Friday, November 29, 2019

How Oil Prices Affect Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Every country needs some oil to run its errands, but the oil producing nations (OPEC nations) are few in number. From an economic point of view, whenever the suppliers are few, they tend to manipulate the prices of their products. Essentially, OPEC nations agree on the amount of oil to produce and the prices of selling the oil. OPEC nations discuss the target markets, and they dictate the distributing channels for their own good.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on How Oil Prices Affect Gross Domestic Product (GDP) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In a span of one month, oil prices can raise considerably, but since oil has no substitute, the demand for oil remains inelastic. Indeed, oil prices affect nations’ GDPs in one way or another. This paper will give a clear outlay of the effect of oil prices on the various variables in the GDP equation using clear illustrations and graphs. The gross domestic p roduct (GDP) presents the market value of the economic activities within a nation. The GPD sums all the amounts of monies spent in a nation. The four factors that measure the GPD include the consumption levels of the consumers, investment levels of businesses (amount businesses spend on purchasing goods and services), the government spending, and the net exports. In this case, the net exports amount is the difference between the exports and imports. Oil prices have an indirect effect on each factor of the GDP equation, which in turn affects the nation’s GDP levels (Maeda 112). GDP = C +I +G+X Where C is the total consumption of the consumers, I is the investment levels of the businesses,Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More G is the federal, state and government spending, and X is the net exports (exports minus imports). Oil prices and their effects on the total c onsumption of consumers Consumption is directly proportional to the income levels of a household because people can only spend the amount of money that they earn. However, not all the money is spent; earners have to pay income taxes to the government, and some households save some of their income. Whenever the oil prices are high, businesses tend to increase the prices of their products to cater for the rise in the production costs (Pinno and Serletis 202). This factor decreases the consumers’ spending powers, and consumers tend to buy few items. Essentially, some consumers would decide to save their money rather than spend it with the hope that the prices of products would decrease in the near future. The price elasticity of demand will play a critical role in such a case, where, consumers will only purchase necessities and shy away from buying luxuries. Consumer spending forms the largest part of the GPD in most nations. Therefore, whenever the oil prices rise, they reduce the consumer spending indirectly, and consequently, the GPD reduces. In the United States, two third of the GDP comprises of consumer spending. Therefore, a decrease in consumer spending would have a significant effect on the GPD of the US (Kilian and Vigfusson 79). Oil prices and their effects on the total investments As stated before, business investment is the amount of money that businesses spend on purchasing products and services. Moreover, businesses make long-term investments through the purchase of land, fixtures, and equipments. A rise in oil prices is a shock on the supply side of the economy and it has adverse consequences on the economies of countries (Kim 140).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on How Oil Prices Affect Gross Domestic Product (GDP) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Obviously, businesses will experience an increase in the variable costs, especially for manufacturing businesses th at heavily depend on oil. The businesses will resolve on increasing the prices of their products to remain at the same profit margins. From an economic point of view, an increase in prices causes the demand of products to contract, and the businesses are likely to have reduced sales than before. If the oil prices continue to rise, there is a possibility of an economy to experience an inflationary effect. Essentially, the decreased sales means decreased profits; therefore, businesses will have insufficient money to invest. The amount that businesses invest contributes to about 15% of the nation’s GDP. Although the 15% contribution to the nation’s GDP is considerably small, a decrease in the total investments will decrease the nation’s GDP. Oil prices and their effects on the total government spending The government is an overseer that responds to tough economic conditions of the nation. As described, an increase in oil prices is a supply side shock that would in flate the price levels of products and deflate the real output of the economy. The government can respond by relaxing the monetary policy through decreasing the interest rates and taxes. Therefore, businesses will have their production costs somewhat reduced because of the reduced taxes. Another alternative would be increasing government spending by subsidizing the costs prices. However, the options may have adverse consequences on the general economy. Increasing the oil subsidy bill would mean that the government would have to increase its budget and this would affect the other sectors of the economy. Although upstream companies like the Oil And Natural Gas Corporation and Oil India would share a third of the subsidy burdens, the government may have to make short-term borrowings to cater for the unanticipated shock. On the other hand, decreasing interest rates and taxes would decrease the government revenues. Essentially, rise is oil prices would decrease the government spending on goods and services and increase its spending on transfer payments, which is a threat to the GDP. Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Oil prices and their effects on the total net exports If there is an increase in fuel prices, a country that exports manufactured goods may experience an increase in the production costs of the products that it exports. Therefore, the country may lower its productivity and export less of the products than before. Moreover, the country is forced to spend more money on importing the essential petroleum product than before. The two incidences would bring an imbalance on the total net exports and the country may have negative net exports. Conclusion Clearly, a rise in oil prices is an external shock that affects economies in one way or another. Economies that entirely depend on oil-energy for their production processes would suffer greatly if oil prices increased drastically. Sometimes the oil prices drop, but they have negligible effects on the GDP. Therefore, to reduce the effect of the increase in oil prices, companies should find ways of containing other costs and increasing the la bor productivity (Ravazzolo and Rothman 461). It is clear that oil is an essential product with an inelastic demand. Therefore, governments that do not reserve enough oil when the oil prices drop will continue suffering from the supply shocks. It would be advisable for governments to build oil reserves that would greatly help the nation during shortages and during shocks. Works Cited Kilian, Lutz and Robert Vigfusson. â€Å"Do Oil Prices Help Forecast U.S. Real GDP? The Role of Nonlinearities and Asymmetries.† Journal of Business Economic Statistics 31.1 (2013): 78-93. Print. Kim, Dong. â€Å"What Is An Oil Shock? Panel Data Evidence.† Empirical Economics 43.1 (2012): 121-143. Print. Maeda, Akira. â€Å"On the Oil Price-GDP Relationship.† Japanese Economy 35.1 (2008): 99-127. Print. Pinno, Karl and Apostolos Serletis. â€Å"Oil Price Uncertainty and Industrial Production.† Energy Journal 34.3 (2013): 191-216. Print. Ravazzolo, Francesco and Philip Rothma n. â€Å"Oil and U.S. GDP: A Real-Time Out-Of-Sample Examination.† Journal of Money, Credit Banking 45.3 (2013): 449-463. Print. This research paper on How Oil Prices Affect Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was written and submitted by user Cannon Ortega to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Monday, November 25, 2019

World War I and The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

World War I and The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk After a nearly a year of turmoil in Russia, the Bolsheviks ascended to power in November 1917 after the October Revolution (Russia still used the Julian calendar). As ending Russias involvement in World War I was a key tenet of the Bolshevik platform, new leader Vladimir Lenin immediately called for a three-month armistice. Though initially wary of dealing with the revolutionaries, the Central Powers (Germany, Austro-Hungarian Empire, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire) finally agreed to a ceasefire in early December and made plans to meet with Lenins representatives later in the month. Initial Talks Joined by representatives from the Ottoman Empire, the Germans and Austrians arrived at Brest-Litovsk (present-day Brest, Belarus) and opened talks on December 22. Though the German delegation was led by Foreign Secretary Richard von KÃ ¼hlmann, it fell upon General Max Hoffmann- who was Chief of Staff of the German armies on the Eastern Front- to serve as their chief negotiator. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was represented by Foreign Minister Ottokar Czernin, while the Ottomans were overseen by Talat Pasha. The Bolshevik delegation was headed by Peoples Commissar for Foreign Affairs Leon Trotsky who was aided by Adolph Joffre. Initial Proposals Though in a weak position, the Bolsheviks stated that they desired peace without annexations or indemnities, meaning an end to the fighting without loss of land or reparations. This was rebuffed by the Germans whose troops occupied large swaths of Russian territory. In offering their proposal, the Germans demanded independence for Poland and Lithuania. As the Bolsheviks were unwilling to cede territory, the talks stalled. Believing that the Germans were eager to conclude a peace treaty to free troops for use on the Western Front before the Americans could arrive in large numbers, Trotsky dragged his feet, believing that moderate peace could be achieved. He also hoped that the Bolshevik revolution would spread to Germany negating the need to conclude a treaty. Trotskys delaying tactics only worked to anger the Germans and Austrians. Unwilling to sign harsh peace terms and not believing that he could delay further, he withdrew the Bolshevik delegation from the talks on February 10, 1918, declaring a unilateral end to hostilities. The German Response Reacting to Trotskys breaking off of the talks, the Germans and Austrians notified the Bolsheviks that they would resume hostilities after February 17 if the situation was not resolved. These threats were ignored by Lenins government. On February 18, German, Austrian, Ottoman, and Bulgarian troops began advancing and met little organized resistance. That evening, the Bolshevik government decided to accept the German terms. Contacting the Germans, they received no response for three days. During that time, troops from the Central Powers occupied the Baltic nations, Belarus, and most of Ukraine (Map). Responding on February 21, the Germans introduced harsher terms which briefly made Lenin debate continuing the fight. Recognizing that further resistance would be futile and with the German fleet moving towards Petrograd, the Bolsheviks voted to accept the terms two days later. Re-opening talks, the Bolsheviks signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk on March 3. It was ratified twelve days later. Though Lenins government had achieved its goal of exiting the conflict, it was forced to do so in brutally humiliating fashion and at great cost. Terms of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk By the terms of the treaty, Russia ceded more than 290,000 square miles of land and around a quarter of its population. In addition, the lost territory contained approximately a quarter of the nations industry and 90 percent of its coal mines. This territory effectively contained the countries of Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Belarus from which the Germans intended to form client states under the rule of various aristocrats. Also, all Turkish lands lost in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 were to be returned to the Ottoman Empire. Long-Term Effects of the Treaty The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk only remained in effect until that November. Though Germany had made massive territorial gains, it took a large amount of manpower to maintain the occupation. This detracted from the number of men available for duty on the Western Front. On November 5, Germany renounced the treaty due to a constant stream of revolutionary propaganda emanating from Russia. With the German acceptance of the armistice on November 11, the Bolsheviks quickly annulled the treaty. Though the independence of Poland and Finland was largely accepted, they remained angered by the loss of the Baltic states. While the fate of territory such as Poland was addressed at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, other lands such as Ukraine and Belarus fell under Bolshevik control during the Russian Civil War. Over the next twenty years, the Soviet Union worked to regain the land lost by the treaty. This saw them fight Finland in the Winter War as well as conclude the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact with Nazi Germany. By this agreement, they annexed the Baltic states and claimed the eastern part of Poland following the German invasion at the start of World War II. Selected Sources Avalon Project: Treaty of Brest-LitovskGuide to Russia: Treaty of Brest-LitovskFirst World War: Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Machiavelli The Prince Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Machiavelli The Prince - Essay Example oted to Lorenzo de Medici), so that he might get back his administration posts and start the realization of his political plans.  The writing is worth-considering, therefore the given paper will discuss the relevance  of the Machiavelli’s advice in the modern world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Prince is considered to be unique. It represents a large recommendation the author provides the Prince with. The Prince is given a valuable advice on how to receive new lands in his possession and how to implement the necessary control in these new lands (Machiavelli, 1997). It is clear that this advice can’t be considered as relevant in the modern world, because now we do not solve our problems with the help of wars. Now we have legislation as the main orientation in political decision making. However, for the time, when The Prince was created, it represented a valuable advice: Because how one ought to live is so far removed from how one lives that he who lets go of what is done for that which one ought to do sooner learns ruin than his own preservation: because a man who might want to make a show of goodness in all things necessarily comes to ruin among so many who are not good. Because of this it is necessary for a prince, wanting to maintain himself, to learn how to be able to be not good and to use this and not use it according to necessity. (Machiavelli, 1997) It is clear, that this advice should by no means be used by modern politicians because it can destroy democratic principles, which have been created during many centuries, however the recommendation is practical for the Machiavelli’s time (Machiavelli, 1997). Notwithstanding that the advice of Machiavelli concerning acquiring new lands can’t be used today, his writing The Prince contains many other valuable and relevant advices, which should be remembered by the contemporary rulers: Some people want to rule, others want to be ruled. It is important to remember that some people are ready to work and other are

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Poetry Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Poetry Analysis - Essay Example Connotations: Rhyme scheme not regular, Sensuous imagery-the waves sound- lights falling etc. Romantic imagery. Historical reference to Sophocles. Irregular length of stanzas. Free verse. Language simple. Sea of Faith- image of a sad person. Pathetic fallacy- human feelings are attributed to sea. Light is gone- symbolizes uncertaininty. Sea of Faith- symbolizes religion. Adjectives- â€Å"tremulous cadence†, â€Å"note of eternal sadness†. Attitude: The poem opens with a romantic tone. The melancholic note is added as the poet reflects on the nature of human life. Sadness and sorrowful. â€Å"Ah† indicates pain and â€Å"let us be true† indicates acceptance. Theme: The poem is about maturity and reflects the poet’s understanding of life. Life brings sadness. Like the beach is beautiful but the melancholic note can be heard. Similarly love is beautiful but it brings with itself miseries, sorrow and loneliness. Title: Poem appears to be about the dreams that have not been fulfilled. The alliterative â€Å"d† in the title give a hard impression which prepares the reader for the harsh consequences of the dreams that have been left unfulfilled. Paraphrasing: The poet questions about the end result of such dreams that have been left unfulfilled. He asks if they become dry, sore or rotten. He compares them with a dry raisen or like a sore. He indicates that unfulfilled dreams can cause social and political damage. Connotations: Short. Alliterative â€Å"d†- to stress harshness. Dreams deferred are compared to dry raisen, sore etc. Symbolism: dream could be American dream or negro aspirations. Hot sun- circumstances. Images of decay and waste to symbolize the dreamer’s fate. Title: Is aptly used since it discusses the consequences of the unfulfilled dreams. The dream could be the American dream of success that attracts many. Or the fate of black people in America victimized racially and socially. Theme: The poem is about dreams

Monday, November 18, 2019

Understanding the marketplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Understanding the marketplace - Essay Example This results from the fact that the business can conduct a survey and hence research on market trends and the techniques employed by other producers and therefore improve on their products. Statistics from a global perspective are effective when making vital decisions on production (Harrington, 2007). This is mainly because since standardized products are popular, it is easy for the producers to make an assessment on best practices that can help improve their production. This methodology is usually effective for organizations whose performance is deteriorating, as standardization helps formulate and implement effective strategies. It should also be noted that not all organizations that sell standardized products succeed. In as much as standardization may be favorable due to many reasons, other factors such as promoting and setting at prices may make it unfavorable (Quelch, & Deshpande, 2004). This prompts local market conditions to take control of standardization. In an argument by Harrington (2007), product decisions are crucial as they determine the success or failure of the business. Surveys show that 50 percent of businesses decline because they do not understand the market demands of their products. On the same note, two-thirds of them succeed by supplying their goods to regions where they are popular. From the statistics, it is advisable to standardize products of global consumption such as medicine and medical implements. Therefore, before a business decides to standardize its products, it should be capable of establishing whether their products into local, international or multinational categories. This will give them hints on whether the products should be groomed for either local or international

Saturday, November 16, 2019

The Prologue To The Gospel Of John Religion Essay

The Prologue To The Gospel Of John Religion Essay The Gospel of John was writing by one of Jesus disciples by the name of John (thus the title of the book). It was written around A.D. 80-95 and the theme of the book is Jesus as the Son of God. We notice in the other Gospels, known as the Synoptics because of the close similarities in each account, that Jesus is portrayed in many different ways. In Matthew he is seen as the King of the Jews and was very much directed to a Jewish audience. In Mark he is seen as the Suffering Servant, which meant a lot to the Romans, to whom this text was directed to. In Luke he is the Perfect Man, an great achievement in the eyes of the Greeks and other Gentiles. Although all these facts are true and can be seen in all the Gospels, John, whose account was written long after the others, was drawn to write an account directed to all believers. John goes into the divinity of Christ and we see this from the very first chapter. In this book, Jesus is the Logos and he is the I AM. In this essay I will only look at the first chapter of John, in particular verses 1 through to 18 and we will first and foremost discuss Christ as the Logos, afterwhich we will look at the three main characteristics of the Logos in terms of his relation to the Father, his relation to the World and his relation to humanity. We will then conclude. The first thing we notice when we start reading the Gospel of John is its close similarity to Genesis chapter one verse one and that he introduces his book very differently to the other disciples turned apostles. All the writers begin with a different look to the story of Jesus. Matthew begins with the geneology of Jesus from Josephs line, Luke also uses a geneology starting point, but from Marys line, Mark goes straight into Jesus baptism. But John decided to start from the beginning. Note however that this is not the same beginning as mentioned in the Book of Genesis. Although Genesis starts with the beginning of creation, John goes beyond that. A.M. Hunter says no book ever opened more magnificently. [] John goes back to the very beginning of history, even beyond it, as to say There is only one true perspective in which to see this story you must see it in the light of eternity.  [1]  . Therefore, although the Gospel begins in the same way as Genesis, they speak of two differ ent creations. Genesis speaks of the old creation, whereas John speaks of the beginning of a new creation. For John to say in the beginning was the Word already starts proving Jesus immortality. One might think that he was then a part of Creation. John goes on to say and the Word was with God and the Word was God which not only proves his immortality but goes beyond that to prove his divinity. To go on to say that He was in the beginning with God seems to be a repetition of verse 1, but John actually reinforces what he is saying to show us that Jesus was not a part of creation, but he was a part of the creation process. He was actually the Word that spoke creation into existence. This is shown in two ways: Jesus is firstly referred to as the Word or in Greek, the Logos. What does this mean? A word can be defined as a means of communication, the expression of what is in ones mind  [2]  . Therefore the verse can be translated in the beginning God expressed himself. However, some s till find the translation of logos to word inadequate. One author explains that: To a Jew therefore the Word meant God showing himself in power, wisdom and love. On the other hand, to a Greek, especially if he had read the Stoic philosophers, the Logos meant the Rational Principle permeatting all reality.  [3]   Even so, in using the term Logos to describe Christ, John presents him as the very Word of God that God himself speaks. Jesus is then referred to as the person through whom all things were made. Jesus is therefore, as we have said before, the very word that brought creation into existence. God continue to speak to us through his Son, who is the Word as explained in Hebrews 1:1-3. The concept of the Logos is very deep however, which has brought much debate. In this passage, we see the main characteristics of Jesus operating as the Word. We see his relation to the Father first of all. One commentary says He was the person existing from eternity, distinct from but in eternal fellowship with the Father  [4]  . Next we go on to see Christs relation to the World in that through him the world was created. And then finally when we go on to read further down in verse 14, we see his relation to humanity. He became flesh and dwelt among us. For the rest of this essay, we will look into thes e three characteristics. Looking at the first few verses, in particular verses 1-5, we see the Words relation to God the Father. This is seen in the fact that the Word has always been in pre-existence with the Father. He was not only in pre-existence with God, but he is God himself. This is also seen in the fact that he possesses attributes of God such as being the Light. God is seen has the light in Old Testament scriptures such as Psalm 4:6 or Isaiah 2:5. Jesus is the Light of the World (Matt. 5:14). In his relation to the Father, Christ can therefore be seen as divine. Their relationship is so strong that through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made (v.3). We therefore learn that God created through his agent the Word and there is nothing at all that was or could have been created without him. To deny his existence therefore is to deny that of God. John therefore affirms the pre-existence, the personality and the divinity of Christ in presenting him as the Word. The Word is not only seen as the light, but he is also Life itself. Hunter explains that the Divine Word was the source of life as well as the agent of creation  [5]  . He goes on to say that the word life can be referred to as a quickening power  [6]  and calls the light moral and spiritual illumination  [7]  . This brings us to the Words relation to the World, his very own creation. It was through Christ that God the Father created and now sustains, as seen in scriptures such as Colossians 1:16 and Hebrews 1:2. In verses 6-7, the author starts by introducing the one who had been called to prepare the way, or to be the witness for the Light that was to come into the world. The author is sure to emphasize that he is the not the light but has only come to testify about the light. As we look into verses 9-10, we see how they tell of the Incarnation of Christ and what happened: the Light was coming into the world. In verse 11, we notice that the world he came to did not reco gnize him. The word own here appears twice in this verse and could mean the following: the first own could refer to the world in general and the second to his own people in terms of the Israelite who did not receive him. However, when Jesus came to the earth, he came to the people of Israel, who were Gods chosen people. Jesus would only be taking to the World through the apostles work and throughout Church History. This is obviously debatable, but I believe Jesus came unto his own as in his own creation, but his own (as in the people) did not respond or accept. Bruce, who uses the English Standard Version in his commentary, backs this statement by explaining the Greek term for the word own: His own place translated the neuter plural ta idia; his own people translates the masculine plural hoi idioi. [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] This is not a mere repetition of verse 10; it particularizes what was said more generally there. The Word of God, which came to the world of mankind in general, came in form of special revelation to the people of Israel [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦].  [8]   Therefore we see how he relates to the world in that he came into the world and was amongst the people of world, performing miracles, signs and wonders, showing his love, and yet the relationship between Creator and creation is so ruptured to the point where the Creator is put to death on a cross by his very own creation. However, there is hope for the ones who do want to choose to believe in him and he gave these ones the power to be reconciled with him and reborn spiritual. Let us now look at the word in relation to humanity on a whole. In becoming flesh (v.14) he became just like the creation. In Jesus, God became a human being, having the same nature as humanity, but without sin  [9]  . Through the gateway of human birth, the Incarnation is further explained in verse 14a. The rest of this verse indicates his dwelling among us. This dwelling is translated as Christ making his tabernacle among us. One author explained how the term tabernacle could suggest a temporary stay, as the tabernacle in the Old Testament was a tent that was pitched up to worship God. In this tent, the people would go to worship and experience the power of God. This same author comments that the Greek verb eskenosen means literally pitched his tent [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦]; the consonants s-k-n would remind the knowledgeable reader of the Hebrew Shekinah, the word the rabbis used for the Divine Presence among his people Israel  [10]  . This would explain the following the final p art of verse 14, when the author explains that we have seen his glory. The we here most likely refer to the Disciples who were with him, but denotes the idea of the Shekinah Glory concept mentioned earlier. The rest of the verses seem to carry on from where he left off, in the sense that verses 10-14 seems like a parenthesis between verses 9 and 15, since in verse 15 he goes on to speak about John the Baptist. The author ends this prologue well in saying: No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Fathers side, has made him known (v.18). Here again, the author proves the deity of Jesus Christ by interchangeably referring to him as God and as the Sent One, showing signs of the Trinity concept, which we are not able to discuss in this essay. In this essay, we look at the divinity of Jesus Christ. He saw that He is God, he is Creator, He is omnipresent and that he is Light and Life. We then looked at his relation to his Father, to the world and to humanity in general. He was in every sense God but in order to save us he made himself human in every sense. The story of Jesus is now about to be unfolded in the rest of this book, keeping in mind who he really is.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Oedipus the King: Unrealistic or Realistic Essay -- Oedipus the King

Oedipus Rex – Unrealistic or Realistic  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚   Let’s explore the traces of realsim and its opposite in Sophocles’ tragedy, Oedipus Rex.    The first obvious question is: How can this drama possibly be considered realistic since it relies so heavily on predetermination and fate in the life of the protagonist, Oedipus? As Jocasta recounts to Oedipus:    An oracle Once came to Laius (I will not say 'Twas from the Delphic god himself, but from His ministers) declaring he was doomed To perish by the hand of his own son, A child that should be born to him by me.    Charles Segal in Oedipus Tyrannus has a solid rebuttal to what appears predestination:    The issues of destiny, predetermination, and foreknowledge are raised as problems, not as dogma. How much control do we have over the shape of our lives? How much of what happens to us is due to heredity, to accidents, to sheer luck. . . . These are the questions that the play raises, and it raises them as questions. It shows us men and women who are both powerful and helpless, often at the same moment. Oedipus embodies the human condition. . . . (75-76).    If this critic is correct that Oedipus embodies the human condition as it really is, then he is totally representative of reality, and not unrealistic as it might appear on first reading. Victor Ehrenberg in â€Å"Sophoclean Rulers: Oedipus† analyzes the protagonist of the tragedy and finds a balanced, realistic type who possesses the qualities of a king, including the human, realistic desire for more:    Oedipus is a ‘good king,’ a father of his people, an honest and great ruler, while at the same time an outstanding intellect. . . . He even shares the thro... ...Sophoclean Rulers: Oedipus.† In Twentieth Century Interpretations of Oedipus Rex, edited by Michael J. O’Brien. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968.    Herodotus.   The Histories. Translated by Aubrey de Selincourt. England: Penguin Books, 1972.    Segal, Charles. Oedipus Tyrannus: Tragic Heroism and the Limits of Knowledge. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1993.    â€Å"Sophocles† In Literature of the Western World, edited by Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. NewYork: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1984.    Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. Transl. by F. Storr. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/browse-mixed new?tag=public&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&part=0&id=SopOedi    Bowra, C. M.   â€Å"Sophocles’ Use of Mythology.† In Readings on Sophocles, edited by Don Nardo. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1997.         

Monday, November 11, 2019

Hewlett Packard Spying Scandal Essay

Corporate misconduct, (or people’s misconduct so to speak) is an issue that has been dominating headline news in the American business world in recent years. Theodore Roosevelt, one time U.S. president was probably right when he said, â€Å"To educate a person in mind but not in morals is to educate a menace to society† (Platt, 1989). The American society has continued to suffer from corporate scandals, despite the fact that people are now better educated because behind each scandal and crisis is a possible lack of morals in the â€Å"educated people† running those corporations (Low et al, 2006). It should be noted that unethical behavior is not a new phenomenon in US business nor it is an issue of the US alone. Research Questions and Objectives The year 2002 witnessed the collapse of giants like Enron, Tyco, Arthur Anderson, WorldCom and less known cases like Morgan Stanley, Dupont and Prudential Financial amongst others all involved in one form of scandal or the other.   Such widespread corporate misbehaviors have left many people (including this writer) to wonder where things are going wrong. Should blame be placed on perceived weaknesses of legislation and accounting standards? Or is it that education is not producing the type of business graduates needed to prevent such scandals? (Low et al).  Ã‚   Do the misdeeds simply involve a few â€Å"bad apples†: a smattering of corporations that make the rest of American business look bad? Or is the problem much broader than that? Further, if it is a widespread issue, what needs to be done? (Clement R. May 2006). Such are the kind of questions this study is out to seek answers to in light of the Hewlett Packard Spying scandal of 2006. Conceptual Framework This section explains what the literature on business ethics suggests for achieving ethical behavior in an organization. It is hoped that this will lay a foundation for the analysis of the recent corporate misdeed of Hewlett Packard. Business Ethics: Business ethics, Black J. (2002) is the branch of ethics that studies what standards businesses should observe in their dealings over and above compliance with the letter of the law. This covers questions such as fair dealing with their labour force, customers, suppliers, and competitors, and the impact of their activities on public health, the environment, and animal welfare. If a good reputation helps to gain and retain business, ethical conduct need not necessarily conflict with profit, but there are bound to be cases where it does. Particularly difficult questions of business ethics arise in multinational firms, where practices such as gifts to officials, which are essential to doing business at all in some countries, are regarded as criminal in others. Previous research works on business ethics have pointed out some measures that can be taken within an organization to help foster a culture of ethical behavior. Many of these studies highlight the role that top management commitment plays in developing an ethical organizational culture. Weaver, Trevino and Cochran (1999) found that the commitment of top management is essential for ethical decision making to be integrated into a firm’s culture; in other words, management’s decisions and actions in promoting the program are more effective than making sure that the program addresses a long list of ethical issues. Trevino and Brown (2004) found that top executives must manage ethical conduct proactively by means of explicit ethical leadership and conscious management of the organization’s culture. To this end, they suggest that top managers should study the cultures of their organizations to see what ethical messages are being sent. The researchers also assert that executives should communicate the importance of ethics, reward ethical behavior, and model that behavior themselves. Holmes et al (2002) found that employees are more likely to engage in ethical behavior if top management is firm in its expectations of ethical behavior of all employees, including themselves (p. 97) while Harrington (1997) concluded that, to achieve ethical behavior, top management needs to gain social consensus through changes in organization culture and by encouraging employees to live up to their responsibilities. What constitutes â€Å"unethical† behavior? It is important to determine the types of corporate behavior to consider unethical, and to decide on the time period over which the data on that behavior should be gathered. Some types of behavior may seem unethical to certain individuals but not to others (Clement R, 2006).   He however identifies three conditions that seem to signal unethical behavior: – A plea of guilty by a firm to charges of misconduct; – by courts or government agencies against a firm as solid evidence of corporate misconduct, even if the firm is still appealing the ruling. – agreement by a firm to settle charges, often by paying a fine or agreeing to other restrictions on company behavior even if the firm is not required to admit guilt. The Hewlett Packard (HP) spying scandal Origins In a Newsweek report by Kaplan D, (2006), the confrontation at Hewlett-Packard started innocently enough in January 2006 when online technology site CNET published an article about the long-term strategy at HP and other information that could only come from a director quoting an anonymous HP source. HP’s chairwoman, Patricia Dunn, fed up with the ongoing leaks told another director she wanted know whom it was. According to an internal HP e-mail, Dun then took the extra ordinary step of authorizing a team of independent electronic-security experts to spy on the January 2006 communications of other 10 directors – not the records of calls (or emails) from HP itself, but the records of phone calls made from personal accounts. That meant calls from directors’ home and their private cell phones were intercepted. Dunn acted without informing the rest of the board and this caused a boardroom fury at the world’s largest technology company. In a related story by Sakuma P. (2007), the HP boardroom-spying scheme erupted into a national scandal , September 2006, after the company disclosed that detectives it hired obtained the private phone records of directors, employees and 9 journalists in an effort to ferret out the source of media leaks. The scandal also introduced the world to â€Å"pretexting,† a shady tactic in which detectives used other people’s Social Security numbers to fool telephone companies into divulging detailed call logs. In an interview with Newsweek, Dunn said she didn’t know that the investigation would reach such heights. Consequences In two separate press releases, HP announced a number of moves that was an outcome of 2 days of teleconferences among the board. – Patricia Dunn was to step down as chairwoman. – CEO Mark Hurd will replace her. – George Keyworth, the longest serving director and one who leaked information to a CNET reporter that led to HP’s investigation was to resign immediately. – Richard Hackborn, who served on the board since 1992 would become â€Å"lead independent director†. – A criminal investigation against Patricia Dunn, Kevin Hunsaker, HP’s former ethics chief who allegedly directed the probe, and 3 private investigators was started on 4 counts: use of false or fraudulent pretenses to obtain confidential information from a public utility; unauthorized access to computer data; identity theft; and conspiracy to commit each of those crimes. Each charge carried a fine of up to 10,000 dollars and 3 years in prison. How and Why HP successfully overcame this scandal Testifying before a congressional in September 2006, Dunn said she was repeatedly reassured by HP’s lawyers about the legality of its detectives’ subterfuge. In a Business Week report, November 2006, a state judge Cunningham in California dropped the above charges against ex-Hewlett-Packard Chair Patricia Dunn after she pleaded guilty. The court however did not accept the pleas of the other three defendants and offered to dismiss the charges against them if they met two conditions – by Sept. 12   2006, they must serve 96 hours of community service and complete any court-filed restitution requests made by victims. In a related story by CNN’s Katy Byron, (September, 2006), the court dismissed Dunn’s charge because of her cancer battle, according to the attorney general’s office. The dismissal came â€Å"not because she’s innocent but because she is sick,† attorney general’s spokesman Barankin told CNN. Dunn had breast cancer in 2000 and melanoma in 2002 and was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2004 and is still battling it. She also underwent extensive surgery last year after doctors discovered a malignant tumor in her liver. In a CNBC news report (september 2006) Hewlett Packard agreed to pay $14.5 million to settle the lawsuit brought by California Attorney General Bill Lockyer, whose office accused the company of unfair business practices in its attempts to unmask the source of boardroom leaks. HP also implemented changes to its corporate governance policies to ensure that future internal investigations are conducted legally. There was no finding of liability against HP. The settlement includes an injunction and agreement that the California Attorney General will not pursue civil claims against HP or against its current and former directors, officers and employees. The vast majority of the settlement — $13.5 million — will fund state and local investigations into privacy rights and intellectual property violations, Lockyer said in a statement. The personal efforts of new HP chairman and CEO, Mark Hurd also contributed greatly to HP’s successfull exit from the scandal. He says â€Å"We are pleased to settle this matter with the Attorney General and are committed to ensuring that HP regains its standing as a global leader in corporate ethics and responsibility†. The company shareholders rejected a proposal that would have given investors the right to nominate directors to HP’s board. About 39 percent of HP shares entitled to vote at the company’s annual shareholder meeting favored the measure, which was supported by funds including Calpers, the largest U.S. pension fund, and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, the No. 3 fund. The above factors culminated in a slight stock price increase of HP in September 2006 despite the fact that September 2006 was a rocky month for the company. Its stock actually rose a bit that month, ending at $36.69. It has since climbed to nearly $40 as HP continues to perform strongly in the PC and printer markets. HP today has regained its leading position as the worlds number one technology company. The Role of Business Ethics in this Success The conceptual framework of this study laid some guidelines on how to identify when a company behavior should be considered ethical or not. In the context of the widely publicized Hewlett Packard spying scandal discussed above, there is no plea of guilt by the firm nor by Patricia Dunn and the other defendents to charges of misconduct, we haven’t seen a ruling against either the Carlifornia court that handled the case nor the Securities and Exchange Commissions against HP for unethical behavior. However, HP agreed to settle charges of $14.5 million to close the case and save the goodwill of the Silicon Valley icon. The payment, by ethical standards could be considered a fine, which is an evidence of unethical behavior, by a firm. HP’s intention, perhaps, as we have seen was to save the company’s image and probably in compliance with a court injunction or lawyer’s advice. Taking a look at HP’s Standards of Business Conduct, (SBC) , we find that it embodies the fundamental principles that govern   ethical and legal obligations to HP. They pertain not only to conduct within the company but also to conduct involving HP’s customers, channel partners, suppliers and competitors. (www.hp.com). As a business, remaining profitable and viable is a must for Hewlett Packard though this is not the only concern for the company. HP seeks uncompromising integrity through what each individual can contribute — to its customers, co-workers, company and communities. HP’s business success is dependent on trusting relationships. Its reputation is founded on the personal integrity of the company’s personnel and its dedication to the principles of: (www.hp.com) – Honesty in communicating within the company and with its business partners, suppliers and customers, while at the same time protecting the company’s confidential information and trade secrets. – Excellence in its products and services, by striving to provide high-quality products and services to its customers – Responsibility for its words and actions – Compassion in its relationships with employees and the communities affected by company business – Citizenship in observance of all the laws of any country in which the company does business, respect for environmental concerns and service to the community by improving and enriching community life. – Fairness to our fellow employees, stakeholders, business partners, customers and suppliers through adherence to all applicable laws, regulations and policies, and a high standard of behavior. – Respect for fellow employees, stakeholders, business partners, customers and suppliers while showing willingness to solicit their opinions and value their feedback. Conclusion From the above, we can say that Dunn’s investigation into the leak was simply in compliance with the first principle (Honesty) of the company’s code of ethics. Her intentions were clear from the outset – to probe into an alleged boardroom leak while at the same time respecting the principles of respect and fairness (last two principles) in the investigation. That in itself shouldn’t have been a scandal. It is the methods of the investigation – pretexting that raised controversy and finally erupted into a scandal. Patricia Dunn was able to prove before congress and the courts that such an act was carried out without her knowledge, though she acknowledged that an investigation was going on, which in itself complied with company ethics.

Friday, November 8, 2019

The Autobiography Of Miss Jane Pittman Essays - Free Essays

The Autobiography Of Miss Jane Pittman Essays - Free Essays The Autobiography Of Miss Jane Pittman In the novel The Autobiography Of Miss Jane Pittman, there were many different stories about JanePittman?s life. In the movie there were not as many stories as the novel, but they were still quite interesting. The novel and the movie had many similarities and differences. Some of the similarities were very noticeable. Just from the beginning, in both the movie and the novel, Ned carried the two rocks that made the fire for Jane and Ned. Ned then moves away and writes Jane, but the letter doesn?t reach Jane for a whole year. Albert Clevoue shot Ned in both. Joe had to pay colonel Dye for getting him out of trouble with the Ku Klux Klan. Colonel Dye was selfish and asked for money as "interest", most find him just greedy. Once Jane and Joe moved away, Jane had a couple of dreams that Joe would be killed by some horse, so she went to a hoo-doo. Sure enough, Joe was killed by a horse. Later, a boy was born, and they called him "The One." His name was Jimmy. They wanted him to become a preacher, but he didn?t want to. Differences that were highly noticeable were that in the novel, the interviewer was a teacher that wanted her information for his class and in the movie, it was a magazine reporter. When Albert Clevoue died in the novel, the chariots of hell came for him, and in the movie, you don?t even hear of his death. In the novel, it was a black horse that killed Joe Pittman, and the movie, white. In conclusion, the novel had more, described the stories more thoroughly. One might find that the novel is much more enlightening than the movie, but it takes more time to read the novel than it does to watch the movie! All in all, The Autobiography Of Miss Jane Pittman was a fine novel. In the novel The Autobiography Of Miss Jane Pittman, there were many different stories about JanePittman?s life. In the movie there were not as many stories as the novel, but they were still quite interesting. The novel and the movie had many similarities and differences. Some of the similarities were very noticeable. Just from the beginning, in both the movie and the novel, Ned carried the two rocks that made the fire for Jane and Ned. Ned then moves away and writes Jane, but the letter doesn?t reach Jane for a whole year. Albert Clevoue shot Ned in both. Joe had to pay colonel Dye for getting him out of trouble with the Ku Klux Klan. Colonel Dye was selfish and asked for money as "interest", most find him just greedy. Once Jane and Joe moved away, Jane had a couple of dreams that Joe would be killed by some horse, so she went to a hoo-doo. Sure enough, Joe was killed by a horse. Later, a boy was born, and they called him "The One." His name was Jimmy. They wanted him to become a preacher, but he didn?t want to. Differences that were highly noticeable were that in the novel, the interviewer was a teacher that wanted her information for his class and in the movie, it was a magazine reporter. When Albert Clevoue died in the novel, the chariots of hell came for him, and in the movie, you don?t even hear of his death. In the novel, it was a black horse that killed Joe Pittman, and the movie, white. In conclusion, the novel had more, described the stories more thoroughly. One might find that the novel is much more enlightening than the movie, but it takes more time to read the novel than it does to watch the movie! All in all, The Autobiography Of Miss Jane Pittman was a fine novel.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The Male Child Professor Ramos Blog

The Male Child It was a sunny afternoon on 21st of April 1986; I was on my way home from school when I suddenly notice a group of people in front of our home in Lagos, Nigeria. Moving closer, I noticed my Aunt was dancing and singing in our native dialect. Suddenly, my younger sister appeared and ran towards me shouting â€Å"Mummy gave birth to a baby boy†. I ran inside the house to see my Mum and my little brother, I smiled and thought to myself that finally I have a brother just like my friends. My mum and Dad had nine children, eight daughters and one son. The male was the only son and the last child of the family. The reason why my parents decided to have so many children was the search for a male child. In Africa, a male child is considered very important because he, as they put it, will be the one to carry on the family name and legacy. If a woman cannot give birth to a male child for her husband, then she won’t be accepted by the husband’s family and the husband will go out and marry another wife that will bore him a son. Before the birth of my brother my mum went through a lot of maltreatment from her in-laws. They come to the house and threaten here with all sorts, like telling her that they will kick her and her daughters out of my father’s house or they will tell her that they will marry another wife for my dad. We the children were not treated differently, they will look at us scornfully as if we were the cause of us been born as girls. They hurl insults at us, calling us different names. They wanted my father to have an heir of his own. They always say, â€Å"Girls don’t inherit their father’s properties†. My mum was always unhappy each time she gets pregnant and gives birth to another girl child. She was desperate for a son because my dad already got 2 women pregnant in his search for a male child. he wanted a son desperately. Unfortunately, both women gave birth to girls. After the birth of my brother, there was happiness and peace written all over my mum and dad. A very big party was thrown to celebrate the birth of an heir to my father. My father was proud to show off his son to all his friends. He was the happiest man on earth. Years after the birth of my brother, my dad treated my brother differently from the rest of us. If my brother doesn’t like a food that was being cooked, then they will have to cook his own type of food separately, of which we the girls didn’t have such privileges. My brother gets away with a lot of things, like sneaking out of the house with my dad’s car and getting into an accident with it. He wasn’t scolded for it, but if any of the girls seek permission to use his car, the answer is always a big â€Å"NO†. He attended a private school while the rest of us went to government public school. This reminded me of my friend’s dad that would rather send his male children to school and tell his daughters that school is not for girls. He will tell them that a woman’s place is in her husband’s house. All his sons went to school and got good education while his wife struggled to educate her daughters. He says his daughters will leave his home eventually when they get married and change their names from his to that of their husbands. So, it’s a waste to spend money in educating them. Today, all his daughters are professionals in their fields of study. He is so proud of them now that he doesn’t hesitate to tell whoever bothers to listen how proud he is of them. We weren’t allowed to bring boys home, my mum kept telling us that it is wrong to have male friends before marriage because a girl should keep herself pure and prepare herself for her wedding night. This is not the case with my brother, he brings his female friends’ home and my mum cooks for them and laugh with them. Despite the gender inequality been practiced in my home, my sisters and I got the quality education we wanted .Today we are all graduates and doing very well in our Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie the author of We should all be feminist said â€Å"And then we do a much greater disservice to girls, because we raise them to cater to the fragile egos of males. We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller. We say to girls: You can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful but not too successful, otherwise you will threaten the man. If you are the breadwinner in your relationship with a man, pretend that you are not, especially in public, otherwise you will emasculate him.† This explains a society where a female is only to be seen dressed beautifully for her husband and not to be heard. A society whereby a female is not given same opportunity as a male. A society that needs recues from been gender bias. Gender equality has taught me that though physically we are different, intellectually, innovatively and creatively we are the same. Presently, we have a lot of females going into professional field that was once termed the male domain. Today, we have female professors, neurosurgeons, engineers, even female astronauts etc. Gender inequality is still a major issue around the world. Female are still considered lesser than men, they earn lesser than their male counterpart at work. Female child education in some part of Africa is still lacking. Females are underrepresented in politics. There is need for reorientation of people to start viewing women and men has equal in all areas of life. There is a saying in my country that goes like â€Å"What a man can do, a woman can do twice more†.

Monday, November 4, 2019

The Natural History Museum in London from 19th Century to Modernity Essay - 1

The Natural History Museum in London from 19th Century to Modernity - Essay Example Alfred Waterhouse changed the design from Renaissance to German Romanesque, which came to be known as the Waterhouse building up to today. This is an analytical survey at the museum’s space in relation to its interior, creator and the 19Th century society. The space inside the museum is extensive with beautifully decorated ceiling panels displaying pictures of plants from all over the world. The museum has extensive halls that house different departments within the museum. The entrance to the museum is located between two towers representing the Victorian style of architecture. There are rounded arches, made of bricks, and layered with terracotta. This design was inspired by the basalt columns at Fingals cave in western Scotland. Inside the entrance, there is a large hall with a grand staircase that leads up to the second floor that houses the galleries. Albert Waterhouse’s artistic mind made him leave the bare iron and glass exposed to express the beauty of the building materials. The outer design comprising of terracotta was both for aesthetic purpose and practical reasons (Anderson, 2004 p5). The blue colour, of the terracotta designed in relief, portrays different plants and animals as well as offering protection from the c haracteristic Victorian acidic smog. The halls in the museum are high ceilinged creating a comfortable ambience for visitors. High above the halls, there is an exhibition of sorts in the form of panels that depict various species of plants from around the world. The painted panels, on the ceiling, are in dark shades, which make the ceiling appear lower than it is. This makes a person feel intimate with the room; the vast spaces do not overwhelm people. The lighting in the museum is cleverly done so as not cause reflective glares when viewing the exhibits. The light emanates from hidden lighting sources on the walls and panels for effect and for protecting the exhibits from

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Contract law Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Contract law - Coursework Example The paper defines a contract as an agreement between two parties or corporations that creates legally binding obligations and rights as pertains to the concerned entities. Contracts form the bulwark of communication, understanding and conducting business between two entities: individuals, or Business Corporation. Parties to a contract need to be very sure of the requirements of the contract and their stake in the endeavor, otherwise, they stand to lose financially extensively. This therefore means that for a contract to be sound: it has to involve two parties, there has to have been an agreement reached by the two parties and the contract must create legally binding rights and obligations. Litigation against a fellow passing by customer is invalid. To begin with, there is no contract arrived at by Arju and the fellow customer. Law defines their agreement as idem (mind agreement) but not a contract that is legally binding to both parties. This translates that litigation against the fe llow customer is null and void. This is since the customers’ information is not reliable and also the fellow customer has no duty of care towards Arju, this shield him from any litigation as a result of the information rendered to Arju and the consequences thereafter.Secondly, Arju cannot succeed in suing the fellow customer for compensation on the basis of caveat emptor (buyer beware). This is affirmed in a court ruling involving Smith v Hughes involving the sale of oats between the litigating parties. The plaintiff exhibited oats for the defendant to sample prior to the actual purchase and the defendant never complained. However, upon delivering the oats to the defendant, the defendant rejected them on the prospect that they were old and the plaintiff sued the defendant for compensation. In an appeal hearing, it was ruled that the seller acted in the best of interest and the buyer should have been aware of the shortfalls of contracts and not blame it on the seller. The cour t therefore revoked the litigation by the buyer. On this basis, by the fellow customer merely suggesting that Arju purchases the AK 47 water squirt as the ideal power washer, the liability for its non performance did not befall him. Arju should have been more careful and have adequate information on the best power washer and also be aware of the shortcomings of the power washer he was compelled to buy. It is evident that litigation against the fellow customer by Arju would not be successful2. A2. A sales assistant from the home decorating department who assures Arju that the store sells quality equipment, yet he has received over 200 faulty equipments in the past four hours Arju would successfully file litigation against the home decorating department assistant on the basis of misrepresentation. This is since the misrepresentation by the home decorating assistant has the four qualifications for a successful compensation to Arju as will be outlined. To begin with, the misrepresentati on was a statement. This statement is classified as a half truth as held by Lord Justice James in Arkwright v Newbold3 where he asserted that even if everything previously said is true but some information id left out, it qualifies to a false statement and consequently to misrepresentation. Even where the participants in the negotiations have no direct relationship with each other,