Modernity and Literature Essay

Modernity by itself is a very abstract concept which can be associated with all new experiences in history. It is largely temporal because what is modern today is the old or obsolete tomorrow. Modernity is said to be a logic of negation because it tends to give importance to the present over the past, and at the same time also frowns over the present with respect to the future. From a purely historical perspective however, the society which evolved in Europe after the French Revolution of 1789 can be termed as modern in so much so that there is a marked difference or break in the way of thinking, living and enterprise between the societies after and before the French Revolution. The evolution of the modern society was not a process that happened overnight. The roots of the modern society and its gradual evolution can be traced back to the beginning of the eighteenth century. In fact the period from that point in history to the French Revolution is termed as the period of intellectual Enlightenment when there was a radical change in philosophy, science, politics, arts and culture. It was on these new forms of knowledge that the foundation of the modern society or modernity was based. Defining the Traditional Many scholars have tried to analyze the basic or instinctive nature of human beings in attempts to track back how modernity could have affected the core individual. In his book Leviathan, Hobbes deduced that in an environment uninfluenced by artificial systems or in a ‘state of nature’ human beings would be war like and violent, and their lives would consequently be solitary, poor, brutish and short. Rousseau however contradicts Hobbes. He claims that humans are essentially benevolent by nature. He believed in the ‘noble savage’ or the concept that devoid of civilization human beings are essentially peaceful and egalitarian and live in harmony with the environment – an idea associated with Romanticism. Human beings have however lived in communities and formed societies since the very early ages. In what is now known as the ancient world or the world of classical pagan antiquity typical of the societies of Greece and Rome, the concept of the ‘new’ or ‘change’ was absent. Time, like the seasons, was supposed to move in cyclical order, repeating itself with regularity cycle after cycle with nothing new or changed to break away from the established order. The people were steeped in more superstitious and religious beliefs which ruled almost every aspect of their lives. Christianity brought about changes in the belief systems of the ancient world. Christianity postulated that time was linear, that it began from the birth of Jesus Christ and would end with the apocalypse and the second coming of Jesus. This was a linear concept of time that moved in a straight line and not in a cycle that kept coming back to the same point. The Foundations of Modernity It was during the Enlightenment period that the Christian concepts of time and history were secularized to give way to the modern approach to change and progress. There were many other basic changes during the Enlightenment. The key ideas which formed the basis of the enlightenment period were autonomy and emancipation, progress and the improvement of history and universalism. The development of scientific knowledge gave rise to religious skepticism. People were no longer willing to submit blindly to the dictates of ordained religion. In other words they attained emancipation from the shackles of religion that had governed almost all aspects of their lives. This emancipation led to autonomy of the individual. Individuals began to decide for themselves instead submitting to an external authority such as religion. The people now decided by themselves what kind of authority, rules and regulation would be good for them, and such authority must be natural and not supernatural. Enlightenment encouraged criticism. Enlightenment thinkers did not hold anything sacred and freely criticized, questioned, examined and challenged all dogmas and institutions in their search for betterment or progress. Thinkers such as Voltaire defended reason and rationalism against institutionalized superstition and tyranny. The belief that there could and should be a change for the better came to be a prominent characteristic of modernity. The critical attitude of enlightenment thinker to contemporary social and political institutions paved the way for scientific studies of political and social studies and subsequent evolution of better forms of such institutions. The scientific revolution during the period, culminating in the work of Isaac Newton, presented a very practical and objective view of the natural world to people at large, and science came to be regarded very highly. Scientific inquiry was gradually extended to cover new social, political and cultural areas. Such studies were oriented around the cause-and-effect approach of naturalism. Control of prejudice was also deemed to be essential to make them value free. Enlightenment thinking emphasized the importance of reason and rationality in organization and development of knowledge. The gradual development of the scientific temperament with a paradigm change from the qualitative to the quantitative is also very evident in Europe of the time. People came to believe that they could better their own lot through a more scientific and rational approach to everything. The concept of universalism which advocated that reason and science were applicable to all fields of study and that science laws, in particular, were universal, also grew roots during the period. People began to believe in change, development and progress – all basic tenets of modernity as we know it today. Autonomy to decide for their own good, gave the people the right to choose the form of authority that could lead them as a society or community towards a better future and progress. This opened the doors to the emergence of states with separate and legally defined spheres of jurisdiction. Thus we find that modernity represents a transformation – philosophical, scientific, social, political and cultural – at a definite time in history at a definite spatial location. This transformation also represents a continuum up to the present in so much so that its basic principles are inherent in the societies and nations of today. The period of enlightenment can be seen as one of transition from the ‘traditional’ to the ‘modern’ forms of society, from an age of blind beliefs to a new age of reason and rational. Different Perspectives on development of Modernity Different political and philosophical thinkers have however developed different, and sometimes contradicting, theories of the development of modernity. Friedrich Hegel and Karl Marx are two of the leading thinkers whose theories run counter to each other. For Hegel, the development of modernity was a dialectical process which was governed by the increasing self-consciousness of what he termed as the collective human ‘mind’ or ‘spirit’. According to Hegel, the dialectic process of development of the mind comprised three stages, with two initially contradicting positions synthesizing into a third reconciled position. Human beings live what Hegel called an ‘Ethical Life’ or in a social environment shaped by customs and traditions. This ethical life has three stages: the first is the family, which is dissolved in due course, the second is the ‘civil society’ that a person builds up as a result of his social interactions beyond the family and greater relations, and finally the third stage of the ‘state’ which Hegel defines as the highest form of social reason. For Hegel therefore, the formation of the modern state is the mark of modernity when human beings achieve the ultimate stage of social existence. Hegel believed as individuals or families, human beings are too selfish and self-centered co-exist in harmony and work for development. It is the state that is able to integrate the contradictions of different individuals, and not market forces. Since the state by itself is composed of political institutions, Hegel’s theory equates the development of the modern state or modern political institutions with modernity. Marx took a completely opposing view, when he asserted that material forces drive history. For him the state by itself is not an ideal entity for the integration of human beings into a cohesive whole for their development as a nation or a society. According to him it is the material forces comprising social and economic forces that drive history towards modernity. People engage in production for their means of subsistence, they bind together and form states for the sake of production. Different forms of productions create different class relations. It is to maximize production and gain the maximum benefits and advantages that people bond together in different classes in the form of the modern state. The different ways in which production is organized give rise to complex forms of social organization because a particular mode of production is an entire way of life for the people who are involved in it. For Marx social existence is not consciously determined by human beings, rather, it is the other way round: their social existence determines their consciousness. When there are contradictions between productive forces and the social relationships of production, class conflict arises. For Marx, therefore, modernity is defined by the state of social existence. Marx acknowledges that ‘capitalism has been the most productive mode of production, and it contains the most potential for the realization of human freedom’. This very dynamic characteristic of capitalism is born out of its destructiveness for all traditional social constraints such as religion, nation, family, sex, etc. But it is the same destructiveness and creativeness that creates the experience of modernity in Capitalism. This vital association between capitalism and modernity from none less that Marx himself establishes that the capitalism that evolved after the period of enlightenment in Europe has been acknowledged as the modern era of the period of modernity by Marx. Marx however states that capitalism is exploitative, and because it is exploitative, its full potential cannot be harnessed for the benefit of all. He therefore advocates communism which is a system of planned and conscious production by men and women of their won free will. This brings us to the question whether humanity has already passed through a stage of history that has been termed as modernity, and has moved on to the postmodern era (Mitchell, 2009). Another important point is regarding the placing of modernity. Modernity is understood to be a process that began and ended in Europe, and was later exported to other parts of the world. Thinkers like Marx tend to differ. He saw Capitalism emerge as a ‘rosy dawn’ not in England or the Netherlands but in the production trade and finance of the colonial system (Marx, 1967). Therefore, though the concept of modernity can be defined in various ways, it definitely refers to the process of evolution of the human mind and the society to a point where people were able to come together for their own advantage and benefit and work for unceasing development under a collectively formalized authority such as the nation state. It can also be state with a certain degree of assertiveness that the period from the beginning of the Eighteenth Century to the French Revolution in 1789 actually marked the period of active development of modernity in Europe. The concepts that were nurtured during the period bore fruit immediately afterwards in Europe and the West and later spread to the rest of the world. The world has continued since on very much the same basic principles but with far more advanced technologies and superior social, economic and political approaches. Influence of Modernity on Literature Modernity had a profound influence on literature. As people began to think differently, they also began to write differently. The modernist ideas of religious emancipation, autonomy, reliance on reason, rationality and science, and on development and progress began to find expression in the literature that developed even during the period of enlightenment and thereafter. This new form of literature came to be known as the Modernist Literature. Modernist literature tended to vent expression to the tendencies of modernity. Modernist literature, as also modernist art, took up cudgels against the old system of blind beliefs. Centering around the idea of individualism or the individual mind, modernist literature displayed mistrust of established institutions such as conventional forms of autocratic government and religion. It also tended not to believe in any absolute truths. Simmel (1903) gives an overview of the thematic concerns of Modernist Literature when he states that, â€Å"The deepest problems of modern life derive from the claim of the individual to preserve the autonomy and individuality of his existence in the face of overwhelming social forces, of historical heritage, of external culture, and of the technique of life. † Examples from two Greats A few examples of Modernist literature will serve to make its characteristics more clear. Rene Descartes (1596 – 1650) is considered to be one of the early enlightenment thinkers whose literary works opened the avenues to the modern era. Known as the founder of modern philosophy and the father of modern mathematics, Descartes was a French philosopher, mathematician and scientist whose influence has served to shape the beginnings of Modernist literature. In his famous work, The Discourse on Method, he presents the equally famous quotation ‘cogito ergo sum’ or ‘I think, therefore I am’, which about sums up the very principle of the basis of the modern era. â€Å"I observed that, whilst I thus wished to think that all was false, it was absolutely necessary that I, who thus thought, should be somewhat; and as I observed that this truth, I think, therefore I am (COGITO ERGO SUM), was so certain and of such evidence that no ground of doubt, however extravagant, could be alleged by the sceptics capable of shaking it, I concluded that I might, without scruple, accept it as the first principle of the philosophy of which I was in search† (Descartes, 1637). In this work, Descartes drew on ancients such as Sextus Emiricus to revive the idea of skepticism, and reached a truth that he found to be undeniable. â€Å"Descartes started his line of reasoning by doubting everything, so as to assess the world from a fresh perspective, clear of any preconceived notions. In other words, he rejected man’s reliance on God’s revealed word, placing his own intellect on a higher plain† (McCarter, 2006). David Hume (1711 – 1776) was a philosopher, economist and historian from Scotland, and was considered a notable personality both in western philosophy and of the Scottish Enlightenment movement. In his works, he had a way of projecting the errors of scepticism and naturalism, thus carving out a way for secular humanism. In his most famous work, ‘An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding’, Hume asserts that all human knowledge is imbibed through our senses. He argues that unless the source from which the impression of a certain entity is conveyed to our senses is identified, that entity cannot exist. The logic would nullify the existence of God, a soul or a self. â€Å"By the term impression, then, I mean all our more lively perceptions, when we hear, or see, or feel, or love, or hate, or desire, or will. And impressions are distinguished from ideas, which are the less lively perceptions, of which we are conscious, when we reflect on any of those sensations or movements above mentioned †¦It seems a proposition, which will not admit of much dispute, that all our ideas are nothing but copies of our impressions, or, in other words, that it is impossible for us to think of anything, which we have not antecedently felt, either by our external or internal senses†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Dover Philosophical Classics, 2004) In the same work Hume also postulates two kinds of human reasoning – Relation of Ideas and Matters of Fact. The former involves abstract concepts such as of mathematics where deductive faculty is required, and the later is about empirical experiences which are inductive in nature. This postulate has come to be known as Hume’s Fork. Hume, along with his contemporaries of the Scottish Enlightenment, also proposed that the basis for principles of morals is to be sought in the utility that they tend to serve. This shows the questioning nature of modernist literature not only of religious but also of moral and social norms and values. A very visible influence of modernity is therefore seen in the works of Hume. Present-day Modernist Literature If modernity influenced literature, it also used literature to shift from a philosophical and theoretical domain into the practical lives of people. Modernity could infiltrate into the lives of people through literary works that defined and reiterated the legitimate new modes of classification. Old literary forms with traditional meanings attached to them were reworked, allowing readers to modify or contravene the older meanings. â€Å"This opening-up process allowed readers to glean new meanings that modified or contravened the older ones. In the course of these changes, words, forms, and institutions altered their meaning in British life: they, and the practices they comprised, referred differently†¦. modifying ‘reference potential’ in literature fed back into how readers responded to changes in life†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Rothstein, 2007) In art and literature, many critics view ‘modernism’ as a new trend in the field of art and literature, defined basically by stylistic and structural variations. They would not accept the fact that ‘modernism’, it is basic approach, was the principles of modernity rendered plausible in literature and art. Modernity has always tried to hold up the world in new perspectives. Similarly, modernist literature opens up the world in all its forms – theoretical, philosophical, aesthetical and political – for fresh scrutiny. Even in its present form, modernist literature attempts to break the objective world of the realist. â€Å"Modernist writing †¦ takes the reader into a world of unfamiliarity, a deep introspection, a cognitive thought-provoking experience, skepticism of religion, and openness to culture, technology, and innovation† (Melton, 2010). Modernist literature exhibits a fascination with the workings of the mind, and how reality is reflected by the mind. The questioning of life, with or without the presence of God, is another trademark of the philosophical and theoretical moorings of modernist literature. Charles Darwin’s work challenges God as the Creator and presents the process of natural selection in the survival of life. This led to modernist literature of time travel, of questioning the existence of individuals and the purpose of the universe. Modernism brought about a new openness in the areas of feminism, bisexuality, the family, and the mind. In the world of today, modernist literature still display much of the characteristics of the times in which it first took shape. A very important theme of modernist literature today is a feeling of being alone in the world – a feeling stemming from estrangement or alienation. Characters are often presented as being depressed or angry. A second common trait is that of being in doubt. â€Å"It may be disbelief in religion, in happiness, or simply a lack of purpose and doubt in the value of human life. Finally, a third theme that is prevalent is a search for the truth† (Foster, 2010). Then there is a third theme in which the alienated character is always in the search for truth and seeks answers to a plethora of questions relating to human subjectivity. In all these characteristics are to be found the same questioning nature, the same denouncement of blind beliefs and the same dependence on reason and rationality that the Eighteenth Century enlightenment thinkers had pursued. The character is alienated and estranged because he or she questions all that is deemed not right by his or her own mind; the character questions the beliefs of religion and other institutions which are not based on reasoning; and finally the character seeks answers and the truth. â€Å"Modernist literature encompasses the thematic fingerprints of a rebellious, questioning, disbelieving, meditative, and confident type of form, which was conceived out of a change in the belief of humanity, the mind, a God, and the self brought on by the shift from capitalism to an ever-increasing society of revolutionary changes† (Melton, 2010). References Descartes, R. , 1637, The Discourse on Methods. Dover Philosophical Classics, 2004, David Hume, An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding, Dover Publications Inc. Foster, J. , 2010, Modernism in Literature and History, Available: http://www. helium. com/items/743749-modernism-in-literature-and-history Karl Marx, 1967, Capital: A Critique of Political Economy, 3 vols. , New York: International Publishers, 1:703. McCarter, J. , P. , 2006, Literature of the Modern Era, The Puritans’ Home School Curriculum. Melton, L. , 2010, Modernism in Literature and History, Available: http://www. helium. com/items/809291-modernism-in-literature-and-history Mitchell, T. , 2000, The Stage of Modernity, Available: http://www. ram-wan. net/restrepo/modernidad/the%20stage%20of%20modernity-mitchell. pdf Rothstein, E. , 2007, Gleaning Modernity, Earlier Eighteenth Century Literature and the Modernizing Process, Rosemont Publishing and Printing Corp. , Associated University Presses. Simmel, G. , 1093, The Metropolis and Mental Life.

Bollywood Museum-Architectural Thesis

BOLLYWOOD MUSEUM, MUMBAI The museum for Indian cinema referred to as BOLLYWOOD MUSEUM, is an initiative by Ministry of film and broadcasting, Govt. of India to celebrate 100 years of Indian Cinema. The aim of project is to enlighten the people and future generations about the glory of our cinema industry and enlighten them about the people who made our country the largest cinema industry of world. As per the brief from the ministry, the major exhibits in the museum would be: Artefacts, equipments like Cameras, Editing, & Recording Machines, Projectors etc. Costumes, Photographs and other material are proposed to be kept in the Museum. The properties, dresses, sets, tapes, vintage equipment, posters, copies of important films, prints, promotional leaflets, developing equipment books, biographies, sound tracks, trailers, transparencies, Cinema magazines, statistics covering film distribution etc. to be displayed in a systematic arrangement depicting the history in a chronological manne r, will be procured through donations and also by purchase.There will also be a Museum shop which will sell the copies/photographs etc. of the vintage items, books and booklets on the work of noted film makers and mementoes. The site chosen for the project is in the premises of the Film division office on Pedder road in south Mumbai. The site consists of existing office buildings, a library building in dilapidated condition which would be replaced by a new building in the design and a century old construction known as Gulshan Mahal. The rejuvenation of this building forms the major architectural concern for the project.This building awarded with Urban Heritage award in 2001 was formly used as a shooting set and now would form the main component of the complex design. The building would be rejuvenated with an active plaza in front of it. The design of the museum was evolved from the basic unit of film industry†¦ the reel. The form of the building was inspired from the spooling f ilm over the reels. The circulation of the museum aims at giving the visitor a complete route of the Indian cinema industry from production to people, evolution to screening. The route of circulation defines the shape of building.The dynamic form of the building makes it ‘filmy’. The design process started with identification of the programmes to be introduced in the building. The programme was divided into three major categories based on function named as museum, commercial and library. The museum building would house the administrative areas and the exhibits of the museum. The new library building is planned to replace the existing library building which was in dilapidated condition. The commercial area was planned to house a souvenier shop, cafeteria and a restaurant.All the three areas were made approachable through the same plaza from the drop off point. The drop off point amidst the three building complexes was intended to give the visitor a feeling of apparently entering the building from the car. The design of the complex was made to frame the Gulshan Mahal in the new building, as viewed from the drop off point. The visitor is given a grand welcome in the museum building with a grand atrium with a skylight on top which introduces light inside and hence visually adds to the volume of the space. The museum galleries were designed as per the given requirement of the exhibit by the ministry.The exhibits were divided as per their use in industry and its impact. Apart from the given requirements, some new galleries were introduced. The circulation of the building starts with the introduction gallery and with each changing exhibit area, the level rises upto 1m and hence viewing the different stages of production of a movie, the visitor reaches the higher level of building exhibiting the costumes and props used in the industry. from where it moves to the other part of the building through a connecting bridge exhibiting the life and works pf Dadasa heb Phulke known as the father of the Indian Cinema.The similar concept of rising levels with the exhibits apply for the subsequent exhibition of the changing trends in the movies. Reaching the higher level, the visitor passes through the gallery exhibiting the life and works of film makers which connects the library building to the commercial building. Repeating the concept of rising levels, with music and dance galleries, the visitor reaches back to the museum complex through the gallery of life of actors/actresses. The highest level houses the screening area which intend to screen the rare and special movies or may be used while film festivals. he route of the museum acts like the film spooling over the three reels of musum, library and commercial building and thus defines the overall shape of the museum. The rising levels, connecting bridges give it its dynamic shape. The central plaza in front of the Gulshan Mahal is intended to add activity in the complex making it more lively and thus gives a welcoming approach to the Urban Heritage building which has lost its importance over time. This building shall be retained as a live shooting set which would act as a museum for the equipments used during shooting.An informal seating space in the plaza is planned to address the groups educating them about the place and the industry. The concept behind the planning of Bollywood museum is to create a sculpture that relates to the industry it is exhibiting with interesting twists and turns which adhere to our masala Indian Movies. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Source: NATIONAL MUSEUM OF INDIAN CINEMA Ministry of Information & Broadcasting Government of India Films Division Complex 24-Dr. G. Deshmukh Marg, Mumbai-400 026. Email : [email  protected] org / website : www. filmsdivision. org

Book Review of A National Party No More

C. he claims that he had hoped that he would find Washington to be â€Å"the place where great issues of the day are debated and solved, and great giants walk those hallowed halls.† Instead he discovered what Washington D.C. was not at all like he had hoped and this angered him â€Å"on behalf of Americans† (Miller 8). In his career Miller has served the State of Georgia as an administrator of a number of â€Å"vital agencies, as an assistant to two governors, as head of the State Democratic Party, as Lieutenant Governor, and then as Governor† (Miller introduction no page number). He also served in the Georgia State Senate from 1965-1969. He failed in his attempts to run for the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia. In addition Miller served in the U.S. Marine Corps and has taught at four different colleges. It is worth noting that the majority of these positions are executive positions not legislative positions so serving as Georgia’s United States Senator put him into a relatively unknown form of government where he lacked extensive experience and none on the national level. It appears somewhat incongruous that a marine would be a lifelong Democrat since military personnel currently tend to lean toward the Republican Party. Although Miller served only three years in the Corps it is clear that his experiences affected him greatly because he has written a book Corp Values: Everything You Need to Know I Learned in the Marines.† Miller’s book was occasioned by his experiences in the U.S. Senate beginning in 2000, in combination with his advanced age. Miller was born in 1932 according the reverse side of the title page. The book was published in 2003 so Miller was 70 or 71 at the time his book was published. This is certainly not an issue of itself, but one wonders if Miller would make the same claims he had entered the same Senate at the age of forty or fifty. Miller alludes to this when he writes that he has â€Å"arrived at a station in life where I hear the whistle of that moral policeman we all have to answer to . . .† (Miller 1). He takes the occasion to advise â€Å"members of my Democratic Party and other politicians who are so far out of touch with regular Americans to ‘shape up'† (Miller 2). This position, that tacitly assumes he is correct while other party members who disagree with him are wrong, is strongly reminiscent of an elderly gentleman on the brink of retirement who climbs on a soapbox to â€Å"straighten out† the next generation. This is not to say Miller does not make some good points, he just does not prove them nor give the reader sufficient information to determine if Mill is correct. The book suffers significantly because it has no notes, no bibliography and no index. Consequently the reader has no opportunity to check either the statements Miller makes as being either true or false. Many of his claims are supported by anecdotal evidence based on his memory of what happened throughout his career. Miller calls himself a Conservative Democrat, an unusual designation, but not an illogical one. Despite this he is known to have been a supporter of President George W. Bush and announced in 2003 that he would support the Presidents re-election. He spoke at the Republican National Convention in 2004 in support of the President. Such actions hardly indicate a lifelong Democrat. Miller criticizes the Democrat Party because the leaders, he claims, have ignored the opinions of Conservative Democrats in the South, about one-third of the U.S. population, and have told them to â€Å"go to hell† (Miller 9). He appears to assume that all Democrats in the South are Conservative Democrats because he is one and that they all agree with him. He fails to mention the non-conservative Democrats in the South and seems to assume there are none. Miller concludes the Democrat leadership disagrees with Southern Democrats on the critical issues of â€Å"capital punishment, late-term abortion (even with a lot of pro-choice people), trying juveniles as adults, national defense, and the teaching of values in school† (Miller 3). Miller’s reasoning process is suspect for a variety of reasons. First, it is not clear that these are the critical issues, at least on a national level. Capital punishment has been left up to the states and should not be regarded as a national issue, as are abortion laws as long as laws do not restrict a woman’s right to control of her own body. Trying of juveniles as an adult does not seem to be a national issue either nor should it be. The current system presumes juveniles will not be tried as adults unless there are significant overriding reasons for doing so. The decision of where to try a juvenile is judged on a case-by-case basis which is as it should be. As far as the teaching of values as a national issue, it is clearly an important issue that impacts people throughout the country, but the Federal Government has no basis to determine what values should be taught. Miller seems to have completely forgotten the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution that reserves to the states any powers not delegated to the federal government and not prohibited to the states shall be a state power. It is apparent that many of these critical issues are state issues. National defense clearly is a national issue, but federal taxes, the deficit, Medicare, and Social Security benefits are as well, but Miller doesn’t mention these issues. Miller’s has a rambling and folksy writing style that slips from story to story and slides from point to point in a chaotic fashion that defies linear analysis. He chooses his anecdotes by cherry picking stories that will reinforce his position even if they are not related to the Democratic Party; on page 145 Miller quotes The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, Winston Churchill, and Rodney King on the same page in support of a chapter entitled â€Å"Give to Bigotry No Sanction.† Certainly a case can be made for citing Rodney King, but the other two sources were clearly not written in support of civil rights in the United States. To his credit Miller admits mistakes he has made during his career. He points out that during 1964 he had â€Å"proclaimed that there should be an ‘investigation of Communist infiltration in the civil rights movement.’ What an idiot!† (Miller 143). This is remarkably refreshing given the current climate of politicians who consistently hide what they have done and deny they have done it until they are proven to have done it when they will admit and ask for forgiveness. On the other hand this begs the question as to just how much credence one ought to place in the writings of a self-proclaimed idiot. Miller claims that the Democratic Party no longer represents the majority of Americans and has become distinctly too liberal in relation to the United States’ population as a whole. This is an interesting position. Miller does not claim the leadership is wrong on issues, just that they disagree with Southern Conservative Democrats such as himself. This leaves the possibility open that the leadership is correct and the membership is wrong, but Miller fails to allow for this possibility. If this proves to be the case, it appears that Miller is advocating that the Democratic Party concern itself, not with the correct solution, but with gaining power again. A National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative Democrat is largely not successful. His conclusion has merit but his treatment of the issues is inferior. The lack of references is a major weakness that could be easily corrected. Miller’s failure to move in a linear, logical fashion in favor of using a disjointed, episodic style greatly reduces the effectiveness of Miller’s writing. Rather than being the scathing indictment he hopes to provide that will help the Democratic Party, Miller’s book feels more like a farewell by a statesman whose party has evolved while he has not. His gloom and doom predictions for the Democratic Party made in 2004 proved him incorrect since the Democratic once again gained the majority in both houses. Although Miller makes some interesting points that have validity, his book should be read with circumspection. Works Cited Barnes, Fred. â€Å"Zell Miller Endorses Bush.† 29 Nov. 2003. The Daily Standard. 20 April 2007. Miller, Zell. A National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative Democrat. Atlanta: Stroud and Hall Publishing, 2003. â€Å"Text Of Zell Miller’s RNC Speech.†Ã‚   01 September 2004. CBS News. 20 April 2007   ;http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/09/01/politics/ main640299.shtml;.

What are the key influences that have shaped the development of Human Essay

What are the key influences that have shaped the development of Human resources Management in South Korea over the last thirty years - Essay Example The success of industrial organizations in this country is extensively attributed to both management styles and work attitudes. The extraordinary growth of the Korean economy for the last 30 years has got the attraction of academics and business people from around the world. The country got a real annual growth rate of about 8 per cent in gross national product during this time. Growth in the corporate sector was prominent and in fact shaped the basis of the economic growth. However, it had many problems despite its quantitative growth (Park 2001). Bearing in mind that the success of HRM development in the South Korea was remarkably high, the only growth factor cannot give explanation all of performance of this country in human resource development. Therefore, it is not just growth but special characteristics of Korean growth that have in fact contributed to the growth of education. (Mabey 1998) The current economic recession has affected every country of the world. Over the last two years, businesses around the world have been hit by regional economic crisis. In Asian countries, currency crisis and the attendant business slump led to different approaches within the businessmen and financial experts for reducing waste and creating greater efficiencies. The South Korean economy which dodged the recession with a narrow margin has little impact on its business structure. The tight money policies enacted by the government forced Korean firms to reform in order to alter organizational competence and profits. Although there are several historical factors which boosted South Korean economy after 1950, the period of 1945-1961 has roots of HRM development and economic boom in the country. During this period people of this country took great interest in gaining education which was the result of strong social indicators and economic motivations. During the period of 1945-1961, education played a great role in changing the lives of Koreans. The

Jewish Immigrant Experience in Shaping Hollywood Essay

Jewish Immigrant Experience in Shaping Hollywood - Essay Example Yet, this need not have been the instance. The initial motion pictures were produced in the beginning of the early 1890s by members of staff of the laboratories of Thomas Edison in New Jersey. For the first years of movie making, the regions of New York/ New Jersey were dominant in the industry. Back in the days, holly wood was a lot more than a farm settlement a few kilometers northwest of LA – itself is a moderately minute town in a moderately novel state. In 1850, California as well joined the union. In the beginning of the 1900s, when the medium was novel, a lot of Jewish immigrants found occupations in the United State movie making industry. They were capable to form their mark in a brand-novel industry: the performances of brief films in storefront cinemas referred to as nickelodeons, following their price of entrance of five cents (a nickel) (Gessel, et al., 2001 p. 146). In a number of years, men who were focused, for instance Carl Laemmle, Samuel Goldwyn, Adolph Zukor , Warner Brothers (Harry, Albert, Samuel, and Jack) and Louis B. Mayer had shifted to the side of production of the industry. After a while, they were the leaders of a novel form of venture: the movie studio. It is of importance taking note that the United States had at any case one female producer, director, and studio leader in these early years, Alice Blache. Additional film makers disembarked from Europe following the First World War: directors such as, Alfred Hitchcock, Jean Renoir, Ernst Lubitsch, and Fritz Lang; and performers like Ronald Colman, Rudolph Valentino, Charles Boyer, and Marlene Dietrich. They joined a home-based supply of performers – entices west from the City stage of New York following the prologue of sound movies to shape one of the most noteworthy industries of growth of 20th century (Velde, 2002 p. 26). At the height of popularity of Hollywood in the mid 1940s, the studios were cranking out a sum of close to 400 films annually, viewed by viewers sum ming up to 90 million on a weekly basis. The studio mode encompassed a symmetry of constituents that is unusual in the movie sector: it was productive, innovative and efficient. The film sector started in 1895, with movies of only a number of seconds, working up to movies of close to a minute in length. Movies made an enormous impression on citizens from the extreme start with L’arivee d’un Train populace assumed the train was going to become manifest from the skin and run over them (Baker, 2009). Since the lengths of the films augmented, and developments that are technical had been achieved. Movies like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Casablanca, Citizen Kane, and developments have been made. Films like The Wizard of Oz, Singing in the Rain mirror the technical advancements of the time, largely with the employment of color and sound. These were mainly joyful, upbeat movies; escapism was in particular well-known in the course of depression and around the Second World War, on the other hand, this is something that still is of use to contemporary Hollywood. The men who shaped Hollywood were born within a radius of 500 mile and at a certain region in L.A subsisted within a radius of 15 miles of one another. The establishers the Hollywood studio scheme were Jewish immigrants who ran away to America from Eastern Europe for opening and fiscal constancy in the 1900's. They got here with little belongings and small money, all looking for the American dream (Stern, 2009). They began off in New York however, in due course moved

The United States Embargo on Cuba Research Paper

The United States Embargo on Cuba - Research Paper Example It was the year 1492, when Christopher Columbus had sailed out to the ocean blue. He came across an island which was enriched with beauty so fascinating that he had never seen it before. As years went by, the Island of Cuba gradually developed into one of the most booming and substantial Latin American nation with specialties like lush plantations, coffee and its all time favorite tobacco. However, on the other hand, for almost a period of 50 years, the Caribbean nation has continuously been engaged in this courageous battle that involves its super power neighbor, the United States of America.1 In an ongoing effort towards the so called nationalization of private property in Cuba, America has performed one of the longest travel and as well as economic blockades against any specific nation. Finally after passing away of a 50 year’s milestone, global community seems to be almost united with a belief that these sanctions against Cuba have actually failed drastically. A step furth er, the world is now wondering as to why these American policies continue to this day. To gain a full understanding to the conflict between the United States and Cuba, we must talk about the situation that prevailed well beyond this recent 50-year deadlock and analyze aspects that emerged after the Spanish-American War. In 1898, Cuba emerged as a territory of the US, along with Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico. Not much time had passed that in the year 1902, Theodore Roosevelt who was then the US President permitted Cuba to declare its independence as a free state. However certain terms and conditions were applied. He made an agreement with the new formed government, securing two of the major advantages. One, America holds the right to oversee Cuba’s financial and international affairs. Two, he also asked for leasing of a naval base located at Guantanamo Bay.2 As we further look into the provisions and focus on the enlarged scope of the embargo, it is noticed that the United States had placed its initial sanction and restriction on the country, Cuba in the year 1960. This was done via restrictions placed on the importations of sugar cane from Cuba. This first sanction was imposed as an answer to the step taken by the Cuban government of nationalization of foreign assets as well as other organizations. This angered the United States as most of these businesses belonged to the citizens of the United States. Since then, the US government authorities have extended such sanctions against Cuba. As a result, today it can be observed that the trade embargo has eventually broadened into an entire comprehensive set of financial, economical and commercial sanctions which are documented within regulations such as Act of 1917: Trading with the Enemy, Act of 1961: Foreign Assistance, Assets Control Regulations of Cuba (1963), Cuban Democracy Act (Torricelli Act 1992), The Trade Sanctions Reform (2000), and the 2000 Act of Export Enhancement.34 Several other sanction s and restrictions were further imposed due to which this Cuban embargo is known as a â€Å"comprehensive set of US sanctions† imposed on a nation. The restrictions that were imposed in the embargo had major impacts on the social and basic rights of people. This set of so called laws helped towards deprivation of Cuba from availing technological developments, medicines, substances for purifying water, food as well as electrical power. Not only this, economic rights were also neglected and added to the negative impact of the embargo. It extensively affected the environmental and socioeconomic aspects of

Sicail Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sicail Media - Essay Example Easily accessible information help in the management of disasters because it alerts citizens of an impending disaster even in remote regions; hence, warn them (Foundation, 2014). For example, locals of predictable tsunami zones can access the information not only from the media houses, but also through diversified sources including the internet. Easily obtainable information is prone to theft. For example, a person may use information from other sources to benefit from it by claiming to be the publisher or editor. Management of easily accessible information is compromised by the fact that classified information cannot be passed on safely, which further give rise to the insecure nature of such information (Ugah, 2008). Immorality is mildly spread by easily accessible information because everyone can access depraved information including the under age (Schleifer, 2014). Remarkably, easily accessible information may mislead the audience because such sources are always attributed to inaccuracy of the facts surrounding an issue (Monahan, 2010). Additionally, easy information accessibility poses a huge threat to the online banking services because of possible cybercrimes leading to massive loss of money. Social media forms an important aspect of communication because it enable easy and readily available medium of communication among individuals. Additionally, it provides a forum where an individual can inform his/her family members as well as friends through mass messages on upcoming events such as weddings (Stokes, 2003). Social media forms a virtue-meeting platform where individuals from various corners of the world can share ideas. Social media platforms such as Linked In have become a valuable business tool where individuals’ stands a chance to secure a job from top managers in various companies through endorsements. Furthermore, companies leap the e of social media for effective promotion and advertisement of their products (nibusinessinfo.co.uk,

British state promotion economic growth through education Essay

British state promotion economic growth through education - Essay Example Stewart suggests that poor or high educational emphasis can lead to a cycle of negative and positive growth in the economy which in turn would lead to formation of weak or strong educational systems. This analysis is based on the relationship of British economic growth and the educational policies since 1979. We discuss whether educational policies could or could not be used to promote economic growth considering R&D inputs and extent of state control. Considering the changes in the educational approach Arthur (2005) argues that character education could be related to citizenship education that provides a basic framework to morals and values. There have been many changes within the British educational policy and after a period of neglect in moral values within education during the 1960s, between 1979 and 1997, Conservative governments have attempted to reinforce moral standards by establishing state control on the school curriculum. Arthur points out that the values that are now being emphasized by New Labour seeks to promote pragmatic moral ethics and behavior and along with meeting the needs of the pupil also raises school performance and meets the needs of the new economy by promoting democratic participation (2005, 242-245). Considering the diverse and differing views on what constitutes character or morality, Arthur (2005) shows that character education can be reduced to a set of behavior outcomes which may not serve the purp ose of promoting higher ideals and ethics. The conservatives' educational policies gave full freedom to every school to set its own admission policies. The Tories believed that the free school policies would rationalize education spending and help most popular schools to expand. Regular inspection of the school and examination of management activities has been recommended by the Tories. Conservative policies however encouraged universities to focus on breaking away from government control and establish greater autonomy through endowments. Conservatives have suggested that teacher shortages show that Labour has failed to deliver on education. The focus of conservatives is to have an educational policy with reduced class sizes and greater educational autonomy. However does educational autonomy signify economic growth Jones and Thomas (2005) argue that fair access and widening participation of students are important within the UK higher education agenda. The strands of policies on government approach to access and participation have been examined by Jones and Thomas and they suggest that one aspect of government policies is based on attracting talented young people in an unreformed higher education system and the second strand suggests that there is a need for reform in such policies (Jones and Thomas, 2005, 622). The government's 2003 White Paper on the future of higher education highlights the differences between the economic and social objectives of education and also examines the notion of institutional differentiation. Jones

Research three diverse faiths and compare the philosophy of providing Paper

Three diverse faiths and compare the philosophy of providing healh care from the perspective of each of these three faiths with that of the Christian perspective and your own personal perspective - Research Paper Example The only shortcoming here is that globalization has nurtured an overall society that is closely knit; meaning that the people that are likely to visit the facilities are from diverse cultures. Religion reveals much about one’s culture in many ways, and this fact will be utilized in this case in a clinical setting. The intent of this paper is to shed light on three religion in the context of health care provision. To what extent do these specific faiths affect how health care is provided to the people, and are they a manifestation of all other faiths. The significance of the Buddhist faith is paramount in this case because of one key factor; the massive following. A very large portion of the population of people of the Asian continent are devote followers of this faith. The religion was initially restricted within the Asian continent, but globalization has meant that its spread is anticipated. Clinical practitioners are in such a case expected to consider the individual cases of the Buddhist patients they offer their services to in the best way possible. The views held by some faiths differ from those of other, and this is a consideration that the health care providers have to mull over. Although it may be stated that most religions are based on foundations of fear of mishaps such as draught, floods, and so forth; Buddhism is claimed by many to be based on suffering. Fear is linked to external forces that one has no influence towards and hence people seek the help of Supreme intervention. Suffering is more specific in that it expound on all forms of difficulties experienced throughout the life of an individual. The argument here is that reality is within each individual, and cannot be found if one turns away as insinuated by faiths based on fear (Hirakawa, 2007). The faith emphasizes on the empowerment of each individual in ways to make them know that they have control of what happens in their lives (Hirakawa, 2007). The aim is to make

Develop a Services Marketing Plan of Fitness First Research Paper

Develop a Services Marketing Plan of Fitness First - Research Paper Example This essay approves that the management of Fitness First should waive the signup fee as sign up is free in almost all other fitness clubs. Also instead of an annual fee membership or bi-annual fee, it should offer tri monthly and bi-monthly memberships as none of the other follow this strategy and this will also attract consumers as they have to be bound with the company for a smaller period of time. It should also offer a discount to those who wish to continue after the tri-monthly or bi-annual membership is completed. This report makes a conclusion that for the improvement of promotion element of marketing mix it is suggested that Fitness First should focus on integrated promotional mix. All the media used should focus on same message and consumers must be attracted towards the services. Focus should be placed on publicity element where Fitness first can take part in different events and sponsor different relevant activities to help grow its name. Another point which is discussed earlier is the risk factors which Fitness First must try to eliminate like risk of death during exercises which pose a bad name on the brand. To eliminate such risks Fitness First should ask those who wish to join it to produce a medical certificate and advertise the same to make people realize how concerned Fitness First is about the safety of its members. Placement strategy is already good as Fitness First is available in 12 convenient locations but still it needs to be figured out if expansion option is available. This can be done more properly by conducting consumer research.

Plato’s and Cicero’s life and Political Ideas Essay Example for Free

Plato’s and Cicero’s life and Political Ideas Essay Between 429-347 BCE, were the period of Plato and his ocean of philosophical dispositions and carried the most deep-seated political, social and intellectual thoughts. His questions raised the consciousness of intellectuals, students and general people making them think every aspect of their life from new and fresh perspective. As said by Alfred North Whitehead, â€Å"All Western philosophy consists of footnotes to Plato. † (Garvey 7) Plato was a student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, and naturally in his works there is a reflection of Socrates thoughts and ideologies. But while remembering, Plato we should not forget Cicero, 106-43 B. C. who was himself part of many of the political developments of his time. He was not only a philosopher but also an orator, lawyer and politician. He laid more importance to politics over philosophy. His philosophical works came about only in the period when he was forced to refrain himself from politics. Though he was neither considered as exceptional thinker nor we can see any originality in his works yet his thoughts on various aspects of philosophy exerted tremendous influence on many thinkers after many years to come. His popularity rose in 19th century. There is no comparison between Plato and Cicero as they were both of different ages and had their own distinct attributes, yet if we give deep thoughts into their philosophical works what we get is what we call slight deviations in their thoughts on Politics. Plato was born in Athens during 428-7 B. C. E but there is no certainty about this date because according to Diogenes Laertius, Plato was born in the same year when Pericles died. He was also considered to be six years younger than Socrates was and his death came when he passed the youthful years of his life-at the age of 84. If according to Apollodorus’ version, the death date of Plato is correct then his birth date should lie between 430 or 431 but Diogenes put his birth in 429. Diogenes further said that if Plato was the twenty years old at the time of Socrates murder in 399 then his year of birth should be 427. These years between 429-347 B. C. E is considered to be very appropriate, whereas, Cicero was born on 3rd January 106 BC in Arpinum, as Arpino today. It is a hill town situated 100 kilometres towards south of Rome. This small Italian got Roman citizenhsip in 188 B.  C. and began to speak Latin rather than their language Volscian before they were enfranchised by Romans. The assimilation of nearby Italian communities into Rome laid Cicero’s future as a Roman statesman, orator and writer. Though he had a great mastery over Latin rhetoric and composition but Cicero would never from him heart considered himself as a â€Å"Roman† and he was aware of this fact through out his life. During this period of Roman history, it was considered as cultured to able to speak both the Greek and Latin languages. Like many of his contemporaries, Cicero also got education in Greek rhetoricians, and their most influential teachers of their time was also Greek. His knowledge of Greek language enabled him to translate many of its theological concepts into Latin brining maximum number of common people into the world of Greek philosophical thoughts. He was so inclined towards the study of Greek culture and language that he would be called by the other boys as â€Å"Little Greek boy†, yet it is his obsession with the Greek language that made him tied to the traditional Roman elite. The family of Cicero belonged to the local class of nobles known as domi nobles, but without any tie with the Roman senatorial class. Cicero was only connected to Gaius Marius, the most popular person born in Arpinium. In 80 B. C. , he led the most popular faction during civil war against optimates of Lucius Cornelius Sulla. Cicero’s father was a knight who would compensate his personal life by reading books. His mother was Helvia who was a very good housewife. (Clayton Online edition) Plato’s was also fortunate to be born in a noble family of Athens. He was the son of Aristone and his mother’s name was Perictone. He got his nickname from the wrestler’s broad shouldered physique. He was expected to follow the family’s tradition of politicians but when he witnessed that Athens entered into conflict with Sparta during Peloponnesian war, he aliented himself from politics and at the age of twenty, joined the School of Socrates. Socrates main ambition was to seek the truth and further explore on the issues like virtue and pity. He also critcised religious and political institutions but allegations began to be levid against him from all corners as he was charged for corrupting the mind of youths. Plato captured the nerves of the society at large and pened down his earnest views followed by Apology and Crito. When Socrates died, Plato opened his academy in a grove which was considered to be sacred to the demigod Academus, near Athens. The importance of Academy grew when Aristotle became its student. Astronomy, Mathematics, and Philosophy were the subjects taught in the Academy. Few years of his life, Plato spent in travelling gaining more knowledge in the other parts of Mediterranean whereas rest part of his life was spent in Athens until he died in 347 B. C.  Ralph Waldo Emerson, a great American essayist, philosopher, a poet and a leader of Transcendentalist movement of the nineteenth century evoked, Plato is philosophy, and philosophy, Plato, at once the glory and the shame of mankind, since neither Saxon nor Roman have availed to add any idea to his categories. †Ã¢â‚¬â€(Emerson, Spiller, Ferguson Slater Carr 23) Plato understood politics from the angle of justice and democracy. His aim was to give the rulers the main principle of what constituted real politics. For Plato, politics was an application of what metaphysics and ethics considered as true. His ideal world was something which was true, good and therefore virtuous. He gave to the world the best mouth piece of the study of human behavior and his relation with society. His â€Å"Republic† was his ideological stand point whereby he posed number of questions and pondered their answers in the light of various assumptions and dynamics of society. His main question comes from the light of what is good and bad in their world-Why should we be good and why in this cruel world, wicked are more happy and successful? To find out the answer to this question, Plato had to invite the whole community-the Polis. In other words , if you can find out the right direction to form polis which is healthy then the importance to individual happiness is ruled out. For Plato, justice is a base which could only be frutifully gained by bringing about balance in wisdom, courage and temperance. For Plato, even an ideal state can be self desructive. Plato posited the view that even ideal state where all have equal rights could also be destructive and it could be happen in turn by the very basic concept on which democracy stands. Though Republic, the Statesman, the Laws are three main political dialogues of Plato, and they developed their ideologies on the basis of what today is termed as conceptual analysis-in other words clarification of the basic principles on which politics stands and its importance. For Plato, this conceptual analysis was a preliminary stage for further critical evaluation of thought processes. According to Plato, making right decisions on the administration and making right choice between peace and war are the two most crucial initial steps of good politics. Such decisions could not be left into the hands of public only but by good orator. Cicero’s works included fifty speeches, around thousand letters to friends and associates, among them the several of his works included rhetorical theories and twelve out of them are on philosophical topics. These display great intellectual thoughts that deepen Cicero’s conviction that both the philosophy and rhetoric are independent to each other and are very important for human life and society. His works on philosophy stand witness to the rhetorical techniques and style of Roman oratory. The political philosophy of Plato was largely based on speculations about ideal state. Though he did conceptualize his points by imploring upon the city-states of Greece and events in current political scenario, yet his discussions evolved largely around what he and other intellectuals thought to be ideal states. The essence of his ideological state lied in the needs of the man on the individual level and on the whole and these needs of the man joined them together to work for the common goal. The members that make the society could be divided into different classes according to their particular work criteria. As according to Plato, in man, there are two different souls in the same way in the society also, there are three different classes: philosophers, warriors, and producers; one of which belongs to the rational souls and the rest two belong to the irrational souls and each class has its own particular role to fulfill. For e. g. philosophers run the state, warriors defend it and producers cultivate their skills to produce the materialistic goods needed by the state. On the other hand, much of the Cicero’s political thoughts followed Aristotle concept of ideal state. For Cicero, there were three main forms of government; monarchy, aristocracy, and the constitutional state, but he also believed that there is every scope of perversion in each form of government, which emerges from those who do not have regard for the public good. Not one form of government is perfectly good. Instead Cicero prescribed what is known as composite form of government with the principles of monarchy, aristocracy and democracy. This form of government today is known as Common Wealth form of Government and Cicero termed as the Res Publica, literally known as â€Å"The People’s thing. His composite republic is based on the monarchical principle, also known as consuls; the aristocratic is likened to the Senate of Rome, which performs both the legislative and executive functions. The democratic principles are tribunes referred to as committees (comitia) in ancient Rome. Rather than revolutionary or politically visionary, Cicero was being considered more as a â€Å"political conservative† who was eager to preserve the Roman Republic against the designs of Julius Caesar, Mark Anthony, and Octavian whose aim was to make Rome into their own personal empire. But Cicero did not succeed in preventing Roman Republic from collapse and was murdered by the followers of Mark Anthony. (Marcus Cicero, Section 12). Cicero’s law was based on these two: â€Å"That true law was reason, That good is always good, that bad is always bad and in traditional Roman values. † (Simmons Online) He criticized all other form of constitutions for breaching the rights and interests of people and conveyed that political system should provide legal rights to every one equally but give electoral, legislative and judicial rights in accordance to their merit and wealth. Cicero’s first book On the Orator laid importance of Oratory in the politics of Rome. Oratory had been part of the Roman politics, and Cicero mainly superimposed its value. His discussions merely revolved around education basically history and poetry with composition of logic, philosophical theory and rhetorical techniques. As said by Stephen Whites’s, â€Å"Orator, clearly reflects Cicero’s own proficiencies, unites thorough knowledge of history and law with complete command of in a Romanized version of Platos philosopher-rulers†. (White online edition). Both Plato and Cicero wanted education to be based on philosophy to produce best statesman. While Plato’s more emphasis was on training on mathematical ground and transcendental metaphysics, Cicero wanted many practical programs of instructions designed to cultivate articulacy and civic debate. (White Online edition). His On the Republic is his much thought provoking dialects on leadership and politics. It was almost lost but its first third was recovered in 1820. On the Republic is a challenge of Plato’s Greek political theory based on utopian thoughts. He defined republic as â€Å"a peopl’e affair, â€Å"(res populi) and people as a community who have joined in to one consensus on their mutual interest. His other part constitutes his explanation on types of constitutions in classical Greek style and developed the data on the development of Roman institutions; whereas some of the sections which are either lost or preserved in very poor state have in short explanation of Hellenistic debates on the nature and rewards of justice and the discussions on education system of Rome. Yet another of his book On Laws is a sequel to a legal system. Contradicting Plato’s laws, he contended that Rome already had embodied itself much the ideals of law. On Laws truly appeared to be very important in the sense that it contains full account of natural law. Based entirely on Stoic ideas, Cicero contended that the whole concept of law is already a part of nature with an appropriate order, which could be codified in legislation for final tribunal in a court of law. After these writings, civil war erupted and he did not go further into this, but last of his books summed up his thinking on political grounds by bringing out the importance of morality in public life. In his On Duties which was his epistle to his son, he gave the routes to bestow on the proper code of conduct for Roman nobility emphasizing justice, benefaction and public service. His entire focus was on the men of high status and their way of dealing with the problems relating to personal ambitions and social obligations. Cicero too always stood on his profound trust on the noblest trait of human beings, which is their humanity and inculcate reasoning power to improve the lives of human beings. His thoughts on humanism are best skewed in his â€Å"On the Ends of Good and Evil†. The dialogue herein reflects on the question of what and where is the end of all human actions and the way you attain the happiness. Cicero agreed with Aristotle and saw that human beings are political or social animals. â€Å"But nature has given to mankind a compulsion to do good, and a desire to defend the well being of the community . (Cicero Rudd R I. 1). † But the most influential model book was The Republic by Plato. Cicero’s homage to the Republic was found in its expression in the section which was lost but also found its place in his concluding marks of the cosmos and the afterlife (The Dream of Scipio), which reflects the myth of err by the end of the Plato’s end book. Plato has been directly quoted and or reflected several times. Cicero’s Scipio states that, â€Å"Rather than invent a city for themselves as Plato did, he prefers to examine a real historical stance (The Roman Constitution) which comes closet to the ideal†. (Cicero, Rudd, Powell xvi) But it was also mistake to espouse that, because Cicero had departed from Plato in certain way, his Republic is in very deep sense anti-platonic. It is further said that â€Å"Cicerio’s Scipio was enough of a Platonist to regard philosophy and astronomy as wise man’s true occupation, and to declare that one should take political offices only our of sense of duty or necessity, as Plato’s Guardian do. (I-26-29)( Cicero, Rudd, Powell 17) There are many similarities between the Plato’s Republic and Cicero, de ra republic. Each formulated on the account of relationship between citizen and state. Both of them discussed on justice, both of them bestowed theory of constitution. Both of them also had mentioned discussion on education and a vision of an after life. Sharpely too suggested that â€Å"Cicero Republic in the sense, Plato’s turned inside out. † (Cicero Zetzel 14) In the Republic by Plato, Socrates and his friends are trying to implore and analyze on what should be an ideal city but do not want to analyze the state in which he was living. Plato and Cicero were only mouthpieces in an arena of political thoughts in their respective periods whereas in Ciceros De re publica, all the comments whether directly or indirectly emphasized on the organization of the state they ought to be living, which was Roman Republic in the final stages.

Automotive industry Essay Example for Free

Automotive industry Essay Maruti Suzuki India Limited generally famous as Maruti is an ancillary company of the Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corporation. It has a market share of 44.9% of the Indian passenger car market as of March 2011. Maruti 800 and Alto are their entry level cars. Ritz, A-Star, Swift, Wagon-R, Estilo are their hatch back models. DZire SX4 are Maruti’s Sedan class models. Eeco and Ertiga are Maruti’s C segment class. Grand Vitara is their Sports Utility Vehicle which is directly imported from Japan. Maruti is the 1st company in India to turn out and sell more than a million cars. Maruti Udyog Limited is renamed as Maruti Suzuki India Ltd on 17th September 2007. Maruti companies head quarter is in Nelson Mandela Road, New  Delhi. The company was customary in 1989; however the actual production commenced in 1983 with their Maruti 800. Till 2004 Maruti 800 was the India’s largest selling packed in car ever, since it was launched in 1983. More than a million units of this car have been sold worldwide so far. Maruti imports diesel engines for all their diesel cars from Fiat motors. Maruti’s manufacturing plants are located at two amenities Gurgoan and Manesar south of Delhi. Gurgoan plants installed capacity is of 9, 00,000 units per annum and Manesar plant with a capacity of 5, 00,000 units per year and a diesel plant with an annual capacity of 1, 00,000 engines and transmissions. Maruti has 933 dealerships crossways 666 towns and cities in all states and union territories of India with 2,946 service stations (inclusive of dealer workshops and Maruti Authorised Service Stations) in 1,395 towns and cities all over India. It has 30 Express Service Stations on 30 National Highways across 1,314 cities in India. Service is a major source of proceeds to the company. Most of the service stations help many stranded vehicles on the highways by sending across their repair man to the vehicle. 1.2 Definition Of Marketing According to American Marketing Association (AMA) Board of Directors, Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value of customers, clients, partners, and society at large. Dr. Philip Kotler defines, marketing as â€Å"the science and art of exploring, creating, and delivering value to satisfy the needs of a target market at a profit. Marketing identifies unfulfilled needs and desires. It defines measures and quantifies the size of the identified market and the profit potential. It pinpoints which segments the company is capable of serving best and it designs and promotes the appropriate products and services†. 1.3 Customer Perceived Value Customer Perceived Value (CPV) is the distinction between the prospective customer’s evaluation of all the benefits and all the costs of an offering and the perceived alternatives. 1.3.1 Customer Perceived Value of Maruti Suzuki with reference to Holbrook Model Typology of Customer Value Holbrook (1994 p. 27) asserted â€Å"Value is an interactive relativistic preference experience†. Based on this Holbrook proposed a typology of consumer value having three different dimensions: Extrinsic/Intrinsic: The consumer perceives value in using or owning a product or services as a means to and end versus an end in itself. Self-oriented/Other-oriented: The consumer perceives value for the consumer’s own benefit as against the benefit of others. Active/Reactive: The customer perceives value through direct use of an object as against apprehending, appreciating or responding to an object. These three dimensions give rise to eight types of customer value Extrinsic Intrinsic Self-oriented Active Efficiency Play Reactive Excellence Aesthetics Other-oriented Active Status Ethics Reactive Esteem Spirituality Thus for a company like Maruti it would be very apt to use this model considering that the products that Maruti Suzuki has to offer fits in quite easily in different dimensions as presented in the typology. 1.3.2 Customer Perceived Value of Maruti Suzuki with reference to Monroe Model Monroe (1990, p. 46) observes, â€Å"Buyers perceptions of value represent a trade-off between the quality or benefits they perceive in the product relative to the sacrifice they perceived by paying the price† Monroe has expressed the concept of customer perceived value as the ratio between perceived benefits and perceived sacrifice: Customer Perceived Value= Perceived Benefits ________________ Perceived Sacrifice According to Monroe perceived benefits has a positive influence on consumers perception of product value at first, and later on it may influence consumers purchase intentions. In contrast, perceived sacrifice first has a negative influence on consumers perception of product value, and later on it may influence consumers purchase intentions. Perceived Benefits Here the benefits include customers’ desired value, e.g., quality (Monroe, 1990). Sacrifices, on the other hand, include monetary (price) (Dodds, et al., 1991) and non-monetary (time, effort) (Cronin, et al., 2000) considerations. Therefore, value includes three key factors: (1) quality, (2) price, and (3) convenience (Lemon, et al., 2001), where convenience is the time and effort expended by the customers (Cronin, et al., 2000) In context to Maruti, the customer’s desired value is the quality of the car and services rendered there off. Whereas the sacrifices include the price of the car, maintenance cost, etc. 1.3.3 Customer Perceived Value of Maruti with reference to Woodruff’s Model A Value-Hierarchy Model Woodruff (1997) proposed that â€Å"Customer value is a customer’s perceived preference for and evaluation of those product attributes, attribute performances and consequences arising from use that facilities achieving the customer goals and purposes in use situations.† (p146) Accordingly the customer value hierarchy suggests that customers conceive of desired value in a means-end way. Basically it can be known as a system to run businesses throughout the country by understanding customer’s goal and satisfaction over it (Lister, n.d.) Desired Customer Customer Satisfaction Value with Received Value Customer’s Goals and Purposes Desired Consequences in Use Situations Desired Product Attributes and Attribute Preferences Starting at the bottom of the hierarchy, customers start to think about products as bundles of specific attributes and attribute performances. While purchasing and using a product they form desire or preferences for a certain attribute based on their ability to facilitate achieving desired consequence experiences. Looking down the hierarchy from the top, customers use goals and preferences to attach importance to consequences. Also the customer’s use situation plays a critical role in evaluation as well as in desires. Maruti Suzuki, being an automobile manufacturing company faces a lot of competition. Thus such a model would be very essential for their company. 1.3.4 Consumer perceived value of Maruti with reference to Zeithaml Model Means-End Model An adaptation of a model first proposed by Dodds and Monroe (1985), Zeithaml with her study in 1988 about price, quality and value towards consumers defined this into the concept of Means-End model. (Source: Means-End Model, Zeithaml, 1988) 2. Value Proposition Definition of ‘Value Proposition’ A business or marketing speech that summarizes why a customer should buy an item for consumption or use a service. This statement should prove a potential buyer that one meticulous product or service will add more value or better solve a problem than other like offerings. Companies use this statement to target customers who will benefit most from using the company’s products, and this helps maintain an economic moat. The ideal value proposition is concise and appeals to the customer’s strongest decision-making drivers. Companies pay a high price when customers lose slight of the company’s value proposition. 2.1 Value Proposition of Maruti Suzuki ‘Way of Life’ is the Value Proposition of Maruti Suzuki. As India is a country where comfort is vital while travelling, Maruti has always been the first option. As mileage is a big criterion with cars for Indians, Suzuki proves to be better than quite a few other names in cars as its vehicles have a higher mileage; for example Swift gives 22km/ltr while if you compare a Honda City gives around 12-13 km/litre. 2.2 Mission Vision of Maruti Suzuki The Company Mission To make available a wide range of modern, high quality fuel efficient vehicles in order to meet the need of different customers, both in domestic and export markets. The Company Vision We must be an internationally competitive company in terms of our products and services. We must retain our leadership in India and should also aspire to be among the global players. Their focus is on: Building a continuously improving organization adaptable to quick changes Providing value and satisfaction to the customer Aligning and fully involving all our employees, suppliers and dealers to face competition Maximising Shareholder’s value 2.3 Target Market Definition of target market: A specific group of consumers at which a company aims its products and services. Maruti Suzuki has adopted a focused approach and wisely created segments within a large market to promote their cars. Lower Income Group- Maruti 800, Alto  Middle Income Group- Wagon-R, Swift, Swift DZire, Ritz High Income Group- Maruti Suzuki Kizashi, Suzuki Grand Vitara Suzuki Grand Vitara would obviously have no takers amongst the lower income group. 2.4 Market Attractiveness Market attractiveness is a term that describes the profit possibilities available in a given market or industry. The more attractive a market is, the higher the potential profits. Companies in the process of considering entires into new industries or markets conduct a number of analyses to determine whether or not such a move would be good for the business. One such analysis is a market attractiveness analysis, conducted to find out if entering a particular market or industry would be profitable and how much the company could potentially earn. The automobile industry is a huge and diversified market. It can be divided into different segments each satisfying different needs of the customers. These different segments can be classified as: SUV’s, Sedans, Hatchbacks, C segments etc. This gives an automobile company ample amount of opportunities. Maruti Suzuki  is prevalent in all of these segments and is considered as one of the premium brands in all of these segments. In this very market other than the different segments of automobiles also is the service rendered by the company to the customers. Thus the market is as attractive as one would hope for giving Maruti Suzuki a chance to make the most of it.

My experience in Malaysia: A reflective report

My experience in Malaysia: A reflective report It’s not easy to leave your country of origin and to settle down in another country where you are a visitor but my experience in staying Malaysia is incredible. Malaysia is one of the most beautiful and fascinating tourism destinations of South East Asia. Malaysia comprises out two parts, Peninsular Malaysia, which is located between Thailand in the north and Singapore in the south, and the two provinces Sabah and Sarawak, located on Borneo. It has a rich history courting back to the 13th century moreover it was a busy port for Europeans and far trades for many hundred years. It is a multiracial country with has a rich cultural heritage and a population of 23.27 million consisting of 61 percent Malays, 30 percent Chinese, 8 percent Indians and 1 percent of other ethnic groups. In 15th century Malacca was the initial name to Malaysia. In the year of 1957 Malaysia gained its independence from the British. Later in 1963 after the fusion of Singapore Sarawak and Sabah into a centr al union in which Malacca was called Malaysia. It is surprising to know that the Diversity of races, religions and cultures is an important characteristic of Malaysians. As moving from past to 21st century Malaysia is a modern city with shopping mall, cinemas, international hotels and star bucks everywhere. Knowing the brief history behind Malaysia after 4 hours sitting on plane I arrived into Kuala Lumpur which is the capital and the largest city in Malaysia. I was greeted by a member of a staff who then latterly took me off to hostel that night. Next morning I was warmly greeted and met the rest of the international students. It was a great day meeting them because I was happy to meet some of my collides who stayed with me in Srilanka. Accommodation costs are comparatively cheaper away from the city so as i moved into an apartment about 5-8 minutes’ walk from campus. At the campus there were rich variety of backgrounds, nationalities and cultures. Accommodating a community of 40% international students, studying at the Malaysia Campus is a great way to meet people from across the globe, learn about their cultures and communicate people about your own. Being in a newly expanded campus most of the facilities were new, Wireless network, library with latest collections of books, nice lecture hall with new computer and projector and also the shuttle service were amazing. The courses and teaching methods were not very different from what i have learnt in my country. When it comes to food Malaysia food is a mix of Indian, Chinese, Burmese and traditional Malay style. As for now I used to have my lunch, dinner in cafeteria. Sometimes when i get sick of the campus food I would just go to the restaurants nearby because there are number of small home style restaurants that offer delicious food at low prices. Trying out the Malaysians national dish Nasi lemak which is served with steamed rice, coconut milk, curry chicken or beef, fried anchovies and sambal was totally different when comes to the taste of red rice and curry. As a Sri Lankan student in Malaysia I wasn’t felt out of place because Malaysian culture is so way similar to srilankan traditions. On top of that, there are many places of interests in country such as beaches, islands and rain forest where you could fresh out from stress. Malaysias rain forest is deliberated as the oldest in the world so as the largest flower of the world, Rafflesia, is found in the rainforest of Malaysia. The diverse species of animals and plant life continue to enthuse a great deal. As a student to Malaysia, I discovered a wide range of customs and practices, some of which is different from what i practiced at my country. With different mix of races, religions and cultures Malaysians celebrate variety of festivals such as Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Puasa, ThaiPusasm, Deepavali and Christmas. Being an international student I did have its ups and downs. Major problem was adjusting with the language as Malay is the official language but English is also often spoken out as it is the second language, but I have largely adapted to it now. The pace of life in Malaysia is gentle, steady and everyone moves with a purpose and goal. Climate in Malaysia is different from my country as it’s generally warm throughout the year. Astonishingly they have only two seasons it’s the dry and the rainy season. Malaysia which is considered to be the most attracted tourist residence consists numerous places to visit such as the Kula Lumpur the largest and busiest city in Malaysia has the tallest twin buildings called Petronas Twin towers and it was established the world’s tallest towers in the period of 1998 to 2004 and the sixth tallest telecommunication tower in the world. Redang Island in Terengganu is one of the finest coral and marine ecosystems in Malaysia. Following with the Cameron highlands a place for coolness, fresh fruits and vegetables. The national park Pahang for ecological wonders. Moreover the Petaling Street, the Centre of Kuala Lumpurs original Chinatown, maintains much of its traditional atmosphere, particularly at night and the Batu caves which is a limestone hill consists of series caves and caves temple located in north of Kula Lumpur. I explored some of the best cultural and natural sights, venues and places in Malaysia. One of the best places I visited in Malaysia was the Sunway Lagoon Theme Park, because it has five different theme parks at one place. If Disney land is happiest place in earth probably Sunway Lagoon T heme Park the most exciting and amazing place to see. Malaysia has some of the most attractive cave systems in the world. Among the more famous are the Niah, Mulu and Clearwater caves. With a charted length of 100 kilometers, the latter is considered Asia’s longest cave system and grades tenth in the world. The Clearwater River which flows through this cave system is one of the world’s biggest famous underground rivers. As others countries Malaysia is also endowed with natural resources such as agriculture, forestry and minerals. Rubber was one of the mainstays of Malaysia economy which was lately replaced by the oil palm. Meanwhile Malaysia comprises three major cultures: Malay, Chinese and Indian, each culture has its own traditional and religious objects of clothing all of which is gender precise and may be altered to local impacts and conditions. The Malay wears the Baju Kurung and the Baju Kebaya. Besides the Chinese women wear the cheongsam, it is a one-piece dress with a high neck, diagonally closed with small clips or toggles. The Indians wear very colorful saris in a rich variety of bright and refined dyes for their usual prayer in the temple and for everyday living. However for the Malay culture, the men usually wear Baju Melayu with a cap, on their head. Traditional clothing for men in Malaysia consists of a silk or cotton skirt and shirt with a scarf like piece of cloth tied around his waist. Meanwhile the Indian men wear Sherwani, which is a coat like clothing fitted close to the body, of knee-length or longer and opening in front with button. They also wear Lungi, Dhoti and Kurta and Paja ma. Wedding style is unique from other countries. The activities that take place during Malay wedding often come from the diverse cultural traditions indigenous, Hindu and Islamic those have together served to shape traditional Malay culture. Each wedding take place in their traditional way. Moreover the stability and peacefulness of Malaysia is a unique and a peaceful environment to live besides it is a great place if you love hot and humid climate, and if you are food lover.

Never To Late Essay -- essays research papers

Many older students are making their way back to school The number of older, more â€Å"nontraditional† college students are growing. These students say that maturity and life experience give them a clear advantage in the college classroom, and many advisors agree. No matter how old or young one is; it is never too late to start working toward an educational goal in becoming a college graduate! Remember the dream within us sits waiting to spread forth and become a reality. It is only the lack of belief in ourselves that stops us from achieving those things with the heart, and it is only through our own understanding, ability and perseverance that we see them become realities. Until then, they are little more than visions in a crystal ball, with no chance of development. Some would-be students believe it is too difficult to pursue a college degree, believing they are not smart enough or personally powerful enough to see a degree through. And, no doubt, it is no walk in the park, but is and will be the most personally fulfilling and rewarding experience and personal achievement that life will bring, second only to a beautiful, long lasting marriage or having children to share ones life with. The first step in achieving ones college goal, is believing in yourself and making a commitment to yourself and education that no matter what the next few years bring in personal circumstance or situation that ones priority is achieving their college dream, and nothing will stand in ones way in achieving them. It is only the student with this most positive and certain attitude that will succeed. Otherwise, difficult circumstances and situations are sure to arise, and without this attitude, students are sure to follow a voice within them that says, â€Å"It’s too difficult, why not just quit!† And that will be the end of that. But with a positive and certain goal the voice within will remind the student of the dream, the band playing pomp and circumstance and the diploma in hand. And the struggle will seem well worth it. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), by 2010, 16 million people will be enrolled in American colleges and universities – over half of them adults. Not Your Average College Freshman Why return to school? Some people want to finish a degree begun earlier in life but interrupted by career decisions or family responsibilities. Others d... ...illing to speak up if problems arise. 5. Are willing and able to commit 4 to 15 hours per week per course. 6. Can meet the minimum requirements for the program, whether traditional or online. 7. Can accept critical thinking and decision-making as part of the learning process. 8. Have access to a computer and modem. 9. Are able to think ideas through before responding. 10. Believe that high quality learning can take place without going to traditional classrooms. Myths and Realities about Going to College as an Adult Myth: College is for young people. Adults don’t fit in. Reality: Today, College is for everyone. Almost 6 million people are 25 years of age or older which is forty percent of all American college students. Further, the U.S. Department of Education estimates that 90 million individuals participate in some form of adult education each year, including training and basic education offered outside traditional higher education. Myth: Going to school part-time, you’ll never complete a degree. Reality: One of the ways that institutions have accommodated adult learners is by devising alternate schedules that allow students to complete more classes in the same amount of time.

A Fathers Legacy in William Faulkners Barn Burning Essay -- William

A Father's Legacy in William Faulkner's Short Story "Barn Burning" The cruel dominance of a father, can extinguish any flame of hope that builds in the people around him. In William Faulkner's short story "Barn Burning," Abner is that father. The story portrays a nomadic life of a family driven from one home to another. Abner had a craving hunger to belittle those around him that thought they were "better than him." Although the family accepts the nomadic life, Sarty (the son) dreams of having peace and stability. To have this peace, it only requires a lack of conflict. The Snope family was doomed to struggle due to Abner's constant instigation of conflict, the ongoing domination of his family and his complete lack of respect for the law. Abners instigation of conflict, gives him justification to destroy the center of livlihood (the barn) of those he envies. The "ravening and jealous rage" he feels when seeing DeSpains home for the first time, leads to his desire to destroy it in some way. After deliberateley stepping in horse droppings, he forces himself in the home past the Negro. "The boy saw the prints of the stiff foot on the doorjamb and saw them appear on the pale rug behind the machinelike deliberation of the foot." Upon being asked to leave, "the boy watched him pivot on the good leg and saw the stiff foot drag round the arc [...] leaving a final long and fading smear." Although Abner had not appeared to be aware of the destruction he was doing...

The Tapestry Metaphor Essay -- Intercultural Communication Cultural Es

The Tapestry Metaphor We have all heard or used the tapestry metaphor at one time or another: â€Å"It's like a tapestry —with many delicate threads all woven together to make a whole.† Yes, we have heard it again and again. But why not repeat it? Well, after contemplating on the sociocultural experiences I chose to study—attending a Sunday worship service at the local Nazarene church and arraignments at the Juneau Court House—I believe that a person's idea of her or his cultural self is like a tapestry. One's own life experiences and communications with others are the threads. And woven together, the experiences of one's life create a unique cultural being. The Juneau Church of the Nazarene conducts its Sunday services much like many other churches I have attended. A pastor, associate pastor, or music director leads the service from the front of the sanctuary, each taking turns standing at the pulpit when speaking. Also up in front sits the musicians, two pianists and a guitarist. In the main part of the sanctuary sit the congregation in rows of pews. The service usually begins with a reading of scripture, church announcements, or a hymn. Then there are small orders of business, like prayer concerns, special music sung by church members, or other scripture readings. The climax of the hour-long service is the pastor's sermon, in which he preaches about some specific topic centering on the Christian doctrine. The two services I attended followed this basic outline, with little to no deviation from the bulletin. Rather than a bulletin, the Juneau Court House conducts its arraignments according to a calendar, which is posted outside the door to indicate which cases will be addressed on a particular day. A judge or, in this case... ...Well, we could go with Lustig and Koester's definition: â€Å"Culture is a learned set of shared interpretations about beliefs, values, and norms, which affect the behaviors of a relatively large group of people† (27). But why not use a timeless analogy? Cultural identity is a tapestry, a tapestry of one's social interactions, traditions, values, philosophy on life, and so on. Culture is not purely family or ethnicity or location or religion; it is an amalgam of these things—a unique weaving of what makes up our everyday lives. Works Cited and Consulted Jandt, Fred E. An Introduction to Intercultural Communication: Identities in a Global Community. 4 th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Inc., 2004. Lustig, Myron W., and Jolene Koester. Intercultural Competence: Interpersonal Communication across Cultures. 4 th ed. Boston: Pearson Education Inc., 2003.

Consumer Theory and X1

: Hal R. Varian. Intermediate Microeconomics, A Modern Approach. W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. 1 BUDGET CONSTRAINT Consumer theory —- how consumers buy their goods? Economists assume: consumers choose the best bundle of goods they can afford. Two aspects: —-Consumers choose the most preferred goods. —-They are limited by economic condition. The Budget Constraint Consumption bundles: ( , ): a list of numbers of goods and services. X = (x1, x2, †¦, xn,) In the case of two goods: good 1 and good 2. Bundle of goods: X = (x1, x2) Prices of goods: (p1, p2),The amount of money the consumer has to spend: m. The consumer’s affordable consumption bundles, (x1, x2) satisfy p1x1 + p2x2 ? m. —-The budget set of the consumer ( ) . good 2 m/p2 O m/p1 good 1 Two Goods Are Often Enough Composite good —-take x2 as everything else, the dollars spent on other goods. For example, x1: consumption of milk in quarts per month. The budget constraint will take t he form p1x1 + x2 ? m. The case of n goods Budget constraint: p1x1 + p2x2+†¦+ pnxn ? m. Properties of the Budget Set Budget line( ): p1x1 + p2x2 = m. Vertical intercept: m/p2Horizontal intercept: m/p1. Slope: – p1/p2 Economic interpretation of slope: For the bundle (x1, x2): p1x1 + p2x2 = m. After a change in bundle (? x1, ? x2): p1(x1+? x1) + p2(x2+? x2) = m. good 2 x2 ?x2 ?x1 O x1 good 1 Subtracting the first equation from the second gives p1? x1 + p2? x2 = 0. This gives The number of good 2 the consumer must give up when he increases his consumption of good 1 by 1 unit, and keeps the money spent unchanged. Opportunity cost of consuming good 1—- in order to consume more of good 1 you have to give up some consumption of good 2.Budget Line Changes How the budget line changes when prices and incomes change? Change in income Change in m results in a parallel shift of the budget line. Intercepts m/p2 and m/p1 will change. Slope – p1/p2 keeps unchanged. good 2 m/p2 O m/p1 good 1 Changes in prices Increasing p1 will not change the vertical intercept, but p1/p2 will become larger. good 2 m/p2 O m/p1 good 1 What happens to the budget line when we change the prices of good 1 and good 2 at the same time? Proportionally: (tp1)x1 + (tp2)x2 = m.What happens to the budget line when we change the prices of good 1 and good 2 and the consumers’ income at the same time? good 2 m/p2 O m/p1 good 1 Proportionally: (tp1)x1 + (tp2)x2 = tm. Some observations: If one price declines and all others stay the same, the consumer must be at least as well-off. If the consumer’s income increases and all prices remain the same, the consumer must be at least as well-off as at the lower income A perfectly balanced inflation cannot change anybody’s optimal choice. 2 PREFERENCES Consumer Preferences( Consumer ranks consumption bundles by his satisfaction from use of goods, irrelevant to the prices. The case of two goods Given any two consumption bund les, X=(x1, x2) and Y=(y1, y2), the consumer can rank them in one of three possible ways: (x1, x2) is strictly better than (y1, y2); (y1, y2) is strictly better than (x1, x2); (x1, x2) and (y1, y2) are indifferent. Two basic relations: [pic]: strictly preferred( ), (x1, x2) [pic] (y1, y2): the consumer strictly prefers (x1, x2) to (y1, y2). ~ : indifferent ( ) (x1, x2) ~ (y1, y2). he consumer is indifferent between (x1, x2) and (y1, y2). A composite relation: [pic]: weakly preferred ( ) (x1, x2) [pic](y1, y2): the consumer prefers (x1, x2) to (y1, y2) or is indifferent between (x1, x2) and (y1, y2). Assumptions about Preferences Axioms about consumer preference (weakly preference): Complete( ). Given any X-bundle and any Y-bundle, consumer can say that (x1, x2)[pic](y1, y2), or (y1, y2)[pic](x1, x2). Reflexive( ). Consumer should say that any bundle is at least as good as itself: (x1, x2)[pic](x1, x2). Transitive ( ).If a consumer feels that (x1, x2)[pic](y1, y2) and (y1, y2)[pic](z 1, z2) then he feels that (x1, x2)[pic](z1, z2). Indifference Curves Weakly preferred set: all of the consumption bundles that are weakly preferred to (x1, x2). Indifference curves( ): —-The boundary of weakly preferred set; Good 2 x2 O x1 Good 1 Further assumptions Well-behaved preferences( ): Monotonicity ( )—- more is better. If that x1 ( y1, x2 ( y2 and that x1 ( y1 , x2 ( y2 at least one hold, then (x1, x2) [pic] (y1, y2) —-indifference curves have negative slope.A indifference curve is the set of bundles for which the consumer is just indifferent to (x1, x2). Good 2 O Good 1 Convexity ( )—- averages are preferred to extremes. If (x1, x2) and (y1, y2) are indifferent, then the bundle ([pic]x1+[pic]y1, [pic]x2+[pic]y2) is strictly preferred to (x1, x2) and (y1, y2). —-indifference curves are convex. Good 2 O Good 1 Examples of preferences Perfect Substitutes( ) The consumer is willing to substitute one good for the other at a constant rate. Goo d 2 O Good 1Perfect Complements( ) Goods that are always consumed together in fixed proportions. Good 2 O Good 1 Discrete Goods( ) x1 : a discrete good that is only available in integer amounts. Suppose that x2 is money to be spent on other goods. Good 2 O Good 1 The Marginal Rate of Substitution Marginal rate of substitution (MRS, ): slope of an indifference curve. —- measures the rate at which the consumer is just willing to substitute one good for the other. MRS = [pic] Note: MRS is a negative number. Good 2 (x2O (x1 Good 1 The other form of MRS MRS =[pic] Good 2 x2 O x1 Good 1 Behavior of the Marginal Rate of Substitution Describe the indifference curves by the MRS. Perfect substitutes: the marginal rate of substitution is constant. Perfect complements: the MRS is either 0 or infinity, and nothing in between. In general case: Monotonicity: indifference curves must have a negative slope, i. e. negative MRS. Convex: the marginal rate of substitution decreases as we increase x1, —-diminishing MRS. ———————– [pic]