Social Responsibility of Business

However, in the 21st century it is a firms' responsibility to create a broader range of value along what is called the Triple Bottom Line, which consists of people, planet, and profits. Although financial profit is vital for a firm to exist, the intangible benefits that come from operating with society and the environment in mind go way beyond pure financial gain. As a manager, hiring hard-working and competent individuals to work for your firm is obviously important, but it is often not enough.Your employees are takeovers Just like you, your customers, your suppliers, and even the firm's shareholders. Taking their concerns into consideration, and allowing them to express themselves openly and honestly can make them much happier employees. Happy employees provide better quality customer service, which leads to happier customers. Happier customers lead to more business, which leads to happy investors. In other words, making your employees happy can have prosperous results.Although con ducting â€Å"green† business is expensive and may require costly investments depending on what industry a firm is in, we are obligated as a planet to move in that direction. Practices like pollution and deforestation, along with byproducts like CA emissions are very rough on the environment, and unless we engage in cleaner, more sustainable practices, we may cause irreversible damage to the planet. A quote comes to mind, although I don't remember where I heard it from: â€Å"If you think economics is more important than the environment, try counting your money while holding your breath. Yes, it's a bit extreme, but it effectively puts the importance of the environment into perspective, and reminds us that there are future generations relying on our consideration and treatment of the environment. I hope that businesses in the 21st century will take more accommodative and proactive strategies toward CARS practices than their historical counterparts. Due to the costly nature o f CARS related activities, I doubt that all organizations will truly support CARS activities, and will continue to take reactive and defensive stances regarding CARS.Being realistic, however, we can see that CARS is becoming a hot topic mongo firms around the world, which means Coos and other shareholders are likely to begin to push their company's in that direction. It may be because the shareholders are genuinely concerned with ongoing social issues and the sustainability of our environment, or it may be because the CEO simply wants to promote their company in a positive way to the public. Either way, it seems that CARS will become much more accepted and practiced as the 21st century progresses. Both the benefits of implementing CARS activities and the inevitable costs of ignoring them cannot be denied.

Love and War in Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried Essay

In The Things They Carried, as the title indicates author and Vietnam war veteran Tim O’Brien carefully describes all of the necessities of warfare carried by the men with whom he shared the war. In addition to the weapons and gear necessary for survival they carried within themselves the images and memories of home. O’Brien describes the various articles carried by individuals as well as the heavier items they would take turns carrying. The heaviest were â€Å"the things men carried inside† (25). Because of the heaviness it was often too much for one man and â€Å"they shared the weight of memory. They took up what others could no longer bear† (14). O’Brien indicates the heaviest memories were of love ones, particularly wives and girlfriends. Obrien describes the characteristics of the memories of love in a combat zone, memories that could be a saving grace or a dangerous self-destructive weapon.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Women occupy a very special place for the men of O’Brien’s platoon as they do for combat soldiers everywhere. The women they know and love, mothers, sisters, wives and girlfriends, are tens of thousands of miles away. At times they are as mentally and emotionally distant as they are in geographic terms. When firefights rage the soldiers’ thoughts by necessity become fixed and focused on the chaos of combat surrounding them and the thought of women can be fleeting or distracting. It may be a thought of the loved one they hope to see if they survive, or the thought may distract them and cost them their life or the life of another soldier. Women are as real as their vivid dreams yet upon awakening there is the doubt they ever existed. The space they occupy is the anxious and unnerving world mixed with hope and doubt, happiness and depression. With their letters they provide a link to the real world once occupied by the soldiers who may wonder if the women will be there for them if and when they return. The soldier may hope their girlfriend will be there and doubt she will understand. The thought of the girlfriend may provide a solid foundation on which to live on another day, or with a â€Å"dear John† letter inadvertently provide a seemingly hopeless depression. The women occupy a space unlike any other space in the thoughts of the combat soldier.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For Lieutenant Jimmy Cross the thought of â€Å"Martha, a junior at Mount Sebastian College in New Jersey† was a constant preoccupation (1). She was a daily part of his life, and he had a ritualistic devotion to viewing photographs of her. She was in many ways the embodiment of the contradictions women occupied in soldiers’ thoughts. She was not quite a serious girlfriend and lover who was devoted to him and would be waiting for him. In fact their relationship before the war was one-sided:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   And then suddenly, without willing it, he was thinking of Martha†¦why so alone? Not lonely, just alone†¦and it was her aloneness that filled him with love. He remembered telling her that one evening. How she nodded and looked away. And how, later, when he kissed her, she received the kiss without returning it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (11-12).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Yet Cross would not let go of his attachment to her. He blamed it for the death of one of his soldiers; â€Å"now Ted Lavender was dead because he loved her so much and could not stop thinking about her† (7). He felt that because of his preoccupation with her he failed to supervise his men and as a result Lavender was shot. As a result Cross decides to burn her photos and letters. Now â€Å"he hated her. Yes, he did. He hated her. Love, too, but it was a hard, hating kind of love† (24). His feelings for her were just one of the many contradictions of the war.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In some ways women became almost magical, and occupied the superstitious and surreal world of the thoughts and actions of men in combat. â€Å"Henry Dobbins carried his girlfriend’s pantyhose wrapped around his neck as a comforter. They all carried ghosts† (10). The stockings gave Dobbins the memories that comforted him. Later he became convinced it truly was a good-luck charm as a boobytrap failed to detonate after he tripped it and then survived a vicious firefight (117-118). For Dobbins and others the pantyhose â€Å"gave access to a spiritual world† and even after he receives a â€Å"dear John† letter he retains the pantyhose stating â€Å"the magic doesn’t go away† (118).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Other women, real or imagined came into the men’s lives through their stories. The most dramatic stories â€Å"are those that swirl back and for the across the border between trivia and bedlam, the mad and the mundane† (89). O’Brien recounts the story of the â€Å"Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong†, the girlfriend of a soldier who manages to have her visit him at his medical-aid base (89-91). â€Å"Mary Ann† is but seventeen years old, but quickly adapts to the blood and gore of her boyfriend’s job and becomes a valuable assistant treating the wounded. But then she becomes more and more fixated to the war, the culture and the environment of Vietnam. She becomes friendly with, and then a part of a contingent of the strange and isolated â€Å"greenies†, Special Forces soldiers stationed at the base. She eventually becomes a part of them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Soon she cannot be found despite her boyfriend’s search. According to the story she began going out with the Green Berets on combat missions. When she returned she was no longer what she had been. He had a hard time recognizing her. She wore a bush hat and filthy green fatigues; she carried the standard M-16 automatic assault rifle; her face was black with charcoal. Mary Ann handed (her boyfriend) the weapon. â€Å"I’m exhausted,† she said. â€Å"We’ll talk later.† (102) Despite her boyfriend’s effort to get her away from the Green Berets and send her home she is hooked; â€Å"Vietnam had the effect of a powerful drug† (114). Soon, the story goes, Mary Ann disappears into the jungle, never to be heard from again, only occasionally spotted as a ghostly figure in the jungle. It is as though she served as a metaphor for the space occupied by women in the war. They were far away in a land so remote it no longer seemed to exist. Then against all odds the soldier is able to literally import the woman he loves. Then the war changes everything and destroys the relationship.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For O’Brien women also occupy a dual yet contradictory space in his life. His first young love is also his first collision with death. Although he and his girlfriend are only nine, O’Brien â€Å"know(s) for a fact that what we felt for each other was as deep and rich as love can ever get† (228). Tragically she is suffering from a fatal disease and dies. For O’Brien the memory of her, like his memory of fallen comrades, is and always will be sharp and vivid. For O’Brien the lost friends and lost girlfriend are united in death and brought back to life in the memories and stories of those who survive. It is the vivid image of a casualty of the war that inexplicably reminds him of his young girlfriend Linda; â€Å"all day long I’d been picturing Linda’s face, the way she smiled† (228). For O’Brien the dead will always be in a sense alive. The fallen troops and Linda are â€Å"all dead. But in a story, which is kind of dreaming, the dead sometimes smile and sit up and return to the world† (225).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If O’Brien’s lost girlfriend is a link to the departed his daughter Kathleen is the vision of life. He brings her to Vietnam when she is only ten, and seems to serve as the woman who will help him break his link to the deaths of Vietnam. She is too young to understand why her father has journeyed off the normal tourist sites to find the spot where a friend was killed and the body lost in the mire of a swampy river. She witnesses him as he performs a ritual burial of his late friend’s moccasins in the spot they found his body. It is though she is his tether back to reality, the present and life itself. Childlike she chastises him for his actions and cannot understand the importance of the places she visits. She tells him he is â€Å"weird† for coming back to Vietnam, innocently proclaiming â€Å"Like coming over here. Some dumb thing happens a long time ago and you can’t ever forget it† (183).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   She presents the counterpoint of his life in Vietnam and it had to be an odd sensation for O’Brien to see his daughter in an area of Vietnam that is drastically different than the Vietnam of O’Brien’s death. It brings up the idea and question of whether O’Brien, in his wildest thoughts during his combat in that location that his daughter would stand in the same spot years later. Unlike the other women of memories and dreams Kathleen is able to be in Vietnam with him and help close that chapter of his life. As she notices a Vietnamese farmer staring at her father Kathleen asks if the old man is mad at her father. â€Å"No,† replies O’Brien, â€Å"All that’s finished† (188).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For O’Brien it seems as though he needs the female characters to make the connection between love and war and life and death. It is not always a successful link. His fellow soldier Norman Bowker had carried a picture of his girlfriend with him during his days and Vietnam but she had married. He saw her on his return, but while he could not bring himself to approach her and talk, he also could not pull himself from the memory and went past her house time and time (146). He later committed suicide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Women seemed to occupy the same space and provide the same ironic and contradictory thoughts as Vietnam itself. They were vital to the combat soldiers, but not present with them, or present as a mysterious Mary Ann. They could give a soldier a reason to stay alive or a reason to care less about living. They could be a distraction to take a soldier’s mind off of the war or a distraction which could contribute to the horror of war. Like Martha they could be loved and hated at the same time. Like combat itself the women in the soldiers’ thoughts were both intensely private and yet communal. Works Cited O’Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried. New York: Broadway Books, 1990.

The Death of Ivan Ilych

The short story, â€Å"The Death of Ivan Ilych†, written by Leo Tolstoy, is about the reactions of a man and his friends to his suffering and death. Everyone who knows Ivan including Ivan himself has led a life of total disconcern for the feelings and sufferings of others. They all lead shallow lives not daring to probe into the feelings deep down inside for fear of stepping outside the lines of propriety. That is the biggest rule that people of that society follow. Do not say or show what you are thinking. Ivan Ilych’s attitude toward life is the same all the way up to his death. He was as the author put it, â€Å"†¦a capable, good-natured, and social man, though strict in the fulfillment of what he considered his duty: and he considered his duty to be what was so considered by those in authority. † (p. 1088) That quote states that Ivan was solely concerned with his duties and his advancement in position by following the orders of his authorities. Ivan was son of a successful man who held many positions in many departments. That man, Ilya Epimovich Golovin, had three sons. The oldest followed his father’s example and was a success. The youngest son was a total failure. He had blown many opportunities and was the shame of the family. Ivan the middle son was the better of the two. Ivan was a mix of his two brothers. He had the hard-working spirit of the older brother but also appreciates the value of a good time like the younger brother. Ivan’s career grew steadily. In a short time, he eventually obtained the position of examining magistrate. Ivan did very well in this position. He excelled in the separation of the personal duties in his life and the official duties to which he was totally dedicated. This taste of power which came with his new position was very appealing to Ivan. The idea that writing a few words or giving a simple command sent people into motion made Ivan very happy. Upon moving to a new town to take up the position of examining magistrate, Ivan met his future wife, Praskovya Fedorovna Mikhel. Ivan saw her as a â€Å"†¦well connected, and was a sweet, pretty, and thoroughly correct young woman. † The view that she was so within the lines of propriety was the most attractive feature which this young woman possessed in Ivan’s view. At first the marriage which Ivan thought couldn’t hurt his pleasure-seeking life didn’t, then according to Ivan she began to disturb the pleasure and propriety of his life. This ordeal only worsened when his wife became pregnant. She became unbearable to him, overly jealous and coarse, becoming an obstacle to his pursuit of happiness and properness. When the child was born, Ivan realized that a life totally separate his family life would be necessary to fulfill the goals he set for himself. He also came to the realization that to keep his marriage in order that he was going to have to adopt the same attitude to his family that he has to his official duties. Ivan developed an attitude towards his family of complete indifference as stated in the story, â€Å"He only required of it those conveniences—dinner at home, housewife, and bed—which it could give him. † (p. 1092) More children arrived and his wife’s attitude only worsened. After three years and becoming a highly looked upon official he received a promotion to the position of Assistant Public Prosecutor. This new promotion made Ivan like his job even more. Meanwhile, more children were born which made Ivan’s life even more difficult. After getting another promotion and moving to another province, the marriage was getting increasingly difficult. To try and overcome this Ivan decided to spend some time in the country with his wife. This move turns out to be a very bad one. Ivan falls into deep depression and decides that some drastic measures are needed. He returns from the country heading towards St. Petersburg with the objective of obtaining a salary of 5,000 rubles a year. Things worked out very much in his favor. He got a promotion two steps above his former position. After obtaining this position, he returned to the country and his marriage life improved immensely. Ivan then proceeded to the province to which they were moving to attempt to locate a house. He found one which suited his tastes perfectly. Ivan turned his attention towards furnishing his house. He searched for all the things which give his house an air of aristocracy and yet not too snobbish. While showing an upholsterer how he wanted the drapes hung, Ivan fell and nearly caught himself but unfortunately managed to hit himself in the side and give himself a large bruise. This is when the health problems begin. The illness began slowly but the pain steadily increased. Ivan visited many doctors, but none of them could give him a solid diagnosis. The pain caused many problems in his life, most of all it interfered with how he did his job. People began to look down upon him. No one really felt sympathy for Ivan. The people whom he called his friends treated him the same as he treated them in his life, with total indifference. Even Ivan’s own wife treated his illness as a burden and a trouble. He begins to realize how everyone is treating him. All that he wants is pity and there is no one there to give him it besides his servant Gerasim. Ivan shows spots of beginning to realize how he treated life. He treated life with the utmost propriety and tried his very best not to let his emotions get in the way of how he acted and performed his duty. This shows when Ivan says, â€Å"What if my whole life has really been wrong? †(p. 1117) Ivan says this while looking at Gerasim peacefully sleeping at his side, the only one who shows the slightest bit of pity and sorrow for him. Ivan’s wife is falsely concerned in his condition merely because that is the thing for her to be in this situation. She does not really care if he makes it; she is only worried about the inconvenience his suffering is putting her through and the financial bind his death puts her in. Ivan realizes all these things and cannot even bear to speak with her. He thinks to himself, â€Å"Yes, I am making them wretched†¦They are sorry, but it will be better for them when I die. † (p. 1119) All of these things lead up to the conclusion in Ivan’s mind that he is sorry for them. He is trying to act so as not to hurt them. In the final scene someone besides his servant, Gerasim, begins to show pity for him, it is his son. Ivan sees the sorrow and pity in his eyes and apologizes to him for causing this grief. With this story, Leo Tolstoy shows that a man can change. That even if it must be through pain and suffering that everyone is capable of redemption. If a man such as Ivan Ilych who never cared for anyone more than necessary can be redeemed and see the fault in his ways then anyone can. The most selfish man can be changed if people show him pity and feel for him, as he should feel for others. It stirred something inside Ivan when people went out of their way to attempt to comfort him. It made him realize his faults and want to change.

Presentation on Civil War Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Presentation on Civil War - Research Paper Example The southern states felt that it was not the right of the government to decide laws of individual states. This would ultimately lead to the southern states attempting to secede from the Union and become their own independent nation separate from the United States. Most people know about the Confederacy, the Union, the slavery, and the Emancipation Proclamation, however, there are many other interesting tales and bits of information that most everyone is unfamiliar with and only makes the study of history all the more intriguing. Question: Was the Civil War a war about slavery? Answer: The answer is no. Slavery was only one aspect of the civil war. Although the slavery issue was important to many northerners, however, the unions goal as a whole was to preserve that Union. If the United States could not remain united then we would never survive as a nation. Unfortunately, the southerners saw slaves as property, no more and no less. They could not understand how the federal government c ould interfere in their property issues; they did not interfere in the transaction of other tools and livestock (Kelly ). To them this was a war that had infringed upon their rights as individual states. ... That it would be better if the slaves were freed and then be relocated to South America and islands near Haiti. Lincoln’s representative even went so far as to put a plan into action and relocated a colony to one such island, however, the soil was spoiled, there was little in the way of shelter, and ultimately the idea was abandoned and forgotten in favor of Lincoln’s later Emancipation Proclamation (Gaffney). Question: What kind of weaponry and artillery was used during the American Civil War? Answer: The civil war weaponry included a number of canons and batteries, which are essentially armed wagons, some with as many as 6 barrels apiece, that can do an impressive amount of damage. There were a total of 46 different rifles and dozens of revolvers that were used throughout the war, from Remington’s to Colt’s. By and large, the Union had the advantage when it came to weaponry and artillery, however, the Confederacy had far greater numbers invested than the Union. Sometimes armaments and ammunition would run out. When this happened many soldiers would then resort to the use of sabers and swords (Smithsonian Institute). Story: Did you know that there were submarines in the Civil War? It is true. Many different types of underwater vessels were considered, they proved to be impractical or failed to function. However, both the Union and the Confederacy had successfully designed submarines. The Union decided that their version, called the â€Å"Intelligent Whale,† would not be used in battle; another they purchased from the French, the â€Å"Alligator,† also, never saw battle as it was lost at sea. The Confederate submarine called the â€Å"Hunley,† named for the man that designed it, was forty feet long, but less than four feet in

God Grew tired of us Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

God Grew tired of us - Essay Example Even as the film specializes in this particular historic incidence, it allures to similar distress faced by innocent civilians in other African countries as a result of political fallout and persistent warfare. As they persistently strive to endure or at least survive the distress, hope is seemingly lost along with faith and the promise of better days. Written in their faces are memoirs of despair, misery, and desolation. They look up to God only He is seemingly absent or ignorant of their plight. Even as all hope seems lost, there appears to be some hope in humanity as witnessed in the actions of well-wishers and the humanitarian assistance offered by Red Cross and the UN. The fleeing men found some reprieve as the exodus took a detour heading south into Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp. As one of the worst humanitarian crises in the Horn of Africa, the exodus from Sudan offers various perspectives on the role of humanity and how our actions have consequences on others. Love, compassion, and kindness may be lost on some of us but it still runs deep among a passionate minority of

Health Insurance Coverage for Mental Illness in the US Essay

Health Insurance Coverage for Mental Illness in the US - Essay Example who support the person, his living conditions, etc bring along lot of physical and mental stress and might lead to mental illness and thereby disorders. Generally it gets affected to the aged people sooner, as they are not taken enough care of by the younger generation. Most of such illnesses occur in the well and good families and hence the researchers have cited the hereditary conditions as a cause. Currently as of now in this big world where we get the diagnosis for every minute disease or sickness, unfortunately there is no diagnosis to know about the condition of a person who is not fit mentally. These persons are diagnosed by the psychiatrists with the assistance of experienced and qualified doctors over a series of conducted tests and formal discussions with the person. At times these kinds of tests have to be carried on twice a week or on a regular basis and to be accustomed to the financial situations one should have a regular income to afford for the immediate medical care and treatment. Hence it is always suggestible or more appropriately advisable to have a health insurance coverage, which could relieve a person from the medical expenses touching the skies in today's expensive world. A health cover is very beneficial for those people who try to cope up and care for the mentally retarded people experiencing difficulties who are poor enough to fund themselves for their expenses. There are innumerable health cover agencies both private and government which provide cashless treatment for such sick people with a nominal amount of premiums. Well Point and United Health Group now control a third of the US health insurance market and cover 61 million US citizens. The services of the Health Insurance Institutions include Advocacy, Career Support, Community Support, Employment and Training, Housing, Help lines and most importantly Nursing & Residential Care. Every view of all the services is designed to the needs of the people with respect to all the ages and thereby deals with the problems and also solutions. Advocacy: These services are subjected to those people who can avail the powers of the Mental health legislation. They help them in defending their rights legally retaining their Due respect and dignity when concerned to issues related to hospitalization, treatment and recovery. It would be very beneficial dealing with many issues including admission and discharge in a well equipped hospital, case conferences and its reviews, complaints, requests to see medical records, or for that matter when required for a second opinion, and physical care needs. Carer Support: It is the support given by caring and kind people who only serve people with a big heart to give them the care which they need in everyday life in their long and enduring illness visiting ill people at their convenient timing and at their residence. This care enables to lead a normal life alongside taking the treatment without any neighborly inconveniences and other related difficulties. Community Support: It is the practical support given to an ill individual to empower them with the positive and motivated guidance to get back to work with confidence through informal social contracts with small group work, an opportunity to develop new skills with structured and focused work. They offer access to a wide range of information,

Conclusion Section of Thesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Conclusion Section of Thesis - Essay Example Over the past decade, use of addictive substances has infiltrated its way into the mainstream culture in certain countries. Younger people in particular seem to possess a skewed sense of safety about these substances, believing rather erroneously that they are safe and benign. Meanwhile, addictive substances are posing a serious threat to the health, social and economic fabric of families, communities, and countries. For many countries, the economic burden is relatively new, but growing quickly and unlikely to go away easily (Regidor, 2006). It is estimated that at least 20% of the American population suffers from some form of addiction. The total cost of addictive behaviors in terms of family disintegration, loss of labor productivity, illness, injury, and death reaches the staggering sum of $300 billions per year, making it one of the most serious socioeconomic problems facing society. Thus, prevention and treatment of drug addiction has been an important issue in the USA as well as worldwide for decades. While the individual patient, rather than his or her disease, is the appropriate focus of treatment for substance abuse, an understanding of the neurobiology of dependence and addiction can clarify the rationales for treatment methods and goals. Brain abnormalities resulting from chronic use of nicotine, stimulants (e.g., cocaine), opioids (e.g., morphine), cannabis (e.g., marijuana), alcohol, hallucinogens (e.g., phencyclidine), inhalants (e.g., toluene), and many other abused substances are underlying causes of dependence and addiction meaning intense substance craving and compulsive use. The abnormalities that produce addiction, however, are wide-ranging, complex, and long-lasting. They may involve an interaction of environmental effects, for example, stress, the social context of initial substance use, and psychological conditioning. Many factors, both individual and environmental, influence whether a particular person who

The Cold War Era Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Cold War Era - Essay Example The telegram was based on the need to help introduce capitalism in USSR economies with a view that it would aid in addressing democracy and end the employment of socialism devices that serve interests of reactionary capital, despite conflicts-filled capitalistic economies which generate wars; intra-capitalistic between capitalists and wars of intervention by capitalists against socialists. The idea was to reduce the strength and influence of USSR and the socialist friends, introduction of revolutionary upheavals within capitalistic societies and enhance democratic progressivism to bear pressure on capitalistic societies but in line with soviet interests (Roberts pp.2-17). The justification was that majority of the citizens in the socialist economies did not enjoy fruits of their labor, the need to revolutionize urbanization and industrialization, the need to unify capitalistic economies with socialists for a peaceful coexistence and find equilibrium of Marxism in separation of both i nternal and international powers. The significance of this telegram can be traced on the importance of destabilizing the major political western powers who at some point were considered dangerous by their military prowess, the need to advance democracy and rule of law, to financially empower citizens in the socialist economies and promote international harmony between societies. As a witness of history, many questions arise on the implementation of the international policy as stated in the telegram; whether communism as illustrated in the telegram constituted the highlighted atrocities and whether the policies could apply to all other socialist economies apart from USSR considering the weak financial backing (Schumpeter, 9). The second document is a telegram from Walter Bedell Smith, Ambassador to the Soviet Union, to George Marshall, the secretary of state, named â€Å"Top Secret† that sought to notify the realization of United States’ economic plans in the Soviet Uni on as dangerous and that the Soviet government was not to pursue aggressive aims in their foreign policy, but would desire to rehabilitate and reconstruct its own internal economy. It stressed out on the Soviet trade agreements with England, Belgium, Switzerland and Scandinavian countries with which they were willing to incorporate the United States but agitated by the United States’ aggressive economic policies and the erroneous picture by the United States’ press and public officials. The major argument and justification was that dynamism of democratic forces ought to have been more vigilant, alert and aggressive to protect liberty and the fact that it was impossible for American government or citizens to believe that coup d’etat in Czechoslovakia could have been achieved without direct support of Soviet Union (Smith, pp.71-79). The major questions on this document is whether the foreign policy of the United States at the time can be measured with todayâ€℠¢s more so on the need to stabilize economic conditions and aspire for political development (McCann, 6) in the United States? The third document was from Charles Murphy to the secretary of state, Lloyd Bell, dated July 31, 1951 which stressed out the observations of the then American-soviet relations in a bid to achieve peaceful relations between the two economies; more so guided by the fact that Soviet Union was the guiding center of the communist world in relation to the United States’

Organisational psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Organisational psychology - Essay Example The workplace should be a place with as little conflict as possible for it to be conducive for productivity. It is important, according to the article, to interact with the employee to resolve the problems. Moreover, a list is provided for the most difficult employees, with bullies at the top, along with ways to deal with them according to the behaviour they manifest. For example, the author states that a dictator is someone who likes to take charge in everything and wants to intimidate others; therefore, to deal with such a person, it is best if one does not challenge them, but at the same time remains learns to say no to them without being intimidated. The list of difficult employees includes bullies who like to frighten and manipulate others, martyrs who crave sympathy and often crib about how they are mistreated prompting guilt and attention from others, narcissists who are only involved in themselves and do not work with the team, chatterers who love to talk, serial fault finders who, as the name suggests, only like to pick out faults in the work of others, clams who are the exact opposite of chatterers and who keep to themselves, dictators who like to run the office their own way and not accommodate others but to order them around, and finally whingers who like to complain about everything big or small. No doubt dealing with so many employees is hard on the manager as each has his or her own individual temperaments. According to research, it is important to first realise why the problem occurred in the first place, a topic dealt with in the article. It was put forward by experts that it is important to first deal with the problems that face the employee before trying to deal with the employee (Albright, 1978), so much so that it is important for the manger to be aware of the problems facing the employee and to eliminate them even before they start having an effect on the

Human and Animal Interrelationships from Domestication to Present Term Paper - 2

Human and Animal Interrelationships from Domestication to Present - Term Paper Example Also, Romans relied on various provinces they had acquired after wars for agriculture yet most of their focus was on Italy which was quite suitable for a wide variety of crops (Jhonston 55-56). Also, many Romans during the era were fond of purchasing Italian crops. Furthermore, land ownership was the means to constitute a part of the aristocracy in Rome; the more land a person acquired to higher his esteem in society and politics was. Even the brave soldiers were allocated land as rewards for their services. Land was also the sole factor behind slave labor since men were enslaved to work of these fields. Thus, agriculture was the dominant factor behind every aspect of Roman life and the paper aims at exploring how the Romans farmed to understand their values more. In order to understand how the Romans farmed, it is significant to study the phases in which these Romans evolved. Back in the 5th Century, there were small pieces of land owned by families in Rome. However, by that time the technique of crop rotation had become popular and Romans were indulged in estates to further enhance their wealth. Furthermore, the interactions amongst Romans and other advanced nations like Greece had improved already which also contributed towards perfecting the agricultural techniques to reap better crops. During the early empire era, the agricultural practices in Rome were at its peak and there was immense efficiency in the crops yield. Studies indicate that farms in Rome can be classified in three different forms. Smalls farms constituted an area of 18-108 iugera while medium range farms were around 80 to 500 iugera in size. However, large estates constituted an area as large as 500 iugera (Jhonston 33-34). Thus, those peasants who owned small sized farms didn’t have the technology or the resources to earn a living via their lands. The wealthy land owners saw it as an opportunity and bought lands from the

Starting a Business Online Essay Example for Free

Starting a Business Online Essay Imagine that you own a small, local clothing store along the Jersey Shore boardwalk and decide that you want to engage in e-Commerce. Write a 4-5 page paper on the following: 1. Identify the advantages and disadvantages of taking your small business online by performing a SWOT analysis. Include 2-4 items in each category. 2. Because the Internet connects computers all over the world, any business that engages in e-Commerce instantly becomes an international business. The key issues that any company faces when it conducts international commerce include trust, culture, language, government, and infrastructure. Explain how you would address each of these issues. 3. Businesses that operate on the Web must comply with the same laws and regulations that govern the operations of all businesses, but they face 2 additional complicating factors as they try to comply with the law. First, the Web extends a company’s reach beyond traditional boundaries. Second, the Web increases the speed and efficiency of business communications. Explain how you would overcome these complicating factors that come with e-Commerce in order to comply with the law. 4. Law enforcement agencies have difficulty combating many types of online crime. Describe 2 online crimes prevalent in e-Commerce and what you would do to prevent these crimes. Your assignment must: 1. Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. 2. Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. The specific course learning outcomes  associated with this assignment are: 3. Identify the basic elements of the technology infrastructure used to conduct electronic business. 4. Explain the basic communications and network concepts used in electronic commerce and the basic functioning of the Internet and the World Wide Web. 5. Describe the critical legal and ethical issues related to electronic commerce. 6. Use technology and information resources to research issues in fundamentals of e-business. 7. Write clearly and concisely about fundamentals of e-business using proper writing mechanics. Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic/organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric. Click here to view the grading rubric.

The Experiences of women in Veronica, Looking for a Rain God and Of Mice and Men Essay Example for Free

The Experiences of women in Veronica, Looking for a Rain God and Of Mice and Men Essay The pieces Veronica by Adewale Maja-Pearce, Looking for a Rain God by Bessie Head and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck all involve cultural views based on women. The feelings of the women based within each of the three pieces are very varied and are conveyed in different ways. The short story Veronica is based on a woman who is very limited and has restrictions based around her. After looking into the piece in detail my opinion is that Veronica does not lead a good life. She achieves a standard five from her education but nothing more. Although it becomes obvious to me that her life is poignantly dull and boring, Veronica appears to be fulfilled within herself. She leads a stereotypical life of women for the time and meagre environment. She completes her personal expectations of her life by becoming a part of a family, including a husband and children. After doing this she has led a life in which she has in the past aspired to. An expression made by Veronica which indicates to me that she is fulfilled is; There is nothing left for me in this world As well as showing her feelings this phrase shows that she has completed everything possible to her, this also emphasises the fact that her life is in many ways very formulaic. Looking for a Rain God is another short piece expressing cultural expectations of women. In this piece it becomes obvious to me that women have a very limited role in life. The piece is based on a small tribe of people, which are desperate for water, as they are facing a situation involving drought. Whilst the men of the families are fighting for their familys survival the women sit and wail in an act of desperation within their shambolic lives. The women of the families are usually the last to receive any necessary resources, although without their husbands they would in most cases be unable to survive. Unlike Veronica the women based within this piece are in many ways unhappy and do not feel fulfilled. Set aside from this point they do still follow the basic outline of culturally stereotypical women at this time, which in this case is to stay at home in aid of caring for their families. The roles of women in the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck are expressed by the portrayal of one character named as Curleys wife One main factor which firstly expresses a limited role in life for Curleys wife is based within the fact that she hasnt received a name, she is known as a possession to her egocentric and obdurate husband Curley. Curleys wife lives an isolated, lonely, poignant and low-key life in which she is treated as one of Curleys achievements which he can be proud of. Her overall role within the novel is to look after Curley and to uphold his pride. As a result of her isolation she acts as a floozy, either manipulating people of behaving flirtatiously. Curleys wife also follows the broad outline of stereotypical women, as her role is low-key and to act as a possession. In Curleys views she is an achievement which he can be dominant towards, which has not real importance in life. Although Curleys wifes appearance and attitude appears to be a floozy and emphasises that she is manipulative and selfish, this is due to her restrictions in life. The overall outcome of her life is very poignant although her destitute lifestyle expresses the mitigating reason for this. The cultural expectations of women have been expressed through a combination of salient factors within each of the pieces summarised. The stereotypical role involving the caring of families and the pride of husbands is in many ways very poignant, As shown above consequences can involve women being fulfilled as it Veronica or unhappy to involve a decrease in character as in Of Mice and Men Overall after exploring cultural roles of women within Veronica by Adewale Maja-Pearce, Looking for a Rain God by Bessie Head and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck I can see that there is an overall stereotypical role of women throughout. This role gives women limited opportunities in life and causes them to be isolated. Results of this isolation are varied between cultures. Some of the women within the investigated pieces appear to be fulfilled whereas others appear to be very unhappy leading a dull and poignant life. In conclusion this stereotypical role of women is extremely unfair and should be overruled completely to provide all women with equal opportunities.

Influence of Oscar Wildes Sexuality

Influence of Oscar Wildes Sexuality Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was a writer whose homoerotic texts pushed the social boundaries of the Victorian era. Born to a family of unabashed Irish agnostics, the self-proclaimed dandy valued art, fashion, and all things physically beautiful. After receiving a comprehensive education from Oxford, Wilde made a name for himself in London first as a novelist, penning the now famous The Picture of Dorian Gray. A string of successful plays followed, among them The Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband. Wilde also published a variety of short stories and essays, but is acclaimed by historians for his pioneering influence over the aesthetic movement, a progression that opposed the accepted Victorian take on art in every way, shape, and form. Wilde postulated that art existed solely for itself, only for the sake of being art. His play The Decay of Lyingexemplified this tenet best, personifying his distaste for societys proclivities through a conversation between two people in a park.Though he fathered two sons, Wildes marriage fizzled as his personal life continuously hinted at homosexuality. Wildes inability to keep his private life secret proved to be his downfall; a love affair with a prominent nobleman resulted in Wildes imprisonment and expulsion from British social circles. Victorian Britain became increasingly morally rigid, its period marking a time when Britain was experien cing a growth in imperialism and conservative thought. While serving his term for homosexual acts, Wilde wrote the deeply spiritual De Profund is, in which he discussed his aspirations of individuality and freedom from the proprietary values that bound late Victorian society. An avant-garde writer and raconteur, Wildes sexuality had a profound effect on his works, influencing imagery and the nature of his characters in both The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest. Wildes sexuality and effeminate nature shaped his relations to aestheticism, which in turn manifested itself in his works moral implications. Wilde frequently employed thinly disguised doubles, representing himself in his work in order to juxtapose anaesthete and a traditionally Victorian society. Wildes aesthetics are strangely connected to his obsession with Jesus Christ. It is peculiar that such an unorthodox figure such as Wilde would find so much solace and inspiration from such a religious source. In De Profundis, Wildes admiration for and comparison with Jesus takes on many levels. He likens his persecution to Jesus crucifixion, a notion that evokes hubris, especially given Wildes naturally flamboyant disposition.Though not entirely humble, Wildes comparisons are ba sed more on parallels drawn between Wildes persecution and the events leading to Jesus martyrdom. Many speculate Wildes eventual baptism and acceptance of Catholicism was a manifestation of imminent deaths madness as the famed author was too radical to accept religion within the boundaries of sanity. However, there are critics who contend that Wilde was very much in the mainstream of the intellectual currents of his time, a man clearly aware of what he was trying to achieve in terms of his life and art; in the end, he was willing to accept his newfound status as a pariah, provided he could still create plays and prose. Considered by many to be the most outrageous trial of the century, Wildes fall from grace was so indicative of his progression and the significance of his unique works set in a time between the Victorian era and the modern age (Hoare 4). Wildes persecution reflected a clash of morals and ideals not unlike those faced by the protagonists of his novels. Wildes trial mimicked his imaginative fiction: it was a clash of opposites: of good versus evil, of heterosexual and homosexual, of masculine and feminine, of the safe and the dangerous, of what was seen as morally right or morally wrong (Hoare4). Homosexualitys Influence in The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest Wildes homosexuality had a profound influence over his work. His own experiences and relationships are projected into The Picture of Dorian Gray, and it is widely speculated that the characters Basil, Lord Henry, and Dorian are different aspects of Wilde himself. Wilde wrote that Basil is how I see myself, Lord Henry how the world sees me, and Dorian how I would like to be (Ericksen 101). The controversy behind The Picture of Dorian Gray was based in the extreme homoeroticism of the characters interaction; it is easy to see how Wildes writing elicited such a reaction. The male relationships are surely suggestive enough to stir even the most open-minded in the Victorian era. Wildessexuality affected the structure of the relationships as well, opening the book with the making of a homosexual love triangle involving Basil, Dorian, and Lord Henry. Basils painting is intimately connected with his adulation of Dorians physical beauty. Dorian, in turn, adores LordHenry, a man of stature who introduces him into a new coterie. LordHenry, in turn, adores Dorians physical beauty but also his relative innocence and the opportunity to mold him into the type of Victorian socialite everyone will adore. The novel opens with Basils overstated obsession with Dorians good looks. Basils sentiments, however, are undeniably romantic. As he paints his masterpiece, Basil is described as looking wistfully at the canvas, a smile of pleasure passing across his face as he lingers over the image he created (Wilde 1962, 20). In the case Basils day dreaming was too speculative a conclusion to make, Wilde provided his readers with interaction between Basil and Lord Henry sufficient enough to establish a romantic attraction for Dorian inside Basil. WhenLord Henry walks into Basils studio, Basil plans on keeping his subjects identity a secret out of jealousy. Basil immensely likesDorian, and has grown to love secrecy as it ensures that he will not have to share Dorian with Lord Henry (Wilde 1962, 22). Though it is later discovered that Basil is concerned that Lord Henry will corrupt Dorian with his cynicism and overdeveloped penchant for amorality, Basil is extremely protective of a man who he has be friended solely on the basis of his physical appearance. He describes to Lord Henry how upon seeing Dorian for the first time his face grew pale, knowing he met someone whose mere personality was so fascinating that [it could]absorb him if he allowed it (Wilde 1962, 24). Wildes homosexuality is significantly influential not just over the course of the plot, but also in the development of character relationships. Lord Henrys attraction to Dorian Gray is multi-tiered. Half the attraction to Dorian is on account of his youth, a possible reflection of Wildes relationship with younger men. The other half of Lord Henrys attraction to Dorian is his ability to mold Dorian into alike-minded socialite, a member of his New Hedonist group. However,Lord Henrys attraction, like Basils is undeniably romantic in nature. Though Lord Henry finds Dorian attractive, Dorians hold over Lord Henry does not fully take root until after Basil rambles on and on about his curious idolatry he has developed, and how he couldnt be happy if he didnt see Dorian everyday; Lord Henry takes serious notice of Dorian after Basil confides that he finds the young man to beabsolutely necessary to Basils life (Wilde 1962, 27). Wilde developsLord Henry in this way to stress his association wi th society at large; most people are not loved by everyone unless they are first loved by a few. Society, Wilde argues, will love whom it is deemed fashionable to love. Following Basils affirmations and affections, Lord Henry observes the young Adonis [made out of] ivory as wonderfully handsome, with his finely curved, scarlet lips, his frank blue eyes,his crisp gold hair; it comes to no wonder why Basil worshipped him(Wilde 1962, 33). The love triangle develops past Basils death; even Dorian finds himself attracted to Lord Henry. A peculiar observation is Dorians loss of composure after observing Lord Henrys romantic, olive-colored face and warm expression; Wilde writes that Dorian is in disbelief at his trepidation upon meeting Lord Henry (Wilde 1962, 38).After all, Dorian is not a schoolboy or a girl (Wilde 1962, 39). As Wildes homosexuality became more apparent, he began leading double lives. One of his lives was socially acceptable, as society perceived him as a married man with two sons. His other life was one spent among male prostitutes, renting houses outside London in which he would have extramarital, homosexual affairs. The incredible restriction Wilde faced was more because of his homosexuality than his marital infidelity. In leading his double lives, Wilde designed four characters in The Importance of Being Earnest to exude differing degrees of duality. The multiple personas were a reflection of the masks Wilde used as a means of personal adjustment, a prevailing theme among the four characters (Ericksen 151). The first character is Jack Worthing, a responsible man typical of the Victorian era. The legal guardian of a young woman, Jack finds it to be increasingly difficult to enjoy himself through the minor indiscretions that provide the average young man with such entertainment. As a re sult of his guarded nature, Jack creates his double, an alter ego he claims as his younger brother, whom he names Ernest. When Jack leaves the country and his responsibilities, he becomes Ernest, a mischievous character in contrast to the composed, model citizen Jack. The second character is Algernon Moncrieff, friend to Jack Worthing and first cousin to the woman Jack intends to wed. Algernon also leads a double life, though his double life involves animaginary friend of sort, a man whom he names Bunbury. The third character Wilde incorporates is Gwendolen Fairfax, the object of Jacksaffection. Though she accedes to her mothers will in public, Gwendolenrebels in private, pursuing Ernest without her mothers consent.After Jack plans to wed Gwendolen, she mentions she cannot marry a man whose name is not Ernest; this creates quite the dilemma for Jack, as he had originally planned to kill Ernest with another fabrication.The final character, Cecily Cardew, is a ward under her guardian, Jack Worthing. Tutored in the country, Cecily longs for a life outside her country estate, falling in love with the deviant Algernon. The doubles are a forward testament to Wildes life as a homosexual inVictorian London. As a Jack among his peers and Ernest among his lovers, Wilde is best personified in Algernon, though is present in both Jack and Algernon as they are constructed on similar principles and ideas (Ericksen 151). Both Jack and Algernon lead double lives, hence the similar principles and ideas. However, where Jack and Algernon differ is the nature of their double lives. Jacks alter ego, Ernest, is someone whom he actually becomes upon entering town. Algernon, on the other hand, claims to be visiting Bunbury, his imaginary ego. Algernon remains the same; the only thing that changes is his behavior. While both Algernon and Jack are sophisticated men of the world, only Jack finds the need to change his identity and life as he shifts social circles (Ericksen 152). Like the socially accepted individuals in Victorian society, Jack is rigid, morally sound, and never deviant. Initially known to Algernon as Ernest, Jacks transformation is almost instant as Algernon reveals his knowledge of Ernest/Jacks deviance with names. Ernest is wistful and madly in love with Gwendolen until his true ego, Jack, is revealed. As soon as Algernon shows Jack/Ernest the cigarette case, Jack shows himself, pointing out how ungentlemanly [a thing it is] to read a private cigarette case (Wilde 2005, 12). Algernon, now Jacks foil following Ernests departure, retorts with an epigram truly reminiscent of a dandy, stating the [absurdity in] having hard and fast rules(Wilde 2005, 12). The two characters play off each other from the very beginning, revealing their intentions. Algernon remains the deviant, bored with his surroundings and endless cucumber sandwiches (Wilde2005, 4). Jack leaves to indulge in the sort of behavior from which he is restricted as he is responsible for Cecily. Like Wilde, who has a family of his own, Jack cannot overindulge without risking social harm to his family. Ernest, then, is a double play on words; in indulging ones earnest, or true self, one escapes the constrictive Victorian society of moral and social obligations. Wildes aim here is to escape the Victorian moral code, returning to the Hellenistic antiquity of male relationships. Strangely, most everyone except Jack longs to see or meet Ernest.Algernon himself assumes the identity of Earnest in his quest to meet Cecily. Much to Jacks chagrin, Algernon decides to assume the identity of Algernon simply out of curiosity. Algernon has no ulterior motives; he wants to be Ernest just to be Ernest, a reflection of Wildespredisposition toward universal simplicity. Cecily also longs to meet Ernest, as she has heard of his antics and looks forward to a relative several degrees less rigid than her estranged guardian. Gwendolen is madly in love with Ernest partly due to her empathy for Jacksupbringing, and partly because of her obsession with his name. ThroughErnest, Wilde reveals his wishes of acceptance; he wants people to desire his homosexual identity and accept him not in spite of it, but because of it. Victorian values were imposed on every part of culture. Because of the great successes and advances felt by the 1860s, it was assumed that the throne had arrived at something new and worth keeping. An increasingly prudish era, the Victorian, puritanical movement required that all art have purpose. Whether to emulate a person, place, or event, art needed a reason to exist. It could be veneration of the object, veneration of the genre, or even veneration of the artist, but all art, including the written word, was subject to the Victorian standard if it was to be accepted by the general public. Like so many other movements, the Victorians were faced with the concept that art existed for art, that its sole end is itself and nothing more. While many mistakenly attribute this movement to Wilde, he in fact did not create aestheticism, he was merely its vehicle (Gaunt 119). As an Irishman, it was only natural that Wilde would be the catalyst for such a movement. Ireland was still relatively free of the imperialist expansion, allowing for a medium of trade most of England could not match. Wilde, after all, was not from the industrial wastelands of Liverpool, Manchester, or London. He was from the dingy magnificence of Dublin (Gaunt 119). Wildes aesthetics are rooted in his education, primarily his preoccupation with Hellenistic Greece and the old texts involving male relationships. When searching for the concept of beauty, he might havegotten his ideas from the great 6th century Hellas, where Wildeperceived the triumph of Greece and great civilization was its creation and representation of a supreme form of beauty (Gaunt 120).The ancient Greeks may have appealed most to Wilde because of the high premium they put on male-male relationships. Viewed as the most pure of all loves, homosexual male love was venerated by great leaders as well as scholars. The king of the gods and Mount Olympus, Zeus, was known to have a male lover, a young shepherd by the name of Ganymede. Contrary to the Victorians, who had inherited a set of religious beliefs based on faith rather than reason, Wilde had no concrete religious beliefs at all (Ericksen 19). The Aesthetic Movement, of which Wilde was soon to become the representative figure, was essentially a reaction against the ascendance of Philistinism in art and life (Ericksen 19). Wilde was determined to cultivate his own individual impressions of the world (Ericksen 19). Though he quickly became the most prominent aesthete, Wildes views were not unique. He had previously traveled to France, where he met with names such as de Goncourt, Flaubert, and Huysman, who showed him the depth of suffering as beauty. After Wilde settled in London in the 80s, he began to showcase his aestheticism, sporting garb such as plum-colored velveteen knickerbockers with perhaps a soft loose shirt and a wide turned-down collar (Ericksen 21). Wilde advocated art as having intrinsic, immeasurable value. Unlike the Victorian stance, art did not have to feature a moral code, teach a lesson, or exist as a monument to an ideal supporting morals. Art is art, and exists only to exist for itself. For example, paintings of the Last Supper, though beautiful, existed to be a testament to Jesus or Christianity. Wildes Aestheticism would interpret the Last Supper to exist solely for the purpose of being a beautiful painting. The colors, shapes, and figures would be the central focus as they would represent beauty; the connotation behind twelve disciples sitting around a solitary figure would be dismissible. Wildes sexuality ties indirectly to the concept of art; one of the reasons Wilde advocated the aforementioned moral system was his relation of the system to antiquity. Homosexual union was not a defiled perversion; Wilde argued that it was a sign of progress, like aestheticism. Aestheticism and homosexuality would be placed in the same context as other time periods such as Hellenistic Greece, Classical Italy (Michelangelo), and Shakespearean England. The aforementioned periods involve the perfection of the male form; Wilde believed himself to be in line with the traditions of old because of his Oxford rearing. Hellenistic aesthetic coincided with Wildes sexuality and his aesthetic movement in the shared view that the male form was the most beautiful.Homosexual relationships were therefore considered an act of beauty, the most revered form of affection possible. Wildes The Decay of Lying is a multi-page testament to his belief in arts greater purpose as having no such purpose. Essentially an extended metaphor for the ill consequences of turning art into a mathematical measure, The Decay of Lying describes lying and poetry as arts (Wilde 1997, 7). The metaphor continues, equating art with an exaggeration of reality. True art, Wilde argues through the protagonists Cyril and Vivian, is so abstract that the real becomes unreadable (Wilde 1997, 13). The nature of art and beauty is so abstract that nature and life are meant to imitate it. The dangers of regarding art as a moral calculus are detailed in The Picture of Dorian Gray. The strange stasis in which Dorian findshimself—the state where his self-portrait shows his aging and the negative effects of his actions—is a wonderful example of Wildesaesthetics in motion. The story unfolds as Dorian is sitting in front of Basil; Basil is seen pondering the sheer physical beauty of the scene in front of him. The true aesthetic, Basil seeks out the beautiful solely because it is beautiful. He becomes enamored with Dorian only because of his beauty. On the other hand, Lord Henry findsDorian irresistible because of the potential socialite he sees in a mind that has yet to be molded. Basil the aesthete warns Lord Henry, imploring him not to make a cynic out of something beautiful; in this case, Basil is ultimately requesting Lord Henry to take caution in his approach to Dorian. Basil wants to preserve Dorian the way he is because he finds him beautiful, where Lor d Henry wants access toDorians private time so he can mold something new and different.Dorian becomes a work of art, manipulated by Lord Henry, killing Basil, the aesthete. Later in the novel, Lord Henry gives Dorian a yellow book, one with no title that is presumably about art and philosophy (Ericksen 115).Dorian becomes obsessed, using it as a Bible with which he leads his whole life. In the end, Dorian dies, having gone mad. This is an unequivocal warning from Wilde to those who would pervert the course of art (Victorians). Wilde shows the reader what happens when art is taken out of context and into a completely inappropriate light. Moreover, its hows how damaging the Victorian approach is; Dorian is unable to change his ways. Shortly after his inhuman treatment of Sibyl, he attempts to reform, only to find the painting smirking back at him.This is a reflection of the unyielding nature of Victorian society; itis a reflection of Wildes suffocation and inability to move freely, creatively, or inspirationally in the context of British society at the close of the 19th century. Just like Dorian, Wilde cannot express himself freely; though he had a chance in the beginning of the novel, Dorian did not follow the poor artist Basil. He instead opted to conform to the higher-ranking Lord Henry, whose coterie led Dorian to his death. Once in the clutches of Lord Henry, Dorian was fully supplicated to the mercy of his manipulator. Lord Henry almost immediately changes in his affections for Dorian, the extreme differences being Dorians perception as an Adonis in the beginning and as an unrecognizable, withered, man who is unidentifiable until they check his rings. Wildes third play, An Ideal Husband makes use of the witty banter known as epigrams to reveal the darker side of Victorian values in atongue-and-cheek fashion. The whole play is an epigram of sorts, exemplifying the imperfections of the Victorian bourgeois by mockingly portraying the inefficacy of their incorporation into Wildes ideal society. The traditional Victorian values Wilde mocks in An Ideal Husband are devotion, forgiveness, sacrifice, loyalty, moral integrity, and a composed disposition, all traits that Wilde subverts in his character portrayals. Though Sir Robert, the ideal husband, finds himself at the disadvantageous end of blackmail, his past does not warrant Wilde to present him as vile or duplicitous, as Lord Goringpostulates to Lady Chiltern that every man of every nature [has]elements of weakness (Wilde 2004, 27). The play, however, becomescentered around a conflict caused by [Lady Chilterns] unyielding moral rigidity (Ericksen 142). Sir Robert faces a moral dilemma in his coping with Mrs. Cheveleys blackmail. Wilde makes a useful point in the Sir Roberts circumstances; on one hand, Sir Robert is faced with making public his dark and relatively shameful past, there ineffectively nullifying Mrs. Cheveleys threats. On the other, he must deal with a Puritanical wife who cannot forgive anyone who has done a wicked or shameful deed, including Sir Roberts possible complicity(Ericksen 141). Would an ideal husband accede to the blackmail, there indenying his wifes request to challenge Mrs. Cheveley? In either event, Sir Roberts relationship is put in jeopardy. He can either lie to his wife, giving in to Mrs. Cheveley and compromising his marriage, or he can make his past public domain, marring the perfect public image his wife so treasures. Ironically, the couples social coterie perceivesSir Robert as the ideal mate, a man who, until his blackmail, was known for his impeccable reputation. Even his private life with Lady Chiltern was blissfully free of blemishes. Sir Roberts reputation and relationship with his wife, however, could have been saved by a simple lie. Had he never revealed the truth to his wife and given in to Mrs.Cheveley, giving in to her will, Lady Chiltern wouldnt have been one to know the better. An ideal husband in this case would therefore lie;for Wilde, the Victorian moral impetus lies not with adhering to the traditional values, but rather in maintaining the facade of keeping values in general. Ironically, Lady Chiltern learns of her husbands past all the same, [castigating] him and [rejecting] his please for forgiveness (Ericksen 141). No amount of marital maneuvering can spareSir Robert. In the end, it is Lord Goring who confronts Mrs. Cheveleyabout Sir Roberts blackmail; he is the only empowered character as he speaks and acts under no false pretenses. While he is far from perfect, chastised by his father for dancing until four oclock in the morning, Lord Goring is Wildes idealist—he is an art love r, whose witty repartee is surpassed only by his willingness to fight Mrs.Cheveley. One of Wildes most effective comic devices is his employment of epigrams, and more comical still is his utilization of Vicomte deNanjacs malapropisms. The French Attachà © in London, Nanjac representsWildes interpretation of those not fortunate enough to be born elite; Nanjac is easily recognized by his adoration of society and hisAnglomania (Wilde 2004, 4). His malapropisms are a reflection of the sad attempts of many to engage in epigramic banter, the object of LordGorings successful use of epigram. A ridiculing character, WildesNanjac is one whose blind aspiration to join a society hampers his vision and taste, therein earning him the scorn of the more capableLord Goring. Wildes assault on the Victorian bourgeois is personified best by the duality of his characters. Sir Robert, for example, presents a public mask of absolute personal integrity but has actually built his fortune and career upon a deception (Ericksen 144). An almost hero, Sir Robert is a manifestation of Wildes implications regarding a relatively innocent mans subjugation under society. Lord Arnheim, Sir Roberts former co-conspirator, first seduces Sir Robert with his doctrine of wealth, elucidating his view that controlling others is lifes greatest attribute (Ericksen 142). Mrs. Cheveley displays this best asLord Arnheims theoretical protà ©gà ©e; the two are almost Machiavellian in their manipulation (Ericksen 145). Where Lord Arnheim seduced SirRobert by playing to the discrepancy between his noble birth and modest financial holdings, Mrs. Cheveley is absolutely ruthless in her willingness to wreak havoc on all aspects of Sir Roberts married life in order to secure her investments. In his surrender to the wills of the two manipulators, Sir Robert becomes an ideal human, one whose proclivity to err alienates him from society. By succumbing to the two prominent materialists, Sir Robert embodies Wildes disdain for the financial drive of Victorian social coteries; contrary to the art-collecting Sir Robert, the female villain has no pleasures outside control and exploitation. Wilde addresses the lack of humanity in Victorian society, personified by the promulgation of perfection among the social elite. In the first Act, Mrs. Marchmont and Lady Basildon discuss their unfortunate marital situation. Lord Goring notes they are married to the most admirable husbands in London, to which Mrs. Marchmont responds that their husbands perfection is exactly what [they cant stand]; there is not the smallest element of excitement in knowing [them] (Wilde 2004,10). In this sense, the true Sir Robert, the one susceptible to suggestion and whose past compromises his future, becomes the ideal husband. Wilde suggests all Victorians wear masks, alternate identities that shield them from being human and enjoying existence. The ideal marriage is manifested best by the speculative union of Mabel Chiltern and Lord Goring, who at the plays close reject the common Victorian roles and morals previously discussed. Wildes Victorian surroundings were instrumental in his development of aesthetics, but were unfortunately not tolerant of his private life. A controversial figure, Wilde was homosexual, and had an ongoing affair with a younger nobleman by the name of Lord Alfred Douglas. Lord Douglas father, enraged at his sons homosexual relationship with Wilde, accused Wilde of being a sodomite, a grave offense in Great Britain at the time. Though acquitted in his first of two trials, Wilde was later sentenced to serve two years hard labor on the aforementioned charges. First imprisoned in Londons Wandsworth prison, Wilde was denied pen and paper until his transfer to Reading Gaol, where he eventually wrote De Profundis. While Wilde revealed his fascination with the figure of Christ [throughout] his literary career, only in De Profundis did he actually make [Christ] a part of his aesthetic system (Ericksen 156). A dramatic monologue on spirituality and society, De Profundis features several metaphor s likening Wilde toChrist. Wilde felt his unjust imprisonment made him a martyr; upon initial circulation of rumors regarding his sexuality, Wilde could have left London for France, therein spared persecution. Unlike Hamlet, who became a spectator to his own tragedy, Wilde the Christ-figure actively sought out what he perceived as his end (Wilde 2003, 28).Where Christ accepted his fate for the benefit of mankind, Wilde was a self-convinced saint and martyr for art and what he perceived to be the threatened aesthetic movement. Having passed through every mode of suffering, Wilde was convinced that his redemption would be realized through his incarceration and subsequent release, upon which his newfound humility would help him rise again (Wilde 2003, 4). Just as mankind would redeem itself through the trial and crucifixion of Jesus, Wilde felt society would be redeemed through his incarceration. He continued, developing his incarceration to salvation, likening greatness to requisite s orrow. Wilde admired Jesus for having realized his calling as being completed, reaching fulfillment upon its end(Wilde 2003, 19). Marveling at his situation, Wilde mused on the incredulity of a young Galilean peasant imagining that he could bear on his shoulders the weight of the world, including all the worlds past sins as well as what had yet to be done and suffered (Wilde2003, 13). Jesus death and resurrection was that toward which Wildeaspired, conceding that imprisonment was most likely an act of retribution for the fanciful and carefree life he led previously.Incarceration, then, was Wildes means of atoning for the errant life he might possibly have led upon his release. He hoped his relationship with Lord Douglas would be forgiven, and longed for societys acceptance. Wilde could claim on [his] side that if [he realized] what[he had] suffered, society should realize what it [had] in turn inflicted; with a mutual cognizance shared between Wilde and society, he hoped there would be no bitterness or hate on either side (Wilde2003, 7). Just as Jesus attempted to win over his captors and aggressors through his death and resurrection, Wilde hoped to pacify societys enmity by paying his social dues in prison. Wilde even likened the course of his lifes events to those leading up to Jesusmartyrdom. For example, Jesus was given direction by God the Father and condemned by Man. Wilde, in turn, ascribes the two great turning points in [his] life as when his father sent [him] to Oxford, and when society sent [him] to jail (Wilde 2003, 6). Wildes foreknowledge of an impending criminal proceeding did not dissuade him, just as the disciples could not sway Jesus acceptance and willingness to die on the cross. Neither Wilde nor Jesus could ignore their calling, no matter the grisly end. As a sinner, Wilde conceded that he had to accept the fact that martyrs were equally persecuted for the good as well as for the evil committed (Wilde 2003, 7). However similar to Jesus Wilde would assert himself to be, there weredefinite discrepancies in De Profundis that could testify to Wilde asan admirer of Jesus rather than his attempted emulator. Wildepostulated that Jesus saw Man in the same fashion as the aestheticmovement saw art; Man existed simply to exist. Wilde wrote that Christ regarded sin and suffering as being [beautiful] in and of themselves, that such a notion was the dangerous idea that led Christ to his demise (Ericksen 157). Just like Christ, Wildes own dangerous idea that ran against the Victorian grain was what led to his downfall.Wilde also saw his imprisonment as a period of transition. Hisindictment of the Greek gods as deities emulating humans indicatedhislife prior to imprisonment; Wilde labeled the Olympian gods as ableto reach greater heights (Wilde 2003, 17). Each Olympian representeddifferent aspects of humani

Self-Determination in Arab Society :: Arabic Culture Cultural Essays

Self-Determination in Arab Society Since World War Two, much of the developing world has been in transition. One such idea that saw a re-birth was that of self-determination-- be it on the national level or on the personal level. Self-determination on a national level means the independence of a country; on a personal level, it is the determination of one own fate. This can be seen in various ways with our five women characters, Maha, Um Saad, Nadia, Yusra and Suad. In the forward of Daughters of Abraham, Karen Armstrong notes that Islam is "adamantly opposed to the subjection of one human being by another," "insist that men and women were created by God image" and "both sexes have equal rights and responsibilities before God." Strong and resourceful women have played a key role in history and yet Islam has pushed women into an inferior and marginal position, excluding them from full participation in the social, cultural and religious life of the community. Even though figures such as the prophet Muhammad had a positive view of women, relied on them, and treated them as valued equals, some of the most respected sages and theologians have preached outright misogyny. In Rethinking Women and Islam, Amira Sonbol remarks that while the "vision of equality has been one of the mainsprings and central teachings of Islam," it is not extended to women. Rather the numerous Quranic references to equality between man and woman are commonly disregarded, "as the man is given superior moral and physical role as guardian over his wife." It is this type of understanding that is rooted into Arab culture whether or not Arab women have experienced great changes in modernization and industrialization. Therefore, it is imperative that women stand up for themselves and have a sense of self-determination. Self Determination Women were among the first converts to Islam, and the Koran gave women rights of inheritance and divorce that Western women did not receive until the nineteenth century. The Koran does not describe the wearing of the veil of all women as well as seclusion. However, Karen Armstrong notes that three of four generations after the prophet death, Muslims imitated the customs of the Greeks and the Persians in their empire who had long treated their women in this way. Moreover, in her view, Muslims also picked up some of the Christian misogyny and pre-modern legal codes like the Shariah "reduced women to the rank of second-class citizens even though the ideal of the equality of all believers was crucial to the Quran message.

Booker T Washington Essay -- Biography Biographies Bio

For every exalted leader it is often said, "he was not without flaws." Perhaps when referring to Booker T Washington, it would be more accurate to say, "he was not without virtues." Through his autobiography, we see a man raise himself Up From Slavery to succeed in a white man's world. At first glance, it's easy to assume Booker T Washington was an adequate, if not impressive leader for the black race. Yet upon a closer examination, it is easy to find his thinly veiled motives - completely selfish in nature. His ambitions, and the ambition of the black race in the late 19th century, do not fully coincide. An assessment of Washington's leadership skills shows him to be a surprisingly adept bureaucrat, although a divergent force as a representative for his race. On a surface level, Booker T Washington indeed did make progress for African Americans. We cannot fault him for his great strides in educating an almost completely uneducated race. Washington claims that there were over six thousand men and women from Tuskegee alone that were working all over the South at the time of the books publish (202). The success of these students was due in great part to the realistic outlook of Booker T Washington. By insisting that each and every student perform manual labor, he prepared them for life much more thoroughly than could ever be accomplished in the classroom alone (135). By becoming a skilled in tasks manual labor, Washington believed you were perfectly in line for a comfortable life. In his words, "any man, regardless of colour, will be recognized and rewarded just in proportion as he learns to do something well" (181). As an educational role model, Booker T Washington was a tremendous success. In addition to his contri... ...he was, but he did not toil land. Instead, he built himself into a wealthy sophisticate - the father of a university with an inordinate amount of influential friends. And how did he do it? He cast down his bucket. As a black man, and a former slave, rising into fortune was a difficult task that could be accomplished only with great consideration. By founding Tuskegee, he gained notoriety. Then, by befriending whites, by being an "uncle tom", he gained power. He thus rose to prominence not as a great leader, but instead as a great manipulator of the system. Due to his uncanny ability to work within the bureaucracy of American government and culture, he was able to attain all he had ever wanted - wealth, power, and white acceptance. Works Cited Washington, Booker. Up From Slavery: The Autobiography Of Booker T. Washington: Aun Autobiography. Citadel, 2001.

The Power of Personal Goals Essay -- Personal Narrative, informative e

The life of a student-athlete entails much sacrifice and plenty of restless days. Whether frantically finishing homework following an all-day competition or dreading to begin a project as injuries are tended to, such a lifestyle is not suitable for the fainthearted. In realizing the amounts of work that is demanded of the student-athlete, one can indubitably feel overwhelmed. However, levels of preoccupation and tension lessen considerably when organization guides the daily course of action. Implementing a set of long-range goals, in any realm from academics to athletics, is essential to attaining success. In setting educational goals to be reached, I strove diligently to achieve those high standards and, eventually, realized them. As a young, elementary school kid, I wanted to grow up to be any one of three things: fireman, doctor, or professional athlete. If the day was unbearably warm, as it usually was during the non-winter months in the Los Angeles Basin, I thought being a heroic firefighter would be a great occupation. If recess involved a cut from a fall onto the blacktop or a scrape from a viciously thrown dodgeball, the image of helping others physically surfaced into my mind. During the football season, boyhood dreams of playing in the National Football League were envisioned. Yet, as I matured, I realized that vacillating between playful whims would inevitably result in boredom. I began to understand that my decisions needed more substantial reasons and purposes. I had to formulate concrete ideas that had an objective to be reached in the long run. As I reached the junior high years, there were circumstances that I had yet to experience. I was accustomed to having my basic needs met by parents, i.e. food, clothi... ... test and tedious assignment by reminding myself what the cause was. When the clamor of the alarm woke me to the new day, my motivation to trudge out of bed was the opportunity to work toward my goal. Knowing that the reward was head, the drive to obtain it did not allow for obstacles to halt my journey. During the process of receiving an education, the daily routine of attending class can be a deterrent to keep one from becoming successful. There will inevitably be times of stress, and the desire to quit will arise. Unless the aim is deemed worthy enough, the necessary sacrifices will not be made. Therefore, one needs a substantial end to be sought so that the difficulties will be met and surmounted. Set an objective to seek and seek it without reservation. I was able to realize my dream of being educated at State University by placing it as the loftiest goal.

Case †HBS: Fiat †Tata Essay

1 What is Fiat’s current situation in India? Fiat is an Italian automobile manufacturer based in Turin.  Fiat India in Indian car market is facing the dilemma of poor sales. It had a very small market share in India comparing to other existing automobile competitors. There was a good and long relationship with Tata Motors in Indian so Fiat and Tata were going to have a joint venture (JV) to manufacture passenger cars, engines and transmissions for the Indian and overseas markets. These two companies began to seek for collaboration in early 2005. From the Exhibit 2: Production by Manufacturer, we can see Fiat in 2006 ranked 11 in worldwide auto industry while Tata stood in 21, which had merely Indian market. For Fiat this brand, it had a high brand awareness in India which is a good sign for them want to expand market there and Fiat also had the best diesel engine for small cars. 2 What is the business opportunity in India? Do you think that Fiat needs a partner? In an attempt to lower costs, most major automotive makers had set up factories in emerging markets such as China, India and South America. Because lower production costs were one incentive, experts also suggested that car makers could gain access to growing and fertile marketplaces that is the background for auto manufacture in India. The liberalization policies in 1991 opened up India to new import and export possibilities. To encourage investments, the government launched series of new policies in 1990s to help growing their economics. For vehicle industry, there was total population of 1.1 billion people in India which is an obvious potential opportunity for auto makers. I think Fiat really needs a partner. The trend at that time was all manufacturers with production greater than one million vehicles were involved in one or more alliances with other producers. Automobile manufacturers formed alliances for a variety of factors with the primary rationale being an attempt to reduce labor, energy, and raw material costs. So combining same value-chain activities to gain efficiencies, merge talents and share risks is a good choice. Observers lauded the tie-in stating that  Fiat had the potential for more sales in the burgeoning Indian market while Tata stood to gain technology and new export markets. 3 Do you think Fiat and Tata make for good partners? Compare the Fiat-GM relationship with the Fiat-Tata relationship. It looks like they make for good partners. They knew each other well before they wanted to committee themselves into joint venture. In 2006, they were both financially sound due to the good co-operation. At that time sourcing of parts usually involved 30 direct suppliers as well as 70 or more indirect suppliers (who served the direct suppliers). Automobile manufacturers usually established long-term relationships with their suppliers and involved suppliers in the development of new models. Fiat and Tata they examined synergies in overseas to give marketing support. With help of Tata, they can improve Fiat’s dealership network and customer service, help to cut manufacturing costs and compete effectively against competitors. For Tata, this alliance with Fiat helped Tata get technologies and new design in future which is a win-win situation. Compared with the Fiat-GM relationship, Fiat and Tata might have better future. After Fiat and GM cooperation, their market share was decreased and had high debts issues. GM themselves were making losses and dissolve the agreement of Group’s auto business. There was no culture collaboration which made it crucial for long term relationship. 4 How would you assess the negotiation process between Fiat and Tata? It was a long way communication before Fiat team came to Tata’s head office and came into negotiation but still better than longer waiting time for visa. I think they made a good conversation and made a lot of efforts like signing MoU to establish joint venture and equity structure. Made agreement to some manufacturing parts like passenger cars, power trains, engines and transmission for India and overseas. They focused on the spirit of relationship and show the prospects for long-term relationship. Most major components were negotiated. However, It was obvious that some culture difference appeared during their negotiation. There are two layers of culture raised by a Fiat executive: first is Italian and Indian culture and the second is the difference in company culture. Even with another Italian company, Fiat can be very different. And some problem appeared like â€Å"It is  always difficult going to the other company’s offices as they still have other work to attend to. So, we might have a meeting scheduled to start at 10am, which then starts at 11am and might end up being regularly interrupted by other issues.† But some complain cannot be very serious in their negotiation.

Has OPEC been a Successful Cartel? Essay

A cartel is an organisation of producers grouped together for their own benefit. The most well known cartel in existence today is OPEC, Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Its members are some (but not all) of the most important oil producing countries including Saudi Arabia and Mexico. Most cartels try to raise prices at the expense of consumers. The aim of this essay is to determine whether OPEC has been a successful cartel, this will mean I have to examine the strengths and weaknesses of OPEC which have been present throughout their existence of supplying oil. This should allow me to make an appropriate judgement on whether OPEC has been a successful Cartel. The brief history of oil prices show that oil was cheap in the 1950s and 60s. This was due to supply growing faster than demand. The early 1970’s saw a reversal of this trend, as demand increased faster than supply. This was mainly due to the world economy booming. Source: adapted from BP statistical review In November 1973, politics in the Middle East was to have a great effect on oil prices. With an existing tight market, the result was am explosion in the price of oil. The war was soon over but its economic downturn effect was not lost on OPEC. OPEC, whose members at the time supplied over 60% of world demand for oil, organised a system of quotas amongst themselves, fixing limits on how much each member could produce. By slightly cutting back on pre-1973 production levels, they were able to increase the average price of oil to around $13 (as shown in the table above). Price S2 As this demand and supply diagram S1 shows, as Supply decreases from S1 to S2, Price increases from P1 to P2. This P2 explains how OPEC managed to increase average prices of oil to $13 by cutting P1 back on supply. D Quantity QD2 QD1 However, this graph also shows that Quantity demanded for oil would also decrease. This would mean OPEC may well not be better of in terms of revenue as price increases and quantity demanded decreases (Price * Quantity =Revenue). However there was a fundamental reason why OPEC could successfully pioneer this massive price rise, this was mainly due to the fact that the demand for oil was inelastic in the short run. Price inelasticity assumes that demand is not heavily affected by a change in price. The reason behind oil being an inelastic product was due to the fact that oil consumers had invested heavily in capital equipment such as oil-fired heating systems and petrol driven cars. In the short term there were no cheap alternative substitutes. As a result OPEC would receive a higher revenue by increasing prices; hence higher profits. This could be considered a strength of OPEC as a cartel. However, in the longer term consumers are able to replace oil-powered equipment (substitutes). This would increase the elasticity of oil, hence an increase in price would have a more responsive effect on the amount demanded. As a consequence, when the demand for oil began to grow again in 1976,it was a slower rate than in the early 70s. In 1978, Iran and Iraq went to war. Iran was a major oil producer, and the  subsequent war severely disrupted supplies from these two countries. OPEC used this opportunity to tighten supply again. As a result rose again from $13 a barrel in 1978 to $36 a barrel in 1980. Total world demand fell once again. This gives an indication of OPEC being affected by external influences such as strains among their member countries. August 1990 saw another blow to OPEC’s strangle hold over the success of producing oil in a profitable manner. Political events in the Middle East saw Iraq invade Kuwait, as a result oil sanctions were applied to the output of both countries by oil consuming countries. Other oil producing countries feared of a major shortage in supply as prices rose from $18 to $40 a barrel; as a result other non-OPEC countries reacted by increasing production in oil. Prices fell back as overall supply returned to normal. Since the successful counter by the US to retake Kuwait, the price of oil has seen a steady drift downwards in price. This has also led to OPEC losing out due to more countries increasing production in oil; causing an increase in competition. Restricting competition is not necessarily easy. There are three potential problems that OPEC has to overcome due to it being a cartel. These are explained below: An agreement has to be reached The larger the number of firms, the greater the possibility that at least one key firm participant will refuse to collude. In the case of OPEC, this may well be difficult due to political disagreement that has regularly occurred during OPEC’s history. Cheating has to be prevented Once an agreement is made and profitability in the industry is raised, it would pay an individual firm to cheat so long as no other firms do the same. In the case of OPEC, with the increase in non-OPEC supply has led to strains among OPEC members. This has led to an increased incentive to  cheat(mentioned further on in the essay). Potential competition must be restricted Abnormal profits will encourage not only existing firms in the industry to expand output but also new firms to enter the industry. Firms already in the industries that don’t join the cartel may be happy to follow the policies of the cartel in order to earn abnormal profits themselves. However, in the case of OPEC, it would be hard for another competing country to do this as oil is a scarce resource and also OPEC already has the majority of the market within their own organisation. There are a number of reasons why OPEC has been one of the few international cartels that have survived over a long period of time, this is due to the following: No need for any buffer stocks or large amounts of financial capital If OPEC wishes to reduce supply. Member countries simply produce less and leave their oil in the ground. There are a relatively small number of members of OPEC Member countries are able to exert a high degree of control over the volume of oil lifted within their own countries. Oil production is not particularly affected by variations in weather Hence supply need not fluctuate widely and randomly from year to year as it does in many agricultural markets. OPEC countries supply a significant proportion of total world output. Because non-OPEC producers tend to produce at maximum capacity, countries such as USA and the UK are unable to exert downward pressure on oil prices  even if they wanted to. In real terms, oil prices today are little different from those at the start of the 70’s. OPEC countries increased their revenues substantially in the mid-1970s and again in 1979-80 but these were short-lived gains. OPEC suffers from three fundamental weaknesses: 1) Large increases in oil prices in the 1970s led to stagnant demand for until the mid 1980s. Consumers substituted other types of energy for oil, there was a shift towards much greater energy conservation. 2) Large increases in oil prices led to a large increase in supply from non-OPEC countries. The increase in supply has depressed world prices since the start of the 1980s. Hence, OPEC receiving a lower turnover as a result. 3) The increase in non-OPEC supply has led to strains amongst OPEC members. In any cartel there is an incentive to cheat. However, if countries cheat, then the price will fall rapidly. This occurred in the mid-1980s, when many OPEC countries exceeded their quotas, driving down the prices of oil. Which again would have an adverse effect upon profits made by OPEC countries. To conclude, I believe that OPEC has suffered many problems associated with being a cartel. As a result I believe OPEC will not continue to be a successful cartel due to individual countries ‘cheating’ in order to gain extra profits (as mentioned previously). There is also the effect of OPEC being able to maintain high levels of profit only on a short term basis, until free market forces take effect and these profits once again return to normal. It must also be mentioned that the increase in supply from non-OPEC members has also created a downward pressure effect upon prices, therefore decreasing OPEC’s control on prices. Hence, profit margins being damaged. The future for OPEC may well see more adverse effects occurring. As the problem of oil being a scarce resource becomes present, free market sources will look towards a substitute for oil. This may well see the demand for oil decreasing in the long term. Once again this will lead to OPEC losing its  competitiveness as a cartel.

Mr birding in the opening of the play? Essay

Mr. Birling is presented as arrogant and a social climber through the stage directions at the start of the play. He is described at the start, in the stage directions, as a â€Å"heavy-looking, rather portentous man in his middle fifties but rather provincial in his speeches.† This implies that Birling is a man who was born in the countryside and that he is not from a very important background. This shows that because of Birling’s history, he’s a pompous man and he tries to show everybody how important he actually is; this is because of how his status used to be when he was growing up as a child. Priestley also conveys Mr. Birling as a pitiful social climber through what he says and his mannerisms at the start of the play. Priestley shows that Birling is aware of the people who are his social superiors, which is why he shows off about the port to Gerald, â€Å"it is exactly the same port your father gets.† He is proud that he is likely to be knighted, as this would move him even higher in the social circles. He claims that the party â€Å"is one of the happiest nights of my life.† This is not only because Sheila will be happy, but also because a merger with Crofts Limited will be good for his business. Through this Priestley presents Mr. Birling as selfish and very self-centered, showing that he only cares about himself and his business. Priestley does this to show that all capitalists were similar to Birling as they too only cared about their social status at the time. The use of dramatic irony in Mr. Birling’s speech presents him as foolish and Priestley is clearly mocking capitalist values. Priestley sets the play in 1912 because that year was before a lot of significant historical events took place. This makes it easy for Priestley to use dramatic irony to display Mr. Birling’s arrogance and foolishness. He confidently states that â€Å"nobody wants war† and that it will never happen, and he has great faith that the â€Å"unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable† ship Titanic will never sink. Priestley’s use of the repetition of the adjective â€Å"unsinkable† further accentuates Mr. Birling’s arrogance. Obviously all these things really did  occur much to the amusement of the 1945 audience, who now know not to take Mr. Birling as an intelligent, thoughtful person. Overall Priestley uses the character of Mr. Burling as a representative of capitalism, showing that capitalists were foolish and arrogant, just like Mr. Birling.