Public Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Public Finance - Essay Example Effective tax system aims at complementing government’s budget plans. Any shortfall in tax collection will lead to budget deficit that will lead to fiscal deficit. High government debt is detrimental for economic prospects of a country. It signifies weak federal structure which will affect foreign investment. Foreign investors look out for stable economies to invest their money which will yield higher returns. Governments of different nations aim at promoting its export sector to boost its foreign exchange earnings. Thus, an effective tax system would look to compensate for the high subsidy bill that is given for promoting underdeveloped and export oriented sectors. Tax system across the world are categorised in three ways i.e. regressive, proportional and progressive. In general taxes are levied on individuals and businesses. Government usually impose a certain percentage or slabs to determine the taxability of individuals and companies. There is another classification for taxes which is based on the impact and incident of taxation. It is direct and indirect. Direct taxes imply where the impact and incident is on the same individual and which cannot be shifted. Income tax, corporation tax are examples of direct taxes. Whereas consumption tax, excise duty, customs are indirect taxes. Such taxes have different points of impact and incident i.e. the burden of the tax can be shifted from the producers to consumers. In certain countries an amount is deducted from the income of individuals towards insurance contributions like NIC in UK (James, 2009). There are certain features that are attributed to the tax system to ensure equity at all levels. Governments across the world usually follow either of the three tax systems i.e. regressive, proportional and progressive. Fiscal authorities design the tax structure in a way that ensures a balance between savings and expenditure. It is a major trade off for the

Principles of Microeconomics Essay Example for Free

Principles of Microeconomics Essay 1) If average movie ticket prices rise by about 5 percent and attendance falls by about 2 percent, other things being equal, the elasticity of demand for movie tickets is about: B. 0.4 2) A basic difference between microeconomics and macroeconomics is that microeconomics C. examines the choices made by individual participants in an economy, while macroeconomics considers the economys overall performance 3) An economist who is studying the relationship between the money supply, interest rates, and the rate of inflation is engaged in B. macroeconomic research 4) After several years of slow economic growth, world demand for petroleum began to rise rapidly in the 1990s. Much of the increase in demand was met by additional supplies from sources outside the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). OPEC, during this time, was unable to restrain output among members in its effort to lift oil prices. What best describes these events? C. The rise in demand shifted the demand for oil to the right. As price rose, the quantity of oil supplied rose. 5) Price elasticity of demand is the: D. percentage change in quantity demanded of a good divided by the percentage change in the price of that good 6) The distinction between supply and the quantity supplied is best made by saying that B. supply is represented graphically by a curve and the quantity supplied as a point on that curve associated with a particular price 7) When labor is the variable input, the average product equals the D. quantity of output divided by the number of workers 8) The increase in output obtained by hiring an additional worker is known as B. the marginal product 9) Which of the following is the best example of a long-run decision? A. An automobile manufacturing company is considering whether or not to invest in robotic equipment to develop a more cost-effective production technique. 10) Other things being equal, when average productivity falls, D. average variable cost must rise 11) According to economist Colin Camerer of the California Institute of Technology, many New York taxi drivers decide when to finish work by setting an income goal for themselves. If this is true, then on busy days when the effective hourly wage is higher, taxi drivers will B. work fewer hours than they will on slower days 12) A firms demand for labor is derived from the D. demand for its output 13) Owen runs a delivery business and currently employs three drivers. He owns three vans that employees use to make deliveries, but he is considering hiring a fourth driver. If he hires a fourth driver, he can schedule breaks and lunch hours so all three vans are in constant use, allowing him to increase deliveries per day from 60 to 75. This will cost an additional $75 per day to hire the fourth driver. The marginal cost per delivery of increasing output beyond 60 deliveries per day B. is $5 14) Expected economic profit per unit is equal to C. the difference between expected average price and expected average total cost 15) If a firm in a perfectly competitive market experiences a technological breakthrough, B. other firms would find out about it immediately 16) A significant difference between monopoly and perfect competition is that C. the monopolists demand curve is the industry demand curve, while the competitive firms demand curve is perfectly elastic 17) A monopoly firm is different from a competitive firm in that C. a monopolist can influence market price while a competitive firm cannot 18) The difference between a perfectly competitive firm and a monopolistically competitive firm is that a monopolistically competitive firm faces a D. downward-sloping demand curve and price exceeds marginal cost in equilibrium 19) As long as marginal cost is below marginal revenue, a perfectly competitive firm should A. increase production 20) Because a monopolistic competitor has some monopoly power, advertising to increase that monopoly power makes sense as long as the marginal C. benefit of advertising exceeds the marginal cost of advertising 21) In the Flint Hills area of Kansas, proposals to build wind turbines to generate electricity have pitted environmentalist against environmentalist. Members of the Kansas Sierra Club support the turbines as a way to reduce fossil fuel usage, while local chapters of the Nature Conservancy say they will befoul the landscape. The Sierra Club argues that wind turbines B. reduce negative externalities elsewhere in the economy 22) When negative externalities are present, market failure often occurs because A. the marginal external cost resulting from the activity is not reflected in the market price 23) A merger between a textile mill and a clothing manufacturing company would be considered a B. vertical merger 24) A merger between a baby food company and a life insurance company would be considered a C. conglomerate merger 25) The fact that U.S. managers salaries are substantially greater than those of comparable managers in Japan may be related to A. an increase in the demand for CEOs 26) Suppose people freely choose to spend 40 percent of their income on health care, but the government decides to tax 40 percent of a persons income to provide the same level of coverage as before. What can be said about deadweight loss in each case? A. Taxing income results in deadweight loss, while purchasing health care on ones own does not result in deadweight loss. 27) The U.S. textile industry is relatively small because the US imports most of its clothing. A clear result of the importation of clothing is D. the price of clothing is lower than it would be without imports 28) Countries can expect to gain from international trade as long as they B. specialize according to their comparative advantage 29) Which of the following is an example of the law of one price? D. Because their countries have similar institutions, the price paid for a computer in Germany and the United States are about the same when converted into the same currency. 30) From the point of view of consumer and producer surplus, what problem may be created when a country subsidizes the cost of energy to consumers to help alleviate the burden of higher energy costs? C. It encourages the consumption of too much fuel at the expense of other  goods.

Library Disaster Prepared Handbook Essay -- Library Science

According to The Library Disaster Preparedness Handbook, â€Å"the most common calamities for libraries are surely water incidences† (Morris, 1986). Water damage can occur as a result of a leaks, burst pipes, and natural disasters. Of these causes, â€Å" natural disasters of great violence are the most damaging: these include flood, hurricanes and tornadoes (Morris).† Because water damage is such a threat to a library and its collection, it is imperative libraries have disaster preparedness procedures in place for preventing or minimizing flooding and water disaster damages. The Edgecombe County School district in North Carolina learned the hard way just how important disaster preparedness planning is and just how damaging water can be when Hurricane Floyd flooded two of their schools’ libraries. Their experiences can be used as an example, and future school library programs and media specialists, like myself, can use their insights to better plan for di sasters in the future. On Wednesday, September 15 1999, Hurricane Floyd made landfall in Edgecombe County as a Category 2 storm. Because water levels were already high from Hurricane Dennis hitting the areas two weeks before, the torrential rains that accompanied Hurricane Floyd caused rivers and creeks to overflow their banks. The Edgecombe Country School District was hit hard by this flooding. â€Å"When the water ended its inexorable climb to unprecedented levels, approximately forty percent of the land area of Edgecombe County was under water† (Egerton, et al., 2000). Two of their fourteen schools were totally flooded to the extent that nothing in them was salvageable. The two schools flooded were Pattillo A+ Elementary School and Princeville Montessori School. Pattillo ... ...ican Association of School Librarians. Another great resource for public school libraries is the Beyond Words program started by Dollar General which helps replace books lost in disasters through grant assistance. It is very important that a school library have a plan in place in the event of a disaster, and have plans for all types of disasters, like floods, fire, and bombs. By planning in advance, staff will know what is expected of them during and after a disaster. It will also help keep everyone on the same page, as everything descends into chaos and uncertainty. In a school setting it is also imperative that the administration be aware of the disaster plan as well. Including the administration in the planning process will reduce miscommunication in the event of a disaster and will ensure that everyone is on the same page during each stage of cleanup.

My Summer Vacation :: Summer Vacation Essays

One of my favorite family traditions is summer vacation. Every summer without fail we go on vacation. For the past ten years we have been going to Disney World with our family friends the Battaglia's, so it has turned into a tradition up until last summer when we broke our florida adventure to go to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We have been going on vacation with the Battaglia's for so long for a very good reason. It is because everyone gets along. My mom, Mr. Battaglia and Mrs. Battaglia are very good friends. Ronnie Battaglia, who is 19, is my best friend and we get along great. My sister Katie, 16, and Beth Battaglia, 18, also get along very well. This works out great because we are all old enough to go out and do our own thing without getting the parents too much involved. Since most of the fun things to do are located right near the hotels we stay at we rarely need to ask them for a ride anywhere, so everyone gets there way and it turns into a great vacation for all of us.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We have been going to Disney World together for as long as I can remember. We know the place inside and out. Where all the best rides are, which park is the best, it even got so bad that we knew what time the lines for each ride was shortest. Disney World always comes out with some kind of new ride or show each year so that is what mostly kept us continuing to come back year after year. On day though while we were planning our next trip we decided it was time for a change of pace.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We thought that Myrtle Beach, South Carolina would be a nice place to visit. My mom had already ventured down there with a friend and new that everyone would enjoy it. So we went down there last summer and it was a big transition for all of us. it was more of an adult vacation which was good because we were getting a little too old for Disney World.

An In-depth Analysis of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” Essay

Aside from the Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet is probably also one of the most famous tragedies that William Shakespeare has ever written. Just like any other tragedies that Shakespeare has written, the story ended with the killing of many people including the main character, Hamlet. It also shows Shakespeare’s writing style with the concept of revenge, denied love, and many others. Before we can analyze the character of Hamlet, let us first take a glimpse on the story. The setting of the story is in Denmark. The story began with the late King Hamlet haunting the night as a ghost. Later on, Prince Hamlet’s friend, Horatio and the prince himself was told by the ghost that he was murdered by Claudius, the King’s brother. After murdering King Hamlet, Claudius got the throne and King Hamlet’s wife Gertrude. With all of these things being known by the young hamlet, he then plans for revenge. This plan consisted of acting mad and hiring and acting troupe to re-enact the said murder of the king. After the acting, Gertrude scolded Hamlet for being disloyal to the King unaware that Polonius is hiding behind the curtains. Hamlet accidentally killed Polonius for he mistaken him as the King. Because of this, Prince Hamlet was sent to England without knowing Claudius’ plans of killing him there. However, Hamlet manages to escape the guards and was able to go back to Denmark. But the story did not end there, with the death of his father Polonius, Ophelia lost her mind. Because of this, Laertes (Ophelia’s brother) went to Denmark to take revenge especially when he found out that Ophelia has drowned herself. Laertes planned his revenge to be done in a fencing battle and that he will stab Hamlet with a poisoned sword and that the king would give him a poisoned cup if he wins. But the plan went crazy when Gertrude drank with the poisoned cup because of Hamlet’s near victory and when Laertes stabbed hamlet with the poisoned sword. They then exchange swords and Hamlet managed to stab Laertes with the poisoned blade. Realizing that the three of them are going to die, Hamlet decided to stab Claudius and make him drink the rest of the poisoned drink (Kriszner). Analysis of Hamlet’s Character After having read these things happen and done by our Shakespearean character, we can say that Hamlet does not have a constant or fixed characteristic. Hamlet never fails to let the readers know that there is more to him that meets the eye. At first, it seemed that Hamlet is just a prince that is curious about his father’s death. But as the story progresses, the readers were seeing more and more of him. Hamlet, I must say, is a rational, truth-seeking character. If we are not to find the depth of Hamlet’s character’s it may seem that he is just a revengeful character. But planning for revenge is different from seeking the truth. Before planning his revenge, Hamlet first wanted to confirm if the Claudius is guilty. With his actions when he hired an acting group, we can see that he is being rational and that although he seemed to be very angry at the King, he still chose to see first if the King is really guilty. Hamlet is also very contemplative because all the evidence that may prove that the King murdered his father is there but still he was so eager to prove that Claudius is guilty. Although any person or reader would believe that the evidence is enough, Hamlet still shows doubt and asks questions in his mind. Aside from being contemplative, we can say that the character of Hamlet is also impulsive. A proof to this is the accidental killing of Polonius. Hamlet did not even spend time to check if it is really the king or not. Because of this impulsiveness, more revenge was triggered just like the planned revenge of Laertes which took part as the story progressed. He is also very impulsive when his character suddenly shifts to being a madman. Hamlet’s impulsiveness is also seen through his over toned speeches and allusions. The character of Hamlet also shows discontent, not just to his family but to current status of Denmark and eventually, the whole world. This can be seen when he was disappointed about his mother when he married Claudius right after King Hamlet died. It is also noticeable in the play that he executes a particular dislike for women. This can be seen when he did not like the actions of his own mother and when he denied his love for Ophelia (â€Å"Hamlet Character Analysis†). Hamlet is also a character of will and passion. His character in the play perfectly suits his being young and enthusiastic. Because of his â€Å"youngness† and being enthusiastic, it seemed to us that he does not take time to reflect. Again, an example is when he killed Polonius. He just does things that he thinks would fit the situation. He does things according to his will that is why the impression it gives the audience is that he is a character that is full of strength. Another characteristic of the Shakespearean hero is being undecided or puzzled. These are manifested with his asking about the afterlife, suicide, etc. Another part of the play wherein we can see Hamlet’s being undecided is when he changed his mind in killing King Claudius when he saw him praying. He then decided to kill him when â€Å"he is drunk, asleep, or in a rage† which could be a more lethal opportunity. Because he cannot decide on when to kill the King, he resorted to first proving that the King really murdered his father. Different emotions can also be seen in the character of Hamlet. As the play progresses, different emotions are shown by our Shakespearean hero. At some parts, we can see an angry Hamlet where there are some parts where we see Hamlet as a character of despair. There are also parts that he seemed to be affectionate with Ophelia. Hamlet also executes betrayal and commit lies when he switched the letters and when he acted as a mad man. Also, in some other parts of the story, we can see a grieving Hamlet (Mabillard). Hamlet is also a responsible character and is very willing to sacrifice. Although it is apparent that he wants revenge, we can say that he is just being responsible in seeking justice for his father’s death. He is responsible because he did not stop until he found justice for his father’s death. He sacrificed a lot of things like his love for Ophelia and even sacrificed his own life just for the sake of justice. Lastly, Hamlet shows a different lose of faith in people. One part of the play is when he lost his love for Ophelia. Also, there are some parts of the story wherein he seemed to have lot his interest in life and that he thinks of the world as impure and unclean. Hamlet became very pessimistic about the world after finding out what his father has gone through. He showed disappointment and discontent not only to Denmark but to the whole world. Character Development, Dramatic Structure, and Presentation The development of Hamlet’s character started from being vengeful, to fighting for his life and justice, then grieving for the death of loved ones and the current state of his nation. Hamlet, I must say, is one of the most â€Å"flavorful† characters that Shakespeare has ever made. His character started from being angry which resulted from planning revenge. Because of his plans, he then changes to a character who struggles from the situation he put his self into. And lastly, he shows grief with the loved ones he had lost (â€Å"Hamlet†). The dramatic structure of the play is obviously a tragedy. Of course, the dramatic content of the play includes conflict. Many of Shakespeare’s plays show order or unity. Many of them involve a group of people or society which will then be broken. This situation would seem to be unresolved until the end of the story or until everyone is killed. Another part of the structure of this drama is the existence of the supernatural. This could be seen in the presence of the ghost of King Hamlet. This was also done by Shakespeare in some of his works like Macbeth and Midsummer night’s dream. This will then cause the disturbance of the situation. In the case of Hamlet, the ghost of King Hamlet triggered young Hamlet’s emotions which resulted to seeking revenge. Since the story is a tragedy, we expect that the conflict can only be resolved with the death of the main character. However, not all tragedies end after the killing of the main character. Some tragedies end by grieving to the death of the fallen hero or carrying the hero’s dead body. This will then show the â€Å"bringing back† of unity amongst the broken society. Such dramatic structure was made by Shakespeare especially for the 18th century where in the concept of tragedies are not yet or less accepted by the public (Jhonston). Cultural Significance Hamlet has its effects on culture. It showed the people to face reality and not hide from the truth. In the century when the play was made, social hierarchy is a big deal. Social status is an important issue that is why the play addresses that we should be true to ourselves and that we should not beautify the harsh realities of life (Cook). It seems that Shakespeare wanted to show the imperfections of man through Hamlet’s dissatisfaction of the world. The play seems to whine about the current state of our culture and society and that people should not beautify the mistakes of the society and the culture they built upon. Reference: Cook, Hardy M. â€Å"The Meaning of Hamlet†. 2004. July 18 2007. . â€Å"Hamlet†. 2006. July 19 2007. . â€Å"Hamlet Character Analysis†. 2005. Absolute Shakespeare. July 18 2007. . Jhonston, Ian. â€Å"Darmatic Structure: Comedy and Tragedy†. 2007. July 19 2007. . Kriszner, Laurie G. Portable Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. 6th ed: Thomson-Wadsworth, 2006. Mabillard, Amanda. â€Å"Hamlet Character Analysis†. 2000. Shakespeare online. July 19 2007. .

Cosmetic surgery Essay Example

Cosmetic surgery Essay Example Cosmetic surgery Paper Cosmetic surgery Paper   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When the topic is plastic surgery, one thing comes to mind: Hollywood. Plastic surgery is being used for purely aesthetics purposes. Hollywood stars undergo cosmetic operations to enhance and beautify themselves. Wilson (2001) asserts that in Hollywood, the stars’ appearance means everything. This is why stars are lining up to undergo the operations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, not all plastic surgery is for the rich and the famous; many are a medical necessity in order to function on a day to day basis. Many birth defects can now be corrected using plastic surgery. Congenital deformities can be psychologically and physically taxing. Reconstructive surgery gives hope to people who undergo this trauma. (Kita nd) Accidents and war wounds may also require plastic surgery. Their goal for undergoing the operation is to try to live normal lives again. A person had car accident and lost a leg can make use of an artificial limb so that he can be able to walk again through therapy. A soldier whose face has been burned in the war can undergo plastic surgery to avoid fear or embarrassment of facing other people. Rhinoplasty is also commonly called a nose job. 3 The real start of cosmetic surgery began in the 20th century. Obviously, technology is the shoulder of this. The main purpose of this surgery was to repair the faces of the victims of the World War I. The end of WWI and the high number of shattered faces that were rebuilt by new constructive surgical procedures was put in the press as a way to restore hope amongst soldiers. Surgeons began to realize the capabilities of the reconstructive procedures and began to realize the possibilities. The history of cosmetic surgery has changed a great deal from altering birth deformities to shifting ideas of beauty based on the times. Once described as a mainly Caucasian surgery reserved for just the rich and famous, the history of cosmetic surgery did not allow the average person to benefit from the procedures that could reshape societys elite. In the history of cosmetic surgery, there was also more of a stigma in speaking openly about any cosmetic work performed. There was also a more mainstreamed idea of beauty in the early history of cosmetic history, with people seeking procedures to a more conformed idea of beauty. 4 Today, cosmetic surgery has shifted from the early history of cosmetic surgery views. Over time, there have been many additional procedures developed, better techniques formed, a wider range of patients, and a higher acceptance and openness than the early history of cosmetic surgery. The idea of beauty has become more diversified, with a greater acceptance for unique and ethnic features and has become a more open forum to discuss than early history of cosmetic surgery. The shift in views from early history of cosmetic surgery to now has been attributed to many things. The focus on health and fitness has led to a natural progression of wanting to look as good as you feel, and there are more media outlets than in the history of cosmetic surgery. More information and more people are speaking about their cosmetic surgery, which in the history of cosmetic surgery was not done. People today, unlike in the history of cosmetic surgery, are not ashamed that they have gotten surgical work performed on areas there were previously not completely satisfied with. In 2002 alone, there were close to 6. 9 million cosmetic surgery procedures performed, a vast increase of 228% from 1997 which is not a long history of cosmetic surgery but merely five years. When looking at how far the history of cosmetic surgery has extended many people believe the recent increase, awareness, and acceptance has been in part to the limitless amount of information people can access through the Internet. What the history of cosmetic surgery has taught is that becoming as educated and aware of all aspects of aesthetic procedures and better ensure a safe and satisfying surgical experience. The history of cosmetic surgery is destined to continue to change. With the growing acceptance and openness of cosmetic surgery, it is also essential to remember the history of cosmetic surgery and not lose sight of how it should be used. While cosmetic surgery is an immensely positive experience for many people, studies and history of cosmetic surgery shows that it can be a negative tool if used incorrectly. Patients should have realistic and informed expectations about cosmetic surgery and understand that over time the history of cosmetic surgery has changed to accept beauty in all types of ethnic and unique ways. 5 Right now, there are different types of cosmetic surgeries. One of the most mainstream clinics which offer the said procedures is the Belo Medical Group headed by Dr. Victoria G. Belo. Here are some services offered: 1. Blepharoplasty: Laser Eyebag Removal/Eyelift 2. Breast Augmentation/Breast Lift 3. Face Lift 4. Hair Transplant 5. Hydrogel Butt Augmentation 6. Laser Assisted Tumescent Liposuction 7. Lipectomy: Tummy Tuck 8. Rhinoplasty: Noselift/Alar Trimming 9. Stem Cell Auto Grafting (SCAG)6 If we look at the modern Filipinos today of age above 25, we could see that most want to achieve that beauty.

Cause and Effect Essay Sample on Alcoholism and Its Effects on People

Cause and Effect Essay Sample on Alcoholism and Its Effects on People Like smoking, alcoholism has become a major health concern in many societies. The percentage of alcoholics has increasing significantly in a number of industrialized countries, making it a matter of national concern. Alcoholism-related deaths have increased dramatically in these countries. Additionally, the consumption of stump-liquor, or the making and drinking of illegal alcohol, continues to result in blindness and even death. Local and state governments have tried to address the problem partly through establishing laws concerning when alcohol can be sold or publically consumed. The approach taken to fight alcoholism differs depending on local and state government policies. For example, some countries prohibit drinking until one has attained a certain age of maturity. Despite such attempts to reduce incidents of alcoholism, it still continues to be a problem, especially among young people. Alcohol is one of the drugs that are deemed to cause serious problems among the younger generation. The motivators for consuming alcoholism are hard to generalize, since different cultures have different beliefs concerning the consumption of alcohol. However, it is agreed that like smoking, alcoholism is greatly influenced by peer pressure. Upon reaching a certain age, a person finds himself/herself in the company of friends whose preferred mode of relaxing is consuming alcoholic drinks. Unless one has strong principles, it is usually hard to resist the temptation and pressure to take that first drink of alcohol. Gradually, the person gives in, and alcohol consumption becomes a regular habit. Secondly, alcoholism is caused by the misperception that it is good for temporal relief from the harsh realities of life. Every alcoholic will insist that life feels good after one has had a drink. This misperception has spread even to enlightened individual. As a result, an elite group of alcoh olics who relieve their stress by drinking has emerged. Thirdly, some cultures openly embrace drinking alcohol as the reward for a successful feat. Due to these issues and other causes, alcoholism has greatly hindered the realization of personal goals. It also affects employers of people who wreck their health due to excessive alcoholic consumption. In addition, it has negatively impacted families and is a popularly cited reason for domestic violence. The general nature of alcoholics is that they always want to be right, and anyone who opposes their views risks facing their wrath, which is mostly manifested through physical abuse. Another effect of alcoholism is that it lowers a person’s dignity. This is because most drunken persons rarely know what they are doing. This is why it is easy to find a drunken person uttering abusive words in front of his/her children. It is the responsibility of governments to step in by launching campaigns to educate citizens against the consumption of illegally brewed alcohol and of excessive drinking in general, as well as underage drinking. Tips on cause and effect essay writing: A quality cause and effect essay is one that begins with a captivating introduction. Although the instructions clearly indicate that an essay should outline the causes and impacts of a given issue, one cannot simply begin discussing the causes without first familiarizing the reader with the topic being discussed. For example, a good cause and effect essay on alcoholism should begin with an overview of alcoholism. Where possible, the assertions in the essay should be supported by accurate statistical information. In this case, a helpful tip would be to provide statistical evidence of government funds spent on alcoholism-reduction campaigns.

A Critical Look at Death of a Salesman

A Critical Look at 'Death of a Salesman' Have you ever loved a rock band that had lots of great songs you cherished? But then the band’s hit single, the one everyone knows by heart, the one that gets all the airtime on the radio, isn’t a song you particularly admire? That’s the way I feel about Arthur Millers   Death of a Salesman. It’s his most famous play, yet I think it pales in comparison to many of his less popular dramas. Although it’s by no means a bad play, it certainly is overrated. Wheres the Suspense? Well, you have to admit, the title does give everything away. The other day, while I was reading Arthur Miller’s esteemed tragedy, my nine-year-old daughter asked me, â€Å"What are you reading?† I replied, Death of a Salesman, and then at her request I read a few pages to her. She stopped me and announced, â€Å"Daddy, this is the world’s most boring mystery.† I got a good chuckle out of that. Of course, it’s a drama, not a mystery. However, the  suspense is a vital component of tragedy. Sure, when we watch a tragedy, we fully anticipate death, destruction, and sadness by the play’s end. But how will the death occur? What will bring about the destruction of the protagonist? When I watched Macbeth for the first time, I guessed that it would conclude with Macbeth’s demise. But I had no idea as to what would be his undoing. After all, he and Lady Macbeth thought they’d never be â€Å"vanquished until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him.†Ã‚   How the heck is a forest going to turn against them?! Therein lies the suspense because, sure enough, the forest comes marching right up to their castle! The main character in  Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman, is an open book. We learn very early on in the play that his professional life is a failure. He’s the low-man on the totem pole, hence his last name, â€Å"Loman.† (Very clever, Mr. Miller!) Within the first fifteen minutes of the play, the audience learns that Willy is no longer capable of being a traveling salesman. We also learn that he is suicidal. Spoiler! Willy Loman kills himself at the end of the play. But well before the conclusion, it becomes clear that the protagonist is bent upon self-destruction. His decision to kill himself for the $20,000 insurance money comes as no surprise; the event is blatantly foreshadowed throughout much of the dialogue. The Loman Brothers I have a hard time believing in Willy Loman’s two sons. Happy: He is the perennially ignored son. He has a steady job and keeps promising his parents that he’s going to settle down and get married. But in reality, he’s never going far in business and plans to sleep around with as many floozies as possible. Biff: He’s more likable than Happy. He has been toiling on farms and ranches, working with his hands. Whenever he returns home for a visit, he and his father argue. Willy Loman wants him to make it big somehow. Yet, Biff can’t hold down a 9-to-5 job to save his life. Both brothers are in their mid-thirties. Yet, they act as though they are still boys. The play is set in the productive years following World War II. Did the athletic Lowman brothers fight in the war? It doesn’t seem like it. If they had, perhaps they would be completely different people. They don’t seem to have experienced much during the seventeen years since their high school days. Biff has been moping. Happy has been philandering. Well-developed characters possess more complexity. By leaps and bounds, the father is the best part of Arthur Miller’s play. Unlike many of the show’s flat characters, Willy Loman has depth. His past is a complicated tangle of regrets and undying hopes. Great actors such as Lee J. Cobb and Brian Dennehy have mesmerized audiences with their portrayals of this iconic salesman. Yes, the role is filled with powerful moments. But is Willy Loman truly a tragic figure? Willy Loman: Tragic Hero? Traditionally, tragic characters (such as Oedipus or Hamlet) were noble and heroic. They possessed a tragic flaw, usually a bad case of hubris. (Note: Hubris means excessive pride. Use the word hubris at cocktail parties and people will think you’re ever-so-smart! But dont let it go to your head!). In contrast, Willy Loman represents the common man. Arthur Miller felt that tragedy could be found in the life of ordinary people. While I certainly agree, I also believe that tragedy works best when the main character’s choices become whittled away, much like a masterful yet imperfect chess player who suddenly realizes he is out of moves. Willy Loman has options. He has a lot of opportunities. Arthur Miller seems to be criticizing the American Dream, claiming that Corporate America drains the life out of people and casts them away when they are no further use. Yet, Willy Loman’s successful neighbor continually offers him a job! Willy Loman declines the job without ever explaining why. He has a chance to pursue a new life, but he wont let himself give up his old, soured dreams. Instead of taking the decent paying job, he chooses suicide. At the play’s end, his loyal wife sits at his grave. She does not understand why Willy took his own life. Arthur Miller would claim that the dysfunctional values of American society killed him. However, I believe that Willy Loman suffered from senility. He exhibits many of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. Why couldn’t his sons and his ever-attentive wife recognize his failing mental condition? It’s a mystery to me.

Earlier 19th century fashion styles and their cultural and historical Essay

Earlier 19th century fashion styles and their cultural and historical significance at the time - Essay Example As Lynch and Strauss point out, it becomes evident from history that the concept of beauty is not set by women but by the mainstream society and also that the mainstream society redefines the same from time to time. In other words, it can be said that the evolution in society and social thought is well expressed in fashion too (12). To begin with, in the ancient times, the most important factor of consideration while selecting a partner was health. While men had to engage in hunting in order to support their families, women had to be able to meet birth needs. That means, in the ancient times when survival was of utmost concern and the sick had little chance of survival, large muscles made a man beautiful and wide hips and large breasts made a woman attractive. As Hyland states, until the social economic development of Greece during the fifth century B.C, there was no clear concept of beauty. However, as painting and sculpture developed, beauty was attributed to certain essential features (45). To illustrate, Plato considered beauty as a result of symmetry and harmony which creates a golden proportion. The ideal face had to have a width which is two-thirds of its length. In addition to this attraction towards symmetry, in the Greek and Roman culture, one can see an affinity towards blond hair. However, one can see that during the Middle Ages, woman had to face a lot of hardships in the name of fashion. To illustrate, in Europe, the period saw woman as predators who posed a carnal challenge, and this situation was created mainly by religion. So, women were restrained from even wearing jewelry, and this restraint almost solely came from clerics. As a result, married women had to conceal their hair in order to avoid arousing desires in others; though virgins were allowed to expose their hair. However, blond hair was something to be frightened as it directly meant an invitation to

Research paper for drunk driving Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Research paper for drunk driving - Essay Example The paper tries a research work on the topic drunk driving. The main purpose of the work is to give people awareness about the social problem of drunk driving. The topic has got wide scope as it has become one of the serious social problems in the modern world. The work will certainly motivate people to abstain from alcohol and other drugs while driving. The paper has wider significance as it helps people ponder over the matter seriously and also helps them in taking a stand negative in attitude towards drunk driving. The paper tries to research and argue that the number of people who drive vehicles under the influence of alcohol is alarmingly on the increase. This research paper contains a cover letter and analysis of the research topic drunk driving. Special attention is paid to analyze the thesis statement, introduction, conclusion, content, and organization of the research paper under consideration Driving under the influence of alcohol and other drugs is a crime in almost all countries of the world. Now a days people mix driving with drinking. The number of people who drink while driving is on the increase. People are unaware of the adversities that mixing up of drinking and driving can bring about. There are many instances of accidents which have been caused by drunk driving. When people mix up drinking with driving the possibilities for accidents are many and rather serious. The ability to act according to the demands of the situation is inactive in a drunkard and if he or she is driving a vehicle it will certainly affect their driving. It is the main reason why drunkards tend to make most of the accidents on roads. When people drive vehicles under the influence of alcohol they fail to effectively respond to the challenging situations on roads. People lose control over their action after having consumed alcohol. Likewise drunkards lose control over their driving as well as their vehicles. This causes accidents. There

To what extent should pupils become fully competent in the various Essay

To what extent should pupils become fully competent in the various aspects of science process skills before being introduced to ICT as a means of performing lab - Essay Example much exposure and competence the pupils must have on certain science principles before they are exposed to ICT as a means of performing labourious, repetitive or more complex tasks is a challenge for educators of today. The schools and all education stakeholders must however understand that the use of ICT tools are advantageous both to teachers and pupils. Results of several studies conducted throughout the world revealed that the use of ICT greatly increased the level of learning and understanding of the pupils on the scientific principles being studied (Betts, 2003, Mistler-Jackson & Songer, 2000, Hogarth et. al, 2006). In fact the ICT tools can even be use to demonstrate science principles in a safer way. For instance, teaching electricity principles to pupils can be both interesting and dangerous. But the advent of computer hardwares and softwares has made it more motivating and rewarding minus the hazards. Primary knowledge and skills about how electrical circuits work, how much power is required for certain types of lights, and others can be learned through simulation and not in actual exposure to real electrical circuits. To determine if ICT is really needed for primary science education and understand when is the proper timing of its introduction into the learning process it is proper to understand first what ICT applications are necessary and how can they be integrated into the learning systems? What are the advantages and disadvantages of its applications? The use of ICT in teaching science for primary education came in various forms. Review of schools’ science teaching modules show the use of ICT hardwares and softwares to obtain and use science information, encoding of data, and creating presentations. Science information materials can be obtained from CD-ROM based encyclopedia and other e-books, journals, and articles, through a wide variety of Internet locations, and through local and international electronic library networks. There are a lot

Rights Under the Employment Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Rights Under the Employment Law - Case Study Example In addition to a decrease in sales work on the road, Andy was told he must take a course in electronics in order to make after-sales repairs. His hours were increased: he would no longer have a half day on Fridays and would be on call one weekend in six. Andy wants to know if he must agree to the changes made by his employer. He has been with the company for two and a half years. Several issues have been presented here, but it would be necessary to know what Andy's terms of employment were when he took this job. Because of the length of his employment, he does have specific options. Will these changes affect his salary Is he on commission only What financial losses will he incur with these changes Will the company pay for his electronics course Is he willing to increase his knowledge in the area of electronics The answers to these questions will begin to determine whether the changes would be mandatory or might be adjusted in Andy's favor. As soon as an employee accepts a job offer, he is considered under contract, even if he has no written contract (Advice Leaflet 2005; "Contracts of employment," DTI, 2005). Terms of employment, however, can be changed by mutual agreement. The terms under a contract of employment that might be affected by changes in Andy's case are pay, hours of work, fringe benefits, and job duties and responsibilities ("Changes to employment contracts," 2004). Andy and his employer might be able to agree on a compromise. If there is a written statement in the form of an employee handbook that describes his duties and responsibilities as they existed when he was hired, it might help Andy's case (Rights at work, 2005). When an employer makes any changes to Andy's duties and responsibilities, the employer must give him a written statement, not just verbal, within a month, stating planned changes to his original duties (Advice Leaflet 2004). In the case where Secure It gives Andy no option but to accept the changes, he can object and end his employment which is called "constructive dismissal". He would then have the right to make an employment tribunal complaint which would give him the same rights as if his employer had dismissed him (Contracts of Employment 2005, DTI, sec. 8). This would not have to be done if Andy was willing to accept some changes and make an effort to reach a compromise with his employer. Breach of Contract Since Andy does not expect any compromise from his employer, he would like to know what his next step should be. He says he thinks his employer wants him to leave the firm. Andy said he was told by his employer that he had better be good at electronics because his sales figures showed what a rubbish salesman he was. Andy would prefer to leave the company and wants to set up a rival security firm with his friend Lou. He wants to know if he can do that since there is no actual written contract. Advice Andy should understand that he can start planning a rival company, but until his issues with the company are resolved, he cannot do anything about it. As noted before, he is under contract even if it is not in writing. The question here would be does he want to leave, or would it be possible for him to accept changes through mutual

Data analysis Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Data analysis - Speech or Presentation Example (iv) In a random sample of 100 students at a particular university, 60 indicated that they favoured having the option of receiving pass-fail grade for elective courses. Obtain a 90% confidence interval for the proportion of the population of students who favour pass-fail grades for elective courses. Does this confidence interval contain the value? Explain why this particular value might be of interest. (i) Suppose 16 tax returns are randomly sampled by the Australian Taxation Office from the population of 1987 tax returns with adjusted gross income between $25000 and $30000. The interest deductions (in $) claimed on the returns are as follows: In 1980 the average interest deductions for individuals in this tax bracket was $3011. Do the sample data provide sufficient evidence to conclude that in 1987 the average interest deduction claimed by taxpayers in this income bracket was different from 1980? Use. State all the assumptions you need to perform the test. Assuming that the sample comes from a normal population. Since, the population standard deviation is unknown, therefore using t-distribution to perform the test. The hypothesis test will one sample mean vs. hypothesized value two tail test. (ii) An economist claims that the unemployment rate for non-English speaking individuals in New York City is at least 30%. In a random sample of 400 non-English speaking residents of New York City, 90 are unemployed. (iii) Twenty babies are randomly selected for an experiment to determine if different brands of baby food affect a child’s weight. The babies are separated into 5 groups, and each group is fed a different diet. The weight gained in pounds by each baby after being on the diet four months is recorded in the following table: Use a 1% level of significance level to test if the type of diet affects weight gain. Clearly state the null and alternative hypotheses and state all the necessary assumptions

Rights Under the Employment Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Rights Under the Employment Law - Case Study Example In addition to a decrease in sales work on the road, Andy was told he must take a course in electronics in order to make after-sales repairs. His hours were increased: he would no longer have a half day on Fridays and would be on call one weekend in six. Andy wants to know if he must agree to the changes made by his employer. He has been with the company for two and a half years. Several issues have been presented here, but it would be necessary to know what Andy's terms of employment were when he took this job. Because of the length of his employment, he does have specific options. Will these changes affect his salary Is he on commission only What financial losses will he incur with these changes Will the company pay for his electronics course Is he willing to increase his knowledge in the area of electronics The answers to these questions will begin to determine whether the changes would be mandatory or might be adjusted in Andy's favor. As soon as an employee accepts a job offer, he is considered under contract, even if he has no written contract (Advice Leaflet 2005; "Contracts of employment," DTI, 2005). Terms of employment, however, can be changed by mutual agreement. The terms under a contract of employment that might be affected by changes in Andy's case are pay, hours of work, fringe benefits, and job duties and responsibilities ("Changes to employment contracts," 2004). Andy and his employer might be able to agree on a compromise. If there is a written statement in the form of an employee handbook that describes his duties and responsibilities as they existed when he was hired, it might help Andy's case (Rights at work, 2005). When an employer makes any changes to Andy's duties and responsibilities, the employer must give him a written statement, not just verbal, within a month, stating planned changes to his original duties (Advice Leaflet 2004). In the case where Secure It gives Andy no option but to accept the changes, he can object and end his employment which is called "constructive dismissal". He would then have the right to make an employment tribunal complaint which would give him the same rights as if his employer had dismissed him (Contracts of Employment 2005, DTI, sec. 8). This would not have to be done if Andy was willing to accept some changes and make an effort to reach a compromise with his employer. Breach of Contract Since Andy does not expect any compromise from his employer, he would like to know what his next step should be. He says he thinks his employer wants him to leave the firm. Andy said he was told by his employer that he had better be good at electronics because his sales figures showed what a rubbish salesman he was. Andy would prefer to leave the company and wants to set up a rival security firm with his friend Lou. He wants to know if he can do that since there is no actual written contract. Advice Andy should understand that he can start planning a rival company, but until his issues with the company are resolved, he cannot do anything about it. As noted before, he is under contract even if it is not in writing. The question here would be does he want to leave, or would it be possible for him to accept changes through mutual

Demand Analysis Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

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Deductive Argument Essay Example for Free

Deductive Argument Essay In this essay I will be arguing against Plato’s theory of knowledge given in the Republic’s divided line. I will distinguish the differences and similarities in the epistemological concepts of Plato and Aristotle intending to explain how one comes to have knowledge and the process through which it’s obtained. As support, I will explain Plato’s theory of forms and Aristotle’s theory of essence because they are a direct correlation to their view of knowledge through reality. Plato’s theory of Forms is a theory of knowledge and a theory of being. He describes, in the divided line, the division of existence. Plato believes the source of our knowledge is separate from this world. Participation connects us to this world. In the divided line he separates the visible and the intelligible or becoming and being. The top half is knowledge and the bottom half as opinion. The bottom half represent the lesser of reality, which includes perception and imagination, along with physical objects and shadows. The upper half includes metaphysics, higher forms, mathematical forms, epistemology, understanding and thinking. His theory of Forms involves images, sensible objects, concrete forms and abstract forms. Images are the lowest form of knowledge. Images only provide us with opinion and imagination. Sensible objects comes next which provides us with seeing something and having a belief about it by sensing it and perceiving it. Concrete forms allow us understanding, meaning we understand the parts of X by thinking. Finally, the highest form is the abstract form which is the most essential ‘pure thought’ of what X is. To Plato, this Essence is eternal and unchanging, making it necessary and true. According to Plato we know X, if and only if we have a direct grasp of X’s form or essence. Let’s break this argument down. So Imagination is a state of mind which takes sensible moral notions at face value just as it does sensible appearances or forms of the world at face value. For example, if you are viewing a palm tree you are using your imagination and Plato says is our opinion about what we are viewing, a palm tree. So imagination is perception and not knowledge. If A (Imagination is taking sensible notions and appearances or forms of the world at face value) then B (imagination is perception). A? B A ?B Using our common sense we have belief in the reality of the visible objects and concrete moral teachings (sufficient guide for action) without knowledge of the reason for such beliefs. Belief is faith and conviction, not knowledge. If C (Using our common sense we have belief in the reality of the visible objects and concrete moral teachings (sufficient guide for action) without knowledge of the reason for such beliefs) then D (belief is faith and conviction). C ? D C ?D If A (Imagination is taking sensible notions and appearances or forms of the world at face value), B (Imagination is perception), C (Using our common sense we have belief in the reality of the visible objects and concrete moral teachings (Sufficient guide for action) and D (Belief is faith and conviction), then E (Belief and imagination are opinion and not knowledge). A B C D ? E A B C D ?E Thinking is reasoning from premise to conclusion. This reasoning is the bridge from opinion to knowledge that is brought on by higher education, especially mathematics because pure mathematics and applied mathematics are tools used to understand X. Therefore, thinking is only understanding, not knowledge. So if F(thinking is reasoning from premise to conclusion and uses tools to gain understanding) then G(thinking is understanding). F? G F ?G From the â€Å"Good† or Episteme comes from intellect which consist of reason and dialect. This comes from philosophic conversation (dialect) by question and answer seeking (reasoning) an â€Å"account† of X. Therefore, knowledge or Episteme is the form of the ‘good’. So, If H (knowledge comes from philosophic conversation (dialect) by question and answer seeking (reasoning) an â€Å"account† of X) then I (we have knowledge or Episteme and the form of the ‘good’) H ? I H ?I If F (thinking is reasoning from premise to conclusion and uses tools to gain understanding), G (thinking is understanding), H (knowledge comes from philosophic conversation (dialect) by question and answer seeking (reasoning) an â€Å"account† of X) then I (we have knowledge or Episteme and the form of the ‘good’). F G H ? I FGH ?I Aristotle has similar concepts as Plato on knowledge that is best describes through his theory of Essence. He argues that scientific knowledge is the highest form of knowledge and is only concerned with this world and not a transcendent world like Plato. His forms include appearance, matter, concrete forms and abstract forms. He explains that we gain knowledge first through our senses and are able to view appearances. Using the senses activates our imagination that gives us opinion. After appearance is matter. When we engage in experience we come to know matter and by doing so we have belief. Similar to Plato, Aristotle claims concrete forms come next by knowing abstraction or the classification of X which provides us with understanding. And finally he agrees with Plato in that Abstract form is what makes X, X. By intellectually grasping the essence of X we have knowledge. Aristotle defines essence as the sense on matter and form. Matter is material and form is eternal. Appearances are imagination and imagination perceives only through the senses. Here Aristotle is in agreement with Plato in that if A (Imagination is a state of mind which takes sensible moral notions at face value just as it sensible appearances or forms of the world at face value) then B (imagination is perception). A? B A ?B Matter gives us belief because If C (Using our common sense we have belief in the reality of the visible objects and concrete moral teachings (sufficient guide for action) without knowledge of the reason for such beliefs) then D (belief is faith and conviction). C? D C ?D. The classification or abstraction of what distinguishes X over a different X is understanding. For example, to know what makes a palm tree, a palm tree and a coconut tree, a coconut tree. Therefore, thinking is understanding. So if F (thinking is reasoning from premise to conclusion and uses tools to gain understanding) then G (thinking is understanding). F ? G F ?G Plato argues knowledge comes from a ‘final good’ or â€Å"Goodness†, which is the level above scientific understanding to which the human mind is capable in rising. This rising to a higher level is called Episteme. He says that there is only one form (idea) of everything that only exists in the ‘thought universe’ or the ‘mind of the creator’. This intellectual truth is truer than physical truth. Aristotle on the other hand argues that knowledge come from the human essence tilos or rationality. So, knowledge is reaching rational activity excellently and scientific knowledge is the end of it. They both agree on essence being eternal and unchanging. They may separate from the matter, recycle and get involved with other matter but the forms are eternal and unchanging. I agree with Aristotle because Plato confuses the human ability of abstraction with independent existence. As humans we can generalize and find common features in separate objects such as red things but that does not mean that there exists somewhere something called redness. He is attempting to explain reality with the addition of a transcendent world. Aristotle is interested in explaining the world as a changing world; Plato’s forms do not change so they cannot help in explaining the phenomena of change in the empirical world. According to Aristotle, we do not acquire knowledge all in one moment but rather through a process. He says objects of real existence are the ones that we encounter through our sense perception, known as his theory of empiricism (which is too much to go further into) in this he argues again that all knowledge originates from experience. This contradicts Plato’s two world theory. I found it very hard to illustrate both views of knowledge because the extensive information they use to explain it so I broke it down in the way I understood it. In the end, I found myself becoming my own philosopher in researching the works of such great minds. I feel these arguments create the rationality that people forget to practice when it’s the one thing that separates us as humans. Works Cited Puanthanh Gangmei, Plato’s theory of knowledge and forms (www. blogcastor. com: October 16, 2011): http://blogcastor. com/plato%e2%80%99s-theory-of-knowledge-and-forms/, November 22 2011. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Epistemology http://faculty. washington. edu/smcohen/320/thforms. htm http://www. filthylucre. com/plato-versus-aristotle-theory-of-forms-and-causes http://www. iep. utm. edu/aristotl/ http://www. iep. utm. edu/aristotl/ http://www. iep. utm. edu/middlekn/

Largest global foodservice retailer

Largest global foodservice retailer 1.0 Executive Summary The report is to review on how the largest global foodservice retailer, McDonalds grew in Malaysia within the past 30 years. Since the year 1980, McDonalds USA (United State of America) has given the licensing to the Malaysia organisation. The franchising business started from Klang Valley and had expanded to the whole of Malaysia. Using the SWOT analysis, Michael Porters Value Chain and the PEST analysis, this report examine the reasons why McDonalds appears to be losing market share in Malaysia. Besides discussing the expansion of McDonalds franchise in Malaysia, the report also highlight the relationship between McDonalds and the local community and also how it benefits the local people who are behind expanding the business. 2.0 Organization Overview 2.1 The Backgrounds of McDonalds McDonalds had started by the name of Mc Bar-B-Que restaurant by two brothers, Dick and Mac McDonald in 1940. Mac Bar-B-Que had the drive-in concept, which features a large menu and car hop service. In 1948, the restaurant had shut down for three months to do a modification and subsequently, reopened in December with a new concept as a self-service drive-in restaurant. The new concept that McDonalds had applied was to guarantee that fresh food will be served in 60 seconds. Thus, this marks the beginning point of defined McDonalds as fast food restaurant in the future. The menu has been reduced to nine items as the hamburger is the core product. The success of the new business had attracted a multimixer salesman, Ray Kroc to visit the restaurant in 1954. At that time, it was a perfect opportunity for McDonalds because the brothers were looking for a nationwide franchising agent. Ray Kroc had learned the tricks of the trade and operations from Dick and Mac McDonald. Hence, this had led to the opening of the first Mc Donalds restaurant by Ray Kroc in Des Plaines, Illinois on 15 April 1955. The distinctive feature of the restaurant was the red and white tiled building with gold arches. Ray Kroc began the McDonalds global empire by expanding the restaurant to 100 branches within 4 years and had the number reached 500 restaurants in 1963. Besides that, McDonalds had captured the market in different ways. This include, by featuring the indoor seating in restaurants and also by including its own mascot, Ronald McDonald on television commercials and developing new products from time to time. 2.2 The McDonalds in Malaysia The McDonalds had decided to expand its business outside the USA in 1967, by opening the first international restaurant in Canada and Puerto Rico. The franchising business of McDonalds grew very fast globally and McDonalds had become the largest restaurant organisation in the world. When McDonalds was first introduced to Malaysia in 1980, McDonalds Corporation, and USA had granted the license to a local organisation, Golden Arches Restaurant Sdn Bhd to operate the McDonalds restaurant in Malaysia. Malaysians had gotten the first taste of McDonalds when McDonalds Malaysia opened its first restaurant in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur on 29 April 1982. McDonalds Malaysia is expanding the business equally and currently, there are 185 McDonalds chains located nationwide. McDonalds Malaysia continues the expansion of the chain by about ten to fifteen restaurants yearly. Therefore, McDonalds Malaysia has created many job opportunities for the local people. There are over 7000 staffs in McDonalds and 120 support staff at the headquarters managing the day-to-day operations of McDonalds business. 3.0 SWOT Analysis SWOT is an acronym for the internal Strength and Weakness of a firm and the environmental Opportunities and Threats facing that firm. SWOT analysis is a widely used technique through which managers create a quick overview of a companys strategic situation. It is based on the assumption that an effective strategy derives from a sound fit between a firms internal sources (strengths and weakness) and its external situation (opportunities and threats). A good fit maximizes a firms strengths and opportunities but minimizes its weakness and threats. This simple assumption has powerful implications for the design of a successful strategy with accurately applied. 3.1 Impact of Internal Influences 3.1.1 Strength Strength is a resource advantage relative to competitors and the needs of the marketers a firm serves or expects to serve. It is a distinctive competence when it gives the firm a comparative advantage in the market place. Strength arises from the resources and competencies available to firm. 3.1.1.1 Convenience McDonalds is regarded as a convenience food because of the fast speed of serving food. With todays hectic lifestyle, it is the perfect food for anybody whos on the go, be it office workers or students. As it takes less than 5 minutes to get served, McDonalds is the preferred food for everybody. In addition, if the consumer does not want to drop by to the restaurant, McDonalds has its own delivery service, which is known as the McDelivery. Just a quick telephone call and the nearest McDonalds restaurant will deliver the food with a charge of RM (Ringgit Malaysia) 3. This saves the customers time and also the hassle of traffic jams. It also benefits working parents, as they do not worry about the hassle of preparing food for their children. 3.1.1.2 Quality Services The McDonalds in Malaysia provide the drive-thru service to ease the customers convenience as the location of McDonalds restaurant is busy and the parking lots are very limited. One of the reason people come for the fast food is because of speed. Thus, the drive-thru service is very popular, as they do not need to queue up for service. In addition, it is a norm for Malaysians to have supper at night. Before McDonald had introduced the twenty four hours operating restaurant, the only restaurant that operates a 24-hour service is the mamak stall (Indian-Muslim operating hawker stall which opens for twenty four hours). Hence, McDonalds had provide the twenty four hours service restaurant in order to satisfy Malaysian demand for supper. This is a value service that McDonalds had provide to provide to complement the Malaysians lifestyle. 3.1.2 Weakness A weakness is a limitation or deficiency in one or more resources or competencies relative to competitors that impedes a firms effective performance. 3.1.2.1 Quality of Product McDonalds had implemented a standard guideline of requirement for franchises in other parts of the world to follow, and McDonalds Malaysia is not excluded. McDonalds has strict rules, including how franchisee should operate a restaurant from controlling over the menu, cooking methods, staffing policies, design and location of the restaurant. This is one of the weaknesses of McDonalds since not every restaurant will provide the same quality of product. There are some feedbacks from consumers in the inconsistency of the taste of the food, such as the fries in certain McDonalds restaurants are too salty or tasteless. The most significant is the different taste of beef burgers served in the East and West Malaysia. This is due to the beef used in the burgers sold in sell at west Malaysian were imported. Furthermore, the East Malaysia government had discouraged the use of imported beef in restaurants. The texture between the local and imported beef is different as the imported beef is chew ier than the local beef. 3.1.2.2 Lack of Initiative on Product Development The menu in McDonalds Malaysia had remained the same in all these years. The development of product is poor and the new products were not introduced to the menu. Consumers have limited choices because there are only twelve types of main food in the menu. Eventually, customers would feel bored of the McDonalds menu. The McDonalds Malaysia used to have the Prosperity burger, but it only sold for a limited time, which is during the month of Chinese New Year. In addition, this is the only product that is promoted every year. 3.2 Michael Porters Value Chain Porter defines value as the amount buyers are willing to pay for what a firm provides. The value chain was therefore designed to display total value and consisted of the firms Value activities (defined below) and it margins. Therefore, the generic value chain for a single firm comprises three main elements which are primary activities, support activities and the margin. Primary activities are those involved in the creation of the product, its sale and transfer to the buyer as well as after-sales service. Support activities are those which support primary activities and each other. Three of these procurement, technology development and human resource management can be associated with specific primary activities while the fourth, firm infrastructure, supports the entire chain. 3.2.1 Primary Activities of value chain The goal of these activities is to create value that exceeds the cost of providing the product or service, thus generating a profit margin. This is the description of the activities that involve in primary value chain. Inbound Logistics includes warehousing, materials handling, inventory control, etc. Operations are the activities that transform inputs into finished products (eg machining, testing, packaging, equipment maintenance, etc). Outbound Logistics includes the activities that store and distribute products to buyers (eg warehousing, delivery vehicle operations, order processing, etc). Marketing and Sales are the activities that provide the means for the buyer to purchase (eg advertising, sales force operations, selection and management of distribution channels, etc). Service includes activities which enhance or maintain the value such as installation, repair, parts supply, etc). 3.2.1.1 Inbound Logistics As it is a fast food restaurant, McDonalds Malaysia tries to eliminate its cost of raw materials, namely meat, vegetables, raw foods and oil. As McDonalds Malaysia widely known, they will only choose the reputable supplier to provide raw foods to them. As McDonalds Malaysia is a huge conglomerate in Malaysia, it has no problem in attaining the raw materials as suppliers would be willingly to supply the materials to them. Compared to other restaurant operators, they are able to obtain a discount as their orders come in bulk. Furthermore, once they have acquired the raw materials, they will store the end products (meat, french fries) in the cold storage rooms at their respective warehouses in Malaysia. 3.2.1.2 Operations McDonalds Malaysia would have to convert the raw materials into end products, such as burgers and fries. As they are an internationally recognized company, McDonalds can afford to hire production and factory workers at a lower wage as the supply of factory workers are abundant. Quality control is also ensured as their machinery is checked to see whether there are any defects. Furthermore, the hygiene of factory workers are also strictly controlled as McDonalds cannot afford to allow any food poisoning or toxicity in their products. If there is any foreign element in the food products, this would cause customers to be ill and thereafter, affect the image of McDonalds Malaysia as a fast food restaurant. 3.2.1.3 Outbound logistics As it supplies their end product to the nationwide restaurants, McDonalds Malaysia would have to incur costs in transportation, namely the Lorries. The vehicles would be bought in at a discounted price, as McDonalds would need more vehicles to transport their end products to the whole of Malaysia. Gas and also servicing of the vehicles would also incur additional costs to McDonalds Malaysia. McDonalds Malaysia would find reputable car workshops to service their vehicles to ensure that they are of working condition. It is detrimental to the company if their vehicles are not in good condition as they need to deliver the end products (burgers) to the respective chain of restaurants. 3.2.1.4 Marketing and Sales McDonalds Malaysia would need to incur costs for their marketing and sales. Promotion would come in the form of leaflets that are inserted in newspaper as well as door to door. McDonalds would liaise with respective newspaper agent to promote their products. As newspaper is a wide form of media, the promotion would work as it will attract the attention of consumers. During the economic meltdown, consumers were very frugal.Realizing this, McDonalds Malaysia had publicized their Value Meal through newspaper advertisements and television commercials. It proved to be a huge success as customers had realized that it would not cost much to buy a meal in McDonalds Malaysia. Promotion in the forms of coupons are given out online and also in the forms ofleaflets. In order to increase revenue, McDonalds Malaysia had encouraged consumers to buy more by giving out discount coupons. As a result McDonalds would also have to budget for their promotional efforts for the local media sources. 3.2.1.5 Service As McDonalds strive to serve customers better, they provide value added service in the form of McDelivery. Customer service and deliver staff also play an important role in this value added service. Customer service representatives handle the customers orders, enquiries and also promote the products in McDonalds Malaysia. The delivery person has a role in delivering the food to customers and ensuring that they arrive on time. McDonalds Malaysia must also take into account the cost of the motorcycles, used by the delivery person. Regular servicing of motorcycles is needed to ensure that the vehicle is in working condition. 3.3 Impact of External Influences 3.3.1 Opportunities An opportunity is a major favourable situation in a firms environment. Key trends are one source of opportunities. Identification of a previously overlooked market segment, changes in competitive or regulatory circumstances, technological changes, and improved buyer or supplier relationships could represent opportunities for the firm. 3.3.1.1 Value Meal The economy crisis had impacted the purchasing power of consumers in Malaysia. However, McDonalds Malaysia had overcome this problem by reducing the price of the product. McDonalds Malaysia had introduced a special promotion, which is the Mc Value set. For RM (ringgit Malaysia) 5.95, the set consisted of a burger, medium sized of fries and soft drink. This had attracted a lot of customers as the price of RM5.95 is nearly equal to the price of a bowl of noodle and a beverage in most hawker stalls. Hence, many people would prefer to dine at McDonalds restaurants because of the good dining environment. During the launch of the promotion, there is only one choice in the menu on weekdays, from twelve to three oclock in the afternoon. When the response for the promotion is overwhelming, McDonalds had expanded their promotional items. Instead of one choice, the menu consisted of five choices, and the promotion is not only entitled on weekday but is available every day. This strategy was use d by McDonalds to maintain its sales during recession. 3.3.1.2 Growth and Expanding The McDonalds Malaysia chains were located mostly in the major cities. There are 185 restaurants around Malaysia and most of the restaurants are located in shopping malls and in the Klang Valley because the purchasing power in the city is regarded to be better. However, as the purchasing power in town had increased, more organisations would like to build more factories out of the city since the modal is much cheaper if compared to the city. Thus, the purchasing power will increase from time to time. 3.3.2 Threats A threat is a major unfavourable situation in a firms environment. Threats are key impediments to the firms current or desired position. The entrance of new competitors, slow market growth, increased bargaining power of key buyers or suppliers, technological changes, and new or revised regulations could represent threats to a firms success. 3.3.2.1 Competitor The major competitors for McDonalds Malaysia is KFC Malaysia (Kentucky Fried Chicken) and Burger King. Both of the brands have increased in terms of volume of the restaurant in Malaysia. Moreover, KFC have a good market share in Malaysia. Even though KFC is famous with the fried chicken, but they have different strategies in developing their product, such as developing different types of flavour of fried chicken. KFC Malaysia had localised their product to suit local taste buds, by introducing the chicken rice. This had gotten a good response as not many people had favoured fried chicken. They can either go for other KFC products such as grilled chicken, snack wrap, burger or salad. However, the slogan of KFC Malaysia, good things for all with KFC, as they are targeting different market segments, as compared to McDonalds Malaysia who only focuses on the youth market. Furthermore, Malaysia is famous with its home brand burger, which is the RAMLI burger (the burger hawker stall which is operated by Malays individually). This posed as a threat for McDonalds because RAMLI is cheaper and famous from those days before McDonalds had entered into Malaysia. 3.3.2.2 Customer Perception Nowadays, people are concerned of their health and wish to maintain a healthy life. However, McDonalds Malaysia is not alert on the above matters and still maintains the same menu without bothering about the health conscious consumers. On the other hand, Pizza Hutz and KFC are getting popular in Malaysia because Pizza Hutz had developed a new flavour, vegetable pizza while KFC have added the garden salads to the menu. Unlike McDonalds Malaysia, McDonalds USA does care about the customer needs. Salads and yoghurt have been added to the main menu. This showed that the McDonalds USA does care about the customer needs. It is dangerous for a company when it does not meet the expectations. Therefore, Mc Donalds Malaysia has to be aware about this matter or risk losing their market share. 3.4 PEST Analaysis PEST is an acronym for Political, Economic, Social, and Technological, which are used to assess the market for a business or organizational unit. The PEST analysis headings are a framework for reviewing a situation and can also be used to review a strategy or position, direction of a company, a marketing proposition, or idea. By understanding the environment in which the companies operate (external to the company and department), the advantage of opportunities can be taken and the threats can be minimized. Political The political arena has a huge influence upon the regulation of businesses, and the spending power of consumers and other businesses. Economy Marketers need to consider the state of a trading economy in the short and long-terms. This is especially true when planning for international marketing. Socio-Cultural The social and cultural influences on business vary from country to country. It is very important that such factors are considered. Technology Technology is vital for competitive advantage, and is a major driver of globalization. 3.4.1 Political Factors Malaysias population comprises of many ethnic group, which includes the main three races, Malays, Chinese, Indian and other indigenous groups in East Malaysia. Therefore, Malaysians live in harmony under the slogan of One Malaysia. Thus, the stability of politics in Malaysia would attract more investors to open or expand the business in Malaysia and create more job opportunities, which in turn increase the purchasing power. 3.4.2 Economy Factors The global recession had hit the whole world at the end of 2007. This had resulted in a sharp drop in international trade and unemployment. Malaysia was not deeply affected compared to Singapore because Malaysia had learnt its lesson from the economic crisis in 1997. McDonalds Malaysia had counteract this problem by reducing the price of the product, which are the value meals mention on 3.3.1.1 and the sales is maintained well if compared to other fast restaurant who still maintain the product in the normal price. 3.4.3 Socio-Cultural Factors Malaysia is a multi-religion society and Islam is the official religion as more than half of the Malaysian population practice Islam. The people who practice Islam are known as Muslim and Muslim does not take pork. Thus, McDonalds Malaysia does not serve the pork as a respect to the religion as the majority of Malaysians are Muslim. The Muslims are the major consumers of beef, and therefore, the best selling product in McDonalds Malaysia is the Big Mac. 3.4.4 Technology Factors McDonalds Malaysia recognized the advantage of the Internet and therefore, it had notified the public about the corporate information, promotions and events. However, the McDonalds Malaysia still maintain the McDelivery order by telephone calls. This is the disadvantage for the organisation since the advancement of technology had caused the difference in consumer behaviour. Consumer would prefer to place the order online instead of calling because it would be more accurate. 3.5 Ecological Factors The ecological factors are important in a business due to the factors affect consumer behaviour. The ecological factors in McDonalds business can view by two ways which is the eco-environmental issue and corporate social responsibility (CSR). 3.5.1 Eco- environmental McDonalds Malaysia has followed the global McDonalds which examine ways of reducing material used in the production and packaging, as well as diverting as much as waste as possible from the solid waste stream. 3.5.1.1 Reduce, Reuse and Recycle In doing so, McDonalds had set the three courses of action which involved with the follow three courses of action: reduce, reuse and recycle. Reduce McDonalds will take the steps to reduce the weight and volume of packaging when serving the food. This may mean eliminating packaging, adopting thinner and lighter packaging, changing manufacturing and distribution systems, adopting new technologies or using alternative materials. On the other hand, McDonalds do continually search for materials that are environmentally preferable. Reuse McDonalds do implement reusable materials whenever feasible within the operation and distribution systems as long as that is not compromising the safety and sanitation standards, moreover the customer services and expectations which also not offset by other environmental or safety concerns. Recycle McDonalds are committed to maximum use of recycled materials in the construction, equipping and operations of restaurants. McDonalds are proud to say that they are the largest user of recycled paper in the fast food industry, applying it to such the items as Happy Meal boxes, carry out bags, carryout trays and napkins. 3.5.2 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) McDonalds Malaysia has invested a lot in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and it does make a good business sense as the companies do not operate in a vacuum. A business does maintain a constant, interdependent relationship with the world in which or where the organization operate. 3.5.2.1 Good Works : Gift of smiles In Malaysia alone, 1 out of 600 babies is born with a cleft lip and palate. Out of the 570,000 babies born in this country, about 950 new cases are found each year. To date, there are almost 12,000 babies born with this defect and have yet to undergo corrective surgery. This is mainly due to financial constraints, parental ignorance of the available cure and in some instances, societal beliefs. McDonalds Malaysia has set a goal to instil public awareness and enable parents of these children to come forward and seek medical aid. Thus, McDonalds together with the partners, ING Insurance Berhad and Pantai Hospitals Sdn. Bhd. understand that financial constraints are a huge obstacle for many parents.. McDonalds understands the plight of these parents and would like to help by reducing their burdens. The partnership will see Pantai Hospitals Sdn Bhd undertaking corrective surgery for these children, through fundraising projects initiated by RMCC and cash contribution from ING Insurance Berhad under the Gift of Smile Programme. Together, lets give them the Gift of Smile 3.5.2.2 Sponsorship McDonalds Malaysia believes the organization would have the responsibility to give back as much as they can to the local communities. The idea of giving back is an integral part of everything the organisation doing. The McDonalds Malaysia works in the wider community to provide support and encouragement to the people who need it. All the McDonalds restaurants contribute to their local community and every year the organisation help to set up and support thousands of educational, sporting and charity programs designed to help a wide range of people and community. Consequently, McDonalds has a proactive move towards to sponsorships. McDonalds Malaysia believes the sponsorships help inspire and support Malaysians, especially for those the underprivileged to live a better life. The organisation has keen to delivering great experiences through sponsorships. 4.0 Recommendation McDonalds Malaysia is the second largest fast food franchisor in Malaysia but the business had sustained slowly in these few years. The main reason that McDonalds Malaysia gets stuck in between is because of the failure in achieving customer perception. As compared to Ramli Burger, the local burger had implements research to develop its burgers from time to time. For that reason, McDonalds Malaysia should expand the products line and focus on the youth markets as well as other age segments. By following the competitors footsteps, McDonalds should rebrand their position in the Malaysian fast food market, by not only catering for the youth but also cater to families who are health conscious and seeking value for their money. As a result, product development should be highlighted since the adults and the elderly people have much concern on their health. Moreover, fried food is hard to digest especially for older customers and infants. McDonalds can refer to what the competitors did and develop more healthy menus. It is recommended to have salad in the menu and more juices as the beverage. In addition, McDonalds can replace the vanilla ice cream with yogurt ice cream, which is very popular in the market nowadays. McDonalds Malaysia had to be more initiative in product development for achieving the consumer perception and prevent to lose the market share, as there are many competitors entering into the fast food market from time to time. 5.0 Conclusion The competitors are taking advantages with what McDonalds Malaysia missed in its business strategy. Even though McDonalds is a well known brand but improvisation is needed especially in the competitive market now. The downfall of Lehman Brothers had shown that the super brand have the possibility to fail if the business is not well managed. Hence, as consumers translates into figures in sales, all companies, regardless of any industries, should comply with their consumers expectations. A successful company is a company which can adapt to different type of environments to satisfy different type of consumers. As the saying goes, in Roman, do what the Romans do, companies should adapt to different types of culture to capture the market share in that specific country. REFERENCE LIST Daniels, D.D., Radebaugh, L.H. Sullivan, D.P. 2007, International Business Environment and Operation, 11th Edition, Pearson Education Australia Fisher, G., Hughes, R., Griffin, R.W. Pustay, M.W. 2006, International Business : managing in the Asia-Pacific, 3rd Edition, Pearson Education Australia Pearce II, J.R. Robinson R.B. 2000, Strategic Management : Formulation, Implementation, and Control, 7th Edition, McGraw-Hill United States Hill, C.W.L. 2005, International Business : competing in the global marketplace, 5th Edition, McGraw-Hill New York Stacey, R.D. 2007, Strategic Management and Organisational Dynamics The challenge of complexity to ways of thinking about organisations, 5th Edition, Pearson Education Great Britain Thompson, J.L. 2001, Understanding Corporate Strategy, Thompson Learning London Rosen, R. 1995, Strategic Management An Introduction, Pitman Publishing London Robson, W. 1994, Strategic Management Information Systems, 2nd Edition, Pearson Education Great Britain Thompson, A.A. Strickland III, A.J. 2004, Strategic Management : Concepts and Cases , 13th Edition, McGraw-Hill New York Perry, C. 2005, McDonalds in healthy hands, Marketing Week, September 8, pp. 24-5 Rooney, J. 2005, Defining moment, Sales Marketing Management, August, pp. 30-3 Nwogugu, M. 2004, Corporate governance, strategy and corporations law.The case of Jack-in-the-Box Inc., Managerial Auditing Journal, vol. 19 no.1, pp. 29-67 Arndt, M. 2007, McDonalds 24/7, Business Week, Nos 05/02, (Issue no. 4020), pp 65-71 Clark, N. 2007, McDonalds asking for trouble, Marketing, April 2005, p.21 Pomeroy, A. 2007, Shes lovin it (diversity at McDonalds), HR Magazine, vol. 51 No. 12, pp. 58-61 Blackhurst, C. 2005, Peter Beresford (interview), Management Today, January, pp. 28-31 Royle, T. 2005, Realism or Idealism? Corporate social responsibility and the employee stakeholder in global fast-food industry, Business Ethics : A European Review, vol. 14 no. 1, pp. 42-53 Royle, T. 2005, The union recognition dispute at McDonalds Moscow food-processing factory, Industrial Relations Journal, vol. 4 no. 4, pp318-326 http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/content/mcd/our_company/mcd_history.html viewed on 13th September 2009 http://www.mcdonalds.com.my/index.asp viewed on 17th September 2009 http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/McVictory-200706 viewed on 1st October 2009 http://www.mcdonalds.com.my/abtus/corpinfo/history_msia.asp viewed on 1st October 2009 http://businessmanagement.suite101.com/article.cfm/what_is_value_chain viewed on 8th October 2009 http://www1.ximb.ac.in/users/fac/dpdash/dpdash.nsf/pages/BP_Value_Chain viewed on 8th October 2009 http://crmcdonalds.com/publish/csr/home/report/sustainable_supply_chain/resource_conservation/Global_Environmental_Commitment.html viewed on 8th October 2009

The Island of Jamaica Essay -- Jamaica Countries Geography

The Island of Jamaica The island of Jamaica is the third largest Caribbean island. It is in a group of islands called the greater antilles. It has an area of 10 991 km squared or 4 244 sq. miles. Jamaica spans 230 km east to west and from 80-36 from north to south. It is third only to Cuba, which is the largest, and Hispaniola which is the second largest island. Jamaica lies in the Caribbean sea which is a part of the much larger Atlantic ocean. The island is 960 km south of Florida, 160 km southwest of Haiti, and 140 km south of Cuba. Jamaica is mainly a mountainous island but there are 320 km of fine sandy beaches, swamps, moist fern- forests, sprawling open plains, plateaus, rushing rivers, and magnificent waterfalls. The Blue Mountains are the highest mountains in Jamaica and Blue Mountain Peak which is the highest peak in Jamaica rises to 2256 m or 7 402 feet. They are made up primarily of limestone. Farther to the west in the cockpit country the limestone has eroded over many years to form large depressions, narrow valleys, underground caverns and rivers. Most of the surface rivers are short, swift flowing and descend quickly to the coast and consist of a series of rapids and waterfalls. The island is ringed by plains separated by mountain and sea. The country is divided into three counties. They are Cornwall to the west, Middlesex is central, and Surrey is to the east. Middlesex is the largest county. Jamaica is also divided into 14 parishes which are basically like provinces or states. The parishes are Kingston, St. Andrew, St. Thomas, Portland, St. Mary, St. Ann, Trelawny, St. James, Hanover, Westmoreland, St. Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon, and St. Catherine. .. ... Kingston, Jamaica: Kingston Publishers, 1976 Macpherson, John. Carribean Lands. Spain: Longman Group Ltd, 1974 Sherlock, Philip. The Land and People of the West Indies. U.S.A: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1967 Wilkins, Francis. Jamaica. Hong Kong: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987 Zach, Paul., and Hoefer, Hans Insight Guides: Jamaica. Singapore: APA Productions, 1987 Jamaica Information Service. Jamaica: An Overview. Kingston: Jamaica Information Service, 1990 Potter, Mitch. "New Album Kicks off Marley Blitz." The Toronto Star. 6 February, 1991, Sec. E, p. 4 "Jamaica." Merit Students Encyclopedia. 16th ed., 1980 "Jamaica." The World Book Encyclopedia 14th ed., 1989

Rousseau, the Individual, the State, and David’s The Oath of the Horati

Rousseau, the Individual, the State, and David’s The Oath of the Horatii Rousseau’s view on the relationship between the individual and the state and David’s painting ‘The Oath of the Horatii’ are two different genres with the same views, having French Revolution as the connecting factor. David’s painting is not done for art sake but rather an art for the people sake. His painting does not include only aesthetic purposes but includes with ulterior motives. David has a preconceive notion in his mind and has decided to give a pictorial representation of the preconceived notion and exploits all his techniques to ensure what is in his mind. It is because of Rousseau’s impact of philosophy that David was able to use his medium of painting to achieve his purpose. In ‘The Oath of Horatii’, Rousseau’s impact on David is expressed very well in the David’s neoclassical style which is characterized by clarity of line, logical and balanced composition, restrained facial expression, bold effects of light and a minimum of distracting detail. It is very apt for David’s purposes since the style enhances and highlights David’s purposes in conveying his political messages. The Horatii were chosen as champions of ancient Rome (Audio-Visual Notes 2001) and the legitimacy of being chosen as champions suggests the power of the state. According to Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a person or institution has authority if they are able to command others to do things. That authority is legitimate only if the person, or institution, possesses the right to command others. To be legitimate, the authority the state has over the people must come from the people themselves, and not from a single entity such as the king. Power that comes from such sources is usually referred to as naked power. In such a scenario, we cannot totally agree that the Horatii were comfortable with the title as champions. They might be indulged to obey the state because they ought to, or because they are afraid of the consequences. In contrast, they might be honoured to be chosen as champions of Rome and this title might influence them into offering their lives on behalf of the country. On the viewer’s left, a third of the vertical space is dedicated to three men, Horatii, who are sons to the man, Horatius. The lights flood across the scene onto the viewer’s right side, illuminating the main characters and presenting th... ...r heads are facing down with eyes closed with their backs slouching. These choices of colours, postures and gestures suggest that David wants to create the solemn ambience within the female figures and the contradiction of their particular will against the general will of the state. In Rousseau’s view, particular will is concerned with an individual’s advantage. The ladies may be convinced by their three brothers and their father to think that their particular will is the product of appetite while general will is the product of reason. Since a person acting on his appetite is slavish and bad, while a person acting on reason is noble and good, they should therefore obey the general will and allow their brothers to fight; even to the extent of having duels with their own family members. With the cross referencing between Rousseau’s views and David’s painting â€Å"The Oath of the Horatii† that has been presented, we can conclude that it is because of Rousseau’s impact of philosophy that David was able to use his medium of painting to achieve his purpose and this is evident through the pictorial representation in conveying particular will and the general will of â€Å"The Oath of the Horatii†.