What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver Essay

What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver The short story What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, by Raymond Carver, is about two married couples drinking gin and having a talk about the nature of love. The conversation is a little sloppy, and the characters make some comments which could either be meaningless because of excessive alcohol in the bloodstream, or could be the characters' true feelings because of excessive alcohol in the bloodstream. Overall, the author uses this conversation to show that when a relationship first begins, the people involved may have misconceptions about their love, but this love will eventually die off or develop into something much more meaningful.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The author sets the scene with the two couples sitting around a table drinking gin and making small talk. The real story begins when the topic of love comes up. Terri, Mel's wife, was once married to an abusive man, who '...went on dragging me (Terri) around the living room. My head kept knocking on things.... What do you do with love like that?.... People are different, Mel. Sure, sometimes he may have acted crazy. Okay. But he loved me. In his own way maybe, but he loved me.'; (pp 110-111) To the reader, it seems hard to believe that there could be love in a relationship where one partner physically abuses the other. However, in Terri's case, both Terri and her ex-husband felt that they were in love. This coincides with the author's theme that early on in a r... What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver Essay What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver The short story What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, by Raymond Carver, is about two married couples drinking gin and having a talk about the nature of love. The conversation is a little sloppy, and the characters make some comments which could either be meaningless because of excessive alcohol in the bloodstream, or could be the characters' true feelings because of excessive alcohol in the bloodstream. Overall, the author uses this conversation to show that when a relationship first begins, the people involved may have misconceptions about their love, but this love will eventually die off or develop into something much more meaningful.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The author sets the scene with the two couples sitting around a table drinking gin and making small talk. The real story begins when the topic of love comes up. Terri, Mel's wife, was once married to an abusive man, who '...went on dragging me (Terri) around the living room. My head kept knocking on things.... What do you do with love like that?.... People are different, Mel. Sure, sometimes he may have acted crazy. Okay. But he loved me. In his own way maybe, but he loved me.'; (pp 110-111) To the reader, it seems hard to believe that there could be love in a relationship where one partner physically abuses the other. However, in Terri's case, both Terri and her ex-husband felt that they were in love. This coincides with the author's theme that early on in a r...

Tablet Computer Market Analysis (Economics)

EC180 Economics Assignment Tablet Computers Market Table of Contents Table of Contents2 Brief Introduction3 1. Factors affecting Demand4 2. Price and Income Elasticity6 3. Price Discrimination8 4. Fixed and Variable costs9 5. Scale Economies10 7. Market Structure12 8. Barriers to Entry13 Summary and Conclusion14 References14 Brief Introduction In this report, the market of ‘Tablet Computers’ will be analysed. ‘A  tablet computer is a complete  mobile computer, larger than a mobile phone or  personal digital assistant, integrated into a flat  touch screen  and primarily operated by touching the screen’ Editors PC magazine (2010).These products are gaining increased popularity in today’s world. Apple, Microsoft and Lenova are already in this market, with Apple’s popular product, the ‘I pad’ leading the market share. This relatively new market `will be thoroughly investigated using various microeconomic theories and findings . 1. Factors affecting Demand In economics, demand is defined by  the desire to own anything, the ability to pay for it, and the willingness to pay (Sullivan & Sheffrin,2003a) The diagram below shows the demand curve. Factors affecting demand would cause a shift in the demand curve.An increase in demand will cause an outward shift to the demand curve (D1 > D2), thus increasing the market equilibrium price. A decrease in demand on the other hand will cause an inward shift of the demand curve ( D1 > D3), decreasing the market equilibrium price. The diagram proves the ‘Law of Demand’ which states that quantity demanded for a good decreases as the prices increases. The following are the factors that affect the demand of a good or service. * Price * Income * Substitutes: Price of substitutes * Trend * Number of consumers in the market/ populationPrice: One of the main factors affecting demand would be the Price of the product or service. There is an inverse relationship be tween the price of the product and it’s quantity demanded. As the â€Å"Law of Demand† says, the quantity demanded for a product decreases as it’s price increases. Therefore the higher the price of tablet computers the lower the quantity demanded. Income: Another major factor which affects the demand for a good would be consumers’ income. The higher the income, the higher the demand as consumers will have more disposable income.Tablet computers are a relatively pricey and a luxurious good, therefore only consumers with a relatively high income will be able to afford them. Price of substitutes: The price of substitutes of this product would also be a factor affecting the demand for the product. A substitute good offers the same services to the consumer as good A, if the price of a substitute good would increase, the demand for the original good would increase as consumers want to pay the least they can for the same product. Therefore an increase in the pri ce of for e. g. Laptops would cause an increase in the demand for Tablet computers. 2.Price and Income Elasticity Price elasticity of demand measures the relationship between a change in quantity demanded and a change in the Price. It shows the percentage change in quantity demanded caused by a percentage change in price. This can show the extent of movement along the demand curve. PED = % Change in quantity demanded % Change in price There are a number of factors which can influence the price elasticity of a good: Availability of substitutes- One major factor of influencing the price elasticity of a good would be the availability of its substitutes. The greater the availability, the greater the elasticity.The availability of substitutes like Laptops and Desktops in this market is quite high, therefore tablet computers have a high price elasticity. Necessity or Luxury- Luxury products tend to have a greater elasticity as consumers don’t actually ‘need’ them. Neca ssity products on the other hand like ‘tobbacco’ or ‘petrol’ for certain consumers can have a very low elasticity as consumers will be willing to pay a higher price. Tablet computers are a luxurious good, therefore they have a greater price elasticity than for example petrol which could be regarded as a ‘neccassity’ good in today’s world for certain consumers.Proportion of income required by the item – The higher the proportion of income required by the product, the higher the elasticity will tend to be. This is because consumers will be more careful and hesitant to purchase a good which would acquire the majority of their disposable income. The price of tablet computers can range from around ? 300 to ? 650. Income elasticity of demand  measures the relationship between a change in quantity demanded and a change in income. It is measured by the following formulae: YED = % Change in quantity demanded % Change in consumer’s income Normal goods’ have a positive income elasticity of demand, this means that an increase in income will lead to an increase the quantity demanded as well. ‘Inferior goods’ on the other hand have a negative income elasticity of demand. An increase in income will lead to a fall in the quantity demanded for the product/service. Tablet computers are a normal good therefore it will have a positive income elasticity of demand. They can also be considered a luxorious good therefore the demand responds by rising more than proportionate to a change in income. The income elasticity of demand ill be more than +1 so demand for tablet computers would be elastic relative to income. 3. Price Discrimination As cited by Krugman (2003b, p142) ‘Price discrimination exists when sales of identical goods or services are transacted at different  prices  from the same provider. ’ Firms often use price discrimination as a method of maximizing profits. However there are two main conditions for discriminatory pricing to work 1) Differences in the Price elasticity of Demand between markets: There must be a different price elasticity of demand from each group of consumers.Firms can then charge a higher price to the group with a price inelastic demand and a relatively lower price on the other hand to the group with a more price elastic demand. 2) Barriers to prevent consumers to switch suppliers: There must be certain barriers to prevent consumers from switching from one supplier to another if the other supplier is offering the same good at a lower price. One common price discrimination method the firm could use for the sale of tablet computers would be the ‘third degree (multi-market) Price discrimination.This method involves charging different prices for the same product in different segments of the market, it is linked directly to consumers’ willingness and ability to pay for a good or service. The market can be separated by geogra phy, so a higher price can be charged to overseas markets if demand is more price inelastic than in home. In today’s knowledge world, many firms use the internet to price discriminate. Many websites can gather enough information about consumers and their buying habits to give sellers an opportunity for discriminatory pricing.One example of this would be Dell, ‘which charges different prices for the same product on its web pages, often depending on whether the buyer is a state or local government, or a small business. ’ In this case the same method can be applied to the sale of the tablet computers. 4. Fixed and Variable costs Fixed costs are costs to a business that are constant, they do not vary with the quantity of product/service produced. Variable costs are costs to a business that actually do vary with the quantity of product/service product. Fixed + Variable costs = Total costs Fixed costs: * Land purchased for production of goods, for e. . an industrial fa ctory * Salaries of staff paid on monthly rates, independent of how many hours the employees work. * Advertising: Marketing Campaign for launch of product. * Electrical equipment like lighting or air conditioning which may be kept running even in periods of low activity. Variable costs: * Cost of Raw materials * Salaries of staff paid on an hourly basis, hours can be varied therefore it is a variable cost. * Electrical equipment, as the company grows, the more the plant will be run therefore more electricity will get used which makes this a variable cost. 5. Scale EconomiesEconomies of scale in economics, refers to the cost advantages that an enterprise obtains due to expansion. A firm can experience reduced averaged costs in the long run by increasing output or ‘expansion’. There are 5 types of internal economies of scale. 1. Technical: Only large firms can afford to invest into expensive quality machinery. This makes them more cost effective by making use of large sca le capital technology which brings down cost per unit. New entrants generally don’t have that much capital to start off with, therefore suffer with high production costs and lower efficiency. . Purchasing: This is when firms buy large quantity of raw materials and get them in a lower cost per unit. Large firms in this market like Apple can buy their raw materials in bulk and get discounts from suppliers, thus achieving low production costs. 3. Financial: Larger firms are usually believed to be more trust worthy by the financial markets. They are able to negotiate cheaper finance deals and therefore get better deals at banks. Banks prefer to do business with larger experienced firms as they usually take a bigger loan therefore banks get a bigger interest.Smaller banks on the other hand can face higher rates of interest on loans. 4. Marketing: Large firms can afford the most effective and expensive types of Marketing whereas new entrant firms could find it difficult to raise en ough capital to compete with promotional and marketing methods. At times, incumbent firms can deliberately invest heavily on advertising making it difficult for the new entrants to survive in the market. This is known as ‘market power theory of advertising’ (Moffatt,2008)  . 5. Managerial: Large businesses can have specialist managers in every area.This can lead to much more efficiency therefore lower costs. The market for Tablet computers has an oligopolistic market structure, where a few large firms dominate the market (this is explained in further detail in section 7 of this report). Therefore large firms like Apple, IBM and Microsoft will enjoy the benefits of Economies of scale to a high extent making it difficult for new entrants to survive in the market. 6. Minimum efficient scale and Diseconomies of Scale The minimum efficient scale achieves production of a good at the lower possible point on it’s LRAC curve.Long run average costs are minimized at this point, and it is not possible for the firm to produce the good at any lower cost. The efficiency is maximized at this point. The MES can be used to determine the most likely market structure of the market. For example, if the MES is small compared to the overall size of the market, then will then be a large number of firms in the market. The market will be more contestable and firms would behave in more of a perfectly competitive manner. (Carlton and Perloff, 2005) Diseconomies of scale occur when a business grows so large that the costs per unit increase.This often only happens in extremely large scale production. A business can experience difficulty in communication as it expands. There are more workers and more managers. Communication has to be passed down many levels of hierarchy; therefore messages can be distorted leading to workers being unsure of what they have to do. Multi-national firms have production in different countries which also makes communication more difficult wi thin the business. To avoid this problem very large businesses often de-merge and break themselves into smaller units.Workers down the order can feel demotivated playing a small role in a very large firm. They can feel unimportant which eventually leads to more sick days off and therefore decreasing efficiency of labour. In the case for the tablet computer market, there are already very large incumbent firms like Apple and Microsoft who have grown and diversified themselves into different markets. These firms are so large that it is likely that they have diseconomies of scale. New entrants can therefore see this as an opportunity. The diagram below illustrates Economies and Diseconomies of scale.It is however important to understand that not all firms will experience diseconomies of scale. Therefore it is possible the LRAC (Long Run Average Costs) curve is just downward sloping. 7. Market Structure Market structure are the competitive characteristics of the market. They are used to determine the potential for profits and market efficiency. There are four main types of market structures:  perfect competition,  monopoly,oligopoly, and  monopolistic competition. ’ The market structure of a firm is determined by various factors.A summary of the four basic types of markets in and their key characteristics is shown below using this table. Charectristics| Perfect Competition| Oligopoly| Monopoly| Monopolistic Competition| Number of firms| Many| Few| One| Many| Type of product| Homogenous| Differentiated | Limited| Differentiated| Barriers to entry| None| High| High | None| Economic Efficiency| High | Low | Low | Low| After analysing the tablet computer market and its characteristics, the market structure of tablet computers seems to be oligopolistic. An oligopoly is a market structure in which a market is dominated by a small number of sellers.The tablet computer market currently seems to be dominated by large firms like Apple, Lenova/IBM, HP who own a l arge percentage of the market share. As mentioned earlier in this report, the barriers to entry in this market are fairly high which is one of the characteristics of an oligopolistic market. At the moment, 8. Barriers to Entry Barriers to entry are obstacles that make it difficult for new entrants to enter the market. The higher the barriers to entry, the lower the threat of competition. The main barriers for the tablet computers market would be the following: 1.Economies of Scale: As mentioned previously in Section 5 of this report, economies of scale could also be a barrier to entry in this market. Large incumbent firms like Apple and Microsoft have significant cost advantages which allow them to produce their tablet computers at lower costs than small or new entrant firms. Therefore new entrants would have lower profit margins making it difficult to survive in the market. 2. Customer Loyalty: Another advantage the incumbent firms would have in this market would be having customer loyalty.Large firms like Apple and Microsoft already have existing customers in the market who are loyal to their brand. Especially with the presence of Apple which definitely has high customer loyalty. This would make it extremely difficult for a new firm to enter the market as many of the consumers would still rather stick a trust and more experience brand. 3. Sunk Costs: One major barrier to entry would be the existence of ‘Sunk Costs’ in this market. Sunk costs are the costs to a business which cannot be regained when exiting a market.A new entrant to the tablet computers market would have to invest heavily in Advertising and Promotion methods. In case the firm doesn’t succeed and decided to exit the market, the cost of this investment cannot be retrieved. The sunk costs involved in this market could be high due to large incumbent firms like Microsoft and Apple’s existence. 4. Advertising – Apart from advertising being a sunk cost, it can also play another role in make it difficult for new entrants. This was explained in Section 5 of this report ( Market power theory of advertising ) 5. Patents Summary and ConclusionThe market for tablet computers is an oligopolistic market. Large firms like Apple, HP an IBM seem to be owning the majority of the market share which could it make it very difficult for new firms to enter and survive in the market. The market is also relatively elastic which could limit profits. In addition the existence of high barriers to entry and economies of scale benefits enjoyed by incumbent firms will not help new entrants. Price discrimination is possible for this product, however only to a certain extent. References Carlton D. and Perloff M, â€Å"Modern Industrial Organization† Fourth Edition, 2005 Editors PC Magazine. Definition of: tablet computer†. PC Magazine. Accessed April 17, 2010. Krugman, Paul R. ;  Maurice Obstfeld  (2003). â€Å"Chapter 6: Economies of Scale, Imperfect Competition and International Trade†. International Economics – Theory and Policy  (6th ed. ). p. 142. Sullivan, Arthur; Steven M. Sheffrin (2003a). Economics: Principles in action. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458: Pearson Prentice Hall. pp. 79. Sullivan, arthur; Steven M. Sheffrin (2003b). Economics: Principles in action. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458: Pearson Prentice Hall. pp. 157.

Ethics of Marketing to Schools in America Essay

Public schools across America are struggling with their budgets and looking to outside corporations for help. Conveniently, private corporations realize the potential buying power of students and have decided that elementary schools are the best channel to reach them. It has become routine for corporations to market there products in schools, and in exchange these schools receive various financial benefits. This new partnership has become the focus of much controversy as 80% of Americans feel that corporations should have no place in schools (). The two most cited concerns are the health of children and the growing commercialization of schools. This paper looks at this issue in detail by answering the following two questions. Is it ethical for corporations to market products in schools? What is the most socially responsible course of action for corporations to take? This paper will use a utilitarian and distributive justice framework to prove that marketing in schools is unethical and propose that the most ethical arrangement is to make schools commercial-free zones. This paper will also discuss the issue of corporate social responsibility through shareholder and stakeholder lenses to prove that there is a strong business case for corporations to? Children in schools are marketed to in a variety of ways. Schools can participate in incentive programs where a school receives funds to take part in a specific activity such as collecting box tops (). Some corporations offer free educational materials to schools that promote their corporate message. Pepsi encourages a â€Å"thirst for knowledge† on a popular textbook cover(). Each year over half of the students in schools in the United States receive free textbook covers(). McDonalds, Burger King and Dominos sponsor reading projects in schools with free meals(). Other schools receive free electronic equipment like computers and satellites for participating in programs like channel one. This is an arrangement where school receive free electronic equipment for having their students watch a 10 minute broadcast of which 2 minutes are corporate sponsored commercials (). All of these marketing techniques pose there own unique ethical dilemmas, however the most controversial type of marketing in schools today is the use of exclusive agreements. This is when corporations give schools a percentage of their profits in exchange for the right to be the sole provider of a product or a service(). The most prominent example of this is the soft drink company, Coca-Cola and their exclusive distribution rights with schools. As a result, Coca-Cola advertisements have become the most visible types of advertisements in schools today (). A US National School Health Policies study found that students could purchase soft drinks in 60% of elementary schools and 83% of middle schools (). Of these schools over 85% were under an exclusive contract with the Coca-Cola company (). For the aforementioned reasons the remainder of this paper will use the soft drink giant Coca Cola as a symbol to make it easier to understand the larger debate of marketing in elementary schools. A deontological framework can not determine whether this issue is ethical or unethical. In 1990 under $100 million was spent on advertising targeted at kids, just a decade later that number was up more than twenty times to over $2 billion (). This large increase in spending indicates that there is a strong motivation for corporations to market to youth. One way to determine if marketing in schools is ethical is to deconstruct these motivations through a deontological framework. The motivation for companies to market in schools could be a philanthropic opportunity to contribute to education. However, I do not believe this because companies like Coca-Cola make schools sign exclusive agreements, which means that they block competition and are profitable. I believe the main motive for companies to market to youth is to make money. Marketing to students in schools is an effective strategy as it reaps both short and long term rewards. Children in elementary schools have a lot of spending power. Kids ages 4-12 spend $40 billion each year (). Furthermore, these same kids influence $600 billion of household spending (). It is wise for companies to try to earn a share of this large market. Surprisingly, the sales of sodas in schools account for a miniscule slice of soda sales worldwide, less than 1 percent of soda’s 66billion dollar industry (). Clearly profit in the short run is not the main motivating factor for companies like Coca-Cola. Marketing in public elementary school promises long run benefits. Soft drink companies can create brand loyalty with their consumers at an early age. In other words, they foster and retain a captive audience for its products. If you consider the cutthroat competition among soft drink makers for customers, this brand loyalty becomes a vital business pursuit. A deontological framework can better help us deconstruct the ehics of marketing to youth purely for financial reasons. Specifically, this paper will employ some of W. D. Ross’ duties. It can be argued that marketing in schools violates the duty of non-malefiicence (to do no harm). Some children will substitute a nutritious meal for a sugar laden soda. That is harmful to their health. Marketing in schools also violates the duty of gratitude. It does not thank customers for their business by protecting their health. Instead, companies like Coca-Cola continue to aggressively market their unhealthy product to vulnerable youth. On the other hand, if one considers a corporation a person, then a corporation fulfils Ross’s duty of self-improvement by marketing in schools. It improves its own condition by increasing its profits in the short and the long run. Additionally, if a company honestly abides by the contract it signs with a school then it is upholding Ross’s duty of fidelity. The framework of deontology is inadequate to determine the ethics of marketing in schools because it presents us with conflicting duties and no hierarchy to put them into. There is an incompatible difference between the various duties. However, this situation did not become controversial simply because some believe that a corporation might have bad ethics, instead people are worried about the consequences of marketing in schools. A utilitarian framework shows us that marketing in schools is unethical. Marketing in elementary school is controversial because it offers many direct benefits to schools, but negatively impact students. Through a utilitarian framework this paper will deconstruct the pros and cons of the scenario to determine whether marketing in schools is ethical. This paper will conduct a cost-benefit analysis to determine what results in the greatest good for the greatest number of people. The main players that benefit in this scenario are schools, shareholders of the Coca-Cola company, and employees. All of these players benefit in financial terms. Vending machines are a valuable source of revenue for schools. They support programs that might otherwise go unfunded. Elementary schools have reason to be concerned about their finances, the state of California cut the elementary school budget by $10 billion dollars in 2003 (). If a school district signs an exclusive contract with a soft-drink company it can generate an additional $3 million per year (). School districts receive all of this money for virtually no additional work on there part. This is why the cliche that: â€Å"one day our schools will have all the money they need, and the Air Force will have to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber† could become true (). Company shareholders benefit in the long run if we assume that marketing in schools create brand loyalty among consumers. Company employees also benefit from the sales of sodas in schools, simply because their company is continuing to be competitive in the marketplace and provide work for them. However, the positive impact of selling sodas in schools impacts company employees considerably less than other players in this scenario, because these employees will not be receiving a pay raise as a result of this practice. While there are some positive effects of marketing in schools, I feel that the cons greatly outweigh the benefits. Students bear the burden of the negative effects of marketing in schools. Marketing to youth perpetrates problems of childhood obesity, materialism, eating disorders, violence, and family stress (). This is especially problematic because children are more cognitively immature and prone to believe that products marketed in school carry their school’s endorsement. For instance, if a school sells soda it signifies that it is acceptable to consume drinks that are high in sugar and have poor nutritional quality. A child’s health is not an acceptable trade-off for increased revenues. Childhood obesity is an epidemic in America. One-quarter of children in the United States are overweight which means they are at risk for lifelong health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and cavities (). Competitors also suffer in this scenario because ? exclusive agreements’ create a monopoly on a school and therefore promote unfair competition and can charge whatever price they want. The difficulty of examining ethics from a utilitarian perspective is that is impossible to predict the future. It is not clear how much the financial revenue schools gain from executive agreements helps them to fulfill their purpose of teaching. It is also not clear how high the correlation is between marketing in schools and negative outcomes like obesity. What is known is that most of the negative consequences (and there are a lot of them) fall on the shoulders of the students. Having the burden of this issue fall on the shoulders of millions of students nationwide is bad for society as a whole. Children need to be educated in a healthy atmosphere so that they can become productive members of society one day. It is detrimental to the future if children are not provided with the best learning environment possible. The best learning environment possible is one that is free from commercial influences. The Distributive Justice framework shows that monopolies are unethical. According to John Rawls we should determine ethical dilemmas like whether marketing in schools is ethical by making the decision from behind a â€Å"veil of ignorance. † The distributive justice framework tries to ensure that the interests of the worst off in society are considered. According to this theory, students well-being should be put before business interests because students are the most vulnerable group in this scenario. However, there is an inherent conflict of interest within this framework. Corporations believe that marketing in schools is ethical because they are exercising their 1st amendment right to free speech. Everybody has this right, thus they are utilizing the equal liberty principle: equal rights to liberties as long as all may be provided such liberties. The problem is that not even all corporations are being provided the liberty of free speech. As previously mentioned Coca Cola has an exclusive agreement with 85% of elementary schools in America, this is just a nice way to say that Coca Cola has a monopoly on the elementary school market (). Companies that engage in exclusive distributive contracts are trying to block competitors. They can not justify this action on the ground that they need to do this to spur innovation, they want a monopoly so they can control the school market. Thus the difference principle comes into play because the inequality that these companies are creating in the market place needs to be addressed. The most ethical thing to do is to make schools commercial free zones. Marketing in schools is unethical. The most ethical thing to do is to make elementary schools commercial-free zones. Students should be able to pursue learning free of commercial influences and pressures. Eighty percent of adults in the United States agree that schools should be commercial-free zones as well (). While this may be the most ethical course of action, it seems highly unlikely as marketing in schools has become entrenched. Schools continually need more money and the government is unable to provide it. If marketing in schools must continue at the very least it should be regulated. It does not seem probable that the industry will regulate itself, so it should be subject to more government oversight. Right now there is very little the government has done to restrict marketing in schools. Laws forbidding it are perceived to be a breach of the 1st amendment. A study found that only nineteen states currently have statues or regulations that address school-related commercial activities (). This number includes states that have statues that encourage commercial activities. The government should establish an independent commission to regulate marketing in public schools. This agency should make regulations that encourage schools to provide a healthy learning environment for students. The agency could regulate the sale of foods high in fat, sodium, and sugars. For example, it could decide that vending machines can not be stocked with sodas; however juices (100%) and water could still be sold. There would be greater social acceptance of this issue if it were implemented more appropriately. The business case for CSR prevails. This paper has established that the most ethical thing for corporations to do is to stop marketing to students in schools, or at the very least to regulate what they market to children. If a company were to stop marketing to children for the aforementioned ethical considerations it would be following a normative line of reasoning. The company would be interested in doing the right thing for society with little regard for how the proposition would effect its own bottom line. While I would applaud its efforts on a moral basis, this would be a very poor reason to engage in Corporate Social Responsibility. There needs to be a business incentive for corporations to engage in Corporate Social Responsibility. A company has to be successful financially if it is going to survive in the long run. However, there is always a business case for corporate social responsibility with respect to companies that sell consumer products. In the long run the closer a company aligns with the values of society the more successful it will be. Good ethics and good business are mutually reinforcing. In this case 80% of society wants commercial-free schools or at least commercialism that is regulated. It is socially responsible for a company to accommodate the wishes of society because it is in their long run interest to build a good reputation. A company like Coca-cola may be more successful at recruiting, retaining, and engaging with its employees and customers if it demonstrates that it is socially responsible. Critics might argue that this is just mere â€Å"window dressing. † However, a good reputation leads to higher sales in the long run. Both shareholder and stakeholder frameworks would support the business case for corporate social responsibility in this scenario. Milton Freidman is an advocate of the shareholder theory which maintains that a companies corporate social responsibility is to maximize profits without breaking the law or violating basic rules of society. Coca-Cola is not breaking any laws by marketing in schools, it is merely exercising its first amendment right to free speech. It is also not violating any social norms, children get to choose whether they want to buy unhealthy products. On one hand it may seem that Freidman would say that corporations should continue to market in schools because they are making a profit and therefore helping society. However Freidman would agree that companies need to balance there short term gains against their long-term interest. In this case, Freidman would advocate for the restriction of marketing in schools because it is in the long run self-interest of the company because companies like Coca-Cola needs to reassure their customers that they care about them. . An alternative approach to corporate social responsibility is the stakeholder theory. This theory maintains that companies should balance the interests of all stakeholders involved. In this scenario the stakeholders would be the students (customers), parents, teachers, corporations, suppliers, employees, shareholders, and society. Students are harmed by marketing in schools because marketing is correlated with problems like obesity and materialism. On the other hand these same students benefit because their schools are receiving additional funding for programs. Parents suffer because they have less control over what their children are exposed to, and it could undermine their values. Shareholders may benefit in the short run from marketing in schools, but in the long run the values of the company must be aligned with society if it is going to succeed. Therefore, the stakeholder theory would advocate a business case for Corporate Social Responsibility as well: to limit marketing in schools. Marketing in schools is a complex issue with many players. In this case, students are the most important players because schools are public institutions and schools are supposed to make students a top priority. Marketing in schools can not stop on its own, it needs to be either strictly prohibited or at the very least limited by the government.

Effects of Alcohol on the Family Essay

Alcohol Dependence, also known as alcoholism, is a very widespread disabling addictive disorder, affecting 4% of Canadians. Alcoholism may start innocuously, due to the acceptability of social drinking, but over time, can lead to serious health problems, including brain, kidney and liver damage. Although alcoholics seem to be doing the most damage to themselves, they are hurting their families even more. Lesser-known, but just as serious victims of alcohol abuse are the alcoholics’ children. The negative effects start in the womb, where drinking during pregnancy often causes Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and other defects. After the baby is born, the risks continue, as the children in alcoholic families tend to lack a stable family environment and have a fairly high rate of abuse. These factors, as well as genetic predisposition, are strong precedents to the child developing alcohol abuse problems themselves. These children also tend to show more symptoms of anxiety and depression, and have lower self esteem than children from nonalcoholic families. These factors may also contribute to the likelihood of the child becoming an alcoholic. When a few drinks has turned into a few too many, a few too many times, some may start to suspect alcoholism. This is often how alcohol abuse starts, with acceptable social drinking increasing to the point where the drinker can no longer control their desire and compulsion to drink. Drinking too much alcohol over a long period changes the chemical balance in the brain linked to pleasure, causing the body to crave alcohol. Symptoms of alcoholism are frequent intoxication; drinking and continuing to drink alcohol in appropriate places and times; and often, denial of the problem. Due to the legality and availability of alcohol, it can be very difficult to quit or help another quit drinking, which can result in long-term alcohol abuse. When one has been abusing alcohol for long periods of time, it can cause a number of mental and physical problems, including, but not limited to liver damage, kidney damage, heart disease, alcoholic dementia, brain damage, and a myriad of psychological problems. Alcoholism also comes with a variety of comorbid disorders, most commonly major depressive disorder, and anxiety related disorders (Petrakis, 86). The order of the co-occurrence is not always clear; whether these disorders resulted from the alcoholism, or whether the alcoholism was triggered by the disorders varies accordingly, but regardless, the alcoholic has a much better chance of recovery if both problems are treated together. (Medline Plus) Drinking alcohol during pregnancy has been found to increase health risks to the fetus, especially after the first trimester. Any amount of alcohol may harm a developing baby, no ‘safe amount’ has yet been established; however the more alcohol consumed by an expectant mother, the higher the risks are of the baby developing Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, or FAS. FAS is a series of mental and physical defects that can develop in a fetus during pregnancy if the mother has been drinking. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence states that approximately 5000 babies are born each year with severe FAS, and another 35000 are born with milder symptoms. If an alcoholic woman’s first child has FAS, the risk of her second child having FAS as well is a daunting 70%. The range of birth defects caused by FAS can be minor to major, and are nearly always long term. The infant will be born underweight and with an alcohol dependency. A detox period will follow birth, sometimes lasting for up to several months. These babies tend to have brain and skull deformities, and can have very distinctive facial features, such as small eye openings, thin upper lips, and long, flat faces. (Dozois, and Firestone 249-262) (Davis, and Frost 100-101) As the baby grows, learning problems that will keep the child from progressing normally may become apparent. FAS can cause damage to the central nervous system, which may result in severe learning disabilities. Due to this, the child may have problems learning to walk, being able to sleep, and focusing on motor skills; and have speech problems, hearing impairment, and decreased memory recall. They may have low self-esteem, be hyperactive, and be easily angered or frustrated. Mild or severe retardation, emotional issues, the inability to bond and communicate with other children their age are common traits for a child who suffers from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. It often results in lower and overall academic performance (compared to non-FAS children), and difficulties in reading, writing, spelling, and mathematics. (Dozois, and Firestone 254) Another side effect of alcoholism in the family is the lack of a stable family environment. Alcohol has been known to negatively affect marital relationships, breaking up families, be the cause of suicide, result in unemployment and poverty, and cause or exacerbate child abuse. Over 3 times as many people report to have been previously married to an alcoholic, compared to those currently married to an alcoholic, demonstrating that relationships involving alcohol abuse are less likely to last than sober relationships. Often, if one parent is an alcoholic and the other is not, the sober partner feels that the drinking takes precedence over them and their family. This strongly affects couples with children, as they may effectively lose either parent, or end up being shuttled between them. Worse than losing a parent to divorce is the reality of losing a parent to suicide. The relationship between alcoholism and suicide is very clear, and has been well-documented. Alcohol is a depressant, and can bring on episodes of major depressive disorder. Alcohol abuse is often either self-medication for depression, or the cause of alcoholic depression. Often, alcoholic depression is a combination of the two, a vicious cycle of triggering and self-medicating that worsens one’s emotional state. This despair, combined with possible unemployment; marital, family, and financial problems; and declining health due to drinking, results in more drinking to ‘drink away’ the issues, which can push one over the edge and cause them to take their own life. (Alcoholic. ca) Even if both parents are alive and present in a child’s life, they may not always be the responsible adults and parents they are expected to be. Many severely alcoholic parents are not able to attend to and fulfill their child’s physical and emotional needs, and some may even require the child to prematurely assume the role of the parent and take care of the adult. They may be emotionally and financially supported by their children in cases where their alcoholism is too severe for them to be self-reliant and hold a steady job. If there are younger siblings, the responsibilities of parenting may fall to the oldest child, sometimes in their entirety. This role reversal is unfortunate, but all too common in families where the main caregiver is affected by substance abuse and alcoholism. This also results in the children lacking proper role models to learn from, and as teenagers, are more likely to do poorly in school, or drop out entirely and not pursue post-secondary education. Children of alcoholics have higher rates of truancy, arrest, depression, and addiction than their peers, and are usually more aggressive, obsessive, impulsive, and have lower self-esteem. (Parsons) Child abuse adds to the instability of the life of a child with alcoholic parents. While child abuse, unlike FAS, can also occur in families without alcoholic parents, 4/5 of reported cases involved substance abuse, commonly including alcohol. Alcoholism is also more prevalent among child-abusing parents than those who do not abuse their children, and is more commonly associated with child abuse than any other disorder. The abuse is not limited to physical abuse; it comes in many forms, including sexual, verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse, as well as neglect. There are many reasons and theories behind the facts, all are true to a certain degree in most situations. Some say that alcoholics are generally more violent and prone to aggression, which makes their children a convenient target. The alcohol might be making them aggressive, or they may aggressive by nature, which is exacerbated by the alcohol. Also, since alcohol and child abuse are connected, many alcoholics were abused as children themselves, and as a result, are more likely to abuse their own children. This abuse puts their children at a greater risk of alcoholism, as well as abusing their future children, perpetuating the cycle. Emotional abuse and neglect commonly occur when the inebriated parent cannot correctly assess their own priorities, emotionally (or physically) abandons their child, or does not treat them as a parent should. Regardless of the reason, child abuse results in the children doing poorly in school, having self-esteem issues, anti-social behaviour, having feelings of guilt and shame, and suffering from depression. Abused children are also much more likely to grow up to abuse their own children, and to have substance abuse issues of their own. (Widom and Hiller-Sturmhofel 52-57) Despite the obvious hope that a child with alcoholic parents will learn from their mistakes and grow up to be an addiction-free adult, the opposite is usually true. The children of alcoholics are far more likely to become a product of their environment and develop substance abuse problems, likely including, but not limited to, alcoholism. Without proper role models and examples to base themselves off of, these children tend to fall into their parents’ habits and imitate their actions. Alcoholic parents are also more likely to have raised their children in an environment where alcohol abuse was more common or more accepted than non-alcoholic parents, where they may have been influenced by their peers. Along with alcohol dependency, these children are at a much higher risk of developing other substance abuses issues and addictions, most commonly to benzodiazepines. They are also likely to suffer from symptoms of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and obsessive behaviours. Those who manage to stay sober tend to exhibit these characteristics as well. Some children of alcoholics may fall victim to the same traps as their parents, while others excel, possibly due to a desire to do better in life than their parents. (Brooke, et al 1980-1981) Alcoholism is a very tough habit to break, however anyone who desires to try has a multitude of options. There are certain medications in use that may be prescribed as part of treatment, but these usually accompany group therapy or psychotherapy, which is usually found to be the most effective. Alcoholics Anonymous, or AA, is the most common program, due to its availability, anonymity, efficacy, and affordability. It is a free international program based on the mutual support of its members, where alcoholics learn to take responsibility for their actions, and support others through their journeys. It is based on the ‘12 Steps’, which are a set of principles and beliefs that focus on admitting to mistakes and addictions, recognizing a higher power, making amends, taking responsibility, and helping others through their addictions. AA famously schools its members that alcoholism is a disease, and that it is not something that they can control. However despite all the available support, unless those who suffer from Alcohol Dependence genuinely have a wish to get better, and are willing to put the in the time and effort required, their problems often do result in lasting effects, both for themselves and others. (Alcoholic.ca) (Alcoholics Anonymous). References Alcoholics Anonymous. â€Å"Alcoholics Anonymous: This is AA. † Alcoholics Anonymous. Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc. , 2010. Web. 28 Nov 2010. . Alcoholics Anonymous. â€Å"Alcoholics Anonymous: Is There an Alcoholic in Your Life?. † Alcoholics Anonymous. Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc. , 2010. Web. 28 Nov 2010. . Medline Plus. â€Å"Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse. † Medline Plus. National Library of Medicine, 15 Nov 2010. Web. 26 Nov 2010. . Parsons, Tetyana. â€Å"Alcoholism and Its Effect on the Family. † AllPsych Online. AllPsych and Heffner Media Group Inc. , 14 Dec 2003. Web. 28 Nov 2010. . Widom, Cathy Spatz, and Susanne Hiller-Sturmhofel. â€Å"Alcohol Abuse as a Risk Factor for and Consequence of Child Abuse. † Alcohol research & health: the journal of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. 25. 1 (2001): 52-57. Print. Alcoholic. ca. â€Å"Alcoholism and Suicide. † Alcoholic and Alcohol Treatment in Canada. Alcoholic. ca, 2009. Web. 29 Nov 2010. . Alcoholic. ca. â€Å"Alcoholic and Alcohol Treatment. † Alcoholic and Alcohol Treatment in Canada. Alcoholic. ca, 2009. Web. 29 Nov 2010. . Dozois, David, and Philip Firestone. Abnormal Psychology. 4th Ed. , Perspectives. Toronto, Canada: Pearson Education Canada, 2010. 254. Print. Brooke, S, et al. â€Å"Familial Loading for Alcoholism and Offspring Behavior: Mediating and Moderating Influences. † Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 34. 11 (2010): 1980-1981. Web. 28 Nov 2010. . Petrakis, Ismene L, et al. â€Å"Comorbidity of Alcoholism and Psychiatric Disorders: An Overview. † Alcohol research & health: the journal of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. 26. 2 (2002): 81-89. Print. Davis, Janet Haggerty, and Wendy Autumn Frost. â€Å"Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: A Challenge for the Community Health Nurse. † Journal of Community Health Nursing. 1. 2 (1984): 100-101. Print.

Current and Noncurrent Essay

When an individual starts a business understanding financial statements are vital to tracking the company profits and losses. The company decisions are often decided by the figures and statistics. The figures are recorded and compared at a later date. Accounting knowledge is the core of the business and every aspect of a growing company depends heavenly on understanding the basic concept of debits and credits. Companies often develop departments that handle a large in flow of activity. The department keeps track of how well the business is performing and should be well staff with enough employees to fits the demands the company. When making certain that the business financial operation is running smoothly knowledge of the difference between current and noncurrent asset should be explored. The organization must also understand the order of liquidity and how it applies to the balance sheet. The accounting department is always concern with the basic concept of assets. An asset is anything that the business owns or will own in the near future. Assets add worth to the business and often determine if the business will have success. Assets are broken down into two groups’ current assets and noncurrent assets. According to Webster 2004, current asset is defined as â€Å"assets that will be sold, used up, or turned into cash within the current accounting period, usually one-year period. † An example of current assets is cash, accounts receivable, supplies, and inventory. Current asset are listed on the financial balance sheet and represent incoming revenue and a future worth to the company. Noncurrent assets are asset that takes longer than an accounting cycle before turning into cash. Noncurrent resources generate profits for the company. An example of noncurrent assets is property, land, equipment, and vehicles. Noncurrent asset also can be a long term investment, and intangible asset. The company may have a truck that the business may want to sell at a lower price or the business may use vehicle to deliver products sold. The truck use would bring cash to the company as a way of gaining revenue for the business. The main difference between current and noncurrent asset is how soon the asset can be turned into cash for the business. Current asset is normally sold within an accounting period and noncurrent asset usually takes over an accounting cycle before turning in cash. The order of liquidity is also important when understanding the business financial statement. The order of liquidity plays a huge role when listing accounts on the company’s balance sheet. The order of liquidity is how the items are listed on the financial sheet. The balance sheet tells â€Å"one† how the business is operating at a specific time. The balance sheet includes the company resources and companies obligations. It also can be used to compare the current year to other years activity. The balance sheet is set up in a horizontal manner. According to Investor word 2011, â€Å"order of liquidity is define as the organization of assets on the balance sheet based on how long the asset will take to turn into cash. † The order of liquidity on the balance sheet is necessary to determining how quickly asset is changed into cash. The account is listed in a descending order of liquidity at the top of the list would be cash and follow by the next assets that are able to turn into cash swiftly. In conclusion, accounting financial statements are vital to the business. The company must have knowledge on how well the company is performing to make important decision. When classifying what asset the business has the organization must know the difference between current asset and noncurrent asset. A current asset is an asset that can be used to purchase other material in small amount of time. A noncurrent asset normally does not convert to cash within an accounting cycle. The order of liquidity is decided by how quickly the company’s asset can turn into cash for the business. The greatest asset for the company is cash and is listed first on the balance sheet. The awareness of what assets are will give the business an accurate account of the business worth.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - Essay Example Literature Review According to medical field, ADHD is caused by Defect in the central nervous system of a child. The doctors suggest that this disorder can be controlled to an extent by the elimination of refined sugar and other food additives. â€Å"Among students with ADHD, medication treatment was not related to better adjustment or diminished ADHD symptoms. The contribution of inattention to academic concerns and depressive symptoms remained significant when controlling for personality traits†(Rabiner,2007,pg. 689-6990).However, nature is found to be the best medicine for this disorder at all times. Children learning in an open space with access to tress, plants, flowers and waterfalls have seen to be more attentive and pleasant while learning. Method The method used in this research is the quantitative research method, where in the effectiveness of natural treatment on ADHD suffering children is analyzed by surveys. The behavioral patterns of the children when accessed to natural surrounding is studied by survey a better idea of effectiveness of the natural treatment .This gave an opportunity to assess the situation of the children with disease with regard to the natural environment.

Theatre Arts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Theatre Arts - Essay Example The Tempest has been chosen as a topic of relevance in the current study on theatre arts as it the production of ‘The Tempest’ provides a valuable insight into the work of an individual across several fronts. In this case, Julie Taymor has taken on many responsibilities apart from the core role of directing the play such as designing the costumes and make up of actors, designing puppets to be used during various scenes as well as creating masks to be used by the actors. In all these various roles, Taymor has gone on to use her extensive experience of showcasing the stage using adaptations from representations across different streams and cultures and in doing so, she has brought these unknown forms of drama to the forefront. The current essay is an effort in this direction aimed at studying all these influences that have played a prominent role in the design and creation of various elements of the play. Different theatrical approaches such as the use of the ‘Bunraku’ style from Japan. Additionally, Indonesian styles of drama as well as the use of the styles adopted by the mud men of Papua New Guinea will be extensively discussed. In this world where there are several mediums for expressing feeling and emotions in so many distinct ways, a common question arises if there is any unique form of art that enables the combination of the human, physical, emotional and the spiritual forms of expression. What have some of the most prominent people in the profession been doing and drawing inspiration from as part of their exposure to different approached would be an interesting question in this context and is the prime purpose of this paper. One of the most special faculties that combine different forms of expressions to life in a real sense is the world of theater arts. Theatre or Drama is a notch higher than most other forms of expression and falls