Sunday, August 18, 2019

Jewish Resistance Essay -- essays research papers

Jewish Resistance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We must first realize that resistance was in no way a survival strategy. Yet, even when it seemed obvious that death was near inevitable, why did they not put up a fight? This argument is still puzzling to many holocaust historians, yet the arguments of Raul Hilberg and Yehuda Bauer offer insight to possible reasons why they did not fight and that resistance was more widespread than most people think.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First of all we will look at Raul Hilberg’s â€Å"Two Thousand Years of Jewish Appeasement,† to give us possible reasons why Jews simply willing followed orders to their death. We must see the destruction in a way that has two role-players: the perpetrators and the victims. We will closely look at the role that Jews played in sealing their own fate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hilberg gives us five possible Jewish reactions to the situation they had been confronted with. First of all we will look at the possibility of resistance. It seems as though people would not willingly walk to their death, but 2000 years of appeasement was not easily changed. Along with the history of appeasement, the Jews were totally caught by surprise. They had little organization and so, could not put up a worthwhile fight even if they had wanted to. The SS also did a good job of mental warfare in that any resistance, no matter how significant, the perpetrators knew that the repercussions would affect the whole community and so it was hard to muster support for physical opposition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second reaction was Jewish attempt to make the struggle more of a mental battle than a physical one. They tried to avert the full plans of the German army by using written and oral appeals. Jews also tried to anticipate German wishes. The SS found that the ghettos could be very productive and tried to milk them for all they could. In this way, the Jews believed that if they were able to be productive, they would be spared long enough because of their economic value for help to arrive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another possible reaction is flight. Only a few thousand Jews escaped from the ghettos in Russia and Poland, and very few escaped from the camps. This was the most viable survival option and yet very few took it. Von dem Bach talked about an â€Å"unguarded escape route to the Pripet Mar... ...was extremely difficult for many reasons. First of all, although there were armed undergrounds in two of the camps, they never acted, and other than this it was impossible to get arms to stage a real resistance. Second of all, the victims were so malnourished that they could not put up any reasonable fight. And lastly, they were in no mental state to fight the SS. They were instead, fighting for their life every second of the day. They had in some ways given up on life and often times willing to obey all orders because it was the easiest way to do things.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My immediate reaction is, how could they not resist when they know they are going to die. But, it is easy to say what you would do looking back at the situation. In many cases I believe that they did resist in the best way they knew how. They fought for life and did that by any means necessary. Many times they felt as though if they prolonged their life, that soon enough they would be saved. This seems as a very reasonable thought, so in my opinion I believe that they did resist more than Hilberg gives them credit for, but I believe they did it from lessons they had learned from the past 2000 years.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

A History of the World in 6 Glasses Questions/AnswersA History of the World in 6 Glasses Questions/Answers Essay

1. Out of the six beverages, tea shows the strongest interplay of different civilizations. It is stated in that book that, â€Å"According to Chinese tradition, the first cup of tea was brewed by the emperor Shen Nung†(177). Tea was first popular in China, while it was the greatest empire in the world at the time. With this, China traded with many countries such as India, Japan, and Korea. It was inevitable that tea would spread to other cultures, the next being the Dutch. Tea was spread with Dutch doctors stating that tea was medical and could help people who were ill. On top of this, the European culture contributed an addition to the tea. They began drinking tea with milk. This became wildly popular there. â€Å"From the top of British society to the bottom, everyone was drinking tea†(196). This shows how accessible tea was to any individual of any class. Later on, the British brought their culture along with tea to America. 2. One continuity that occurred throughout the book was that each beverage is made from food or plant. For example, gruel is turned into beer when, â€Å"[it] was left sitting around for a couple of days underwent a mysterious transformation†¦the air fermented the sugar in the gruel into alcohol†(14-15). This exists because aside from water, every beverage is food or plant based, even in modern day. There are limitless possibilities of creations of drinks. Another continuity is that a few of the beverages are safer to drink than water. A reason why is because some are boiled. Boiling creates such extreme heat for many bacteria to survive in. For instance, tea is served hot because it is boiled. In addition, there are leaves in tea called â€Å"Camellia sinensis† (177) that kill some types of bacteria. 3. A practice that changed over time was the different beverages used for currency. For example, â€Å"The workers who built the pyramids were paid in beer†(37). This shows how common and known the drink was around that time. All people drank beer, including the children. It was known in the culture that beer was very healthy for them. Beer played a role in bringing the civilization more close and prosperous. Another practice was the way Mesopotamians kept their receipts. It began with, â€Å"tax receipts were initially kept in the form of tokens within clay â€Å"envelopes†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢(31). However, over time they changed their use tax receipts. They replaced the idea of tokens in clay envelopes with, â€Å"a tablet of wet clay, and to press the tokens into it to make the different-shaped impressions signifying barley, cattle, and so on†(32). This clearly shows their progress into becoming a better civilization. It also displays their growth and how advanced they were beginning to become. 4.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

The Theme of Games in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight The theme of games plays a very important role in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In fact, much of the action that takes place in this story revolves around the playing of various â€Å"games. † When one thinks of the word â€Å"games,† there are several thoughts that may come to mind. Sports, board games, and card games are all types of games that society today might be familiar with. The author of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight uses different kinds of games than the ones mentioned above.In the time of Sir Arthur and his court, the word â€Å"game† wasn’t as strongly associated with something pleasurable as it was meant to test one’s worthiness. When the Green Knight enters Arthur’s court and announces that he has come to ask â€Å" a Christmas game,† he has not come to play cards or scrabble, but instead has come to test the worthiness of someone in the court. â€Å"The â€Å" game† of exchanging gifts was very common in Germanic culture. If a man received a gift, he was obliged to provide the giver with a better gift or risk losing his honor, almost like an exchange of blows in a fight, or in a â€Å"beheading game† (Harwood).Many other games are involved in the plot of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Throughout the third section of the poem for example, we see Gawain's host's wife play games with Gawain. Gawain views his arrangement of trading with his host as a game (line 1380). Even from the beginning, the Knight plays a game of sorts with Arthur’s court by criticizing and almost taunting the court for failing to live up to its reputation:   Ã¢â‚¬Å"What, is this Arthur's house,† said that horseman then, â€Å"Whose fame is so fair in far realms and wide? Where is now your arrogance and your awesome deeds, our valor and your victories and your vaunting words? † (lines 308-311) Eventually the reader discovers all of t he events of the story are a game of Arthur's sister, Morgan Le Fay. Throughout the telling of the story it becomes evident that the author is playing a game with the mind of the reader. This essay will explore the theme of games in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight as well as how they might be connected. The foundation of the entire plot of the story begins with the â€Å"Christmas game† that the Green Knight has come to play with Arthur’s court. The court initially believes hat the mysterious knight has come for â€Å"contest bare† (line 277). When the Green Knight reveals that he will exchange one blow for another, it seems like it would be an easy victory for an opponent, seeing that no one expects the knight to survive after being beheaded with his own axe. Surprisingly, the knight picks up his severed head and leaves. This severely heightens the seriousness of Gawain's promise to let the knight have a blow at his own head in exactly one year. Arthur clearly downplays the importance of this promise, saying, â€Å"Now, sir, hang up your axe, and return to the feast† (Line 477).Arthur clearly tries to write off the importance of the contest before Gawain beheads the knight with his own axe, as if he foresees Gawain's eventual success: â€Å"Keep, cousin,† said the king, â€Å"what you cut with this day And if you rule it aright, then readily, I know, You shall stand the stroke it will strike after† (Lines 371-374). While neither Gawain nor the reader is aware of the game that is already occurring throughout the plot of the poem, this same game continues to unfold as Gawain arrives at the castle on Christmas Eve.Bercilak, who plays â€Å"host† to Gawain, continues to trick Gawain by not revealing that he is the Green Knight from Arthur's castle. He allows Gawain to stay at his castle, on the condition that anything acquired throughout the day as a result of staying there would be given to Bercilak as a gift. In return, anything that Bercilak acquired while hunting would be gifted to Gawain. We see another representation of Games within hunting, as hunting is sometimes viewed as a game in itself.Gawain sees this mutual exchange of things won over the course of the day as a game, although Bercilak describes this arrangement as a â€Å"covenant† (Line 1384). It also becomes apparent that the hosts’ wife is playing her own games with Gawain by sneaking into his quarters and trying to seduce him. It is at this point in the story in which Gawain breaks a major rule of the game by not telling Bercilak about the girdle, which supposedly holds magical powers that would prevent any harm from coming to Gawain.Gawain does not fail because he accepts the girdle, but rather because he fails to gift the girdle to Bercilak as something won throughout the course of the day. Since Gawain believes that the girdle would give him the power to survive the blow of the Green Knights’ axe, he fails to hand over his relic to his host. Before Gawain goes to bed on this third night of his stay, Bercilak reminds Gawain, â€Å"Every promise on my part shall be fully performed† (Line 1970).This is a hint to the reader that the host is already aware of the fact that Gawain decided not to share this girdle that was gifted to him. When Gawain finally leaves the castle and finds the Green Knight waiting to hold up his end of the bargain, the Green knight continues to play games with Gawain by â€Å"teasing† him with the axe. He stops at first after Gawain flinches and taunts him for moving. Once Gawain remains still and the Knight deals his blow, only scratching the neck of Gawain, the Green Knight reveals his true identity, as well as the identity of Morgan Le Fay.It is at this point the reader realizes that almost everything that has happened up to this point is just a part of an elaborate game. This game was designed at the hands of Morgan Le Fay to teach Gawain, as well as the other knights of Arthurs’ court, that even the most noble of knights are human and subject to failure at the hands of temptation. As Gawain returns still wearing the green girdle around his arm, it is evident that this game has also taught him another valuable lesson: the lesson of humility (Bennett).Gawain returns to Arthur’s court, still wearing the girdle in shame as a reminder to always follow the rules of the game. After Sir Gawain shares his tales of deceit and trickery, the other knights deem it appropriate to also wear green sashes as a reminder of the adventure that Gawain had. Finally, there are at least two more games that the author plays with the reader throughout Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The first and most obvious game is the fact that the author hides important information from the reader until the end, and then reveals this information.Such information includes but is not limited to the host's true identity, the reason for the â⠂¬Å"Christmas game,† and the fact that Gawain’s aunt, Morgan Le Fay, originated the game. While concealing this information is critical to the progression of the story, it still represents a more subtle game that is being played by the author. â€Å"A much more subtle game played by the author, however, is the way that the author sneaks moral instruction into a poem which, up until about the last three hundred lines, is almost purely entertainment†(Putter).The author clearly expresses to the reader that even Gawain, the noblest of knights, is human and subject to failings. Whether in the fourteenth century or today, the author’s message holds significant meaning. It is apparent that we are in fact all human, and at some point or another, subject to some type of failure. I believe that this is the message that the author of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight wanted to pass along to the reader. In conclusion, the theme of games is demonstrated in many different ways throughout Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.It is seen in the actions of the Green Knight and Morgan Le Fay towards Gawain. It is also evident that similar games are played between the author and the reader. All of these games tie together significantly to reveal what I believe is the key message of this poem: Regardless of social status, we are all human, we are all subject to temptation, and most importantly, we are all, at some point, almost certainly subject to failure. Works Cited 1. Harwood, Britton J. Gawain and the Gift,† PMLA 106. 3 (1991) pp. 483–99. 2. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Sixth Edition, Volume One. General Ed. M. H. Abrams. New York: Norton, 1993. 3. Bennett, Michael J. â€Å"The Historical Background† in A Companion to the Gawain-Poet. Derek Brewer and Jonathan Gibson, editors. Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 1997. pp. 71-90 4. Putter, Ad. An Introduction to the Gawain-poet. New York: Addison We sley Longman, 1996. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight The Theme of Games in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight The theme of games plays a very important role in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In fact, much of the action that takes place in this story revolves around the playing of various â€Å"games. † When one thinks of the word â€Å"games,† there are several thoughts that may come to mind. Sports, board games, and card games are all types of games that society today might be familiar with. The author of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight uses different kinds of games than the ones mentioned above.In the time of Sir Arthur and his court, the word â€Å"game† wasn’t as strongly associated with something pleasurable as it was meant to test one’s worthiness. When the Green Knight enters Arthur’s court and announces that he has come to ask â€Å" a Christmas game,† he has not come to play cards or scrabble, but instead has come to test the worthiness of someone in the court. â€Å"The â€Å" game† of exchanging gifts was very common in Germanic culture. If a man received a gift, he was obliged to provide the giver with a better gift or risk losing his honor, almost like an exchange of blows in a fight, or in a â€Å"beheading game† (Harwood).Many other games are involved in the plot of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Throughout the third section of the poem for example, we see Gawain's host's wife play games with Gawain. Gawain views his arrangement of trading with his host as a game (line 1380). Even from the beginning, the Knight plays a game of sorts with Arthur’s court by criticizing and almost taunting the court for failing to live up to its reputation:   Ã¢â‚¬Å"What, is this Arthur's house,† said that horseman then, â€Å"Whose fame is so fair in far realms and wide? Where is now your arrogance and your awesome deeds, our valor and your victories and your vaunting words? † (lines 308-311) Eventually the reader discovers all of t he events of the story are a game of Arthur's sister, Morgan Le Fay. Throughout the telling of the story it becomes evident that the author is playing a game with the mind of the reader. This essay will explore the theme of games in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight as well as how they might be connected. The foundation of the entire plot of the story begins with the â€Å"Christmas game† that the Green Knight has come to play with Arthur’s court. The court initially believes hat the mysterious knight has come for â€Å"contest bare† (line 277). When the Green Knight reveals that he will exchange one blow for another, it seems like it would be an easy victory for an opponent, seeing that no one expects the knight to survive after being beheaded with his own axe. Surprisingly, the knight picks up his severed head and leaves. This severely heightens the seriousness of Gawain's promise to let the knight have a blow at his own head in exactly one year. Arthur clearly downplays the importance of this promise, saying, â€Å"Now, sir, hang up your axe, and return to the feast† (Line 477).Arthur clearly tries to write off the importance of the contest before Gawain beheads the knight with his own axe, as if he foresees Gawain's eventual success: â€Å"Keep, cousin,† said the king, â€Å"what you cut with this day And if you rule it aright, then readily, I know, You shall stand the stroke it will strike after† (Lines 371-374). While neither Gawain nor the reader is aware of the game that is already occurring throughout the plot of the poem, this same game continues to unfold as Gawain arrives at the castle on Christmas Eve.Bercilak, who plays â€Å"host† to Gawain, continues to trick Gawain by not revealing that he is the Green Knight from Arthur's castle. He allows Gawain to stay at his castle, on the condition that anything acquired throughout the day as a result of staying there would be given to Bercilak as a gift. In return, anything that Bercilak acquired while hunting would be gifted to Gawain. We see another representation of Games within hunting, as hunting is sometimes viewed as a game in itself.Gawain sees this mutual exchange of things won over the course of the day as a game, although Bercilak describes this arrangement as a â€Å"covenant† (Line 1384). It also becomes apparent that the hosts’ wife is playing her own games with Gawain by sneaking into his quarters and trying to seduce him. It is at this point in the story in which Gawain breaks a major rule of the game by not telling Bercilak about the girdle, which supposedly holds magical powers that would prevent any harm from coming to Gawain.Gawain does not fail because he accepts the girdle, but rather because he fails to gift the girdle to Bercilak as something won throughout the course of the day. Since Gawain believes that the girdle would give him the power to survive the blow of the Green Knights’ axe, he fails to hand over his relic to his host. Before Gawain goes to bed on this third night of his stay, Bercilak reminds Gawain, â€Å"Every promise on my part shall be fully performed† (Line 1970).This is a hint to the reader that the host is already aware of the fact that Gawain decided not to share this girdle that was gifted to him. When Gawain finally leaves the castle and finds the Green Knight waiting to hold up his end of the bargain, the Green knight continues to play games with Gawain by â€Å"teasing† him with the axe. He stops at first after Gawain flinches and taunts him for moving. Once Gawain remains still and the Knight deals his blow, only scratching the neck of Gawain, the Green Knight reveals his true identity, as well as the identity of Morgan Le Fay.It is at this point the reader realizes that almost everything that has happened up to this point is just a part of an elaborate game. This game was designed at the hands of Morgan Le Fay to teach Gawain, as well as the other knights of Arthurs’ court, that even the most noble of knights are human and subject to failure at the hands of temptation. As Gawain returns still wearing the green girdle around his arm, it is evident that this game has also taught him another valuable lesson: the lesson of humility (Bennett).Gawain returns to Arthur’s court, still wearing the girdle in shame as a reminder to always follow the rules of the game. After Sir Gawain shares his tales of deceit and trickery, the other knights deem it appropriate to also wear green sashes as a reminder of the adventure that Gawain had. Finally, there are at least two more games that the author plays with the reader throughout Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The first and most obvious game is the fact that the author hides important information from the reader until the end, and then reveals this information.Such information includes but is not limited to the host's true identity, the reason for the â⠂¬Å"Christmas game,† and the fact that Gawain’s aunt, Morgan Le Fay, originated the game. While concealing this information is critical to the progression of the story, it still represents a more subtle game that is being played by the author. â€Å"A much more subtle game played by the author, however, is the way that the author sneaks moral instruction into a poem which, up until about the last three hundred lines, is almost purely entertainment†(Putter).The author clearly expresses to the reader that even Gawain, the noblest of knights, is human and subject to failings. Whether in the fourteenth century or today, the author’s message holds significant meaning. It is apparent that we are in fact all human, and at some point or another, subject to some type of failure. I believe that this is the message that the author of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight wanted to pass along to the reader. In conclusion, the theme of games is demonstrated in many different ways throughout Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.It is seen in the actions of the Green Knight and Morgan Le Fay towards Gawain. It is also evident that similar games are played between the author and the reader. All of these games tie together significantly to reveal what I believe is the key message of this poem: Regardless of social status, we are all human, we are all subject to temptation, and most importantly, we are all, at some point, almost certainly subject to failure. Works Cited 1. Harwood, Britton J. Gawain and the Gift,† PMLA 106. 3 (1991) pp. 483–99. 2. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Sixth Edition, Volume One. General Ed. M. H. Abrams. New York: Norton, 1993. 3. Bennett, Michael J. â€Å"The Historical Background† in A Companion to the Gawain-Poet. Derek Brewer and Jonathan Gibson, editors. Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 1997. pp. 71-90 4. Putter, Ad. An Introduction to the Gawain-poet. New York: Addison We sley Longman, 1996.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Costco Wholesale Corporation Essay

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates an international chain of membership warehouses, mainly under the â€Å"Costco Wholesale† name, that carry quality, brand name merchandise at substantially lower prices than the merchandise typically found at conventional wholesale or retail sources. The warehouses are designed to help small-to-medium-sized businesses reduce costs in purchasing for resale and for everyday business use. Individual consumers may also purchase for their personal needs. Costco’s business model depends on high sales volume coupled with quick inventory turnover. Costco operates as a membership warehouse that is based on the concept of offering members the lowest prices on a limited selection of national brands and select private-label products that cover a broad and wide range of categories. This business model is very appealing and appropriate for this type of chain and has many benefits. For one, quicker inventory turnover combined with efficient inventory management systems reduce Costco cost of selling goods. Quick inventory turnover combined with high sales volume allows Costco to sell and receive cash for goods before it has to pay for any of its merchandise, this allows Costco to finance a large percentage of its inventory through the payment terms provided by its vendors rather than having to maintain a sizeable working capital to pay for its merchandise . These saving in its operation enable Costco to pass these saving on to the consum er in the form of low prices. Another reason it’s appealing is because Costco targets high end products thus bringing in high-end consumers into its stores. Demographics and its product selection could be damaging for Costco. Costco’s main product selection choice is made up of large volume single size packaging such as canned goods, soft drinks are only sold in these large container quantities. This combined with its main demographic of individual members who are more affluent customers in the discount retailing sector could be a potential problem. Competitors like Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale offer goods or various degrees and varying sizes of products allows for more customers to want to shop at their stores to buy goods cause not everyone wants to buy a luxury item or a bulk sizes. The solution might be to offer more products at smaller quantities. This will allow more  buyers in who previously might not have shopped a Costco because they are divorced or have a smaller family or just single. Another are Costco could improve on is its direct buying relationships. As mentioned earlier Costco could ensure a stocking of certain items on their shelves so they can avoid stock outs and lose sales. To help its profit margin and reduce dependence on other manufacturers it could increase its brand Kirkland private brand products beyond to current 600 products. A final suggestion is that Costco could consider additional international expansion. They could place more warehouses in Canada. This is where they have been well received. It is the second largest revenue stream behind that of the United States. Costco’s internal environment can be analyzed to establish the core competencies to exploit market opportunities and avoid possible threats. Costco must combine this with the external environment factors to secure a successful long-term strategy. By analyzing their capabilities, using above methods Costco can determine their strengths. Many sight changes on external could have huge blow to Costco. For example, Suppliers can change the cost of inputs, such as when a strong union sets a high wage for a particular craft. If Costco allows the organic produce famers more power, then the farmers could force terms on Costco. This dependence increases if Costco does not have many other sources to supply the produce. Simple SWOT analysis may explain internal and external scan situation. Here are few point observed from Costco’s SWOT analysis. They seem to have great reputation in local neighborhood; customers tend to return to store, no big direct competition, lots of choice and great locations, Weaknesses would include: a lack of strong management team, handling perishable items geographical limitations The opportunities to develop a unique position in organic catering and to grow the business are examples of the opportunities available for Costco. Threats include some of the following: competition, state of the economy dealing with perishable items weather including natural disasters Costco’s External environment strategies are based on firm’s ability to foresee future business environment and trends based on industries, economy, and political factors. External environment analyze is key for any company to execute its strategies to meet its performance and profitability. â€Å"Despite the uncertainty and dynamic nature of the business environment, an assessment process that narrows, even if it does not precisely define, future expectations is of substantial value to strategic managers† (Pearce II & Robinson , Jr, 2009). In today’s society a business needs to be unique and offer a one of a kind value to keep its customers coming in and purchasing its products. An industry such as retail can experience at times high growth what sets Costco apart from its competitors to gain an competitive advantage is its three components of the company’s strategy that were mentioned earlier, low pricing, limited selection and treasure-hunt merchandising. Is this enough to ensure that future prospects will purchase items at your store? Costco’s main competitors are Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale and both are similar to Costco’s way of doing business. Costco is exceeding both Sam’s Club and BJ’s in terms of net sales and market share. Nevertheless, Sam’s Club has recognized its market share and is aggressively launching new initiatives to grow its sales and market share. One way they plan to increase its market share is by emphasizing new products for the home instead of products for small businesses. They also are using national TV ads to make consumer more aware of their stores. They also are attracting a new group of prospective buyers by setting up a collegiate membership. BJ differentiates its self from both Costco and Sam’s Club by offer a wide range of items in fact  7,300. Another way they differ from the competition is they offer aisle markets and express lanes, and low cost video-based sales aids to help make the shopping experience better.

Naked Economics Essay

Chapter 1: The Power of Markets †¢What are the two basic assumptions that economists make about individuals and firms? †¢What is the role and significance of prices in the market economy? †¢What’s so great about a market economy anyway? Market allocation 3 / Assume rational utility-maximizers 6 / Opportunity costs 9 / Profit max 11 / Prices allocate resources 12 / Barriers to entry 14 / Market price, pricing decision & price discrimination 15 / Lessons of markets 18 Chapter 2: Incentives Matter †¢Explain how each of the following relates to efficient outcomes in a market economy: -adverse selection -â€Å"perverse incentives† -principal-agent problem, -the prisoner’s dilemma. Wrong incentives lead to undesirable outcomes 23 / Creative destruction 36 / Tax & govt program disincentives 38 Chapter 3: Government and the Economy †¢In your own words, explain what an externality is. †¢Besides addressing externalities, what other important and beneficial roles does government play in our market economy? Externalities 43 / Govt solutions to externalities 48 / Govt makes market economy possible – rights, laws / regulations 51 / Public goods 57 / Redistribution 59 Chapter 4: Government and the Economy II †¢What are the main reasons why government should only take a limited role in a market economy? Govt inefficiency 63 / Govt allocation vs private allocation 67 / Effects of regulation 69 / Effects of taxation 74 / Summary 78 Chapter 5: Economics of Information Wheelan explains that basic economic models assume that all parties have â€Å"perfect information.† How does â€Å"informational asymmetry† undermine our market economy? Adverse selection 81 / Firm screening 89 / Branding provides information 90 / Branding versus commodities 92 / Signaling mechanisms 93 Chapter 6: Productivity and Human Capital †¢After reading Wheelan’s argument, do you agree that Bill Gates should be so much richer than you? †¢Evaluate the following statement from p. 113: â€Å"We should not care about the gap between rich and poor as long as everybody is living better.† Human capital 98 / Job creation 103 / Effects of human capital on standard of living 105 / Productivity 107 / Income inequality 111 Chapter 7: Financial Markets †¢Explain how get-rich-quick schemes violate the most basic principles of economics. †¢What advice about investing in the stock market did you find most interesting and/or useful? Purposes of financial instruments 118 / Efficient markets & index funds 126 / Investment guidelines 132 Chapter 8: The Power of Organized Interests †¢Why have mohair farmers earned a subsidy from the federal government for  decades? Interest groups & politicians’ incentives 137 / Some regulations benefit business 142 / Tyranny of the status quo 144 Chapter 9: Keeping Score †¢Why is a nation’s GDP a good measure of its economic well-being and progress? †¢Why is a nation’s GDP a poor measure of its economic well-being and progress? GDP: importance, real vs nominal, per capita 150 / GDP growth & wage growth 152 / GDP misses social progress 154 / Recessions 156 / Fiscal & monetary policy 158 / Other â€Å"vital signs†: unemployment, poverty, inequality, govt budget, deficit, current acct, national savings, demographics 160 Chapter 10: The Federal Reserve †¢What is the primary role of the Federal Reserve? †¢What is the significance of this role? †¢What is deflation, and why is it worse than inflation? Importance of Fed 168 / Easy money causes inflation 170 / FOMC & monetary policy tools 172/ Difficulty of policy decision-making 175 / Money 176 / Inflation & effects 179 / Political pressure to allow inflation 182 / Deflation 184 Chapter 11: Trade and Globalization †¢What is the â€Å"good news about Asian sweatshops†? Benefits of trade 187 / Comparative advantage & specialization 190 / Losers from trade 191/ Protectionism 193 / Trade raises real incomes 195 / Trade benefits for poor countries 196 / Cultural homogenization 199 / Sweatshops 201 Chapter 12: Development Economics †¢After reading this chapter, what do you believe are the two greatest obstacles preventing poor countries from becoming rich? Importance of policies (vs resources) 206 / Effective development policies 208 / Exchange rates 217 / IMF 225 Epilogue: Life in 2050 †¢What economic question do you have about life in 2050? About today’s economy? About life in general?

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Business Theory Comparison Essay -- Business

2. A solely profit based business model would define stockholder theory in which the paramount goal of the business is to produce the most earnings for their stockholders. Prioritizing profits over a positive public image Goldman Sachs becomes an excellent example of stockholder theory. Entitlement and Desert theory can be used to support stockholder theory. 3. When stock is purchased in a company that person is entitled to the profits or loses that those shares in stock are worth, entitlement theory supports stockholder theory in which stockholders are entitled to reap the benefits of stock as long as it has been purchased justly. Desert theory states that if the action is morally right, then the person should be able to reap the benefits and take the loses. Stockholder theory supports this as being a stockholder in a company is morally accepted, but if an unethical act is preformed in buy or selling stock Desert Theory would not support Stockholder Theory. When Martha Stewart was arrested for insider trading she demonstrated that doing an in-moral act voids Desert Theory. 4. Stockholder theory revolves around pleasing one stakeholder, the stockholders; Stakeholder Theory broadens up that view to try and please all of the stakeholders. The Ben and Jerry's company was a good example of Stakeholder Theory as they kept the pay differences between the CEO and lowest paid worker to only ten fold. Utilitarianism and Virtue Ethics Theory can be used to suppon company and benefit from the earnings that stock can bring. 9. Stockholder and Stakeholder Theory being vastly different become the extremes on a business ethics spectrum, between these lie the Kantian Minimum view and Rawlsian Position. Kantian Minimum view lies closer to Stockholder view, but the main difference is to not treat any stakeholder group as a mere means to a end. The Rawlsian Position lies closer to Stakeholder view in which life is not fair, but if you did not have knowledge in what position you would be in, you would choose the situation that would benefit your best interest. Upon overview of the four views the Rawlsian Position would be most ethically justified. It is benefiting from net happiness in which there is no vast difference between stakeholder groups, and there is also room for promotion between groups as all stakeholders are not even.

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Project management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 19

Project management - Essay Example People must be able to communicate with the app users. Additionally, the information that is available on the app must correspond to the location where the pet is located. As there are pets constantly in certain areas moving in and out of shelters and are eligible for adoption, it will be necessary to constantly update the app. A project manager must be able to collect all of the information and may require a substantial amount of the work to be delegated in order to become established with adoption locations to see what pets are up for adoption. It can be a tedious task for the project manager but without this information, the app is useless to the user. For the app to be most useful to a user, it must be easy to navigate. Less text and more pictures. They must be able to have an experience they do not forget. However, with this app in mind, it is likely that once a person uses the app and adopts the pet, that they will likely not ever use it again but only relay the message on to someone else that it exists. Everyone working on the ap p must communicate so that all information is dispersed and fresh information is updated constantly with this type of mobile app. This will take around the clock updates. The people who want to know about the app will be the people that use it. It can be announced via social media networking and information about the app will be dispersed at the participating pet adoption centers, making it easier for people to recognize that their local animal shelter is cooperating in order for a successful adoption