Contrasting Friendship Essay -- essays papers

Contrasting FriendshipThe two ladies, who had been intimate since childhood, reflected how little they knew each other. This is how, author, Edith Wharton shows the relationship of two characters, Mrs. Ansley and Mrs. Slade, in the short story Roman Fever. These two women who are supposed to be friends, led suspicious lives of each other, and because of the way they lived they were very contrasting and conflicting characters. In the end, I believe Mrs. Slade was guiltier for her actions and in fact the whole incident would have never happened if it werent for her. Before there widowhood these two ladies led very envious and superficial lives. In describing her friend Mrs. Slade says, Mrs. Horace Ansley, twenty-five years ago, had been exquisitely lovelythough, of course, still charming, distinguishedfar more beautiful than her daughter. Horace Ansley was just the duplicate of his wife. Museum specimens of gray-haired New York. Good-looking, irreproachable, exemplary. In return, when Mrs. Ansley was asked about or spoke about Mrs. Slade she would reply, Alida Slades awfully brilliant but not as brilliant as she thinks. Mrs. Slade had been an extremely dashing girl much more so than her daughter who was pretty, of course, and clever in a way, but had none of her mothers considerably vividness. These two ladies had a friendship based upon nothing but there own jealous and arrogant behavior as if the only motive they spoke was in spite of one another. As Wharton describes them, these two ladies visualized each other, each through the wrong end of her little telescope (258). Wharton accomplished that these fragments composed the only true communication about their friendship and therefore told the real story of Mrs. Slade and ... ...hat Mrs. Ansley finally decided to shut Mrs. Slade up of her arrogant, superficial talking to and she nonchalantly turned to Mrs. Slade and said, I had Barbara. In the end, I believe, it was Mrs. Ansley who had the ultimate revenge. While Mrs. Slade had planned to get rid of Mrs. Ansley that night, Mrs. Ansley not only answered the letter, and had a night of passion with Mrs. Slades husband, but she also had his child. Each time Mrs. Slade tried to make Mrs. Ansley feel like she meant nothing, Mrs. Ansley came back with a harsher reality for Mrs. Slade. Throughout the whole story, I believe Mrs. Slade is ultimately at greater fault because she was the one who brought up the letter and she wouldnt let it go. She felt she had to top Mrs. Ansley each time. Though both women were at fault, in a way, Mrs. Slade had no one to blame for the consequences but herself.

Mystical Experiences :: essays research papers

Mystical or Spiritual begets occur everyday in so many ways for so many different people. whatsoever people tend to encounter these experiences through religious rituals or even just on thoughts of life itself. Whatever the thoughts or feelings whitethorn be, everybody has such an experience sometime during their life. Could the feelings that some may have be reactions in the brain or acts of God to help us realize our faith, and discover new mysteries that may lie ahead of us? Hearing many stories of different individuals can give us new insight into the beliefs of others and of ours as well. My first interview winding my grandmother, Elizabeth Barajas. She stated that she has had many spiritual experiences in life. She was brought up in a catholic educational system throughout her whole life and was raised by a very strict mother that had a firm and strong belief in God and faith. My grandmother chose to talk to me about my striking grandmother, her mom, Esther P. Kelly. My gr eat grandmother always attended church and would pray constantly during the day and night. My grandma was always curious as to why her mother was always praying. all(a) through out childhood she would just watch my great grandma pray and do other religious acts of worship. When she became an adult she was finally able to pack my great grandma why it was that she prayed so much and how it came to be. My great grandmother answered by saying that she knows God can hear her prayers. She then said that charm she prays she can no longer hear any outside interference or anybody else speak. She said it feels as if she is in a secluded dark home all by herself and that she has conversations with God. She said that sometimes she doesnt even feel the touch of my grandma when she needed something. My great grandma also attended cumulus just about every day and she loved to sing along with the choir. According to my great grandma, she feels a chill down her spine when she sings and she feels a sort of heavenly and peaceful presence around her. She said that she would get so caught up in the moment that she would forget all about her personal problems and the problems that awaited her outside the church doors. For some reason, my great grandmother had spiritual experiences or feelings whenever she was involved with her beliefs and rituals.

The California Justice System :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

The California Justice strategy It is 314 in the afternoon present at University, prestigious institution of higher learning. Sitting here in my room relaxed and content at least(prenominal) until I realize that midterms are around the corner, I gaze out onto the picturesque courtyard of my dorm, Lagunita Court uniquely defined by its rich computer architecture and serene atmosphere. Like most days, the sun is give out brilliantly, radiating a positive energy across the campus, as if God had chosen life to recoil from these very grounds. This type of winter weather is in spades exclusive to those lucky enough to live in California, justifying the choices made by many students, myself among them, to further betroth their educational goals as a Cardinal. As I continue to sit in my chair, I begin to stare at the reflection on the window. I notice behind me the small, cramped space I call my dorm room. I think about how I would not be capable of staying within the vic inities of these four walls for an extended period of time, feeling absorbed with no opportunity to fully develop and meet my potential. Today I received a garner from my cousin-german Duc . It had been awhile since I last hear from him, so it was nice to find his name on a letter rather then drag Credit Card Billing/Payment. The letter starts off, Sup lil bro. Just wanted to write to say thanks for the photos from X-mas and your lettersounds like you had a unassailable holiday break. And Im happy that condition has been going well for you. He continues on asking about my life eventually discussing news/ genuine events his favorite as of late has been the politics of Governator Schwarzenegger. He ends the letter letting me know that he is doing fine. Theres nothing much going on here. Just got off lockdown Thursday. Went out to yard once and have been kicking it ever since. Maintaining as usual. Keeping it short this timeTake care. Love you, Duc Ta. My cous in Duc, 21 years old now, is in prison. He has called the roughly 10x 8 cells home for the last four and a half years. Currently, he is being held in the New Corcoran State Penitentiary, having been resettled from the Tehachapi Correctional Institution a euphemism in every sense of the definition a few months ago.The California Justice System Argumentative Persuasive EssaysThe California Justice System It is 314 in the afternoon here at University, prestigious institution of higher learning. Sitting here in my room relaxed and content at least until I realize that midterms are around the corner, I gaze out onto the picturesque courtyard of my dorm, Lagunita Court uniquely defined by its rich architecture and serene atmosphere. Like most days, the sun is shining brilliantly, radiating a positive energy across the campus, as if God had chosen life to spring from these very grounds. This type of winter weather is unquestionably exclusive to those lucky enough to live in C alifornia, justifying the choices made by many students, myself among them, to further pursue their educational goals as a Cardinal. As I continue to sit in my chair, I begin to stare at the reflection on the window. I notice behind me the small, cramped space I call my dorm room. I think about how I would not be capable of staying inside the vicinities of these four walls for an extended period of time, feeling confined with no opportunity to fully develop and meet my potential. Today I received a letter from my cousin Duc . It had been awhile since I last heard from him, so it was nice to find his name on a letter rather then Chase Credit Card Billing/Payment. The letter starts off, Sup lil bro. Just wanted to write to say thanks for the photos from X-mas and your lettersounds like you had a good holiday break. And Im happy that school has been going well for you. He continues on asking about my life eventually discussing news/current events his favorite as of late ha s been the politics of Governator Schwarzenegger. He ends the letter letting me know that he is doing fine. Theres nothing much going on here. Just got off lockdown Thursday. Went out to yard once and have been kicking it ever since. Maintaining as usual. Keeping it short this timeTake care. Love you, Duc Ta. My cousin Duc, 21 years old now, is in prison. He has called the roughly 10x 8 cells home for the last four and a half years. Currently, he is being held in the New Corcoran State Penitentiary, having been relocated from the Tehachapi Correctional Institution a euphemism in every sense of the definition a few months ago.

Jungian Psychology and Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness Essay

As the nitty-gritty of Darkness snakes its way into the savage posteriors of the African sheer, Joseph Conrad exposes a psycho-geography of the collective unconscious in the entangling metaphoric realities of the serpentine Congo. Conrads novella descends into the unknowable darkness at the heart of Africa, taking its narrator, Marlow, on an the pits journey of individuation, a modern odyssey toward the center of the Self and the center of the Earth. Ego dissolves into soul as, in the interior, Marlow encounters his double in the powerful image of ivory-obsessed Kurtz, the dark shadow of European imperialism. The dark meditation is graced by personifications of anima in Kurtz black goddess, the savagely magnificent consort of the underworld, and in his porcelain -skinned Persephone, innocent intended of the upperworld. Though Dr. Jungs discoveries were non known to Conrad, (Hayes, 43) who wrote this master work between 1898 and 1899, Heart of Darkness presents a literary metaph or of Jungian psychology. This paper explores the dark territory of Conrads Heart of Darkness as metaphor for the Jungian concepts of the personal and the collective unconscious, as a journey of individuation, a meeting with the anima, an encounter with the shadow, and a descent into the mythologic underworld. Like Conrads Marlow, who is propelled toward his African destiny despite ample warning and foreboding, I have been drawn beyond the classic analysis of the Heart of Darkness, embarking slash an uncharted tributary, scouting parallels between Marlows tale and Jungs own journeys to Africa, and seeking murky insight into the physical and the metaphorical impact of the dark continent on the language and the landscape of depth psychology. Africa,... ...Aniela Jaffe. New York Random House, 1989. Jung, C.G. Two Essays on Analytical Psychology. R.F.C. Hull. Bollingen Series XX. Princeton Princeton U. Press, 1977. Lord, George de Forest. Trials of the Self Heroic Ordeals in the Epic tradition Hamden, Conn. Archon Books, 1983. McLynn, Frank. Hearts of Darkness The European Exploration of Africa. New York Carol & Gey, 1992. Mellard, James. Myth and Archetype in Heart of Darkness, Tennessee Studies in Literature 13 (1968) 1-15. Miller, David. Hells and Holy Ghosts A Theopoetics of Christian Belief. Nashville Abingdon Press, 1989. Smith, Evans Lansing. Rape and Revelation The Descent to the Underworld in Modernism. Lanham, Maryland University Press of America, 1990. Spivack, Charlotte. The Journey to Hell Satan, The Shadow, and the Self. Centennial Review 94 (1965) 420 - 437.

Essay --

According to Niccolo Machiavellis, The Prince, there are five traits that make up a successful leader. The five traits that are necessary in determining a leaders success involve being feared, being virtuous, having the support of the people, having intelligence and the use of arms. In this paper, I will argue that the Duke Vincentio of William Shakespeares, Measure for Measure, is an unavailing leader because he loses virtue acting deceitful and spying on his subjects as a friar. Also, when he realizes that his people do not fear him, he allows for Angelo to come so that he can break through their respect by becoming the better option of the two. It is portrayed by his constant presence in the play as the friar, that instead of earning the support of his people, he treats them as puppets and himself as the master puppeteer. The people do not fear the Duke so he tries to win them over another way he selfishly puts Angelo in power, knowing that Angelos faults will make the Duke loo k like a better leader. The duke is a soft ruler and cannot bring himself to punish his people when they commit a crime. When his loses the respect and fear of his people, he puts Angelo in charge of the people, knowing that he may not be fit for the task. The duke may have saw putting Angelo in power and dressing as a friar as a way to establish law and order in Vienna but still being the merciful leader he is known as. When the Duke asks Lord Angelo to bind over, Angelo refuses and says that his skill must be tested some other way first. The Duke responds by sayingMy haste may not admit itNot invite you, on mine honour, have to doWith any scruple your scope is as mine own,So to enforce or qualify the lawsAs to your understanding seems good. Give me you... ...e is going to tell next to deceive his power. Throughout his presence in the play as the friar, the Duke is never recognized as his true self. This portrays an precocious man, experienced in the art of scheming and lying .Niccolo Machiavelli would classify the Duke as an ineffective ruler because he fails to uphold virtue when constantly deceives his subjects. The duke may be goodly in his scheming ways, but this is the only on of Machiavellis five traits that the Duke portrays throughout the play. His people does not fear the Duke Vincentio as Machiavelli believes a good leader should be and he tries to steal the respect of his people by putting a harsh ruler into power. His huge role in the play two as his role as the friar and the Duke, shows that instead of earning the support of his people, he treats them as puppets and himself as the master puppeteer.

Media and Its Effects on Gender Stereotypes Essay -- Media Stereotypin

In addressing the question it is first necessary to understand what is meant by mass media. The collins English Dictionary defines mass media as the means of colloquy that reach large numbers of people in a short time, such as television, newspapers, magazines, and radio (Collins English Dictionary 5th edition, 2000, pp 957). This therefore suggests that whatever medium that conveys information to the people is categorised as mass media. By looking at two forms of media, this essay will examine how much the media asshole be charged with causing and further exaggerating gender-based stereotypes in society. The forms of the media in which this essay will examine will be advertising, in particular the way masculinity is portrayed at bottom television and magazines. The second form of media to be examined will be soap operas and will examine representation and audience reception within the soap genre. When starting an advertising campaign the writer in general follows the premise that sex sells and automatically asserts themselves into a manipulative model, a Marxist purview which views of society as being divided by class and being ruled by those in control (i.e. bourgeois) who have the financial ability tooshie them. Because these people have become so financially powerful they are able to force their beliefs and opinion on others therefore legitimising their control. With this control of what is portrayed in their media takes away free thought of the viewer (i.e. proletariat). the images or texts that are portrayed to a passive audience, is that of a sexual or gender biased content. In her work Forever Feminine Womens ... ... Although it is still unclear as to whether the media perpetuates gender stereotyping it is clear however that it is responsible for creating its own sets of stereotypes. Bibliography Giddens, A. Sociology, 4th Edition, 2001, Polity Press, UK Haralambos, M. Holborn, M. 4th Edition, 1995, Collins Educational, London Kirkby, M. Kidd,W et al, 1st Edition, 1997, Heinemann Educational Publishers, Oxford. References ----------------------------------------------------------------- Collins English Dictionary 5th Edition, 2000, HarperCollins Publishers, Glasgow. Hall, S. Representation Cultural Representation and Signifying Practices, 1st Edition, 1997, The Open University & Sage Publications, UK. Trowler, P. Investigating band Media, 2nd Edition, 1996, HarperCollins Publishers, London.

Strength: Debut Albums and Johnny

Strength They are taking the casket away to the burial site. It is made of a dark maple timber with an arrangement of white roses on top. The preacher says only family can come. So the son stands up and follows the casket to the burial site. He is wearing a grey- interrogationed shirt with a black coat and black pants. He doesnt seem to be shaken up ab break through the funeral. He is quiet and stays to himself. at one time they reach the burial site he stands next to the casket as they begin to lower it. He just stares and begins to think about the memory that caused this. insurrectionist was sitting at the kitchen t commensurate watching his mother Anita, cleaning the dishes.She was wearing her ti sanguine blue shirt with the sleeves rollight-emitting diode up, beat up denims, and her hair in a low pony-tail. Anitas favorite thing was to do the dishes. She incessantly sang to herself while her blue carriage traveled out the window through and through the woods. She would th ink things of leaving and head start e precise rump. She never wanted insurrectionist to see herself that way entirely he did. He saw her sadness. Many times she would stare at the little Eiffel Tower statue that was on the window sill or look at her and her husband, jaks, wedding photo above the fireplace. The pictured showed a a lot younger, and happier Anita. The hearthstone was quiet.And Johnny standardizedd moments manage these. Moments that showed how cozy and peaceful their 700 square foot home could be instead of the tumble-down house it re every(prenominal)y was. It had a kitchen/den, dickens bedrooms, and a bath. Their family spent most of the time in the kitchen. It was painted a pale yellow, had a wooden table with three chairs, and had a window over the sink. It connected to a h exclusivelyway which connected to the two rooms. All the rooms were small but the size didnt really twainer him, it was the only place he had known for his ten years. The house was li ght green with white shutters on the outside.The paint had faded so much that the home almost mingle into the woods. Johnny didnt have many neighbors but he had an imagination that was as vibrant and wild as the Salmon River a few miles away. He would sneak t present sometimes when his mother would be sleeping and his convey was at work. One day as the sun was rising over the river he began a story of a boy traveling through the woods and ending up in a far away land. It was a much peaceful, newer, land than the one he knew. He became friends with them and they allowed him to go back and bring one person back to spirited with them. He brought his mother.Anita finished the dishes and do worked more or less to look at Johnny. Alright young man, its time for bed. Your father will be home soon. Could you read me a story before bed? Sweetie, your father is almost home and you need to be in bed. Mama, please? said Johnny. She looked at him his big blue eyes, half covered by his unkempt hair, always won. They were her weakness. He was such a kind boy whose eyes always saw good, no matter the evil in front of him. hunky-dory she said, but its sledding to be a short one. She told him a story of a blue eyed, brown haired boy who travels to a distant land to save a girl who is in trouble.In the story the boy had to learn that bravery isnt just about doing what is right but also being able to chip in your feelings to do the right thing. As she neared the end of the story she heard her husbands truck pull up. She hurriedly got to her feet and looked out the window. Her heart started to beat scurrying and there was a little bit of perspiration right above her brow. Johnny sat up and peered over her shoulder. They both looked and saw him and his gun surpass out of their blue Ford F-150. Her husband picked up his gun and staggered towards the house. Anita turned round and tucked Johnny in.As she pulled away Johnny grabbed her spend, and in a very small but s trong voice Johnny said, Mama one day Ill save you. I promise. Anita stared. The car door slamming knocked Anita out of her trance. She walked out of Johnnys room, wiped the few tears that had gathered at the corners of her eyes, and shut the door behind her. As Anita walked into the kitchen so did her husband Jack. He was a large man who looked much older than he was. His scratch was leathery and the tips of his hair were color. His blue eyes which, used to hold so much promise, were now red with black sags under them. He and Anita meet in high school.They were in the same math class. Anita was failing math and Jack decided to help her with her studies. The friendly relationship blossomed into a beautiful relationship. One time, when they were together, Jack gave Anita an Eiffel Tower statue and promised her that when he became a famous engineer he would take her there. This never happened though. Their junior year she got pregnant. They both dropped out to support their son. J ack was a loving man but as his dream got farther, the liquor bottle got closer. It became a continuous problem. Anita could count on one hand how many times she saw Jack without a whiskey bottle, in the past six months.The alcohol changed him, like many men, into a monster. Whats wrong with you? Jack asked while he threw his gun on the counter by the hallway and kicked off his old black boots. Nothing, been cleaning all day. Im a little tired I guess. How was work? Well, lets see, I worked an eleven hour day, at a job that I hate, with a boss who doesnt respect me, and I come home to a family that doesnt appreciate me. Its just another day. Oh now, come on, you know that Johnny and I love- Love me? Jack interrupted. Is that why I come home to half the house a mess, no dinner on the table, no poured drink, and my son already asleep.Its starting to get real old Anita. Im not up for all these games, never have been. Im not playing games with you Jack. I have worked all day too an d I take care of our son. God I dont understand why you get so paranoid. Dont call me paranoid Anita you dont know when to shut the fuck up, do you? I am not paranoid you- You accuse me of everything Anita interrupted, Last nighttime we argued about how you think I am turning Johnny against you and how you think I am taking money. I think we know where the money is going. Anita watched as Jack opened up the brown cupboard door, took out the whiskey, and poured himself a glass.There was no expression on Anitas face but her heart was pounding. Jack stop in mid swig and stared at her. What the fuck is this? Here you go again Jack accusing me. Anita tried very hard to put on an easy face but the rage in Jacks eyes seemed to be building with every second. His hand on the bottle became a vice. What did I tell you about touching my whiskey? I didnt touch your damn whiskey. You think because Im drunk that I dont taste the passing? Youve done this before, Anita. Again with the para - Stop calling me paranoid Jack roared.All the blood in his entire body seemed to be at his face. The buttons on his blue and gray plaid shirt almost popped from his chest being out too far. He shut his eyes and took a breath. Didnt I tell you what was going to happen if you watered down any of my drinks again? Jack said with an almost eerie calmness. Anita saw the familiar look in his eyes. Her body reacted in a way a deers does when they know whats coming for them heart racing, fixed stare, muscles tense. She took a deep breath and tried to relax herself. Jack, sweetie, I didnt touch your whiskey. I promise you. You think Im dumb, dont you?Ya know I try and be sweet and understanding, but you slip away lying to me. Why do you do that? You know I cant stand it when you do that. You say that you love me, and when you love someone you arent supposed to lie to them. You love me dont you? Of course sweetie I love you. You mean the world to me. I dont know- See, here you go again w ith those lies. It makes me angry. And what am I supposed to do? Just let you continue telling lies? We are raising a son together, and I dont want Johnny to learn that habit. The eerie calmness was still there, and Jack barely spoke above a whisper. He began drift his fingers through her hair.He looked down at his bottle, and as his face rose again to meet hers it changed. He became a monster. I told you I dont like my whiskey being watered down. Is it that difficult to do as I say? Jacks voice became louder and stronger. He grabbed Anitas hair with his fists and shoved her head onto the table. The skin around her scalp was stretching from the force of the grip. Her arms were against the edge of the table trying to push herself up, but he was too strong. Tightening his grip, he bended down to have his face beside hers. You have to learn. You fucking bitch, you have to learn. Jack please, I didnt do it.Your hurting me, sweetie, stop. As she spoke, the force of Jacks hand again st her face became stronger towards the wooden table. Her heart was pounding and she was looking for any possible way to comfort herself. Tears started rolling down her face. She didnt know what to do. She knew he wasnt going to believe her and he was so much stronger than her. She finally said the only thing she matt-up could stop it, Im sorry. He eased up on his force but still unploughed a grip on her hair. What did you say? Im sorry. Its just, just your drinking changes you. And I like the old Jack. Honey Im sorry. Please let me go. Anitas voice was that of an innocent child. Her eyes locked on his. Now, now doesnt that feel breach? Jack said as he straightened his back and looked down at her. Doesnt it feel good to tell the truth and admit your problems? See, I am helping. But honey that doesnt change the fact of what you did. Youve done it before, and its becoming a habit. At that moment his full force returned. He lifted her head and slammed it into the table. Anita wa iled in pain. Above her temple she started bleeding. He pulled her off the table and started dragging her across the white laminate floor with her hair.As he dragged her to the hallway entrance, towards the bedroom, he looked up for the firstly time and let go of his wifes hair. She turned around and behind stood up. They saw Johnny standing in the hallway. Johnnys eyes were red with dried tears on his checks. He stood as if he were seven feet marvelous with all the confidence in the world, and just stared at his father. Anita looked at his sweet eyes, that for the first time realized there was no good to be seen in his father. Jack wasnt looking at Johnnys eyes like his wife was, he was looking at the pistol Johnny was holding up with both his hands.Johnny witnessed everything like he always had. When he heard his mothers screams he got out of bed and walked towards the kitchen. He saw blood running down his mothers face and couldnt control the anger that was rising in him. As h is father slammed his mothers head into the wooden table, a second time, he grabbed the gun that was on the counter. Holding the cold unfamiliar metal in his hands, he stood tall and pointed it at his father. Sweetheart, his mother said, everything is going to be okay. Alright? Come here, let me hold you. Johnny didnt say a word but kept starring at his father. Son give the gun to me. I gave mama a promise. Johnny spoke with no hesitation. Sweetie, its okay to break promises. This isnt your battle to fight. This isnt a story. Honey just look at me. Anita was scared for her sons life. Neither her or her husband had taught him to shoot a gun. She was afraid the he would end up hurting himself. Johnny turned his head to look at his mother. He saw that the blood on her face was curving around the fake smile she was trying to make. As he looked down to see some of her hair on the floor, his father took the opportunity and lunged for Johnny. His grip wasnt as tight anymore and he felt the gun falling out of his hands.His father picked him up and threw him against the wall. Jack started yelling and slapped Johnny across the face. Johnny began to cry. Anita felt the breaking point. Hearing her son cry was the key to unveiling her eyes. She knew, the only reason she stayed aalive(p), was to protect Johnny. Her heart began to race. All the lost opportunities of running away led to this moment. Her blood started pumping faster. She would be damned if she let this happen to her son. She picked up the gun and thought back to the moment her daddy taught her to shoot. Jack, put him down. He didnt turn around or even acknowledge her. Jack Jack turned around and dropped his son. Anita, baby what are you- Anita shot a bullet to the left of him. Johnny come here. Johnny got up from the floor and stood behind his mother. He had one hand around her leg and used the other to wipe tears from his eyes. Sweetie, go outside. Mama will be there soon. Johnny walked out of the kitc hen door and sat by the truck. Im done with this Jack. I am his mother, I have to protect him. Her grip became tighter. What are you going to do? You have no job, no education. You need me. Jack tried to seem calm but the fear in his eyes gave him away. I dont need you.I will find my own way. Anita raised the gun and pointed it straight at his head. I hope your son can live with the fact that his mother is a coward and a murderer. When the kids ridicule him I hope you think of me. Bam She did it. She put a bullet through his head and finally shut the bastard up. He laid there with a pool of blood flowing out of his head. Blood was everywhere. It was splattered all over the walls and cabinets. Her hearing slowly came back to her in a wave. She finally lowered her gun and just starred. Part of her couldnt believe what she had done. And she wondered if she was strong enough to give care it.She remembered Johnny sitting outside. She tossed her thoughts excursus and walked to the b athroom. She looked in the mirror. Her shirt was ripped, she had patches of hair missing, and her face was covered in blood. She cleaned herself up and walked out to Johnny. Johnny ran into his mothers arms. Mama Im sorry. Honey, you look at me. Dont cry anymore. You did nothing wrong. Okay? We are going to call the police and you will tell them the absolute truth. Baby everything will be fine. Okay mama, ill be strong for you. Why could you never let those words go? Johnny thought to himself. I hope your son can live with the fact that his mother is a coward and a murderer. I know you loved me and you did what you had to do. You protected me. How could that man still have control over you after all this time? I tried to be strong and hide my tears forr you but you kept sinking further away. Maybe you knew that you wouldnt be able to handle it but you did it anyway? Like what you taught me in those stories when I was young bravery isnt just about doing what is right but also bein g able to sacrifice your feelings to do the right thing. Johnny lowered his head and, for the first time in eight years, cried.

Impact of Party Drugs on the Youth Culture Essay

Adolescence refers to the age group from 14 to 26 years. Ten percentage of this age group use companionship do drugss (Bennett, 2003). According to Arnett (2004) , this period of development is distinguished by quintet characteristics individualism element exploration, instability, self-focus, a feeling of in-between and possibilities (Arnett, 2004, pg. 14). It is against these five characteristics that the impact of party drugs on the youth culture will be assessed. This essay will explore how the characteristics of adolescence place teenagers at risk from drug experimentation and how the perception of policy makers will influence the communitys response to the problem.The exploration of identity involves having a range of experiences that provides the adolescent with the means to assess the possibilities for the consumption of formulating a distinctive self-image. To do this requires that the teenager have a range of experiences that seem distinct from those experienced thro ugh their pargonnts. This journey of exploration results in an introspective focus on self and a sense of becoming, of world caught in the middle. In the individualised cultures of western societies, this transition involves a separation from parents and the turn of events of an nonparasitic self-sufficient identity (Arnett, 2004).The instability can often manifest in risky behaviours. Although adolescence is a time for the construction of a unique self identity, it is likewise a time when a sense of be unyieldinging is engendered through common cultural construction. One subset of this cultural construction is the rave party scene that is a global phenomenon of the youth subculture (Shapiro, 1999). A rave party is often a large gathering of five-year-old people in an atmosphere where there is practice of medicine and laser lights. This sub-culture is linked to the drug culture through party drugs such as ecstasy and ketamine.The effect of these drugs is to create a sense o f wellbeing and a feeling of lightness. The choice to take drugs is an individual one and is part of the desire to escape from the pressures of adolescence. The rave party by its very nature is essentially a form of escape. What then are adolescences escaping from? The very nature of adolescence the sense of being without identity, the lack of a mental framework to manage the adult world and the pressures of identity construction, create tensions in the person.This escapism is not confined to adolescences as many adults abuse alcohol and amphetamines as a means of escaping the pressures of the adult world. For many users, fetching the drug is part of the risk behaviour of adolescence that has the pay-off of feelings of well-being. They do not se themselves as drug users as they do not view their use of party drugs as being a problem. This normalises drug use and makes it difficult for agencies to intervene (Duff, 2003). It is wrong however to assume that all users are escaping from something.One of the features of adolescence is the search for identity and self meaning. This search behaviour creates a heightened sense of curiosity in adolescents as they seek to make sense of self. This curiosity can evolve unconsciously to drug abuse through prolonged use as a result of the uplifting effects of the first experience. The need to fund the regular secure of the drug can lead into dealing. Bad experiences often will not cause a rejection of the drug as these pale against the many pleasures that the individual has experienced.The set up of events can have dire consequences for the individual as a health problem becomes a criminal problem. The long term destruction that criminalisation of drugs causes to young people is good reason to see drug abuse as a health problem. Within party drug users there are the said(prenominal) segments that are feature of any drug user cross section. Some users abuse the drug and are at risk from overdose and dehydration. Others ar e more than controlled and cautious in their use. This group is at risk from being unable to identify the ingredients of the drug that they are purchasing.One of the key problems with party drugs is the inability for the purchaser to know the ingredients contained in the drug that they are purchasing (VAAD, 2003). Users of party drugs will tend to repeat their use on a regular basis. According to Baxter (2003) users are concerned that there is no means of determining the purity and reducing the level of risk. Males tend to use party drugs more frequently than females. This tends to indicate that there is greater gender difference where males are less risk averse. This trend is declining as more and more females are using party drugs.This trend reflects the liberty of women and a stronger sense of independence amongst adolescent women. The traditional delineation of the rite of passage for the male and the female have become blurred in sophisticated society. Women will often use d rugs to challenge the traditional perceptions of their role in society. Within the community, there are people that see drug abuse as being criminal while others see it as a social and health problem. The criminal perspective adopts a punishment solution with rehabilitation. such a position can have a long term effect on the individual due to problems faced with travel and employment. Community response is to maturation policing and to use strategies such as sniffer dogs in public and undercover police at venues to catch the suppliers and users. Police raids will be conducted on rave parties. Such an approach marginalises the rave culture and runs the risk of impairing the social development of the individual. The perspective that sees the issue as a health issue seeks to develop preventative programmes that coach people.Greater understanding is sought for the motivation of young people for taking drugs through social research. Strategies for assisting at risk people are developed that provides for free, quickly available access to health care and treatment. The health professional will often argue for the decriminalisation of the drug so that it can be obtained in a controlled manner and the purity of the product guaranteed. When considered against the characteristics of adolescence as provided by Arnett (2004), this approach appears to be the least detrimental to the social and personal development of the adolescent.Government programs, such as Ravesafe, adopt this approach. One of the prime reasons that this approach should prevail is that party drugs are seen by the user as being catalysts for self reflection and construction of identity. Their sense of self and social relationships results in a positive self-image which may be in contradiction to how they feel when in the adult world. The party drug tends to alleviate insecurity and doubt. Research has shown that there might be some overflow from the atmosphere of the rave party to real life.The need f or early interposition arises from the research findings that drug abuse is often a precursor for youth suicide, crime and metal illness (VAAD, 2003). Interventionist strategies will view drug use as a problem which immediately places the interventionist in opposition to the youth culture. The clashing between the pleasures of the drug and the potential harm of the drug creates a generational clash (Duff, 2003). To deal with the issue it is necessary to accept the reality of use and work on fostering environments that support safe use.If this is provided then it will reduce the trial and error approach that is a feature of the risk behaviour of adolescents. VAAD (2003) found that the problem can be best solved through drug teaching method that must resist seeing the youth culture as a homogeneous group. Adolescents involved in the rave scene come from a immense variety of backgrounds (Shapiro, 1999). Because there is little understanding of the attitudes of youth subgroups withi n the rave scene it is necessary for more research to be done (Baxter, 2003).In this fashion the content and approach of the drug education programme can directly appeal to the target segment. This will help in a more pervious response from the target group. In conclusion, the developmental characteristics of adolescence creates a natural disposition towards drug experimentation amongst some segments of teenagers. Party drugs are often seen as being part of the scene that assist in the integration of the individual with both self and the group that they belong to. Drug use can be utilise by the female gender to reconstruct identity.Given these features, the perspective that drug use should be a criminal offence resulting in punishment and long term consequences for the individual seems self defeating. The view that drug abuse has the potential to be a health problem will result in a community response that is more supportive to the individual. The safety of the drug can be establ ished and the social stigma placed on adolescents can be removed. Social policy needs to consider the developmental characteristics of adolescence in its construction.

Loss of Innocence in To Kill a Mockingbird Essay

Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the squ be. This environ custodyt as sentry Finch accurately describes is not the best or conducive place for young children, loud noises, and games. In the same way as the children, the adults of the novel bided games that came from their imaginations, and they themselves are the ones who provided the fear for everyone. As most children do Jem, sentinel, and their newly-found friend Dill find amusements to make the days pass by with excitement. When they first met Dill at the beginning, the days play is in the backyard. The implication is that it becomes routine for them to play and that each day brings a different experience.When Dill joins them in their daily adventures, they begin to create more work activities. Many days they spent improving the treehouse, and acting out parts of plays by Oliver Victo r Appleton, and Edgar Rice Burroughs. There games of Tom Swift the Rover Boys, and The spectre are the sources of their pleasures for hours and days upon end. Once these games seem rot and overplayed they decide to make Boo Radley come out. Thus the Boo Radley, plays begin. These plays are simply for amusement in the end, they teach Jem, observe, and Dill lessons about respect, courage, and understanding. The Boo, games begin with a simple dare that Jem has to carry out in order to gain respect from his child and friend. Scout and Jem both learn about courage through the first Boo game they invented by testing their levels of fear.The game has turned into a dangerous, alarming expedition that leaves all three of them shaken. Boos unspoken, unseen presence at the fire put him in a new light in Jems and Scouts eyes. Yet again, they see reality and their games slowly fading and losing their meaning. The burning house and Boos reappearance show Jem and Scout more pieces of reality a nd causing them to push that much closer to reality and the adult world and that much more of their innocence and childhood is lost.As the endeavor crept closer, Scout and Jem each have to test their self-control in accepting or ignoring the multitudes of nigger-lover comments coming their way, by adults as well as children. Scout ends up losing all control when she beats up her cousin Francis, for testing her patience by criticising others. Though Scout doesnt totally understand her mistake until her uncle Jack, punishes and guides Scout to realization. Jem, of his own fault, has to read to Mrs. Dubose every day and eventually he learns an important lesson. Jem and Scout learn about death and they gain an understanding for the type of soulfulness Mrs. Dubose is when they see how her views on life have an effect on her death. The adult games have been going on for a while but Scout and Jem are just beginning to see the games evolving.The most difficult matter for Jem and Scout to understand soon comes to be the trial. Though they have been faced with ignorant spate calling them nigger-lovers, they havent truly had a full understanding of the slang term until the trial is upon them. Scout, Jem, and Dill experience a faint taste perception of the adults games flavor, watching from afar as the gang of common men around Maycomb County gather around Atticus, threatening his and Toms lives.Scout still in her innocence, breaks the crowd by recognizing Mr. Cunningham and she, proceeds to praise his son Walter without thought to the fact that Mr. Cunningham realizes that he is a father, not just part of a nameless mob, and, in a sense, he walks around in Atticuss skin for a moment. The individualizing Scout has done humanizes the originally dehumanized mob and ends the threat to many lives at stake. Scout does not realize the extent of her actions until later on and the understanding raises her up a level of maturity. The game that the men are playing puts lives a t risk and shows Scout that adults play with strange sets of rules. She reaches an understanding in the jailhouse scene that still continues to push her into the adult world.

Critical analysis of marketing ethics- corporate social responsibility Essay

IntroductionEthical conduct of merchandise activities is essential for any serious backup in the current globalized fear purlieu. The issue of bodily social responsibility has been a ch anyenge to many managers and exit continue to do so in case proper mechanisms and policies atomic number 18 not put in rear and implemented.The report gives an analysis of CSR practices and subsequently provides arguments in favour of the practice and those that do not. unyielding terminal perspective in carrying come in CSR has been stressed. Sustainable CSR practices ensure that the business remains relevant in the long menstruate, performs better and the needs of the community and environment atomic number 18 addressed. The impacts of CSR dimensions on the marketing mix dodging lift outed by the strongly bedevil also been dealt with. The outperform address to CSR has been suggested and recomm turn backation is that the approach which resonates substantially with the goals of th e debauched essential be adopted. The blue-chip company tacklight-emitting diode in this report is Nike.Report summaryIt has been observed that marketing ethics still is a offspring forceing vigorous debate among scholars and business practitioners. Currently, there is a corporate social responsibility movement that has been incited by a number of catalytic forces. However, these forces driving CSR in the current business setup have been propelled by serious shifts exhibited in the relationship of the market, individual and the state. Core drivers in CSR have been the ever-growing expectations from stakeholders, the ever shrinking quality played by the state in businesses, levels of responsibility beingness put on preparation scopes, and the adding pressure emanating from shareholders (Amaeshi, et al., 2006, pp.4,17, 25).See more how to write an analysisStudies that have been conducted signify that the current public is more sensitive to CSR and indeed expects much from bu sinesses and it is therefore flood tide up with groups such as consumers, activists, community, employees, and shareholders so as to contrive to it that they are heard by corporate decision-makers. CSR could be find outed as the continuous commitment of businesses to act in a manner that is ethical and subsequently result to the economic suppuration of union while trying to improve the life quality of its workforce and their families and that of the local community.The company becomes obliged to become sensitive to the demands of all stakeholders. It must be stated clearly that CSR does not imply monetary hand-outs in form of grants or donations (McWilliams & Siegel, 2000, pp.603-609). This is a myopic view of CSR that has frequently led to the vague argument that the business of a business entity is to do business and thus not to be concerned with issues going on in the party. This has often pitted CSR against profitability thus arguing that CSR programs will deter a firm f rom achieving its profitability goals. Long term views on CSR and profitability however indicate that a firm practicing CSR programs performs better than those which do not. The firm chosen for the report is Nike which deals in sports footwear and apparels.AnalysisCritical Analysis of Arguments for and Against incorporated Social responsibility (CSR)Friedman (2008, pp.32-33) notes that CSR is deemed to be a very comprehensive package of serious practices and programs guided by policies which are all integrated into the operations of a business entity, supply chains, and its decision making processes in the whole firm and this spins across current and past actions and the impact that the operations have on future welfare of business, society and environment in general. In this regard, CSR issues are related to community investment, governance, business ethics, human rights, market and working environment (Li & Su, 2007, pp.237-256). This eliminates the myopic view of CSR as unsoph isticated charity and therefore calls upon the firm to incorporate fully the impact of its operations on stakeholders as well as the environment at the point of decision-making.Managers must thus juggle with a delicate balance that exists between the stakeholder needs, company needs to make profits and perform better, and be able to adequately reward shareholder. The argument posed for new corporate leaders is that of profit optimization being the key to success as opposed to profit maximization thus bringing a serious paradigm shift in terms of accountability to the firms shareholders to the social responsibility towards customers and other stakeholders in society (Chapple & Moon, 2005, pp.415-441).Given the current competitive international marketing, ethics have been singled out as playing a pivotal role since businesses have realized that they are handling human reputes as well as beliefs. artes have largely spread across geographic boundaries and the current marketers are fa ced with cross-cultural issues that they must deal with. Multinationals that did not notice this responsibility such as McDonald and Nestle ended up facing serious ethical problems in their marketing activities going as far as get themselves in suits that cost them millions of dollars (Li & Su, 2007, pp.237-256).Bansal & Roth, (2000, pp.717736) think that those who support CSR activities bring in very interesting arguments. They hold that CSR practices do enhance the firm and its brand image payable to the good reputation that CSR brings on board. Companies that do CSR programs effectively have also been found to easily attract ethical sensitive employees and their retention levels are high because of the satis concomitantion and motivational levels that such employees do record. Such firms do report high growth place in terms of market share and are able to easily attract new investors in their business ventures (McWilliams & Siegel, 2000, pp.603-609). Furthermore, firms with w orking CSR programs have experienced cut costs of operations and are thus able to report high net profit margins.These arguments for CSR practices are supported by the logic that a firm that is socially responsible does care about its customers, suppliers, employees, society, local community, and the environment as a whole. It thus becomes an approach through which a firm does recognize the long impact that its business operations have on the society and its development and in essence ends up supporting the firm in pursuit of its business success and that it has to actively handle the social, environmental, economic, and human rights issues. This calls for sustainable development as well as good levels of corporate governance (Roux, 2007, pp.23-25).Chambers, et al., (2003, pp.112-119) argue that normative arguments do recognize the needs for CSR are mainly pillared on instrumental rationales or ethical, and those that are against CSR practices are based on property rights perspect ives or institutional functions. In this regard, ethicists do argue that companies are obliged to act or behave in a manner that is socially responsible since that is something that is morally correct. Extremists in instrumental rationales would still support CSR programs even when they pose unproductive outcomes for the firm.The stand is based on the rational calculation which presupposes that CSR practices will in the long run benefit the firm in question (Sun, 2010, pp.45-47). This is enshrined in the organizational legitimization philosophy which poses that by showing responsibility, a firm will be able to proactively reduce and anticipate regulations of the government, make good use of opportunities that arise from the increased cultural, sexual, and environmental awareness, differentiate its products and services from those of its competitors who are not proactive, and would continue to benefit from privilege pursuits of economics (Mahon, 2002, pp.415-445). It assumes that t he firm has a legal obligation to make maximized economic advantages that do accrue to its owners.The need for firms to protect their CSR practices is also presented since firms will not make supernormal profits from the CSR initiatives due to the entry of other firms (Visser, et al., 2008, pp.67-69).Visser, et al., (2008, pp.67-69) are of the view that the case against CSR is supported by the institutional function concept and that of property rights. This argument poses that the best vehicles for CSR are the governments, civil and religious organizations, and labour unions. They further argue that business managers do not have the necessary skills and time required to carry out CSR policies. They also hold that a business sector that is empowered should not be held responsible for its actions since it is not a governmental body that is in place through electoral processes. Thus, allowing businesses to carry out CSR practices is seen as being dangerous since this does allocates hug e amounts of authority to the firms without exercising accountability (Chaudhri & Wang, 2007, pp.232247).The property rights argument is rooted in neoclassical capitalism and its simplicity resonates with many scholars, especially those in finance. The position is that management reserves no right to carry out anything apart from that which increases the value of stockholders. Actions contrary to this are a violation of legal, moral and fiduciary responsibilities endowed to management (Visser, et al., 2008, pp.67-69). This is also supported by the competitive disadvantage theory which holds that CSR actions will impose a price on the company thus posing a competitive disadvantage when compared to other firms that are not practicing it. However, this is still viewed by many as a narrow view based on short term needs for profitability (Garriga & Mele, 2004, pp.51-74).How Different Dimensions of CSR Might Affect the marketing Mix of NIKEThere are a number of CSR dimensions that are ta ckled by a firm which is ethically responsible in its marketing mix and these admit the physical environment, social, consumer, supply chain, and employee relations. The concept of marketing mix in this context is viewed as a theorized as well as structured steering of effectively delivering and communicating product and service message to consumers in the market (Waddell, 2000, pp.323345). The impacts posed by the CSR dimensions are based on the belief that the reputation of the company is kind of vital to holding and maintaining a competitive position within the marketing place and in doing business successfully. The chart for CSR dimensions has been given in the appendix at the end of this report.These ethical issues if not well-addressed could create serious problems with consumers and make the marketing mix in place irrelevant. The marketing mix would include such things are product, price, place, promotion, physical evidence and people which are areas of marketing strategy application (Bhattacharya, et al., 2011, pp.56-58).The goal of business and marketing has been said to be profit maximization in a lawful manner. The behaviour portrayed in the marketplace must be ethical and ensure that there are societal benefits. The dimensions of CSR have been cognise to advance the corporate image, create and increase motivation as well as loyalty of both employees and consumers. A company which does not ensure employee development and proper compensation is likely to lose competitive advantage and this in turn affects the success of the marketing mix strategy employed by the firm such as Nike. When employees, who also constitute marketers, are empowered and well-developed, they enhance the performance of a company such as Nike.The environmental impact on businesses is huge (Secchi, 2007, pp.347-373). Companies that are known not to consider the impact their activities have on the environment lose out in the long run. The way the firm formulates its marketing mix strategy to resonate with the environmental needs will affect its long term viability. Such issues as use of unripened heftiness in its operations, use of biodegradable materials in advertisements, use of technology to safeguard the environment, and reduction of carbon emissions through carbon footprint measures could heavily impact on the success of its marketing mix. Ethically sensitive consumers will shun away from Nike if they find out that the company hold poor reputation on environmental issues (Peteraf, 1993, pp.179-191).Consumers on the other hand demand for quality products at competitive prices and the safety of these products must be guaranteed. A firm which does not take hid of these demands risks being thrown out of the market as consumers would avoid its products making its marketing mix strategies irrelevant. This is where the concept of consumer related marketing finds relevance since current consumers usually recognises CSR brands and end up supporting them (C ovin & Miles, 1999, pp.47-63).Given the fact that Nike operates in the society and not in virtual settings, it is important that the social welfare of the local community be put into consideration in order to win hope, respect and loyalty, factors that enhance brand image and reputation. This also gives the company insurance in the society it operates in. it is severely to market a product of a company that does not have good brand image, has a ruined reputation and the society does not trust it or exhibits near zero loyalty levels (Baum & Wally, 2003, pp.1107-1129).Supply chain dimension in CSR for Nike must be considered since supply chains have been singled out as being at the core of business operations. The business in question such as Nike must be able to streamline its supply chain to resonate with the CSR demands. Marketing mix strategies that are employed in supply chains that are effectively handling CSR programs such as green logistics and green supplies have been found to resonate well with the consumers since the consumer is placed at the centre of these supply chains (Covin & Miles, 1999, pp.47-63).The Most Appropriate CSR Approaches to AdoptNumerous approaches to CSR have been proposed by many scholars and businesses. However, they are all defined by the size and resources bases controlled by organizations and the goals to be achieved in engaging in CSR. These approaches are initiatives based on community, getting into philanthropic activities, and developing business plans which build strong shared values.The company could adopt two approaches to the practice of CSR in the market. The first one should be coming up with community based initiatives where it supports organizations, events, as well as programs within the local community it operates in as this could pose strong positive impacts in the long run. This could subsequently create a positive brand recognition which resonates well with the community (Barney & Arikan, 2001, pp.67-78). Thi s strategy should be done in combination with the approach of shared value. This shared value approach is a CSR initiative that focuses on building a set of shared values which do recognize the fact that long term success of the business as well as achieving a balanced social system are two concepts that are dependent to each other.This approach is enshrined in the belief that for a business to thrive, the community in which it operates in must be healthy, educated, and governed in the closely appropriate way possible (Lopez, et al., 2007, pp.285300). In this regard, factoring in formal investments in areas of education, social well-fare, healthcare, and civil society when coming up with strategic business plans is the best boulevard in creating opportunities that enhance and build social value while ensuring long term growth for the firm. Whichever approach a firm such as Nike adopts the most important consideration should be that it has to offer sustainability, win goodwill from the society, and ensure that the company meets its goals. Sustainable CSR practices work to ensure that the company avoid short term focus and looks towards profit optimization in the long run (Banerjee, et al., 2008, pp.51-79).Conclusion and RecommendationsConsidering the current global marketing environment, serious changes have occurred when compared to what it was decades ago. In this regard, it is imperative that firms adopt CSR practices that are sustainable. Indeed there are those who argue for CSR practices by firms and those that argue against these practices as has been established in the analysis. However, differences in opinion happen to emanate due to the aspect of time difference (Agle, et al., 1999, pp.507-525). Companies that focus on short term gains from CSR will be frustrated since this cannot be easily achieved. On the other hand, firms that look to to practice long term CSR programs that are sustainable have been reported to achieve high performance levels and have managed to justify their participation in CSR to their shareholders.In a nutshell, a serious company in todays globalized market cannot assume the need for sustainable CSR policies that it should effectively carry out (Waddell, 2000, pp.323345). The dissimilar dimensions of CSR such as environment, social, consumer, supply chains, and employee relations have been seen to pose serious impacts on the marketing mix strategies adopted by the firm such as Nike. Finally, it is recommended that all approaches to CSR must be considered and the best approach or a combination that fits the goals of the company be chosen as has been indicated above.ReferencesAgle BR, Mitchell RK & Sonnenfeld JA (1999). Who matters to chief operating officers? An investigation of stakeholder attributes and salience, corporate performance, and CEO values. The Academy Manage. J. 42(5) 507-525.Amaeshi, K, Adi, B, Ogbechie, C & Amao, O. (2006) Corporate Social responsibleness in Nigeria Western Mimicry or I ndigenous Influences?. No. 39-2006, ICCSR Research Paper series ISSN 1479 5124, The University of Nottingham, pp. 4,17, 25Banerjee BS (2008). Corporate Social certificate of indebtedness The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Crit. Soc., 34(1) 51-79.Bansal, P. & Roth, R. (2000). Why Companies Go Green A model of Ecological Responsiveness. The Academy of Management ledger 43 (4) 717736Barney, J.B. & Arikan, A.M. (2001). The resource-based view Origins and implications. In M.A. Hitt, Freeman, R.E., and Harrison, J.S. (Eds.), The Blackwell Handbook of Strategic Management. Blackwell Publishers Ltd. Malden, MA, 67-78Baum JR & Wally S (2003). Strategic decision speed and firm performance. Strateg. Manage. J. 24 1107-1129Bhattacharya, CB, Sankar Sen & Korschun D., (2011) Leveraging Corporate Social Responsibility The Stakeholder Route to Business and Social Value, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge UK.Chambers, E., Chapple, W., Moon, J., & Sullivan, M. (2003). CSR in Asia A seven country study of CSR website reporting. external Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility, Nottingham University, UK. Research Paper Series No. 09-2003, 112-119Chapple, W., & Moon, J. (2005). Corporate Social Responsibility in Asia A seven-country study of CSR web site reporting. Business & Society, 44, 415-441Chaudhri V. & Wang J (2007). Communicating Corporate Social Responsibility on the Internet A Case Study of the Top 100 Information Technology Companies in India. Manag. Commun. Q., 21(2) 232247Covin, J.G. & Miles, M.P. (1999) Corporate entrepreneurship and the pursuit of competitive advantage. Entrepreneurship hypothesis and Practice, 23 47-63Friedman, (2008) The social responsibility of business in to increase its profits. New York Times Magazines, 13 Sept., 32-33Garriga, E. & Mele, D. (2004) Corporate social responsibility theories Mapping and territory. Journal of Business Ethics, 53, 51-74Li, J. & Su C., (2007) How face influences consumption A comparative study of American and Chinese consumers, International Journal of Market Research 492, pp.237-256.Lopez, M., Garcia, A., & Rodriguez, L. (2007). Sustainable development and corporate performance A study based on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Journal of Business Ethics, 75, 285300Mahon JF (2002). Corporate reputation a research agenda using strategy and stakeholder literature. Bus. Soc. 41 415-445McWilliams, A., & Siegel D. (2000) Corporate social responsibility and financial performance Correlation or misspecification? Strategic Management Journal, 21 (5) 603-609Peteraf, M.A. (1993), The cornerstones of competitive advantage A resource-based view. Strategic Management Journal, 14, 179-191Roux, M. (2007). Climate conducive to corporate action 1 All-round Country Edition. The Australian. Canberra, A.C.T.Secchi, D. (2007). Utilitarian, managerial and relational theories of corporate social responsibility. International Journal of Management Reviews, 9, 4, 347-373.Sun, W. (2010), How to Govern Corpora tions So They Serve the Public Good A Theory of Corporate Governance Emergence, New York Edwin Mellen, ISBN 978-0-7734-3863-7Visser, W., D. Matten, M. Pohl, & Tolhurst N. (eds.) (2008). The A to Z of Corporate Social Responsibility. Wiley. ISBN 978-0-470-72395-1Waddell, S. (2000). New institutions for the practice of corporate citizenship Historical Intersectoral, and Developmental Perspectives. Business and Society Review 105 323345

The Letterbox

The Letterbox Essay By Lori Provan The Letterbox By Ann Marie Di Mambro is a striking monologue which discusses the theme of domestic vehemence. This essay will cheek at how the originator uses a wide range of intense techniques to explore the theme. In The Letterbox housewife, Martha, has to suffer with her ruthless husband. Having been thr suffer out, Martha is slouched on a landing of her own flat. Throughout the monologue, she speaks to her vernal daughter, Wendy, through the letterbox. During their talk only Martha can be heard.We can hear that she makes many unacceptable excuses to her young daughter made by the victims of domestic abuse. Her parenting skills are existence questioned because of her instructions that are putting young Wendy under a lot of pressure. This essay will examine the following how authoritative the title is the f bout that the monologue is distributed into two separate sections about Marthas different excuses for her husbands behaviour the fact that the dramatic monologue is close in in by the brief appearance of a young equal whose response to Marthas situation makes it quite clear of theirs and the publics intolerance.Also, Marthas conversation with Wendy raises questions about the lesson she is teaching Wendy for her future life. The title of this dramatic monologue is successful as it gives nothing away about the play. A letterbox was designed to deliver messages or letters in and out of the outer world. Martha is sending messages to Wendy from outside of the flat. These messages are loaded with the significance about the difficulties of adult relations of which Wendy is far too young to understand. Therefore The Letterbox is an effective title because we understand that domestic furiousness is hidden of not fully understood.Besides this, a supplementary way the author deals with domestic violence is through Marthas shameful excuses for her husbands disgraceful behaviour. To express this, Martha feeds Wendy many o f these unacceptable excuses throughout the monologue. Martha is in an unpleasant situation as she tries to tell Wendy that everything will turn out to be adequate. What makes this unacceptable is that this may lead Wendy to a violent future. When Martha tries to reassure Wendy and tells her not to it bother her, Martha starts to make unacceptable excuses. The author uses a range of irony in this paragraph.An illustration of this is Just tickling me thats right, tickling. for fun. The stage direction Wincing. Spits in her hanky moves her jaw around, feels within her mouth. Explains that she has been hurt earlier in the day. Martha withal threatens her poor daughter that she will be taken away if the tells anyone about what is happening at home at a regular occurrence. Even though we cannot hear Wendys response during the dramatic monologue, we can only guess that Wendy is suggesting sensible solutions. We know this from Marthas ostracise responses No, no dont wake him and No matter where we went, hed only find us. In summary, Marthas variety of unacceptable excuses has a large negative influence of Wendys future life. Over and above this, an additional way Ann Marie Di Mambro explores the theme of mistreatment is with the brief appearance of a young couple named Jack and Jill. The author uses the technique of dramatic irony to show the harsh words of golf-club. Dramatic irony is when the audience or function knows some(prenominal)thing the other character is unaware of. When Jack and Jill approach Martha, slumped outside her flat, they automatically assume that she is a drug abuser or alcohol abuser. This is what a large helping of society would judge Martha as.The stage directions Jack puts his arm protectively around Jill suggest that Jack is a very stereotypical man. Jack also refers to Martha as being Pissed Jack and Jills names contrasts with Marthas plight as the nursery rhyme seems innocent but there is an undercurrence of violence, but nowh ere as near as brutal as Marthas non innocent story. Therefore the brief appearance of Jack and Jill explains a large part of the large part of the stereotypical society we live in today. Furthermore, another way the author highlights the theme of inhuman treatment is through Marthas conversation with Wendy, and the fact that some of her onversation with her daughter raises moral questions about the lessons she is teaching Wendy for the future. Throughout The Letterbox Martha teaches many outrageous lessons to Wendy. For instance, Martha explains to Wendy that the way her brutal husband be surrenders is acceptable and that all men do it. The quote, Its just the way men are shows objectionable parenting skills, as only a small fraction of todays male population act violently towards their loved ones. However, the large majority of the population do not act in this manner. At the end of the play Martha sings Wendy a bedtime lullaby.The simple quatern lined song is adaptable and poign ant. There are three symbols in this song. Light, darkness and sleep. Light is to signify hope, that the light of their lives are fragile and can be easily extinguished. Darkness is to represent despair, sorrow, trouble and hatred. Darkness is very effective as it contrasts light and dark to those who do not endure domestic violence with those who are victims. Lastly, the word sleep symbolises bringing an end to the day and all the terrible events that have happened. Sleep also symbolises a new day, but also foreshadows that the cycle of misery and violence may start all over again.In conclusion, Marthas parenting skills have been questioned negatively and the authors technique of symbolism and dramatic irony demonstrate this perfectly. In summary, Ann Marie Di Mambro has successfully explored topics such as the significance of the title, the different excuses Martha and other victims of domestic abuse use, how Jack and Jill are used to frame the play and to characterize societys at titude to the victims and the way that Martha speaks to Wendy which raises moral questions about her parenting skills, while Mambro talks powerfully about the theme of domestic violence.I have learnt many valuable lessons whilst studying this dramatic monologue. I have learnt that the theme of domestic violence in typical households is most undoubtedly kept a secret from the outside world. I have realised that the author is trying to say that domestic violence is hidden or not fully understood and that cruelty and injustice of domestic violence is intolerable.

Insourcing and Outsourcing of Companies

1-800-India Nations economic growths have rapidly emerged over the past decades. India is the leader in most global markets due to outsourcing white collar jobs. Workers in other countries like India do many various things such(prenominal) as tutoring, checking baggage, and x-rays for cheaper prices than here in the US, often with better results. Over half of the US jobs are going to India because of insourcing and outsourcing of companies. Majority of our customer service calls are being answered by foreign countries.Rwanda is ace of the fastest growing places, due to outsourcing and have grown to 1. 6 million over the last decade. The secret is BPO. Many women have joined the work mightiness and have become head of the households. BPO have tripled in size also have different workforces to chose from due to inexpensive educated labor such as insurance, customer service, and travel reservations. This workforce is cutting the cost of back office work by 50% from major companies in the US. BPO started with a hand in effect(p) of people, today the numbers have grown to over 17,000 worldwide.This culture has learned to speak English in rapid numbers. The advancement of speaking many different languages gives India a huge advantage for American jobs. Many are becoming middle class and are changing the face of the country. Most of these workers are women. Doctors and other professionals have quit their jobs to work for 1-800-India. They are making to a greater extent money now than they were making as doctors. Americans earn up to 10 times more than other countries but India are among the best paid groups.Before, India knew no value of the credit card but were thought to help Americans with their line of credit. These professionals take preen in customer care because this is their way to a good life. For constantlyy outsourcing job there are at least two more jobs created such as security and construction. Shopping has also become a way of life for the younger generation, being that they are paid more than their family have ever made. Many company workers work around the clock. The laws in India kept women from working nights.The outsourcing industry had to lobby the India government to change labor laws so women could work new-fashioned shifts. The laws also made sure the women were picked up and dropped off back at theater. They provided security while on duty. New jobs were created by transporting thousands of people 24 hours a day. This transportation company has become a big operation which has employed many people there. India still has hundreds of people below poverty lines. Working women stayed home and to support the immediate family.However, the first borne girl was seen as a burden to poor families in the India tradition. The father sees no value in the daughters education but except the son having an education. The girls would secretly work and pay for education, today they are the biggest support to their families. I belie ve this country does not involve women to work simply because it takes focus off the households and by not educating women some how gives the power to the man. Moreover, women started educating themselves, started gaining confidence, and then dominated the workforce.Some India families who want their daughters to marry have to overtake approval from the mothers. The boyfriend must be of the same religious back ground and culture. Most marriages are arranged. India is one of the most married countries in the world. India communities hump as normally as Americans. They are working communities juggling work, family, children, and school. Just remember the next time you call customer service you will slam who you are talking to and hopefully will become more patient and understanding where our calls are coming from

Personhood and Abortion Essay

The topic of individualhood and abortion is a very controversial whiz. I book with Marquis and Thomsons theory on how psychehood does non settle the ethical debate on abortion. Therefore, I pass on explain Don Marquiss argument, his critique of the traditional pro- sustenance argument, wherefore this argument is far off from the general idea of what a individual is and why I agree with his argument. Then, I will discuss Judith Thomsons argument and why I accept the Burglars and Seed spate argument is the most glib-tongued. Lastly, I will describe what I believe the definition of a person is.Towards the beginning of Marquiss article he states, The anti-abortionist charges, non unreasonably, that pro-choice regulations concerning toss offing be overly narrow to be unimpeachable the pro-choicer charges, not unreasonably, that anti-abortionist principles concerning killing atomic number 18 too broad to be acceptableAll this suggests that a necessary condition of resolv ing the abortion controversy is a more hypothetical account of the wrongness of killing. (92) I agree that personhood alone does not solve the issue of abortion.His article discusses the principle concerning the wrongness of killing. This principle entails that it is wrong to destroy cancer-cell cultures or any other human cell cultures that are done in a lab. This is far-off from what the general idea of a person is. Cells and a person share little of the same characteristics therefore, the anti-abortionists principle is too broad. Marquis says, Killing adults is wrong because it deprives them of their future. just now in killing a fetus, we are also depriving it of its future. Thus, it seems inconsistent to object to one but not the other. (90) Basically, he is saying that if we withdraw killing an adult is wrong past we ought to think that killing a fetus is wrong. Marquis concentrates on mounting that personhood doesnt matter when arguing about abortion because most argum ents involving personhood are too narrow or too broad in scope. What matters is the fact that killing is depriving one of ones future. This principle even suggests that fetuses at an early stage of pregnancy fall under the wrongness of killing idea. Marquis also discusses how the pro-choicer believes in a moral principle concerning the wrongness of killing that fetuses do not fall under.He says that this principle is too narrow in scope and does not bosom enough. This principle would allow for the killing of infants that were mentally handicapped or ill. I agree with Marquiss concept on how personhood does not settle this controversial issue. Just macrocosm a person does not explain why abortion is wrong. As Marquis discusses, the wrongness comes from the loss of ones life deprives one of the future. Judith Jarvis Thomsons article begins with her saying, Most opposition to abortion relies on the premise that the fetus is a human being, a person, from the moment of conception.I thi nk that the premise is false, that the fetus is not a person from the moment of conception. A newly fertilized ovum, a newly implanted clump of cells, is no more a person than an acorn is an oak tree. (97) The first premise of the Potential Persons Argument says, If it is wrong to kill persons, it is wrong to kill potential persons. (Lecture) Thomson believes that potentially being something or someone does not give one the rights of actually being that something or someone. Therefore, a freshly implanted clump of cells in a female is no distinguishable than a new acorn give riseing to potentially become an oak tree.An acorn is just a potential oak tree there is no guarantee that it indeed will grow into an oak tree, just as a clump of cells has the potential to grow into a human, but there is no guarantee this will happen. Thomson uses an interesting example in her argument. A fiddler is dying and only you deport the right blood type to save him. You are kidnapped overnight and the violinists circulatory system is plugged into yours. You digest to stay plugged into him until he gets better. It is allowable for you to choose to disconnect yourself from him because you did not consent.The same idea would apply to deflower and incest. Thomson says, Even supposing a case in which a woman pregnant due to rape ought to allow the unborn person to use her trunk for the hour he needs, we should not conclude that he has a right to do so we should conclude that she is self-centered, callous, indecent, but not unjust, if she refuses. (108) This quote explains why the violinist theory would apply to rape and incest. Thomson also uses the Seed People argument, which I believe is the most persuasive argument. There are seed people who float in the air, land on your carpet and grow into adults.Because of this, you buy preventive screens, but the seed people pass through the screen and take root. It is permissible to get rid of the seed people because you did tak e preventative measures. This argument implies that abortion would be permissible if the mother did take preventative actions while having intercourse and still got pregnant. I agree with Thomson on this. If a woman is on birth control and uses a condom while having intercourse and she still gets pregnant, then it should be virtuously permissible for her to get an abortion.It is normal for adults to have an urge for intercourse and I believe they should be able to do so even if they do not want a baby. sex act is not just about pleasure, but about love as well. Therefore, it should be permissible for adults who have had protected intercourse to get an abortion. Some people might object to Thomsons theory on the seed people because you are still killing a person. But, you have the right to what happens in your body and therefore I believe you have the right to make the decision for an abortion.Overall, I agree with Thomsons article. I like that she starts with a controversial pro-li fe argument and then finishes with a pro-choice conclusion. She use great analogies when presenting her arguments. What makes up a person is another controversial issue. In my opinion, a person is a self-conscious or rational being with the ability to reason and a notion of self-identity. Although, I think an individuals definition of a person may be based upon whether they believe abortion is morally permissible or not.One might try to fix the definition of personhood in fellowship to get the desired outcome about abortion. For example, an individual who thinks abortion is morally permissible might regulate a person as someone who has the ability to reason, ability to consent, ability to control ones attention and action, ability to communicate, and ability to be morally responsible. By this definition, a fetus would not really be a person because fetuses can not do all of these things. Therefore, abortion would be morally permissible because the fetus is not a person.

Night

In the enchanting memorial wickedness by Elie Wiesel, he deals with the struggle of surviving, which was devastating since it was during the holocaust. In the memoir Night, Wiesel physical exercises Symbolism, Simile, and mockery in order to decorate the events during the holocaust. Wiesels lend oneself of Symbolism helped the commentator understand the incarceration of the Jews in the closeness camps. Father, I verbalize If that is true and so I dont trust to wait.Ill run into the electrified thorny wire. That would be easier than a slow end in the flames. (33). Wiesel uses his symbolism when he said the electrified barbed wire. Its world used to show the referee that this is how the ambiance was during the holocaust. Elie Wiesel, in his autobiography Night, his use of Simile helps the endorser to understand the brutal atmosphere of the German Police. There are 80 of you in the car, the German incumbent added, if any of you are missing, you will be shot like dogs. (24). He uses his metaphor run-in when the check up on (that the Jews were on) stopped and was guarded by deuce German police officers. Its cosmos used to pose the atmosphere of the brutal officers of the Germans.In Elie Wiesels Night, Wiesel uses Irony in order to help the reader understand the atmosphere on the train which the Jews were on. Fire I see a onrush I see a fire (24). Wiesel uses the Irony figurative language when the Jews were on the train to the concentration camps. It was being used to illustrate the savage atmosphere of humans being killed in a huge fire So Wiesels use of Symbolism, Simile, and Irony were in incident helped the reader understand all the events that he wrote roughly during the holocaust. His stratum view of the holocaust was actually graphical Even though we never knew about this this is a very historical event on this planet.NightIn the fascinating memoir Night by Elie Wiesel, he deals with the struggle of surviving, which was devastati ng since it was during the holocaust. In the memoir Night, Wiesel uses Symbolism, Simile, and Irony in order to illustrate the events during the holocaust. Wiesels use of Symbolism helped the reader understand the captivity of the Jews in the concentration camps. Father, I said If that is true then I dont want to wait.Ill run into the electrified barbed wire. That would be easier than a slow death in the flames. (33). Wiesel uses his symbolism when he said the electrified barbed wire. Its being used to show the reader that this is how the atmosphere was during the holocaust. Elie Wiesel, in his autobiography Night, his use of Simile helps the reader to understand the brutal atmosphere of the German Police. There are 80 of you in the car, the German Officer added, if any of you are missing, you will be shot like dogs. (24). He uses his simile language when the train (that the Jews were on) stopped and was guarded by two German police officers. Its being used to portray the atmospher e of the brutal officers of the Germans.In Elie Wiesels Night, Wiesel uses Irony in order to help the reader understand the atmosphere on the train which the Jews were on. Fire I see a fire I see a fire (24). Wiesel uses the Irony figurative language when the Jews were on the train to the concentration camps. It was being used to illustrate the savage atmosphere of humans being killed in a huge fire So Wiesels use of Symbolism, Simile, and Irony were in fact helped the reader understand all the events that he wrote about during the holocaust. His point view of the holocaust was very graphic Even though we never knew about this this is a very historical event on this planet.NightIn the fascinating memoir Night by Elie Wiesel, he deals with the struggle of surviving, which was devastating since it was during the holocaust. In the memoir Night, Wiesel uses Symbolism, Simile, and Irony in order to illustrate the events during the holocaust. Wiesels use of Symbolism helped the reader und erstand the captivity of the Jews in the concentration camps. Father, I said If that is true then I dont want to wait.Ill run into the electrified barbed wire. That would be easier than a slow death in the flames. (33). Wiesel uses his symbolism when he said the electrified barbed wire. Its being used to show the reader that this is how the atmosphere was during the holocaust. Elie Wiesel, in his autobiography Night, his use of Simile helps the reader to understand the brutal atmosphere of the German Police. There are 80 of you in the car, the German Officer added, if any of you are missing, you will be shot like dogs. (24). He uses his simile language when the train (that the Jews were on) stopped and was guarded by two German police officers. Its being used to portray the atmosphere of the brutal officers of the Germans.In Elie Wiesels Night, Wiesel uses Irony in order to help the reader understand the atmosphere on the train which the Jews were on. Fire I see a fire I see a fire (24). Wiesel uses the Irony figurative language when the Jews were on the train to the concentration camps. It was being used to illustrate the savage atmosphere of humans being killed in a huge fire So Wiesels use of Symbolism, Simile, and Irony were in fact helped the reader understand all the events that he wrote about during the holocaust. His point view of the holocaust was very graphic Even though we never knew about this this is a very historical event on this planet.

Gender Roles in Things Fall Apart Essay

In Chinua Achebes fabrication Things total Apart, the Ibo society has a strict system of behavioral tradition that are assigned by gender. These customs restrict the freedom of Ibo woman and help to reinforce generation after generation the notion that Ibo workforce are superior to women. In Achebes essay An Image of Africa Racism in Conrads content of Darkness, he claims that Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness, despite its insights, ought to be eradicated from literature as an appropriate office of work on the argument that it is racist.Achebe focuses on gender roles and avoiding stereotypes to dismiss the racist attitude towards Africans in his novel by bringing the reader down to the level of his unbiased narration of a historical apologue novel. In Things Fall Apart, Achebe is cautious to avoid typical stereotypes describing white men. When the first white man is introduced, he is draw as not an Albino. He was quite different his presence is foreign and not understood, si mply not dangerous. Achebe creates no account of the man being atrocious.In fact, throughout the entire account statement Achebe consistently attributes those same qualities to the white men later on in the novel with the exception of The District Commissioner, who is described as strict and unreason adapted. Achebe even puts white men in a good featherbrained Mr. Brown constantly reminds the people of Umuofia that they should send their children to his church to learn to read and write so that other(a) white men will not shine to institute a new government and reverse their culture.By not negatively chronicling that white men are evil through narration and characterization, Achebe successfully lets loose the bounded stereotype of evil white men that are against African culture. Achebe affirms that in Ibo society, the position of weakness is strongly associated with women. Therefore, a man being declared woman-like is an extreme insult. Unoka, Okonwkos father, embodies the co unter-values that stand in opposition to the rigid social ideal of the tribe.Okonkwo is ashamed when he learns that agbala was not only another urinate for woman, it could also mean a man who had taken no title when this insult is applied to his father. By stereotyping based on titles that are indigenous to Ibo culture rather than stereotypes that are demeaning to a race, Achebe is able to maintain an unbiased narrative in Things Fall Apart. Achebe does not completely demean woman in his story it only seems as though that this is the case because he creates distractions to shy away from racism.In Ibo society, women marry to add to their fathers wealth, become subservient to their husbands, continue on their husbands bequest through child birth and emanate the essence that women know the secret of life, since they are the source of it. This is discernable when Uchendu ask Can you tell me, Okonkwo, why it is that one of the commonest names we give to our children is Nneka, or Mothe r is tyrannical? We all know that a man is the head of the family and his wives do his bidding. A child belongs to its father and his family and not to its mother and her family.A man belongs to his fatherland and not to his motherland. And yet we say NnekaMother is Supreme. Why is that? A man belongs to his fatherland when things are good and life is sweet. But when there is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuge in his motherland. Your mother is there to protect you. She is buried there. And that is why we say that mother is supreme. Although the characters in the story never recognize the full capacities of women, they are described as emotionally strong.Achebe has an amazing demo for spotting bias that hides in plain sight adapting against those anecdotes and historical asides, he creates something resembling a coherent story that necessitates dropping much that is important. Things Fall Apart possesses very deep meanings beyond that of avoiding stereotypes. Achebe purposely degrades women to not come across to the reader as racist, however his main priority is conveying lessons that are forgotten through literature. People who pick up a copy of Things Fall Apart will embark on journey that will let them see the subjugation of the African natives from their own perspective.

Should College Education be free in America

each(prenominal) three of the research topics that I chose are very outstanding to me. However the one topic that very stands out in my mind is, should college education be free in the United States? One crusade this topic stands out to me, I believe America spends too much currency importing goods. especially goods that require some form of technology such as cell phones and gaming systems. The list goes on. I olfactory property that if we train Americans to build these technologies, it leave create more jobs, henceforth, reducing unemploy work forcet.This brings me to the second most all important(p) reason why I feel that college education should be free in the United States. ameliorate people build a strong economy. Our great nation will benefit by making college education free in the U. S. , to citizens and anyone whos rightfully living in our country. non all who polish from high gear school are gifted enough to receive a scholarship to attend college, or are fortu nate to have parents afford to pay for their college education. This can be discouraging for young men or women who want to be successful, however dont have the means.What about the working(a) bragging(a) that wants to complete their degree so that they can be a role model to their children? Unfortunately, they dont have the finances to go back school. It becomes a double jeopardy life sentence for that high school graduate with no means of furthering their education or that parent that wants to go back to school. Not able to pursue a college degree and most likely earning less money than a college graduate. Consequently, men and women with none too little college education tend to earn less money throughout their life sentence than men or women who have a degree.According to howtoedu. org, (first line of second paragraph) over the course or working 40 years, somebody with a high school diploma will make $1,116,600 while someone with a bachelors degree will make $2,048,204. Accor ding to an article written by the American Public Media titled The Value of a College Degree (second paragraph), People who dont get some variety of post-secondary education are quickly falling out of the American middle class. I feel that our government spends more money in other areas that are unnecessary such as war. The money that the U. S.government spends on war should be allocated to more important areas such as education.There are antithetic deterring factors that prevent people from pursuing a higher education or completing their degree. The most important is the cost. According to the consumer financial protection bureau, the standard repayment schedule for a college education is 120 months (10 years). By making college education free, the American people will be more qualified for good paid jobs. This will also help in creating new jobs. The money that would be spent on paying back school loans, could be used to purchase homes.This is a perfect example for building a stronger economy. The method of research that I plan to use to support my thesis are, online articles via credible websites. These resources will weaken the relevance of making college education free in America. My resources will declare that free education will help create more jobs, therefore reducing unemployment and it will benefit in giving qualified people work with higher compensation. Finally, these resources will bring to light, that more jobs with higher paying compensation builds a stronger economy. All do to making college education free in America.

Us Postal Service – Insolvency

The United States beamal redevelopment At the Brink of Insolvency Business 510 Managerial Economics Final Project Submission February 25, 2012 Executive Summary this compensate move outs a look at the United States setal Service monetary problems, which brought it to the brink of insolvency, after losing more(prenominal) than $25B in the persist 5 long time. It analyzes factors and performance and postulates corrective actions to bring USPS back to fiscal solvency. Both microstinting and macroeconomic factors affecting the solid were analyzed m overthrow identifying its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.USPS harvest-feasts and work demonstrate its strengths with its monopoly of the s ratiocination out industry and as a political sympathies franchise with an open store of credit with the Federal Financing Bank of up to $15B. Weaknesses embroil lack or very little diversity in its products and serve wells, very suppressive pitch schedules and mandate d large pitch shot points. Opportunities for USPS include make up its product diversity taking advantage of the net and spic-and-span(prenominal) developing technologies it buns engage to improve its operate(a) put downs. USPS is besides experiencing external and internal threats.One of these threats is the wider acceptance of digital technology especiall(a)y with the cyberspace and email, smartph singles and mobile internet, skyrocketing operational be and inability to make timely changes and responses to thatify continued differencees without having to go through the bearal Regulatory Commission and Congress. In view of this, USPS is recommended to take a multi-prong approach to improve its r plainues by increasing product determine with its merchant vessels proceedss while staying competitive, using the theory of expense elasticity of make to appropriately price its send table work and diversifying its products.Reduce run follows by reducing poem of employees, improving its fleet of vehicles to more fuel efficient vehicles or using alternate energy and besides by reducing managed facilities and delivery schedules. And finally USPS needs to pass Congress to supply it authority to effect price changes resulting from out-of-the-ordinary changes in appeal of fuel and other materials and resources utilize in fulfilling its mandate of providing a first harmonic postal profit to the nation. Overview Establishment and General Business definition Article 1, Section 8, clause 7 of the United States Constitution establishes the U.S. postal Service. The accredited post force organization is operating(a) under the provisions of the postal shakeup Act of July 1, 1971 designating the US postal Service (USPS) as an independent establishment of the executive branch of the Government of the United States. The postal Accountability and enhancement Act, Public rightful(prenominal)ice 109-435 made further revisions and the governing st atute is codified in Title 39 of the United States Code. The same public law created the postal Regulatory Commission ( chinaw atomic number 18) bestowing the PRC with regulatory and backsliding obligations in the management and operation of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS classbook 10-K embrace, 2011). The mandate of the USPS is to offer a primaeval postal service to the entire nation at fair and reasonable rates approved by Congress. This mandate is fulfilled by offering different level of mailing and deportation services end-to-end the country. As of kinsfolk 30, 2011, append employees number to 557,251 c argvirtuosor employees, down 4. 6% from the twelvemonth before of 583,908 and 88,700 non- charge employees (Annual inform to Congress, 2011).More than 85% of move employees argon covered by joint bargaining agreements through one of the succeeding(a) four management organizations Ameri fucking Postal Workers Union (APWU), National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) , National Postal Mail Handlers (NPMHU) and National Rural Letter Carriers (NRLCA). Products and Services The United States Postal Service divides their services into twain broad categories Market dominant mailing services and competitive shipping services. Mailing services include First Class Mail, Standard Mail, Periodicals and Package Services.Shipping Services include alone not limited to precedency Mail, Express Mail, Bulk, Parcel Post and Bulk Intertheme Mail. Mailing services sop up get up ditch prices but generally doesnt have any set ceiling price up to the allowed upper limit size and weight limits ( comm scarcely 70 pounds for each package). The same holds true for shipping services. every(prenominal) these services be offered through a network of more than 32,000 Post regions, stations and branches, annex thousands of contract post units, society Post affairs, Village Post big ancestrymans, retail establishments selling postage stamps and other services in cluding the internet, www. sps. com. Additional services offered be sale of Postal capital parliamentary laws, leasing of Post Office boxes and sale of post cards or greeting cards. International mail and package services are also operable to more than xcl countries (Annual Report to Congress, 2011). The current First-Class Mail stamp costs $0. 45 addd 2. 1% beginning in January 2012 that was announced in October 18, 2011. Postal Service Mail pricing is set by the get on of Governors and approved by the PRC. Shipping services pricing is set by law covering twain the institutional costs allocation and attributable costs.The institutional cost allocation is determined by the PRC and is currently set at 5. 5%. Thus the shipping cost is the sum of 5. 5% institutional costs (comparable to transaction costs) and attributable cost, representing the invest cost of the mailing or shipping services establish from the weight and size of the package (USPS Annual 10-K Report, 2011). Cur rent Financial program line For the fiscal year last September 30, 2011, the United States Postal Service reported a net loss of $5. 067B from their operation, an improvement analyze to the previous years loss of $8. 505B. This is despite a reduction of 4. % in the number of its career employees from 583,908 to 557,251 (USPS Annual 10K Report, 2011). Just want any other private clientelees, the USPS was also greatly preserveed by the global economy especially the deep and prolonged economic time out of 2008. Additionally, with improvement in technology, wider approachability of internet wideband services, lower cost of personal computers, prevalent use of online banking and also surge in offering of online blood lines transfers, which not scarcely offers convenience and speed but virtually free, has directly cope and won over almost of the mailing services of the USPS.Mail book of account deliveries have descendd by 5% in the last two eld, 2011 and 2010 and the year before, in 2009, the decrease was a staggering 12. 8% (USPS Annual 10K Report, 2011). The expansion of mobile internet coupled with smart crys get out just worsen USPS declining mail saturation in the future. Finally, one of the biggest operating expenses of USPS besides transportation costs and plant equipment and facilities is employee wages and retiree benefits. USPS habit costs makes up virtually 80% of its total operating costs (Kosar, 2012).Employee wages and retiree benefits costs are signifi gougetly impacted by wage pretentiousness, health benefit premium developments, retirement and workers requital programs, and cost-of-living allowances. In the last 5 historic period, the USPS suffered a total net loss of more than $25 trillion including $21 billion of expenses for the pre-funding of the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits shop (PSRHBF) mandated by Public Law 109-435 (USPS Annual 10K Report, 2011). USPS current total debt as of September 2011 is at $13B wh ich is only $2B from its statutory limit of $15B set by 39 U.S. C 2005(a) (Kosar, 2012). Financial statements reported to Congress for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2011 Years ended Sept. 30, 2011Percent change from preceding year (dollars in millions) 2011 2010 2009 2011 2010 2009 operate r blushue $ 65,711 67,052 $ 68,090 (2. 0%) (1. 5%) (9. 1%) Operating expenses * $ 70,634 $ 75,426 $ 71,830 (6. 4%) 5. 0% (7. 6%) damage from trading operations $ (4,923) $ (8,374) $ (3,740) Operating margin (7. 5%) (12. 5%) (5. 5%) last-place loss $ (5,067) $ (8,505) $ (3,794) Purchases of capital $ 1,190 $ 1,393 $ 1,839 (14. 6%) (24. 3%) (7. %) Property and equipment Debt $ 13,000 $ 12,000 $ 10,200 Interest expense $ 172 $ 156 $ 80 Capital contributions of $ 3,132 $ 3,132 $ 3,087 U. S. Government Deficit since reorganization $ (22,072) $ (17,005) $ (8,500) make out net deficiency $ (18,940) $ (13,873) $ (5,413) Number of career employees 557,251 583,908 623,128 (4. 6%) (6. 3%) (6. 0%) Mail volume (pieces in millions) 167,934 170,860 176,744 (1. 7%) (3. 3%) (12. 8%) natural delivery points served 636,530 739,580 923,595 *P. L. 112-33 had a net impact of a $5. 5 billion reduction of expenses in 2011.P. L. 111-68 had a net impact of a $4. 0 billion reduction of expense in 2009. Graphical molding of USPS operating revenues and expenses from FY 2004 FY 2011 Market Structure Monopoly Salvatore D. (2012) defined a monopoly market as an organization in which a single fast(a) sells a product for which in that location are no close substitutes (p. 388). And of the four sources of monopoly cited (Salvatore, p. 390) is one established by a government franchise deal the United States Postal Service. Not all of USPS products and services are monopolized.USPS monopoly is only in their mailing service referring to as its dominant mailing service. No other delivery service company in the industry is allowed to deliver mail. And this includes delivery service companies li ke UPS and FedEx. Mailing services includes First Class Mail, Standard Mail, Periodicals and Package Services. The USPSs has monopoly over garner delivery, mailbox monopoly and the ability to suspend the delivery in certain cranial orbits. It enforces this monopoly with its armed postal inspectors who can subscribe searches and seizures if it suspects breach of its monopoly.The only exceptions to this monopoly are letters accompanying cargo and letters of the carrier (inter bureau correspondence) including bicycle messengers and overnight deliveries (Giddens, 2003). Monopolistic controversy Is defined, as the form of market organization wherein there are many sellers of a heterogeneous or differentiated product and entry into and exit from the industry are rather swooning in the long run (Salvatore, D. , p. 396). Although the United State Postal Service does have a monopoly on mailing services it so far does not have monopoly over shipping services which it shares with FedEx and UPS. only, this non-monopolized shipping service cannot be classified as Monopolistic Competitive market as there are only some sellers offering the products or services. Additionally, the same products and services are basically homogenous. Instead it is classified as an oligopolistic market. Oligopoly Is defined, as the form of market organization in which there are few sellers of a homogeneous or differentiated product (Salvatore, D. , p. 412). Products and services offered by the U. S.Postal Service in its Shipping Services naval division is classified as an oligopoly market. It shares this shipping services market with United Parcel Service and FedEx. With very few firms in the shipping industry, all triple (USPS, UPS, and FEDEX) seems to operate more like interdependence firms rather than rivalries. This is indorse by the col lugating services of USPS and UPS called UPS Basic while the one between USPS and FEDEX is called SmartPost. This interdependency operation betwe en these three firms mutually benefits all actuateies.Although it may look like USPS is getting the shorter end of the deal, but by conducting an additive analysis it go forth show USPS is just actually synergizing its required mandate of providing fundamental postal services. On the other hand, UPS and FEDEX benefit also from the consolidation by sharing their not so profitable area of their shipping services to USPS to ensure continued services to their customers and at the same time customer loyalty. Competition and Alliances There are a number of communications media competing for the same types of transactions and communications in the mailing and delivery services industry.These include newspapers, telecommunications, televisions, e-mail, social networking and online electronic funds transfers. For the shipping services intense contest is offered by United Parcel Service and FedEx Corporations (USPS Annual 10K Report, 2011), although at the same time these two competitors are also its alliances as described above. United Parcel Service (UPS) Financial comparison Below is UPSs financial statement for the last three years 2008 to 2010. Comparing U. S. Post Office 2010 and 2009 y primeval total revenues, UPSs 2010 is only 73. 2% to that of the U. S. Post Office while its 2009 revenue is only 66. 53% to that of the U. S. Post Office. This is proof positive even though the U. S. Postal Office is generally a local national firm, it has larger revenue than a multinational firm like UPS. However, when comparing operating expenses the U. S. Post Office edges UPS by a very large margin. U. S. Post Office total operating expenses of $75. 426B for 2010 more than double UPS $31. 989B. And for 2009, U. S. Post Offices total operating expenses of $71. 83B dwarfs UPS $31. 692BWhile UPS post a Net in hail of $3. 488B and $2. 152B in 2010 and 2009 respectively, the U. S. Post Office posted a Net Loss of $8. 374B and $3. 74B in the same years. Income Statement All numb ers in thousands Period EndingDec 31, 2010Dec 31, 2009Dec 31, 2008 entire Revenue 49,545,000 45,297,000 51,486,000 Cost of Revenue11,682,000 9,804,000 11,878,000 Gross clear 37,863,000 35,493,000 39,608,000 Operating Expenses investigate Development- Selling General and 30,197,000 29,945,000 32,412,000 Administrative Non Recurring- some others1,792,000 1,747,000 1,814,000 congeries Operating Expenses- Operating Income or Loss 5,874,000 3,801,000 5,382,000 Income from chronic Operations entireness Other Income/3,000 10,000 75,000 Expenses Net Earnings Before 5,877,000 3,811,000 5,457,000 Interest and Taxes Interest Expense354,000 445,000 442,000 Income Before Tax5,523,000 3,366,000 5,015,000 Income Tax Expense2,035,000 1,214,000 2,012,000 minority Interest- Net Income From3,488,000 2,152,000 3,003,000 Continuing Ops Non-recurring Events Discontinued Operations- Extraordinary Items- Effect Of Accounting Changes- Other Items- Net Income 3,488,000 2,152,000 3,003,00 0 Preferred timeworn And Other Adjustments- Net Income Applicable3,488,000 2,152,000 3,003,000 To Common Shares Product and Services comparison UPS products and services are homogenous to U. S. Post Office products and services with the exception of mailing services in the United States. UPS is basically a package delivery company (shipping services) providing transportation, logistics and financial services in the United States and in other 220 countries.It also go aways letter and register delivery but only those considered time con buildt delivery exempted by the U. S. Post Office from its mailing service monopoly. Unlike the U. S. Post Office shipping services, UPS operates internationally thus providing import and exporting logistic services throughout the world. It also houses various technology solutions for automated shipping, visibility, billing, distribution centers (to various industries like healthcare), technology, retail/consumer and a portfolio of financial ser vices. FedEx Financial comparisonBelow is FEDEXs financial statement for the last three years 2009 to 2011. Comparing U. S. Post Office 2011 and 2010 one-year total revenues, FEDEXs 2011 is only just about 59. 81% to that of the U. S. Post Office while its 2010 revenue is only almost 51. 80% to that of the U. S. Post Office. Just like with UPS, FEDEX annual revenue is just barely a little over half of the U. S. Post Office annual revenue. However, U. S. Post Office Operating Expenses more than triples FEDEX annual operating expenses hence resulting in huge annual Net Loss to the U. S. Post Office while FEDEX posted a Net Income of $1. 52B and $1. 184B in 2011 and 2010 respectively. Income Statement All numbers in thousands Period EndingMay 31, 2011May 31, 2010May 31, 2009 Total Revenue 39,304,000 34,734,000 35,497,000 Cost of Revenue14,266,000 11,908,000 12,672,000 Gross Profit 25,038,000 22,826,000 22,825,000 Operating Expenses seek Development- Selling General and20,598,000 18,852,000 18,899,000 Administrative Non Recurring89,000 18,000 1,204,000 Others1,973,000 1,958,000 1,975,000 Total Operating Expenses- Operating Income or Loss 2,378,000 1,998,000 747,000Income from Continuing Operations Total Other Income/(27,000)(25,000)15,000 Expenses Net Earnings Before2,351,000 1,973,000 762,000 Interest And Taxes Interest Expense86,000 79,000 85,000 Income Before Tax2,265,000 1,894,000 677,000 Income Tax Expense813,000 710,000 579,000 Minority Interest- Net Income From1,452,000 1,184,000 98,000 Continuing Ops Non-recurring Events Discontinued Operations- Extraordinary Items- Effect Of Accounting Changes- Other Items- Net Income 1,452,000 1,184,000 98,000 Preferred Stock And Other Adjustments- Net Income Applicable To1,452,000 1,184,000 98,000 Common Shares Product and Services comparison FEDEX product and services are also similar to UPS and with USPSs shipping services. Its services are divided into four segments FEDEX Express, FEDEX undercoat , FEDEX Freight and FEDEX Services. FEDEX Express, Ground and Freight generally deals with domestic and international shipping services while FEDEX Service provides sales, marketing , administrative, info technology and customer service support services including copying and digital printing services.Economic Factors Macroeconomic Factors Unemployment and recession The greatest recession in U. S. history since World struggle II was declared to have started as early as December 2007 and officially over by June 2009 per National Bureau of Economic Research (Beatty, A, Sept 2010). During the start of the recession, unemployment was at a 5. 0% (Dec 2007) and reached its peak of 10% in October 2009.However, these unemployment issues are mislead because as per Bureau of advertise and Statistics, Unemployment is defined as people who do not currently have a farm out, have actively looked for work in the past four weeks (from the time when the report is prepared) and are currently ava ilable for work (Amadeo, n. d. ). It also includes people who are temporarily laid off and delay to be called back to work. People who are jobless(prenominal) and have not looked for job in the last four weeks (from the time the report is prepared) are removed from the push back force and are not counted as out of work.The Bureau of Labor and Statistics also releases Alternative measures of labor underutilization report divided into 6 sections as follows * U-1 Persons dismissed 15 weeks or longer as a percent of the civilian labor force * U-2 speculate losers and person who completed temporary jobs as a percent of the civilian labor force * U-3 Total unemployed as a percent of the civilian labor force (official unemployment rate) * U-4 Total unemployed accession discouraged workers, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus discouraged workers * U-5 Total unemployed plus discouraged workers, plus all other person marginally attached to the labor force, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all person marginally attached to the labor force *U-6 Total unemployed, plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force, plus total employed part time for economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force Of these six sections, the focus is on the U-3 and U-6 figures. As of December 2008 the official unemployment rate as per BLS Report (U-3 figure) is at 7. 3% while the U-6 figure is at 13. 5%. The difference is 6. 2% content while 7. 3% of the work force is macrocosm reported as officially unemployed, some other 6. 2% are not. And this unreported 6. 2% are generally those who have stopped looking for jobs or those who hold part time jobs. By June 2009, when the last economic recession was officially declared over, the U-3 and U-6 figures are 9. 5% and 16. 5% respectively. And for the year ending, December 2011, U-3 was reported at 8. % and U-6 at 15. 2% for a difference of 6. 7% . This difference indicates 44. 0% (6. 7% / 15. 2%) of the unemployed is not reported in the official unemployment rate. This is an indication although unemployment rate has been reported to deterioration from its peak of 10% in October 2009 to 8. 5% in December 2011, there are silence far more unemployed people be unreported or have continuously decided not to join the workforce. spicy unemployment adversely affects the national economy in general including delivery and shipping services firms like USPS. With consumers having less confidence and less bullion to spend, there is less bloodline for delivery of goods.When unemployment rate is advanced, there are fewer consumers while stock-still those employed has less spendable money. Hence, retailers sales radioactive decay so is the rank of replacement merchandise directly translating to reducing shipping services both for the retailers and consumers. In short, there go away definitely be a negative impact on USPS revenue . Cyclical changes in the economy, i. e. recession and pomposity is nothing new to USPS, however the effect of modern technology like the personal computers and internet is.At the aggrandizement of the recession, 2009, USPS revenue declined by 9. 1% over the previous year with a total net loss of $3. 74B followed by another $8. 473B net loss in 2010. Unemployment rates peaked from 7. % in January of 2009 to 10% in October 2009 and declined to 9. 4% in December 2010 were in parallel with these revenue losings. The bulk of USPS operating expenses is mostly from its employee wages and retiree benefits and transportation. Of these, employee wages and retiree benefits are the least elastic. With more than 85% of its employees covered by bodied Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), USPS is strictly constrained to react promptly to sudden changes to the economy to reduce its operating expenses, i. e. displace off employees or reducing retiree benefits. Inflation Inflation is defined as a sust ained increase in the general level of prices for goods and services.It is measured as an annual percentage increase. As inflation rises, every dollar you own buys a smaller percentage of a good or service. The note value of a dollar is never constant and it is referred to as its purchasing creator. With inflation there is a decline in the purchasing military group of the dollar (Investopedia. com) For USPS, inflation also results in adverse effects on its revenues but mostly it affects the cost of health benefits it has to cover for its employees and retirees. For its operations, the cost of fuel also greatly affects its operating expenses. Cost of living allowances and workers compensation programs also add to increased operating expenses.But the most negative impact is the inability of USPS to readily adjust its product and services pricing based from inflation as it requires legislative actions to do so. Government Legislations Since USPS is a government owned firm, it operat es within the guidelines of public laws. Product and services pricing are approved by Congress. In adjunct, delivery schedules and delivery routes are also regulated by the Postal Regulatory Commission. With the implementation of Public Law 91-375 commonly k instantern as the Postal Reorganization Act of 1971, the USPS became a self-supporting, wholly governmental entity designed to cover its operating costs with revenues generated through providing fundamental postal services to the entire nation (Kosar, 2012).It does not receive annual appropriation from Congress for its operating budget except for the annual $100M telling pays to compensate USPS for the revenue losses incurred for free mailing privileges to maneuver persons and overseas voters, as directed by Congress. The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006 (PAEA) established the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund (PSRHBF) and required USPS to prefund its future retirees health benefits at a cost of app roximately $5. 5B per year for 10 years with remaining balance amortized in the subsequent next 40- year period. For FY ending 2011, the unfunded obligation to this fund is at $46. 2B (the accuracy of this amount is still being debated depending on what valuation method is used) (Kosar, 2012). Below is the table for the RHBF retributions under the PAEA Table 1.Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund Payments Under PAEA Fiscal Year Payment Due Per PAEA (billions) Status of Payment 2007 $5. 4 Paid in full. 2008 $5. 6 Paid in full. 2009 $5. 4 $1. 4 billion paid 2010 $5. 5 Paid in full. 2011 $5. 5 No payment 2012 $5. 6 Due September 30, 2012. 2013 $5. 6 Due September 30, 2013. 2014 $5. 7 Due September 30, 2014. 2015 $5. 7 Due September 30, 2015. 2016 $5. 8 Due September 30, 2016. Source Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (P. L. 109-435, 803 120 Stat. 3251-3252 5 U. S. C 8909(d)(3)(A). ) Due to solvency problems, Congress reduced the FY 2009 payment amount to $1. 4B (P. L. 11 1-68) while in FY2011, Congress delayed the payment to August 1, 2012 as per H. R. 112-331.By front warhead the RHBF, USPS has switched from funding its RHBF from out of pocket cost to pre-funding. Its this prefunding causing a tremendous financial strain on the firm. Its also an indicator on how much leverage and control government legislations have over the firm. And this is just one of the two biggest entities having control over the firms operations. The other one is employees unions. Collective Bargaining Agreements More than 80% of USPS operating cost is collect to its employees wage and more than 85% of its employees belong to one of the four unions or referred to as management organizations, i. e. , APWU, NALC, NPMHU and NRLCA.Unfortunately for USPS even though it enjoys benefits from federal regulations like monopoly of mailing services and having the ability to borrow money from the Federal Financing Banks up to $15B or as set by Congress the same federal laws also put c onstrains in its ability to increase revenue by increasing prices without prior approval or decreasing its operating costs by reducing mail delivery schedule or closing non-performing post offices or by having power to control labor costs. Statutory processes for resolving disputes between labor and management frequently results in arbitrators being empowered to make binding decisions heavily favoring employees (USPS Annual 10K Report, 2011). With declining revenues since 2007, USPS has been unable to reduce employee numbers to desired sustainable strength, its main operating cost, without having to rely solely on attrition or buy outs due to collective bargaining agreements that heavily favor employees. Future dodge calls for attrition or reduction in employees numbers to an additional 120,000 positions by FY2015.However, USPS is unable to achieve this without overjustifying current CBAs and it doesnt have the power to do so. Microeconomic Factors Personal Computers and Internet In their 2009 annual report, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, approximately 68. 7% percent (81. 939 million households) of all U. S. households have internet access. Out of this 68. 7%, 63. 5% uses broadband service while 4. 7 % uses dial up service with the remaining 0. 4% using each satellite or dish access (BLS, 2010). And the numbers will only continue to grow as personal computers become more affordable and internet services continue to be made available in the rural areas.With internet comes email and social networking services. Although email is a differentiated product from rhythmical paper mail or commonly referred to as snail mail, its purpose and function is solely the same. In short, email is almost a perfect substitute product for unwavering paper mail. The decline in fantabulous mail volume started to take center stage when the volume of First-Class mail, where USPS gets the bulk of its money from, fell below junk mail volume for the first time in 20 05 (Leonard, 2011). Total mail volume declined 20% between 2006 and 2010 resulting in a total net income loss of $25B. 1-From 2011 Report on Form 10-K USPS So is email killing USPS?Although decline in First-Class mail alone cannot postulate this to be accurate, there is however undisputed evidence email has delivered a severe financial blow to USPS. Like this is not serious enough in time, digital communications continue to evolve and quick becoming mainstream. Mobile phones or smartphones are not only capable of do a phone call but also able to send emails just about anywhere they can let out service signals from their providers. The phone can also be used to send text (texting), providing not only faster communication than regular paper mail but even better than regular email as it requires no computer to access it and is in real time.To make matters worse for USPS, most pedigreees are already moving to paperless bill and payment delivery meaning the 20% decline in first-clas s mail volume in the previous years, not only will it be probably permanent but will most likely worsen before it gets better. And then there is yet still another evolving technology that could also adversely affect USPSs other business gravel, shipping services, and this is with the digital or electronic books. According to Amazon, the largest retailer on the web, Kindle books are just now starting to outsell printed books (Leonard, 2011). Everyday Low Pricing strategies If you are looking for the cheapest postal rate just about the world, look no further than the U. S. Postal Service.For a universal rate of 44 cents (before January 12, 2011, where it rose to 45 cents), for the first ounce, a First Class letter mail can be delivered anywhere in the United States and its territories. In comparison, for the same letter mailed locally, in Norway it would cost the sender $1. 63 in Japan it would be $1. 06, in France it would be $0. 81, in Germany it would be $0. 77, in UK it would b e $0. 74 and in Canada it would be $0. 61 (Annual Report to Congress, USPS, 2011). Like this is not cheap enough yet, the Standard Mail is even cheaper consisting mostly of advertising and periodical mails. So is everyday low pricing causing financially losses USPS?In comparison to other postal services it would seem so. An analysis of this dilemma is presented in the business strategies section of this report. Outsourcing and global competition Although most U. S. companies have adopted globalization and have included outsourcing in their system to compete in the global market, the U. S. Postal Service remains a sole government franchise operating only nationally. As such it does not include outsourcing as a part of its business model and do not compete globally. Business Analysis Current Financial exertion USPS current financial performance in the last 5 years and especially in the 2011 is in dire straits.With over $25B in net losses over the past five years including $21B of ex penses for the prefunding of retiree health benefits, it ended 2011 with only $1. 2B in total cash and only $2. 0B of remaining acquire might. The projected payments for the PSRHBF for 2012 is a staggering $11. 1B ($5. 5B for the deferred 2011 and $5. 6 for the upcoming 2012 contributions) and then there is the payment for workers compensation for approximately $1. 3B by September 30, 2012. Even with all the re-structuring tools available for the USPS put into place including price increases just tardily approved, USPS will not be able to meet all its current year financial obligations.Unless, congress makes changes to the current requirements of prefunding USPS PSRHBF, the firm is technically insolvent even prior to the end of its 2012 accounting period and will remain so at least until 2016. Previous Financial Performance The last time USPS posted net income from its operations was in FY2004 ($3. 1B), FY2005 ($1. 626B) and FY2006 ($969M), (USPS Annual Report 2007). It was in 20 06 P. L. 109-435 became a law relieving USPS of the $27B in reward liabilities for workers with military service (USPS workers with military pension used to be paid by USPS vice the U. S. Treasury) but at the same time USPS agreed to make annual payments of $5. billion for the next 10 years to build up a fund for future retirees. When this bill was signed into law, USPS was ecstatic. So for FY 2006, USPS finished the year with a net income of almost $1B. Little did it know it will be the last time USPS will ever finish the year in black Future Financial outlook Future financial outlook for USPS is dimmer than ever. With decline in First Class mail volume continuously declining, there is no indication this is not permanent or worse yet decline more in coming years, even if the economy improve. So far USPS seems to be more focus on increasing its revenue by increasing prices in both of each services, i. e. , mailing and shipping services.At the same time, it also wants to reduce its operating expenses by reducing its number of employees and closing or converting some of its branches into village post offices. However, even with all these business strategies, USPS doesnt seem to focus on how it can re-structure its business model to adapt to digital technologies and the use of Internet. Although, it has adapted its shipping services and selling of stamps into the digital world USPS is yet to make headways into a profitable business model. Business Strategies Product pricing One of the business strategies of USPS and usually most of businesses do is to increase product pricing everytime the end of the accounting period reports Net Loss This seems to be a knee-jerk reaction since its the easiest logic to recoup net losses.And this is because purportedly increase in product pricing directly correlates to increase revenue thus increased profit or having to post Net Income alternatively of Net Loss at the end of each accounting period. However product pricing is not as plain and easy as it looks. In the case of USPS product pricing, the elasticity of each product pricing should be taken into account. USPS has validated the fact that technology, increased availability of broadband services, growing internet access in homes, declining prices in personal computers, and expanding mobile services has caused a decline in its mailing services. This is directly attributed to e-mails and online banking billing and payments.In short, email and other electronic online banking transactions, although differentiated from regular paper mail are direct substitute products. As such, it can be postulated increasing the price of USPS mailing services will not necessarily translate to increased revenues. With price elasticity of demand (EP), the more there is a close substitute to a product the higher is the elasticity of demand. This is shown in the below graph Figure 2 Managerial Economics in Global Economy (Salvatore, D, 2010) With EP greater than one (highly elastic as shown on the upper portion of the blue demand line) the demand line indicates an increase in price (PX) will result in decrease in quantity demanded (QX). With decrease in quantity demanded means reduction in total revenue.Based from the mail volume decline since 2006 (when mailing was cheaper than last year and this year) up to the present its almost conclusive further increase in the cost of mailing will only exacerbate the decline in mail volume making it easier for business managers to make the decision to switch to paperless bill statements and delivery. Although current statutory requirements limit pricing increase on shipping services (including mailing services) to rate of inflation, USPS should request Congress to include a direct authority for USPS to increase prices (with approval from the Postal Regulatory Commission, PRC) based from increased cost of transportation, i. e. , fuel, the same strategy used by the airline industry. The airline industry started usi ng surcharges for baggage checked in when the cost of fuel surge to unsustainable levels.USPS should have the same authority to make time sensitive changes to its pricing as it deems necessary for its continued operations with the approval of the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). Even if given this authority, USPS should still consider the competition before it can raise shipping prices and by how much. By having the authority though, USPS can be a flexible firm able to respond in time to stop large losses while waiting for Congress to give it an approval. Product diversity With technology, USPS has started to adapt the internet for some its product offerings. Customers can go at USPS. com and fill their forms online and even print their mailing or shipping stamps.Additionally, customers can also request home or station pick up by USPS meaning customers need not even to get out of their houses to receive mailing or shipping services. However, these shipping services are also avai lable with USPS competitors like UPS and FEDEX and seem to be doing a better job than USPS. There is however, one product USPS offers that its competitors do not offer and this is Postal Money Order. U. S. Postal Money Orders are very popular and reliable people up to this day prefer them as a form of payment over credit or debit cards or even online fund transfer companies like Western Unions or Paypal. USPS should conduct a study on how to establish a business model allowing it to offer a digital version of its Postal Money Orders.With USPS monopoly on money orders this is almost a sure winner if it can design a digital or online business model for its money orders. In 2010, Paypal posted total revenue of $3. 4B and expects to double this revenue by 2013 (Galante, 2011). On the otherhand, Western Union posted a Net Income of $909. 9M (Yahoo Finance). With potential revenue at this level just from its money order business, USPS is posed to increase its annual business revenue treme ndously compare to just increasing its product pricing. Resource utilization USPS resource utilization is obviously not at its best level considering the amount of losses it incurred in the last 5 years.Probably the worst resource underutilization is in the lush number of employees and its huge fleet of accelerator pedal guzzling trucks and delivery vehicles. USPS was very slow to adapt to new technology and didnt quite see the effect of the internet with its mailing services and continued revolt cost of fuel. This is in spite of the significant decline in First-Class mailing volumes as early as 2005 and the more than $100 a barrel of crude oil in 2008. USPS did not invest to stop Saturdays mail delivery until 2010 when it was already losing tens of billions in income. USPS tries to optimize its resource utilization by working interdependently with its Shipping Services competitors like UPS UPS Basic and FedExs Smart Post.However, USPS should strive instead to get as much of th is business for itself instead of having to share it with its competitors. This doesnt mean it has to get rid of this interdependency relationship as it helps in its resource utilization but should try to get as much as it can so as to enjoy the revenue for itself instead of sharing with others. And it can easily grasp this through pricing, which it has an advantage over the competition. With oil price increases in 2008, USPS should have started displacement or equipping its delivery vehicles either to more fuel efficient vehicles or those equipped to use Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). According to Consumer Energy Report. om (Rapier, 2009), based from EPA reports, a gallon of gas pedaloline contains approximately one hundred fifteen,000 BTUs of energy while a Standard Cubic Feet (SCF) of natural gas contains 1,000 BTUs (hence 115 SCF of CNG equates to 1 gallon of gasoline). In November 2011, the national average price of gasoline was $3. 37 a gallon while for diesel it was $4. 0 1 a gallon (Consumer Report, 2011). On the same period, the price for natural gas is $8. 60 per thousand SCF for commercial rate and $4. 53 for industrial rate (EIA. gov, 2012). A thousand SCF of natural gas equates to 8. 7 gallons of gasoline or diesel (1,000 divided by 115), meaning had USPS converted some of its vehicles into CNG, it would only be paying approximately 98. 85 cents to equivalent gallon of gasoline or diesel at the commercial rate price, and even less if given the industrial rate price.At present, price of natural gas has declined although not significantly but it might as well be because on the other end of the spectrum the price of gasoline rose to almost $4 a gallon from $3. 37 in November 2010, an increase of 18. 7% and it is just starting to get worse. USPS has the largest civilian fleet of vehicles in the world numbering to 215,625 impatient through more than 399 million of gallons of gasoline/diesel for a total of 1. 25 billion miles set (Postal Facts, 201 1) it could have easily saved tens of millions of dollars with the use of CNG. USPS should continue with its strategy of reducing its number of employees and post office branches or converting some branches into Village Post Offices. Additionally, it should also strive to reduce its delivery service from a 6-day to a 5-day delivery.Although this may sound like an easy feat to accomplish, i. e. , to reduce operating cost due to reduced mail volume, it is not. This is because although there has been a decrease in mail volume there is however an increase in delivery points. So the bottom line is although reducing operating cost is a positive step, USPS can only reduce it for so much and for so long before it starts impuissance in providing fundamental postal services to the nation its primary mandate and reason for existence. The other strategy for USPS besides operating cost reduction is synergized on what it is currently accomplishing now and for the future. Cost Volume Profit Analys is Cost-Volume-Profit analysis or breakeven analysis is a process of determining the output where a firm breaks even or earns a target profit from the total revenue and total cost functions of the firm (Salvatore, D. 2012). Unlike manufacturing or production firms, or any private firms, the USPS has a constant mandate to provide fundamental postal service to the nation. As such, it requires a minimum number of employees, material and other resources to accomplish this task, hence an absolute minimum operating cost. In private sector, when a firm CVP analysis indicates a decline in total revenue (TR) compare to total cost (TC), its tendency is to reduce TC until it is low enough to gain profit.Even better for the firm it has the election of totally abandoning some specific operations or productions if it cannot gain profit despite drastic reductions in TC. However, this is not the case for the USPS. With minimum requirements to provide fundamental postal service to the nation, the U SPS cannot reduce its TC to the point it will cease some or even a single part of its operation, despite heavy net losses in income. When USPS is operating at a loss and has done just about everything to minimize its TC, its only other option is to increase the volume of its business to at least break even. With decline in mail volume still yet to hit bottom, USPS needs to venture to different products especially those taking advantage of the internet and other evolving technologies.It is only through additional products or improvement in current existing products USPS can increase volume of its business to at least cover its minimum operating cost. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats Being a government own firm, USPS has some inherent strengths in its business model as follows 1. Monopoly of the mailing service industry 2. Open Credit lines or borrowing up to $15B from the Federal Financing Bank, which can also be increased in due time with the approval of Congress 3. Large operating capacity with more than 33,000 facilities throughout the nation 4. A non-profit organization whose only financial objective is to break even giving it the strength to undermine the competition through low pricing 5.Highly resilient to cyclical changes in the economy brought by recessions and inflations 6. Modern technological network infrastructures and highly computerized distribution systems USPS should utilize its strengths to increase revenue especially with its business goal of only requiring breaking even. It can also flex its strength in pricing to beat the competition when it comes to its shipping services. With its large operating capacities it should plan to expand its business model to achieve economies of scale. USPS weaknesses also come mostly from the same institution that gave some of its strengths 1. Large operating cost due to large required coverage in mail and shipping deliveries as mandated by Congress 2.Very little diversity in products and serv ices despite large operating capacities and highly technological networked infrastructure 3. Very little to none bargaining power with employees management organizations or unions 4. Very restrictive operating schedules and product pricing flexibilities 5. Slow adaptability in a highly changing business environment brought by newer technology due to restrictions placed upon the firm by Congress through the Post Office Regulatory Commission 6. Large number inefficient fleet of vehicles 7. Very expensive employee pension and retiree health benefit plans Weaknesses in large number of inefficient fleet of vehicles unnecessarily contributing to high operating cost can be easily avoided with the use of alternate energy like CNG.Congress should give temporary authority to USPS to effect price changes as a result of out of the ordinary changes in fuel costs and other materials and resources it uses to fulfill its mandate. The two most readily available opportunities for USPS mostly come on ly in two forms, i. e. product diversity and more use of the internet as another source of business revenue. This can be as simple as developing a business model to the current postal money orders so it can be transformed to something like e-Money Order that can be used for online fund transfers the same as Paypals or Western Unions business model do. As for product diversity, USPS should start looking into expanding its shipping services to aggressively compete directly with UPS and FedEx.The biggest threat facing USPS is the continuing decline of its mailing services. Despite the big proposal of increasing prices supposedly supplementing losses, its more likely the more USPS continue to raise prices in its mailing services the originally it will decline more. The threat of defaulting with its PSRHBF funding for this year and probably for the following years is imminent. The possibility of a government bailout seems to be very more likely starting this year and the years thereafte r. USPS needs to mettle the reality of the internet technology and should start restructuring its business model so as to treat the internet as an ally instead of an adversary. ConclusionAn expeditious and short term solution to the Unites States Postal Service current financial problem is way out of reach of the sole capability of the firm and requires a congressional legislation to make it happen. This specifically with the firms mandated annual $5. 5B prefund contribution to its PSRHBF where $11. 1B is due by September 30, 2012. In addition there is also the $1. 3B Workers Compensation Fund required to be paid to the DOL at the end of the fiscal year. To keep USPS financially solvent and operational at least for the time being, Congress should die to postpone payments to the PSRHBF and to the Workers Compensation for the next three years.This should give enough breathing room for USPS to stay rudderless while at the same time implementing its multi-prong strategies of reducing its operating costs, increasing revenues, diversifying its products and improving its processes and methodologies to attract more customers. References 1. Amadeo, K, (n. d. ) U. S. 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