Frederick Taylor’s influence in contemporary management Essay

The theories of Frederick W. Taylor’s Scientific Management proposed in Edwin A. Locke’s (1982) â€Å"The Ideas of Frederick W. Taylor An evaluation† point to Taylor’s tremendous influence on modern-day management. Because Taylor developed this principle in the early 1900’s focusing mainly on scientific decision-making and individualized work while working with manufacturing industry, it poses questions on it’s validity in the modern-day management and how effective his techniques in employer-employee relationship. this posed a lot of Locke indicates that Taylor’s Scientific Management theory led to the beginning of modern management principles and methods that are still being used by many managers around the world (Robbins, Bergman, Stagg & Coulter, 2012). There are 2 key elements of his theory – that is scientific Decision-making and management-labor cooperation. Locke (1982) provided a summary of these concepts wherein he agreed that most of Taylor’s philosophies and techniques in these 2 aspects are widely embraced in the management industry. 1. Scientific Decision-Making a. Time and Motion Study i. Taylor arrived at this technique facing challenges on efficiency in the manufacturing industries with the goal to increase profits (Kulesza et al., 2011). b. Standardization i. This focused on creating standard tools and procedures c. Goal-setting i. Originally called the task and believed to be the model used for development of Management by Objectives (MBO) technique by Pierre Dupont and the term Organizational Behavior modification (OB Mod) d. Money as a motivator i. Taylor believes that workers are motivated with the reward of money. e. Management’s responsibility for training i. Is a technique that advocates management experts are responsible for training of workers. f. Scientific selection i. To achieve efficiency and expectations, Taylor developed the idea of ‘first-class laborer’ (Zuffo, 2011) g. Shorter work week and rest pauses i. The pig iron handlers experiment lead Taylor to conclude that employees needs rest in between the working hours to be more productive. 2. Management and Labor Relationship a. This involves the Individualized work technique wherein Taylor opposed the power of group work rather he believed that Individual task is the most effective way for employees to perform their jobs. Taylor’s scientific approach did not escape criticisms from other theorists. One of the known accusations of his works is treating employees as machines and his antiunionism (Locke, 1982). Also, the theory of human interaction developed by Mary Parker Follett is one of the principles that opposes his Individualized work technique. Follett argues that people working in groups results in greater creativity and moderation of behavior (Fox, 1968). Peter Drucker’s management by objective (MBO) concept also shows an opposition on his works. His proposal includes employees’ engagement in goal-setting (Vohra & Mukul, 2009). Despite earning criticisms on his concept, Taylor’s contribution in the modern-day management is evident in different areas such as cost accounting and lean manufacturing. Kulesza et al., (2011) stated that Taylor’s concepts paved the way to the advancement of management accounting essential to the manufacturing industry and became the foundation of the Lean manufacturing most especially his time and motion technique. Locke’s (1989) summary of Taylor’s principles presented a clearer view of the weight of his influence in the contemporary management. Despite the other theories that oppose some of Taylor’s concepts, no one will argue that his contribution to management is widely accepted. Given that the reason he developed the principle of scientific management is to achieve more productivity and profits which is the same goal of every company, that his  concepts are developed to achieve this goal as the time advances. Also, there is no doubt that his work is used as a pattern in developing advanced concepts to fit the modern-day management as seen in Management Accounting. The impact of his dictatorial role of the manager was to create resentment between employees and employer (Derksen, 2014) it is in this area of the role of management and the contribution of employees to decision-making that people like Follett and Drucker disagree with Taylor. By allowing employees to contribute creatively to decision-making is not only a way to increase production but also to improve employee relations. References Derksen, M. (2014). Turning Men Into Machines? Scientific Management, Industrial Psychology, And The â€Å"Human Factor†. Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences, 50. 148 – 165. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.newcastle.edu.au/store/10.1002/jhbs.21650/asset/jhbs21650.pdf?v=1&t=i0273cql&s=2b430ae6922ccb1c82be31594b71a702658ccc15 Fox, E.M. (1968). Mary Parker Follet: The Enduring Contribution. Public Administration Review, 28, 520. Kulesza, M. G., Weaver, P. Q., & Friedman, S. (2011). Frederick W. Taylor’s Presene in 21st Century Management Accounting Systems and Work Process Theories. Journal of Business and Management, 17, 105 – 119. Locke, E.A. (1982). The Ideas of Frederick W. Taylor: An Evaluation. Academy of Management Review, 7, 14 – 24. Robbins, S., Bergman, R., Stagg, I., & Coulter, M. (2012). Management, 6th Edition. Sydney, Australia: Pearson Australia. Vohra, N., & Mukul, K. (2009). Relevance of Peter Drucker’s Work: Celebrating Drucker’s 100th Birthday. The Journal for Decision Makers, 34, 1 – 7. Wren, D.A. (2011). The Centennial of Frederick W. Taylor’s The Principles of Scientific Management: A Retrospective Commentary. Journal of Business & Management, 17, 11 – 22. Zuffo, R. G. (2011). Taylor is Dead, Hurray Taylor! The â€Å"Human Factor† in Scientific Management: Between Ethics, Scientific Psychology and Common Sense. Journal of Business and Management, 17, 23 – 41.

Determinants of Health Inequity and Significance to Public Health

The move to promote social justice extends that of public health service in what we now deem as eradicating ‘health inequity. ’Contemporary public health has now evolved such that the scope not only covers merely that of sanitation, diet regulation, disease treatment and quarantine/control but also, on the deeper scope, finding roots of the socioeconomic problems associated with morbidity, mortality and the likes and eliminating or targetshooting the cause. Such resolution would necessitate finding out the fundamental causes of the differential health determinants along the scope of social gradient. Cohort studies on mortality and ‘deprivation’ used to analyze the relation on conditions between populations with different socioeconomic statuses and Chalmers and Capewell (2001) reveals that deprived people die from the same conditions as affluent people but earlier in terms of years or lifespan. But is deprivation merely a way of reducing the elements of health inequity? Scott (2005) illustrated the â€Å"layman† analysis on health inequity in the US. As a first world country, the economic state is considerably well-off compared to other states but there exists disparities in health care which is embedded both in the concurrent social system and the economic and health care policies. Scott exemplified the ‘disparities’ using three persons from different social strata with heart disease. It is not known if the ‘personas’ used by Scott were ‘real’ or ‘factual’ but the personas—John Miele (upper class Manhattan architect), Will Wilson (middle class office worker), and Ewa Rycnzac (lower class housekeeper) —do illustrate a window of social ladder and take us deeper into retrospective of the degree of health care accession and social approach these ‘personas’ are receiving. Classes predetermine the fate of health of the members of the state. The differences between accessions of health care are blatant; upper class John would have more chances of being healthy or, on the least, more liable to have the best of health care compared to Wilson and Ewa. Several elements are directly associated with the role of class in the health circumstances, ‘heart attack’, of the three personas: (a) location and accession to the best and afforded health service available; (2) education and income associated to health care accession; and (3) stress based on job types and control(4) social and networking and support of families and relatives. The ‘advantageous’ state is directly related to health outcomes and probability of survival. Herein, the high socioeconomic status enjoyed by Wilson gives him the capacity to act on his disability. In retrospect, there would be depreciation of ‘capacity’ or ‘advantage’ as the individual climbs below the social ladder. We note here that socioeconomic status and social gradient denotes ‘relativity’ (Lynch 2000) in health equity. Thus, we can say that there is an empirical element in this particular social injustice. Scott (2005) merely enunciated perceptions of health inequity and did not dwell deeper into the structural causes of inequality. What is exactly the linkage between socioeconomic statuses (SES) and social gradient on public health? According to Lynch (2000), the causal relation between income inequity and health can be best explained by neomaterial interpretation —differential accumulation of exposures and experiences that have their sources in the material world—and differences in individual income. Herein, the neomaterial interpretation dabbles on a the thought that the conglomeration of ‘negative exposures’ and ‘lack of resources’ held by individuals, along with systematic underinvestment across a wide range of human, physical, health, and social infrastructure. Lynch’s explanation reveals not only the an explanation of health inequity but also the aggravation of several social dilemmas which, naturally, pulls social justice down. Additionally, it is also noted here is that Lynch (2000) disposed the idea of psychosocial effect to explain the social crux. Marmot (2002) the epidemiological perspective on health inequity and Lynch (2000), he also stipulated the role of ‘income’ or ‘resources’ in health inequity. He added that: †¦income is causally associated with health through a direct effect on the material conditions necessary for biological survival, and through an effect on social participation and opportunity to control life circumstances (p. 31) He attributed the health inequity to poor material conditions and lack of social participation. Poor material conditions have been atypified above in the case of Scott (2000) and the different personas that he used to illustrate ‘dis/advantages’ within the social ladder. Marmot (2002) explained this ‘resource availability’ in terms of threshold; an individual and his ability to become a recipient of health care [services] indirectly depends on the range of resources. A typical resource is the income of the individual. Incomes relatively determine the amount of ‘spending’ or investments individuals attribute to health care. Poverty is, again, not the cause of health inequity. Other factors like ignorance, condition/type of the immediate community, and other exogenous factors (e. g. disease-related factors) correlate directly to health inequity. Although Marmot (2002) refused to acknowledge that it may also stem from ‘deprivation’, I contend that it is affected by it. Suffice it is to say that the standard of living is indirectly affected by resources then ‘deprivation’ affects public health. What the government, the public and all the individuals concerned should accomplish is to utilize the knowledge on fundamentals of health inequity, to create intervention tactics to combat the problem. In an attempt to reduce the effects of the destructive social gradient pre-existing within the community, Marmot (20002) exaggeratedly suggested ‘income redistribution. ’ The approach was obviously non-feasible and non-pragmatic and would defy the economic and political foundations of the state. What would be more feasible is creating policies that would, on the least, reduce the gaps between the advantageous ‘higher income’ strata and the lower echelons of the society.

AFFIMATIVE ACTION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

AFFIMATIVE ACTION - Essay Example ffirmative action describes policies aimed at a historically and socio-politically non-dominant group (typically, minority men or women of all races) intended to promote access to education or employment. Motivation for affirmative action is a desire to redress the effects of past and current discrimination that is regarded as unfair and to encourage public institutions such as universities, hospitals and police forces to be more representative of the population. This is commonly achieved through targeted recruitment programs aimed at applicants from socio-politically disadvantaged groups. The overall framework of affirmative action in the United States was established by Executive Order 10925, issued in March 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, but has evolved significantly. The original order required government contractors to take "affirmative action" to ensure equal treatment of applicants and employees "without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin." Reservation in Indian law is a form of affirmative action whereby a percentage of seats are reserved in the public sector units, union and state civil services, union and state government departments and in all public and private educational institutions, except in the religious/ linguistic minority educational institutions, for the socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or the Scheduled Castes and Tribes who were inadequately represented in these services and institutions. The reservation policy is extended for the SC and STs in representing the Parliament of India & state legislative assemblies. In its modern form, affirmative action can call for a recruiting officer faced with two similarly qualified applicants to choose the minority over the white, or for a manager to hire a qualified woman for a job instead of a man. Affirmative action decisions are generally not supposed to be based on quotas, nor are they supposed to give any preference to unqualified candidates. And they

Final Comprehensive Activity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Final Comprehensive Activity - Essay Example Interviews of approximately twelve couples will be used to create a minimum of six case studies. Secondary research will be used to support the findings of the primary research. Questionnaires will be used as a basis of understanding cultural perceptions The question of the research proposal The Anatomy of Romance is in what way do two people in a long-term relationship that is designated by the emotion of love relate to one another in order to sustain that love? Of the most unanswered questions in the human experience, the question of how people successfully navigate a relationship is one of the more prominent. Self-help books, advertising, and talk shows all make use of the topic to promote the sale of their product. However, a deconstruction of romance to examine the components that create this state can help further the understanding of the phenomenon of love. According to Marshall and Rossman (2006), a sense of ‘Should-do-ability‘, ‘Do-ability’ and ‘Want-to-do-ability’ should be examined when approaching a project. Under the ‘Should-do-ability‘ category, a researcher must decide if the research should be done. The research study on romance should be done to further the understanding of this particular human experience. The research can definitely be approached as the concept of romance is highly prevalent in the cultural experience so therefore has a capacity for ‘Do- The question that the research will attempt to answer is best answered from a narrow perspective. The participants in the study will be from a specific parameter of possible relationship types. The main assumption that has been made is that love is a valid state of emotion, but this assumption should be backed by physiological and psychological foundation. In attempting to answer the core question, it will be essential to both observe and interview those who believe they have successfully attained a consistency in the way

Communication and Interpersonal Skill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Communication and Interpersonal Skill - Essay Example The definition of the term communication has been provided by Littlejohn & Foss (2011: pp.3) â€Å"Those situations in which a source transmits a message to a receiver with conscious intent to affect the latter’s behavior.† This specifies that the process of expressing thoughts and messages through language or actions is called communication. Hence, it verifies that without the help of communication human beings cannot continue to exist. Especially without speech, because it is thought to be exceedingly imperative as we need to slot in and complete very complex everyday jobs involving collaboration. To validate that proper communication you should be is indispensable; Bach & Grant (2009) said â€Å"There are times, though, when we experience situations where we consider that an interaction did not go smoothly; perhaps we were misunderstood or a friend reacted differently to how we expected.† Explaining the importance of communication in nursing, another important term with reference to communication is ‘approaching skills’, these skills are meant to make the communicator feel safe, respected and understood. Having a non-judgmental attitude is one of these. As Petersen (2007: pp.96) h as verified â€Å"Listening to understand requires a non-judgmental attitude that can go against what most of us were taught, that is, to listen for rights and wrongs.†... In order to analyze my situation it is better that I first have an understanding of what inter personal skills denote and signify. This has been done by using two models in the paper. According to Hayes (2002: pp.19) in order to comprehend the method of circulating interpersonal skills it is crucial to â€Å"be aware of how the hierarchical model of interpersonal skills can be used to help individuals to critically assess the effectiveness of their social skills at every level.† Therefore, my case and the provided model below have been examined side by side in order to achieve the required goal as my scenario can be explained well through these two models. My situation can be labeled more as an intricate human confrontation, as it made it difficult for me to be able to connect properly with the patient without being involved in the feelings rotating around us. Through the tool of proper communication skills both me and the patient, were able to bond (in the manner that my prof ession required) without effecting or violating the rules of formal interaction. Consequently, proper practiced and understood communication skills of the patient would have made it easier for me to formulate appropriate interactional technique and his provided interpersonal skills would have simplified the state of affairs. According to Egan (2007: pp.91) the important part of stage I of the entire communicational process and situation is â€Å"helping clients tell their stories, plus the communicational skills needed throughout the entire helping process.† He further verifies that â€Å"The communication skills are the essential components of the therapeutic dialogue between helper and client.† In

Clinial Excercise physiology(Osteoporosis) Literature review

Clinial Excercise physiology(Osteoporosis) - Literature review Example Recent research recommends that regular exercise at all stages play an imperative role in preventing osteoporosis. Various features serve as a contributing aspects in the development of osteoporosis. A reduction in the level of estrogen, calcium and reduced physical activities pave the way for the augmentation of depletion in bone mass (Chesnut, 1984). Sufficient levels of calcium is required to suppress bone resorption (Korcok, 1982), moreover, bone mineralization or calcification strengthens the bone (Williams, 1984). Physiotherapy plays a pivotal role in treating patients who are at the potential risk or those who are afflicted with this condition. It is essential that physiotherapist must possess sound awareness and knowledge regarding the condition and management of osteoporosis. The present article provides an overview about osteoporosis along with the information regarding features for the development of osteoporosis. It is highly recommended that postural guidance accompanied by weight-bearing workouts play key role in managing patients with indicative osteoporosis (Kanis, 1994). Recent study conducted by Bergland et al (2010) concludes that exercise improved mobility, balance and HRQOL (Health Related Quality of Life) in osteoporosis with a history of vertebral fractures. Similar recommendations are given by Nikander et al (2010), stated that exercise has a great implication on bone strength in children but could not gather enough data to prove the implication of exercise on adults. Another approach was made by Lirani-Galvà £o and Lazaretti-Castro (2010) emphasising that osteoporosis and its consequential fractures are emerging as major health issues amongst the elderly population. They emphasized that impact exercises, specific strength training, balance and co-ordination training enable one to sustain or enhance the density of spine and hip bones and diminish the incidence of falls amongst the elderly group. It is also suggested that

Personal Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal Reflection - Essay Example Team Work and Project The first week, as in case of any other team, involved the formation of teams as well as members of these teams meeting for the first time and getting to know each other (Wech et al 1986, p.472). Those who are part of our team did not get a chance to attend the first session where the teams were selected, and this left all of us out. However, we were put into one group, which turned out to be lucky for us because each of the group members is remarkable in their own right. These group members include Ammarand, Katie, Kate, and me, and we were formed into a group by our teacher, Julie Foreman. We got to know each other in the following week, with each of the group members exchanging email addresses and phone numbers, to ensure that we would be able to effectively coordinate our activities. We also exchanged personal information so that we would know each other even better, especially concerning our backgrounds. In addition, we came to discuss matters which were pe rtinent to the group, and it is during these discussions that we decided on the team charter. Moreover, the priorities of our team were upon. One of the most fascinating parts of our discussions was coming up with a team name, and we eventually settled for The Green Machine. After all these had been decided, we went to meet our client, OPSMC, where we were made familiar with the activities of the organisation as well as what was expected of us. The first task, which we had to handle, was to write a response to the project brief. It was a task which required us to give information about our client, what the client needed from us, as well as all the information as well as the sources of such information  so that we would be able to complete the tasks given (Ahmad and Mahmood, 2011, p.32). All the team members were supposed to complete this first task individually. Once the entire individual work had been completed, we now started concentrating on the team work. Each of the team memb ers had to come up with ideas on how to best complete our tasks as a team. This ensured that all members felt a part of it, despite the fact that not all the ideas given were accepted by the group members. It was exceptionally easy to fit into the team because all four of us worked extremely well together, and we rarely had any disagreements among ourselves. When the team had decided on the ideas which we would work with, the time came for the Norming stage, where all the members of the team were required to complete tasks (Caprar and Neville, 2012, p.231). As we were working towards a common goal, all members of the team made decisions that were for its benefit. The first task that was assigned to the team was to make a podcast, although the podcast was supposed to be a matter of teamwork, we chose to do our own separately, and later put them together as a team. My podcast was quite difficult to make, but after many trials, I managed to come up with one which I think was almost per fect. All the videos, which we had made, were compiled and presented to our tutor. Our next task was External Environment, which the team also did extraordinarily well by sharing the various things to be done among the members. Once the work was done, it was sent to Kate, whose responsibility it was to compile

Space race had a significant impact on United States' Hisotry Term Paper

Space race had a significant impact on United States' Hisotry - Term Paper Example About four months later, the US navy launched a rocket to compete with the Soviet’s initial rockets. The first US rocket was inferior compared to the Soviet’s as it crumbled and exploded into fire. The US felt humiliated and blamed the military and the all the specialists behind the rocket launch. President Dwight later approved the National Aeronautics and Space Administration despite the country having little knowledge in space program. He reasoned that the US will one day require the space technology since the Soviet already had it; in other words, he did not want the US to remain inferior (Thompson 89). Currently, one can comfortably say that the US is the super power due its advanced space program among other factors. This discourse tends to explain how space race has affected the US history. Space technology has improved the security of Americans in some complex ways. Americans have their rockets in every orbit of the earth attached to the satellite. This means that they can sense any strange and harmful substance on space then send the signals to the satellite so that responsible personnel can take the next step to ensure the safety of its citizens. Although the country recently faced some attacks like the 9/11, none of them was linked to space attack. This implies that the space program is in work. The US was not scared of the Soviets until the former first set a space station despite the fact that the Soviets were more steps ahead. The meeting between the president and NASA among other professionals changed everything. The bottom line is that the US is respected and feared by other developed nations because of its sophisticated and advanced space program. President J.F Kennedy will forever be remembered for the first attempt to initiate a successful trip to the moon (Turner 91). It removed the country from the inferiority wagon as the president compared the scenario with that

Use of Technology in Forensic Accounting Investigation Essay

Use of Technology in Forensic Accounting Investigation - Essay Example Use of Technology in Forensic Accounting Investigation A forensic investigation is normally undertaken so as to solve both criminal and civil cases in a court of law. The cases that are solved involve fraud, tracing of stolen assets and money that has been laundered. The objects collected during an investigation act as forms of evidence as to what really transpired before and after the incident happens. Forensic accountants gather evidence that is used in carrying out investigations of financial crimes that may take time and effort to compile and complete in the appropriate way. They are expected to follow rules that should be applied in the local courts as per the stipulated policies and principles that govern the exercise. An accident refers to an event or a sequence that occurs as a result of careless driving and unintentional circustamances while crime is an event that violates a policy. The proof that the accident occurred is shown by provision of evidence of event. The role played by technology in carrying forensic investigation involves improving the criminal investigation process so as to ease the work of the police of tracking all types of persons who may be violating the law. The businessmen as well as the police benefit from using information technology because enables them carry out their businesses in the right way and also trap criminals who are a threat to their lives and businesses. (Kanellis, 2006:20). The criminal records and suspect information are normally computerized therefore any investigator in any part of a country can access information that is relevant to conduct an investigation concerning any suspected criminal. Computer files are searched according to the investigators desires since relevant information can be found within the computerized system. Computer models are important information technology facilities that assist a designer in testing designs through using many conditional systems that have been stipulated within an act. Artificial intelligence is a program that is used by the police in obtaining pictures, age and determining predictions so as to point out areas where there may be crime. Cyberspace enables the police to track and trap criminals who frequently steal individual's property while at their residential areas. This technology is also used in trapping vehicles that have been carjacked since the computer has mechanism that shows the routes taken by a driver during and after the vehicle has been stolen, hence the vehicles can be traced with ease. Technology products and their usefulness in carrying out forensic investigation The use of technological appliances such as the DNA_on-a-chip helps the forensic practitioners to move fast to the scene of incident so as to carry out an investigation on the cause and effect of the criminal activity. The importance of using this type of facility is that it helps to create awareness concerning the strategic factors that are necessary when carrying out an investigation in the police force. It also helps in enlightening the forensic science providers, government and the higher education personnel thus giving them the necessary insight to fight crime (Kanellis, 2006:20). Digital forensics is a facility that is used in assisting people in carrying out investigation processes that are based on following the physical crime scene procedures. Investigations are carried out through preserving a system and searching for the digital events that took place at the scene of an incident or accident. The

Bruises on Lillian-Jean Essay Example for Free

Bruises on Lillian-Jean Essay Hans it like a strategic carefully manoeuvred battle, getting advice from her father. She also gets Big Ma, her grandmother to braid her hair so Lillian-Jean could not pull it in the fight. For a 9 year old she is very bright and discerning, as she leaves no marks or bruises on Lillian-Jean, so there is no evidence for anyone to accuse her of the beating. Cassie gets full satisfaction as she gets Lillian-Jean to give her a full apology; excusing her and her family for all the ill treatment they had given her family. I also feel that Cassie learns to be prudent in order to protect her family and her community. Harsh experience such as the incidents in Strawberry, have taught her to defend herself with intelligence and skill. A whole train of events led up to the exciting climax: the family were having financial difficulties because of Mr Logans injury, so they are entirely dependent on their crop. However, in order to deflect attention from TJ, Mr Logan sets fire to the crops. Soon after the fire, Cassie realised that Papa had set fire to the crops, sacrificing a quarter of the Logan cotton crop to save TJ. At this point, Cassie gains awareness of how vital it is that she keeps such information to herself. Had she been her former, outspoken self, her whole family would have suffered greatly as a result. Despite Cassies more obvious traits of thoughtlessness and outspokenness, she can also be extremely sympathetic and understanding. This is evident in her relationship with TJ whom she really does not like. Cassie dislikes his attitude of believing he is superior to his fellow citizens. Like Cassie, he fails to comprehend at that point in life where his status lies. Over time, TJ constantly betrays the Logan family. He is deceitful and he causes Stacey to fail his class test. Also, he instigates the loss of Mrs Logans teaching job and finally requires the familys help in the end, in his time of need. Although Cassie imagines all of the bad things that she would like to happen to him because of the hurt he had caused her family, she sympathises with the agony that he and his family were to encounter after his stupidity. As well as being outspoken, Cassie is a sensitive character who shows great consideration for others. This is evident in her relationship with Jeremy. Jeremy is a local white boy who wants to befriend the Logan children. However, relationships between Black and White children are strongly frowned upon, and so great awkwardness surrounds this situation. At one pint in the novel, Jeremy delivers some Christmas gifts, but is quickly dismissed by Mr Logan. As he dejectedly slides out of the door Cassie shouts, Merry Christmas, which makes Jeremy smile. Instinctively she knew how to make him feel better. As we progress through the novel Cassie begins to grow up, becoming wiser and realising that she has to take risks in order to defend things that are important to her. However, she is most careful in her risk taking and tries to reduce the danger to herself. Cassie learns the value of not telling everybody, everything she knows. Her mature attitude comes across effectively in the TJ incident. Once, Cassie would have wanted to know the whole story about TJ Averys run in with the law. At that point she knows that it was something her brothers did not need to know, as it would only frighten them. Cassie realises that if the boys need to know, her Mother and Father would inform them of the details, as it is not her place to frighten them. Cassie demonstrates that, despite her earlier outspokenness, she has learned to accept her status in society. Throughout the novel, Cassie goes through the same experiences as many adolescents, such as parental conflict and the desire for independence. However, as a young Black girl growing up in the prejudiced Deep South of America during the 1930s, she also experiences unwarranted hardships due to her colour. During the course of this novel, Cassie learns to deal with these hardships, and as a result she matures very quickly. This maturity comes at a price, for Cassie she learned that she must sacrifice honesty and dignity in order for her and her family to survive. Gemma-Louise Nicol 5R1 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Mildred Taylor section.

National Brands And Private Labels

National Brands And Private Labels Different peer reviewed articles and articles published in newspapers, business magazines, retail industry websites and industry experts, test a hypothesis and to draw a conclusion. Findings: The findings from the study suggest that private labels are generally considered low on price and quality. Incidence of rejection generally happens prior to purchase due to extrinsic cues. Store loyalty and image plays a crucial role in selecting the private labels. Retailers derive higher margins, differentiate themselves from competitors and have better control over value chain in the case of private labels. To compete with national brands, retailers these days are developing a portfolio of private labels across price points, improving the extrinsic cues to improve the perceived image of private labels. Managers can enhance consumers perception of the PLB image by improving the service quality that relates to the PLB and provide PLB products with good quality and reliable performance safe for use to reduce perceived performance risk and physical risk, which in turn will increase consumers purchase intention for PLB products. INTRODUCTION: Private Labels: Private labels are defined as the products owned and branded by the organizations whose primary objective is distribution rather than production (Schutte, 1969). Private labels can also be seen as brands owned not by a manufacturer or producer but by a retailer or supplier who gets its goods made by a contract manufacturer under its own label. Pandya Joshi, in their book define store brands or PLs as brands owned, controlled and sold exclusively by retailer.Private label products encompass all merchandize sold under a retailers brand. That brand can be the retailers own name or a name created exclusively by that retailer. Distinction between National-Brands and Private Labels: The national brand is the product that is distributed nationally under a brand name owned by the producer or distributor, as opposed to local brands (products distributed only in some areas of the country), and private label brands (products that carry the brand of the retailer rather than the producer.) National Brands has longer history than the Private Label. So customer knowledge towards the national brand is higher than private labels. With the rise of national advertising, manufacturers brands or national brands (NBs) became widely recognized by consumers who elected their preferred brands and became loyal to them. Over time, manufacturers could exercise greater influence over the final demand for their products and secured a better bargaining position when dealing with retailers (Grant 1987). Retailers saw their margins drastically reduced, and their power to determine the prices to consumers depreciated (Borden 1967). In the food retailing industry, supermarket chains were no longer able to compete, solely, on the basis of price. A way found by retailers to beat competition was through the establishment of Private Label. TYPES OF PRIVATE LABEL Generic private labels Private labels first came onto the scene several decades ago in the US and Europe, and about a decade ago in India, as cheap, inferior products. They were presented as generics, often not bearing the name of the retailer, but simply the name of the product, such as milk or butter, in plain script on a white plain background. Mostly basic food products, canned goods and paper goods, they were offered at low prices, competitive with the lowest priced product in that category. The product range appealed to the budget-sensitive shopper. They were seen as low quality but cheap. Retailers rarely run price promotions because the product is cheap already and there is usually only one product to choose from. It emphasizes on the basic use of a product and is available in simple packaging, limited advertisement and cut in quality and therefore occupies the lowest price tier. Classic /copy cat private labels Copycat store brands carry the name of the retailer and tend to have packaging and price points very close to the products that they compete with. The retailers tend to target branded products that are already successful then produce a copycat that has similar ingredients, packaging and pricing. Copycat retailers can thereby cash in on the success of the branded product without having to incur the costs associated with developing the product and researching the market. Marketing costs are also kept down since the product is instantly recognizable as being associated with the product it is copying. With copycat brands there is no cost of failure to absorb since only successful products are targeted. The retailer tends to produce a similar product and offer it at a lower price than the branded product so the message to the consumer is that it is as good but cheaper. The advantages of having copycat brands is not only to make profit on the sale of the product itself, but it creates competition for the existing manufacturer branded products as well as increasing the retailers bargaining power with the manufacturers, since the retailer has the option to promote its own brand in competition with the original brands. The Spanish clothing chain Zara is a very successful copycat company that sells private labels only, producing fashion clothing at very low prices that imitates famous designers and well-known brands. They employ talented and unknown young designers to pick up on key trends and translate them into clothing for the Zara chain. Its strategy allows it to operate with extremely low costs of advertising, staffing, market research, and so on, that the manufacturer brands continue to incur. Premium private labels As retailer strategies have developed, the approaches have evolved to incorporate premium store brands. Retailers have seen the opportunity to differentiate their products and thereby target a whole new section of the market. The latest trend is to establish high quality products with distinctive packaging, presented as a whole new product line by the retailer, targeted at competing with the top brands in the range. Kumar and Steenkamp define two types of premium brands: the premium private label which is exclusive, higher in price, and superior in quality to competing brands; and the premium-lite store brand which is promoted as being equal or better in quality to the competing brands, while being cheaper. Value innovators in private labels Value innovators are the fourth main category of private labels. The retailers following this approach have focused on cutting down costs and processes to simplify the production and marketing of product ranges, so that a good quality product can be offered at very low prices. The value innovator approach differs greatly to the generic, copycat and premium label approaches. There are a number of key principles that must be adhered to for this approach to be successful. Limited number of products Low costs of production and marketing Good quality products at low prices PRIVATE LABEL BRANDS IN INDIAN MARKET  » Indias largest retail company Future Group has 12 apparel, 4 FMCG and 2 household product private labels in its formats Big Bazaar, Food Bazaar and Pantaloon. Besides these it also has many other private labels across categories and formats.  » Aditya Birlas private labels segment has 7 brands which Aditya Birla Retail Limited provides customers products under its own labels. Private label Food Brands include Feasters, Kitchens Promise, and Best of India. Home Personal care brands include Enriche, 110%, Pestex, Paradise and Germex. It is also planning to launch its private labels in milk and dairy products.  » Tata Croma has plans for 100+ private labels across categories like personal care equipment, laptops, small appliances, etc.  » Reliance Fresh sells staples and food items under Reliance Select and Reliance Value brands. It has recently launched Dairy Pure, in the liquid milk segment. Reliance also sells a number of private labels in other categories like apparel, through its various other formats.  » Shoppers Stop has around 10 private labels, the prominent ones being Stop, Kashish, Life, etc.  » Bharti retail recently launched 8 international private labels of Wal-Mart in its supermarket chain, Easy day.  » Myntra is looking to launch its own private label by Q3 2012, which according to him, will contribute to a better bottom-line for the company, since the margins in private labels are higher.  » Flipkart has entered the private label league through online store brand Digiflip, a brand that sells digital accessories such as laptop bags, sleeves and camera bags pouches.  » Ruchi Soya Corp has tied up recently with Future Group for manufacturing its private label brand Fresh Pure. Internationally  » Nestle works with Lidl, a discount retailer, to create products and packaging in many categories across countries. In the Indian context, Brand owners and manufactures like Indo Nissin (Brand: Top Ramen), Dynamix Dairy (Brand: Dynamix) etc. also manufacture private label brands for their retailers to occupy their excess production capacity.  » Wal Marts private label George is one of the highest selling apparel brands in the US.  » Aldi, the German deep discounter has more than 90 per cent of its sales coming from private labels. Some of its private labels sell more than any national brand in Germany ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF PRIVATE LABEL: The advantages and disadvantages vary depending to which market sector we are referring to. These can be defined as follows: For Retailers: Advantages: Reduction of producer domination in the marketplace Increase in consumer loyalty An opportunity to differentiate and provide variety Flexibility in pricing strategy Positive control over stock keeping inventory Better bargaining position in a depressed economy Disadvantages: Erosion of brand image and brand value if private label quality is poor Lack of standardization of private labels between categories upsets the customer Financial control concerns Excessive focus on the private label at the expense of other products The retailer could be perceived as less powerful in the marketplace as they dont promote recognized brands Low price may equate to low quality Lack of financial support from suppliers For Consumers Advantages: A guarantee of the same quality for a serious price differentiation More variety within the category A trusted retail name equals trust in the product Product provides a need based on a want, where products were missing within the category. E.g. ethnic foods, diet foods, sugar free foods and so on. Disadvantages: Low quality product. Consumers may have a prejudice to low price equaling low quality Previous customer failures could affect the whole private label range in a store. INDIA SCENARIO: Correlated with the immense growth in the retail sector, the growth in sales of private brands stands at an impressive 30% (YOY). As per an AC Nielsen study groceries account for 46% of Private Brand sales. Correlated with the immense growth in the retail sector, the growth in sales of private brands stands at an impressive 30% (YOY). As per an AC Nielsen study groceries account for 46% of Private Brand sales. Strategic Issues for Retail CEOs, a thought leadership report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, puts forth that private label products will be a major lever for growth of participants in Indias retail sector. Indian consumers, often referred to as value conscious, will find major benefit in purchasing private label products since final promotional offers to quickly move their own brands. Indias major retailers expect to embark upon the following strategies for their private label products: costs paid are lower. A demanding and aspiring middle class of 300 million people (or 75 million households) and a large young population of 500 million under the age of 25 years are just two of the demographic-oriented statistics that suggest a large market for private labels in India. In India, private labels are becoming a major component of retailers long-term strategies encompassing product development and sales. Most retailers are investing towards creating robust private label ranges which will appeal to consumers, delight consumers and also meet consumers price preferences. Those retailers who develop good quality, well-priced private labels, and focus on branding and promotion, will increase both their top and bottom lines in a retail environment where innovation, meeting customers needs and efficiency are imperative. (Indian Retail embraces private labels by N. V. Sivakumar). The greatest potential for private labels lies in developing countries, where retail chains with well-developed private-label ranges are growing rapidly. Although growth for private labels is expected in all most all sectors, the highest growth in share is anticipated in the ready-meals sector. The growth of private labels in the international market, especially in developing countries, will be guided by the demands of busier lifestyles. Delivering higher quality and convenience, and introducing innovation in product ranges will help the private-label market to expand further. Retailers can make use of these opportunities by offering good-quality private labels that will foster a sense of brand quality among the customers. Over the long term, this could offer retailers a significant advantage in the global retail sphere. (Going global with private labels: Sandeep Puri Dr Harsh Dwivedi). Private labels are still nascent in India which is to be expected given that modern trade started in the late 1990s. Given the variances in market maturity between Indias retail sector and that of other retail markets in the US and in Europe, it is natural that private labels have yet to achieve a level of sophistication in India that they enjoy overseas. RESEARCH FINDINGS: Some of the significant findings from the PLMA (Private Label Manufacturers Association) Research Report 2010 2011 are: 1). Consumers continue to turn to private-label products in these supermarket categories in which they had formerly purchased only a national-brand product. Around 43 percent of these consumers report that they have recently forsaken a familiar national brand for a private-label counterpart-a marked increase since the GfK study conducted in June 2009, when only 35 percent of consumers said they had done so. 2). Ninety-seven percent respondents compared private labels favorably to their previous national brand choices in the same categories. About 49 percent said that their new private-label selections compared very favorably to their earlier selected national brands. This is an impressive increase from 2009 when only 26 percent reported the same. A 2010 online global survey conducted by The Nielsen Company reveals that 60 percent of consumers across 55 countries from Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, Latin America and Middle East/Africa (comprising countries from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Egypt and South Africa) say they are buying more private-label brands because of the economic slowdown. An uncertain economy encouraged many customers to try private labels for the first time. Once this initial barrier was breached, they found private labels to be as good as their branded counterparts, albeit at economical prices. PRIVATE LABELS VS NATIONAL BRANDS: There are a few reasons driving private label growth: an increased concentration among retailers, an improved quality perception among consumers, and a rising social acceptance of private labels consumption. In addition, the current economic downturn has further boosted the appeal of private labels because of their price utility. To combat the threat posed by private labels, consumer packaged goods companies frequently adopt new innovation strategies focused on delivering new value to consumers. Furthermore, research shows that national brand manufacturers have mainly focused on increasing their distance from private labels through innovation and advertising in order to provide a superior value to the consumers compared to private labels brands. In this sense, product innovations help to sustain a national brands competitive advantage and provide a basis for a sustainable price premium over store brands. Research also shows that introduction of new products by national brands has a positive impact on their brand equity which makes them less vulnerable to PLs. CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRIVATE LABELS IN INDIA: 1).Lack of retailer sophistication could hamper private label growth There is lack of supply chain sophistication among Indian retailers. Most retailers still exchange information manually with suppliers. Indian retailers are yet to implement bar-coding techniques properly, let alone sophisticated technologies such as radio frequency identification (RFID). There is also a lack of integrated IT systems, coupled with low overall IT spending. As is evident, Indian retailers have a long way to go before they can be compared with international retailers such as Tesco and Wal-Mart, in terms of technology and supply chain sophistication. Therefore, unless retailers pay attention to these issues, they will be unable to make successful private label portfolios. 2).Rural areas unlikely to be tapped by private labels in the near future While it is widely acknowledged that the real potential in Indian retail lies in rural areas, the rural retail scenario continues to be unorganized and highly fragmented. While FMCG manufacturers such as Hindustan Unilever and ITC continue their efforts to solve the rural retail jigsaw through projects such as Shakti and e-Choupal, major retailers have tended to stay away from the rural scene. In light of high access costs due to infrastructure bottlenecks, along with absence of a successful rural retailing model, the above trend is likely to continue in the coming years. Therefore, the Indian private label market is expected to be largely confined to urban areas (metro cities), with some growth also coming from semi-urban areas (tier II towns). 3).Psyche of the urban Indian consumer is both a hurdle and an opportunity In an ACNielsen consumer survey in 2005, only 56 per cent Indians agreed that private labels are a good option in comparison with brands as against four in five consumers in developed countries. Further, the same survey also concluded that a majority of Indian consumers associate private labels with low cost, and are, therefore, apprehensive about compromising on quality. The target segment for organized retail in India is still predominantly urban, and in the context of private labels, it is more inclined towards upwardly mobile urban consumers. This segment gives high priority to quality, and the budget label perception does not help at all. Further, Indian retailers have not been able to develop a bond with consumers. Consumer loyalty has been seen to provide impetus to private label growth in developed countries such as the United Kingdom. The lack of this bonding and loyalty could hamper private label penetration in coming years. At the same time, though, the Indian consumers psyche also provides an opportunity for retailers. The Indian urban consumer is price-conscious, but also expects high quality. Private label products could actually fit the bill perfectly. 4).Intense competition in Indian retail could provide impetus to private labels With the entrance of several corporate majors such as Reliance, there is intense store-level competition in the current Indian retail scenario. However, if Indian retailers were to follow the UK model, this could actually turn out to be a boon for private label growth. Major UK retailers such as Sainsbury and Tesco have successfully used private labels to differentiate themselves. This scenario could be replicated in India in the near future. 5).Private labels likely to exhibit maximum penetration in food and groceries, clothing and consumer durables segments All segments where percentage of organized retail is relatively high, and which are also exhibiting the highest overall growth rates, are most likely to show maximum private label penetration in the near future. The following figure illustrates the findings of a simple analytical model based on the above two assumptions. Private label penetration by category http://www.indiaretailing.com/images/private10.jpg 6).Ability of retailers to innovate likely to drive future growth of private labels The main USP of private labels is their customization according to user demands. They are then promoted by various means including innovative packaging, promotional schemes, and placement within the retail store. Therefore, success of private label retailers globally has been dependent on their ability to innovate in all aspects of a product formulation or ingredients, supply chain, packaging, advertising, promotional schemes, and so on. The dynamism of private label retailers, in responding to changing consumer needs through suitable modifications, is also critical. In light of the intense competition in Indian retail, coupled with the choosy Indian customer, future success of private labels would depend on the ability of Indian retailers to innovate. This is again a question mark, given the reputation of Indian companies as poor innovators. RECENT TRENDS: Private labels are a growth opportunity that retailers cannot afford to ignore and many are assessing market potential by conducting pilot projects to assess the impact that own brands have on visibility, sales and revenues. Others are working on enhancing depth and breadth of private label ranges. Other selected observations include: While low-price private labels exist, retailers are changing their focus from a price game to one that involves developing a portfolio of brands with distinct positioning for each brand. Retail chains are trying to understand unfulfilled demands existing in Indian market through need-gap analysis. Retailers are incorporating demographic and psychographic indicators into their need-gap assessments. Retailers are also learning from the lessons of experimentation; the quality of their private labels is being improved, product extensions are being created, etc. Some retailers are launching dedicated formats for private labels in apparel and accessories. In the early stages of being launched, this is an indication of the level of commitment that retailers are exhibiting to private labels. Retailers are also working to increase and improve the level of trust that consumers have with regard to private label offerings. That said, sharp promotions, competitive pricing, freebies, etc. are some ways in which retailers can incentivize consumers to try private label products. Factors Influencing Private label Strategies: Private labels apparently be successful without having to rely on the price weapon?. Economic theory hold that the price consumers are willing to pay for a product depends on the utility they derive from consuming the product. A major source of utility is the perceived quality of the product. Perceived quality is defined as the degree of perceived performance excellence of the product. How well does the brand perform its function in the eyes of the consumer? Perceived Quality, Not Price, Drives Private Label Success To understand the relation between perceived quality and price, we need to understand the different types of buyers: Random Buyers are not particularly price sensitive and see little difference in quality. Brand buyers are consumers who are low on price sensitivity and perceive a large quality difference between leading national brands and the store brands .They will buy national brand Private label buyers are price sensitive consumers who perceive a small quality gap between leading manufacturer brands and the store brand. They will purchase the store brand. Toss-ups are consumers who are high on price sensitivity and perceive large quality differences between leading national brands and the store brand The battleground is among toss-ups and random buyers. However the strategy to induce them to private labels is very different. Random buyers can be attracted to the private by using in-store stimuli that guide the shopper to the private label, such as favorable shelf facings, shelf tag ons, and end-of the aisle displays. Toss-ups will usually purchase national brand since for most consumers quality is more important than price. This is especially true if the national brand regularly runs price promotions, which will appeal to the toss-ups high price sensitivity. Private labels can convert toss-ups in to private label buyers only if they convince consumers that the quality of the private labels is comparable to, if not better than, the quality of the national brands. National Brands Irrational Price Premium The question to ask is whether consumers willing to pay more for better quality? It is beneficial that they value quality, but better quality products often cost more to produce, which translates in to higher prices. Thus the question is whether products of higher perceived quality also command a higher price in the marketplace. Consumers are often willing to pay disproportionate price premium for better quality, because quality typically has more weightage than price in purchase decisions. When the relationship between perceived quality gap the price premium commanded by the NBs over PLs for CPGS (consumer package goods) was examined on 75 CPG categories in France, one of the worlds most important and competitive private label markets, the following insights were seen In categories where the perceived quality of national brands exceeds the quality of store brands, the average price premium for manufacturer brands is 56 percent. In quality- equivalent categories (i.e., categories where consumers do not perceive a quality difference between national brands and store brands), the price premium commanded by national brands is 37 percent. The French findings are consistent with the evidence from the United States. A recent study ( using objective quality as reported by Consumer Reports) finds that a 1 percent quality gap between manufacturer and store brands is associated with a 5 percent price gap The price premium that national brands command in quality- equivalent markets is the same as in France, or 37 percent. In 33 percent of the cases, consumers perceive manufacturer and store brands as quality equivalent; however they are willing to pay the same price for the store brands as for the manufacturer brand in only 5 percent of the cases. Conclusion The perceived quality gap between NBs and store brands is a major factor driving the price gap Quality is not the only factor; there is residual price gap that cannot be explained by quality perceptions. The findings we had in categories where consumers do not perceive a quality difference between national and store brands , the price premium commanded by manufacturer brands is substantial 37 percent . Consumers are unwilling to pay equivalent prices for store brands even if they perceive them as quality equivalent. This last result is rather depressing for retailers. Why are consumers willing to pay a price premium for manufacturer brands, even when they do not perceive a quality difference between national and store brands? The reason is that national brands have a clear advantage on brand imagery. BRAND IMAGERY AND THE PRICE GAP National brands offer something intangible that most private labels do not (yet) offer. They allow consumers to identify with the values imbued in the brand, and help consumers express who they are and how these brands fit in to their lifestyle and self concept. Brand imagery refers to the personalized social-emotional bond the consumer has with the brand. What does the brand stand for, and does that appeal to me? Consumers show no difficulty in assigning personality characteristics to brands, in thinking about brands as if they are animated, humanized, and personalized. For example brands like Marlboro, Harley- Davidson, Jack Daniels, and Levis glamorize American ideals of the West, strength, and masculinity, while sophisticated brands like Gucci, Chivas Regal, Revlon, and Mercedes are associated with aspiring imagers such as the upper class, glamour, and sexiness. These image components, regardless of the functional qualities of the product, can be extremely important to people. Two brands may be quality equivalent, but if one brand is stronger on image; it will generate higher utility in the target segment. Consumers are willing to pay a price premium for image utility. Using the French CPG data mentioned earlier, the findings are as below The average price premium commanded by manufacturer brands in categories that are low on imagery (e.g., floor cleaners, kitchen paper, canned green beans) is 38 percent. The average price premium commanded by manufacturer brands in categories that are high on imagery (e.g. deodorants, hair coloring products, whiskey) is 61 percent. Thus the price premium associated with brand imagery is, on average, 23 percent and contributes significantly to the price gap. Although the importance of brand imagery varies across consumers, some generalizations still emerge. Younger consumers attach more importance to brand imagery because of their greater desire for social acceptability, besides being more image conscious in general Singles and couples attach more importance to image utility than larger families. Poorer consumers give more weight to brand imagery. This seems paradoxical since they stand to gain most from purchasing a lower priced store brands. However, it allows them to show the world that they are also sophisticated consumers .Thus the fact that the poor buy private labels more often than the rich is because they have to, not because they want to. IMPLICATIONS FOR RETAILERS We have seen that there is a lot more to private label success than price. We can formalize these ideas by drawing on economic theory. Consumers will purchase a private label if the price premium for the national brands exceeds the utility the consumer derives from the surplus in perceived quality and imagery generated by the national brand. Thus private labels do not have to compete on price alone. Beyond managing the price gap, they can also compete on two non price strategies. We will discuss them first before turning to managing the price gap. Decreasing the Perceived Quality Gap One way to decrease the perceived quality gap with the national brands is to increase the objective (actual) quality of the private label by using better materials

Man and God in Frankenstein and Jurassic Park Essay -- comparison comp

Man and God in Frankenstein and Jurassic Park    Not since Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, has an author captured such a theme in their work in a way that is magical and captivates the reader.   Michael Crichton's science fiction novel Jurassic Park   portrays what happens when man plays God: his imperfections cause things to go terribly wrong.   The story's, plot, setting, point of view and characterization all add to an atmosphere of fear and raise readers' consciousness about the consequences of doing so. Jurassic Park is dealing with a very sensitive issue that involves every person on the planet because everybody has genes.   It deals with genetic engineering and the repercussions of the actions that scientists take.   There are a lot of unanswered questions that deal with the ethics and morals of the study of genetics. In this situation Robertson Davies appropriately says that, à ¬Men of action, I notice, are rarely humble, even in situations where action of any kind is a great mistake, and masterly inaction is called for (Kuchling), which is exactly what happened in Jurassic Park. Starting with the plot one can start to see how it adds to an atmosphere of fear that makes the reader aware of the point that Crichton is trying to make. The plot of Jurassic Park begins in the middle of things and it does not follow the tradition plot line.  Ã‚   It seems to climb steps through the implementation of different crisis and complications in the plot instead of having one smooth rising action.   The story keeps building to this high intensity and does not climax until the very end.   This adds to the fear because it creates suspense because the events just keep building on one another. The setting also adds to ... ...he reader, which creates many questions about the particular subject of genetic engineering.   It also conveys the authors idea, that we really need to be careful about what we do with this new scientific marvel, effectively to the reader, thus raising the reader's awareness about genetic engineering. In conclusion the theme of Jurassic Park, Man playing God, is effectively portrayed   by Crichton using an atmosphere of fear.   This atmosphere of fear relative to the theme of man playing God makes a definite statement and effectively serves Crichton's purpose of raising awareness about genetic engineering and its possible out comes. Works Cited Crichton, Michael.   Jurassic Park.   New York: Ballantine Books, 1991. Kuchling, Richard.   "Robertson Davies: Quotations." 12 October 2000. 16 October 2004. http://www.amk.ca/davies/robertson-davies.html

Testing the Theory of the Oedipus Complex :: Psychology Psychological Experiment

Abstract from Paper: ___________________________________________________ THEORY: If a subject in the experimental group shows more aggressive behavior toward his father and increased affectionate behavior toward their mother after receiving the subliminal messages and the control group shows no increase when shown neutral messages, then it will be proven that the Oedipus Complex does in fact exist in the unconscious. To prove this we bring the behavior out from the unconscious to the sub conscious through the subliminal messages. These boys have repressed these feelings for so long because it is too painful for them to deal with. ______________________________________________________ Research Paper Begins Here   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The positive libidinal feelings of a child to the parent of the opposite sex and hostile or jealous feelings toward the parent of the same sex that may be a source of adult personality disorder when unresolved. It is a pattern of profound emotional ambivalence, a troublesome mixture of love and hate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Oedipus Complex occurs during the phallic stage, from roughly ages 3-6 years. Freud believed that during this stage boys seek genital stimulation and develop both unconscious desires for their mother and jealousy and hatred for their father, whom they consider a rival. It was said that boys felt guilt and lurking fear that their father would punish them, such as by castration. Freud also believed that conscience and gender identity form as the child resolved the Oedipus Complex at age 5 or 6, but this actually happens earlier. A child tends to become strongly masculine or feminine without even having the same sex parent present.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Freud argues that all sons unconsciously desire to kill, even if they love, their fathers. He found his own unconscious wish to murder his father in his intensive self analysis in 1897, shortly after the death of his father.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Freud says it is only the male child that we find the fateful combination of love for the one parent and simultaneous hatred for the other as a rival. Freud believed Oedipal was a normal part of human psychological growth and it is during this stage children produce emotional conflicts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Other psychoanalysts believed that girls experience a parallel called the "Electra Complex". This comes from a Greek legend of a women named Electra who helped plan the murder of her mother.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Oedipus Complex originates from a myth about a Greek hero named Oedipus, written by Sophocles. Oedipus was the son of Laius and Jocasta who in the fulfillment of an oracle unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother. When Oedipus and Jocasta realize what has happened, Jocasta hangs herself and he rips the golden brooches from his dead mothers gown and plunges them deep

Rage Disorder Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

Rage Disorder The study of the relationship between the mind and the brain can be traced back to 1895, when a little known Viennese neuro-psychiatrist named Sigmund Freud wrote a relatively unnoticed piece titled "A Project for a Scientific Psychology". In it, he proposed that the cognitive mechanisms of normal and abnormal mental phenomenon could be explained through an orderly study of brain systems. Throughout contemporary philosophy and psychology, the relationship between mind and brain has been extensively studied without a decisive resolution. One proposed solution has been to adopt the position that the mind is an expression of the activity of the brain and that these two are separable for purposes of analysis and discussion but inseparable in actuality. Thus, mental phenomenons arise from the brain, but mental experience also affects the brain. This is demonstrated by the many examples of environmental influences on brain plasticity. Mental illness can be categorized as reflecting abnorma lities in the brain/mind interaction with the surrounding world. (1) In the following paper, an assessment shall be made of how biology/neurobiology has impacted the study and diagnosis of mental illness. Two general conclusions will be drawn from this presentation. The first of these conclusions is that with time, money, and increased research, there will be an ever-expanding ability to discern biological and material identifiers of mental illness. The second conclusion that shall be drawn is that there will be a continued trend towards "blurring" the border between "normal" and "abnormal" behavior as mental illness is increasingly better understood. Each of these conclusions raises new issues that shall be addressed in the body... ...an beings; and third, they must provide a theory that is able to be modeled and tested in animals. (1) With these three criteria in place, there is a greater possibility for advanced screening as well as improved biomedical understanding of the link between mind and brain, shattering conceptual barriers of what constitutes mental illness. Sources Cited: Andreasen, Nancy C. "Linking Mind and Brain in the study of Mental Illnesses: A Project for a scientific Psychopathology," Science. 14 March 1997. Vol 275, No. 5306 p.1586-1592. Robins, E. and Guze, S.B. American Journal of Psychiatry. 126, 983 (1970). http://pslgroup.com/dg/2c6aa.htm http://www.schizophrenia.com/ami/diagnosis/MorSZ.html http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=hstat http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/ Feighner, J.P. et al. Archives of General Psychiatry. 26, 57, 1972.

Impacts of Business Environment Change Essay

IP/MIP techniques have been used most often to aid supply chain configuration decisions and there have been many successful applications [9]. Two recent articles [9; 11] made comprehensive reviews about facility location models relevant to global manufacturing operations. This review section focuses on optimization models which are closely related with impacts of business environment cost parameters on the design of manufacturing networks. Cohen and Lee [12] developed a MIP model for a global manufacturing and distribution network. It demonstrated significant impacts of changes in the foreign exchange rate. Cohen and Moon [13] used a MIP model to analyze impacts of changes in a firm’s cost environment. It was found that scale economies, scope economies, and transportation costs could alter optimal facility network design strategies. Vidal and Goetschalckx [14] analyzed impacts of uncertainties on global supply chains through a MIP model. Foreign exchange rate was identified to be influential on global supply chain configurations. Using a two-stage optimization model, Kulkarni et al. [15] evaluated trade-offs between risk pooling and logistics costs in a multi-plant network with commonality. Their analyses showed that impacts of operational cost parameters may be significant and non-intuitive. All these models suggested that cost parameters have significant impacts on manufacturing facility location decisions, and may even alter supply chain configuration strategies. However, they only considered a single objective of profits or costs. The consideration of both costs and responsiveness was seen in the reconfiguration of global manufacturing and distribution network at Digital Equipment Corporation. It used a bi-objective model to minimize total costs and activity days. The model was implemented successfully with savings over $100 million [10]. However, the application did not explore impacts of changes in cost parameters. Overall, there is a lack of using a bi-objective approach to analyze impacts of business environment changes on the configuration of GMNs.

John Steinbeck of Mice and Men

John Steinbeck called his novel about migratory farmhands during The Great Depression. The title Of Mice and Men is Steinbeck alluding to Robert Burns’ poem â€Å"To a Mouse â€Å". Burn states â€Å"the best laid plains of mice and mean oft go awry â€Å". Therefore there are many reasons why this quote can relate to the relationship of George and Lennie and also others of this book. Here are my three main reasons why this quote is the main idea of the story and why Steinbeck’s message is true about the real world. First of all, the simplest reason is that George and Lennie’s best laid plans went awry. Lennie and George want to work on the ranch in the hopes of making enough money to buy their own farm, where they can be independent and in charge of their own destiny and rabbits. With the certainty of payment, it seems the pair will get what they’ve hoped for all along. While this is something we can call the plan stage, it has a bit of a twist, hinted at by the way George tells Lennie and us as the reader of their dream. The story of the little farm, with the rabbits and vegetable patch and so on, is less like a plan and more like a fairy tale. The dream-like unreal quality of their dream doesn’t assure well for the hope that it will ever come true. Lennie and George learn that Candy would like to live on the farm, too; he can even offer three hundred dollars toward its purchase which is his life support money. Everyone is very excited at the possibility of the dream actually coming true. With the entrance of Candy’s money into the story, it seems like the dream could come true after all. Candy has three hundred dollars to contribute, and George even knows the couple he’d buy the land from. As Lennie smiles to himself about the possibility of the ranch, Curley is on the prowl for his wife and a fight. He thinks Lennie is laughing at him or wants to fight him and begins to punch the big guy. Lennie is horrified and does nothing until George urges him to fight back. Lennie promptly reduces Curley to a crying little man with a mangled hand. Slim makes sure Lennie and George are protected from getting in trouble, but it’s clear that working on the ranch will be a lot more complicated from now on. Lennie accidentally kills his own puppy, and then accidentally kills Curley’s wife. If Curley was waiting for Lennie to slip-up, he needs to wait no longer. Though Lennie doesn’t at all mean to kill Curley’s wife, this act pretty much decides his fate. Any promise of safety or happiness he had on the dream farm is over. Now we’re certain Lennie will have to pay for what he’s done, one way or another. George realizes that if Lennie is to go with any dignity or comfort, it’s up to George to take his friend out himself. Although this means the literal destruction of Lennie, in killing his friend, George gives Lennie the happiest ending he could have. George has to face the sarcastic loneliness of the open road. George describes to Candy the life he’ll have without Lennie: it’s a future made of whorehouses and pool halls – places where lonely men stay lonely. Worse than just losing a friend by accident, George’s act seems to kill any last hope that the loneliness of the open road could ever be beaten. Without Lennie, George has nothing that makes him different from the other sad wanderers. He’s lost his best friend, and along with losing Lennie, George has also lost his dreams. The plan become very awry obviously. Secondly, Steinbeck's characters are often powerless, due to intellectual, economic, and social circumstances. Lennie possesses the greatest physical strength of any character, which therefore establishes a sense of respect as he is employed as a ranch hand. However, his intellectual handicap undercuts this and results in his powerlessness. Economic powerlessness is established as many of the ranch hands are victims of the Great Depression. As George, Candy and Crooks are positive, action- oriented characters, they wish to purchase a homestead, but because of the Depression, they are unable to generate enough money. Lennie is the only one who is basically unable to take care of him, but the other characters would do this in the improved circumstances they seek. Since they can not do so, the real danger of Lennie's mental handicap comes to the fore. Lastly, Most of all Steinbeck clearly believes The American Dream cannot always be considered as happiness, love, peace, etc. This is his message to the true real world. In my opinion Steinbeck is saying that sometimes the things you plan don’t succeed and what you think is truly your life longing it turns out to be your worst nightmare or not the real destiny of your life. It’s the thinking man, who can look backwards and forwards, that suffers the most from the awful things he’s done. The last verse is a nice way to think of Lennie and George’s respective fate. Whatever happens to Lennie is done, but George is left to spend the rest of his future thinking of his past deeds. OF Mice and Men Essay By:

Proud to Be a Filipino Essay

Filipinos are abundant in terms of culture, tradition, cuisine, and transportation. All of us Filipinos should be proud of them. There are a lot of tourist spots in the Philippines that we can be proud of. And to introduce my culture would be fun and great. I would make them ride a jeepney, eat some street food like kwek-kwek and drink some alcohol like tagaka. First, I would make foreigners ride a jeepney. It is one of the transportations in the Philippines. It has four wheels and a lot of colors and designs. It has a small aluminium horse in the front as a sign of a traditional jeepney. It is the most used transportation in the Philippines because it has the cheapest fare among the other transportation here in the Philippines. Second, I would make them eat some street foods like kwek-kwek. It is a Filipino street food that is made up of hard-boiled egg or quail egg coated with orange batter and flour. It is deep fried and served with cucumber, salt, and vinegar. Lastly, I would let them drink the â€Å"tagaka† an alcoholic drink made in the Philippines. It is a drink made of tanduay, gatas, and kape. It is mixed and it taste like chuckie. It is popular among the Filipino drinkers. It is cheaper than a bailey drink. It is taste like a cocktail and you can taste the bitterness of the coffee, the sweetness of the milk and the taste of the alcohol. Our colourful and lively Philippine culture that makes us distinctly Filipino is the one thing that makes us different from the rest of the world. We do have different traditions and beliefs but all of them are purely Filipino. There are many other kinds of foods and transportations that are purely Filipino. Let us be proud of our nationality.

Reward or punishment Essay

â€Å"The right to life and dignity are the most important of all human rights and this must be demonstrated by the state in everything that it does, including the way it punishes criminals.† – Justice Arthur Chaskalson. The death penalty is considered, â€Å"the legal† punishment for a criminal. Although the death penalty has been used for many years, the thought of it continues to bring shivers down the back of most of society. Even though there has been an abundant of debates whether it should be abolished or not, citizens do not really know the facts behind it. Most of the society assumes that the death penalty is less expensive than life in jail without parole. United States citizens believe that this punishment will eliminate any revenge thoughts and therefore increase public safety. Being a factor of death, it should not be taken as lightly as it has been. Although sentencing the death penalty may seem the proportional punishment to a brutal crime, it is n ot a good alternative, because the cost of execution hurts our economy, it lacks closure for victims, and it violates the U. S. Constitution. Most of society assumes that the death penalty is less expensive than to keep a criminal in jail for life. Little did they know that it actually costs the U.S. less for a criminal to live in prison than to be executed. According to Dellapiana author of â€Å"Should We Put the Death Penalty on the Chopping Block?† not only is there cost for pre-trials, trials and courts but there is â€Å"additional costs amounting to $4.2 Million per death penalty† (Dellapiana 1). It is high priced because â€Å"the consequences or error and procedural unfairness are magnified when life is in the balance; thus, courts have imposed astringent due process protections.† (Dellapiana 1) Being in really tough economic times, wasting all that money on the death penalty seems inappropriate. All that money wasted on murdering someone, could might as well be used somewhere else in a productive manner. Dieter believes and states â€Å"the death penalty in the U.S. is an enormously expensive and wasteful program with no clear benefits. All of the studies on the cost of capital punishment conclude it is much more expensive than asystem with life sentences as the maximum penalty.† (Dieter 2). The money accumulated to be used in the death penalty is desperately needed in other important programs. For example, â€Å"In Florida, the courts have lost 10% of their funding, with another cut expected, as home foreclosures accelerated. Philadelphia is leaving 200 pol ice positions unfilled. In New Hampshire, civil and criminal jury trials were halted for a month to save money; in one county, 77 criminal trials were delayed for up to six months.† (Dieter 12). Clearly showing the United States is greatly affected by the death penalty. By the absence of the money needed for jobs, it has been forced to cut jobs strongly needed to protect society. As it can be seen, all the money spent on the death penalty is crucially affecting the economy. The process of following through the death penalty is lengthy; an entire appeal process can take more than 15 years before executions take place and in some cases it never goes through. â€Å"Sentences or convictions can be reversed, defendants may die of natural causes or suicide, governors occasionally grant clemency, and entire statutes can be overturned by the courts.† (Dieter 28). Meaning, most of the sentences don’t result in an execution, which only consumed an exaggerated amount of money when the process is over. Not only is the appeal high priced, pre-trials and trials only add much more money to the high amount already accumulated. Instead of finding a more appropriate approach, so ciety spends millions of dollars into a system that doesn’t produce results. Although many citizens do believe the death penalty is effective, they also believe the price is worth it. â€Å"This is because life is invaluable; there is no amount of money or prison that could equal it† (Roberts –Cady 3). Taking away their freedom is a way of restraining their moral behavior in society. â€Å"Because the wrongdoers had unfairly gained an extra measure of freedom from moral restraint, the natural way to restore a fair balance is to reduce the protection he ordinarily would have gained through moral restraints on the conduct of others. By treating the wrongdoer in what is ordinarily a forbidden way, we strip away part of the protection that moral restraints on behavior would ordinarily have afforded him. Thus, we remove precisely the sort of advantages he has gained.† (Roberts- Cady 3). A punishment is supposed to make the criminal reflect on their wrongdoing and get them on the right path. But why give the criminal the easy way out. Although many citizens believe in the saying â€Å"an eye for an  eye†¦Ã¢â‚¬  the death penalty does not necessarily bring closure to the victims’ family. â€Å"Because of the extensive constitutional due process requirements in deat h penalty litigation, trials are lengthy, and appeals can go on for decades, for families of victims, there is no closure.†(Dellapiana 5). Life sentencing with no parole is a much faster process and ensures closure to the victims’ family. For most of the victims’ families, the death penalty is a â€Å"punishment that is justified because it is a reward [or an easy way out] for wrongdoing† (Roberts – Cady 2). Not only does it lack closure to the victims’ families but it isn’t morally acceptable. This is because â€Å"if life has unconditional, incomparable worth, then we cannot and should not compare the worth of one person’s life with that of another† (Roberts-Cady 4).Taking the life of the murderer will not be the same as taking the life of the victim. For example, taking the murder’s life by injection can’t be brutally equivalent to taking the life of the victim. Some citizens believe the death penalty as punishment does provide closure. Many families consider this as closure because the murder has been killed. But as Roberts –Cady states â€Å"Taking the murders life cannot be said to be even roughly equivalent to taking the life of the victim.à ¢â‚¬  (Roberts- Cady 4) If it is not equivalent why not let them suffer in prison. Although life is the biggest blessing one could ever have, many criminals prefer death rather than to get life sentenced. So why give them what they prefer? And, who are the judges to decide who deserves to live and who deserves to die? Although many citizens believe the death penalty is a logical punishment, it violates the United States Constitution. The death penalty goes against the Eight Amendment in which it states it â€Å"prohibits the use of cruel and unusual or excessive punishment.† Thus, this amendment protects the criminal from receiving a punishment that can be considered comparable to the pain caused to the victim. The death penalty easily violates this amendment because it is cruel and unusual punishment since the result is death. Not only does it violate the United States Constitution it also violates the Declaration of Independence which says â€Å"All men are created equal†. It also violates this because of the discrimination by the judges and courts. An example is in case DeLuna v. The State of Texas (1986). In this prejudiced case, Carlos DeLuna was an American Hispanic who was put to death even though he was innocent. DeLuna was convicted of murdering a convenience store clerk,  Lopez. Although all assumptions pointed towards DeLuna, he was innocent. DeLuna repeatedly stated his innocence and stated the real killer was Carlos Hernandez. The judge discriminated him for being Hispanic, neglected to listen to his statements, nonetheless he claim ed â€Å"calling Hernandez a â€Å"phantom† and â€Å"figment of DeLuna’s imagination.† After being wrongfully executed, a professor and five of his students opened the case causing questions to rise and evidence to be found. The re-opening of this case showed tampering evidence. Hernandez already had a criminal record for being a repeatedly violent offender and known for slashing women. As the case was ongoing, police tampered the evidence. For example, as the investigation was occurring â€Å"the police said they couldn’t find a â€Å"Carlos Hernandez† [with a criminal record] despite his long rap sheet.† There was also a bloody foot print outside the store which was never processed. The judge was influenced by his ethnicity and appearance. He looked like the criminal, therefore for the judge, he was the criminal. Nor the judge or the court gave DeLuna the opportunity to prove himself innocent. Many people don’t categorize the death penalty as cruel and usual punishment; therefore, it does not violate the Eight Amendment. According to the dictionary, cruelty means causing somebody to feel pain or suffer. The Eight Amendment does not specify if emotion is part of this law. Death penalty should not be used to punish our society. It has been clearly explained how the death penalty is ineffective. A serious impact will continue to be seen throughout the United States economy if the death penalty is not abolished. It would take years for victims’ families to find the peace needed for closure. Death penalty does not only violate the U.S., but it violates The Declaration of Independence as well. As stated, it is proven the death penalty is not a good punishment but an easy way out therefore â€Å"Our country will never gain peace if we are killing our own citizens.†

Detailed Cycle Analysis of Turbofan Engine Essay

Detailed Cycle Analysis of Turbofan Engine - Essay Example 1. Fan – The fan is at the obverse of the engine. The process of propulsion begins at this part. The fan initiates a flow of air around the engine. The air gets separated into two streams. The larger stream, known as bypass air, is typically about 85%, while the smaller stream which refers to primary air, is about 15% of the total volume of air. The bypass air usually keeps the engine quieter, cooler and more fuel efficient. 3. Combustion chamber – After the compression process is complete the highly pressured air got forced through a combustor. Then, fuel got added and burned. This process makes the air temperature to be high. 4. Turbines – Hot air gets blasted through the blades of the turbines. The two whirling turbines rotate the shafts that steer both the fan and the compressors at the front part of the engine. This process allows modern jets to function with high fuel efficiency. 5. Exhaust nozzle – The hot air get forced via the exhaust opening at the rear part of the engine. The air gets forced to accelerate due to the thin walls of the exhaust nozzle. The acceleration of the air, combined with its weight, drives the engine forward. An explanation of how the turbofan engine works became discussed here. The inward bound air enters the engine shaft. A portion of the inward air passes through the ducted fan. It continues on into the core compressor (Diesinger 2008, p.34). This then goes to the burner. Here, air mixes with fuel and combustion occurs. For the basic turbojet, the hot exhaust gas passes through fan turbines, the core and then out through the nozzle. The surplus of the inbound air passes through the bypasses and fan. Sometimes it goes about the engine. This is just like the air via a propeller. The velocity of the air that passes via the fan is higher than the free stream. A turbofan gets a portion of its thrust from the fan and the rest from the core (Peter Galison 2000, p.25). In the analysis of the engine cycle, the bypass ratio

National Collegiate Athletic Association Assignment

National Collegiate Athletic Association - Assignment Example This means that every division has its own mode of operation, as shall be seen forthwith. The money that is allocated and used in the three divisions is disbursed or handled under one collective umbrella body, the NCAA. For instance, on August 31st, 2010 and 2011, NCAA received 16,800,000 dollars and 17,900,000 dollars, respectively. The need for this money is underscored by there being 430,000 student-athletes who are participants of NCAA sports. For Division I, prospective student-athletes have to achieve the present minimal initial-eligibility in their test scores. The score should at least have a minimum 2.0 GPA in the core courses. However, for immediate access to competition, the prospective student-athlete must have at least a GPA of 2.3 and an increased sliding scale (NCAA, 2012). To continue being a Division II member, it is important that the individual fulfils a three-year membership system which is again divided into two phases. The first phase is the candidacy period while the second is the provisional period. The member must therefore complete the two years of the candidacy period, and one year for the provisional period. The school has a large sway in determining whether one will be a Division II or not, since it is schools which apply for inclusion into a given division, based on the ascertainment that the school has met the threshold required. The same case applies to Division III membership (NCAA, 2012). Division I offers a given number of financial aids as awards, to student-athletes, without exceeding the maximum amount that is allowed. Division I sports issue grants-in-aid as a grant program to help the students settle their fees, buy academic literature and settle personal needs. As for Division II, there is the disbursement of basketball fund. The issuance of this basketball fund is pegged on an individual’s historical performance in Women’s and Men’s Basketball

DID STEREOTYPING OF YOUNG MALE MUSLIMS INCREASE AFTER THE LONDON Research Paper

DID STEREOTYPING OF YOUNG MALE MUSLIMS INCREASE AFTER THE LONDON TRANSIT BOMBING ON 2005 - Research Paper Example Media played the major role to increase stereotyping in UK. The median focused on the radicalization of Islamic youths residing in UK by linking them to inadequate integration processes. The police departments were given direct orders to overcome the impacts from the incidents and punish the anti-social activists swiftly. Most of the Muslim male youths were harassed in UK after the incidents and the civil society of UK turned against the entire Muslim community. The number of reported incidents against the Muslim community and their worship places increased immediately after the bombing incidents of London. This research paper focuses on the impact of London bombings on racial profiling. On the 7th of July, a series of suicide bomb attacks were conducted in Central London. The attacks were majorly conducted to create massacre among the civilians using the public transport system. According to reports, it has been observed that four British Islamist men had detonated four bombs. Among the four bombs, three of them were detonated in the underground trains across the city. The fourth bomb was detonated on a double-decker bus. Almost one hour after the underground train attacks the fourth bomb was detonated on the number 30 bus (Goldstein 21). The attack occurred in Tavistock square, resulting in multiple injuries and death of innocent civilians. The incident occurred on a Tuesday, leaving 52 civilians dead and more than 700 injured. This incident has been regarded as the worst attacks, since 1988, i.e. the Lockerbie bombing. Before the London bombing incident, several other attacks took place in UK resulting in loss of many lives and properties. One of the most disastrous attacks occurred on 30 October, 1883. Two bombs exploded in the London underground railways in Paddington and Westminster Bridge station. In the year 1884, three

Jean-Jacques Rousseau Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Jean-Jacques Rousseau - Essay Example Natural inequality involves differences between one man's strength or intelligence and that of another - it is a product of nature. Rousseau is not concerned with this type of inequality and wishes to investigate moral inequality. He argues this inequality is endemic to a civil society and relates and causes differences in power and wealth. This type of inequality is established by convention. Rousseau appears to take a cynical view of civil society, and refers to times before the current state of civil society, when man was closer to his natural state, as happier times for man. To Rousseau, civil society is a trick perpetrated by the powerful on the weak in order to maintain their power or wealth. But this is Rousseau's end product. He begins his discussion with an analysis of a natural man who has not yet acquired language or abstract thought. Rousseau's natural man possesses a few qualities that allow him to distinguish himself from the animals over a long period of time. Of extreme importance is man's ability to choose, what Rousseau refers to as the "free-agency" that differentiates him from other animals. Man's ability to refuse instinct pushes him along the path out of his natural state. In addition, Rousseau argues that "another principle which has escaped Hobbes" is man's compassion. This quality of man also motivates him to interact. And finally, man possesses the quality of "perfectibility" which allows him to improve his surroundings. Man's contact with other men leads him to develop "amour propre" which is in a sense a "moral me" that creates concern for how others perceive him. Amour proper has four consequences: (1) competition, (2) self-comparison with others, (3) hatred, and (4) urge for power. These all lead to Rousseau's cynical civil society. But amour proper already suggests a significant step out of th e state of nature (http://www.radicalacademy.com). Perhaps Rousseau's most important work is The Social Contract, which outlines the basis for a legitimate political order. Published in 1762 it became one of the most influential works of abstract political thought in the Western tradition. Building on his earlier work, such as the Discourse on Inequality, Rousseau claimed that the state of nature eventually degenerates into a brutish condition without law or morality, at which point the human race must adopt institutions of law or perish. In the degenerate phase of the state of nature, man is prone to be in frequent competition with his fellow men while at the same time becoming increasingly dependent on them. This double pressure threatens both his survival and his freedom. According to Rousseau, by joining together through the social contract and abandoning their claims of natural right, individuals can both preserve themselves and remain free. This is because submission to the authority of the general will of the people as a whole guarantees individuals against being subordinated to the wills of others and also ensures that they obey themselves because they are, collectively, the authors of the law. In the words of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the general will is different from the will of all; the general will considered the common interest, while the will of all considered the private interest, a sum of