Thursday, October 31, 2019

Contemporary Management Practice (with IT focus) - Assignment 2 Essay

Contemporary Management Practice (with IT focus) - Assignment 2 - Essay Example advantage over others by gaining markets and customers, organisational managers must now deeply study complex scenarios and technology as well as technology change to allocate organisational resources in a strategic manner. This essay presents a discussion about the impact of technology on the way in which organisations are now managed. I certify that, except where cited in the text, this work is the result of research carried out by the author of this study. The main content of the study which has been presented contains work that has not previously been reported anywhere. Within the recent past, the practice of management has undergone a change which was brought about as a result of intense competition, globalisation and developments in technology including information technology, e-commerce and the Internet etc (Tassabehji, 2007, Pp. 15). Computing power that was made available as a result of advances in technology on a broad front made it possible for managers to use tools of corporate finance and capital market analysis as well as management information systems and decision support systems to assist them to make better and more informed decisions (Kochan, 2003, Chapter 1). Computer modelling based on operations research and statistics became an important tool for the modelling of complex situations to provide a feel for the human decision makers. Database technology enabled organisations to maintain, process and to rapidly access huge quantities of data that was of interest to organisations. It is now necessary to manage technology and the process of technology innovation, with work taking on a new meaning and management-employee relations being guided on the basis of principles of economics and behavioural science. Knowledge management is now important and the rapidly escalating prices of energy and food pose new challenges for business. Technology is now said to be moving towards a convergence of information science, life science and nanotechnology.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

The Dublin environment and entrapment within it Essay Example for Free

The Dublin environment and entrapment within it Essay Dubliners: The stories are variations on the theme of rebellion from the Dublin environment and entrapment within it. Discuss how these themes (rebellion/entrapment) are explored in at least THREE of the stories in the collection. Throughout Dubliners the themes of rebellion from the Dublin environment and entrapment within it occur in each story. One story where the protagonists are particularly trapped is Two gallants where Corley and Lenehan are stuck in a vicious cycle involving easy money for drink and easy women for sex, their rebellion from the mundane life of Dublin. Similarly, Gallaher in A Little Cloud is an immoral character but he has escaped Dublin ans by contrast, Little Chandler is trapped with an unhappy marriage and thwarted ambition. The title of Two Gallants is highly ironic, with neither of the central characters being close to gallant, in fact they are the least respectable in the entire collection. The story is in the adolescent phase of the novel though Corley and Lenehan are in their thirties; Joyce describes Lenehans hair as scant and grey showing him to be prematurely aged, exacerbating the contrast between their maturity and their age. This arrested development is an important element in their entrapment, as they are stuck at a level of maturity short of their age, their development paralysed. Moreover, their amoral behaviour is like an unconscious rebellion against the dismal nature of their existence. Joyces intention to portray Dublin in a very negative light is conveyed clearly in this story, not only through the leech like Lenehan and large, globular Corley, but also with his description of Dublin. The circular structure of the story reflects the entrapment of the characters. The fact that Lenehan, with nothing better to do, just wanders the streets, getting nowhere adds to the idea that there is no escape from Dublin. In addition to the circular structure, Joyce refers explicitly to circles. The word circulated is used in the first line and later Lenehans gaze was fixed on the large faint moon circled with a double halo. To consolidate the circular idea, Joyce later refers to a girl Corley used to see off the south circular. The unity of a circle is eternal and confined, like the misery of Dublin. In A Little Cloud, Little Chandler is trapped, not only in the stagnant Dublin but in a miserable marriage: He looked coldly into the eyes of the photograph [of Annie, his wife] and they answered coldly. Certainly they were pretty and the face was pretty. But he found something mean in it. He is in awe of Gallaher who has experienced and seen the world outside Dublin; Gallaher rebelled against Dublin by escaping. Though he is no longer trapped in the city, like the protagonists in Two Gallants, he is another example of arrested development, trapped instead in the adolescent stage of his life. Little Chandler is similarly in a state of arrested development with his child-like characteristics including his hands, which are white and small, also his voice was quietand when he smiled you caught a glimpse of a row of childish white teeth. Little Chandler has his own rebellion at the end of the story when he finds a disturbing outlet for his frustration. Joyce uses the technique of the interior monologue to convey Little Chandlers great anger: It was useless, useless! He was a prisoner for life. His arms trembled with anger and suddenly bending to the childs face he shouted: Stop!' This act, which borders on violence from Chandler whose manners were refined, illustrates the great extent of his dissatisfaction. This lack of fulfilment stems from the entrapment he feels from living in Dublin, which in turn implies the severity of Dublins stagnancy. Another story in the collection with the themes of rebellion and entrapment is Counterparts where Farrington, the protagonist, is trapped like Chandler in an unfulfilling career as a clerk. Farrington spends an inordinate sum on alcohol in the story but at the end of the night he felt humiliated and discontented; he did not even feel drunk. This emphasises the pointlessness of his existence as he drinks to alleviate the monotony of his life, but the money he earns from his unfulfilling job is not even sufficient to make him drunk. Farrington also provides a parallel to Little Chandler in his loveless marriage: His wife was a little sharp-faced women who bullied her husband when he was sober and was bullied by him when he was drunk. In addition, he likewise takes out his rage on his son but the two characters differ considerably as, unlike Chandler, Farrington does seem to be a violent man. He struck his son vigorously with the stick as opposed to Chandler whose cheeks suffused with shameand tears of remorse started to his eyes. A further example would be the entrapment in Eveline which is less metaphorical than in the other mentioned stories, as she is trapped by duty to her abusive father, in addition to her mental prison like that of the other protagonists. She fears the unknown, preferring to embrace a future of certain misery than an uncertain pursuit of happiness: It was hard work a hard life but now that she was about to leave it she did not find it a wholly undesirable life. Each story in the collection contains reference to either rebellion or entrapment, implying Joyces anti-Dublin opinions. It is made clear that without leaving Irelands capital, it is impossible to prosper or advance, a prime example being the Two Gallants arrested development or Little Chandlers and Farringtons increasing frustration resulting in violence. Joyce explores these central themes in detail and uses the ideas of rebellion and frustration to comment on the disparity of Dublin, reiterating repeatedly that people become trapped: You could do nothing in Dublin. Gallaher, however has achieved escape and although Chandler initially elevates him, his vulgarity is exposed leaving the reader uncertain as to whether true success, even outside Dublin, is possible for the Dubliners.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Changing Face Of Rural Consumer In Emerging Markets Economics Essay

Changing Face Of Rural Consumer In Emerging Markets Economics Essay India is growing at an average annual rate of 7.6 for the past many years and it is expected to continue growing at an equal if not faster rate. The rapid economic growth is increasing and enhancing employment and business opportunities and in turn increasing disposable incomes. The rural consumers in India account for about 73 percent of the total consumers. In recent years, the lifestyle of a large number of rural consumers in India has changed dramatically and the process of change is going on. The buying behaviour of the rural consumers is influenced by several factors such as socio-economic conditions, cultural environment, literacy level, occupation, geographical location, efforts on the part of sellers, exposure to media etc. As the benefits of growth trickle down, an increasing number of people are moving up from the economically weaker class to join the middle class. The middle class with its rising numbers and incomes is thus becoming the biggest market segment. The affluent class too will continue to grow in terms of size and value, albeit, at a slower pace than the middle class. Most of the companies are going rural because of large and diverse markets, increase in literacy level and changing life style of the people. Even globalization and liberalization expanded the Indian rural market. Several studies have shown that rural consumers are generally ignorant and they are also unorganised. Under these circumstances, the sellers or the manufacturers, exploit the consumers. Though, the consumers in India have been provided with various safety measures against their exploitation. In this paper, an attempt has been made to study the changing face of rural consumer in emerging markets. Key Words: Globalisation, Rural Consumer, Rural Market, Rural Potential. Introduction Rural consumers in emerging markets of developing countries are among the largest and fastest growing segments of the worlds population. In a country like India, where a substantial number of the rural people are living below poverty line, having high level of unemployment and poor literacy level; consumer awareness continues to remain low. Above all about 70 percent of Indias population lives in rural areas. There are about 6, 38,365 villages in the country as against about 300 cities and 5,161 towns. Of the 121 crore Indians, 83.3 crore live in rural areas while 37.7 crore stay in urban areas, as per the Census 2011. Even in urban areas, a large number of people live in slums whose life is not better than those living in rural areas. This clearly highlights that India is still dominated by rural population. There were 7,935 towns in 2011 as against 5,161 in 2001. About 13.3% of Indias population and 42.6% of urban population reside in 53 cities having more than a million people, wh ile the remaining 7,882 cities account for 47.4% of the urban population. There has been a steady increase in the number of cities from 5 in 1951 to 35 in 2001 to 53 in 2011 having a population of more than 10 lacs. About 31% of the urban population lives in the top-20 cities and about 51% of the countrys urban population lives in the top-100 cities.4 A report on survey conducted by National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) says that there are 720 million consumers across the villages in rural India. Hence, the development of the nation largely depends upon the development of the rural population. Agriculture is the main occupation of the rural people for their subsistence. It has been observed in the report that the condition of the rural consumers is deplorable because they are being exploited in the rural markets on account of lack of competition among the sellers. Although the rural consumers face various problems like fake brands and spurious products, misleading advertisements, unfair warranties and guarantees, and unreasonable pricing but it hardly affects their passion to buying because they want to buy those products which reflect their prosperity level. Similarly, with globalization and liberalization, rural market in India expanded its potentialities across the world. Globalization describes a process by whi ch regional economies, societies, and cultures have become integrated through a global network of communication, transportation, and trade. Globalization can be defined as the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant locations in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa. Globalization generally means integrating our economy with the economy of world. Globalization had its impact on various sectors including agricultural, industrial, financial, health and many others. Globalization has helped in: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Raising the living standards of people, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Alleviating of poverty, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Assuring food security, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Creating a market for expansion of industry and services, and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Making substantial contribution to the national economic growth. Globalization has brought in many varieties to choose from i.e. it has given a wide range of products to choose. The rise of rural market has been the most important marketing phenomenon of 1990s, providing volume growth to all leading companies. Objectives To examine the reasons why companies are going rural. To study the changing face of rural consumers To analyse the present scenario. To study the initiatives taken by some leading companies in the area of rural marketing. Data Collection The study is based upon secondary data which has been collected from various text books, journals, reports etc. Besides, a few websites have also been consulted. Potential of Rural Market Now-a-days, every company is excited about the potential of rural India and trying to get a grip on the rural market because the urban market is showing the sign of saturation. But the challenges are many: how to make the product affordable, how to penetrate villages with small population, connectivity, communication, language barrier, overcoming spurious brands etc. The reasons for companies going rural are manifold. Increasing rural incomes driven by agricultural growth, increasing enrolment in primary schools, high penetration of TV and other mass media which has increased the propensity to consume branded and value added products in rural areas. As per a study conducted by the Market information Survey of Households (MISH) and NCAER rural India is quietly transforming and growing and becoming different. Today the rural market offers a vast untapped potential. According to a McKinsey survey conducted in 2007, rural India would become bigger than the total consumer market of many countries such as South Korea or Canada in another 20 years. Marketers and manufacturers are becoming aware of the increasing purchasing powers, vast size and demand base of the once neglected Indian hinterland. They are now making efforts to understand the attitude of rural consumer. While entering the rural market companies are also resorting to CSR- Corporate Social Responsibility activities, thus helping the poor not only to augment their income but promote their products also. For example, Hindustan Unilivers Project Shakti not only brings revenues to the company but also assist poor rural women to become income earners by selling the companys product in the rural markets. It provides entrepreneurial opportunity and thus improves the living standard of rural women. It is a win-win situation for the company as well as for the consumers. Some major companies that have focused in Indian rural sector so far are Asian Paints, PG, and Bajaj Auto, LG electronics, Coca Cola, Hindustan Unilever, Britannia, Philips, Colgate, ITC and LIC. We are sti ll to understand the rural consumer, his attitudes, and his habits, particularly from the marketing point of view. Following points explain the reasons why companies are going rural i.e. what attracts them: Large and Scattered market Major income from agriculture Low standard of living Traditional Outlook Diverse socio-economic backwardness Infrastructure Facilities High Growth Rate Facts about the Indian Rural Market The following facts are gathered from the analysis done by National Council for Applied Economic Research (NCAER) about the rural India: Rural India constitutes 70% of Indias total population. It accounts for 56% of national income. It contributes to 1/3rd of Indias total savings. It accounts for 64% of total expenditure. Rural economy is estimated to reach a size of Rs 18 trillion by 2012-2013 as against Rs 12 trillion in 2007-2008. Rural consumers share of total ownership of low cost items like bicycles, pressure cookers and watches during 1995-96 was 60%. The share of rural India in the FMCG market is around 53% and is expected to reach 60% in future. Why focus on rural consumer? It is found that companies have expanded in rural areas because they are able to ward off competition, generate a new demand and in turn increase their sales or profits as well. The rural India offers a tremendous market potential. In fact, rural markets are the new markets offering both durable and non-durable products. Long-term perspective of marketing planning with modern approach is essential for their future growth. The Indian rural market is a goldmine, which needs to be explored. Rural consumers behaviour needs to be understood and products specially designed to suit the rural lifestyle.  The key business players are ecstatic about the immense market potential in Indias rural areas. It is also believed that major changes have taken place in the economic fundamentals, decrease in agricultural dependence, and increase in average income, life style, standard of living of the rural due to high economic growth rate. Business tycoons plan huge investments focused on rural areas, as part of growth of rural strategy. Rural India has witnessed a wave of change in recent times. Rural markets dominate Indian marketing scene and they need special attention for the expansion of marketing activities. With media exposure and increasing literacy levels, people are now demanding a better lifestyle. Figure shown below depicts the consumer Indias confluence of change in this regard. Figure: Consumer Indias Confluence of Change The changing shape of income distribution suggests growth in rural incomes which in turn should herald a consumption boom. Now-a-days, liberalisation, comfort with technology, changed attitude of people especially middle income group, alongwith rise in aspiration, the rural India is going beyond agriculture and is creating a new market for mass consumption. The figure given below depicts that with the increase in income, the rural people are moving from lower to lower middle, lower middle to middle; middle to upper middle and upper middle to upper level as far as income and spending are concerned. Figure: Rural Percent of each income group The coming together of a diverse set of economic, demographic and social change waves-point towards the fact that a brave new market is here. Table 1shows the demand for consumer durables in rural India. Inspite of the lower penetration and lower per capita purchase of consumer goods by rural people when compared to that of urban Indians, marketers are attracted towards rural markets because of large population (Table II) Table 1: Demand for Consumer Durables in Rural India (% of all India) Consumer Durables 1995-96 2001-02 2009-10 Scooters 33.1 39.4 39.9 Automobiles 37.9 36.0 37.9 Television 54.0 54.5 44.2 White goods 23.8 23.9 23.7 Fans 50.0 56.9 56.7 Low Cost items 58.1 60.1 61.3 Source: NCAER Table 1 explain the position from 1995-96 to 2009-10. The demand for the consumer durables in case of automobiles, white goods, low cost items is more or less is same, but there is an increased trend in fans, scooters etc. Table II: Comparative Sizes of Rural and Urban Markets Particulars Urban Rural Population 2001-2002 (million households ) 53 135 Population 2009-2010 (million households ) 69 153 % of All India Population 28 72 Market ( Number of town/Villages ) 3768 627000 Western consumer-focused companies are growing impatient as they seek out the opportunity to sell their products both in Indias major cities as well as to consumers in rural areas.  Companies should proceed with caution when marketing their products to Indias rural consumers   http://blog.frontierstrategygroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Rural-India.png Present Scenario Rural markets are witnessing value growth. That is rural consumers are willing to go for premium brands in any product category. Rural market is providing ample options to its consumer in terms of tastes, choices which are changing. The three most important factors are: Change in consumption pattern Change in life style Change in behavior of rural consumer In this regard, many large sized corporations have seen great success in rural areas because of innovative strategies like smaller packaging (Fast Moving Consumer Goods FMCG companies have creams and soaps priced at Rs5, hair oil and shampoo sachets at Re1 and small Coke at Rs5), customized development and positioning and a good distribution network. The rural India success story is being replicated across a range of sectors in the rural markets. Thus, the sales of FMCG products in rural markets is growing at a fast pace, even faster than that in urban markets. Nielsen estimates that by 2025, the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) market in rural India will hit $100 billion and that inflation and pricing will be outstripped by consumption. Presently, the rural market has more than 70 percent of toilet soaps, 50 % share of total sales of TV sets, Fans, Pressure Cookers, Bicycles, Washing soap, Blades, Tea, Salt and Tooth Powder  and 38 percent of all two-wheelers were purchased in rural areas. Rural India consumers hold a major share in many categories. Bijoor adds some growth numbers. Our rural folk have bought a lot more of FMCG; this part of the market has grown at a robust rate of 23% [over last year i.e., 2008-09], he says. As durables shrink in urban India, the rural market is witnessing a 15% growth rate. Some 60% of the durables market lies in rural India. Telecom in rural India is growing at 31%. It depends on the product, of course. Just the sheer population numbers dont mean very much from a marketing point of view, says Garudachar of Voltas. Statistics presented at the meet assessed the market size for nail polish at around Rs. 270 million in rural areas as against only 81 million in the urban area. Same i s the case with lipstick and face creams. This is mainly due to the rise in the disposable income of an average rural family. These itself bring awesome opportunities to the investors in rural markets.14 Various initiatives have been taken by the companies like: Nirma the first FMCG Company which initiated and produced goods according to the rural consumers in 1970. It changed the whole Indian FMCG scene. A number of companies such as Hindustan Lever, Coca Cola, LG Electronics, followed suit to expand their base in rural market. Maruti Suzuki introduced various innovative schemes such as a) Wheels of India scheme for State government employees which led to the sales of more than 5000 automobiles; b) Another scheme called Ghar Ghar Me Maruti: Mera Sapna Meri Maruti is targeted at the customer segment consisting of village panchayat members who are highly influential and respected in rural areas and nearby towns. This scheme increased Maruti sales by 16600 units; c) Other schemes Maruti are steel wheels for steel industry employees, 1 class officer for Indian Railways employees and Teacher Plus schemes for teachers. Gaon Chalo By Tata Tea: Gaon Chalo is another distinctive rural marketing initiative started in 2006 in the Uttar Pradesh by Tata tea for penetrating the rural market, the company partnered with NGO. This project has created employment opportunities to the youth in villages and small towns. Tata tea consolidated its market share in rural areas and it rose from 18% to 26.6%. Dabur India Ltd has also tied up Indian Oil Corporation. According to agreement between the two companies, IOC retail outlets all over the country will stock and sell Daburs products consisting of oral care, health care, personal wash, skin care and home care products. This helps Dabur in reaching millions of rural customers. There are 1600 such IOC outlets across India. According to report entitled India Retail Report 2009 by Images FR Research, Indias rural market offer a sea of opportunity for the retail sector? Presently, India is globally the fifth largest life insurance market in the emerging insurance economies. 78 percent households in rural India are having awareness about life insurance and just 24 percent are policy holders. The Indian pharmaceuticals market is regarded as one of the fastest growing in the world. According to a report by McKinsey, entitled Indian Pharma 2015, the rural and tier-2 pharma market will account for almost half of the growth till 2015. According to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, India is having more than 826.93 million mobile phones and 35.55 million landlines in April 2011, which is about 70.23 percent. Out of this about 40 percent are from rural areas, and by 2012, rural users will account for over 60 percent of the total telecom subscriber base in India. Thus, India has witnessed a n increase in the purchasing power of consumers, accompanied by their desire to upgrade their standard of living. Today the rural market offers a vast untapped potential. With the rapid growth of rural market, the quantum of consumer grievances also increases simultaneously. The main problems faced by rural consumers are related to adulteration, lack of safety, quality in appliances and equipment, unfair warranties, unreasonable pricing etc. The Department of Consumer Affairs of the Government of India and various state governments has undertaken a number of innovative measures to protect rights of rural consumers. The Indian Consumer Protection Act 1986 ensure better protection of rights and interest of people who are consumers in one way or the other from the exploitation of trade and industries. Consumer disputes redressal mechanism (popularly known as consumer courts) are set up under the Act at district, state and national level to provide simple, inexpensive and quick redressa l of consumer complaints. Although they are in urban areas but in rural areas, there is Panchayati Raj- a three-tier system with elected bodies at the Village, Taluk and District levels. Conclusion Today, rural consumers are not only buying to fulfill their basic needs but also taking care of higher needs of comfort and socialization. Moreover, they are getting more conscious about health and that they have the extra money to spend on such products. Consumer behaviour which is related to likes and dislikes and expectations of the consumers has changed in recent years owing to enhanced awareness, information technology and more importantly governmental intervention through legislations. The buying behaviour of the rural consumers is influenced by several factors such as socio-economic conditions, cultural environment, literacy level, occupation, geographical location, efforts on the part of sellers, exposure to media etc. Thus, the manufacturers are more cautious in dealing with consumers of their respective products.  A recent study by the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) suggests that if India continues to grow at the current pace, average household incomes will triple over t he next two decades and it will become the worlds 5th-largest consumer economy by 2025, up from 12th now. Mahatma Gandhi said, A consumer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us, we are on him. He is not an interruption to our work; he is the purpose of it. We are not doing a favour to a consumer by giving him an opportunity. He is doing us a favour by giving us opportunity to serve him. Keeping these words in mind, there is an urgent need to address the concerns of the rural consumers and the only way forward is to involve the available constitutional mechanism of Panchayati Raj Institutions.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Been Trees :: essays research papers

The Bean Trees   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the novel The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver, many social issues are discussed. One social issue that is addressed is adoption. Adopting a child is an experience that promises to bring great joy as it changes a couple or individual’s life forever. Adoption offers a chance at a new beginning for many children previously cared for by orphanages and foster homes. Families constitute the building blocks of society. They provide children with the love and security needed to grow into healthy adults. This paper will discuss how Kingsolver illustrates adoption in her novel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Taylor was sitting in Cynthia’s office with Turtle. It was their third week of seeing her. Turtle was talking again, after the incident in the park. As the history of Taylor and Turtle slowly began to seep out of Taylor, Cynthia has no choice but to inform Taylor that she has no legal claim to Turtle because she has no papers on Turtle. She cannot prove the way she got Turtle. Taylor, felt that if she has no claim to Turtle then no one else should either. The state of Arizona would take Turtle into custody. Taylor, depending on how long she had been a resident in the state, and depending on her income and stability, might be able to adopt Turtle in the future. Taylor does not know how to respond to this news. She is beginning to think that she will not be a good mother for Turtle. Kingsolver expresses how people may get discouraged, but they are somehow encouraged by the people around them. She conveys this message through the way Taylor feels about her role in Turtle’s life. However, the people in her life help her to realize her love and need for this child. I believe this is a common problem faced by many people who want to adopt. They begin to doubt whether they would be good parents. They have many questions that they need to consider. For example,will they feel like the child’s parents? Or would they treat an adopted child differently than their birth child? Most importantly, will they be able to handle the emotions, if and when, their child wants to meet their birth family? These fears come between the questions and the answers. It thrives on the unknown. In most, the fear is turned around, as exemplified in Taylor’s case.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another scene that articulates adoption is the scene with Mr. Armistead. Taylor, Turtle, Estevan and Esperanza were all together.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Critically Discuss the Impact of Classical and Positivist Theory on the Concepts and Practices of Policing

In this essay, Classical and Positivist theories of criminology will be explored and critically discussed to explore the impacts that they have had on modern day policing, introduction of laws, and police practice. The essay will first look at the history of the Classical Theory looking at Beccaria and Benthams classical school of criminology and its effects in a brief section. Positivist theorists will then be identified and the theory will be discussed, outlining the main thesis and beliefs of both of the theories.How each theory defines a criminal will then be taken into consideration and the relations of theories like the broken windows theory (Wilson and Kelling 82), labelling theory (Becker 1982), strain theory (Merton 1957) and rational choice theory (Homos 1961) will be used throughout the essay to explore the effects that the classical and positivist theories have had on police concepts like public order policing and community policing, touching on criminal justice systems a nd modern day police practice.Classical Criminological though can be traced to the criminal justice system and the penal system. Beccarias 1764 Publication on crime and punishments introduced a serious consideration into the harm caused to society by crime, and ideological outline of the basis for punishments and the relationship between the state and the offender (Beccaria 2003). Beccaria Stated in his approach to the prevention of crime that it is often distilled down to three ideas, and that it is fundamentally a product of Certainty; how likely punishment is to occur.Celerity; How quickly punishment is inflicted. and Severity; how much pain is inflicted (Newburn 2007). Another later criminologist; Jeremy Bentham, then published writings on the penology and notions of â€Å"rational free-willed character of offenders† (Maguire et al 2002) and forwarded the study of crime in that the central concerns of free will and rational choice came together to attempt a more logical a nalysis of crime and suitable punishment.In the twilight years of the 19th century the emergence of the Italian school of criminology sparked a departure in thinking on the study of crime the schools founding member Cesare Lombroso introduced a holy bible of sorts into the criminological world in that he contributed to the introduction of scientific methodology in regard to the study of crime. Lombroso most notably introduced a biological positivism into the study of crime.An â€Å"Atavistic Heredity† (Lombroso 1911) in relation to the cause of offending where physical features were viewed as evidence of an innately criminal nature in a kind of criminal anthropology. His work was then continued and elaborated by two other Italian scholars Ferri (1856-1929) and Garofalo (1852-1934) (Newburn 2007).Ferri and Garofalo elaborated on the environmental factors that can also effect criminal behaviour in relation to positivist criminology. Positivism carries the main assumptions that the methods of the natural sciences should and could be applied to the social world.Suggesting natural sciences should be used as the method base to analyse and conduct research in relation to policing and policing concepts. Positivists believe that research should consist of social knowledge and scientific knowledge through observation and scientific data. Facts must be separated from values and usually, there is a preference for a use of quantitative data over qualitative (adapted from Bottoms 2000, cited in Newburn 2007). In 1913 Positivist theorist Charles Goring published a book called The English Convict.This book logged the study he undertook which took place over 13 years, the study involved examining 3,000 British convicts against a controlled group of non-convict males to try and find out if the criminal could be categorised to a certain type of person, no significant physical differences were found between the two groups. (Goring 1913) Critical of this study and convinced that the criminal is organically inferior (Quoted in Brown et al 2004) Earnest Hooton conducted his own research into the criminal as a certain type of person and introduced Somatyping into positivist criminology.Somatyping involves the belief that evolution was dominated by superior types, arguing that a criminal had a certain type and evolution could eventually eradicate the criminal. Hooton was criticised for having poor data and an unrepresentative control group. However Hooton's work then sparked this idea in the Positivist Criminology theorists as William Sheldon then looked into Somatypes further in 1949 (Newburn 2007) and concluded that there were three types of body a person has: Endomorph, Mesomorph and Ectomorph.These body types were basically short and fat, Large and muscular and Lean and fragile. Sheldon argued that each of these body types was related to particular personality traits and that all individuals possessed varied traits however certain traits were more pre dominant than others. In modern day policing and criminology we use a theory called the labelling theory. This theory was first put forward by Howard Becker in 1963, Becker claimed that criminal elements are associated with physical appearance and the criminal becomes a label attached to a certain type of person.In 2011 it was common belief that a criminal wore a certain type of clothing which was a hooded jacket or ‘Hoodie'. Articles were even published in the newspapers like the Guardian (Guardian 2011) under title â€Å"The power of the Hoodie†. Amplified by the media this piece of clothing became an instant link to criminal behaviour and deviance. Positivist theory can be linked in here with the labelling theory to show the development in the idea of a ‘Criminal type' and show how in modern day policing we are using these theories to determine and define the word criminal.Following the work of Emile Durkheim, Robert K Merton's Strain theory (1957) can also be linked into this concept as the positivist belief is that criminal behaviour can be encouraged by social physical and biological elements, the strain theory thesis is that pressure from social surroundings can encourage an individual to commit crime. If an individual is singled out by Somatype or through labelling theory, they may feel social strain or believe that they should become deviant which could actually pressure said individual into committing criminal acts.An example of where this kind of concept was familiar was when the London riots happened in 2011. Classical criminology however argues against the concept of a criminal being defined by a certain type. Bentham stated that every person has free will and is able to make a rational choice based on the situation they are in at the time and what they feel would be the appropriate action to take. Classicism disagrees with the positivist view of a criminal only being a certain type of person and believes that the criminal deriv es from within any person.Everybody has free will, and the ability to make an informed decision on their actions in any situation they may be in, therefore believing that the criminal is an element every person has the possibility to exploit instead of positivist theory of the criminal element being biologically woven into a persons DNA. Classicism had a major effect on the criminal justice system and penology, punishments were believed to be best given on account of the appropriateness of the crime in question. This idea became the basis for our criminal justice systems today.With the introduction of the classical school of criminology the use of capital punishment and torture was on the decline and in their place the introduction of prison systems as core elements of the justice systems and punishment systems we have today.The abolishment of capital punishment has had an indescribably huge effect on our modern penal systems, the effects are vast however include the introduction of fundamental law like the Human Rights Act (HRA 1998). Acts like this are incredibly important in criminal trials and allow every person to have rights to things like the right to a fair trial and the right to prohibition of torture.Classical criminology influenced these modern day laws as its theorists believed in the concept that the punishment for crime should be based on the scale of what has been done and should be appropriate to the crime itself. Classical Criminology has influenced the constructions of our prison systems as becoming the core element of the way we punish criminals instead of using inhumane methods through capital punishment by considering the scale of the crime and deciding on an appropriate sentence for the criminal.Here another theory can be looked at which has been shaped by the classicism theories and beliefs. This theory is the Rational Choice theory (Homas 1961). the theory is based around the assumptions that criminal activity is committed by an individ ual after weighed up the risk and reward of an action, if the person believes that the reward is greater than the risk they may be more likely to commit a crime than if the risk was greater than the reward. This theory is supportive of Benthams notes of free will and rational choice.Free will and rational choice can be used to help explain the way we police through public order. In a public order policing situation, like a protest or a riot every person who attends and participates does so out of their own free will, a protester may not riot because they may believe that the risk of being arrested is greater than the reward of violently voicing their opinions.However positivism argues that a criminal is a definitive type of person and can be influenced by social physical or biological surroundings. These assumptions can be seen in the cases of rioting and community crime.The London riots happened in 2011 and they escalated throughout the country with riots happening in places like B irmingham, Liverpool and Manchester as well as other locations. The reasons that these sparked off is because of the social influence that was pressuring younger people to join in, here the broken windows theory (Wilson and Kelling 82), labelling theory (Becker 1982), strain theory (Merton 1957) and rational choice theory (Homos 1961) can all be related through classicism and positivist views to our modern day policing methods.Broken windows theory states that a run down or derelict area can encourage crime, this relates to the positivist assumption of criminal behaviour being encouraged by the physical surroundings and the evidence of this happening in the London Riots is when all the shops had been broken into and fires had been started. The streets were wrecked and this would have encouraged acts of violence.Merton's strain theory and Beckers labelling theory are also applicable here as the social strain of most young youths committing the crime would encourage more young people to commit crime, because the individuals could see crimes being committed around them without any action being taken, this would have further encouraged deviance as rational choice theory says the risk is lower than reward. These positivist based theories meant police in the London riots and most public order situations would target younger individuals to try and find criminal activity and arrests.The Classicism side of influence on Public Order would then come after the arrest in trial where they would be questioned why they had committed these crimes out of their own free will and then put through the justice system, being sentenced on the classical assumption that the punishment should be appropriate to the crime committed. Positivist assumptions can also be linked into the concept of community policing. Positivists believe that crime and criminal behaviour can be influenced through social and physical surroundings.Wilson and Kelling (1982) also believe this is the case as their broken windows theory looks at how the area a person lives in can affect their attitude towards crime and committing crime. Through the Classicism belief of community deterrence police practices have been introduced to arm the police with powers that they can use to their advantage against the war on crime. The Police and Criminal Evidence act (1984) and The Police Reform Act (2002) has seen the introduction of new police powers and a new national policing plan.These police practices include powers like stop and search. Stop and search gives the ability for any police constable to stop any citizen and search them if they believe they have reasonable grounds to do so. Classicism and Positivist theories have also had an effect on the way that we police our communities. PCSOs (police community support officers) were introduced in 2002 under the police reform act (2002) and help to improve community relations with the police.This police practice supports the positivist beliefs that crim inals can be influenced through social and physical surroundings as better relationships are built with the community and things like team projects are created to improve derelict areas and social situations people may find themselves in by offering things like youth clubs and activities. This deters crime by drawing people away from delinquency and encouraging them to take part in constructive, positive activity.Theorist David Matza outlined that the positivist theory drew on three sets of problematic assumptions:the first being Differentiation;the assumption that offenders can be separated from non-offenders by definitive characteristics, the second being Determinism; the assumption that biological, physiological or social factors affect the criminal and criminal behaviour and the third being Pathology;the assumption that an offender is an offender due to something going wrong in their lifetime (Tierney 1996).The problems of these views are that the fail to take into account the a spect of rationality, choice and human decision making. They define a criminal as a certain person, and if a person falls into the category of what has been defined by the positivist theory as a criminal it means that they must carry the traits of a criminal which is simply not true as proven by Charles Gorings work (1913). Classicism theory argues rational choice and free will, however what if a person has the impaired ability to make decisions and acts without being rational.Power and wealth is also a problem with the theory, if the classicism theory applied to all in the same sense then why is it that people who have less power and wealth tend to be the more predominant resident of the criminal justice system and not the wealthy. there are other factors that both these theories have not taken into consideration throughout their thesis, they are also very much at opposite ends of the scale.The positivist theory says that criminals are a type of person and the classicism theory say s that a criminal offence can be committed by anybody as well all have free will and rational choice. Without the Classical school of Criminology and The positivist theorists vital procedure and acts would not have been put into place that are fundamental today for the way our society and criminal justice system operates. Classicism changed the way we sentence criminals and the construct of our prison systems which are of prestigious importance to the modern justice system.Positivist theory has influenced the way we police in terms of public order and community policing through the introduction of the Human Rights Act (1998), the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984) and the Police Reform Act (2002). These acts have allowed the modern day police to be able to take the best assumptions from the classicism theorists and the best assumptions from the positivists and use them to create a criminal justice system that incorporates the best of each theory into the police practices and co ncepts that are used from day to day in modern day policing.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

HRD: Different Perspectives, Aims, and Objectives

Different paradigms present different perspectives of HARD (Human Resource Development) in terms of its aims and objectives. Consequently, it important to understand the different paradigms since each paradigm will have different approaches while solving HARD related problems. Experts advise that individuals build their personal beliefs regarding which paradigm suits his or her practice.In our context, It is best to divide HARD into two different paradigms, the performance, and the learning paradigm since they are definite. Moreover, the learning paradigm and the performance paradigm overlook most of the HARD practice as well as the thinking. The learning paradigm Is especially predominant In HARD practice In the United States of America. The learning paradigm and the performance paradigm are very dissimilar in many aspects. For instance, as the learning paradigm focuses on individual learning the performance paradigm focuses on the individual performance improvement.Learning paradig m of HARD is the field of study and practices that nature a long- term work-related learning capacity in an organization at all levels I. . Individual, organizational, and group levels. The performance paradigm of HARD is the art of realizing units of mission-related outputs. In addition, performance can be an organized system meant to accomplish a purpose or a mission. Though the two paradigms are diverse, they both agree on some aspects, for Instance they both agree that Improvement of organizations Is through human expertise.Different experts and philosophers hold different perspectives on the performance aspect. Performance can be as a natural outcome of humans' actively, reference is an important input in economic activities, or performance can also be a tool of oppression. There are different views held regarding then learning paradigm. Learning is a humanistic Endeavor, as it enhances the potential of human beings. Learning can also end up being an oppressive tool, for instan ce in the context of communism where learning is used to control the society.Learning is an instrument for the transmission of information needed by individuals. Nevertheless, it would be ignorant to draw that the two paradigms cannot converge since HARD operates best under Integration of the two. Chapter 8 Primary, the chapter Is about the theories on performance. Performance theory varies In comparison to the learning theory since It concentrates on teams, processes, organizational systems, and Individuals. Organizational effectiveness Is the mall precursor to performance and can be in different models.It can be a goal model, constituencies model. HARD is not the only discipline interested in performance and consequently analyzing HARD is normally on a basis on the different perspectives of performances. There are other different perspectives such as performance is a ultrasonically phenomenon. Performance models are of wide ranges of disciplines such as sociology, ethics, quality, psychology, and etcetera. Individual level performance models were because of HARD since; HARD has its foundation on individual learning.The models are the human performance technology and they try to define the common individual performance and the factors influencing individual performance. The financial performance entails the financial benefits of the HARD programs. Different factors influence the HARD profession such as the value-laden myths. Some of the myths are that the cost of HARD is high, it is impossible to quantify the benefits of HARD or that giving organizations the HARD they want is appropriate.Breaches enterprise model and Rumbles model provide integrated framework to achieve competitive advantage. Other common representative models are the John Campbell taxonomy and Thomas Gilbert's human performance engineering model. The integration of the performance models bring about new perspectives to HARD research, practice, and thinking. Chapter 9 This chapter focuses on the different perspectives of learning and the different preventative theories on learning in HARD.Learning is at the core of HARD and all debates ever carried out suggest that HARD embrace learning. The basic theories are six and include humanism, constructivism, holistic learning, social learning, behaviorism, and cognitive. These theories can apply in all the learning settings as well as for all age groups. Learning models can be at individual levels and at organizational levels. In the recent past, androgyny has been a theory of adult learning, a set of assumptions regarding adult learners, and a method of adult education.At individual levels is the androgyny that is a principal adult learning in HARD. On an adult learning perspective, it is a genuine trial to focus on the adult learner. Ontological model avails core standards of important and key hypotheses on adult learners. Another king of learning that is increasingly gaining attention is the transformational learning. This kind of learning is deep and requires the learner to challenge the fundamental assumptions and the mental schema they hold regarding the world.In relation to mental schema are restructuring, accretion, and tuning here accretion and tuning entails no change or incremental changes in an individual's schemata and restructuring involves creating a new schema. Organizational learning is learning that occurs at system level and not at individual levels. The main feature differentiating individual and organizational learning is that individual learning makes their mental models precise. HARD develops the knowledge for organizations to be competitive in the economy. Swanson. A, Hilton. F, Hilton, E. Foundations of Human Resource Development. London: Barrett-Koehler Publishers, 2001.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

X-Napster essays

X-Napster essays The infamous Napster under attack for its pirating of music from famous musicians needs to be shut down. Piracy is a major issue of moral standards, right, and wrong in the entertainment world. Napster is well known for its sharing of MP3 files through the Internet; taking, receiving, and bootlegging. Over 70% of college students said they use Napster at least once a month. The majority of its users are aware that Napster is an illegal bootlegging website, the federal government says. The U.S. Copyright Office says Napster's operations are clearly illegal under the very law Napster hopes will make its senior executives and well-heeled investors filthy rich which was written in 1992 saying that if a person wants to compile music to a personal CD for self then its ok. But in that law there was never any mention of legal dissemination to obtain the music. I oppose Napster because they have no coherent or viable plan to compensate artists. If Napster makes money off the dissemination of an artists copyrighted material then the artist should participate in those profits. (Currently Napster does not make a profit, however the fact that they raised at something like $40,000,000 in capital to finance their operation suggests that their investors obviously intend to make a profit one day). But the million dollar question is; should Napster be shut down because of its illegal sharing of files The answer is YES. BURNED CDs are a major issue in the U.S. To download from a website, and save it to a CD, or your computer. Personal music a person has made up, or created by himself is legal to save. But copyrighted music on the other hand is illegal. Commercial radio stations generate revenue off of the use of copyrighted material. Through longstanding arrangements with BMI and ASCAP a portion of that money (however small) is shared with the son ...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Marketing Analysis for Meantime Brewery Essay Example

Marketing Analysis for Meantime Brewery Essay Example Marketing Analysis for Meantime Brewery Essay Marketing Analysis for Meantime Brewery Essay for consumers to notice the brand names regularly, leaving no room for smaller producers. In addition to the large retailers who have a purchasing power that might be exercised on consumers. Hence, the overall intensity of competition is high. Threat of New Entry The cost for a new brewery to enter the market offering new edition of beers is high. In addition to the economy of scale that is considered high for launching a brewery. There are high barriers to entry that will obstacle the establishment. Also, there are closed distribution channels, as well as to strict government regulations. (Brown, 2010) Therefore, as mentioned by Michael Porter in 2008, seven elements give a complete emphasis on how the threat of new entry is generated. o Economies of Scale (Supply Side) Generally, it is better for a supplier to produce large volumes of scale in order to have lower costs per unit, thats why new entrants ought to start on larger scale projects to have an upper hand on the market, but only a few entrants are capable of doing so. vo Benefits of Scale (Demand Side) Benefits o f scale are based on how much consumers are willing to try new products. The higher the demand on beer, the higher price would be; so, this may affect consumers preferences until noticing the increase in demand. This means that 13 significant consumer base has to be obtained and developed in order for producers

Saturday, October 19, 2019

A Critique of Lost Names, a Book by Richard E. Kim

A Critique of Lost Names, a Book by Richard E. Kim Love Conquers Hate In the book Lost [1] Names by Richard E. Kim, the Koreans ingenuity from experience bolsters Edward Siedensticker’s opinion that Lost Names is not a poem of hate, but a poem of love. The Koreans in Lost Names do not fight the Japanese’s hatred with hatred back to the Japanese. The Korean people understood that fighting the Japanese’s violence and hatred would result in death and damage for both sides, and keep adding to their suffering. When the Koreans realize the consequences of fighting with hate, they wisely choose to fight the Japanese with love. A wise man would know not to fight violence with violence. Back when Koreans and Japanese had a rough relationship; the Japanese kept the Korean people hostage, increased famine for the Koreans, and forbid the from practicing their culture. Temporarily, the Koreans people wanted to take revenge on the Japanese for causing great suffering for the people. The Koreans realized that in the long run, making the Japanese suffer would be useless and a waste of time. The narrator and his father came to the conclusion that making peace with the Japanese and forgetting all their past mishaps would be beneficial for the Korean and the Japanese people. The following passage supports my reasoning: â€Å"Please help us! Please help us!†, he is saying. [] â€Å"Get up†, the narrator says to the man and his wife, â€Å"My father would have saved you† (159). The narrator may not have been willing to let the man and his wife in if he just thought about it for a few seconds. He t ook his time to really think about what the right thing to do was. Being nicer to the Japanese may not benefit the narrator and his people now, but as times change the narrator and his father know that peace would be the best for their people. As the narrator knows how it would feel to be treated unfairly from the Japanese, like when the narrator had his culture taken away from him and being beaten constantly from the Japanese; all because the Koreans are seen as inferior through the Japanese’s eyes. The narrator’s occurrences make him realize why his father is kind to the Japanese when the Japanese are cruel to the Koreans. The narrator’s realization implies that he is learning to fight with love not hate in the passage. Secondarily, the Koreans changed their views of the Japanese because they knew how it felt to be treated immorally. The following quote from Lost Names supports my assertion, â€Å"A youngman with a shotgun is running into the house from the west gate shouting, A man from the police is coming sir! My father says, Bring him in. [] We will turn them over to you, provided the issue of your receipt, we accept your terms, says the narrator’s father† (188). The passage rehashes the idea that the Korean people are learning from the wise ways of the narrator’s father. The narrator’s father does not go up to the shameful Japanese and beat them up for all the things they have done to the Korean people, instead he politely asks for a receipt and makes a compromise. The Koreans want to ruin the Japanese, but they learn that making peace would be the better option from the narrator’s father. His father sets a good example to the Koreans and the Japanese with h is respectful actions. The narrator learns from the father how to fight hate with love, and they teach the other Koreans. The Koreans shrewdness makes Lost Names a poem of love. As the evidence displays above, the poem of love is dominant over the poem of hate in Lost Names. Although there are examples of violence and hatred from the Japanese, the Koreans wisely don’t act for revenge, which diminishes the idea that Lost Names could be a poem of hatred alludes to that Lost Names is a poem of love. The end of Lost Names foreshadows that the Japanese and the Koreans have made peace with each other.The theme from the Lost Names teaches a good lesson; fight hate with love, and make peace.

Friday, October 18, 2019

OUTLINE HOW AND WHAT TYPES OF RESEARCH METHODS ARE IMPORTANT TO Essay

OUTLINE HOW AND WHAT TYPES OF RESEARCH METHODS ARE IMPORTANT TO CRIMINOLOGY - Essay Example In criminology, most research methods are quantitative, that is methods that record social life variation in attributes or numbers. Qualitative methods focus on the interpretation of observation therefore subject to bias. Quantitative methods include observation, surveys and interviews. This paper aims to discuss research methods in criminological research, their merits and demerits. This is research conducted in a way that a subject’s behavior is monitored without any influence. This can be done by studying criminals in confined places and in the field. Field researchers usually get an in-depth view of the subject matter and reach an unusually comprehensive information. There are many disadvantages in regard to this method. First, most criminal activities will be inaccurately measured since some will go unnoticed or reported by other people. Secondly, observing criminals by pretending to be part of their world is highly dangerous and may not work in most situations. This method is highly involving and time consuming, demanding a lot of time from the researcher. The observer also faces dual dangers of over identification with the group under study often testing the limits of the researcher’s commitment to objectivity (Hagan, 2011). Participant observation method is ideal since a lot of detail is availed to the researcher and is less influenced by prejudgments. This method is highly flexible and less unnatural because it enables the researcher to observe subjects in their natural environment. However, the measurements made by a researcher can be inferred differently by another researcher (McBurney and White, 2011) Surveys can be used as a measurement of crime where people are asked about their attitudes, beliefs, values and characteristics and experiences with crime. This can be done by sampling, where a number of subjects who are

Movie Piracy Hurts the U.S. Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 13

Movie Piracy Hurts the U.S. Economy - Essay Example The estimated loss in millions because of movie piracy cannot be substantiated; it hurts the economy because IP protection costs for firms continue increasing, brand value and sales are lost, consumers get low-quality goods and the government continues to lose tax revenue. The first way that movie piracy hurts the economy is that it results in lost sales and brand value for companies, in addition to the costs incurred for increased Intellectual Property (IP) protection. Guaranteed protection of these companies is possible when the proprietors get limited exclusive rights to the economic rewards provided by the market for creating products. According to a report released by the U.S Government Accountability Office in 2010, there are many negative, economic effects arising from piracy and counterfeiting on the U.S economy (3). However, based on this report, the many claims that piracy has led to the loss of many American jobs and the loss of millions of U.S dollars are not valid (U.S Government Accountability Office 11). It is as a result of this statement that critics argue that perhaps there are little or no negative economic effects of movie piracy on the U.S economy. Today, movie piracy is so common that a person does not necessarily need advanced c omputer skills to gain access to illegal movies. Of course, this is a move that has led to companies looking for advanced ways of protecting their IP, which is known as costly affairs. If movie piracy was non-existent, new copyright companies in the entertainment industries would not lose their creative work without getting paid for their work. Essentially, piracy of movies is part of the reason contributing to lost sales and brand value for so many movies in the U.S. The second way that movie piracy hurts the economy is because leads to consumers getting low-quality goods and their safety risks increase.

Melbourne 2am lockout Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Melbourne 2am lockout - Case Study Example Heavy penalties in form of fines were equally designed and implemented where licensees were highly discouraged from breaching the lockout initiative. The failure of the initiative as experienced resulted from various factors, which led to great opposition such as some exceptions that were applied where among the 457 premises that were initial targets of the policy, 115 of them received exception to the policy. Issues The issues raised in the 2am lockout in Melbourne are numerous and spans around supporting as well as discouraging the policy. According to the political as well as the media view, late night violence within the Australian cities was wholly to blame on alcohol (Wilson, 2013, para 1-2). There was therefore the need to introduce a policy, which addressed the increase in violence and such related anti-social behavior as was blamed on use of alcohol within the late night hours. There were many arguments raised in support of the policy which ideally supported curtailing patro ns and licensees to access their premises within the stipulated time and which prohibited those who were within the respective venues to leave within the stipulated time. ... of people hoping from one venue to another after they are kicked out of the venue for such reasons as misbehaviors increased the rate of crime and violence within the country and hence the support of the policy. The reason on the need to curtail and prevent venue hopping was instructed by the fact that many of the related violence occur within the streets and not within the venues as would be expected. The timing of the proposed lockout was informed by the fact that this time represented the key time where the police involvement in curbing violence was on prime and hence the need to have the street movement of persons reduced for effectiveness. The reduction of street movement would be effective in allowing the police manage people and the occurrence of such crimes within the street as against the management of people within night venues. Moreover, the time between 2am and 7am was ample to allow police clear the streets of such drunkards or any resultant mess as well as allow the dru nkards sober up (Melbournepubs.com, 2008, para 5). On the other hand, there were numerous cases raised against the imposition of such a policy, which included the un-fateful punishing of law-abiding majority of the persons as of the irresponsible actions of just a minority segment of persons within the society. The policy framework brought with it curtailing of freedom of choice to the general population besides reducing civil liberties to be enjoyed. The imposition of the ban changed the city from what was so wonderful about it (which served to attract many people into the 24-hour economy city) and the choice of only one venue for a night would never be satisfying to the majority. Imposition of the same reduced the time for persons serving within the hospitality industry to hang out after

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Novartis Environmental Analysis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Novartis Environmental Analysis - Case Study Example In order for Novartis to achieve excellence in its international markets, it has employed technology to foster innovation in drug manufacturing and promotion. As a result, the company has been able to adapt effectively to the technological environment for excellence and effectiveness in achieving its goals and objectives in the market. International Factors Since Novartis’ pharmaceutical business is internationalized, global or international factors have a significant impact on its operations (Pharmawatch 15). This includes the forces of globalization which has made international companies to comply with the changes in international markets. In this regard, it is reflective that the developments and changes in the pharmaceutical businesses across the world have an influence on the operations of the company. As a result of the international factors, Novartis has been able to form mergers with international companies (Novartis AG 154). In addition, the international forces in th e labor market have an impact on the recruitment and employee retention practices of the company. Political Factor Political risk is related to all forms of international business. This is due to the political forces which are likely to have an impact on the operations of a company in its international market. For example, changes in governments would have a negative or positive impact on the business activities and success in a specific market and economy. Because of the inevitable political forces, Novartis has engaged in political risk assessment in the international markets and economies in which it intends to venture into (Global Pharmaceuticals 129). The assessment of political risk is aimed at allowing the company to be able to determine the possible changes in the political environment which are likely to lead to negative implications on its business activities (Andreas 1). Through this assessment, accurate and informed strategic decisions are made in the company’s in ternationalization program for its pharmaceutical business (PR Newswire 1). Social Factors The social environments which comprise of the culture, religion, beliefs and practices of a society significantly affect the success of an international company within a specific market (Fair Disclosure Wire 1). The pharmaceutical business in characterized by inevitable implication from the social environment which includes the beliefs of a society on the use of conventional drugs as opposed to the religious traditional approaches to healing (Novartis AG SWOT Analysis 7). It is in this sense that it is evident that the success of Novartis in various drug markets across the world depends on the social factors. It is therefore reflective that Novartis employs socially, culturally and religiously acceptable forms and strategies of marketing communication for its drugs so that it would conform to the values and beliefs of the society within which it operates its business (Datamonitor 5). Ecologica l Factors There are ecological risks which internationalized pharmaceutical companies face in their operations. These include possible eco-toxicity and degradation of forests in the extraction of raw materials for the production of the environment (Franchini 6). Novartis has therefore employed chemical analysis processes to ensure that its products are not harmful to the environment in which it operat

Automobile (Toyota in Saudi Arabia) customer reponces to price changes Essay

Automobile (Toyota in Saudi Arabia) customer reponces to price changes according to cusomer segmentation - Essay Example .......................................... 4 1.2 Problem Statement ........................................................................................ 8 1.3 Aims or Purpose of this Study....................................................................... 9 1.4 Research Objectives ....................................................................................... 9 1.5 Research Questions ........................................................................................ 10 1.6 Significance of the Study ............................................................................... 10 1.7 Rationale for Choosing the Research Topic.................................................. 10 1.8 Research Procedure...................................................................................... 12 1.9 Scope and Limitations .................................................................................... 13 1.10 Chapter Summary ............................................. ............................................. 14 2. Literature Review ...................................................................................................... 14 2.1 Conceptual Framework and Research Hypothesis ............................................. 15 2.1.1 Conceptual Framework ........................................................................ 15 2.1.2 Research Hypothesis for Further Verification ..................................... ... .............. 31 2.2.3 Brand Association ................................................................................ 34 2.2.4 Perceived Brand Quality ...................................................................... 39 2.3 Importance of Effective Pricing Strategy ........................................................... 41 2.4 Significance of Pricing over the Development of Brand Equity †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.... 46 2.5 Significance of Price Changes on Consumer Behavior ...................................... 50 2.6 Chapter Summary................................................................................................ 54 2.7 References............................................................................................................57 Chapter 1 – Introduction In order for marketing managers to develop and implement effective marketing strategies, it is necessary to understand the impact that price changes have on consumers’ purc hasing behavior and purchasing decisions. In particular, the market price of automobiles is one of the most significant factors that can influence consumers’ purchasing behavior and purchasing decisions. Since price movement can affect consumers’ purchasing behavior, a majority of marketing managers are concerned with analyzing the impact of price changes on brand equity and consumer behavior (Yoon and Tran, 2011). Most of the available research studies are focused on examining the impact of marketing mix on brand equity (Buil et al., 2011; Chattopadhyay, Shivani and Krishnan, 2009; Villarejo-Ramos and Sanchez-Franco, 2005; Yoo, Donthu and Lee, 2000). Specifically the study of Valette-Florence, Guizani and Merunka (2009) examined consumers’ opinion with regards to the impact of sales promotion intensity and

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Melbourne 2am lockout Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Melbourne 2am lockout - Case Study Example Heavy penalties in form of fines were equally designed and implemented where licensees were highly discouraged from breaching the lockout initiative. The failure of the initiative as experienced resulted from various factors, which led to great opposition such as some exceptions that were applied where among the 457 premises that were initial targets of the policy, 115 of them received exception to the policy. Issues The issues raised in the 2am lockout in Melbourne are numerous and spans around supporting as well as discouraging the policy. According to the political as well as the media view, late night violence within the Australian cities was wholly to blame on alcohol (Wilson, 2013, para 1-2). There was therefore the need to introduce a policy, which addressed the increase in violence and such related anti-social behavior as was blamed on use of alcohol within the late night hours. There were many arguments raised in support of the policy which ideally supported curtailing patro ns and licensees to access their premises within the stipulated time and which prohibited those who were within the respective venues to leave within the stipulated time. ... of people hoping from one venue to another after they are kicked out of the venue for such reasons as misbehaviors increased the rate of crime and violence within the country and hence the support of the policy. The reason on the need to curtail and prevent venue hopping was instructed by the fact that many of the related violence occur within the streets and not within the venues as would be expected. The timing of the proposed lockout was informed by the fact that this time represented the key time where the police involvement in curbing violence was on prime and hence the need to have the street movement of persons reduced for effectiveness. The reduction of street movement would be effective in allowing the police manage people and the occurrence of such crimes within the street as against the management of people within night venues. Moreover, the time between 2am and 7am was ample to allow police clear the streets of such drunkards or any resultant mess as well as allow the dru nkards sober up (Melbournepubs.com, 2008, para 5). On the other hand, there were numerous cases raised against the imposition of such a policy, which included the un-fateful punishing of law-abiding majority of the persons as of the irresponsible actions of just a minority segment of persons within the society. The policy framework brought with it curtailing of freedom of choice to the general population besides reducing civil liberties to be enjoyed. The imposition of the ban changed the city from what was so wonderful about it (which served to attract many people into the 24-hour economy city) and the choice of only one venue for a night would never be satisfying to the majority. Imposition of the same reduced the time for persons serving within the hospitality industry to hang out after

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Automobile (Toyota in Saudi Arabia) customer reponces to price changes Essay

Automobile (Toyota in Saudi Arabia) customer reponces to price changes according to cusomer segmentation - Essay Example .......................................... 4 1.2 Problem Statement ........................................................................................ 8 1.3 Aims or Purpose of this Study....................................................................... 9 1.4 Research Objectives ....................................................................................... 9 1.5 Research Questions ........................................................................................ 10 1.6 Significance of the Study ............................................................................... 10 1.7 Rationale for Choosing the Research Topic.................................................. 10 1.8 Research Procedure...................................................................................... 12 1.9 Scope and Limitations .................................................................................... 13 1.10 Chapter Summary ............................................. ............................................. 14 2. Literature Review ...................................................................................................... 14 2.1 Conceptual Framework and Research Hypothesis ............................................. 15 2.1.1 Conceptual Framework ........................................................................ 15 2.1.2 Research Hypothesis for Further Verification ..................................... ... .............. 31 2.2.3 Brand Association ................................................................................ 34 2.2.4 Perceived Brand Quality ...................................................................... 39 2.3 Importance of Effective Pricing Strategy ........................................................... 41 2.4 Significance of Pricing over the Development of Brand Equity †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.... 46 2.5 Significance of Price Changes on Consumer Behavior ...................................... 50 2.6 Chapter Summary................................................................................................ 54 2.7 References............................................................................................................57 Chapter 1 – Introduction In order for marketing managers to develop and implement effective marketing strategies, it is necessary to understand the impact that price changes have on consumers’ purc hasing behavior and purchasing decisions. In particular, the market price of automobiles is one of the most significant factors that can influence consumers’ purchasing behavior and purchasing decisions. Since price movement can affect consumers’ purchasing behavior, a majority of marketing managers are concerned with analyzing the impact of price changes on brand equity and consumer behavior (Yoon and Tran, 2011). Most of the available research studies are focused on examining the impact of marketing mix on brand equity (Buil et al., 2011; Chattopadhyay, Shivani and Krishnan, 2009; Villarejo-Ramos and Sanchez-Franco, 2005; Yoo, Donthu and Lee, 2000). Specifically the study of Valette-Florence, Guizani and Merunka (2009) examined consumers’ opinion with regards to the impact of sales promotion intensity and

A look into history Essay Example for Free

A look into history Essay What would constitute a period in history called a â€Å"Golden Age†? Would the prosperity seen and felt by people make the description adequate? Would a greater sense of freedom in the regions of the world fit the description? How can we describe a â€Å"Golden Age†? In the years of the so-called â€Å"Golden Era†, from 1950-1973, the world saw an unprecedented rise in term of growth, with global averages reaching 4. 9 percent in the period of national Keynesianism (Monthly Review). This period, however, was not an isolated one (Institute of Industrial Relations). The period with the highest national growth rate, from 1935-1950, after an expansion in the previous economic period, 1918-1935, the distance between the two ends of the income distribution became smaller (IRI). Families of workers tried to adjust the loss of distance from the black community by downsizing in terms of number of additions to the family and the use of utilities (IRI). But in order for us to fully grasp the meaning why this period in time is called the Golden Age, we have to frame it beside two other growth periods, one before the age and the one just after it. It must be also noted if there were changes in the period that contributed to the growth of the succeeding growth periods. Before the Golden Age Families in the United States used to see how they have progressed through the years by taking a peek at their family albums, remembering the early years of their parents hard life (Bob Davis David Wessel). During the years of the Age, almost every tier of American life had been extended the benefit of a upbeat and climbing standard of living (Davis Wessel). But again, we must peek farther than the time before this period of unprecedented growth. In the past two centuries the world has seen an era of unhampered growth (Bart van Ark). In the years between 1820 and 1997, the gross domestic product around the world rose at around 2. 2 percent on the average (van Ark). This growth rate was around seven times the growth the world experienced from the preceding period, from 1500to 1820 (van Ark). But as time wore on, the disparity between the recipients of that high growth rate become more and more separated (van Ark). The worlds growth rate accelerated in 1870, and again at the beginning of the Golden Age, in 1950 (van Ark). Since the growth of the worlds economy grew in that time frame, it is not ti be understood that everyone benefited from that growth in equal shares (van Ark). Great Britain, one of the leading powers during the era, learned very well from the lessons of the founder of the capitalist system, Adam Smith (Robert L. Bartley). Smith blieved that raising the economic bar could only be done by practising free and open market principles, that traders and merchants interacting with the consumers will lead to a better share of the economic benefits (Bartley). Agnus Maddison, widely regarded as one of the premier authorities on long-term growth, gives us some insights into the growth engines at the time (Daniel Ben-Ami). In his studies, Maddison points to the year 1820 as one the more impotant inflection periods in the study of the worlds growth (Bartley). Global GDP per capita hadd increased from $420 dollars (1990 value) to about $545 by about the year 1820 (Bartley). The period of 1913-1950 would probably be the most interesting sections of the years before the Golden Age. This period embraces the events of two world wars, the Great Depression, the economic upswing in the 1920s (Bhanoji Rao), and one of the greatest political and bloody historical events in the modern era, the Bolshevik Revolution (Irma Adelman). Both World War one and two reversed the trends for the unrestrained movement of goods, money and migration of people (Rao). But in developing nations, the effects of these events were not felt as much, thus mirroring the differing aspects of the Wars and the Depression (Rao). In the aftermath of the war, large influential movements had espoused the needs for reform, and the captains in the capitalist end of the world were afraid of a return to the time of the Depression (Crotty). What should be seen however in this time before and after the Industrial Revolution was not the disparity in growth rates (Adelman). What was evident during this time was the degree that events bought leading to worldwide economic insecurity and to the global economic framework as a a whole (Adelman). The initiatives aimed at halting the transfer of the economic downturn led to the adoption of very strict global trading and payment methods (Adelman). As the initiatives took hold, tariffs and other quantity restrictions were soon implemented (Adelman). Tight constraints were implemented for the regulation on the movement of workers and capital (Adelman). The value of many currencies tended to be overvalued (Adelman). Rampant and widespread inflation led to the collapse of international payments (Adelman). This development led to the adoption of extreme government concern as to the stability of prices and foreign exchange as it relates to the level of unemployment (Adelman). Shifting to the Golden Era The march toward the golden age of the worlds growth had been marked by a shift from a market-driven and guided economy to one that was basically a government managed type (James Crotty). The era of the Golden age can be characterized by one of swift and widely distributed growth, having for its foundations an increase of control over quality of the markets dictated by the market and vented through the state (Crotty). Rather than a time of markets being centralized, it was a time rather of the markets being embedded in the society, the state rather than an enforcer taking on the role of a guide (Crotty). Agnus Maddison calculated that the worlds GDP rose to an average of 2. 9 percent, hitting 3. 9 percent in Europe and about 8 percent in the European continent (Bartley). The Second World War had spawned a time of demand that was pent -up during the time of the war, as capital and infrastructure was totally wiped out in Japan and on the Continent (Adelman). The command type of economy that was installed during the war, quickly gave way to the reinstitution of the usual framework of capitalism (Adelman). A great aid in the redevelopment of devastated Europe to get the continent up on its feet was the Marshall Plan (Adelman). With this Plan in place, the capital needs and infrastructure needed to jumpstart the economies of Europe were set in motion (Adelman). It was during this time, as stated earlier, that the world was experiencing a high degree of growth (Ben-Ami). In Japan, the Golden Age and the following decades after, the land of the rising sun was identified with the traits of efficiency and the highest levels of manufacturing standards (Terutomo Ozawa). This was exemplified by the low cost in the production of their automobiles nd electronic products (Ozawa). In Europe, the road to recovery was much simpler (Barry Eichengreen). Europe at the time underwent an almost complete transformation in the way they conducted their lives. In the middle of the century, Europes households had heat from burning coal, kept their food fresh with ice, and had no semblance even of basic plumbing. At present, they have gas-fired furnaces for heating, refrigerators to keep their food stuffs, and an endless number of electronic items that will make one dizzy. Incomes of an average European nearly went to three times their value by the turn of the century (Eichengreen). Also, working conditions and hours steadily improved, as time at work was reduced by at least a third, giving a boost to the leisure time of Europeans (Eichengreen). An upswing in the rates of the life expectancy in Europes residents was enhanced by new technological discoveries in health accompanied by a parallel advances in nutrition (Eichengreen). But all was not a pretty picture, as one would think. Levels of the ranks of the unemployed rose. Taxes levied on the people increased. The effects of the destruction of the environment, state repression and consumer spending limits were the order of the day under Eastern Europeans repressive regimes dominated that part of Europe for the next for decades following World War 2 (Eichengreen). But what made the road to recovery relatively easy for Europe? Europe, for its part, didnt have to plan anything new for its rebuilding; it just simply rebuilt. Europe just had to rebuild the damaged or destroyed infrastructure, reinvesting in its capital stock, and redeploying the men that were in the war effort to jobs in peacetime efforts (Eichengreen). This â€Å"catch-up† mentality had demonstrated itself in the utilization of technologies that were not yet in the pipeline, so to speak (Eichengreen). These were the technologies that were developed in the period between the wars, and were used by Europe to sustain its economic juggernaut (Eichengreen). But in the 1930s and 40s, Europe was thrown into an atmosphere of a depressed investment environment (Eichengreen). It was in this period that the United States gained a bit of a headway against their European counterparts. The Americans had outpaced Europe in terms of overall production and levels of productivity. By using the Americans technology, under license, adopting their business philosophies of American mass-production and personnel management, Europe could close the gap on the Americans. Hence was born the concept of â€Å"convergence†, fusing the levels of per capita income and levels of productivity to that of the United States (Eichengreen). But in the generation of wealth, particularly in the aspect of its distribution, not all of Europe could say that they were given an equal share of the pie, so to speak. For example, the northern parts of Europe were gaining faster than their southern counterparts. The same trend went for Western Europe, outpacing Eastern Europe. Eastern Europes woes came a failure of the central planning strategy that was common in the authoritarian governments that dominated that part of the continent. Though these are also important features of the Golden Age in Europe, nevertheless the period marked an era of expanded growth and change on the continent (Eichengreen). The economic machine of the Japanese economy, after the brilliant star of its economic achievements faded, had gone from one that was admired to one that was dealt with indifference, even one thrown pity (Ozawa). This was bought about by the virtues of the Japanese to put into secure positions some of the political interests rather than focusing on the real problems that had dogged the nations economy (Ozawa). In its early steps to climb out of the destruction wrought upon it in the 2nd World War, Japan had adopted its industry to a road of industrial improvement, moving from low value industrial output, gradually moving up to higher levels of value-added goods (Ozawa). But as the years passed, Japan began to remove the protection it afforded to its industries, essentially preparing them for competition (Ozawa). These industries that were left unsheltered were the ones that are the reason for the current state of the Japanese economys morass (Ozawa). Most of the world had been under the Bretton Woods Agreement (Adelman). This agreement was instrumental to the reintroduction to the regime of fixed rate payments, all payments to be based on the value of the dollar (Adelman). This regime was supported by a number of international organizations with the goal of giving some form of flexibility and in the management of foreign exchange inconsistencies (Adelman). After the Golden Era, the period of another growth slowdown was about to rear its head. After the Bubble burst After the Bretton Woods agreement had collapsed and countries and adopted more flexible foreign exchange rates, coupled with the skyrocketing of the price of oil, all these led to the indication that the Golden era was officially over (Rao). This was the era of the â€Å"stagflation† that hit the world in the mid-1970s (Ben-Ami). The Bretton agreement had become quite inadequate in meeting the liquidity requirements of most nations (Adelman). When the agreement eventually broke down, the system was replaced by a unstable, fluctuating means of foreign exchange (Adelman). The currencies of many countries went through a period of devaluation against the American currency (Adelman). But this was only the precursor of the coming storm. Oil prices had tripled their price in 1974, cereals doubled their prices by 1973, and gold prices doubled in the years of 1971-1973 (Adelman). Other problems were beginning to crop up for the world as the age ended. According to the International Labor Organization in its 1995 report on world unemployment, does not dispute the fact the upswing in the worlds economic standing, but it also emphasizes that the world, after the Golden Era, witnessed its GDP cut in half, and the levels of unemployment had reached levels never before seen or to be even though of during the era (Canadian Auto Workers Union). For this reason, economists divide the era into two parts (CAW). The first 25 years at the turn of the century has been called the â€Å"Golden Era†, the second part is called â€Å"The Age of Permanent Insecurity† (CAW). The effects of the downturn were quite visible. Growth rates had been sliced in half, good jobs were the exception rather than the norm, wages did not go up, surpluses were wiped out and social programs introduced at the end of the golden age, were dismantled at a slow but steady pace (CAW). Within a generation, the rate of growth fell to half its previous level, unemployment rates doubled, and decent jobs became the exception. Real wages stopped growing, budget surpluses turned into chronic deficits, and social programs which were proudly introduced near the end of the first period were dismantled in the second slowly at first, but then at an accelerating pace (CAW). The labor market in Canada and other industrialized nations also took a hit, as the unemployment rates hit 9 percent in the latter part of the turn of the century, as compared to the 4. 5 percent average registered in the first half (CAW). In the United States, the Federal budget registered a budget surplus from 1946 to 1970 (CAW). In the years following the Golden Era, the Federal government has never once posted a budget surplus (CAW). The Federal government, for every dollar that it allots for programs, it pays about 63 cents of its earnings to pay for the interest of its debt (CAW). The period after the War was one of significant unheralded growth, born out of the combination of several factors (CAW). Among them was the combination of the development of emerging technologies tapped during the War, the retooling of the war time workplace to be reused for peacetime work, reconstruction of the war torn areas of Europe and in Japan, the demand held in check for so long after the Great Depression and the restraints bought on by the war, and the new found competitive situation that it has found with Communist states (CAW). The War had asked from the citizens a great amount of sacrifice, these sacrifices led to the demand for the upgrading for the peoples living conditions, equity and concerns for their security concerns (CAW). These concessions were won over by the labor movement from very jittery corporations (CAW). But how does this relate to the downturn of the Golden Era? After The Golden Era, what happened? The concessions that the workers had gained from the corporations had produced a contradiction for them (CAW). In the case of Japan and Europe, after they had reconstructed from the destruction of the war and had strengthened their economies, was building a contradictory effect for the corporations (CAW). Once the economies were put back on line, the competition of the industrialized countries again began once again on the uptake (CAW). This upswing of the economies of capitalist industries put some amount of pressure on the companies profits (CAW). The companies in turn tried all efforts to put up a hedge around their profits (CAW), which companies then transferred these pressures from competition on the workers themselves (CAW). Since the workers felt secure and bold enough to challenge any initiative to be pressured in the workplace, the companies transformed these workers from mainly being employees to consumers, increasing their prices to keep their profit margins (CAW). The workers, feeling the pinch of the higher prices, asked the companies for the increases in their wages to match the increases that the companies imposed (CAW). This initiated the cycle of price escalation (CAW). The price increases had a negative impact on the global competitiveness of the corporations (CAW). As a result of such developments, inflationary pressures set in (CAW). The companies had to find ways to stay viable while contending with the workers, who were becoming hindrances to the company in terms of supervision over the workplace. As such, the companies had to choose, between the companies insatiable drive for profit and the needs of the society and the workers, the workers and society lost (CAW). Here is the start of the end of the Golden Era, where the share of the wealth began to be hoarded, rather than shared. Works Cited Adelamn, Irma. The genesis of the current global system. http://are. berkeley. edu/~adelman/KEYNOTE. html van Ark, Bart. Accumulation, productivity and technology: measurement and analysis of long term economic growth. http://wzus. ask. com/r? t=pd=uss=ac=al=diro=0sv=0a30050bip=3d1c9a 4aid=A85DDAB8DCDAC466AE1809C654D7BF3Fq=%60Golden+Era%60%2C +from+1950- 1973p=2qs=0ac=24g=38d1%feF2ARgR3en=teio=6ep=eo=b=algb c=br=tp=dec=10pt=http%3A%2F%2Fccso. eldoc. ub. rug. nl%2FFILES%2Froot %2F1999%2F199908%2F199908. pdfex=tsrc%3Dtxtxurl=u=http://ccso. eldoc. u b. rug. nl/FILES/root/1999/199908/199908. pdf Bartley, Robert L. The future of economic freedom. 2000 October 16. http://www. heritage. org/Research/TradeandForeignAid/wm383. cfm Ben-Ami, Daniel. Ferraris for all. 2007 January 27. http://www. danielbenami. com/2007_01_01_ferrarisforall_archive. html Canadian Auto Workers. From False solutions to growing protest: recapturing the agenda. http://www. caw. ca/whatwedo/bargaining/cbpac/96highlights/96cawconvention1. asp Crotty, James. Trading state-led for market led stagnation: from the golden age to global neoliberalism. http://www. people. umass. edu/crotty/dymski-isn-ford. pdf Davis, Bob Wessel, David. The Golden Age: the rise of the American middle class. http://www-rohan. sdsu. edu/~rbutler/prosperity2. htm Eichengreen, Barry. The European Economy since 1945. The New York Times 2007 March 25. http://www. nytimes. com/2007/03/25/books/chapters/0325-1st- eich. html? pagewanted=all Monthly Review. Notes from the Editors. Monthly Review 2007 Septem