Compare the descriptions of the four ghosts Essay

Dickens’ little Christmas book, ‘A Christmas Carol’, was one of many of Christmas novels, however the book, as well as selling six thousand copies in one week, has become Dickens most famous novel. Although the Victorians opinions of ghosts were conformist and modern day reader’s opinions are more lax; the variety of spectres ensured it appealed to both ages and revived the charitable meaning of Christmas for the Victorians. The first ghost Dickens introduces to the reader is Marley and he uses vivid adjectives to illustrate the typical conventions of a ghost. Some of these conventions are shown when Dickens writes, ‘The same face: the very same’, and describes his clothes as, ‘usual waistcoat, tights, and boots’. In saying that the ghost has, ‘the same’, face and clothes as the person it originated from, it conforms to the stereotypical image of a ghost. This makes the reader feel more comfortable with the opening of the novel; allowing the reader to make the prediction that the other ghosts would be similar. This successfully results in the reader being shocked later on in the book. Furthermore, Dickens uses personification to create the suspense and fearfulness that the reader would expect a ghost to do. This is evident with the quote, ‘ flame leaped up’, and, ‘it cried, â€Å"I know him! Marley’s ghost†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ. When the flame, ‘leaped up’, it gives the effect that it has identified something so fearful that it has gave life to in-animate objects. This makes the reader desperate to find out why this ghost is so frightening. The flame also seems to detect that the ghost is Jacob Marley, which suits the idea that a ghost haunts someone that did wrong to them in their previous life. Adding to the terrifying image of the spectre, Dickens highlights the fear with the phrase, ‘disturbs the very marrow in his bones’. The phrase strengthens the idea that Marley is a typical spectre as a Victorian reader would expect Scrooge to be immensely scared of the ghost, this is because the conformist opinion was that ghosts we’re to be frightened of. Although Marley is overall a conventional ghost, Dickens does use a combination of metaphors and similes to add interesting original touches. These are found when the book says, ‘being provided with an infernal atmosphere of it’s own’, and, ‘as by the hot vapour from an oven’. The simile highlights the alteration between Scrooge and the ghost. One interpretation of this is that the simile is a representation of how a ghost sees the world from a different perspective then a human. The simile emphasises this interpretation and suggests that the difference between the perspectives of the two characters is that the ghost looks on the earth with envy as his own world as Marley’s own world agitates like, ‘hot vapour’. This is one of the first signs that the book will push the conformist boundaries of the after life; alerting the reader to the thought that this ghost has feelings, which is not expected from a Victorian audience. In contrast to the ghost of Jacob Marley, the ghost of Christmas past is strange and unconventional. Just as in the description of Marley, Dickens uses sound to build up suspense. For example, he describes the hour bell as, ‘hollow’. The use of this word may mean that the ghost is evil, however on the other hand it may suggest that it won’t use discretion as it is hollow and doesn’t have a heart; this is significant as it was believed that feelings came from the heart in the Victorian period. The word is successful as it makes the reader make predictions about the ghost before it arrives. This is playing with the reader and will create anxiety, as the reader will want to discover whether the prediction was right or not. In addition, Dickens confirms the idea of a ghost further. This occurs when he writes, ‘unearthly visitor’. One interpretation of this is that the word, ‘unearthly’, gives the impression that it doesn’t belong on earth and is not a typical creature. This adds to the idea of a typical ghost however, a subtle implication strays from the stereotype. The word, ‘visitor’ may imply that the ghost will not stay long which may seem insignificant to a modern reader but the Victorians feared that ghosts would haunt a specific person making their lives a misery. I think that this effectively created an unusual sense around the ghost that pre-emptively warns the reader that it isn’t a normal ghost. Moreover, Dickens uses juxtaposition to make the reader acknowledge that the ghost represents something. The contrast is shown with phrases such as, ‘like a child’, and, ‘like an old man’. The contrast implies that what someone does in the past can alter their future so you should always do the right thing. This representation is further emphasised with the imagery, ‘now with one leg’, and, ‘now with twenty legs’ as it gives an interesting, visibly imaginable example of the change. These quotes are successful as the reader can see that the ghost represents the fact that every action has a consequence.   

External Analysis: PESTEL Analysis of Cafe Coral Essay

External Analysis: PESTEL Each and every industries may it be small or large companies are subject to different elements that affect the firm’s function as a whole. These elements are considered as the driving forces for the success or even the downturn of a business. One of the factors that must be considered by any company is the external environment and the underlying aspects that must be given emphasis by any business organisation. As mentioned, the case was about the changes that must be implemented by Cafà © de Coral and how the company had been able to adjust to the stiff competition of this kind of business. In this regard, the environment of the group will be analysed using the PESTEL model. PESTEL model evaluates the political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, physical (environmental) and the legal factors. 1. Political Sector In terms of political sector, the company sees to it that they follow the rules and regulations imposed by the government. In the case of Cafà © de Coral, the company sees to it that they always adhere to the policies imposed and that their organizational goals are achieved without disobeying such policies. In addition, whenever the company is having changes, they make sure that all rules and regulations are set and they are always ready to follow it. In addition, the company also imposed corporate governance to be followed in all levels of the organisation. 2. Economic Sector Economically speaking, it can be said that Cafà © de Coral being known as the largest Chinese fast food restaurant has been able to help the economy China as well as in Hong Kong, by providing some financial needs to boost the economy of both countries. In doing so, the company is also benefited to become more economically stable in spite of the challenges it faced. In addition, it can be said that the company has been able to cope with the global competition that it become financially stable. Social Aspect Society e is an important factor that must be given emphasis by any business,nspecifically those who are operating in the global arena. It is important that the company must operate in compliance with the social systems in order to gain good reputation and effective public image. In the case of Cafà © de Coral, the company has been able to consider social aspects by giving emphasis to the international market and the context of globalization. With this ideology, the company has been able to give importance not only with the Chinese market but most especially to stakeholders in the international level. 3. Technological Sector The complexities of achieving business success through increased efficiency, effectiveness and competitiveness, combined with innovative applications of modern technology, has heightened the awareness of both the industry and a foreign country to ensure quality products and service(Luftman, Lewis & Oldach, 1993). In line with the technological capacity of the company, it can be said that Cafà © de Coral is using advanced technology to ensure that they provide quality and excellent products and services with their target market. Their technology is built upon the highest quality and functions in order to provide customer’s demands in global market. Herein, the physical resources of the company were being monitored to maintain its efficiency to further enhance the organization’s position to become competitive in the industry. Furthermore, the company has been able to use information technology as part of their strategy in order to be more innovative and gain more in term s of productivity and profit. 4. Environmental Factors Cafà © de Coral will also be evaluated in terms of environmental aspects. The environmental resources of the Cafà © de Coral ensure that they would always have a facility and technology that would be able to carry out products and services that would eventually satisfy all their customers. The company has been able to consider all its environmental resources to enhance their competitiveness. Further, the joint ventures and mergers of the group have expanded the resources of the company to become more stable and become one of the leaders in the steel industry. 5. Legal Aspects A company will not be able to gain success if they will not consider legal sector as part of their strategy in entering an international marketplace. Legally speaking, Cafà © de Coral has been able to abide laws of the regions where it is operating. In addition, the company has also been able to follow the law in terms of environmental protection, and other health concerned specifically with the field of their business which is food production. The company always sees to it that all the operations locally and internationally would be legal. In addition, the company has seen to it that they abide by the law by paying their taxes annually.

The Pros and Cons of Not Vaccinating Your Child Essay

The Pros and Cons of Not Vaccinating Your Child - Essay Example Vaccination against the highly prevalent infectious diseases is necessary to protect the individual from acquiring the disease and eradicating the disease from the whole community as well as stopping its further transmission. Many goals of eradicating particular infectious diseases have been attained by mass vaccination programs. In 1980, the WHO eradicated small-pox worldwide by a mass vaccination program. In 1988, WHO, resolved to eradicate poliomyelitis by vaccination. The number of cases world-wide has fallen from 350,000 to 1651 at present (Colledge et al 2010). Vaccines are associated with a number of risks and they are also associated with certain risks. However, the vaccines are also associated with a vast number of benefits. Many parents question the safety and effectiveness of vaccinating their children and show concern about the adverse effects associated with it. Proper and adequate awareness should be provided to the parents so that they can make a healthy decision for t heir children after analyzing the pros and cons. The optimal benefits and risks associated with not vaccinating the children should be analyzed before providing immunization to the children. All vaccines are associated with side-effects and most of them are either minor or very rare. The CDC develops a Vaccine Information Sheet (VIS) that contains all the relevant information regarding the vaccines. The parents should be provided with VIS so that they are fully aware of the side-effects and do not panic in case of post-vaccination effects. The most common side-effects associated with the vaccines are fever and redness and swelling or infection at the site of the injection. Rarely, headaches, weakness or tiredness and rash also develop in the children. Seizures, coma, Gullain-Barre and death are very rare adverse effects of vaccination and are least expected. There are certain contraindications of vaccination and these children should not be immunized. Children with suppressed immuni ty because of any disease or disease related treatment should not be vaccinated at all. There are high chances that they will respond poorly to the inactivated vaccine agents. Any allergies to the vaccine components are also a contraindication for vaccine administration. In such cases of contraindications, it is recommended that prevention of the disease is attained through other preventive measures (Hansel 2012). The side-effects of vaccination are different for particular vaccines and parents should attain complete awareness before putting forward their children for the vaccination programs. However, the benefits of not vaccinating children are not huge and it is important to protect your children from the prevalent infectious diseases. The benefits of the vaccines have been evident since the past 100 years from the eradication of the variola virus, control of the polio and measles infection and the reduction of many vaccine-preventable diseases. However, the benefits are reducing as the vaccine-preventable diseases are becoming rare or have been eradicated. Although MANY diseases have been controlled in United States, outbreaks of certain diseases like measles have brought forward the benefits of vaccines. Researches showed that children who were not vaccinated had 35 folds greater risk of developing measles as compared to

The principle of non-refoulement. Practical usage of the Essay

The principle of non-refoulement. Practical usage of the non-refoulement principle - Essay Example Non-refoulement principle approved in 1951 is being widely discussed by scholars and scientists for determination of the boundaries of its relevant application in the modern international judicial paradigm. This principle belongs to a customary international law and prohibits â€Å"the expulsion, deportation, return or extradition of an alien to his state of origin or another state where there is a risk that his life or freedom would be threatened for discriminatory reasons† Therefore, in accordance with Article 33 of the 1951 Convention: â€Å"No Contracting State shall expel or return (â€Å"refouler†) a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his [or her] life or freedom would be threatened on account of his [or her] race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion†2. This principle is one of the basic pillars of refugee and immigration law.   There is one special aspect in this principl e in accordance with which an alien should not be sent to his country where he can be tortured. This is so-called â€Å"jus cogens rule† and this aspect is obligatory for all countries of the international society. Practical usage of the non-refoulement principle The British legal system has been also shaped under the influence of non-refoulement. Judicial bodies and other competent organs act with regards to this principle and regulating system of immigration and asylum is worked out with regards to the influence of this principle3. ... The main advantage available for all persons is the fact that even no valid legal travelling document is required in order to appeal for the country concerning non-refoulement principle. What is required from a person is his ability to prove a danger of a potential persecution, punishment or any other form of human rights degrading in his home country. Moreover, in case his liberties and freedoms are in danger or he may be subjected to an inhuman treatment at home, he should prove it to the country able to protect him in accordance with the non-refoulement principle. A system of proof in comparison with the one applied in criminal law cases is more tolerant. Thus, a principle of proof â€Å"beyond reasonable doubt† is discarded and a principle working in the civil law system â€Å"balance of probability† is not efficient as well6. Thus, the House of Lords rejected application of â€Å"balance of probability† norm in considering refugee cases. Currently, it is eno ugh to prove the slightest possibility for a person to be come through severe punishment or a serious harm. For example, a person may correlate a potential harm with the discriminatory grounds described in the Refugee Convention. Thus, on a discriminatory racial, religious or nationality or any other â€Å"membership of a particular social group†7 basis a person may be persecuted. In case a person managed to prove his fair basis for application for the non-refoulement principle, the country would provide him with relevant norms described in the Refugee Convention. Every country may interpret the basic principles of the Refugee Convention basing on its own particular ideas, but still, the main trends are strictly followed by the international community8. Therefore, the

Age does not matter in relationships Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Age does not matter in relationships - Essay Example The author explains that couples with such an age gap undergo the same marital problems as couples of the same age. However, as a couple with different age gaps continue to age, they are likely to have different desires. For example, as the desire of the younger one increases, the desires other of older age are retiring. Additionally, couples with different age gaps do not merge because the younger one is growing up while the older individual is growing older. The older one behaves like a little child as he ages. For example, older people need more physical help, are self-cantered, cry like a kid and are too emotional. The relationship will not be of living and love but will be living and caring. Vilibert and Lloyd point out that in previous centuries, the average age gap between married couples was 3 years. It is through age where common objectives in life are experienced. Some of the objectives experienced in life give value to a relationship. For example, we experience first kiss, spouse, sex, marriage, a marital home, livelihood, child, divorce and other relevant objectives in live. However, being in a relationship with someone at the first stage of the list when in the last stage is quite strange. However, critics argue that a relationship between a young woman and an older man works out well and leads to a happy marriage. Based on the above analysis, their argument is refutable. A person at a young age is still growing up while the older one is growing old. They are likely to have many differences in marriage as compared to couples with a small age gap. Additionally, couples might be misunderstood in the society and quite embarrassing because the society regards them a s mother and son or father and daughter. Age is not a number, but something to be considered in a relationship as noted in the above study. Despite the view that a person of an older age is

Ethics in Public sector - USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethics in Public sector - USA - Essay Example Intergovernmental transfers are explicit transfers of funds from the state and Federal governments. The Federal government uses numerous different government programs to implement intergovernmental transfers. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and Medicaid are just a few examples of the numerous Federal government programs which provide support for local government expenditure on financial assistance to low-income households and health care. Intergovernmental transfers have a positive effect on local residents and businesses because they enable the provision of essential services. Essential services improve the welfare of residents and provide local businesses with an accommodating environment for carrying out their activities. They include public safety, sanitation, education, environmental and natural resource management, transportation, public health, economic development, and capital expenditure on infrastructure. The amount of Intergovernmental transfers allocated to various local authorities varies considerably. It is not a reliable source of revenue for local governments, and the Federal government provides intergovernmental transfers based on need and merit among the jurisdictions of local governments, as well as the national economic circumstances. ... in terms of property tax. Property taxes account for the majority portion of tax revenue collected by local governments. It may be levied on personal property or real estate. These include buildings, land, and personal improvements. Local governments mainly use revenue from property tax to fund public schools, therefore, serving to facilitate the provision of quality education. They also use it to finance the provision of social services and amenities. Property taxes levied on businesses reduce their revenue and profits. Businesses do not benefit from them because their main use is funding of public schools at the expense of improving infrastructure. Property taxes are relatively reliable as a source of revenue for local governments because they do not fluctuate significantly in response to changing economic circumstances. Local governments usually calculate it as the property’s fair market value times a tax rate times an assessment ratio, and may adjust the tax rate to mainta in steady revenue even when economic circumstances are unfavorable. Sales and gross receipts tax are the third major sources of revenue for local governments in the U.S. Local governments impose sales tax on the consumers of products produced by various businesses, whereas they levy gross receipts tax on a company’s total gross revenue. Sales and gross receipts tax are unpopular among residents and businesses respectively. This is because sales tax makes goods more expensive for consumers and gross receipts taxes reduce the income and profits of businesses. Revenue from sales and gross receipts tax vary in accordance with economic circumstances. This is because the income of businesses and the ability of residents to spend on

Investigate a given organisation to analyse its current position, Essay

Investigate a given organisation to analyse its current position, evaluate the strategic options available, and recommend the strategic route - Essay Example Besides the technology advancement, competition is rapidly increasing in almost every industry, and this could send some businesses into oblivion. In line with that, this paper seeks to analyse the current position, evaluate the strategic options and recommend the most appropriate strategic route for the Dyson Company. Founded in 1993 by James Dyson, Dyson Company is a UK-based firm, which specialises in the designing and subsequent manufacturing of heaters, bladeless fans, dryers and vacuum cleaners. Though based in the UK, the company extends it services to 80 other countries around the globe, and as of December 2013 the firm’s profit stood at a staggering  £800,000,000. It currently provides employment to over 5,000 people around the world 1.Innovation has been the key driver of this company as evidenced by the creation of Ballbarrow, an alternative wheel for wheelbarrows that James Dyson invented after finding it hard to use the then ordinary wheelbarrow. A business current position is judged through its various parameters including its values, unique selling point (USP) and market share. A business has to remain distinct among other competitors in order to remain not just afloat, but also ensure it achieves its goals. By offering a unique product, a firm sets itself above others; with values that correspond to the needs of people a firm attracts a list of clientele 2. Identifying the market where a firm belongs helps it in focusing on the same to ensure the clients are served properly. In the case of Dyson, the current position is that it is well positioned despite the presence of other players in the market. The above assertions are informed by the recent statistics, which show the firm’s growth increasing each year. For instance, in 2011 the firm’s profits increased by 8% followed by 30% in 2012 and there has no announcement of loss in the last two years either 1. Besides the profits increasing annually, the firm’s market share

Argument Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Argument Research - Essay Example Researchers have noted that couples in arranged marriages have fewer chances of getting divorced, and with the recent spike in divorce, these arranged marriages could be the solution to preventing divorce. In arranged marriages, couples readily get blessings of the parents and social acceptance from the community, which is essential for support when they have issues. It is normal for a couple in marriage to have issues and challenges, but if these issues are left unresolved, then chances of divorce become high. In arranged marriages, the couple has the support of both parents and the community, and thus, during conflicts, they can seek the support of these people to solve their issues (Beverly 16). Moreover, the parents or aunties are better experienced in marital issues, and thus, they are better equipped in helping the couple to handle marital challenges that they may come across from time to time. In love based marriages, since couples met on their own they tend to solve their problems on their own, and when they fail, they stop communicating, which is the first step towards divorce. A successful marriage is all about understanding and communication, and this is the foundation of a rranged marriages. Although people in arranged marriage marry without being in love first, sociologists have noted that, in countries where people practice arranged marriage the rate of divorce is not as high as in countries where the people chose their own partners and marry (Liu 49). For example, among the Indian community, they highly practice arranged marriage, and as a result, divorce is very rare. This arises for several reasons both negative and positive. First, couples in arranged marriages are bound by religious and cultural obligations, which make it hard to divorce. In some cases, even if the marriage does not work out, staying married is a better

Responsible luxury business Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Responsible luxury business - Research Paper Example For holding their positions in the market the companies design their luxury businesses in sustainable way. This helps the firms to enhance the core values of their business. Sustainable business approaches of luxury businesses benefit the environment and their employees. As a result these companies are able to create strong position in market. This research paper deals with the luxury brand Gucci. Sustainability of this luxury business will be discussed in this paper. Various sustainable approaches of this company will be highlighted here. This research paper will focus on views of different authors regarding sustainability in luxury business. A business incorporates different standards for making its luxury business more sustainable. As per the authors, Crane and Matten, in the modern business environment sustainability has become an important factor for achieving growth and success. Sustainable business creates positive impact on employees, customers and society. With the help of sustainable approaches a company enhances its business activities. The authors state that in the changing business environment the luxury companies are focusing more on their responsibilities towards society, employees and environment. They are performing various activities which help them to portray their corporate social responsibilities. The products of the luxury brands are highly desired by people. These products are of high standards. For this reason the luxury companies maintain their standards by performing good social activities. Brand name or reputation of luxury business plays a vital role in selling their products. When this type of company performs various sustainable activities then its reputation gets enhanced and the po pularity of the brand increases. Therefore sustainable business processes of luxury business help the company to attract more customers (Crane and Matten, 2010). According to the authors, Moore and

Complete and Utter Idiots Guide to Sending an Email Essay Example for Free

Complete and Utter Idiots Guide to Sending an Email Essay This may seem like a completely impossible task, but trust me, it’s easy. An everyday completely normal task for most people, but you are not most people, are you? Well, there’s one thing you must do. We are assuming you already own a computer and have an email, so the first thing that is vital in this†¦ find your computer. I know! You have to get up, use those long things on the end of your body made for walking, and look. No†¦ that’s the telly. We are looking for something that looks like a smaller telly with a keyboard and a mouse. No, no, no! Not a real mouse! Now get down from your sofa and look for a screen. Yes, that’s it! Gosh, if it takes you this long to find your computer this is going to be a long day. Congratulations! Now, as you are looking at the computer, sit down on the chair in front of it. Sit on the seat, not the top, bottom or legs, on the actually seat. Yes, that’s a bit more comfy isn’t it? I hope your computer is in fully working order? Supposing that it is, you need to find a big button that turns your computer on. No, that opens up the CD drive. Don’t push it back in! Press the button again so you don’t break it. Oh my, look! It’s right in front of you on that big box. Woohoo! You found it, now login using your password that you thought up so you would remember it. Yes, it is the word written on the sticky note stuck to the wall above you. Now, the long oblong in front of you, that’s your keyboard. No, an oblong is another word for a rectangle†¦ a long square? Yes, the thing with the buttons. Now, press the buttons with the letters/numbers/punctuation that are identical to the ones written on your sheet. Yes, you have to write them in the same order, otherwise itswrong. Thank the lord, you’ve logged on! You’ve just achieved something in your life! Be proud, be very, very proud. The next ‘impossible’ task you have to face is finding the internet icon and using your mouse to click on it. We have already established that this is not a real mouse, so calm down. Now, your computer screen will generally look like this: This may look big and scary but it’s simple really, if you just listen. As you probably don’t know, there are different types of internet service providers. The most common one is internet explorer which is automatically downloaded onto most computers. So we will just stick with that one. The symbol is a blue E. found it? No, that’s not it†¦ yes, the blue E. Good.

Impact of Commodity Prices on Agriculture Industry

Impact of Commodity Prices on Agriculture Industry Cheryl Crispo Question 1(i). If there is a shortage in workers in the agricultural sector, wages will increase to attract and keep staff. This causes a shift in both the derived and primary supply curves occurs upward and to the left thereby decreasing quantity and increasing price. The change in prices on farm is reflected in both derived supply and primary supply curves are shown below in Figure 1. The margin is not significantly altered between the retailer and the farmer as it is shared between them (University of New England, 2014, pp. 10 Annotated Notes). Figure 1 Change in Labour Costs The primary demand and derived demand curves are not affected by the change in labour (input) price. Question 1(ii) Retail margins should be considered to have a greater margin for a number of reasons. Firstly, retailers may have anticipated price changes and have already elevated their price so a small increase can be absorbed readily and menu costs would be low. Secondly, cost increases may immediately be passed on to consumers whilst cost decreases are not passed on for a period of time. Lastly, the buying power of the retailer is much stronger than an individual farmer (or possibly even an industry agent) this may force the farmer to accept a lower price increasing the retailers margin. Question 2 The AECL is a voluntary organisation for egg producers in Australia (Australian Egg Corporation Limited). The AECL is attempting to utilise its membership in a cartel arrangement by â€Å"encouraging† their members to decrease the supply of eggs to market. The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission frown on cartel type arrangements as they are anti-competitive and are attempting, illegally, to control supply. Non-members can still produce as many eggs as they wish without this restriction. This in turns encourages members of the cartel to produce more or break the rules to remain competitive in the market. Question 3 The article outlines a number of key issues in respect to future productivity of the Australian agricultural sector. Research and Development It has been noted that the level of publicly funded research and development into agricultural commodities has decreased over the past few decades. Research and development is paramount to the ever increasing demand for agricultural commodities to fuel an ever increasing population in the long run. Methods to improve technology to decrease production costs, increase yields, and possibly more importantly to improve the effect on the environment and manage the risk of climate change. This improvement may entail improving the efficiency of the farm: i.e. using the less inputs to obtain an equivalent volume of output or altering the size of the farm so that scale efficiecieces can be utilised. With scarcity of resources such as land, water and also crop choice, the choice of commodity being produced with limited resources needs to be researched and evaluated: drought resistant crops, irrigation or other methods that will produce high yields, do not provide excessive externalities to the environment but also cam stand up to the changing climate of Australia need to be considered. Research and development comes at a significant cost, but the returns on the investment can be up to 40%. This research comes also at a significant time cost: the time spent on finding new production methods can be very extensive, take a long time to implement (depending on the production life cycle) and even longer time to have the outcome truly realised. Resource competition As with all resources, there is a finite amount of resources for production: whether it be available land, labour or capital, there will always e competition to achieve the highest amount of utility from a resource. If an employee can receive better wages working in the mines, then agricultural labour will shift as more employees leave for other industries. The wages of the existing (and new) agricultural workers will increase and the number demanded will decrease. From the farmers point of view, if a particular commodity is receiving a higher net price, the decision will be made to produce the commodity that will provide the greater profit, whether it be wheat, beef or mining or a combination of all three to maximise the profit to the farmer. The higher prices received by mining is a significant factor in farmers choosing mining over agriculture. The mining resource boom has also led to the Australian dollar being valued more highly in foreign exchange markets. Other sectors have not faired so well with this boom: they may receive a decrease prices for domestic commodities in the international markets. The Environment and Climate Change Climate change, and the environment in general, is a very complex, misunderstood, controversial and political issue that will plague the agricultural industry for many years to come. Its true effects cannot be measured readly – for example, has the effect on agriculturall output been due to climate change, poor management or a cyclical or unexpected series of events naturally occurring in natire? As mentioned previously, research and developmemt can assist farmers to improve the technical efficiency of farms but is often not included in productivity calculations. The risk from the environment can be mitigated (i.e. floods, drought, pests etc.) but these risks need to be established before production begins. Is it noted that figures within the article were devoid of climate change effects: externalities both positive and negative were also excluded. It appears that even though the environment is pivotal to agricultural production the long term effects are not taken into consideration. Therefore standard productivity calculations appear to be biased towards production inputs and only partially represent the actual productivity of the farm in question. The Total Factor of Production (TFP) The TFP figure can be misleading if all factors of production are not considered as a whole. An individual farm may produce multiple commodities (i.e. wheat and cattle) to doversify their risk and maximise profit. The TFP measure does not segregate the factors of wheat production and the factors of cattle productin: the technology such as irrigation systems, skilled (or unskilled) labour, farm equipment (tractors), grain / feed storage may habe dual purposes. By isolating specific on-farm functions only a partial analysis can be formed: there may be significant interdependencies between the commodities (i.e. the land may be left fallow for 1 season to allow the cows to fertilise therefore the land is regenerated and fertilised and less chemicals are required once planting resumes on this land). The standard TFP equation does not indicate from where the productivity gains (losses) originate from: it is only a measure of how much is changed. There are a number of aspects to consider, as mentioned previously, including scale and technical inefficiencies. The farmer can review the output to establish whether with the same inputs, that outputs could increase. Secondly, the farmer could also research, ecoomtrically, that the same output could be achieved by having a smaller land size. Maximum output is not always best when the quality is not at an acceptable standard. As farmers are profit maximisers they need to look deeper into their production methods to improve their profits and efficiency. International Efficiency Productivity is undoubtedly of the most significant issues in internatopnal competitiveness. Resource usage both on the domestic and internatoomal stages, is to use inputs efficiently within the agricultural sector so as to maximise revenue, but also keep the resources in the hands of farmers not other industries. In comparison to other sectors in the economy, from 198-2011 agriculture has been the highest growth rate by far. It is interesting to note that the growth rate for all sectors has been steadily decreasing since 1986 with a few minor exceptions. Has the lack of Australian research and development in these sectors contributed to only 0.9% increase over 25 years? It is also clear that the methods of evaluating productivity need to be taken into consideration when reviewing or analysing productivity data. The two institutions mentioned, ABS and ABARES are using difference performance criteria and sectoral data. When analysing different domestic and international segments, the performance criteria should be the same to avoid potential analysis errors. Conclusion Commodity prices will always be volatile – it is the nature of agriculture. It is noted that government intervention, that has been prevalent in the past, may not be necessary to maintain adequate food supply. The future of Australian agriculture is healthy, however steps must be take to ensure that appropriate and targeted research and development is increased rather than removed to ensure an adequate food supply but also ensure that the resources required are not depleted through transferrance to another industry or through environmental degradation.

Use with caution: Turnitin.com :: plagiarism detection software

Use with caution: Turnitin.com by Valerie Balester, Executive Director We were informed this past summer by Instructional Technology Services that students should not include identifying information on work submitted to Turnitin.com. ITS is concerned about reservations expressed by the U.S. Department of Education regarding student privacy and FERPA regulations. However, some professionals within the field of composition instruction have other concerns: plagiarism detection software like Turnitin does more damage, many of us fear, than violating privacy. One of the most influential professional organizations in composition, the Conference on College Communication and Composition (CCCC), for example, suggests that plagiarism detection software â€Å"undermines students’ authority over the uses of their own writing† (http://ccccip.org/files/CCCC-IP-PDS-Statement-final.pdf). Why, you might ask, should we care? After all, student writing is just practice writing, and it doesn’t really count for anything. It’s not like our writing, by which we make our bread and butter. But when we treat student writing as inconsequential, so do students, and the result is the careless, poorly written drivel that we have been trying to obliterate with W courses. Students who do not feel pride of ownership and control over their work will not give it the time and attention it needs to be excellent. Beyond this basic concern is the atmosphere plagiarism software detection programs can create, the expectation that students will cheat, that they are basically dishonest in their work. This atmosphere undermines trust and make writing even more distasteful. It’s just another trap, another hurdle to jump before graduation. Students are encouraged to see writing for college as a game rather than as an integral part of their education. We don’t want that. The CCCC also worries that programs like Turnitin will make college faculty complacent by shifting responsibility for detecting plagiarism onto technology. It’s only a matter of time before students learn to beat the software. I have personally tested it with my students, asking them to cheat; many of their transgressions went undetected by Turnitin. Students who run originality reports that come out clean may still have made mistakes, but if they rely too heavily on the report, they will not know it. After all, learning citation properly is far more than learning a set of rules, a style, the correct placement of commas and capital letters. Learning citation is first and foremost learning how a discipline creates and disseminates knowledge. It is subtle, takes many years to master, and is the mark of a professional.

Steinbecks Red Chrysanthemums East of Edens Grapes Essay -- Literary

Every great writer creates powerful images and presents story lines that draw their readers deep into the pages of their books, however; any writer would be hard pressed to do so without incorporating their own feelings, trials and tribulations into the plots and John Steinbeck is no exception. Through his appreciation for adventure and willingness to indulge in it, Steinbeck found a myriad of fascinating people in addition to experiences that he was eager to share. Past various negative criticisms and frequent rejections of his work, he manages to provide relatable characters capable of deep connections to those who enter into the realms of his tales. John Steinbeck's early life experiences influenced his portrayals of women, his love of the land, and his intimate connection to the plight of lower social classes, themes which translate into his work. Initially insecure from teasing in his youth, Steinbeck's delayed sexual progression produced a need for female validation; a theme which presented itself as the characterization of women as sexual objects, particularly prostitutes, in his narratives. Jay Parini, author of "John Steinbeck: A Biography", points out that Steinbeck endured nicknames such as little squirrel, muskrat and mouse from his own family relating to his physical features, which created in him a great propensity for shyness. Physical maturity that lagged behind his schoolmates added to his isolation from his peers, especially women (Parini 17). His friend George Mors disclosed that Steinbeck "spent much of his time with a stack of pulp novels and girlie magazines" demonstrating his desire for sexual stimulation yet insufficient resolve to seek it out (Parini 26). Steinbeck overcame his apprehension after happ... ...ings of the people he met along his way. While some of his works have been praised for their greatness and other discarded as junk, Steinbeck satisfied his need to write and in doing so shared some fantastic stories with the world. Works Cited Parini, Jay. John Steinbeck. New York: Henry Holt and Company, Inc., 1995. 9,12,13,17,25,26,38. Print. Beyond Boundries. Tuscaloosa: The University of Alabama Press, 2002. 15,57,74. Print. John Steinbeck . Chelsea House Publishers, a division of Main Line Book Co., 1987. 92. Print. Readings on John Steinbeck. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1996. 15. Print. Moss, Joyce, and George Wilson. Overview: The Red Pony (1997): n.pag. Library Resource. Web. 9 May 2012. Shillinglaw, Susan. "The Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies." John Steinbeck, American Writer n.pag. Web. 9 May 2012.

The Misuse of Torture in Rendition Essays -- Film Analysis

What if someone you love just disappeared? The United States used this same idea to install a program known as the extraordinary rendition. It was put in place during the Clinton administration, but became publically recognized after 9/11. In the context of the movie, Rendition, rendition refers to the transfer of suspected terrorists outside of the United States to a foreign country, where harsh interrogation and torture takes place. Although Rendition was installed to protect the United States from terrorist attacks, the rendition of Anwar El- Ibrahimi represents the government’s misuse of the program. In the movie, Rendition, a terrorist bombing occurs in a foreign country and an American envoy is killed. An investigation is then dispatched, which leads to an Egyptian who has been living in the Unites States for many years and who is married to a United States citizen. This man, Anwar El- Ibrahimi, is then apprehended on his way home from a business meeting in Egypt. As Anwar El- Ibrahimi is now a terrorist suspect and is appeared to have gone missing on his flight back to the United States, his wife, Isabella El- Ibrahimi and a CIA analyst are trying to figure out where he is. The U.S government wants to find the mastermind who committed such terrorist attacks so they can prevent future attempts like these. In the movie, Alan Smith, CIA Analyst, confronts Corrine Williams, CIA’s Head of Operation Rendition, on human rights and she replies, â€Å"Honey, this is nasty business. There are upwards of 7,000 people in central London alive tonight, because of information that we elicited just this way. So maybe you put your head on your pillow and feel proud for saving one man while 7,000 perish, but I got grandkids in Londo... ...of. The fact that Anwar El- Ibrahimi is abducted under reasons not justified by the cause is crossing the line. The movie Rendition exemplifies the misuse of torture as a way to show us the difference between what is right and what is wrong. Although someone seems like a terrorist, the U.S government cannot abduct such person solely on that assumption. One must look at the background and analyze their entire lives. Torture and rendition are a very sensitive and extremely controversial issue, but one must take a step back and realize what stops the government from torturing oneself. Works Cited "Rendition Quotes." Movie Quotes - Subzin.com. Web. 22 Dec. 2010. . "Rendition (2007) - IMDb." The Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Web. 22 Dec. 2010. .

Leadership and domestic politics

IntroductionScholars in political sciences frequently argue on the power of separate groups and leaders in their strivings towards hegemony, as well as their role in creating politics in general (Jacobsen 1996; Hermann & Hagan, 1998). As a result, what we read in works on politics is often contradictory and sometimes arguable. When we speak about the striving of certain political leaders to hijack their domestic politics for the sake of creating an empire, we should first analyze whether any politics can be called domestic. Consequentially, the possibility of separate political groups breaking the power of leaders should be analyzed through the prism of the three major political theories: realist, constructivist, and liberal. As a result, we will acquire a set of clear unbiased notions on the basis of which we will be able to come to relevant conclusions as for the possibility of creating a political empire through hijacking domestic politics (if we prove these exist).The discussion of the current subject should possible be started with the analysis of political domesticity, and the role of domestic politics (states, leaders) through the prism of political realism.â€Å"Realism relies for its explanatory power upon disproportionate enfranchisement of diplomatic elites. An enfranchised actor in two-level games is one who is privileged to participate in the ratification process of an agreement or whose consent is required to implement it.† (Jacobsen 1996, p. 97)This statement can be interpreted from the two different viewpoints: on the one hand, realist theory supports the power of separate political groups in decision-making; on the other hand, realist theory seems to deny the power of separate political formation in their strivings towards creating political empire. Certainly, the politics which have the full right to participate in multifaceted political processes do not objectively have the need to hijack their strong positions within the political dec ision-making structures. However, when we suggest that domestic politics can be hijacked for the sake of creating an empire, can this statement be relevant? Objectively, it cannot as long as the fact of politics being domestic is irrelevant.This can be assumed not merely on the basis of rapid globalization process within political environment. International forces currently appear stronger than those of separate states. â€Å"Brazil resisted American threats to its computer policies, while the European Union quickly capitulated to the U.S. in agricultural issues.† (Jacobsen 1996, p. 99) As a result, international issues often prevail over those which were traditionally supposed â€Å"domestic†. Of course, domesticity of politics is not totally lost, as inner-state decision-making agents still analyze the events at the international political arena and process them before these are delivered to the masses. Yet, not a single politics can longer separate it from being an international political player. The world political situation leads us to the thought that â€Å"states operate simultaneously at domestic and international levels and want to maximize benefits in one domain to enhance their positions in the other† (Jacobsen 1996, p. 101). Thus, not a single politics in the globalized political processes can characterized as being domestic.Thus, we have come to conclusion that the first part of the discussed question is at least irrelevant. However, and probably surprisingly, this does not mean that the whole assumption is politically meaningful. Continuing the line of political realism we should also have a look at separate political players, who may have claims at creating political empire. In this sense, does leadership still matter or is there any chance that it will be neglected to create political hegemony of certain political groups?While Jacobsen (1996) asserts that the domestic structure of states is extremely vague and depends solel y on how political leaders interpret external events for the benefit of their position, this viewpoint also leads us to the thought that leadership should also be viewed through the international prism. Leadership as domestic political phenomenon loses its relevance as soon as we return to the discussion of domesticity as meaningless in the global political structure. In connection to political realism, leadership still matters.â€Å"Leaders define states’ international and domestic constraints. Based on their perceptions and interpretations, they build expectations, plan strategies, and urge actions on their governments that conform with their judgments about what is possible and likely to maintain them in their positions† (Hermann & Hagan 1998, p. 126).Thus, to follow the provisions of political realism, and to remain within the limits of leadership framework, it is rather difficult to assert whether separate groups will hijack various policies to create political em pire. The fact is that their power in conquering hegemonic position will depend on the number of factors. First, the power of groups depends on the power of the leader: when groups seek to determine whose position in the foreign policy matter, they simultaneously determine the power of leader’s policy. Upon the leader’s inability to find consensus with the groups, these groups will in turn search for consensus between themselves; as a result, this cohesiveness will produce the so-called â€Å"groupthink†, and will cause â€Å"premature closure around options preferred by the more powerful policymakers† (Herman & Hagan 1998, p. 127).Second, the opportunity of the certain political groups to hijack the leader’s policy for the sake of creating an empire will depend on the importance of question to be resolved as a result of this attack. Within the lack of domesticity, and the globalized political processes, an unlimited number of political groups can exist, which will have the power in foreign decision making due to their expertise or official position (Herman & Hagan 1998, p. 128).Again, it will depend both on the power of these groups and the power of the higher political structures, whether those groups will be capable of breaking the existing political regime towards empire. However, when we speak about the lack of political domesticity and the growing globalization of political decision-making, we can also mean that the notion of political empire is far less meaningful than it could be in other political conditions. Yet, the meaning of leadership and the meaning of political groups vs. leadership has not lost its meaning.The striving of separate political groups towards creating empire is rather vague and inconsistent within the notions of political constructivism. Traditionally, political constructivism was based on the importance of political norms and the importance of following these norms as based on public reason. Whe n we accept the fact of existing political hierarchy, in which leaders and political groups may find themselves in political conflict, and in which the latter may hijack the former to create an empire, we have to accept the possibility that both will come to a reasonable consensus and would act according to the mutually agreed norms.â€Å"Everything depends then for the constructivist on whether there is a rich enough level of consensus to arrive at a shared understanding of the reasonable to enable us to arrive at a shared understanding of the justice† (Stephan 2004, p. 207). It is expected, that in the environment of political consensus between the leader and the groups, the groups would have no stimuli to hijack the existing political stability for the sake of the unstable empire. The striving of political groups towards power in constructivist theory is weak and meaningless as long as political constructivism is connected with pluralism (Stephan 2004, p. 209). Surely, pol itical scholars may interpret pluralism as causing possible risk to the power of leaders; however it is more possible that numerous norms and groups will compromisingly co-exist in the global political environment without breaking its balance.Political liberalism as the tool of analyzing the political power of groups vs. leaders is even more interesting. As constructivism, liberalism is connected with pluralism, but its pluralism is different and seems to be more problematic in the striving of groups to power. First of all, liberalism initially treats governments as politically neutral powers. As a result, the power of social groups acquired additional meaning and literally turns into a threat for government in their political strivings. Moreover, the pluralism which political liberalism treats seems to be more negative than positive within the current discussion.This means that liberal pluralism risks creating identity-wars within various political formations (Rawls 1995, p. 100). As a result, liberal thought is the closest to supporting the idea of political groups hijacking the power of political leaders. Simultaneously, even in this light the chance that political groups would strive to break the existing political regime, are vague due to the stable universalism of humanist ideas, to which liberal groups keep. In this sense the liberal view of the discussed question reminds that of political constructivism.It is important to note that in the global political environment, liberal political cultures are frequently positioned as those opposed to non-liberal cultures. As a result, there are significant risks of political conflicts and the desire of either liberal or non-liberal groups to obtain the power by hijacking the opposed regime. in this aspect liberal thought can be closely connected with the realist provisions: this will depend on the power of leaders, the importance of the questions to be resolved, and the ability of the groups to come to political consensus, whether they will attack the existing political regimes. As a result, we return to the thought that we cannot definitely accept the viewpoint that groups will hijack the policy of their states or groups of states to create an empire.ConclusionWe have thus come to conclusion that politics can hardly be domestic. In the light politics being closer to transnational, groups will hardly strive for hijacking narrower policies for the sake of creating an empire. This statement is justified by the realistic variety of factors (the power of state leadership, the importance of the question to be resolved, and the rivalry between groups). Political constructivism tends to observe groups as existing in consensus, and thus being deprived of motives to hijack their political stability. However, when liberal players are positioned against non-liberal players we return to the realist view of political groups, when their striving to break the existing political regime is very vague and ca n be determined only by a wide range of political stability factors.ReferencesHermann, M.G. & Hagan, J.D. (1998). International decision making: Leadership matters.Foreign Policy 110 (Special edition), 124-137.Jacobsen, J.K. (1996). Review: Are all politics domestic? Perspectives on the integration ofcomparative politics and international relations theories. Comparative Politics 29 (1), pp. 93-115.Rawls, J. (1995). Political liberalism. Columbia University Press.Stephan, H. (2004). Constructivism in international relations: The politics of reality. In M.Zehfuss, Constructivism in international relations, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 202-218.

A Study of Globalisation Essay

Executive Summary This paper attempts to make sense of globalisation from a social and business perspective. Initially I will talk briefly about globalisation within our community and the different stand points those communities and individuals have taken; for and against globalisation. I will then talk about the multinational companies that have made the phenomenon of globalisation possible and these companies various impacts on societies and local communities around the world. The topic is further analysed by using multinational food retailing companies in Latin America as a case study. Displayed to the reader through this case will be a clear indication of how local communities and in particular their farmers are affected by globalisation and multinational companies. There are many different views on globalisation; and those against it oppose many different aspects of it. One of the countless reasons why there are anti-globalisation activists is due to the following: Multinational food retailing companies, the backbone of what is known as ‘globalisation’ within the supermarket industry, have in many cases entered small farming communities around the globe and destroyed a way of life for many of the farmers and labourers around them. Within Latin America these farmers have been forced to flee their homes to find refuge within the slums of the urban sprawls within their cities or even to cross borders into the USA. Introduction to Globalisation Definition: Globalisation can be defined as ‘ the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa’ (Giddens 1990). It has also been described as ‘ process which embodies a transformation in the spatial organisation of social relations and transactions – assessed in terms of their extensity, intensity, velocity and impact – generating transcontinental or inter-regional flows and networks of activity’. (Held, et al 1999) In relation to Latin America (the major area of discussion of this paper) globalisation can be defined as a practice or system that has affected several of the continents most persistent problems. Such problems would be the diverse extent of economic exploitation and social disparity that has branded Latin America ever since it’s European colonisation in the sixteenth century. (Harris & Halebsky 1995) Pro-globalisation: Free trade fosters prosperity and has an extremely important characteristic that affects our way of life. This characteristic is actually it’s tendency to be able to prevent war. Extensive research has shown that trade promotes peace both directly, by reducing the danger of military divergence, and indirectly, by promoting prosperity and democracy (Weede 2004). Globalisation and free trade in the 20th century and beyond can be compared with the 19th Century expansion of empires (like the British Empire). These empires built an infrastructure in developing countries; railways, ports and beautifully constructed colonial buildings were just some of the benefits these developing countries could take advantage of. Even though these commodities weren’t built for the benefit of the developing country (they were built for British trade) they still ultimately increased these countries abilities to trade and to become technologically independent. In the 20th Century infrastructure, technology, health and education systems implemented by the world powers, in developing and developed countries, has improved the overall quality of life for people worldwide, this does not include Africa. The average GDP for all countries except Africa has gone up; however the downside is; the difference between the rich and poor countries has also increased. The reason for this is that the countries introducing themselves to the developing countries are actually gaining a much more significant benefit. Anti-globalisation: This term is more commonly attributed to the political standpoint of certain people, groups and organisations that are in opposition to certain facets of globalisation. Those in resistance often oppose large multi-national company’s dominance of global trade agreements and trade-governing bodies like WTO (the World Trade Organisation) (Graeber 2002). Otherwise known as a social movement, anti-globalisation represents its participants in their opposition to large corporations who endeavour to attain and ‘have’ attained political power. Political power can be put into effect via international trade agreements, anti globalisation activists scrutinize these agreements, stating that they quite often undermine ‘the environment, labour rights, national sovereignty, the third world, and other various aspects of our everyday lives as human beings’ (Graeber 2002). It is common knowledge that globalisation and free trade can affect developing countries negatively, however, the worlds most developed countries and the people who live within them are also affected negatively. Globalisation forces job opportunities from these developed countries to other countries around the world and low skilled workers in developed countries lose their jobs. This increases the difference between the rich populace and poorer populace in that country. The following quote, from the United Nations, backs this statement up and shows us why there are anti-globalisation activists. ‘The richest fifth of the world have 80% of the world’s income and the poorest fifth have 1%; this gap has doubled between 1960 and 2000’ (United Nations 1999) largely due to the impacts of globalisation. As displayed above, multi-national corporations play a substantial role within the theory and practice of globalisation, these corporations are powerful by nature and currently account for over 33 per cent of world output, and 66 per cent of world trade (Gray 1999). These organisations even though considered to be global companies are still heavily ‘nationally embedded’ in terms of their business activity (Hirst and Thompson 1996). Despite this; multinational corporations still have considerable economic and cultural power. The next section of this paper will talk about these companies, their branding and how they affect communities around the world. Globalisation & Multinational Companies Social Impact (How do they impact our local communities?) Branding: The main driving force for the growth of multi-national companies and the globalisation of their impact is in their brand (Klein 2001). In the mid-1980s a management theorists came up with a seemingly harmless idea that successful corporations must primarily produce brands, as opposed to products. This idea led to the exorbitant expansion of wealth and cultural influence we see in multinational companies today and over the past fifteen years (Klein 2001). ‘Brand builders are the new primary producers in our so-called knowledge economy’ (Klein 2001). Modern multinational companies have used a strait to the point yet brutally honest approach to branding over the past fifteen years. This approach is that companies should not disburse their limited capital on factories that will require physical maintenance, on equipment that will decay or on workers who will undoubtedly age and perish. As an alternative, they should focus that capital in the processes used to build their brands (Smith & Smith 2002). Multinationals: Multinational corporations are in actuality weak and vague organisations that generally display the corrosion of everyday values that afflict practically all late contemporary social institutions (Gray 1999). Diverse communities around the world are impacted and exploited by these multinational companies. They continually create or contract business in countries where they can profit from cheaper wages and assets. As discussed earlier this ‘can’ mean added wealth and infrastructure for that community. However, it quite often means increased levels of unemployment in the city/country where the industry was located beforehand. Not to mention that the wages payed and work environment in the communities where the operations are implemented are usually relatively poor (Smith & Smith 2002). Below are a few examples that articulate this situation perfectly: * ‘The numbers of people living on less than $2 per day has risen by almost 50% since 1980, to 2.8 billion-almost half the world’s population. And this is precisely the period that has been most heavily liberalized’ (World Bank 2000). * ‘The world’s poorest countries’ share of world trade has declined by more than 40 per cent since 1980 to a mere 0.4 per cent’ (UNCTAD 1999). This has been precisely the period in which the majority of multinational companies have grown exponentially, and is obviously a large factor resulting from their growth. Multinationals apart from affecting whole economic systems of countries and communities also attempt to create new markets within these communities. They search for new markets which have not yet been exploited in order to increase sales; it is typically carried out by creating new desires among target groups. The easiest target market for multinational companies to create new desires for is the child and youth market. Prized not only for the influence they have over adult spending but also for their own escalating spending power, the youth of today are one of the most profitable and influential markets (Kenway and Bullen 2001). Despite all this negative hype about multinational companies; they ‘have’ played a very significant role in the growth of globalisation. Around the world individuals and communities are linked much closer to each other and information and money flow quicker than ever before. Globalisation and it’s creation of multinationals has resulted in making goods and services in one part of the world increasingly available in ‘all’ parts of the world. International travel and communication is also much more frequent. In all globalisation has made life easier for those who can actually afford the luxuries of travel and international business. (Sourcewatch 2006). The Food Chain; Survival of the Biggest A case study of Latin America and the detrimental effects globalisation and multinational food retail companies have had on it’s local farmers. ‘Commodity prices have fallen dramatically, by some two thirds over the past 30 years, so that farmers have had to triple production just to maintain their incomes. One example among many: in just the last three years, Tanzanian farmers experienced a decline of 50% in the price of coffee.’ (OXFAM 2001) ‘While farmers earn less, consumers have been paying more.’ (O’Neill 2001) Although, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation, Latin America produces four times the amount of food needed to feed the population, 58 million people are still malnourished. Introduction: During the 1980’s a transformation within Latin America began; this transformation was one that would shape the future of farmers all over the continent for decades to come. For some it would be a positive change, however a large majority found it to be the opposite. The transformation I talk about is opening up of trade barriers within Latin America in order to allow food retailing companies access to the regions ‘un-commercialised’ and fertile lands. During the 1990’s the revolution in food retailing within Latin America accelerated extraordinarily as countries unbolted their economies to suit conditions for financing from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. As Latin America’s overall FDI significantly increased; multinational food retailers bought out local chains and entered joint ventures with the obstinate ones. The greatest fears for farmers in the region were realised when the multinational companies introduced unfair trade rivalry from American and European growers with weighted financial backing. Small farmers are constantly left to compete with the biggest world players as these food retailing chains (products of globalisation) move from large cities to smaller towns and from economically sound countries to ones still developing their economic and social systems (Dugger 2004). These chains are now the prevailing force in the trade of processed foods and they’re produce sales are growi ng to a similar reputation. When global food retail companies dominate a market, there are scenarios whereby it can be seen to be advantageous for all the citizens within that community. Such a scenario would be when the economy, of the region being taken over, is growing energetically and spawning decent jobs for globalisations losers, because in spite of everything the chains ‘are’ creating cheaper, cleaner and safer shopping environments for these societies. Samuel Morley, a visiting research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), has written extensively on inequality and labour economics in Latin America, he stated that â€Å"It would be an appealing transformation of the sector if alternative jobs could be made available,† however these scenarios never seem to materialise in Latin America and other developing countries/continents around the world as they do not have economies of great strength. As Latin America’s population grows its economic situation trails further and further behind. In Latin America, 220 million of the total regional population of 500 million people are poor. The case study that I will shortly talk about outlines just how bad the situation in Guatemala is, Guatemala is actually one of Latin America’s ‘better off’ regions, with supermarkets controlling 10-15% of grocery sales. Therefore the case gives you an indication of what the more unfortunate farming communities, in Latin America, must have to endure. For example in Argentina supermarket chains control 30% of this industry and in Brazil; 50% (Dugger 2004). Rural markets shrink throughout the continent, even though the victims of globalisation are pushed to trade within them, these rural markets are slowly but surely lost in the black holes that we call multinational companies. Within a single decade Latin America’s farming communities have been transformed by food retail giants such as Ahold and Walmart. These multinational goliaths have transfigured food distribution by offering low prices, a range of choices and convenience; they are now also changing the face of food growing (Dugger 2004). This could seem positive to some, however it is far from that; there are thousands of Latin American farming communities who have been devastated by the unforseen and overwhelming challenges that these companies bring (Dugger 2004). The major visible impact that these changes have had within the farming communities over the past decade is the great increase in the number of, now penniless, farming migrants entering the urban slums of their own countries and crossing the American border to seek refuge from their new ‘corporately governed’ country side. Guatemala’s Local Farmers Suffer (Case): Within the serene confines of the extraordinarily fertile and incredibly poor Guatemala, supermarket giants have crushed farmers to the point where they are no longer able to maintain operations within the land they once called home. Guatemala was once, not long ago, a place where people swapped produce for service and service for produce, money ‘was’ required to sustain they’re everyday living, however, life was effortless and uncomplicated up until the multinational giants arrived on Latin American shores. Guatemalan man Mario Chinchilla would inspect his field of sickly tomatoes on a daily basis; he would labour all day trying to meet the requirements of the new supermarkets which had opened up in town, however no amount of labour could possibly turn his crop into the stout, flawless product that Guatemala’s leading supermarket chain offered to it’s customers (Dugger 2004). A better product at a cheaper price, it seems good all round doesn’t it, but at the end of the day it has ruined many people lives. The chain I talk about is a giant Dutch multinational company named Ahold (Worlds 3rd largest retailer). The Chain is so large it includes names such as Bi-Lo and Stop & Shop under its ‘assets’. For some time Mario headed a farmer’s cooperative that was managing to sell produce to the chain however this proved to be an ephemeral opportunity whereby the multinational chain ran away with the locals hopes and dreams, leaving them to sit in their unsold crops of rotting vegetables. The reason for this was because the multinational retailers require farmers who encompass the proficiency and capital to invest in modern farming technologies such as; ‘greenhouses, drip irrigation and pest control’ (Dugger 2004). â€Å"They wanted consistent supply without ups and downs,† said Mr Chinchilla. â€Å"We didn’t have the capacity to do it† (Dugger 2004). Inequality, rebellion and violent repression within Latin America has been a recurring problem for many decades, during the 1990’s there was already a gap between rich and poor and the supermarket chains have simply added to this gap. This time Latin America has tried a different (non-violent) approach. In order to fight for their right to live comfortably in their homeland farmers joined forces; there are rare success stories, however many (like Mario Chinchilla and his Co-op) have suffered a more common fate. In Guatemala there is a tiny farming community named Lo de Silva; more than 300 farmers who originally belonged to Mr. Chinchilla’s co-op, ‘the Association of Small Irrigation Users of Palencia’, were from this village (Dugger 2004). Out of those 300 farmers there are only 8 still enduring the torment that globalisation has brought them. These remaining farmers aren’t even able to sell to the supermarkets they sell their product to middle men for severely discounted prices; to top this off the only product the middlemen will accept from them is salad tomatoes. Mr. Chinchilla’s case is an ideal example that demonstrates how the opportunity of success for small farmers is a remote prospect to most. Small farmers are simply getting left behind due to their lack of market pull and marketing/operational techniques (Dugger 2004). A ‘survival of the biggest’ situation has been created – ‘only the big can serve the big; the small need not apply, as global companies wipe out local distinctions in establishing a level economic playing field.’ (Hannaford 2006). During the 1990’s food retail conglomerates went from controlling between 10 and 20 percent of the Latin American market to totally dominating it (Economist.com 1997). During this period, in Guatemala specifically, the quantity of supermarkets has more than doubled; as their share of food retailed has reached 35 percent. The smaller shops and open air markets still remain and retail a great deal of fruits and vegetables in Guatemala. For customers to leave these historically enriched and characterised markets and enter the newly opened supermarkets in the region, is to leave behind Guatemala and enter a commercialised shopping centre that could reside in Hong Kong or London, with it’s marked down jumbo packages and symmetrical fruits in plastic trays. None of this, however, matters unless the bottom line is understood. The bottom line is that the rules of the World Trade Organisation are actually taking second place in importance to the privately set standards of the food retail giants. Also pressures from the I.M.F. and the World Bank to allow greater foreign investment into Latin America were proposed to formulate more competitive economies for them; however it is obvious that this model didn’t have a community element at its centre. Hardships have come from; not only what I described previously (the fact that the farmers must sell they’re produce at much cheaper prices, better quality and in a more convenient matter) but also from the fact that that they are now competing with the rest of Latin America, the United States and even the world because trade borders have been opened to allow almost ‘anyone’ import and export capabilities. Rigid opposition from internationally renound growers is now a reality for Central and Latin American farmers; at a distribution centre, for a subsidiary company of Ahold in Guatemala City, shipments of ‘apples from Washington, pineapples from Chile, potatoes from Idaho and avocados from Mexico’ are brought in (Hannaford 2006). Conclusion Globalisation has positive and negative affects on our society. This paper has outlined in great detail the negative affects of globalisation and multinational food retailing companies on Latin America’s and the world’s small farmers. The reason for this is due to the fact that there were; only on occasion, very rare and unusual success stories to be found about smaller farmers succeeding in their sales to companies such as Ahold and Walmart, within Latin America. After researching farming communities’ around the globe, it can be deduced that Latin America is not alone in this battle to produce food and sell it at competitive prices, while still maintaining some sort of meaningful social existence. Asian, African and Indian farmers; have been heavily exploited. Even farmers within more developed countries such as Australia have had to sell their products at severely discounted prices in order to satisfy multinational company standards. Farmers world wide, are however, not alone. Traditional strategies of help to farmers that feel the hardships of globalisation, such as providing fertilizers and improved seeds, are no longer enough to enable them to sustain their businesses. Professors and agronomists are banding together to document trends and develop new methods of help that will allow the fleeing farmers of Latin America, Africa and Asia to compete with others in selling products to the multinationals. In the midst of the these methods a few techniques stand out, such as; regulations put upon the multinationals that require farmers be paid promptly, laws that restrain these companies from dominating entire markets (such as mergers of supermarket chains) and enhanced hygiene and convenience through technology at open-air markets. After reading this paper I hope you too can conclude it is important that societies living within the limitations of this amazing world are given the chance to experience life’s pleasures and break out of the chain of inevitable failures that multinational corporations have brought to them. Being given the chance to make an honest and fair living, is only basic compassion and mercy; two marvellous characterises that any individual can encompass. If multinational food retail companies and global companies in general were able to, in some way, display this, then Anti-Globalisation would be a much less used expression. References * Dugger, C. W., (2004) Foreign Desk Late Edition – Final, Section A, Page 1, Column 1, New York Times – December 28, Tuesday. (http://www.nytimes.com) * Economist.com, (1997) Survey: Business In Latin America – Back on the pitch, The Economist print edition. * Giddens, A., (1990) Consequences of Modernity. Cambridge: Polity Press. * Graeber, D., (2002) New Left Review 13, January-February issue, ‘The New Anarchist’. * Gray, J., (1999) False Dawn. The delusions of global capitalism, London: Granta. 262 pages. * Hannaford, S., (Last updated 2006) Small farmers versus oligopolies: No contest, (http://www.oligopolywatch.com). * Harris, R. L., Halebsky, S., (1995) Capital, Power, and Inequality in Latin America, chapter: â€Å"The Global Context of Contemporary Latin American Affairs†, (Boulder. CO., Westview Press.) * Held, D., McGrew, A., Goldblatt, D. and Perraton, J. (1999) Global Transformations – politics, economics and culture, Cambridge: Polity Press. * Hirst, P. and Thompson, G., (1996) Globalisation in Question. London: Polity Press. * Kenway, J. and Elizabeth Bullen, (2001) Consuming Children: Entertainment, Advertising and Education, Open University Press. * Klein, N., (2001) No Logo, London: Flamingo. 490 pages. * O’Neill, B., (2001) What’s eating Us? OXFAM News. (http://www.oxfam.ca/news/WorldFoodDay/Whats_eating_us.htm) * OXFAM. (2001) Briefing Paper No 9, November. (http://www.oxfam.org.uk/search?SearchableText=Briefing+Papers&submit.x=19&submit.y=8) * Smith, M. K. and Smith, M., (2002) ‘Globalization’ encyclopaedia infed. (www.infed.org/biblio/globalization.htm) * Sourcewatch 2006 Globalisation, (Centre for Media and Democracy) http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Globalization). * UNCTAD. (1999) Conference on Least Developed Countries. (http://www.unctad.org/Templates/Page.asp?intItemID=3073&lang=1) * United Nations. (1999) Human Development Report. * Weede, E., (2004) The Independent Review, Volume 9, number 2, ‘The Diffusion of Prosperity and Peace by Globalisation’. * World Bank. (2000) Global Economic Outlook Report. Washington: World Bank.(http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/DATASTATISTICS/0,,menuPK:232599~pagePK:64133170~piPK:64133498~theSitePK:239419,00.html)

Classwork

Explain how flexible capacity can be created in each of the following situations: (a) a local library, (b) an office-cleaning service, (c) a technical support helpless. Local library: It has some flexible capacity regarding the entire building, but there are some options that It can be changed in order to make It more flexible. The building or the enable place capacity cannot be changed. HER capacity can be reduced or substituted In rush hours with online self-lending machines.It would save payroll cost for the library and time for the customers. Office-cleaning service: (number of workers, equipment, technology,) In this case we should focus on those times when the demand is higher than the capacity. If there is too much work and we have limited numbers of workers than we should hire part time, cross-train workers In rush periods. Moreover we should ask the employee to time their day-offs after these periods. Also a possible solution could be to develop the skills of the workers (cl eaning speed etc. And also a technical development would be also recommended to buy new equipment with which they can work faster but at the same level of preciosity. Support helpless: (number of lines or helpless) The main capacity what can be influenced is the number of helpless. It is really important for people to wait not too much time. The number of helpless can be Increased In order to reduce waiting times In lines. Also a technological development would be necessary If there are so simple questions, which can be answered by an automatic machine then it would be useful to introduce some self-servicing machines.This option would save HER costs for the company and also waiting times for the customers. 2. Identify some specific examples of companies in your community (or region) that significantly change their product and/or marketing mix variables in order to encourage patronage during periods of low demand. (5 points) Restaurant happy hours: Some restaurants in Pecs have offer ed happy hours meals with some discounts. It means that In those periods of the day when there are low level of demands between 10-11 am and 3-5 pm.Bakery: one of the major bakery chains In Pecs offers discount on In products each day before the closing time. It means that you can buy each product for half price. Swimming pool: The swimming pool of the university has Introduced discounted tickets for the university students in those hours, which are out of the rush hours. It is a perfect opportunity for the students to do some sports and also a good revenue generator I OFF Energy generating companies offer cheaper energy for companies through the night in those hours when the average consumption is much less than through the day. . Select a service organization of your choice and identify its particular patterns of demand with reference to the checklist provided on slide 14. A) What is the nature of this service organization's approach to capacity and demand management? We choose th e Menages solarium company at Razorback Street, Pecs. Usually demands are lower in the summer and it is also fluctuating within a week. Weekend demands are usually higher than the weekdays one. In their communication they focus on seasonal differences in term of the volume of the sunshine.It is a common thinking, that people with browner skin color are more attractive. B) What changes would you recommend in relation to its management of capacity and demand and why? In our opinion the company should make a shift in its communication in order to reach wider or different customer segment. For example for those who work through the summer, or working till evening, or people who don't have a good self-esteem the company should offer special opportunities to use the service. If they can achieve these people as well, they can improve the usage of the capacity.Therefore the demand level would be smoother for the firm. They also can lower their prices before lunchtime to shape the demand. 4. Give examples, based on your own experience, of a reservation system that worked really well, and of one that worked really badly. Identify and evaluate the reasons for the success and failure of these two systems. What recommendations would you make to both firms to improve (or further improve in case of the good example) their reservation systems? (10 points) In the summer we were abroad and we reserved a cruise.When we send the first inquire email, we immediately receive a personal contact person who helped us during the whole reservation process. If we had any problem, we could ask about everything, and our problem was solved. When we wanted to reserve the chosen room, our contact person suggested us a better option for the same price. So we could get the best option, and we were informed about everything. Kodiak Centre It often happens that 2 or more tickets are sold for one seat at the concert hall.If there are not free places available it causes unsatisfied guests and bad re putation for the place. The reason is people can buy these tickets in many places in Pecs and online too. They are not able to arrange and check the sold tickets, sometimes they don't know before the concert how many guests will arrive, how many tickets are available and for which places. A common booking system would be necessary to solve the problem. All ticket offices should use this to centre would be able to

Relationship between SAT Scores and Family Income Essay

What is the Relationship between SAT Scores and Family Income of the Test Takers around the World? Introduction The SAT examination is mostly in today’s world of academics, a requirement of getting accepted into collage. Not only is it enough to take the examination but the student has to pass with an average score or above to even have his/her application be considered. Many students around the world recognize this and therefore apply to prep schools for the SAT or their parents send them to a higher educational institution for that purpose. The prep schools such as Princeton are not cheap however as it helps give advice on how to best tackle the SAT examination, neither are higher educational institutions. Also it can be considered a luxury service by some middle class and low class societies in the world to be able to attend either one. This being said, the SAT prep course and higher educational institutions are, as a result, aimed at the high class societies in the world or those who can afford it. If this is true, it would put families with a higher income at an advantage for their children to get accepted into collage compared to families who cannot afford for their children to take the course or school fee and learn the advice of how to pass the SAT examination with a high score. Are the collages which students aim to be accepted into for a better education really based on which families can afford for their children to take the SAT prep course or learn at a higher educational institution? The data collected from Collage Board in year 2007 was analyzed to determine whether there is a relationship between SAT scores and family income of the test takers around the world (Rampell). Statement of Task The main purpose of this investigation is to determine whether there is a relationship between SAT scores and family income of the test takers around the world. The type of data that will be collected is the SAT scores and family income of the two-thirds of test takers who voluntarily reported it to collage board when signing up for the SAT examination worldwide. The SAT scores are used to determine how high of a score the test taker got and family income to determine the possibility to send their children to SAT prep schools or better educational institutions. The data used to generate the data breaks down the average score for ten different income groups of $20,000 range. Plan of investigation I am investigating the relationship of SAT scores and family income of the test takers around the world. I have collected data on SAT scores and family income of the test takers around the world. With the collection of data that I have acquired, a number of mathematical processes were used to analyze the data: a scatter plot of the data, calculation of the least squares regression line and correlation coefficient. I am going to do a χ2 test on the data to show the dependence of SAT scores and family income of the test takers around the world. Mathematical Investigation Collected Data Family income of test takers| Percentage of test takers within each family income group| Critical reading| Math| Writing| ∑| Less than $10,000| 4%| 427| 451| 423| 1301| $10,000–$20,000| 8%| 453| 472| 446| 1371| $20,000–$30,000| 6%| 454| 465| 444| 1363| $30,000–$40,000| 9%| 476| 485| 466| 1427| $40,000–$50,000| 8%| 489| 496| 477| 1462| $50,000–$60,000| 8%| 497| 504| 486| 1487| $60,000–$70,000| 8%| 504| 511| 493| 1508| $70,000–$80,000| 9%| 508| 516| 498| 1522| $80,000–$100,000| 14%| 520| 529| 510| 1559| Table 1: Mean SAT scores per section categorized in family income of test taker in 2007 More than $100,000| 26%| 544| 556| 537| 1637| This bottom row, the â€Å"More than $100,000† I am going to consider as an outlier therefore excluded in all calculations as it goes from $100,000 up to the millions of dollar of income which is too wide of a range to include into the calculations of this assessment. Graph 1 shows the average SAT score Vs. family income of test taker. As of now, there seems to be very strong positive correlation. It does appear that the SAT scores improve as the family income increases. (Graph was generated through Microsoft Excel) Calculation of the Least Squares Regression The Least Square regression identifies the relationship between the independent variable, x, and the dependent variable, y. It is given by the following formula: y-y= SxySx2 (x-x) where Sxy= xyn- xy and Sx2=x2n-x2 Table 2: Values of Least Squares Regression x| y| xy| x2| 15000| 1301| 19515000| 225000000| 25000| 1371| 34275000| 625000000| 35000| 1363| 47705000| 1225000000| 45000| 1427| 64215000| 2025000000| 55000| 1462| 80410000| 3025000000| 65000| 1487| 96655000| 4225000000| 75000| 1508| 113100000| 5625000000| 85000| 1522| 129370000| 7225000000| 95000| 1559| 148105000| 9025000000| ∑ = 495000| ∑ = 13000| ∑ = 733350000| ∑ = 33225000000| x = 55000| y = 1444.44| xy = 79444444.44| x2 = 3691666667| These are the calculated values used in finding the Least Squares Regression Sxy= xyn- xy Sxy= 7333500009- 79444444.44 Sxy= 2038888.893 Sx=x2n-x2 Sx=332250000009-3025000000 Sx=25819.88897 y-y= SxySx2 (x-x) y-1444.44444= 2038888.893(25819.88897)2 (x-55000) y= 0.0030583333x+1276.231666 Calculation of Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient indicates the strength of the relationship between the two variables (SAT scores and family income of test taker). It is given by the following formula: r= SxySxSy where Sx= x-x2n, Sy = y-y2n and Sxy is the covariance xyn- xy. Table 3: Values of Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient x| y| x-x2| y-y2| 15000| 1301| 1600000000| 20576.30864| 25000| 1371| 900000000| 5394.08642| 35000| 1363| 400000000| 6633.197531| 45000| 1427| 100000000| 304.308642| 55000| 1462| 0| 308.1975309| 65000| 1487| 100000000| 1810.975309| 75000| 1508| 400000000| 4039.308642| 85000| 1522| 900000000| 6014.864198| 95000| 1559| 1600000000| 13122.97531| ∑ = 495000| ∑ = 13000| ∑ = 6000000000| ∑ = 58204.22222| x = 55000| y = 1444.44| | | These are the calculated values used in finding the Correlation Coefficient. Sx= 25819.88897 Sy = 58204.222229 Sy = 80.4185041 r= 2038888.893(25819.88897)(80.4185041) r=0.9819360378 r2=0.9642983824 The calculation r2=0.9642983824 suggests that the strength of the association of the data is very strong since 0.90 < r2 < 1. I compared this value of r2 with the standard table of coefficient of determinations which places it in the â€Å"very strong† category (Whiffen). r2=0.9642983824 y= 0.0030583333x+1276.231666 Graph 2 indicates that there is a strong positive linear correlation. This is also indicated through the value of correlation coefficient, 0.96.(the graph was generated through Microsoft Excel ) Calculation of a χ2 test The χ2 test is used to measure whether two classifications or factors from the same sample are independent of each other – if the occurrence of one of them does not affect the occurrence of the other. χ2= fo-fe2fe Observed Values: | B1| B2| Total| A1| A| B| A+B| A2| C| D| C+D| Total| A+C| B+D| N| Calculations of Expected Values: | B1| B2| Total| A1| A+B(A+C)N| A+B(B+D)N| A+B| A2| A+C(C+D)N| B+D(C+D)N| C+D| Total| A+C| B+D| N| Degrees of freedom measure the number of values in the final calculation that are free to vary: Df=rows-1(columns-1) Null (H0) Hypothesis: SAT scores and family income are independent from each other. Alternative (H1) Hypothesis: SAT scores and family income are dependent from each other. Table 4: Observation Values Score| Income($)| 1300-1430| 1431-1561| Total| 15000 – 55000| 4| 1| 5| 56000 – 96000| -| 4| 4| Total| 4| 5| 9| Table 2 shows the observed values for SAT score Vs. family income. The data pieces have been put into ranges that represent the income of the families of the test takers. Table 5: Calculations for the Expected Values Score| Income($)| 1300-1430| 1300-1430| Total| 15000 – 55000| 4+1(4+0)9| 4+1(1+4)9| 4+1| 56000 – 96000| 4+0(0+4)9| 1+4(0+4)9| 0+4| Total| 4+0| 1+4| 9| Table 3 shows the individual calculations for each of the expected values. Table 6: Expected Values Score| Income($)| 1300-1430| 1300-1430| Total| 15000 – 55000| 2.22222| 2.77777| 5| 56000 – 96000| 1.77777| 2.22222| 4| Total| 4| 5| 9| Table 6 shows the expected values retrieved by the calculations in table 4 χ2= fo-fe2fe χ2= 4-2.2222222.22222+1-2.7777722.77777+0-1.7777721.77777+4-2.2222222.22222 χ2=5.759995408 Df=rows-1(columns-1) Df=2-1(2-1) Df=1 The χ2 critical value at 5% significance with 1 degree of freedom is 3.841. As the χ2 value is greater than the critical value, 5.760>3.841, the null hypothesis is rejected and SAT score is assumed dependent from family income. Discussion/Validity Limitations Throughout the investigation between the correlation of SAT scores and family income, various limitations may have affected the outcome of the results. One limitation of the data collected could be that it only reflects on the people who filled in the family income section before signing up for the SAT. There is no evidence that the data reflects everyone who has taken the SAT score as there may be people who did not fill that section. Another limitation could be that not everyone in the world decide to take the SAT, people who cannot afford it or take alternative tests are being neglected. Also the data does not confirm of how many SAT takers are being considered. The data can be proved insufficient and inaccurate for those reasons. There is also a limitation in the data as it states income of â€Å"$100,000 and above†. That could mean that the data goes on unto family incomes of millions which is not proportionate to the other ranges of family income given. Due to this however, that piece of data was left out in the calculations. Continuing, there might be a limitation to the recording of the data itself as SAT takers are to take a survey where they mention family income when signing up for SAT. This might cause a problem as many SAT takers, mostly in ages 15-17, do not know the actual income of their family therefore wrong data may be entered. Then there could be a limitation to the data due to culture and race. The data does not mention culture and race which might affect the data as there might have been more American surveys who mentioned family income compared to Asian who answered the survey. Another limitation is that the table of expected values in the χ2 test has all values less than 5 which reduces its validity.   Adding on to that, there might be a limitation to the amount of data that was collected as 9 pieces of data may not prove to be sufficient enough to reflect the correlation between SAT scores and family income in a world perspective. Lastly, there may be many other factors taking place when considering the correlation between SAT scores and family income such as reasons for having a high family income and IQ of SAT test takers. Conclusion Despite of the previously mentioned limitations, the found χ2 value, 5.760, rejects the null hypothesis that SAT scores are independent from family income and accepts the alternative hypothesis that SAT scores are dependent from family income. Furthermore, the investigation clearly shows that there is a strong and positive correlation between SAT score and family income as it can be an assumed dependence from each other. Work Cited Rampell, Catherine. â€Å"SAT Scores and Family Income – NYTimes.com.† The Economy and the Economics of Everyday Life – Economix Blog – NYTimes.com. 28 Aug. 2009. Web. 01 Nov. 2010.. Downey, Joel. â€Å"SAT Scores Rise with Family Income.† Cleveland OH Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather – Cleveland.com. 10 Apr. 2008. Web. 01 Nov. 2010.. Whiffen, Glen, John Owen, Robert Haese, Sandra Haese, and Mark Bruce. â€Å"Two Variable Statistics.† Mathematics for the International Student: Mathematical Studies SL. By Mal Coad. [S.l.]: Haese And Harris Pub, 2010. 581-82. Print.