Funding in Issaquah School District

The responsibility for managing the finances of Issaquah School District lies with the superintendent and the School Board, although it is regulated by state law and is under instructions from the Superintendent of Public Instruction. There are guidelines for budgeting, accounting and financial reporting, which all district schools must follow. School districts plan and formulate a budget before the start of the school year. The budget is formed in accordance to the stipulations of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The finance department handles money related functions like budgeting, accounting, payroll and benefits, purchasing, accounts payable and receivable, inventory control and asset management. The school district also includes several individual businesses like transport business, food service business, and a child care business. All these are operated on the lines of business model, to ensure accountability and proper use of public funds. In July 2004, a Policy Governance system was introduced by the school board, requiring routine reports on the status and developments occurring in every aspect of district operation. The financial monitoring reports are reviewed several times a year, by the school board. The setting of the school budget requires about a year’s time, and its working is always done for the subsequent year. It requires a four-month time for the completing of the preliminary works like receiving directions for budget setting from Superintendent, legislature, and administrators beginning to work on the budget process. Another four-month period is also required for the drafting of the budget and finalizing the budget, respectively. Apart from gifts and grants received, Issaquah gets less in funding. There are three sources of funding for school districts; namely the federal, state and local taxes. Issaquah gets less funding from all three sources, compared to any other districts. The Issaquah school district ranks 272nd in the revenue per pupil, among the districts in the state. It must be noted here that there are only 296 districts in the state in 2006-07. However many people consider Issaquah as a rich district, unaware of the realities and effects of the lesser funding. School funding is an important agenda debated in Washington’s State legislative and budget panning sessions. In 2006-07, Issaquah received only about $395,000 in federal Title I funding which is aimed at remedial reading programs for the disadvantaged students. This should be compared with other King County districts which get even millions in this fund. The fact that a significant population of Issaquah is considerably affluent, is attributed as the cause for the low funding. In the 1970s, when education was equalized, some districts like Everett and Northshore paid higher salaries to their teachers. Today the state pays about $2000 more per year to an Everett teacher, when compared to an Issaquah teacher. In terms of local funding too, Issaquah treads behind several other districts due to gap in levy authority. Issaquah would collect $6. 4 million more each year if it had the levy authority similar to that of Bellevue, or collected $9. 2 million more per year if it had the levy authority of Mercer Island. In Issaquah, the under-funding of special education by the state is estimated to be around $2. 5 million per year, which is adjusted by local levy dollars. As the local levy dollars cannot be used for supporting other classroom programs, all the students are affected. It is estimated that the under-funding of special education by the Washington State is nearly $200 million per year. On September 30, 2004, about twelve school districts joined together and filed a case against the state for failing to provide the necessary funds for the special education programs. The courts have ruled that Washington State is obliged to fully fund the basic and special education in the district schools.

Mother to Son and the Coora Flower: a Poetry Analysis

Mother to Son and The Coora Flower: A Poetry Analysis In poetry, more so than any other form of literature, understanding sound, meaning and theme are key to understanding the work itself. In the case of the poems â€Å"Mother to Son† by Langston Hughes and â€Å"The Coora Flower† by Gwendolyn Brooks these elements, when heavily focused upon, allow the reader to discover the message that these writers were attempting to convey.Thought both writers use these elements to their fullest to communicate their respective messages, the method and messages vary greatly. In the poem Mother to Son, Hughes tells the tale of a mother speaking to her son about life and the hardships that one must face to make it in the world. Hughes uses extended metaphor to establish this view. In the second line he writes â€Å"Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair†, which initiates the metaphor.He then proceeds to describe the stair of her life. With the lines, â€Å"It’s h ad tacks in it, and splinters, and boards torn up, and places with no carpet on the floor†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he support the mothers claim that like has not been a crystal stair case by using the metaphor to make a direct comparison between imperfections in the staircase and the pitfalls in life. He continues on with the line â€Å"bare† symbolizing rock bottom, nothingness, the absence of value.Then poem then begins to rise in action to signify the continued climb and the need to continue on, which is seen in the following lines; â€Å"I’se been a-climbin’ on,/ and reachin’ landin’s,/ and turnin’ corners,/ and sometimes goin’ in the dark†¦Ã¢â‚¬  the narrator states to the son once more that they still continue to climb and that life was easy for them. The language and the line structure chosen by Hughes help facilitate the message. He use very simple language but is able to invoke strong emotions from the reader.The language would p otentially lead the reader to believe that this is truly a simple woman who had to struggle everyday of her life to make it. If Hughes had used more formal language within the work I do believe the mood would have been lost. The use of â€Å"And† at the beginning of lines creates almost a stepping motion within the rhythm of the words. Lines four, five and six in conjunction with the use of â€Å"And† creates a feeling of stepping or maybe even falling down stairs. Each lines description gets progressively worse until there is nothing left, which signified having nothing left to lose.Then with lines ten, eleven and twelve the use of â€Å"And† creates the sense of climbing back up with the same speed at which you fell. Line twelve ends the climb in sound and creates a leveling off that coincides with the walk through the dark stated in the poem. This established a mood of cautiousness, feeling things are. I thought this was a perfect example of theme and sound c oming together to support meaning. I especially like the lines, â€Å"Don’t you set down on the steps. / ‘Cause you find it’s kinder hard. It shows that giving up isn’t an option; that quitting is the easy way out and that continuing to struggle on and fight is what’s really difficult. She asks no more of the son than she would ask of herself because she knows that it can be done, she was able to accomplish it herself. In Brooks’ poem The Coora Flower, she writes about escapism and reality. The poem starts off with the narrator telling the reader what she learned about and then we are snatched back into reality with the lines, â€Å"Now I am coming home. / This, at least, is Real, and what I know.The following stanzas construct the comparison between life in school which is the escape and the life outside which is reality; â€Å"It was restful, learning nothing necessary. / School is a tiny vacation. At least you can sleep†¦/ But now it’s Real Business. I am Coming Home. † And as we read on we discover that reality is harsh, cold, painful and unrelenting and that the other world is more optimistic, warm and liberated. â€Å"My mother will be screaming in an almost dirty dress. / The crack is gone. So a Man will be in the house. / I must watch myself. / I must not dare to sleep. These lines define reality within the poem. Brooks also relies heavily on nuances within the structure and language to establish the message. The stanzas that contain information about school are longer and articulate. The lines flow and are inviting. When the lines about reality are read they are short, cold and very deliberate; they give a sense of rigidity. The language is very direct and in some case demanding â€Å"I must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . All stanzas about what’s â€Å"real† are two lines long while the ones that focus on school are four lines long. The statements toward school came off as being very cynica l to me. It was restful, learning nothing necessary†¦ At least you can sleep†, the use of â€Å"at least† in these lines and the line that follows are what created the cynicism for me. It seemed as if she didn’t respect what went on in school because it wasn’t the harshness of her everyday life. Capitalization is something that caught my attention. The word â€Å"Real† always has the first letter capitalized, which to me established a mood of seriousness within the statements that contained it. I feel this is true the second use of â€Å"Coming Home† and â€Å"Man† in line fourteen.The capitalization on these words was carefully chosen to continue facilitating the theme and meaning. There is one line in this poem that caught my attention and required me to reread repeatedly to get what she truly meant that line is â€Å"which is not free from grief†. At first I thought it was just in reference to the previous line â€Å"At least you can think of love or feeling your boy friend against you† but upon multiple readings I realized that this was in reference to the whole stanza. She’s hinting at the fact that even good things come with their element of heartache.I found that to be an interesting idea and it shows that the narrator may never be able to find peace, maybe she thrives on the hardship and anguish that comes with her life because that is all she knows. When the two works are placed side by side one would have a hard time make a connection between them. It is true that the differences between the works are great but elements exist in both; some minor, some major but all important. One could make the simple connection both individual were African- American doesn’t give them the respect they deserve.Also that connection would have to be made off historical references outside of the work because nothing in either work given you indication that they are African American. The conn ection that should be made is that the both wrote of adversity and hardship; that both used elements like structure, language, tone to convey their message but end the came out with very different view points. From a psychological perspective the reader can focus on the fact that in Hughes’ poem the adversity within it was deemed to be external to the one relationship shown.In the case of Brooks the adversity was internal to the shown relationship. In both situations the writers own their material, you get the sense that these works are true to life for both of them. But where Hughes’ work is empowering, Brooks’ work is saddening because you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel for her narrator you just she the cold, harsh reality that is life, which was her intention. Her story was never meant to be uplifting it was meant to depress and sadden. Even in her few moments of joy, the narrator still could be happy because she knew at any moment it cou ld all end.Both writers are successful at establishing a mood and theme throughout there works. I believe if these writers had an opportunity to sit down with either they would see elements of themselves in the other. In one case the young and still hopefully individual and in the other harden and scared individual that the young may become. But in the end these are my interpretations and it up to you to make your own. That’s the wonderful part about poetry it’s different for everyone who reads it.

Personal and Team Effectiveness

Personal and Team Effectiveness Introduction: In every organization particularly in the Health and Social Care Industry which involves individual employees and the entire workforce to where they are the company’s backbone of its existence it all rely on the importance of personal and team effectiveness to achieve the organization’s mission statement and service to their customers. In the influence of the management and organisational factors on the effectiveness of the people involved in the care particularly through developing their ability to work effectively in teams and developing their knowledge and skills so that they can contribute to the delivery of a quality service. All organizations require their people, at times, to work in groups. The most successful organizations find ways to realize the full potential and capability of groups. They understand the important contribution that groups can make effective groups usually outperform individuals. Organizations are comfortable establishing, empowering and promoting the participation of people in groups, value change and adaptation as key to improving productivity, quality and customer service and are constantly looking for creative ways to use groups to drive performance improvements. In looking at strategies for personal and professional development which refine behaviours, improve capability and give individuals the confidence and competence to excel not only for themselves but as part of the entire Health Care team as shown in high-performing organizations, the most successful groups function as â€Å"teams†. Teams flourish in organizations which create a climate where people want to work together giving their best efforts. Definition: Personal effectiveness is a branch of the self help movement dealing with success, goals, and related concepts. Personal effectiveness integrates some ideas from â€Å"the power of positive thinking† and Positive Psychology but in general it is distinct from the New Thought Movement. Team effectiveness refers to the system of getting people in a company or institution to work together effectively. The idea behind team effectiveness is that a group of people working together can achieve much more than if the individuals of the team were working on their own. Content: According to Carl Jung’s premise that all change and development starts from within and its principle underpins to the approach and it all start with personal effectiveness. The middle and senior managers in Health and Social Care should develop their skills and competencies in leading and managing the team. It is where the management of each organization would find how to enlighten and have each of them to explore and examining the facets that each of the employees are unique and valuable individual in the organization for the better good of the entire workforce. By exploring the preferences of others to understand why they behave as they do particularly and inspire those that are into the team and show them how to adapt and collaborate for improved interactions. The team leader and managers should see through it that the individuals and the entire team should focus on the implications and evaluating the by using management for the people for improving the organizational performance. In every individual, each has their own personality, style and personal interactions for effectively doing the job. By achieving this personal development and individual effectiveness comes with training, career development, staff development plans and the management will implement the development programs by in-house training, using supervision and appraisal, external courses, action-centred learning, lifelong learning, coaching and mentoring, assessing competence. The monitoring performance of individuals through observation, appraisal, periodic review, and achievement of successful outcomes as well as the use of targets, benchmarks, feedback from others is one key factor in measuring personal effectiveness. By Identifying individual training and evelopment needs: monitoring of performance, career development planning, changing personal circumstances. Strategies for promoting continuous development: achieving competence, training versus education, partnerships, staff development plans, compliance with external requirements, dedicated allocation of resources, use of external kite marks for exampl e Investors in People. In assessing the individual effectiveness is by describing different ways in which the performance of individuals working in health and social care may be monitored and by describing how individual training and development needs may be identified. Analyse different strategies for promoting the continuing development of individuals in the health and social care workplace. The effective staff development programme may be implemented and evaluate the effectiveness of a specific staff development programme with which the management is familiar. Team effectiveness is determined by several factors: †¢ The right mix of skills. Team effectiveness depends in part on bringing together people who have different skills that somehow complement each other. This can mean different technical abilities or communication skills. In fact, teaming up people who share the exact same characteristics is often a recipe for disaster. Team effectiveness depends on people taking on different roles in a group setting. If there is no agreement on who does what in the group, it is unlikely that the team will prosper. †¢ The right motivation. Team effectiveness is directly linked to the interest that the group has on the project. If the job is too easy or too difficult, or if the rewards for achieving the end result do not seem worth the effort, the team may end up working half-heartedly in the project. The task should also have a clear outcome. Working towards a specific goal enhances team effectiveness significantly. †¢ The ability to solve conflicts without compromising the quality of the project. Team work has one major downfall. Sometimes groups end up making decisions they know are not in the best interest of the project, just so they can keep the process moving. Conflict is innate to any work done in groups, and should be taken as part of the challenge rather than as something to be avoided by compromising. Team effectiveness should be increased, not compromised, through conflict. The model of team development as developed by Bruce Tuckman that teams evolve through four main stages. †¢ Forming is when the members are first brought together. It is a period of exploration, testing and orientation. †¢ Storming is a difficult but inevitable stage, where members may compete and conflict. †¢ Norming is the stage where the team starts to pull together, and noticeable progress begins to be made. †¢ Performing is characterized by a high level of task focus, and the team producing consistent and excellent results. Discussion: It is important as well for a team leader to create a climate in which people can develop and contribute to their full potential. The climate must be one of cooperation, commitment, and team focus. A good leader must also be a good coach. Different members are used as resource leaders because of their knowledge or experience. The focus is on how to get the job done, not on who controls the team. Team members are empowered to do the job they must do. Everyone is involved in the functioning of the team. In light of the discussion, the following points summarize the conditions required to create an effective team environment, each of these factors is important, and they are also highly interdependent. All of these factors are critical to achieving an effective and high performing team. Leaders can help create these conditions through the following behaviours. 1. Trust, Respect and Support †¢ Encourage and protect team member diversity in views, backgrounds, and experiences. †¢ Inspire teamwork and mutual support through example. Keep your commitments and expect the same from all team members. 2. Commitment to the Team †¢ Support and positively represent the team to senior management, peers and other employees. †¢ Ensure that individual member and team accomplishments are recognized and celebrated appropriately 3. Shared Vision †¢ Clarify the tasks to be accomplished. †¢ Establish and communicate a vision about what the members can achieve as a team. â₠¬ ¢ Encourage team members to participate in creating their vision of what the team can accomplish. 4. Open and Honest Communications Communicate fully and openly; welcome questions; avoid the â€Å"need to know† limitations. †¢ When seeking solutions, encourage members to suspend assumptions, reflect on their own thoughts and feelings, clearly voice these, inquire about and listen to opinions of others, and be less reactive. 5. Empowerment and Involvement of all Members †¢ Encourage members to participate. †¢ Make it easy for others to see opportunities to work together. †¢ Clarify that problem-solving is a responsibility of all team members. †¢ Mediate conflicts before they become destructive. 6. A Learning Environment †¢ Guide team members to determine where they actually are relative to their goals, and to clarify why the gaps exist and how to bridge them. †¢ Surface and treat conflicts as learning situations. Peter Senge, in his book â€Å"The Fifth Discipline† says, â€Å"One of the most reliable indicators of a team that is continually learning is the visible conflict of ideas. In great teams, conflict becomes productive. Conclusion: In every Health and Social Care organization they must be People Investors to which people or the staffs are a company’s most valuable resource. Human beings have unlimited potential to grow, develop and learn and in that sense constant training and improvement of personal and team development is needed for the organization to be successful and create a greater impact to the service user and the people involved in the care and service. The leader’s role is to help each team member achieve his or her potential and they act as coach which provide more structure, guidance and direction as well as to clarify tasks, goals, management’s expectations, and the way their performance and contributions will be measured. Teams need to be constantly developed for creating an effective approach on how things should be done for the better service to the clients. Members of the team generally have a broader range and depth of skills and experiences. With encouragement and support from the leader and other team members, individual members can enhance their technical, functional, problem-solving, decision-making, interpersonal and teamwork skills by taking some risks and facing some new challenges. Everyone is capable of making decisions that affect them, provided they are given the appropriate information and training. People do not resist changes they have been involved in making for the benefit of the entire team and the effectively managing the entire conflict which will be turned in to an advantage in solving the problem. Gaining true employee involvement is an ongoing process, not a one-time effort it always develop each personal and team effectiveness, If a change is affecting the team, the leader must be a role model of the â€Å"new† way. The leader must be able to â€Å"let go† in order to empower people. The leader must train and coach people first so they will be ready and able to succeed. The leader realizes mistakes are unavoidable, and helps people learn from them. A key factor which differentiates teams from work groups involves the interdependence of people. As Stephen Covey points out in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, â€Å"Interdependence opens up worlds of possibilities for deep, rich, meaningful associations, for geometrically increased productivity, for serving, for contributing, for learning, for growing. Reference: Tuckman, Bruce W. â€Å"Developmental Sequence In Small Groups†. Psychological Bulletin 63, 1965, pp. 382-399 http://gtwebmarque. com/wikis/gtwm/index. php/The_Fifth_Discipline http://www. skillsforcare. org. uk/workforce_strategy/workforce_strategy. aspx http://www. insights. com/LearningSolutions/Expertise/IndividualEffectiveness. aspx http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Team_building http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Personal_effectiveness http:// www. wisegeek. com/what-is-team-effectiveness. htm

Toyota - Technological Environment Forum 4 Research Paper

Toyota - Technological Environment Forum 4 - Research Paper Example Toyota and its business in the Northern America based on the technology aims at fueling efficiency as far as yearly financial articulation is of concern. However, Toyota in Northern America has plenty of both hard and soft technology for one to articulate as far as domestic environment is of concern. To start with, the company has got some of the hard technologies in domestic environment which includes aircraft, security system as well as safety gear. More so, management, government regulations that oversees procedural activities of a given company and employees training are some of the core soft domestic technology as far as Toyota Company based in the Northern United States of America is taken into account. Hard and soft domestic technology is a technique for arranging innovation by its ecological and social effect. It has a few likenesses to high/low innovation dualism, despite the fact that it is not synonymous. Hard engineering by and large alludes to elevated amount innovation that would have an expansive effect on a low-innovation group as well as biological system were it to be executed. Aircraft, security system and safety gear sort of Toyota Hard domestic technologies examples are generally utilized by air Line Company. Different elements on the won domestic environmental technology executed by Toyota organization have extensive impact in characterizing how suitable an innovation is for a given circumstance. for instance, hard engineering, which frequently obliges exceedingly particular laborers, specialists and designers to construct and keep up it, might be exceptionally suitable to a circumstance in the Northern America, where the individuals utilizing it can likely pay for masters. Yet the same innovation in the underdeveloped nations is likely not suitable, as the masters needed to keep up it would be elusive, and

Culture Serves as Informal Structure in Organizations - Organisational Research Paper

Culture Serves as Informal Structure in Organizations - Organisational Behavior - Research Paper Example Organizations both small and large multinational conglomerates can achieve high profits in their business by matching their needs with the structure they employ in operation. There are various forms of organizational structures and they include function, matrix and division structures. In a functional structure, an organization is set up in order to group every portion of the organization according to its purpose and this structure works well for small businesses where each department relies on the talent and knowledge of workers and support. Nevertheless, the main drawback for the structure is that coordination and communication-linking departments are restricted by organizational boundaries that have various departments working separately. Divisional structure is employed in large organizations that work in large geographic location or in organizations that have different small organizations in the same company to take care of different forms of products or even market areas. The s tructure is beneficial in that it enables needs to be met rapidly although communication is inhibited since employees are in various divisions thus not working together; besides, the structure is costly owing to its size and scope. The matrix structure is a hybrid of both functional and divisional structures and is often employed by multinational companies since it allows the benefits of functional and divisional structures to exist in a single organization. Nevertheless, the structures create a potential for power struggles since many areas of the organization have dual management like a functional manager as well as a product or divisional manager working in the same stage and covering same managerial territory (Singh, 2010).  

Impact of Operations Decisions on Corporate Social Responsibility Essay

Impact of Operations Decisions on Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example The operations of the business need to be inline with the goal of CSR in order to achieve greater efficiency and productivity (Frederick, 2006). In operations, CSR effects from the input to the output processes; Input to process, for example, is when the organizations uses solar panel energy for their factory like sun chips. OR may be they are using an eco friendly form of transportation (bio diesel trucks). Outputs to the process are achieved by reducing emission or carbon footprint. A company which is changing into an environmental friendly raw materials support action against child labor is also fulfilling its social responsibility. A company emphasizing on green marketing and recycling is also looking towards fulfilling its environmental responsibilities. Decisions made in the operations, thus highly affect the way a company fulfills its social and environmental responsibilities (Slack, 2006). 1. The integration of global supply chains has created more reputation risks than business or financial risk for the suppliers. In order to cater to the global environment and maintain efficient supply chains, there is now a need for the supply chain to fulfill the corporate, social and environmental responsibility by keeping the suppliers well-informed, assuring that the customers are getting the right product quality, ensure proper working conditions throughout the supply chain and not exploiting the labor working conditions. 2. Life cycle analysis is a key operation that supports CSR efforts. Through life cycle analysis, organizations can assess what amount of energy and resources are used and also the emissions and waste generated can be estimated and continuous improvements in the environmental management system and pollution prevention programs can be made. 3. Similarly, establishing precise and clear codes of conduct related to the environmental and social responsibility of the company and employees assist in closely achieving the goal of fulfilling CSR. Codes of labor unions and working conditions should also be designed. There are a number of organizations that are working towards fulfilling their social and environmental responsibility through devising certain strategies and customizing their operations and including the aspect of CSR in their operations. There are organizations that produce separate CSR reports like the annual financial reports to demonstrate their efforts towards CSR. Shell has been discovering the capture and utilization of carbon dioxide to alleviate the effect of greenhouse gas emissions. Shell has also continued education and development plans with various institutions. Abbot Laboratories has always worked towards CSR by providing quality health care, investing in education programs, health and safety programs and environment improving initiatives. Whirlpool with the combine efforts of Habitat for Humanity, donated a refrigerator and a range to every Habitat home. Basically, Whirlpool emphasized their dedication, loyalty, philanthropy and sustainability on its website and they also highlighted their membership to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. Instead of making their own sustainability report, Whirlpool

Detroit Bankruptcy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Detroit Bankruptcy - Essay Example The announcement of bankruptcy by Detroit is a prophesied case. The liquidation of a municipal’s assets cannot happen as a result of the request of a creditor. A municipality is under the state’s jurisdiction as it is defined by the state. The 10th Amendment of the4 American constitution reserves any power not defined by the constitution for the state. Declaration of bankruptcy rulings ate made in U.S. Bankruptcy courts under federal jurisdiction Many factors have indicated reduced financial activity in the city. The population of the city dropped from a 1.5 million figure in the city’s peak in the fifties to a current size of around 700,000 leaving the city a shadow of itself with tens of thousands of abandoned buildings ("How Detroit went broke - Economics - AEI"). This coupled with the deindustrialization of the city have largely affected the collection of the revenues in the city. However, the major contributor of the state of the city is the accounting of th e funds of the municipality. Legacy costs These are the bills of the municipality in the form of public employee pensions, healthcare, and other post employment benefits. The Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) in 2006 required all local governments to report publicly OPEB liabilities but did not require the funding of the shortfalls of the OPEB liabilities (John Macomber). The city of Detroit uses 43% of the entire annual city revenue in making payments of this kind. This leaves only, 57% to run the city and cover the wage bill. In the last few decades, the percentage of the city’s revenue used in the settling of these bills has been on the rise with an estimation claiming the percentage will reach 65% in four years. These unfunded liabilities of the Detroit city funds have acted as a weight pulling down the city finances (How Detroit went broke). Half of the $18 billion debt is accounted in public employee retirement benefits, which are not funded. In 2012, the cit y spent $145 million on retiree health care benefits, which is greater by more than half of the $99 million used in 2000 ("How Detroit went broke - Economics - AEI"). The accounting methods relied in the evaluation of the finances of pensions of public employees allows rates of return that are overly optimistic on the supposed riskless pension to be assumed (How Detroit went broke). These also make it possible for the employer in the form of the city of Detroit, to contribute annual contributions that fall short of the required amount. These transform the guaranteed benefits such as pensions, into risky ones. The cause effect of these is a pension liability at a $3.5 billion level when appropriate accounting methods are used which is over 5 times the liability under the city’s accounting methods (John Macomber). This is not helped by the ratio of employees to retirees receiving pension, which stands at 2:1. Increased taxes After the post-war manufacturing and expansion, the c ity started losing revenue because of the high population decrease rates. In response, the city changed its accounting policies and imposed a 1% income tax on all corporations, residents, and non-residents. This aimed to cover the loss in revenues and maintain the city budget (How Detroit went broke). Over the years, the tax rate has been on the rise with the resident income tax doubling only six years after its establishment. A new utility tax came into being in 1971 aiming to maintain the services offered by the city as well as

You should be familiar by now with the implications of class, age and Essay

You should be familiar by now with the implications of class, age and gender for the kind of lives that people lead in society. But do you think that where you - Essay Example Durkheim strongly believes that the cohesion or the lack of cohesion of religious groups is more important than what the believers think or feel about their religion. Since the behavior of the group can strongly affect the social phenomenon of society, it is but fitting that one should always play closer attention to the characteristics manifested by the group. However, he stressed that social facts, such as moral rules are effective guides and controls of the conduct of the group if and only if these social facts are internalized by the individual members of the group. By instilling the moral standards in the members of a group, the members will now be constrained to obey rules as a moral obligation. The existing structures of society and the constraints that social factors tend to create on the individual members of the group affects the kind of lives that people may lead in a certain place. Note that any social formation be it superior or inferior to the quality of individuals that compose it, is considered a separate entity from the individuals that comprise it and therefore demands a certain that culture and social circumstances can be considered as unique to a place and to a group of people thus it very much likely that the quality of life of people will be greatly affected by where they live. A clear example of the social effects of where one lives can be seen in the case of Northern Ireland where a group of people come in constant conflict with each other. Technically, the conflict in Northern Ireland can be more easily understood if taken in the light of the opposing forces composed of the people who want Northern Ireland to be part of the United Kingdom on the other side and the people who want to â€Å"liberate† Ireland from external controls. An overwhelming majority of the members of the group that wants the union between Ireland and the United Kingdom are Protestants. On the other hand, the people who want

Asian history Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Asian history - Research Paper Example On the other hand, proponents of excavation argue that by unearthing the mausoleum, archaeologists and historians would access what is inside and piece up the findings to help with finding answers to questions related with the ruler’s empire (Ferroa, and Chan 18). The proponents add that the site will be an important tourist attraction whose opening will create jobs and income for the local population. This paper explores the benefits and shortfalls of opening the Qin Shi Huang’s tomb. Cultural and historical richness of the tomb The cultural and historical richness of the mausoleum is well captured in the history of the emperor. Emperor Qin Shi Huang was eldest son of the Qin emperor, whose family comprises one of the half-dozen autonomous empires in the contemporary China. He is believed to have died around 210 BC (Liao, Pan, and Ma 395-399). These empires had been at crossroads for over two centuries, but Qin Shi Huang’s vanquished them all, before declaring h imself the king. After his death, his body was interred in a large site located to the east of Xi’an in Shaanxi Province of China. His large army of terracotta soldiers was also buried alongside him to give him protection in death. His lavish burial place is now at the center of an excavation debate. Although archaeological activities have been done on most parts of the mausoleum, the most important parts remain uncovered. The archaeologists have yet to dig the grounds near and including the tomb where the emperor was buried. According to Smith (87) part of the area that has not yet been touched is a raised ground where it is believed emperor Huang’s remains were interred. There is a hot debate as to whether it is appropriate to proceed with the excavation exercise or not. The Debate Inadequate technology, and respect for the cultural values of the local community are perhaps the greatest points behind the stoppage of the archaeological activities in the mausoleum. Som e of the archaeologists have suggested that the postponement move is partly influenced by the honor for the local elders, and the lack of adequate technology that can be used to excavate the site and still preserve the important values there. According to Portal (53), the resolution by Chinese officials not to tolerate further activities is a positive one at least based on the outcomes of similar activities in the past. China’s authorities do not seem to be ready to engage in the same poor archaeological activities that might result in the loss of the culturally invaluable items at the site. In Egypt, for instance, early twentieth century archaeologists with poor technology engaged in an excavation exercise to retrieve the rich cultural artifacts in King Tut's tomb. The 1930’s exercise ended in lost valuable information. In light of this, archaeologists believe that there is a lot that could be lost if current techniques were deployed in the tomb. Ferroa and Chan (19) point out proponents of the halting of excavation activities are clear in their mind; they want a delay of the process until better technology is available to support a better process. A postponement of the process by three to five decades would be a sound conservation strategy, they suggest. In light of this,

How effective is the United Nations in global governance Essay

How effective is the United Nations in global governance - Essay Example To achieve this goal, this paper has been divided in to nine sections. The paper will be initiated with the background of the UN, its aims and principles. It will be followed by its major involvement in international security and peace projects post cold war, and its failures in Rwanda projects, its silence post 9/11 and other major events. The research has been conducted by referring to many prominent books and reliable websites, journals that offers authentic reports and information regarding UN. About United Nation As Higgins(Higgins, R) mentions in his report ‘Peace and Security, achievements and failures’ that it is impossible to understand or analyze the effective measures of the UN without knowing what initial measures were intended by this organization. What were the challenges that it has faced since decades. After the Second World War, 51 countries were joined together to form an international organization in the year 1945. It was aimed that the formation of th is organization will help maintain a healthy and friendly relationship between nations worldwide, to maintain international peace, security and to promote social progress. It also focused on improving the living standards and human rights too (â€Å"The UN in Brief†). President of United States of America, Franklin D. Roosevelt gave the name UNITED NATION and it was declared on 1st of January 1945, when countries were engaged in World War 2 (â€Å"The UN in Brief†). Before the establishment of United Nation, several attempts were made by many countries to organize special bodies for similar causes.Then formally, on a larger scale the UN organization was established on 24th of October 1945 and each year, this day is celebrated as United Nations day globally (â€Å"The UN in Brief†). IT consists of 192 members and when General Assembly is conducted, the members meet and discuss global issues together (â€Å"Introduction to the United Nations†). As per this document, the aims and principles of United Nations are mentioned below (â€Å"Introduction to the United Nations†). Aims of United Nation 1. To maintain peace among nations globally 2. Encouraging and developing friendly relations among countries 3. To make efforts in improving the quality of education and eradicating illiteracy 4. To stop the destruction of environment, gender equality and diseases 5. To provide help, rights, respect , security and freedom for all nations 6. To provide aid and support to developing nations to achieve their respective goals Principles of United Nations 1. All the member states should acquire the sovereign equality 2. The charter (fundamental treaty of the UN) must be followed and obeyed by every member states 3. Any differences between nations should be solved in a peaceful manner 4. Every country should avoid using force and must not threaten other nations in using the force 5. Every country should make efforts in assisting United Nations T he Main Organs of United Nations According to the official website of United Nations, there are five main organs of this organization (â€Å"The UN in Brief†). They are- 1. The General Assembly 2. The Security council 3. The Economic and social Council 4. The Trusteeship Council 5. Secretariat and 6. International Court of Justice Fig 1.2- A diagram will project a clear understanding of the main organs of UN (â€Å"

A Rude Awakening Essay Example for Free

A Rude Awakening Essay Although the article â€Å"Blue-Collar Brilliance† by Mike Rose provides the reader insight on the importance of blue-collar jobs, David Foster Wallace’s â€Å"The Kenyon Commencement Speech† hold stronger arguments because it thoroughly and realistically explains the significance of a college degree and how our educational freedom helps us be more self-aware. The essay, â€Å"Blue-Collar Brilliance†, explains how it’s wrong and unfair that a formal education ultimately demonstrates the true value of intelligence. Mike Rose begins his essay by introducing a personal example of how his mother, who quit school in the 7th grade, works a blue-collar job in a restaurant. He then explains how she learned social and interactive skills and also understood psychological behaviors such as â€Å"reading social cues, managing the customers’ and her own feelings† (Rose 4) as she encountered different people at her job. In his opening statement, he notes how his mother â€Å"shaped her adult identity as a waitress† (Rose 1). He explains how the use of tools in every day factory jobs, like his uncle had, requires motor skills that are not necessarily taught in school. He observed various workers while on their job and noticed how they all have specific skills that they have accumulated and perfected over the years. He concludes that by acknowledging a broader perspective on the significance of blue-collar jobs, our society might be able to accept them as more than a â€Å"muscled arm† (Rose 5) generalization. Rose makes an acceptable argument, however he does not mention opposing arguments in his essay. With blue-collar jobs, it’s usually associated with minimum wage jobs. Blue-collar workers are barely getting by these days since more jobless people (some who actually have college degrees) are applying for more minimum wage jobs, therefore increasing unemployment for blue-collar workers. A blue-collar job comes with a lot of disadvantages like, â€Å"lack of mental stimulation (repetitive routines), physical exhaustion, hazards on the job, social prejudice, and loss of jobs to automation† (The Pros and Cons of A Blue-Collar Career, Harrison 1). He also  suggests how it’s unfair that society seems to think that a job requiring less education means it requires less intelligence. It’s a valid point, but he doesn’t mention that there are manual work out there that don’t necessarily require their workers to be very smart anyway. Packaging boxes, for instance, is a step-by-step process that any competent person can do. He seems to mix the term â€Å"intelligence† for â€Å"competence†. Regular factories don’t require much from their employees other than following a simple, yet specific process. It doesn’t take much for the employees to hammer in that process into their workers if they all adapt a routine every day. Rose’s personal examples are unique and rare – but it does not prove anything about the reality of manual labor. Not every blue-collar worker experiences that kind of intellectual and emotional growth in his or her job. In his essay, he also implied that white-collar jobs are not as rewarding and beneficial as blue-collar jobs. We would not have this society if it weren’t for the formal education people had. A college education can be out of reach for some people, but there are scholarships within reach and available to low-income students. He should have added some more research or statistics to explain the intellect levels of the blue-collar group in order for him to successfully refute the relationship between intelligence and a formal education. David Foster Wallace’s commencement speech at Kenyon strongly explores the deeper reality and significance of a college degree and a student’s educational freedom. In the beginning of his speech, he tells a didactic story about a conversation between an older fish and two younger fish. The older fish greets the other two and asks, â€Å"How’s the water?† (Wallace 1), while the two younger fish replies with, â€Å"What the hell is water?† (Wallace 1). He goes on explaining how education ultimately teaches us how to think. He defines the true meaning of getting a college degree and how it helps us learn â€Å"to be just a little less arrogant† (Wallace 4). He explores the values of how something as simple as awareness can help students utilize knowledge properly. He mentions how post-graduates usually go through this kind of aimless, empty, day-to-day routine when they finally get their careers that they’ve sought from the start. He also suggests that humans need to learn how to adjust their natural default setting. Being more aware  and less arrogant about the things we learn, he claims, is something that the world needs to adapt to. Wallace’s speech starts with this metaphorical story of the fish. It works because college students can relate to it. He uses metacommentary (â€Å"the point of the fish story [†¦]†) to explain his point that the fish are humans and the water represents the knowledge surrounding us. â€Å"Water† seems be surrounding us everywhere, but we don’t seem to acknowledge it, as we should be. He explains how a college education should be the motivation to get out there and think the â€Å"right way†, as he himself has made mistakes. He mentions how self-centeredness is a huge part of the human default setting that it’s hard for us to crawl out of that state. We always seem to be thinking of ourselves all the time and how all these decisions we encounter affect us. He asserts that self-absorption and unconscious internalization hides students from the significance of the knowledge they have acquired during college. He indicates that liberal arts essentially teaches students different beliefs, which will help them to be more open-minded towards different perspectives. It reminds and encourages his audience that earning a degree isn’t nearly enough to be â€Å"well-adjusted†, in his terms. Sometimes, students need to find a way to independently think for themselves and not from a close-minded way. He successfully encourages his audience to re-program their ways of thinking and be more aware of the realities found in the real world. Even if these college students have not fully grasped what he said about â€Å"the day-to-day trenches of adult life† (Wallace 10), he conveys this message throughout his speech that they should not only know what to think about, but how they should think and react. He casually mentions how some might think that he’s preaching all these moral values, but he counteracts it effectively by empathizing with the opposing audience by saying truthfully that it is difficult, â€Å"takes will and effort† (Wallace 9), but â€Å"if you really learn how to pay attention, then you will know there are other options† (Wallace 10) to consider and learn from. He then argues how educational freedom is a real gift to students everywhere, as it teaches them to be more well-adjusted. His speech then slowly morphs into an advice for the younger students to be more liberal and unbiased as they live their life. He asks his audience to acknowledge simple awareness and the â€Å"real  value of a real education† (Wallace 12). He also included an anecdote about an older person going to a grocery store and encountering all these everyday annoyances while waiting in line. He tells this story, while giving off a sense of frustration and longing through his words. It displayed the reality of growing up after college and not finding a sense of direction in one’s life. In his concluding paragraphs, he almost seems to beg his audience to follow his advice because he implies that he has not achieved it yet. He wrote the speech with an informal, yet honest way of writing and included some harsh words, which especially helps when reaching out to his core audience. The honesty and casualness to it gave justification to his reasons especially since his arguments provided a clear and concise structure personally built for his readers. He empathizes with his audience and ultimately succeeds in persuading them about the true meaning of a college education. Both speeches closely examine the human nature and how we all seem to adapt and utilize different kinds of skills and knowledge as we go through our lives. The message here is that workers and students alike are both faced with a rude awakening as they journey to a different kind of reality to find their own sense of identity. Although Mike Rose’s essay, â€Å"Blue-Collar Brilliance†, sheds a broad light on blue-collar jobs by specifying examples of workers learning heuristic skills without completing a formal education, he also fails to address other possible and realistic opposing viewpoints to support his own argument. However, David Foster Wallace’s â€Å"Kenyon Commencement Speech† is able to present all his points through a different, yet effective way and explain his reasoning why a college degree is necessary to understand our educational freedom and self-awareness that we always seem to take for granted. Wallace’s speech inspires a more thought-provoking discussion, by being straightforward with his audience. He didn’t try to lecture the reader about â€Å"life†, but he explained the real world and the way people should think and apply what they have learned in school to good use.

China Economy Essay Example for Free

China Economy Essay The rapid rise of China as a major economic power within a time span of about three decades is often described by analysts as one of the greatest economic success stories in modern times. From 1979 (when economic reforms began) to 2011, China’s real gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an average annual rate of nearly 10%. From 1980 to 2011, real GDP grew 19-fold in real terms, real per capita GDP increased 14-fold, and an estimated 500 million people were raised out of extreme poverty. China is now the world’s second-largest economy and some analysts predict it could become the largest within a few years. Yet, on a per capita basis, China remains a relatively poor country. China’s economic rise has led to a substantial increase in U. S. -China economic ties. According to U. S. trade data, total trade between the two countries surged from $5 billion in 1980 to $503 billion in 2011. China is currently the United States’ second-largest trading partner, its third largest export market, and its largest source of imports. Many U. S. ompanies have extensive operations in China in order to sell their products in the booming Chinese market and to take advantage of lower-cost labor for export-oriented manufacturing. These operations have helped some U. S. firms to remain internationally competitive and have supplied U. S. consumers with a variety of low-cost goods. China’s large-scale purchases of U. S. Treasury securities (which totaled nearly $1. 2 trillion at the end of 2011) have enabled the federal government to fund its budget deficits, which help keep U. S. interest rates relatively low. However, the emergence of China as a major economic superpower has raised concern among many U. S. policymakers. Some claim that China uses unfair trade practices (such as an undervalued currency and subsidies given to domestic producers) to flood U. S. markets with low cost goods, and that such practices threaten American jobs, wages, and living standards. Others contend that China’s growing use of industrial policies to promote and protect certain domestic Chinese industries firms favored by the government, and its failure to take effective action against widespread infringement of U.  S. intellectual property rights (IPR) in China, threaten to undermine the competitiveness of U. S. IP-intensive industries. In addition, while China has become a large and growing market for U. S. exports, critics contend that numerous trade and investment barriers limit opportunities for U. S. firms to sell in China, or force them to set up production facilities in China as the price of doing business there. Other concerns relating to China’s economic growth include its growing demand for energy and raw materials and its emergence as the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gasses. The Chinese government views a growing economy as vital to maintaining social stability. However, China faces a number of major economic challenges which could undermine future growth, including distortive economic policies that have resulted in over-reliance on fixed investment and exports for economic growth (rather than on consumer demand), government support for state-owned firms, a weak banking system, widening income gaps, growing pollution, and the relative lack of the rule of law in China. Many economists warn that such problems could undermine China’s future economic growth. The Chinese government has acknowledged these problems and has pledged to address them by implementing policies to boost consumer spending, expand social safety net coverage, and encourage the development of less-polluting industries. China’s Economy Prior to Reforms Prior to 1979, China, under the leadership of Chairman Mao Zedong, maintained a centrally planned, or command, economy. A large share of the country’s economic output was directed and controlled by the state, which set production goals, controlled prices, and allocated resources throughout most of the economy. During the 1950s, all of China’s individual household farms were collectivized into large communes. To support rapid industrialization, the central government undertook large-scale investments in physical and human capital during the 1960s and 1970s. As a result, by 1978 nearly three-fourths of industrial production was produced by centrally controlled, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), according to centrally planned output targets. Private enterprises and foreign-invested firms were generally barred. A central goal of the Chinese government was to make China’s economy relatively self-sufficient. Foreign trade was generally limited to obtaining only those goods that could not be made or obtained in China. Government policies kept the Chinese economy relatively stagnant and inefficient, mainly because most aspects of the economy were managed and run by the central government (and thus there were few profit incentives for firms, workers, and farmers), competition was virtually nonexistent, foreign trade and investment flows were mainly limited to Soviet bloc countries, and price and production controls caused widespread distortions in the economy. Chinese living standards were substantially lower than those of many other developing countries. The Chinese government in 1978 (shortly after the death of Chairman Mao in 1976) decided to break with its Soviet-style economic policies by gradually reforming the economy according to free market principles and opening up trade and investment with the West, in the hope that this would significantly increase economic growth and raise living standards. As Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, the architect of China’s economic reforms, put it: â€Å"Black cat, white cat, what does it matter what color the cat is as long as it catches mice? The Introduction of Economic Reforms Beginning in 1979, China launched several economic reforms. The central government initiated price and ownership incentives for farmers, which enabled them to sell a portion of their crops on the free market. In addition, the government established four special economic zones along the coast for the purpose of attract ing foreign investment, boosting exports, and importing high technology products into China. Additional reforms, which followed in stages, sought to decentralize economic policymaking in several sectors, especially trade. Economic control of various enterprises was given to provincial and local governments, which were generally allowed to operate and compete on free market principles, rather than under the direction and guidance of state planning. In addition, citizens were encouraged to start their own businesses. Additional coastal regions and cities were designated as open cities and development zones, which allowed them to experiment with free market reforms and to offer tax and trade incentives to attract foreign investment. In addition, state price controls on a wide range of products were gradually eliminated. Trade liberalization was also a major key to China’s economic success. Removing trade barriers encouraged greater competition and attracted foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows. China’s gradual implementation of economic reforms sought to identify which policies produced favorable economic outcomes (and which did not) so that they could be implemented in other parts of the country, a process Deng Xiaoping reportedly referred to as â€Å"crossing the river by touching the stones. † China’s Economic Growth Since Reforms: 1979-2012 Since the introduction of economic reforms, China’s economy has grown substantially faster than during the pre-reform period (see Table 1). According to the Chinese government, from 1953 to 1978, real annual GDP growth was estimated at 6. 7%, although many analysts claim that Chinese economic data during this period are highly questionable because government officials often exaggerated production levels for a variety of political reasons. Agnus Maddison estimates China’s average annual real GDP during this period at 4. %. China’s economy suffered economic downturns during the leadership of Chairman Mao Zedong, including during the Great Leap Forward from 1958 to 1960 (which led to a massive famine and reportedly the deaths of tens of millions of people) and the Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976 (which caused political chaos and greatly disrupted the economy). During the reform period (1979-2011), Chinaâ €™s average annual real GDP grew by 9. 9%. This essentially has meant that, on average China has been able to double the size of its economy in real terms every eight years. The global economic slowdown, which began in 2008, impacted the Chinese economy (especially the export sector). China’s real GDP growth fell from 14. 2% in 2007 to 9. 6% in 2008 to 9. 2% in 2009. In response, the Chinese government implemented a large economic stimulus package and an expansive monetary policy. These measures boosted domestic investment and consumption and helped prevent a sharp economic slowdown in China. In 2010, China’s real GDP grew by 10. 4%, and in 2011 it rose by 9. 2%. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects that China’s real GDP will grow by 7. 8% in 2012. From 2013 to 2017, the IMP projects that China’s real GDP growth will average 8. 5%. Table 1- China’s average annual real GDP growth. Causes of China’s Economic Growth Economists generally attribute much of China’s rapid economic growth to two main factors: large-scale capital investment (financed by large domestic savings and foreign investment) and rapid productivity growth. These two factors appear to have gone together hand in hand. Economic reforms led to higher efficiency in the economy, which boosted output and increased resources for additional investment in the economy. China has historically maintained a high rate of savings. When reforms were initiated in 1979, domestic savings as a percentage of GDP stood at 32%. However, most Chinese savings during this period were generated by the profits of SOEs, which were used by the central government for domestic investment. Economic reforms, which included the decentralization of economic production, led to substantial growth in Chinese household savings as well as corporate savings. As a result, China’s gross savings as a percentage of GDP has steadily risen, reaching 53. 9% in 2010 (compared to a U. S. rate of 9. 3%), and is among the highest savings rates in the world. The large level of savings has enabled China to boost domestic investment. In fact, its gross domestic savings levels far exceed its domestic investment levels, meaning that China is a large net global lender. Several economists have concluded that productivity gains (i. e. , increases in efficiency) have been another major factor in China’s rapid economic growth. The improvements to productivity were caused largely by a reallocation of resources to more productive uses, especially in sectors that were formerly heavily controlled by the central government, such as agriculture, trade, and services. For example, agricultural reforms boosted production, freeing workers to pursue employment in the more productive manufacturing sector. China’s decentralization of the economy led to the rise of non-state enterprises (such as private firms), which tended to pursue more productive activities than the centrally controlled SOEs and were more market-oriented, and hence, more efficient. Additionally, a greater share of the economy (mainly the export sector) was exposed to competitive forces. Local and provincial governments were allowed to establish and operate various enterprises on market principles, without interference from the central government. In addition, FDI in China brought with it new technology and processes that boosted efficiency. As indicated in Figure 2, China has achieved high rates of total factor productivity (TFP) growth relative to the United States. TFP represents an estimate of the part of economic output growth not accounted for by the growth in inputs (such as labor and capital), and is often attributed to the effects of technological change and efficiency gains. China experiences faster TFP growth than most developed countries such as the United States because of its ability to access and utilize existing foreign technology and know-how. High TFP growth rates have been a major factor behind China’s rapid economic growth rate. However, as China’s technological development begins to approach that of major developed countries, its level of productivity gains, and thus, real GDP growth, could slow significantly from its historic 10% average, unless China becomes a major center for new technology and innovation and/or implements new comprehensive economic reforms. As indicated in Figure 3, the EIU currently projects that China’s real GDP growth will slow considerably in the years ahead, averaging 7. 0% from 2012 to 2020, and falling to 3. 7% from 2021 to 2030. The Chinese government has indicated its desire to move away from its current economic model of fast growth at any cost to more â€Å"smart† economic growth, which seeks to reduce reliance on energy-intensive and high-polluting industries and rely more on high technology, green energy, and services. China also has indicated it wants to obtain more balanced economic growth. Measuring the Size of China’s Economy The rapid growth of the Chinese economy has led many analysts to speculate if and when China will overtake the United States as the â€Å"world’s largest economic power. † The â€Å"actual† size of China’s economy has been a subject of extensive debate among economists. Measured in U. S. dollars using nominal exchange rates, China’s GDP in 2011 was $7. 2 trillion, less than half the size of the U. S. economy. The per capita GDP (a common measurement of a country’s living standards) of China was $5,460, which was 12% the size of Japan’s level and 11% that of the United States (see Table 2). Many economists contend that using nominal exchange rates to convert Chinese data (or that of other countries) into U. S. dollars fails to reflect the true size of China’s economy and living standards relative to the United States. Nominal exchange rates simply reflect the prices of foreign currencies vis-a-vis the U. S. dollar and such measurements exclude differences in the prices for goods and services across countries. To illustrate, one U. S. dollar exchanged for local currency in China would buy more goods and services there than it would in the United States. This is because prices for goods and services in China are generally lower than they are in the United States. Conversely, prices for goods and services in Japan are generally higher than they are in the United States (and China). Thus, one dollar exchanged for local Japanese currency would buy fewer goods and services there than it would in the United States. Economists attempt to develop estimates of exchange rates based on their actual purchasing power relative to the dollar in order to make more accurate comparisons of economic data across countries, usually referred to as a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. The PPP exchange rate increases the (estimated) measurement of China’s economy and its per capita GDP. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, (EIU), which utilizes World Bank data, prices for goods and services in China are 41. 5% the level they are in the United States. Adjusting for this price differential raises the value of China’s 2011 GDP from $7. 2 trillion (nominal dollars) to $11. 4 trillion (on a PPP basis). This would indicate that China’s economy is 76. 0% the size of the U. S. economy. China’s share of global GDP on a PPP basis rose from 3. 7% in 1990 to 14. % in 2011 (the U. S. share of global GDP peaked at 24. 3% in 1999 and declined to 18. 9% in 2011); see Figure 4. Many economic analysts predict that on a PPP basis China will soon overtake the United States as the world’s largest economy. EIU, for example, projects this will occur by 2016, and that by 2030, China’s economy could be 30% larger than that of the United St ates. This would not be the first time in history that China was the world’s largest economy (see text box). The PPP measurement also raises China’s 2011 per capita GDP (from $5,460) to $8,650, which was 17. 9% of the U. S. evel. The EIU projects this level will rise to 34. 3% by 2030. Thus, although China will likely become the world’s largest economy in a few years on a PPP basis, it will likely take many years for its living standards to approach U. S. levels. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in China China’s trade and investment reforms and incentives led to a surge in FDI beginning in the early 1990s. Such flows have been a major source of China’s productivity gains and rapid economic and trade growth. There were reportedly 445,244 foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) registered in China in 2010, employing 55. million workers or 15. 9% of the urban workforce. As indicated in Figure 5, FIEs account for a significant share of China’s industrial output. That level rose from 2. 3% in 1990 to a high of 35. 9% in 2003, but fell to 27. 1% by 2010. In addition, FIE’s are responsible for a significant level of China’s foreign trade. In 2011, FIEs in China accounted for 52. 4% of China’s exports and 49. 6% of its imports, although this level was down from its peak in 2006 when FIEs’ share of Chinese exports and imports was 58. 2% and 59. 7%, respectively, as indicated in Figure 6. FIEs in China dominate China’s high technology exports. From 2002 to 2010, the share of China’s high tech exports by FIEs rose from 79% to 82%. During the same period, the share of China’s high tech exports by wholly owned foreign firms (which excludes foreign joint ventures with Chinese firms) rose from 55% to 67%. According to the Chinese government, annual FDI inflows into China grew from $2 billion in 1985 to $108 billion in 2008. Due to the effects of the global economic slowdown, FDI flows to China fell by 12. 2% to $90 billion in 2009. They totaled $106 billion in 2010 and $116 billion in 2011 (see Figure 7). Chinese data for January-October 2012 indicate that FDI fell by 3. 5% on a year-on-year basis; FDI into China will likely total around $112. 1 billion for the full year. Hong Kong was reported as the largest source of FDI flows to China in 2011 (63. 9% of total), followed by Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, and the United States. The cumulative level (or stock) of FDI in China at the end of 2011 is estimated at $1. 2 trillion, making it one of the world’s largest destinations of FDI. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, China was the world’s second-largest destination for FDI flows in 2011, after the United States (see Figure 8). The largest sources of cumulative FDI in China for 1979-2011 were Hong Kong (43. 5% of total), the British Virgin Islands, Japan, the United States, and Taiwan (see Table 3). According to Chinese data, annual U. S. FDI flows to China peaked at $5. 4 billion in 2002 (10. 2% of total FDI in China). In 2011, they were $3. 0 billion or 2. 6% of total FDI (see Figure 9). From January to October 2012, U. S. FDI in China rose by 3. 8% (year-on-year).

Genre Study: The Romance Comedy

Genre Study: The Romance Comedy The thesis introduces some basic conceptions of genre and then generally analyzes the features of the US and UK film genre especially in terms of romance comedy of US and UK film. The author uses Love Actually and Pretty Woman as two examples to represent UK and US romance comedy respectively. Love Actually was acted by many outstanding actors and actresses like Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson), Alan Rickman, etc, which makes the movie an all-star lineup. However, pretty Woman doesnt fall behind. It was acted by Hollywood movie star Richard Gere and Julia Roberts. By comparing the two representatives, it is not difficult to arrive at the conclusion that UK romance comedy is more realism while the other is more idealism. I believe it more or less has something related to their different cultures and national characters. British people are more conservative than Americans so their romance is closer to life, its better for audience to find the real love in reality be cause some plot of the movie just like a familiar one happened in neighborhood. It reflects some true situation in real life. Pretty Woman is a bit like the realization of American Dream to American people; the movie makes the fairy tale dream become true. Thats why these two movies are excellent learning materials for romance genre study. When talking about film genre, there is no reason not to mention the etymology of genre, which comes from French (originally Latin) word meaning type or kind. With the word genre coming into use of English, it is not hard to come across literacy genre, genres in painting etc, however, this paper mainly emphasizes on film genre. How we define genre is depending on our purposes. Film genre is closely connected with the aspect of audiences common knowledge and their expectations, that is, how audience recognizes and understands movie. As Alastair Fowler said that readers learn genres gradually, usually through unconscious familiarization, I put forward the idea that audience use genre to distinguish a particular movie and it makes a genre a code between producers and viewers in the text of a specific movie. When I start to analyze US film genre, I cant ignore the impact of Hollywood, which produces a large amount of blockbuster through the whole world, to name but a few, Gone With the Wind, The Sound of Music, Titanic, The Lord of the King, Avatar In Hollywood movie, the leading genres are action-adventure, comedy, science fiction, teenpics, war films, westerns, melodrama and so on. It is universally acknowledged that love is indispensable in humans lifeà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã…’so its always the source material for literature and art creation. There is no doubt that love is always the eternal theme of movie, thats why the box of romance story is on the glory trail for long years. In some other film genre, romance is supposed to be the sub-genre, which makes romantic thriller, romantic drama, action romance and romantic comedy. And even in Titanic this kind of disaster film, romance is an important element which runs through the whole movie. At different time peoples outlook of love reflect their mo ral value at that time. The production of movie is usually based on the characteristic temper of an age to highlight the theme of the time. During the Second World War period, Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, For Whom the Bell Tolls are popular films because they shoot at the real background of the society, which reveals the changing life brought by the war. While in the period of 90th century, Youve Got a Mail, Message in a Bottle, A Walk in the clouds these new time romance come into the big screen. Especially in Youve Got a Mail internet has become a bridge between the hero and heroine, besides that the film also reflects cyber romance in real life. As it goes to nowadays romance, it becomes much more incredible and extraordinary just like Across the Universe, Sliding Doors, twilight. When I continue to analyze the UK film genre, there are three main characteristics going as follows. First of all it inherits and develops the realistic tradition of English drama. For instance, Gandhi, A Passage to India, Gosford Park represent the introspection of the history and culture of colonial domination; the Bridge on the River Kwai, the Private Life of Henry VIII, the Queen criticize the corrupt customs of old value and national characters; the Land Girls, Love Actually promote the standard civilization of mainstream society; Four weddings and a Funeral, Mr. Bean advocate the optimistic attitude towards life. Secondly, UK movie is keen on the artistic characteristics of English drama, leading to the high artistic value in either shooting or performance, especially the gentleman style in acting. It also explains why many English films win the Academy Award such as The English patient, Shakespeare in Love. The last but not least, it adapts some literary masterpiece and many o f them stay famous with the original work. Tess is revised from Hardy; Oliver Twist is revised from Charles Dickens; Sense and Sensibility is converted from Jane Austin. When all the above-mentioned factors are taken into consideration, a conclusion could be drawn that UK films are more traditional and retain some features of English drama. Hereinafter I will illustrate Love Actually and Pretty Woman to analysis the features of UK and US romance comedy respectively and compare their similarities and distinctions. Love actually is one of the most successful English romance comedies which breaks the record of Bridget Joness Diary and wins the top-grossing movie release in ever. It is made up of ten separate stories but also there are small connections among those stories at the background of traditional festival-Christmas. In fact the name of the movie love actually means Love is actually around, so the whole melody of the movie is immersed in warm and love. The beginning and ending part take place at Heathrow Airport where passengers part or reunite with their family or friends. Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husband and wife, boyfriends, girlfriends and old friends, they smile, embrace or kiss each other, making the airport cozy beautiful place. Love is found everywhere. Our eyes do not show a lack of sense of love, but lack of observation. This film reflects different kind of outlook of love in UK society. Love is around no matter who you are and what social class you come from. Even you are the prime minister of the United Kingdom; you may fall in love with your assistant. The director just suggests that there is no hierarchy, no stratum in love, everyone is equal at the front of love; love makes people closer to each other and makes them come together no matter what their identities are. Love is around no matter which country you are from and what language you are speaking. Love has no boundaries. The little boy confesses his feelings to the African-American girl at the encouragement of his stepfather. Love is brave, there are neither skin colors nor races in love, and we all cheer for the little boy because of his braveness. Totally there are ten stories and everyone can find some touching details in some stories because they are closely related to our life and I believe thats why it s not the same as Hollywood romance comedy, its special gentleman style humor and lightly moving plot are not like a raging flame but can still give us warm and power. It makes audience feel comfortable and full of confidence that love is everywhere. Be generous and gratitude to life because love is always around us. It is a movie but it is also like what happened in our own life. Apart from the romance story in the film, we can find the epitome of British politics and the relationship between British and American. A friend who bullies us is no longer a friend. Bring out their opinion that they dont want to be an attendant of America. We can still catch the satire that Englishman used to show disagreement with American and their pop culture. They laugh at Americans arbitrariness and their open culture. Satire is one way of English humor. As is known to us, comedy is very influential in English film industry because the nation feels proud of their sense of humor. Mr. Bean has become the stereotype of comedy and Rowan Atkinsons face represent funny and humor. When he showed up in a movie we can predict that something interesting will happen. So even he shows up several minutes in Love Actually, he still creates happiness to the audience. On the other hand, Pretty Woman is a typical Cinderella Hollywood style romance comedy. Hao Jian claims Pretty Woman is a romantic film and studies how this movie leads the audience to enjoy the visual and ideological pleasure through inserting typical movie language. He argues the directors use of movie language and the like zero cut is a strategy to remove barriers between the characters and the audience. (Hao Jian,2002) Since there is no denying that characters are the souls of movie, this paper mainly focuses on characters personalities to conclude the genre features instead of the angle from shooting methods like montage etc. Edward represents prototype of the upper class while Vivian represents the working class in US. From my point of view, American romance comedy is more idealized just like a fairy tale and a wonderful dream because girls are eager to encounter her prince of charming like Edward and boys want to be successful and have the social status as Edward. That is to s ay, American romance story is more idealism so that the heroes and heroine are so glorious that audience wish they could become them. Vivian, the pretty woman in the movie, though she doesnt have a decent occupation, she still has her own qualities, which attract the perfect hero and win his love. I analyzed the heroine and find she has four qualities that makes she become the princess. To start with, she is frank and honest, so that she always expresses her feelings directly and doesnt hide her opinions. Next, although she is a prostitute, she still has self-respect. When she lives a comfortable life provided by Edward she still prepares to leave because all she wants is not just material things. Thirdly, she is a lovely woman, which can be drawn from her cute actions and innocent dialogue. At last, she creates her own idealism when she is a street girl and luckily her dreams come true. In real life its hard to imagine a millionaire falls in love with a prostitute, but just because of the mode of Cinderella and the prince of modern time makes audiences wish come true, the film becomes a very popular one even until today. Pretty Woman still makes sense in our society; the vision of love differs in our time. Now it seems that status, fortune and appearance have become some necessaries in matching love. Love is no longer pure love; people become together with clear intensions, for instance, the insurance of life, the standard of consumptionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦It seems that people now regard marriage as a relationship instead of an institution. In the movie it tells us that family background, job, features are not so important, the most important thing is ones inner world, pure soul and warm heart. Pretty Woman inherits the traditional mode of US romance comedy, which contains handsome man, hot figure woman and happy ending story. However, this movie also praises female while some other US film would show sympathy of female like Thelma and Louise, the Color Purple and so on. All in all, Pretty Woman is a very classic Hollywood movie which is beneficial for us to study film genre of romance comedy of American. Conclusion Through the further discovery of genre study, it helps us obtain some fundamental conception of film genre in terms of romance comedy. Film genre is a long journey that in this paper I only underline a small aspect of film genre. As far as I am concerned, romance comedy is so popular that this film genre can always attract audiences attention and sit in the cinema to enjoy the movie. However, Love actually and Pretty Woman are just two stereotypes of romance comedy. There are numerous films of this type, if we want to draw more conclusions we always have many options since If Only, Five first dates, Sleepless in Seattle,etc, are classic romance story worth watching. Bibiliography: UK Film Council. http://sy10.ukfilmcouncil.ry.com/Default.asp An introduction to genre theory. Daniel Chandler. American Film Genres: Approach to a critical theory of Popular Film. Kaminsky, Stuart M. Media Semiotics: An Introduction. Bignell, Jonathan. Manchester University Press. 1997 Film Genre Study. HaoJian. Beijing University Press. 2002 The Film Genre Book. John Sanders. Auteur Publishing. 2009 Film Genre 2000:New Critical Essays. Wheeler Winston Dixon. State University of New York Press.2000 Film Genre:Hollywood and Beyond. Barry Langford. Edinburgh University Press. 2005 Romance Fiction: A guide to the genre. Kristin Ramsdell. Englewood,Colo. 1999

Women Characters in My Antonia and Giants in the Earth :: Willa Cather O.E. Rolvaag

Women Characters in My Antonia and Giants in the Earth Many women characters appear in fiction who have been damaged by or disintegrate under the stresses of life. Just as in life, however, many fictional characters survive, adapt, and triumph; these characters may never be recognized within a larger world, but they are vitally important to other characters and are the objects of deep love and respect. Creating this woman in fiction can often be difficult, because the writer must present a whole character, not one trivialized by sentimentality or stereotyped by convention. Willa Cather in My Antonia and O.E. Rolvaag in Giants in the Earth have developed such characters. As Michael Peterman points out, Antonia is "a celebration of vitality and of human potential within the context of natural and mortal limitations" and teaches us to "value the irrepressible, genuinely generous, life enhancing aspects of human nature" (98). Antonia also shares these characteristics to a large degree with another fictional character, Rolvaag's Sorine from Giants. Both women emerge as people of great strength, women who are touchstones for those around them. Before considering the similarities, it might be well to review the apparent differences between Sorine and Antonia. In the first place, there are differences in their style. Sorine appears to be a conventional, Old World peasant woman fulfilling conventional roles: devoted mother and loyal wife, helping her husband achieve his dream. Furthermore, we see her only as a mature woman. In contrast, because we follow Antonia's development to maturity and centeredness, we see sides of her life which we can only speculate about in comparing her to Sorine. For example, Antonia works first as a boy might in her family's fields. Then she is brought into town to learn more "proper" roles--housekeeping skills. In town she gives herself to the social pleasures denied her thus far in life and eventually falls prey to the blandishments of an unprincipled charmer. When that relationship ends disastrously, she makes a new life for herself, marrying and happily raising a large family. At this point she is clearly important, not only to the narrator, Jim Burden, but also to many others. Life's path may have been different for her than for Sorine, but its destination was the same: the esteem, admiration, and love of those she held dear .

The Death Of The Virgin :: essays research papers

Death of the Virgin   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Michelangelo Merisi was born in Caravaggio, Italy in 1573. He grew up to be known by the name of his birthplace, Caravaggio, and as an artist. He was probably the most revolutionary artist of his time, breaking the rules of previous artists. Carvaggio had spent his childhood in the presence of art, living with a painter for four years before moving to Rome to work as an assistant to other painters. In about 1595, he began to sell his paintings through a dealer, who brought him to the attention of the Cardinal. At the age of 24, he was called upon by the Cardinal Francesco del Monte to paint for a church. He was criticized a lot for the realistic and dramatic nature of his works. Despite the criticism, he was a recognized, and eventually envied painter. While in Rome, he was imprisoned for several assaults. He fled the city and eventually ended up in Naples in about 1607. Here, he painted for a while. During this period, his paintings were dark and urgent, reflecting his feelings at the time. He left and continued to stay undercover for two more years before being arrested and dying not long thereafter. During this period, however, his paintings were among the best of his career. Caravaggio’s Death of the Virgin was painted in 1605-1606, in France, probably on his run to Naples.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Death of the Virgin requires some background information to fully understand the meaning of the painting. The Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ has a special place of devotion especially in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches and is considered a historical work, to these and other religions. Caravaggio was not influenced much by other painters. He was making up his own style of painting. A critic of the age, Giovanni Pietro Bellori wrote: â€Å"Caravaggio deserves great praise, as he was the only one who attempted to imitate the nature as opposed to the general trend in which painters imitated other painters.† Another critic said that he had â€Å"abandoned beauty and was interested in depicting reality.† While one may suspect that other artists of the age would have avoided this new realism, many actually borrowed it unconsciously. This particular painting was refused as an altarpiece for Santa Maria della Scala in Rome becaus e of the way the Virgin is represented, her body swollen, limp limbs, and her feet uncovered.

Percy Shelley and His Use of Romantic Elements Essay -- Literary Analy

Romanticism, an intellectual and cultural movement during the late 18th to 19th century that followed the Age of Enlightenment, could be described as a rebellion against the social and political norms of the aristocratic society. Merriam-Webster defines Romanticism as â€Å"a literary, artistic, and philosophical movement originating in the 18th century, characterized chiefly by a reaction against neoclassicism and an emphasis on the imagination and emotions (Romanticism)†. Historians oftentimes have reflected upon the conscious rejection of conventional societal manners as a characteristic of young poets (Spielvogel 657). Contrary to the rationalistic approach to thought that was typical of the Age of Enlightenment, Romantic literature focused upon human emotion, freedom of thought, individualism, self-reflection and the adoration of the ordinary. Romantic poetry also served as a way to express one of the foremost â€Å"characteristics of Romanticism: love of natureâ₠¬  (Spielvogel 658.) Intuition, free expression of emotion and thought, a return to the sacramental connection with nature and the belief in the goodness of humankind were all critical elements within much of the literature of this time. Percy Bysshe Shelley, a classic example of a Romantic poet, contributed immensely to the legacy of Romanticism. Critical writer Tel Asiado states, â€Å"[h]is poems over flow with intense emotional and radical ideas† (Asiado). During Shelley’s life, he composed many impressive works of poetry that were characterized by the freedom of thought, human emotion, individualism, reflection on the past, thoughts on humanity and dynamic power of nature. Although Matthew Arnold labeled him an "ineffectual angel," 20th-century critics have taken Shelley s... ...tions of Literature. Port Washington, NY: Kennikat, 1965. Print. Hesse, Hermann, Egon Schwarz, and Ingrid Fry. Siddhartha, Demian, and Other Writings. New York: Continuum, 1992. Print. Mazzeno, Laurence W. "Ode To The West Wind." Masterplots II: Poetry, Revised Edition (2002): 1-2. MagillOnLiterature Plus. Web. 21 Apr. 2012. McLean, John L. "Percy Bysshe Shelley." Magill’S Survey Of World Literature, Revised Edition (2009): 1-7. MagillOnLiterature Plus. Web. 21 Apr. 2012. "Note On Poems Of 1818, By Mrs. Shelley." [Notes...by Mary Shelley]. Web. 17 Apr. 2012. . Raymer, John. "Ode To The West Wind." Masterplots, Fourth Edition (2010): 1-2. MagillOnLiterature Plus. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization: A Brief History, Volume 2. Seventh ed. Vol. 2. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2010. Print.

Spring Break Essay

Dylan Farmer 1/24/2012 English 101 Spring break is mainly a time of partying for most teenagers that go to my high school, but I was off to California with my girlfriend’s family to pretty much explore a whole other side of the U. S. California is the place that every person and the world wants to go for their spring break. I was very happy that my girlfriend’s mom is a travel agent, so we got a pretty good deal for the prices of our flight and on the hotel prices. Just for extra fun we drove to Chicago and stayed there for two nights. We explored downtown Chicago, all the amazing buildings.We even got to go into the old Sears Tower, which was something that I think everyone needs to see. It's probably one of the best sights I've ever seen, other than the fact I've only seen a good view going down Quincy hill near my hometown. I forgot to mention that when we left for our flight to California that was going to be my first time ever flying on an airplane. It was very exc iting to fly, especially since it was going to be a long three hour flight. I felt like a little kid again when the flight attendant gave me my wings for flying for my first time.Not all people in the world get to experience flying, so I thought I was pretty lucky to get to enjoy this experience. We arrived in Los Angeles, California. The hotel we stayed in was one of the best hotels I've ever been in. This hotel was so big and fancy, and the weight room that was there was bigger than the fitness center back home. This hotel also had two pools. The outdoor pool looked really beautiful, because it had a giant water fall leading into the pool, but it was closed down while we were was staying there, so I just used the normal everyday hotel pool, which was indoors.It was very incredible to see something like this on how beautiful a single hotel could be, and look. Exploring the streets of California was really fun. I adventured through the fashion district, which has a lot of cheap item s. There was some kid trying to sell me copyrighted DVDs, which I actually bought, but out of the three I bought, but only one of the movies worked. One of the obvious reasons of why I went to California was that I got to see all the amazing sites that all normal tourists go and see.We all walked around the Sanna Monica Pier, Manhattan Pier, and also to the great Venice beach. It was very pretty place to see all the people walking around and all the little gift shops on the beach. However, out of the three piers I went to, the Manhattan Pier was one of my favorites, because I got to see my first dolphin, which was pretty awesome, and I never thought I’d actually have the chance to see one with the little time that I was there. Later in that week our last trip was to Hollywood Boulevard, which was a crazy place to meet some weird people.There was a lot of people singing, dancing, selling stuff, or any other random ways to make a dollar. Hollywood Boulevard was still a very int eresting place, seeing all the stars on the ground with some hand print in it or their writing. One pretty interesting thing that I noticed is that Muhammad Ali’s star was the only one that was hanging up, because all the other stars where just on the ground, but I guess he was the fighter of America. When it was about time to leave California, I was feeling something different than usual, like I didn't want to go back home just right yet.I just wanted to stay there and enjoy the sun. I knew that my spring break had to end at some point, though It was just amazing how different the society was here than Michigan. I think I liked it better here, but that is probably because I’m not living here 24/7 like I am in Michigan. I thought to myself how I would rather go on vacations than partying for my spring break. Spring break is where one can actually learn about a different state and see new sightings for the first time. It was a great experience to go on this trip to Cali fornia.

Case Study: Ryanair Essay

1) What’s your assessment of Ryanair’s launch strategy? In 1986, the Ryan siblings are getting ready to start competing against British Airways and Aer Lingus on the Dublin-London route. This route was one of the most traveled air routes inEurope, which meant that Ryanair was taking a big risk by deciding to enter this market. At the moment the airline passenger market was a complex one, since the governments would highly control it. Additionally, the airline industry has high fixed costs, which was something that Ryanair needed to take into account if the company wanted to face its already experienced competitors. However the Ryan brothers knew that it was important to fly this route, and so they decided to follow an aggressive strategy: sell cheaper Dublin-London tickets (PRICE). The problem with this strategy was that they did not highly differentiate from their competitors, and as a result a â€Å"price war† took place. By 1989 prices were as low as 70 pounds, and even though Ryanair started flying other routes, by 1991 it seem ed that bankruptcy was around the corner for the airline. The main problem that led Ryanair to this poor performance was that the company’s strategy focused on competing on operating efficiency, without altering its cost structure against experienced and somehow protected companies by some of their stakeholders.The strategy followed by the airline could hardly enhance the â€Å"competitive advantage† Ryanair had (operational efficiency), because at that moment the airline did not have a good amount of customers; andadditionally it did not realize that its competitors could easily reduce their price to the marginal cost, which they were already able to cover. The strategy was not sustainable by any means. Another problem that arise thanks to the poor strategy chosen by the company, was that it did not gave the client a certain level of added value that would be attractive for him/her. Therefore Ryanair lacked a clear competitive positioning, which  enabled a quick retaliation from BA and AL. And as a result, if Ryanair wanted to continue in business, it had to completely change its strategy and revise is goals by figuring out a way in which the perceived added value they could give to the customers was good enough to, later on, capture value from them. 2) How do you expect Aer Lingus and British Airways to respond? Why? Both Aer Lingus and British Airways were already well-established in the Dublin-London route and this route provided a high-volume of business and return on capital, especially for Aer Lingus. But then†¦Ryanair appeared and, as we know, the entry of a new competitor represents an entry price below the market’s price. So now what? What should these two companies do? Aer Lingus and British Airways have two options: either they maintain their current level of prices, or start a price war. In order to decide which way to go, they have to think how costly it would be for them to retaliate against Ryanair’s launch rather than accommodate it. Both companies have a significant disadvantage, they have a cost structure very difficult to cut (staff + accommodation, ground†¦+ selling + handling and catering represents more than 45% of the costs per passenger, approximately 90 £ and they need to add landing fees and oil). As if this wasn’t enough, it is also very difficult to start a strategy based in differentiation because Ryanair, at that time, was trying to offer a service of a similar quality to these companies (first-rate customer service.) Both Aer Lingus and British Airways are supported and hence policies are also controlled by respective governments. Offering low cost airfare requires whole systemic change which is not practically possible just for the reason of retaliating Ryanair. However, these two companies are competitors with deep pockets and there’s a possibility of them driving Ryanair out of business by reducing price to their marginal cost, even if that marginal cost would be higher than marginal benefits. So, considering all of this plus the fact that Ryanair is a very nascent to fully fledged airline service and the very volatile revenues of Airline industry, we think that Aer Lingus and British Airways will not retaliate on Ryanair’s price strategy. 3) How costly would it be for Aer Lingus and British Airways to retaliate against Ryanair’s launch strategy rather than accommodate it? Both for British Airways and Aer Lingus, retaliating against Ryanair’s launch strategy would end in a price war as Ryanair’s only focus is cost leadership. The costs of entering this  price war would be higher than potential advantages. British Airways calls itself â€Å"The world’s favorite airline† – a clear differentiation statement – and has a successful flotation and privatization as one of its mail goals. Entering a price war would show its abilities to fight against competitors, however price pressures can cut profit margins to the bone, especially as the airline might have to face not only Ryanair but more low-cost competitors in the future. Restoring its high fares might result in operating losses. After Colin Marshall joined the company, British Airways focused on satisfying full-fare business customers. If it were to retaliate against Ryanair, it might lose those business class customers and its reputation for safe, reliable flig hts and an outstanding customer service. International journeys accounted for two thirds of British Airway’s sold seats and 90% of its revenue. As Ryanair is focusing on short-haul, intra-Europe flights, British Airways’ focus should be on overseas flights which typically generate more money. British Airways has the advantage of an extensive network and its location at London Heathrow Airport which distinguishes it from Ryanair as a low-cost operator. Exhibit 4 in the case shows that British Airways had  £140.9 cost per passenger. So if it were to retaliate against Ryanair, it would have to cut costs by almost 30% which would result in a harsh decline in perceived value by its high-end customers. If the airline accommodates Ryanair’s launch strategy, it can focus on its differentiation strategy and experience in international flights which makes Ryanair a less dangerous competitor as target groups are different. The costs of retaliation are similar for Aer Lingus. If it enters a price war, it will pro bably lose more money because it cannot even operate profitably with the prices charged above Ryanair levels. Furthermore, it would need high capital expenditures to modernize its fleet. Although it might lose some passengers to Ryanair, the disadvantages of retaliation would still exceed possible gains. The airline’s goal is mostly to promote national interests and be safe, efficient, reliable and predictable. As Aer Lingus can be seen as a public good, it can count on extensive government support. Furthermore, it even has the chance to break even with its diverse portfolio that includes maintenance services and engineer trainings to other services. In order to keep its good reputation, accommodating Ryanair’s launch strategy would be the best thing to do despite potential lost  customers. Aer Lingus would, just like British Airways, be confronted with a tough price war which it can barely win because of its inefficient cost structures and its differentiation strategy appealing to its loyal customers.