Economics suffers from a form of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle Essay

Economics suffers from a form of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle Explain with reference to modelling , theoretical paradigms and empirical testing - Essay Example 29-30). Normally, the change in momentum of a particle turns out more ill defined as the function of wave is confined to a lesser region. The nature of the wave to particles implies a particle is a wave package, the composite of a number of waves. A number of waves refer to many momentums; only one momentum can be made by observation out of many. The exact facts of complimentary pairs (time, energy, position) are impossible. For instance, it is possible to measure an electron’s position, but not its energy (momentum) simultaneously. Complementarity also implies that dissimilar experiments results into dissimilar outcomes (such as the two slit experiment). Thus, a single reality at the quantum level cannot be applied. Mathematically the uncertainty principle can be described as follows, where p is momentum and x is position: ∆x X ∆p> Ä §/2Ï€ (Romanovsky & Romanovsky, 2007, pp. 114-116). It fundamentally shows that the mixture of the error in momentum times the error in position should usually be bigger than Planck’s constant. Therefore, it is possible to measure an electron’s position to some accuracy; however, its momentum will appear in a bigger range of values. Similarly, it is possible to measure an electron’s momentum accurately; however, its position remains unidentified at that particular time (Romanovsky & Romanovsky, 2007, pp. 113-114). It is evident that there is uncertainty in modeling, foretelling and interpretation of prevailing socio-economic circumstances. This can be visible in the global financial systems’ instability, depending on natural and ordinary disturbances in the contemporary markets and greatly undesirable financial crises (Hilgevoord, 2005, pp. 30-36). This brings the necessity of not only researching on uncertainty in economics, but also establishing the connection to the Heisenberg’s uncertainty

Should and United and States and government and supply and health and Essay

Should and United and States and government and supply and health and care and all and citizens and their and families - Essay Example The health of citizens in any given country is vital to the growth and development of that country. In order to guarantee that the government does not enlarge its budget deficit by treating preventable diseases as well as maintain the productivity of its citizens, it is necessary that the United States Federal government provide health care to citizens who cannot afford their own. Lange writes that the portrayal of Obama healthcare reform as a foray into socialism is ironical at best since programs such as Medicare and Medicaid consume eight percent of the national budget, which is the same amount in socialist European countries. The only difference is that their medical programs cater for every citizen, not just the seniors. He quotes Reid who points out in his book ‘The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care’ on the need to pattern American health care reform after that employed by other developed nations. Reid states that close to 18,000 Americans die every year, since they lack access to the basic medical treatment that would otherwise save their lives, based on statistics from the Institute of Medicine. Despite some people having access to healthcare, approximately 200,000 lose their lives owing to preventable medical errors as well as preventable hospital infections. Proquest.umi.com cites the Medicaid report stating that the death of people who earn a salary of less than 10,000 dollars is three times more than that of people with an income of 30,000 dollars. Overall, lack of a proper healthcare is seventy times more dangerous to American citizens each year compared to the September 11 attacks. Reid further points out the fact that other wealthy nations around the world have been able to provide accessible health care to their citizens at a more affordable rate than the US. He explains a set of health care models that exist in these nations.

Popular Entertainment, Performing Arts Essay Example for Free

Popular Entertainment, Performing Arts Essay Popular entertainment is â€Å"ideas, perspectives, altitudes, memes, and other phenomena that are preferred by an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture. † Now like me most people would think, â€Å"I still don’t get it. † Popular entertainment is basically a genre of entertainment based on the popularity it has gained. Many people often confuse popular culture which is basically popular entertainment with pop culture. The most important difference between the two is that popular culture is gained popularity regardless of the style whereas pop culture is based on a specific society and historic period which contains qualities of mass appeal. Popular Entertainment is often stereotyped as trivial and one could almost say dumbed down to be accepted by the masses of society, which allows those who aren’t part of the main stream such as religious groups and countercultural groups to heavily criticize it. These groups deem it superficial, consumerist, sensational and even corrupted. The Distinction between Popular and Higher Culture Popular entertainment can be traced back to the 19th century where it was considered education and general culture of the lower class as opposed to the official or dominant class of society. By the end of World War 2 the following big cultural and social changes brought by most media innovations caused Popular Entertainments meaning to overlap with that of mass culture, media culture, image culture and culture for mass consumption. It is believed that there are as many as six different meanings of Popular Entertainment. The quantitive meaning often sets in the confusion of certain â€Å"higher culture† that is also popular. * It is also described as the left over culture after â€Å"higher culture† has been defined and taken from the equation. * It is also said that it is equivalent to mass culture and ideas. Then it is described as commercial culture which is mass produced for mass consumption by mass media from Western Europe which can be compared to American Culture. * It has been known as the authenticate culture of the people * That it has a political dimension to it Personally I think it can be most relevantly described as the struggle between the resistant of lower groups in society and forces of incorporation of the dominant groups of society with regards to the entertainment world. Popular Entertainment or culture can easily be recognized by the distinction between that which is considered popular and that which is considered as high class. It has emerged from urbanisation of industrial revolution. Confusion comes in when Bart Simpsons for example, which is a television animation which can be considered as higher class has elements of popular entertainment in it. Studies of Shakespeare notice that many characteristic vitality of his drama in its participation in Renaissance Popular Culture while contemporary practitioners such as Dario Fo and John McGarth use popular culture in its Gramscian sense that includes ancient folk tradition like comedia dell‘arte. This makes it difficult for the average person to then differentiate between Popular Entertainment and Higher forms of entertainment. Popular entertainment constantly changes and occurs specifically in place and time. It boils down to that which represents a complex of mutually interdependent perspectives and values that influences society and its influences in various ways. Popular Entertainment is therefore commonly more appealing to the broader spectrum of society. Popular Entertainment can therefore be related to that which people can easily relate to. Popular culture is also associated with self-referentiality. This basically means that Popular Entertainment is mainly based on exploring every realm of corrective experience instead of just relying on reality. Many media outputs devote it to other images whereas self-referentiality is all-embracing. It is said that the side effect of mass consumerism reflects a fundamental paradox which is basically the increase in technological and cultural sophistication combined with the increase in superficial and dehumanization. What makes Popular Entertainment Popular? Anyone who enjoys the streets who enjoys feasting his eyes on shop windows piled high with all kinds of everyday wares and artful trifles; anyone who enjoys the cafes is unlikely to be moved by the polished art of the serious theatre. Unless the theatre shouts as lustily as the streets it won’t attract an audience for love or money. The Parisian derives far more enjoyment from the fetes and traveling theatres than from anything the dramatic theatre has to offer- Vsevolod Meyerhold We must give credit to the basic principles of the circus and the music hall. In olden times there was the influence of French comedians and of Chaplin. The first news of fox trot and jazz, this early love thrived. The music hall element was obviously eeded at the time for the emergence of a montage form of thought- Sergei Einstein, tr. Daniel Gerould Playfulness is a volatile sometimes dangerously explosive essence which cultural institutions seek to bottle or contain in the vials of games, of competition, chance, and strength in modes of simulation such as theatre and in control disorientation from roller coasters to dervish dancing- Victor Turner What is Popular Entertainment? Popular Entertainment is basically any form of entertainment that is considered relevant to those who form part of the lower and middle class. It is the entertainment which as gained popularity not for the specific style that is used, but for its relevance. Popular entertainment therefore cannot simply be associated with its level of popularity since there can be other, much higher levels of entertainment that can also be popular. This does not mean that the element of popularity is completely cut from what popular entertainment is, it just means that it is not solely based on the level of popularity but more so on the level of popularity the style of entertainment has gained regardless of it style. Genres in popular entertainment Folklore Folklore is a form Popular Entertainment but is not mass produced. Folklore persists today by word of mouth instead of through mass media, e. g. jokes and urban legends. Folklores element of popular entertainment engages big time with the commercial element. The public has its own tastes and it may not embrace all sorts of entertainment. Popular entertainment has an interconnected nature. Things such as when you sulk and the clock strikes 12:00 that your face would stay like that can be considered as folklore. Many people embrace this form, but instead of being spread in masses it gets carried over from generation to generation by word of mouth. Burlesque Burlesque is often stereotyped with strippers walking on a run way. This is not a complete myth although, burlesque in its essence was a form of popular entertainment that over stepped the boundaries of what was considered â€Å"right† in the time frame. Burlesque generally consists of music and comedy. The main attraction towards burlesque was its sense of making fun of sex. This is one of the main reasons why the female cast members bodies were exposed in sexy tight fitting and short costumes. Burlesque in the period of its peak was very popular mainly because the form of exposure was considered immoral in that time. The woman of that time covered their bodies’ true form with frills and puffs of material while those on the burlesque stage had their garters sticking out with tights and body suits, leaving very little for the imagination. Its sense of humour was solely based on exposed humans’ sexual nature and they relied on comedy with double meanings. It was a very clever way of getting people to laugh as they would make comments like I’m sorry I was late, but my gadget broke. Allowing the audience to wonder what was she late for and what gadget broke. She could mean she was late or she didn’t â€Å"come† in time because her g-string broke. This form of comedy an exposure of the female body made burlesque a leading genre through the 1840s up until the 1960s. Burlesque then introduced other genres such as vaudeville to fill the show, but at the time many vaudeville performers considered burlesque as demoralising but when they times were tough they would perform in burlesque under aliases. The female cast members were soon playing men roles. Burlesque was never really about a strong script but more about the power of the star playing the role to keep audiences stimulated and coming back for more, â€Å"Underdressed woman playing sexual aggressors, combining good looks with impertinent comedy- in a production written and managed by woman? Unthinkable! † Burlesque was basically dominated by daring woman who with enough will power believed that they could accomplish anything. Burlesque evolved into making fun of relevant topics and popular shows along with a sexual connotation which kept audiences intrigued. Burlesque became a variety act that included song, dance, juggling, comics, etc. Burlesque soon took on the format of a minstrel show. It was when males took over the management of Burlesque that female wit was replaced with trying to reveal as much of the female body as possible. Millie Deleon, Burlesques biggest star in the 20th century, threw her garters in the audiences and at times did not wear tights. This got her arrested but also assisted in giving burlesque a bad reputation. A typical burlesque stage setting was based on common places that the middle and lower class audience could relate to as they were the target audience. Common settings were courtrooms, street corners, class rooms, as well as examining rooms. Burlesque comedy focussed a lot of misunderstandings which kept it interesting. Cabaret Cabaret is unique for its venue. Originally the word means a place where alcohol is served. Cabaret in the world of entertainment refers to a performance in an intimate restaurant or nightclub setting where adults can enjoy entertainment that stretches the boundaries of what was permitted in the time of origin. A cabaret can more so be described as intellectuals that gathered in an intimate environment to share ideas by means of comedy, song, dance and theatre. These ideas were mainly based on politics and themes that had social relevance. The first Cabaret â€Å"Cabaret Artistique† opened in 1881 in Paris, France. It was later renamed to â€Å"Le Chat Noir. Its main attraction was not the half dressed woman as in Burlesque but rather the sharing of ideas in the associated venue. Cabarets can be considered as the outcasts or those who went against the norms of society and performed their opinions through skits that they would often come up with in a span of an evening or during the day. Cabarets content is almost always relevant to society of its time frame. The comedy used in cabaret was not just any old jokes or random making fun of whatever was relevant but rather very clever. The comedy they used was satire which is often described as being tickled with a blade. Cabarets relied on using content that was sensitive in society and they would make fun of that only to later make the audience later realise that they were laughing about something that is actually very serious. For example the news may show how babies get raped on a regular basis then cabaret performers would satirically perform these rapes but with the idea that they want people to be aware of the seriousness of the problem. This may seem complicated as they make are making fun of very sensitive things but most cabarets was a very clever way of influencing an audience member’s frame of thought. Cabaret is also unique for its audience interaction. A typical cabaret often involved the audience completely in the performance. In cabaret it is specifically important to keep the audience intrigued by the performance, but also being able to allow them a chance to embrace the intimate space they are in with whoever they are with. Cabarets gave room for the audience to interact with one another. It is vital to know that a cabaret is specifically targeted at the adult audience and is not appropriate for all ages or families. Cabaret is about being able to explore the boundaries that have been set by society in this intimate environment. Cabaret also has variety acts like jugglers, singers, dances, clowns, etc. but it was mainly based on the message that they are trying to bring across. In a cabaret the audience did not have to abide by the laws of society, so the audience was automatically comfortable. The audience did not have to sit in a specific way or take off their hats when they came to the cabaret instead they were free to be, socialise as they pleased and also enjoy the entertainment of a cabaret. Later cabaret gained a jazz element to it but its main focus has barely changed besides the misconceptions modern society has. Vaudeville This is basically any form of inoffensive entertainment which solely relied on the audience response. Vaudeville could include anything from juggling, freak acts to dumb acts. It focuses on entertaining, fascinating and reaching the unthinkable. Anyone could enjoy a vaudeville act and while it often included song and dance the core of a vaudeville act was doing something extraordinarily. The audience is very interactive in this style of entertainment and an audience response could either make or break an act. For a vaudevillian it is vital to always be at their best as a slip up in one act could ruin their reputation for good. Vaudevilles format was never about the importance of the act but rather based on the order of appearance. Vaudeville affected the normal comedy world as vaudeville was fun, entertaining and often humorous. It was only later that comics were emerged into vaudeville by means of a master of ceremonies which also assisted in making certain bills hit shows instead of just normal. It is vital to realise that vaudeville bills weren’t always entertaining. Some were really boring and others just average, vaudeville relies on the fact that it consists of 8acts and if an audience does not like a particular act they had the next act to rely on, to fulfil the audience taste. Comparisons and contrasts The one thing almost all the genres within popular entertainment have in common is that their target audience are all the lower class or working class of its time. The difference is evident where it’s a given that Burlesque is more specifically targeted at male audience, while cabaret is targeted at adults who don’t always agree with government and vaudeville is targeted at everyone. Burlesque and cabaret can compare in the sense that they both are more appropriate at night but while burlesque relies on its sexual connotation and exposed females, cabaret relies on the relevance of the topics that they use and the ideas they share. Vaudeville is basically any type of entertainment within the parameters of society while burlesque and cabaret is more anti-society than anything else. It is evident that dominant classes of the time of each of these genres basically looked down on all the styles mentioned, but this is what kept the middle and lower classes entertained. In each style, song, dance and comedy is relevant but while vaudeville relied on slapstick and amusing comedy cabaret relies of clever, satirical and black humour and burlesque makes use of confusing or misinterpreting or even witty comedy. Wit and satire can be very closely associated but satires method to tickle with a blade makes it unique to cabaret. While vaudeville could be showed in a theatre or even a park and burlesque can be showed in any theatre or circuit it is vital that the cabaret has the intimate bar or restaurant vibe attached to it. While vaudeville can be identified for its entertainment and fascinations, burlesque can be identified for its guts while cabaret can be identified by the roughness and the â€Å"balls† in its skits. Cabaret and Burlesque is very closely associated while they both may contain vaudeville acts it is strictly prohibited to have any sort of burlesque or cabaret acts or skits in vaudeville as it is not sociably accepted. Many vaudevillians considered Burlesque as demoralising and if any vaudevillian act offends an audience member they could be dismissed. Cabaret almost everything is allowed the cast could cleverly insult an audience member often cabarets are successful for the odd uncomfortable feeling that the audience may feel during skits or a scene. The historical developments of Popular Entertainment Ancient Greek history Popular entertainment in its essence can be traced as far back as the 5th century BC. This is linked by the ancient Greeks who added song and dance in their comedies and tragedies. Athenian playwrights also had songs in their plays which were sometimes self-composed. These plays were staged in open air amphitheatres which included sexual humour, political and social satire, jugglers and everything else that might entertain the majority. The songs were often a way to allow the chorus to comment on the action on stage. It is evident that ancient musicals had no direct on modern musicals or popular culture. It does prove that the concept has been present for approximately 25 hundred years.

The Most Important Agent Of Socialization Sociology Essay

The Most Important Agent Of Socialization Sociology Essay In short, an agent of socialization assists in the development process by influencing the individual. A person learns socialization through agents, which include: the family, the school, the peer group, and the mass media. According to Sociologist Richard Gelles (1990), The family is the most violent group in society, with the exception of the police and the military. Nonetheless, the family provides a strong backbone and a reliable foundation; it is considered the most important agent of socialization. The family assumes the chief responsibility of developing a child, and has a substantial guise in the integration with society. The family is the primary support system for a child, especially during the first phase of their lives when they are physically and, in most cases, emotionally closest to a child. During this time, they will provide the greatest support and influence. This will extend over factors such as values, beliefs, political aspects, religious appetites, and the childs overall outlook on society in its entirety. Childrens minds are like sponges that absorb teachings; they will mimic, appreciate, worship, and accept views, behaviors, and even possessions of their parents. It is evident that the social development in a child is heavily manipulated by the family. Furthermore, the family unit has the ability to effect change to the next generation.   Parents inculcate their beliefs and values to their children from a young age, and that value system can be perpetuated from one generation to the next. Changes in the American Family The American family has indeed made drastic changes, and these profound shifts are owed largely to women: womens equality and their entry into the workforce. The latter 1960s became a time of revolution; the Womens Liberation Movement gave way to a new era of female supremacy, and reformed the current balance of power and rights in America. Women purposefully set to the workforce in swarms, aiming to earn pay equal to men. This caused a domino effect on society at-large. As cost of living rises, it is unrealistic for couples to rely on the income of one earner; therefore, a two-wage household is ideal. Effectually, husband and wife in majority of families are forced to become significant financial contributors. Consequently, less and less attention is given to children as demanding careers do not allow such elasticity in both parents time budget. In addition, in view of both parents spending most of their waking hours at work, their children become latchkey kids. Children come home to an empty house that lacks supervision, guidance, and nurturing. Both parents having to work long hours to maintain a household reduces time with their children. Kids need as much time with their parents, who they idolize, but dont often receive it. This, of course, leads to the increased commitment of grandparents who now assume the roles and responsibilities of absent parents. In conjunction, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (2011), procreation has decreased from 1976 to 2008. It is evident that both the cost to raise a child and the consideration of a preoccupied parent are factors in the abatement of conception. Notwithstanding, as women become more and more self-sufficient, they no longer depend on a husband to support the family. Compensable employment among women validates and insures them that sustainable living is attainable. Also, women were less likely to view marriage through the prisms of sacrifice, duty, and obligation. Regardless of the human need for intimate relationships, and undying cultural traditions, its clear that people who are obligated to be self-sufficient have little patience for unequal, intolerable relationships than those who are dependent, economically; thus, contributing to the growth in divorce rates (U.S. Census, 2011). Differences In recent times, personal choice has superseded. However, it is still common for individuals to ponder on class, race, and gender. Many individuals prefer inter-racial marriages and when not, thats the first family stressor. Children are born into the situation and the issue perpetuates. Regardless of the criteria, its the judgment or prejudices of others that make marriage/family life harder than it should. For example, my Japanese co-worker has two half Black, half Japanese children. Her pure Japanese parents never approved of her Black husband, and never adored their  ½ black grandchildren. It took many years for her parents to come around and accept the situation. On the other hand, her brother married a Japanese wife, had kids, and they were closer to their grandparents than their Afro-American cousins. Personal choice is more important today than other pressures placed on the individual to choose a partner. Due to media exposure, it is more acceptable to choose a partner outside ones class, race, and gender. Diverse Families According to popular culture, a normal family consists of a bread-winner (father), a caretaker (mother), and at least one offspring (children). However, the composition of families has changed dramatically since 1960. Diverse families include statuses such as: single-parent, cohabitation, gay and lesbian couples, and blended families (step). From a positive outlook, diverse families allow for individual prosperity. People no longer have to follow the ways and habits of their forefathers; rather, they are encouraged to exercise their human right, making freedom of choice prevalent. Sexual and marital preference, and multi-tradition, religion, and culture relationships promote a more tolerant society who willingly accepts and is more open-minded to others differences. Negatively speaking, certain family members may not be open to diversity. Considering the family is the most important agent of socialization, the individual will likely contemplate the familys opinion(s) and may be influenced negatively which could cause friction within the family, the relationship, or both. Diversity is beneficial if the society doesnt practice or abandons nationalism. The society must not only be afforded the opportunity, but have strengthened abilities to adapt to diversity. Pre-World War II If the trend negatively changed towards traditional (pre-World War II) families, it would ultimately negate all of the progress women made to achieving equal rights. Womens suffrage may not have come about, women would likely still be inferior to their husbands, working in factories, and viewed as nothing more than a possession treated poorly. The expectation of women would continue to be restricted, limiting them to being homemakers, and bearing and nurturing children. In light of World War II, women fought endlessly to find equality in political, economic, and social life and demonstrated against society for equal rights (pay, maternity leave, etc.). The effort put forth by women to enter the labor force has altered the marriage guidelines of their rights and expectations. As women secure their positions within the workforce, they declare their fair share of power within the familial relationship. The mentality of women morphed from restricted to open, homemaker to PhD. Overall, if the direction of traditional families changed, it would have a considerable impact on womens rights. In short, their empowerment would either lack the proper fertilization, or be abandoned completely.

HARLEY DAVIDSON Essay -- essays research papers

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Harley-Davidson is the largest market share holder of motorcycles over 750cc in the United States. After the expansion of our production and distribution capacity, we will be in the position to meet the increasing demand for our motorcycles and other products.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Growth potential appears very good especially in the overseas market. Gaining a larger market share in these area may require a further increase in production and distribution capacities. We must plan for expansion now and continue to grow as a company. COMPANY DESCRIPTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Milwaukee, William Harley, 21, and Arthur Davidson, 20, began experiments on taking the work out of bicycling. They were soon joined by Arthur’s brothers, Walter and William. Many changes were made to the engine design before its builders were satisfied. After the new looped from was finalized, they were ready to begin production. In 1903 they produced three motorcycles. Harley-Davidson erected its first building the current Juneau avenue site in 1906 and incorporated in 1907. In 1907 Harley-Davidson produced 150 motorcycles. SITUATION ANALYSIS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The motorcycle market over 750cc has been increasing over the last five years. The Harley-Davidson 1996 model year production line, sold though a world wide network of more than 1,000 dealers, includes 20 cruiser, factory custom and touring motorcycles, as well as police motorcycles. Harley-Davidson benefits form having one of the world’s most recognized and respected brand names and our motorcycle model names are among the best known in the industry: The Competition and Market share   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This chart shows the competition and market share for 1995 in the United States: Current Market Situation Overall   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Net sales for 1995 of $1.4 billion were $191.6 million, or 16.5%, higher than net sales for 1994. Net income and earnings per share from continuing operations were $111.1 million and $1.48, for 1995 as compared with $96.2 million and $1.26, for 1994. Net income and earnings per share from discontinued operations were $1.4 million and $.02, for 1995 as compared with $8.0 million and $.11, for 1994, which included a $4.6 million, or $.06 per-share, one-time tax benefit related to the legal reorganizat... ...Harley-Davidson dealerships), bringing the year-end total to approximately 150. In 1996, the Buell team will complete its study of the European sport/performance market, which is four times larger than its U.S. counterpart, to prepare for a possible future launch there. Promotion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The majority of our advertising comes from bike rallies and special events that are held that are held across the United States. Our Rallies draw between 5,000 and 200,000 people. The majority of the attendants are Harley owners. Harley Davidson as an organization does very little mainstream advertising. BUDGETS CONTROL AND ACCOUNTABILITY   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Standards should be specified in terms of sales, and production. Costs should be identified and target cost levels specified to facilitate their control. Standards should be established in terms of consumer’s attitudes. Attitude standards, in terms of perceptions, and desires should be specified. Controls should be implemented and monitored by appropriate administrators. The president, vice-president, administrators, and other individuals should be responsible for controlling the marketing mix implemented.

Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin In The Sun Essays -- essays papers

A Raisin in the Sun In A Raisin in the Sun, Hansberry portrays obstacles that the Younger family and other African Americans had to face and over come during the post World War 2 era. Obstacles that had to be over come by the Youngers were economical, moral, social, and racist obstacles. Lorraine Hansberry, the author of the play had to face one of these as well growing up. Born in Chicago on the south side in an all black neighborhood, Lorraine Hansberry and her family had to deal with segregation. Moving to a white neighborhood in Chicago, her family had to deal with threats of violence and legal action. Her father defended the case successfully all the way to the Supreme Court.(sparknotes1) Her parents were well known in national black culture and political circles, which probably sparked her to latter become a reporter and editor for the Freedom, a black newspaper in New York from 1950-53. Hansberry relates her life situations through her play by having the Younger family deal with a similar circumstance. In the play Lena Younger or better known as mama, receives a 10,000-dollar check because her husband had past away. She decides to buy a house in Clybourne Park, which is an all white neighborhood. After finding out a black family is moving to Clybourne the so-called Organization Committee sends out a Mr. Lindner to welcome the Youngers. He d...

The Main Arguments of Evolution Theory

International Management Prof. dr. Niels Noorderhaven Lecture 1 Agenda †¢ †¢ †¢ 1. 2. 3. Introduction and organizational matters Does â€Å"international† still matter? Conceptual foundations of international business strategy (1) †¢ †¢ Case: Honda in the USA Literature: Textbook chapter 1 (pp 13-33 + 59-62) Team Lectures Niels Noorderhaven Cases Fons Naus Ana Aranda Gutierrez Zhengyu Li Teaching strategy Complementarity of lectures – readings †¢ Individual case participation †¢ Each lecture, one or several cases from the book will be expanded to put the theory into practice †¢ Importance of research articles Grading †¢ 70% MC exam – See Study manual for correction formula †¢ Exam dates December 13, 2012 and April 12, 2013 †¢ 30% 2 Interactive lectures – individual participation †¢ Interactive lectures grades of 2010 and 2011 can be transferred Book †¢ http://www. cambridge. rg/features/manag ement/verbeke/ Does â€Å"international† still matter? 7 Transportation & communication costs fall 17 September 2012 8 Tariffs fall, anti-dumping measures rise anti- 17 September 2012 9 Globalization Theory: †¢ Linguistic, trade and cultural barriers become less important †¢ ‘Stateless’ MNCs †¢ Within MNCs worldwide diffusion of technologies, knowledge and information Convergence of world economies 17 September 2012 10 Why is nationality important to people? Individual identity and social identity †¢ Three processes of social identity formation: †¢ social categorization †¢ social comparison †¢ social identification †¢ (Self-)categorization: what is the salient category? 17 September 2012 11 Why is nationality important to people? †¢ Positive stereotyping of â€Å"in-group†, negative stereotyping of â€Å"out-group† †¢ Nationality differences are particularly salient when people have no common history †¢ Nationality then becomes a source for one’s own identity and for the ascribed identity of the other 7 September 2012 12 Does â€Å"international† still matter? Yes, because †¦. †¢ Cultural , institutional and language differences persist †¢ Leading to differences in (business) decision making †¢ Nationality forms an important basis for social categorization processes †¢ Leading to shortcuts like cultural attribution and stereotyping With the effect that doing business across borders is different than domestic business 13 Conceptual foundations of international business strategy 4 Definition of international business strategy International business strategy means effectively and efficiently matching a multinational enterprise’s (MNE’s) internal strengths (relative to competitors) with the opportunities and challenges found in geographically dispersed environments that cross international borders. Such matching is a precond ition to creating value and satisfying stakeholder goals, both domestically and internationally. 15 TABLE OF CONTENTS (1) Introduction and overview of the book’s framework †¢ Part one: Core concepts (1) Conceptual foundations of international business strategy (2) The critical role of firm-specific advantages (3) The nature of home country location advantages (4) The problem with host country location advantages (5) Combining firm-specific advantages and location advantages in an MNE network 16 TABLE OF CONTENTS (2) †¢ Part two: Functional issues (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) International innovation International sourcing and production International finance International marketing Managing managers in the multinational enterprise 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS (3) †¢ Part three: Dynamics of global strategy (11) Entry mode dynamics 1: foreign distributors (12) Entry mode dynamics 2: strategic alliance partners (13) Entry mode dynamics 3: mergers and acquisitions (14) The role of emerging economies (15a) International strategies of corporate social responsibility (15b) International strategies of environmental sustainability 18 The seven concepts of the unifying framework †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Internationally transferable (or non-location bound) firmspecific advantages (FSAs) Non-transferable (or location-bound) FSAs Location advantages Investment in – and value creation through – recombination Complementary resources of external actors Bounded rationality Bounded reliability The MNE’s unique resource base †¢ Physical resources (natural resources, buildings, plant equipment). †¢ Financial resources (equity and loan capital) †¢ Human resources (individuals and teams, entrepreneurial and operational skills). Upstream knowledge (sourcing knowledge, product and process-related technological knowledge). †¢ Downstream knowledge (marketing, sales, distribution and after sales service). †¢ Admin istrative knowledge (organizational structure, culture and systems). †¢ Reputational resources (brand names, reputation for honest business dealings). International transferability of FSAs? †¢ Paradox: If the FSA consists of easily codifiable knowledge (i. e. , if it can be articulated explicitly, as in a handbook or blueprint), then it can be cheaply transferred abroad, but it can also be easily imitated by other firms.Though expensive and time-consuming to transfer tacit knowledge across borders, the benefit to the MNE is that this knowledge is also difficult to imitate. It is often a key source of competitive advantage when doing business abroad. Some FSAs are not transferable abroad: location-bound locationFSAs (1) Four main types: †¢ Stand-alone resources linked to location advantages (privileged retail locations). †¢ Local marketing knowledge and reputational resources, such as brand names (may not be applicable to a host country context, or valued to the s ame extent). Local best practices (i. e. routines), such as incentive systems or buyer-supplier relations (may not work abroad). †¢ Domestic recombination capability (may not work in foreign markets – e. g. , because co-location of resources is needed). Some FSAs are not transferable abroad: location-bound locationFSAs (2) †¢ Even if transferability of the relevant resources were technically possible, this does not mean potential for profitable deployment, i. e. the resource bundles that may be transferable from a technical perspective (e. g. , the way n which a product is marketed at home), do not constitute an FSA abroad. Location advantages †¢ Entire set of strengths of a location, and accessible by firms in that location. †¢ Should always be assessed relative to the strengths of other locations. †¢ Instrumental to FSAs Motivations for foreign expansion †¢ Natural resource seeking – Verbeke: physical, financial or human resources †¢ Market seeking †¢ Strategic resource seeking – e. g. , knowledge, finance †¢ Efficiency seeking – E. g. , low labor cost Case: Honda in the USA Background Prior to 1970s exports of motorcycles and cars †¢ Drivers of foreign production: – Rising value of the yen against US$ – Fear of import restrictions – The Clean Air Act in the US – First oil crisis †¢ Motivation for expansion (natural resource, market, strategic resource, efficiency seeking? ) Honda’s approach †¢ After four-year decision process Honda of America Manufacturing established in Marysville, Ohio, in 1978 †¢ Top priority: attain Japanese-level quality and efficiency – – – – – Selection of employees Training program Fly in managers and workers from Japan Develop lean supplier network Upgrade supplier quality level 1980: start production of cars †¢ Present: 9 production plants in USA Honda’s FSAs †¢ Non-location bound FSAs: – – – – – – – Know-how four-strike engines with optimal power-to-weight ratio Management principles Quality systems Employee selection processes Training and knowledge transfer routines Manufacturing expertise Supplier management approach †¢ †¢ Location-bound FSAs in the host country: – High demand for specific products Resource recombination: – – – Use four-strike engines in many products (motorcycles, small cars, generators, †¦) Design and manufacturing skills + knowledge of consumer preferences in USA Melding existing and new resources through management exchange program Exploit new capabilities worldwide Complementary resources of external actors †¢ Opportunity to study American way of production at Ford †¢ Extensive use of American experts and consultants (especially for selecting location) †¢ Critical role of suppliers Bounded rationality issues lack of knowledge local conditions †¢ Suppliers’ lack of familiarity with Honda †¢ New employees lack of familiarity with â€Å"The Honda Way† Bounded reliability issues †¢ Moral hazard/adverse selection employees †¢ American managers have local priorities Deliberate strategy? Agenda for next lecture 1. 2. 3. 4. Four types of MNEs Recombination Bounded rationality & reliability Firm-specific advantages (FSAs) †¢ Cases: 3M & IKEA †¢ Literature: Textbook chapter 1 (pp 33-76) + chapter 2 NB: Class will be in SZ 31