traditional Malay motives, to create Batek of simple elegance. The Market Noor Arfa Franchise operates in a dynamic and evolving marketplace. Consumers are presented with many options for batik textile and we see a growing interest in fashionable and contemporary batik that address the need to be trendy and yet unique in identity. We find our customers desiring the look that is Malaysian and yet global in application. Noor Arfa addresses this gap in the market by providing a more comprehensive product range that addresses the various needs of the different segment of the market for batik wear and textile. Our customers would also not have to worry about quality as we provide a consistent buying experience with our quality policy which is to produce excellent quality product that satisfy our customer needs. We also believe there are other areas of the market that would benefit from our products which we have not yet targeted. For example we see huge potential in offering our product to the trendy and fashionable young market which is looking for cool and â€Å"in† fashion wear. This is an area of the market that is fully aware of the benefits of self identity and yet contemporary.

Economics Of The Movie Business Essay

In this section I provide a review of the movie business with an emphasis on how blind bidding evolved from the Golden Age of Hollywood in the 1930‘s and 1940‘s until its demise in the beginning of 1986. For many decades blind bidding was not a concern for theater owners, because it was not the dominant method by which films were licensed. During the Golden Age, block booking was the way a majority of films were licensed. With this method, high and low quality films were sold together in a bundle to theater owners, without an opportunity to trade screen them. The landmark United States vs. Paramount et al. decision by the Supreme Court in 1948 altered the motion picture distribution system. The five major movie companies that produced, distributed, and operated theaters as well as the three studios which did not own theaters were all found in violation of the Sherman Act for attempting to monopolize the industry. One of the major consequences of this decision was the elimination of block booking. After the Paramount decision, films were licensed by product splitting, open bidding, or blind bidding. Product splitting was when theater owners decided among themselves which one had the first opportunity to negotiate for a film with a movie studio in a given market. Open bidding referred to a situation in which theater owners had the opportunity to trade screen films before bidding. Blind bidding was used infrequently until the 1960‘s, which prompted a two-year agreement from January 1, 1969 to January 1, 1971 between the movie companies and the Department of Justice. This agreement limited 1 9 the number of films which could be blind bid to three per studio per year. The two-year agreement was renewed twice, which limited the practice through January 1, 1975. However, the Department of Justice revoked all restrictions limiting blind bidding after this date and the practice accelerated rapidly. Movie companies perceived blind bidding as a necessary way to finance blockbuster films, and it persisted for an eleven year period from 1975-1985. Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW In this chapter, I will review the economic literature on blind bidding, exit, and natural experiments. The selected papers motivate my empirical model of the effects of blind bidding. Section 2. 1 discusses the blind bidding literature. Section 2. 2 surveys natural experiments testing the impact of a policy change. 2. 1 Blind Bidding In this section, I discuss two studies which arrive at different conclusions about the impact of the anti-blind bidding laws. Although neither study addresses explicitly the issues of exit, admission prices, and delays, the empirical findings are relevent. Blumenthal (1998) finds that average bids are lower for blind bid theater owners and as a result their returns are higher. However, since the returns of blind bid theater owners are more volatile, she concludes risk averse theater owners are worse off under blind bidding, legitimizing their efforts to pass anti-blind bidding laws. Forsythe, Isaac, and Palfrey (1989) model the behavior of n buyers and one seller in a sealed-bid, first-price auction. They conclude that the anti-blind bidding laws were unnecessary as buyers would learn that a seller withholds information when it is unfavorable. A seller would abandon blind bidding once all buyers learn that withholding information was in the seller‘s best interest and not theirs. I find that practices in the motion picture industry were not consistent with this prediction, because the movie companies trade screened unfavorable films and blind bid highly anticipated films. Blumenthal (1988) justifies theater owners‘ rationale to seek relief from blind bidding by showing that they experience lower utility in blind-bid environments than preview ones. The author uses generalized least squares to test three hypotheses about film bids or film returns for blind-bid and trade screen theaters using the rental terms of 18 films from a national theater chain in 1982. First, she hypothesizes that theater owners in blind-bid states submit lower bids, because in accordance with economic theory, bidders reduce their bids on average in an auction where there is uncertainty about the value of a product. Second, blind-bid theater owners place a greater emphasis on the limited information contained in a bid letter. Therefore, bid letter information will explain a larger percentage of the variance for bids in blind-bid theaters than trade screen ones. Third, mean returns are higher for blind-bid theaters, but they experience greater volatility than trade screen theaters. Depending on the hypothesis in question, the dependent variable is either film bids or film returns. 1 She includes film budget and saturation as predictor variables, since higher budgeted films and wider released films would be an indication of larger expected returns by the movie companies. Other independent variables include theater operating expenses, an indicator variable signifying theaters in blind bid states, and the number of movie theaters located within the metropolitan area. The Film returns are the box office revenue less the price paid for the film. blind bidding dummy variable was interacted with film budget and saturation to test the second hypothesis. The author finds theater owners submit lower average bids in blind bidding states than in trade screen ones. With regards to the second hypothesis, blindbid theater owners place a greater emphasis on bid letter information: for every million dollar increase in film cost, blind bid theater owners bid an additional $8,900 while trade screen ones bid an additional $5,100. Regarding the final hypothesis, Blumenthal models utility as a function of the mean and variance of film returns which measures the degree of risk aversion among theater owners. In terms of utility, risk averse theater owners are worse off, because higher revenues are accompanied by greater volatility. Theater owners are unable to reduce their bids enough to offset the extra volatility because of competitive forces. Using a laboratory experiment in several markets, Forsythe, Isaac, and Palfrey (1989) consider the anti-blind bidding laws unnecessary. They find an equilibrium where buyers learn to assume the worst about a seller‘s decision to blind bid items causing most items to no longer be blind bid. The game has a single seller versus n buyers, and the former must decide whether to reveal information about the item to all buyers. A seller reveals his information to buyers if the news is favorable, and does not if it is unfavorable. A seller obtains the highest bid if he reveals his information. The auctioned item has both a common value and private value component. After a seller decides whether to reveal their information, the item is auctioned in a sealed bid first price auction. Several possible Nash equilibria are considered in the game, but the authors focus on the ? assume the worst? solution, because all other outcomes cannot be obtained so long as the auction follows a sequential equilibrium. This type of equilibrium occurs when buyers make conjectures about a seller‘s motives when they adopt a strategy which is consistent with the seller‘s best interest. To obtain an ?assume the worst? solution, a seller continues to blind bid items as long as there is at least one unsophisticated buyer: a buyer who bids the average of all quality levels, rather than assumes the worst about no revealed information. With the passage of time, buyers learn that when a seller withholds information it is not in their interest, forcing sellers to reveal information for lower quality levels. Eventually, the market reaches a point where no items are blind bid. In five of the six blind-bid auctions, the average winning bid declines over time. Although blind bidding is not eliminated by the conclusion of the auctions, it is practiced less frequently and buyers dramatically lower their expectations for the value for the auctioned item. The authors conclude the anti-blind bidding laws are unnecessary, because with the passage of time, blind bidding would have been phased out completely. These two studies offer two important insights. Although Blumenthal (1988) concludes theater owners are worse off under blind bidding, she does not consider that theater owners can diversify the risk of films by converting to the multiplex theater. In this manner, theater owners can pool the risk of mediocre and blockbuster films rather than run the risk of exhibiting a single inferior film. Regarding Forsythe, Isaac and Palfrey (1989), if the movie companies did not reveal their information for blockbuster films, they were not obtaining the highest auction price. Since the movie companies must have acted in their own self-interest, I assume blind bidding provided some cost benefits which outweighed the decision to trade screen films. 2. 2 Natural Experiments In this section, I discuss three natural experiments which provide a reference for testing the effects of the anti-blind bidding laws on exit, admission prices, and delays. Natural experiments are often used to examine the effect of a policy change. A researcher examines two groups which have similar characteristics, one of which is exposed to a policy change while the other is not, and observes how the outcome differs between the two. Natural experiments are called quasi experiments, because the researcher has little or no control over the observed situation, which is in contrast to social experiments where researchers implement proper experimental design. Card and Krueger (1994), Milyo and Wardfogel (1999), and Bergen, Levy, Rubin and Zeliger (2004), conduct natural experiments assuming an exogenous change in a law. All three natural experiments assume the treatment effect is not correlated with the outcome variable and any uncontrolled independent variables correlated with it. Card and Krueger (1994) investigate the effect on employment of a 50 cent raise in the New Jersey minimum wage in the fast food industry. Milyo and Wardfogel (1999) examine the impact on prices of advertised and non-advertised items after a ban on liquor advertising is lifted in Rhode Island. The ban permitted retailers to charge higher prices which was considered especially helpful to small ? mom and pop‘ retailers that could not offer the price discounts of larger chains. Bergen et tal. (2004) investigate the net effects of item pricing laws for supermarkets which require that retailers label every item individually with a price tag to help ensure that consumers are not overcharged at the register. The three empirical studies conduct natural experiments in similar geographic regions. Card and Krueger (1994) compare the neighboring states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The authors use descriptive statistics from their data to argue that wages, prices, and employment measures are similar. For example, the mean starting wage for New Jersey and Pennsylvania is $4. 61 and $4. 63, respectively, before New Jersey‘s increase in the minimum wage. Bergen et tal. (2004) target a narrow tri-state region of Clifton, New Jersey, Tarrytown, New York, and Greenwich, Connecticut to study the impact of item pricing laws. Close geographic proximity is one factor for the selected towns as the greatest distance that separates the towns is only approximately 50 miles. In addition, these towns have similar population size, population densities, and access to quality public schools. Milyo and Wardforgel (1999) follow a similar strategy to Bergen et tal. (2004) by comparing adjacent states but narrowing their focus to three areas: Southern Rhode Island, Northwest Boston suburbs, and the Rhode Island and Massachusetts border. In addition, the three studies utilize multiple control groups which provide the benefit of observing how sensitive the results are to different controls. Card and Krueger (1994) compare full-time-equivalent employment (FTE) for New Jersey and Pennsylvania, but also compare FTE in New Jersey fast food stores which already paid at least the new minimum wage to those in New Jersey that paid under the new minimum. Milyo and Wardforgel (1999) compare retail prices in Rhode Island with those from Massachusetts, but also use Rhode Island wholesale prices as a second control. Bergen et tal. (2004) compare prices in New Jersey with two controls New York and Connecticut both of which have item pricing laws. However, Connecticut exempted stores from the law which installed the electronic shelf label system because it ensured that the price at the shelf was the same as the price at the register. Therefore, the authors used Connecticut stores to observe how prices differed among non item pricing law stores and those which used the electronic shelf system. I adopt the idea of multiple control groups when I examine the exit of theater owners. The Card and Krueger (1994) study has additional significance to my study because they use the difference-in-differences estimator, and I adopt this method for the analysis of admission prices. The primary benefit of this method is that the researcher is able to cancel out other industry factors which are common to the treatment and control group through second differencing. Therefore, the difference-in-differences measures the impact on the outcome solely from the policy change. These empirical studies provided some important insights on how to conduct my natural experiment on the anti-blind bidding laws. When selecting treatment and control groups, it is important to select homogenous regions so that there is a believable rationale that the control group will behave like the treatment group. Use of multiple control groups is encouraged in natural experiments to test the robustness of the results. In addition, I follow the method of Card and Krueger (1994) and use the difference-in-differences estimator to examine admission prices. Chapter 3 ADMISSION PRICES In this paper, I investigate the claims made by theater owners and movie companies about the impact of the anti-blind bidding laws on admission prices. I examine the impact of the strictest laws of Ohio and Pennsylvania, which eliminated blind bidding and placed severe restrictions on guarantees. I selected these states, because they present the strongest case for the laws having an impact according to theater owners‘ claims. I compare average admission prices in these states before and after the passage of the law with prices in two states that never had such a law. For Ohio, I compare average prices in Cleveland with those in Detroit. For Pennsylvania, I compare average prices from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with those of Detroit. 1 Using the difference-in-differences estimator, I find some evidence that the laws raised admission prices. Theater owners argued that admission prices were higher under blind bidding, because they had to increase their prices to cover losses incurred from inferior films and to compensate for the guarantees they paid. According to theater owners, the anti-blind bidding laws would eliminate the burden of blind bidding, and in some states also guarantees, so that lower prices would follow. Movie companies claimed initially considered comparing average Philadelphia and Pittsburgh prices with those in Manhattan. I decided against using New York City as a control because prices were consistently higher there than in any other market because of the high cost of living in the area. The laws would have the opposite effect for two reasons. Theater owners would identify blockbuster films after viewing the preview, and a bidding war would ensue. Since film rentals were bid higher, this cost would be passed along to moviegoers. In addition, movie companies claimed that the anti-blind bidding laws would cause delays in the release of films, and this cost would be passed on to consumers. 3. 1 Model I consider the claims of theater owners and movie companies about admission prices to be invalid because of what is universally accepted in economics about the demand for factor inputs. The demand for a factor input (e. g. labor or capital) is a derived demand in that demand for the factor and its price is contingent upon the demand for the final product. For example, the demand for movie stars depends not only on their current salaries, but also the total tickets sold. Movie stars would be unable to command high salaries if there is not an overwhelming demand for motion pictures. Therefore, prices charged at movie theaters, an input, are determined by demand. On the other hand, admission prices are likely to differ across cities due to costs outside the control of the industry. For example, theater owners in New York City had higher rent or mortgage payments than those in Atlanta, Georgia because of the relatively high cost of land. Another factor that varied regionally was the price of labor. Theater owners facing higher minimum wages had greater variable costs than those in states with lower minimums. I expect the anti-blind bidding laws to influence admission prices if they impacted marginal costs, or if they restrict the supply of films. Although the laws did not affect theater owners‘ marginal costs, they may have impacted the movie companies‘. Additional expenses were incurred because sales prints had to be specially made for the purposes of trade screening. This cost was not present in blind bidding states. 3. 2 Data and Methods I obtained the data from Variety, which reported theaters from 15 cities on a weekly basis. Variety sampled most cities once a month with about 10 to 20 theaters per sample. The same theaters were generally sampled, but over longer periods of time, the sample changed as some exited the marketplace. I sampled each city quarterly. On occasion, Variety reported theaters which charged one dollar for admission. These observations were dropped from the data set, since they were second-run movie houses. Table 5. 1 shows the descriptive statistics for the data. Any city sampled was a representation of the metropolitan area. Therefore, the sample contained some downtown theaters as well as many suburban theaters. For example, Detroit included downtown theaters such as the Adams, Fox, and Renaissance, and theaters such as the Dearborn, Americana West, and Macomb Mall from surrounding areas of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. During the first year that the ant-blind bidding laws were in effect, it is not clear which films were blind bid. This is because theater owners bid on films six months to one year in advance of the release date. For example, Ohio enacted the law in October 1978, but theater owners may have been bidding for films to be released in ___________________________________________________________________________ 2 According to Barry Reardon, distributional president at Warner Brothers, the additional expense to trade screen amounted to approximately $50,000 per film in Jim Robbins, ? Distribs Adapt to AntiBlind Bid Laws? , Variety, July 3, 1985, 80. 3 A sales print is a reel of film with the movie preview. April 1979 or as far away as October 1979. The Pennsylvania law became effective in May 1980. At that date, theater owners would bid on films for November 1980 up to May 1981. I address the lagged effect of an anti-blind bidding law on films by examining average admission prices using two different treatment and control groups: 1) two years before and after a law, and 2) three years before and after a law. Table 3. 1 provides the descriptive statistics for these variables. For the Ohio law, I calculate average prices in 1976 and 1977 (pre-treatment group) and average prices in 1979 and 1980 (post-treatment group). This measures the immediate effect of the law even though some of the admission prices in 1979 will be for films which were not trade screened. For three years before and after the law, I use average prices in 1975 and 1976 compared with those in 1980 and 1981. In this case, all films in the posttreatment group were trade screened. For the Pennsylvania law, I use the same procedure for selecting the pre and post-treatment groups. I consider the passage of the Ohio and Pennsylvania laws a natural experiment, and I proceed to measure the impact of a law by using the difference-indifferences estimator defined as the change in the population means from the treatment group less the change in population means from the control group. This method has an advantage over comparing the means of the treatment and control group after the laws because the latter assumes the treatment and control groups are identical in every way except for the law. The difference-in-differences estimator makes the weaker assumption that regardless of the overall factors affecting admission prices, they affected the treatment and control groups in the same way. In order to understand the meaning of the difference-in-differences estimator, consider the interpretation of first differences between the treatment and control. The change in price in the control group informs us how prices would have behaved in the treatment group if the law was not implemented. The change in price in the treatment group tells us how the average price behaved given the enactment of the law. By taking second differences, I obtain the difference-in-differences estimator which measures the effect of the law by taking the difference in what happened with average prices compared with what would have happened to them. 3. 3 Cleveland and Detroit Figure 5. 1 displays average admission prices for Cleveland and Detroit from 1975-1981. Detroit‘s average prices remain consistently above Cleveland‘s by approximately 59 cents throughout the observed period. I examine average admission prices over time to see if the assumption that overall factors that affect them are the same for both treatment and control groups. Unobserved factors are more likely to be different if the trend in prices diverges before the treatment effect. Average admission prices for Cleveland and Detroit remain relatively steady before the implementation of the law implying the assumption of a common trend appears valid. The results for the difference-in-differences estimator are shown in Table 3. 2. Comparing average prices two years before and after the law, I find Detroit‘s prices increase by seven cents and Cleveland‘s rise by 16 cents. The seven cent increase in average prices represents how Cleveland prices would have behaved in the absence of the anti-blind bidding law. After taking second differences, I find that the Ohio law significantly increases Cleveland‘s average prices by nine cents. Examining admission prices three years before and after the law does not produce the same conclusion. Cleveland‘s and Detroit‘s average prices increase by 20 and 21 cents, respectively. The difference-in-differences estimator shows that Cleveland‘s average prices are significantly lower by one cent. 3. 4 Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Detroit Figure 5. 2 shows average prices in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh versus those in Detroit from 1977-1983. For the first two years, prices are nearly identical. In 1979 and 1980, the difference in average prices remains relatively steady at 10 and 15 cents, respectively. Beyond 1980, the difference in average prices increases, ranging from 36 to 41 cents. The assumption that factors have a common trend appears satisfied because the difference in average prices maintains itself in 1979 and 1980. The first and second differences for average admission prices are shown in Table 5. 3. Comparing average prices two years before and after the Pennsylvania law, I find Philadelphia‘s and Pittsburgh‘s average prices rise by 43 cents while Detroit‘s increases by 11 cents. Detroit‘s prices are assumed to be behaving like Philadelphia‘s and Pittsburgh‘s if Pennsylvania had never passed an anti-blind bidding law. The difference-in-differences estimator shows that the law results in a statistically significant 32 cent increase in admission prices. Comparing three years before and after the law produces a similar result, the law causes higher average admission prices for Philadelphia and Pittsburgh by 53 cents. 3. 5 Conclusion I examine the impact of the Ohio and Pennsylvania anti-blind bidding laws on admission prices and I find higher admission prices in Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh in three of the four difference-in-differences estimators. The impact of the Pennsylvania law is more robust than the Ohio law because in one case, average admission prices decline by one cent. A potential explanation for higher average admission prices is that the movie companies‘ marginal costs increased in anti-blind bidding states, because sales prints had to be produced exclusively for trade screening films.

boiler room essays

boiler room essays Seth was a young college dropout running an illegal backdoor casino out of his residence near a college campus. Seths very first experience with the J.T. Marland firm was at a group interview based upon vulgar language and a harsh attitude, yet he joins the company. Seth immediately begins to lie to clients over the telephone and sell them fake products, blinded by the fancy cars and money that will be rewarded to him from the company in return. He lies about his name, position, age, family, and anything else that will keep a customer on the phone and make a sale. J.T. Marland sells shares of stock for several pharmaceutical and drug development companies, claiming to have knowledge on non-existent drugs that would cause an enormous jump in the price of stock when released. Initially, I would have been tempted enough to begin working for J.T. Marland. But as soon as I was told to deceive clients over the telephone and not ask questions regarding the firm, I would have left. Fancy cars and money are nice to have, but I refuse to acquire them in an illegal manner. Boiler Room is a great movie. I learned to analyze business ethics more carefully through the practices displayed. Prior to watching this movie, I had never realized how serious unethical practices were in the business world. I had assumed that businesses were carefully watched by the government and that such unethical practices were unheard of. As well as being highly informative, the actors chosen to portray each character make the movie modern and entertaining. ...

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Glasgow University essays Glasgow was a small medieval and University City which did not start to expand intill the 17 century when trade became profitable in the west coast. By the 1870s Glasgow was a heavy industrial city and was becoming famous for its trade and industrial work. This bomb was attracting brilliant architects to come in work in Glasgow. Glasgow became a Victorian city and it was confidence that inspired the builders and by good furture they were served by a group of architects of quite exceptional merit. It is their combined efforts which make Glasgow one of the worlds finest 19th century cities. The Clyde is the ideal conference auditorium around which Foster and Partners designed their striking structure: swiftly dubbed the Armadillo, although often likened to Sydney Opera House. The design was described by the Royal Commission for Fine Arts as 'inspired' and the building has been appointed a Millennium Product by the Design Council. While the external shells provide a talking point and a landmark for Glasgow, the real beauty of the building is the interior: Accommodation for 3000 - which can be adapted to smaller meetings whilst maintaining a sense of intimacy Breakout space in two central rooms within the Conference Centre and integrated with the rest of the venue and adjoining Moat House Hotel Technical facilities of the highest standard Adaptability for a wide range of events, from keynote speeches to product launches and concerts Glasgow university is Victorian has become so familiar that it has won a sort of reluctant respect. The archetict George Gilbert Scott, the London architect commission by the senate to design the buildings the idea was epitomised by the medieval quadrangles of Oxford and Cambridge. Work began in the 1866 with a vast workforce of 340 masons, 400 joiners etc ...

E commerce project-INTROMAMA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

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