English Coursework †Crucible Essay

The Crucible’ is a play, based on a true event in American history. Written by Arthur Miller in 1953, The Crucible was set in the small Puritan village called Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. This town can be seen to be extremely oppressive, and a place in which people had no freedom or individuality.  Miller wrote the play during the period in which McCarthy’s anti-Communist campaign was at its height. Miller saw many parallels between this period and the ‘witch hunts’ in Salem, for example unsupported accusations, fear of individual difference, and people being encouraged to inform on their friends. Senator Joe McCarthy organized a twentieth-century version of ‘witch-hunting’. In the early 1950’s he exploited the US fears about Communism and managed to create a national campaign against Communists. As chairman of the House Un-American Activities Committee, McCarthy interrogated many witnesses and tried to make them inform on their friends. Anyone suspected of communist views was arrested for taking part in ‘Un-American Activities’. Between 1950 and 1954 McCarthy investigated and accused a wide range of famous people such as Walt Disney, John Lennon, and Marilyn Monroe. Even Miller was investigated as many of his plays were seen as an attack on capitalism. This was very similar to what happened in Salem in the 17th century. Salem can be seen as a corrupted society in which people were trapped by the strict rules of Puritanism. The accusations of witchcraft and dealing with the Devil in Salem were all started off by a group of girls who were caught chanting, dancing and conjuring spirits in the woods. Dancing and partying was forbidden at this time, due to the strict puritan rules. The forest was thought to be where the Devil ‘carried out his work’, which led people to believe that the girls were witches. This was a prime example of when people’s longing for individuality and or spiritual freedom was undermined by the rules within society. This can be compared to the anti-communists during the McCarthy years, in which people’s political freedom was undermined. Also in both situations the allegations lead to hysteria.  However, many people may argue that Salem is like any other society, even today, full of good and bad people, the exploited and the exploiters. The plot in the Crucible starts after the girls were found dancing and conjuring spirits in the woods, and there were already suspicions of witchcraft. After being accused of witchcraft the girls begin to accuse other people in the town in order to deflect the attention away from themselves. The court believes these accusations made by the girls, and many are named as witches, and are sentenced to death. This then leads to many hangings of innocent individuals, who would rather die than commit the sin of lying and having their names tarnished. John Proctor and Abigail Williams are two central characters in the play. Their secretive affair results in Abigail conjuring spirits, as she was obsessed with rekindling their relationship. However John rejected her, which led to her becoming even more desperate to be with him. Her desperate act led to a catalogue of events, resulting in the death of many innocent people. John is one of those suspected of witchcraft. When given the opportunity to confess, he does so. However after signing the confession, John suddenly changes his mind. He takes back his confessions as he realises that he could not live with a name associated with witchcraft, and would therefore rather die. This can be linked to the themes of integrity and courage. Both of these themes are explored throughout the play through many different characters. Another central theme within the play is envy, which is mainly shown through the character of Abigail Williams. Tyranny, purification, justice and bigotry are also key themes in the Crucible as they all contribute to the oppressive society in which the play is set. They also show how people at the time felt a deep religious need to cleanse the town of any association with the devil. This was due to fear and intolerance of any cultural or religious difference or spiritual freedom. All of the themes explored are linked to the individual as well as the society.

Online vs Traditional Education

There are options to those who chose to further their education, traditional and online education. Traditional education  gives students the tools to succeed in a more competitive environment, while online education  allows the student to learn at their own pace. Traditional education require students to be in classes on a schedule at a specify time and date. Online education gave students the convenience of accessing the classroom from the privacy of their home. Both type of education gives you the required degree to make progress in life.When people think of non-traditional they might think of unaccredited college or university, but that’s not what non- traditional is. Online students are considered non-traditional students because they get to do work from the comforts of their homes. Online education and traditional education are different approaches to a higher education. Online college requires students to learn time management with their education. Students have a gr eater responsibility because they have to manage their time wisely. Most students that do online education do it because they have jobs or a family to take care of.They will have to organize they time between jobs, family, and school. Students that chose the traditional way of education have to be on campus according to schedule. Planning around class schedule will be first option for students on campus especially if they work or have a family. For the most part, they have the advantage of experiencing the opportunity to socialize and work in groups. Even though working in groups at times can be very frustrating because of a group member not doing they part of an assignment.If assignment is not complete as a group then the grade average for the assignment will suffer because of one student not doing their part. Online schooling can be good for young adults and mature adults in many ways. They have a more direct and focused method of learning because the class size is not as large as a traditional school class. Students are able to have a more flexible schedule, because it is the responsibility of them to set a schedule that will work out for them time. Online education gives students that are parents an opportunity to be roll out of bed and not worry about the way you look to get your class work done.With the absence of diversions for online students, they tend to be more focused on the lessons taught and complete the work they are expected to do. Without having to meet the pace of other students, online students are allowed to work at their own pace, which can make students more successful. Online degrees require the same college level work and time commitment as traditional education. Students are exposed to more people from different socio-economic backgrounds. This teaches students how to get along with one another regardless of race or differences; it also can provide a more complete educational experience.Traditional education students will have a more d iverse social group interaction, allowing them to get a better school experience. Attending Traditional school is also a enormous plus for students, because they are more open to gain more college scholarship opportunities than a online schooled student. By being a great sports player, band member, art student, or even entering in numerous contests such as writing funded by the government or even private spectators enhances their chances of being notice is much higher than a online student. Student still take exams, attend classes, and write papers with online education.With online learning there is no teacher to monitor the students, which the students are solely responsible for listening and learning in class. Traditional classes have the teacher/professor in class to teach them. Whether, a student chooses to attend classes in a traditional physical setting, the student will be assigned homework to complete. Online and traditional courses are expected to do a series of reading and writing assignments. Online and traditional classes have due dates for all assignments. If assignments not complete you get points taking from your score.That is why all assignments should be complete on time. Traditional and online classes will require a student to take exams. Exams are used to test student’s retention and understanding of course material. These exams are giving from time to time on common intervals, such as weekly, monthly, or quarterly. All exams are checked by the teachers provided. All exams most be passed with a passing average in order to move on to the following course. If it happens that any exams are failed and class average is below passing average, student will have to repeat that course.Also, students may have the option to take exams online, or be required to visit the campus to complete the exam. Most likely when seeking help with an assignment, traditional and online classes provide teachers/professors that can clarify doubts, and have a disc ussion about a topic if needed. If any assignments are misunderstood the teacher/professor is also there to answer any question or worries students may have. In both the types of classes, students will have teachers available to help in any matte.Instructors make themselves available to students to help them learn the required material on a schedule. Also teachers/professors can be a very good amazing support system. Teachers/professors will be those to push you to strive for better academic work. Whenever any assistance is needed students have the advantage to get in contact with their teacher/professor. An alternative way to get in contact with your teacher is by e-mail or phone if it was provided. Through the years the means of getting an education has slowly changed. Many students today are deciding to do online schooling.Although most people think that traditional education is better, most statistics and facts tend to show that online education is beneficial in more ways. Stude nts will learn and get an education no matter what method they choose online or traditional education. Some may like a more competitive environment, and some may like a laid back environment. The option lies within them to choose what suits them best. With so many advantages and disadvantages between online and traditional education, the option lies within the student. Everyone is destined to be someone in life and it starts by getting an education.

HUMAN RESOURCE Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

HUMAN RESOURCE - Term Paper Example There are five factors to be analysed in the porters five forces and they are analysed below in correlation with the Apple Computers. The threat of the entry of new competitors The personal computers industry is the major threat for Apple Computers including the old competitors for Apple Computers. Competitors are coming up with innovative products that may cause the Apple Computers to face tough king of competition in the future. The intensity of competitive rivalry The intensity of competitive rivalry tends to focus on the elements such as the price of the product, the innovation and quality level of the product. All these factors are compared with the competition in the market. Companies that use advance technology tend to be stable in a competitive environment such as Apple Computers. Competitive rivalry faced by Apple Computers is from Dell incorporation, Hewlett Packard Company, and Microsoft Corporation. Dell computers have one of the most unique strategies in providing custom ized notebook and laptops to its customers, according to their needs and wants. Apple faces intense competition from Microsoft in areas of portable music players and other type soft software. The threat of substitute products or services Apple faces one of the biggest threats from its substitute products & services. The era of converging to the digital types of devices such as MP3’s, cell phones, playing games, and picture taking along with the internet has challenged Apple to a very large extent. iPod franchising protection is the biggest challenge for Apple computers. The bargaining power of customers Customers have a lot of choices from which they can choose their computer devices. The switching costs of customers are high and they have a lot of information available of other competitor products, but Apple computers have made their mark in all fields and they may not be facing high competition from the bargaining power of customers. The bargaining power of suppliers Apple computers although does not provide low quality products but still companies like IBM and Motorola may work intensively on every inch of computer production and therefore cause a threat from the bargaining power of suppliers. High switching costs are faced when Apple opts for changing suppliers. Generic business strategies The generic strategies from the Porter’s framework being practiced by Apple Computers are mostly the differentiation element and the focus element of the strategy framework. Apple computers imposes the differentiation strategy through their use friendly graphic interface and the integration of products and services is the main focus and target of Apple computers that makes them successful and is few of the sources that allow them to gain a competitive advantage. For having a stable focus, Apple computers segment their target market according to consumer characteristics so that consumers of their products are satisfied. HR policies of Apple Computers

Painting - George Washington Crossing the Delaware Essay

Painting - George Washington Crossing the Delaware - Essay Example The essay "Painting - George Washington Crossing the Delaware" focuses on the George Washington Crossing the Delaware, painted in 1851 by Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze. The obvious mismatch in dates between the creation of the painting and the actual crossing of the Delaware suggest that this was an event that was painted well after the fact – in fact, well after many of the recognizable men in the boat had been placed in their graves. Understanding a little about the history of the painting itself, along with the artist who painted it, helps to unravel some of the historical elements of the painting, both accurate and inaccurate. Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze was a German-born painter who spent much of his life hopping back and forth across the Atlantic. He was born in Wurttemberg, Germany in the spring of 1816 and was brought to America as a small boy. It is known that he was in America in 1825 but that by 1841 he was on his way back to Germany again to take a course in art at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (Bowman, 1995). From his earliest works, one can begin to see his fascination with historical subjects as his first work, purchased by the Dusseldorf Art Union, was entitled Columbus before the Council of Salamanca. According to John Bowman’s (1995) essay on the painter, Leutze determined to paint the image of one of the more decisive moments of the Revolutionary War as a means of supporting the various revolutionary movements that were then taking place in Europe at the time of the painting.

Chinese Men's Gymnastics Team Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Chinese Men's Gymnastics Team - Essay Example In this category, Chinese Men’s gymnastics team was the main highlight of the event with large cloud cheering for their favorites. Over the past world competitions especially in Olympic Games, the Chinese Men’s gymnastics team has always been a moving force in gymnastics category due to their stunning performances. The team great performance has been greatly influenced by its credible leaders and talented teamwork. From first team heads LI Ning and Li Xiaoshuang to team leader Xiaopeng and his counterpart Yang Wei, Chinese Men’s gymnastics team has produced commendable results scoping top positions and several medals in the events. For instance, in the Los Angles Olympics held in year 1984 the team was the second run-up by taking the silver medal. The team leaders were not happy with the silver medal owing to their dedication to teamwork as well as resources invented for their preparation. However, in the following Olympic Games that were held in Beijing, the Chi nese male Gymnastic team was regarded as the winning team due to their excellence show in the group stages. The team comprised of experienced team leaders as well as new freshmen who offered stunning performance and cooperation. ... This has been evidenced by stunning performance where the team won all the Gold medals in 2003, 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2012 respectively. As Anderson (58), suggest the Chinese Men gymnastics team is recognized as major highlight of any world championship events and hot gold medal favorite due to their strength. Team leadership In the Rotterdam, the Netherlands world championships, the Chinese men gymnastic team comprised of the following gold medal winners: Chen Yibing (ring champion), Teng Haibin (parallel bars vice champion), Yan Mingyong (Rings vice champion), Feng Zhe (parallel bars vice champion) and Zhang Chenglong (horizontal horse champion). Over the past world championships in Gymnastics, the experienced team members mentioned above have remained at the pinnacle of the gold medal team performances, though there are upcoming new members considering the 2012 London Olympics games. In this regard, the gold medal winning team in 2012 event in London team comprises of Feng Zhe, Guo Weiyang, Zou Kai pose, Chen Yibing and Zhang Chenglong respectively. In this list of gold medal winner’s championships, it is evidence that experienced team names remain in the team due to their leadership and team strengths. With the team having a poor position for 2012 London Olympic event, most people did not expect to see the team stunning performance. Many spectators would have wondered how the Chinese men gymnastic team, which was defending Olympic champion and world titleholder for decade, would lose its strengths. The team fans had booked their tickets in advance for the opening game schedule to cheer the squad. According to media release, the fans would be had shouting the name of the new team

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Marketing - Essay Example IMC is considered as a magical bullet that enhances greater efficiencies of a business because it is an effective technique of communicating business goals, vision and mission, brand messages and any important messages to its people, especially customers. This research paper addresses marketing theories and underlying principles regarding Integrated Marketing Communication and examines how these have been practiced by Fly Emirates Airlines. In detailing the IMC practices of Emirates Airlines, this piece of research attempts to find various advertising and promotional activities that Emirates Company adopted to examine how they are integrated. Integrated marketing Communication Integrated Marketing Communication is a marketing communication strategy that a company aligns its communication objectives with business goals in order to accelerate its returns (Schultz and Schultz 2004, p. 3). IMC is a strategic and management tool that can help a company achieve greater competitive advantag es and ensure long-term profitability. It is used to plan, design and establish well-organized and coordinated brand communication program with customers, shareholders, employees and other stakeholders to ensure effectiveness and consistency in messages to be delivered (Belch and Belch 2007, p. 11). As Pride and Ferrell (2007, p. 493) explained, Integrated marketing Communication is an effective coordination of promotion and other marketing efforts to ensure maximum informational and persuasive impact on customers. A marketer thus requires to develop and employ broad perspectives in coordinating this marketing efforts and mainly to ensure sending consistent messages to customers. Lamb, Hair and McDaniel 2008, p. 413) defined IMC as an effective coordination of all promotional messages, including traditional advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, event marketing and public relation for a particular company’s product or services, so as to ensure consistency in every me ssages that company delivers or meets its customers with. This definition highlights a number of significant features, they are, effective coordination among more than one communication tools, ensuring consistency in messages etc. Maintaining consistency in communicating brand messages is critical element to create and build brand loyalty. The IMC of Emirates Airlines Emirates Airlines is one of the world’s fastest growing Airline companies and recently ranked to be world’s second most profitable carrier, just behind Singapore Airlines. Even when international airline industry has been experiencing an accumulated losses of more than $6 billion, Emirates Airline was able to increase its returns by 48 % to $ 637 million. Emirates Airline is part of the state-owned Emirate Group which is a large and diversified travel umbrella group wholly owned by the Dubai State (Graham, Papatheodorou and Forsyth 2010, p. 157). Behind the success of Emirates Airlines was its advertising campaigns that not only gave it informative and persuasive advantages but also helped the company gain access to a large number of markets. Emirates Airline has attracted tourists, businessmen and investors to United Arab Emirates which in turn accelerated the economic development of the country as well. Emirates Airline has long been depending on various types of advertising modes and implementing different promotional techniques.

Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Business Strategy - Essay Example In the year, 2010 â€Å"Marks and Spencer plc† took the position of the largest cloth retailer in the United Kingdom. With 885 stores in over 40 countries with 600 stores being in the UK, the company boasted that for everyone on three women were wearing their bras. However, analysts were worried about the sustainability of the company in UK; retailing recovery. In the same year, a new CEO took over the running of the company he was faced with several issues that were associated with the reassessment of the company’s competitive strategy and the present challenges of strategic change. The choosing of 50-year-old Mark Bolland, who previously was the CEO of a UK supermarket chain, was greeted with a very positive response from the public, media and shareholders alike. The new CEO faced several challenges in his new position; he had to implement strategies, which would secure the future of the company that had the most famous name in the shopping malls. The company for long had been the largest retailer of clothes in the UK. This was an organization to which analysts referred to when they were reporting whether the high street has a good or a bad season of sales. An organization, which historically is loved and known by the people of Britain. At the end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010, investors were nervous. Below are several questions that were raised about the future of the firm that needed to be resolved (Bevan, 2007 p45). Analysis In the year 2009, the company delivered reasonable results in the 2008-09 financial, trade year. This was a period that was hit by the economic recession. In the previous year, the company had registered a ? 1 billion mark in the pre-tax profits for the first time in the decade. The company’s reputation had suffered a great deal when in 1998, it became the first retailer in Britain to make profits that amounted to ?1 billion, however, within the same year the company was issuing profit warnings. This was a self -inflicted catastrophic injury from its premium position. The company managed to limp through the period with the turbulent changes that were hitting it from all directions. With Sir Stuart’s appointment as the CEO of the company in the year 2004, saw the company regain its lost glory, and, as a result, regained its health and returned to the profit level of ?1 billion (Bevan, 2007 p57). When the company was founded and was still being rum by Simon Mark, he was known for his personal, autocratic and top-down management style. He was also known for his infamous attention that he had to detail. He showed this with the way that he dealt with the suppliers. He ensured that he always got his supplies from specific suppliers and always ensured that the goods that were supplied by these suppliers were to specification. By this, he built a relationship between â€Å"Marks and Spencer plc† and the supplying group. This assured customers with high and consistent quality. The com pany became largely successful in terms of delivery of high quality and reliable brand to the customers. By this, the company earned outstanding rewards in profit and market share (Bevan, 2007 p60). Historically the company was run using a trusted, tried and tested recipe; this is in the way the company did business (Bevan, 2007 p65). It was embedded in several fundamental principles that the company was run on: 1. The customers were to be offered high quality and well designed merchandise that was also

With reference to your own research, do you think that the ability of Assignment

With reference to your own research, do you think that the ability of a business to act successfully in a social responsibility manner is mainly determined by the products it produces - Assignment Example Introduction Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR for short is the ability of a business to manifest its truest basis to the public time and again. This means that its aim is to be truthful to all and sundry to create a positive mindset and image about the different product and service offerings under its organizational aegis. This paper will highlight the potential benefits of CSR which is in relation to the cost for businesses and stakeholders. It will also highlight how the CSR becomes a significant entity in relation to several other objectives of the organization. Then there will be some influences which determine the kind of responsibilities that are accepted by a business enterprise and the ones which are not while also highlighting some of the factors which discern the extent to which a business can be deemed as socially responsible. The value and the dire limitations towards businesses and stakeholders in the realms of social reporting will be discussed as will be the exte nt to which governments have a role in influencing the CSR. ... Hence in conjunction with what the businesses and stakeholders think and act, it is pertinent that the premise of CSR is given importance. How this happens is a difficult process though. These businesses and stakeholders need to find a way through which they can reach the minds of their consumers so that they can eventually bring about a sale or make use of their services. The bottom line however is an intention to bring about a sale. Even though this might not be said, the role of CSR is to build a positive word of mouth for the business regimes which will eventually set about a pragmatic feel for all and sundry related with the business. The stakeholders might find it difficult to understand the message that CSR is trying to send their way but in entirety it is being conveyed in one form or the other. Hence in relation to businesses and stakeholders, the role of CSR is of paramount significance because it communicates a message like none other. The need is to realize how CSR is wor king to its full capacity and allow it to propagate a message which is for the overall betterment of the organization, a case in point being Nike where CSR is always seen imperatively. Similarly, CSR for the sake of Apple helps it to establish its basis within markets where Nokia and Samsung are in common use as far as mobile phones are related. The question that remains here is whether or not both Nike and Apple are doing all that they can to bring about something further in the name of CSR than merely producing goods and products (Petersen, 2012). Importance of CSR Relative to Other Corporate Objectives Since corporate objectives of every business are different, the role of CSR also takes a

English - Drama and Farce - The bear Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

English - Drama and Farce - The bear - Essay Example Popov in a funny way, who appears to be mourning the death of his husband died some seven months back. The play concentrates upon one of the protagonists Luka, who is the footman of Mrs. Popov, a silly and idiot old person that maintains the habit of giving vent to his ideas without making any analyses of the remarks he is going to deliver. Since he has been serving Mrs. Popov, Luka also feels sorry for the death of her husband. Consequently, he tries to console his crying mistress in such a stupid manner that looks irksome to her, and invites the laughter of the audience subsequently. Mrs. Popov recalls the sweet memories of the moments she had spent with her deceased husband, while Luka interrupts her by stating that since other members of the house, including servants and animals, have overcome their grief, she should also imitate them and hence should participate in other activities of everyday life. Moreover, instead of sharing the grief-stricken lady, Luka laments on the loss o f his uniform eaten by the mice. He blames the army for this act of the mice, which could not control their mischief altogether. Another character, Mr. Smirnov, is also dealt by Luka in the same manner, which invites his anger to a great extent. Additionally, the expressions of love and affection demonstrated by the old Smirnov also disturb Mrs. Popov, and she looks for the expulsion of the rich stupid fellow in one way or the other. The play contains some elements of a farce in it, where just like farce, the play under study also creates humor out of both dialogue and actions. Both Luka and Smirnov perform acts in a foolish and brainless way, and support their idiocy with the help of absurd dialogues, meant to console Mrs. Popov, though these acts and words infuriate and agitate her to a great extent. Another characteristic of farce observed by the Bear is this that the characters pretend to be very wise and

How to be a Good Parent Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

How to be a Good Parent - Research Paper Example I have written the research paper by using qualitative research method. Qualitative research method consists of observation, questioning and reading of books and different sources. For the research paper, I have read many books, articles and authentic websites for the collection of data. While collection of data, I come to know many facts about the children behaviors and attitude. Raising a child is a tricky exercise and arguably, one of the hardest undertakings one must go through. To be a parent is difficult because parents have many duties and responsibilities that have to be fulfilled. If parent fulfill their duties and responsibilities, children can easily tackle with all types of problems of life in a better way. Children do not come with "How to" instructions nor is there a manual to read. You are literally flying by the seat of your pants learning as you go. There are several techniques through which parents can easily understand the children behavior and attitudes. Parents s hould interact with their children to know their behaviors and attitudes in a better way. Because according to physiologists when we interact with our children, we teach them behaviors (Fontenelle, 2001). Parents should be more conscious while interacting with their children, neighbors and any other person, because children learn behaviors from their parents. It means behaviors of parents matter a lot for their children growth and development. Firstly if you find any problem in your children attitude, then you have to make a list of behaviors that you want to change in your children. After then parents have to focus on the reasons and after then try to solve the reason. Despite the difficulty, each parent understands that qualifying as a good parent are classified as the most fulfilling undertaking once can realize (Young & Philpott, 2009). The natural instinct that accompanies an individual newly classified as a parent helps overcome the many challenges that come together with the development. For being the good parental attitude, you have not been a lenient. Lenient parental attitude does not bring strong personalities. To be a consistent parent leads to be a good parental attitude (Kerr & Stattin, 2000). Make the schedule of the children for example in which they have to eat, sleep, play, watching television and completing their homework. In that way, children learn to be complete their tasks in time and how they can mange their routine work. From the research, it is cleared that children who use to done their works on a certain times, such as playing eating, completing homework be a better children and have a more courage to tackle with the problems of life effectively. Though there are different understandings, it is believed that generalization in coming up with the definition has occurred in the American Society (Steinberg, 2004). Parent should set rules for their children development such as children have to come home in time, completing their tasks an d lunch etc. In that way, children become responsible and their performance become better as compared to other children who do not follow rules (Fontenelle, 2001). Through this research, I have seen same behaviors between children of between 2 to 16 years old children in America. For example, children like to eat fast food at any time. Good parents should make a diet chart of the chart so that they

Commentary on Transcendentalism Throughout Moby Dick Essay Example for Free

Commentary on Transcendentalism Throughout Moby Dick Essay It is quite possible that nothing runs deeper through the veins of Herman Melville than his disdain for anything transcendental. Melville’s belittling of the entire transcendentalist movement is far from sparsely demonstrated throughout the pages of Moby-Dick, in which he strategically points out the intrinsic existence of evil, the asperity of nature and the wrath of the almighty God. To Melville, transcendentalists became a â€Å"guild of self-impostors, with a preposterous rabble of Muggletonian Scots and Yankees, whose vile brogue still the more bestreaks the stripedness of their Greek or German Neoplatonic originals† (â€Å"Herman Melville† 2350). Transcendentalists went beyond denying the doleful possibilities of human error and suffering, and it is this ignorant altruism of transcendentalism in its looser grasps which prompted Melville’s scorn. Within the Emersonian school of thought lies the belief that â€Å"[the] ruin or the blank that we see when we look at nature, is in our own eye† (Emerson et al. 81) and that â€Å"the evils of the world are such only to the evil eye† (Emerson et al. 174). Melville, however, believes that on our planet lies an inherent evil, going as far as to say, â€Å"A perfectly good beingwould see no evil. But what did Christ see? He saw what made him weep† (Thompson 2350), pointing out that not only does evil exist, but it exists within Christ, the ultimate symbol of good. Moby Dick, the white whale itself, is the prosopopeia of evil and malevolence in the universe. All that most maddens and torments; all that stirs up the lees of things; all truth with malice in it; all that cracks the sinews and cakes the brain; all the subtle demonisms of life and thought; all evil, to crazy Ahab, were visibly personified, and made practically assailable in Moby Dick. (Melville 154) Moby Dick is also a depiction of Leviathan, Job’s whale created by God as a malicious symbol of God; Ahab â€Å" sees in Him outrageous strength, with an inscrutable malice sinewing it† (Melville 138), and if God is a representation of the spirit of the world, then within the world must exist â€Å"an inscrutable malice. † Transcendentalists made nature out to be this wondrous, awe-inspiring creation of God whichseeing as he believed God to be more evil than goodis an idea Melville blatantly rejects as a fallacy. Where Emerson says, â€Å" Nature satisfies by its loveliness, and without any mixture of corporeal benefit† (Emerson et al. 107), Melville says, all other earthly huesevery stately or lovely emblazoningthe sweet tinges of sunset skies and woods; yea, and the gilded velvets of butterflies, and the butterfly cheeks of young girls; all these are but the subtle deceits, not actually inherent in substances, but laid on from without; so that all deified Nature absolutely paints like the harlot, whose allurements cover nothing but the charnel-house within. (Melville 164) When sent out to sea, the Pequod and its crew were faced by the nature of which Melville speaksa nature that, at times, seems to â€Å"gild the surface of the water with enchantment, and causes even the wary hunter to have a land-like feeling toward the sea† (â€Å"Herman Melville† 2351), but is actually veils behind which God hides and constantly threatens to unleash his ambiguous animosity. It is the whale, a product of God and nature, that has reaped the leg of Ahab, that lashes out with the force of a thousand men. It is the beguiling call of nature that lulls the absent minded youth into an opium-like reverie by the blending cadence of waves with thoughts until he loses his identity and takes it upon himself to take the ocean at his feet for the deep, blue bottom that pervades mankind (Melville 134-135); calms are crossed by storms, a storm for every calm. Furthermore, Melville ridicules the transcendentalists for their blindness to the rest of the world. The transcendentalists saw only the world through the â€Å"dimensions of a sturdy window in Concord† (â€Å"Herman Melville† 2394). Melville could depict the true attributes of nature in a more scrupulous manner, for he had left his home in New England and sailed around the world. When Emerson claimed that the poet â€Å"disposes very easily of the most disagreeable facts,† it prompted Melville to respond, â€Å"So it would seem. In this sense, Mr. E is a great poet† (Thompson 443). Though a seemingly of a seemingly different nature, passions, desires, appetites, and senses of the flesh are a part of nature nonetheless: they are instincts, a natural part behind the drive of man. â€Å" [All] deep, earnest thinking [that] is but the intrepid effort of the soul to keep the open independence of her sea; while the wildest winds of heaven and earth conspire to cast her upon the slavish shore† (Melville 95). It is this natural drive that keeps man from falling under the spiritual drive, this tyrannous and brutal enslavement of this wrathful God, for â€Å"natural or carnal men are without God in the world† (Alma 41:11). It seems as though Melville has an everlasting quarrel with God. Throughout Ahab’s quest for the white whale, Melville has shown his own personal independence from the authoritarianism of Christian dogma. It is apparent that religious conventionalism was Melville’s favourite target for satire, but largely because he saw himself in competition with it. His own genius was deeply religious and the Bible seemed to serve the deepest purpose in Moby-Dick. Melville was caught in a vicious battle that he created and could not win. He started by loving God, then moved to hating God, progressed into a complete detachment from Godfeeling neither love nor hate. He grew to hate his detachment and decided that God might indeed be lovable, and so the vicious cycle repeats (Thompson 148-149). Thompson concludes, â€Å"The underlying theme in Moby-Dick correlates the notions thatGod in his infinite malice asserts a sovereign tyranny over man and that most men are seduced into the mistaken view that this divine tyranny is benevolent and therefore acceptable† (242). Melville agreed with the transcendentalists that the spirit is substance, but he began to diverge from the transcendental conclusion that its effect on man was benevolent. Moby-Dick tells not only the story of the ventures of the Pequod and its crew, but also of Melville himself. It captures all of Melville’s personal contempt toward the entire transcendentalist movement, and demonstrates his realistic recognition of evil through the symbolism of the whale, his struggle with religion through the use of ontological heroics, and his less-than-altruistic ideas of nature through the use of sheer logic. It is the perfect emblem for his gratitude for rationalism and respect for realism. â€Å"Oh, the rare old Whale, mid storm and gale In his ocean home will be A giant in might, where might is right, And King of the Boundless sea. † WHALE SONG Works Cited. Emerson, Ralph Waldo, Atkinson Brojoks, Edward Waldo Emerson. The Essential Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson. New York: Random House Digital, Inc. , 2000. Print. â€Å"Herman Melville. † World Literature Criticism. 1st ed. 1992. Print. Melville, Herman. Moby-Dick. Mineola: Dover Publications, Inc. , 2003. Print. Myerson, Joel, Sandra Harbert Petrulionis, and Laura Dassow Walls. The Oxford Handbook of Transcendentalism. New York: Oxford University Press, 2012. Print. The King James Bible. Susan Jones. New York: Doubleday, 1985. Print. Thompson, Lawrence. Melville’s Quarrel With God. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1952. Print.

Strategic Position Of The Google Corporation Commerce Essay

Strategic Position Of The Google Corporation Commerce Essay This individual case study analyzes the strategic position of the Google corporation in its market and references some of the competitive forces as described by Michael Porter (1980). The analyses will also include some of the axioms from Sun Tzu and the art of business by Mark McNeilly (1996). Bernard Girards book on The Google Way (2009) was used primarily for this case study. Investor relation websites along with internet articles supplemented the review of Google and to present financial numbers for market comparison. Google is arguably one of the most innovative and interesting companies today in their industry. Their beginning can be seen as the classic Silicon Valley company formation. Two friends from Stanford University, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, had a vision to make an impact on the information technology industry. To be more specific their mission was to organize the worlds information and make it universally accessible and useful  [1]  (Girard, 2009). But Google is anything but the typical company in reference to their strategies for going public and how the organization operates. The mid to late 1990s the computing technology world was racing towards advancements and the founders of Google took advantage of this. Prior to this date, computer technology was more expensive for less in relation to storage, components, processing, and performance. Computers and the internet were still limited to a narrow group of people which included universities, government and researchers, along with only a small population fortunate enough to afford this technology. The mid 1990s experienced more rapid advancement in information technology including the World Wide Web, faster processors, upgraded memory, accelerated graphics cards, more storage, and user friendly operating systems (Windows). That affect made personal computing a household name. A large factor in this was price per technology. As Bernard Girard (2009) points out, Asia was emerging as technology manufacturers at the same time advancements in computer components were maturing, yielding lower prices for computing technology. The phenomenon allowed the Google founders to capitalize on the market conditions which were favorable to them as it applied to building the computing power they needed to accomplish what they set out to achieve. Not only were they becoming the new entrant  [2]  into the information technology industry, but the competitive force principle that Michael Porter (1980) describes that gave Google favor in the market from their start was the bargaining power of suppliers  [3]  (Porter, 1980). To create their massive database and sophisticated algorithms based on artificial intelligence (AI), they would need talented programming people as well as the highest technological computer components which there were plenty of, limiting the bargaining power of the suppliers. There was also no shortage of venture capitalists at that time willing to invest in the next Silicon Valley start up. According to Entreprenuer.com in a 2007 study of the top one hundred venture capital firms in the United States, found that approximately half of them were located in California (Girard, 2009). This made it easier for Google to obtain the capital necessary for their ideas from the financial perspective. Public Offering When it came time to open Google up to Wall Street in 2004, founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin along with new their new partner Eric Schmidt made a tactical move to improve their companys position  [4]  at its initial public offering (IPO). Analyzing the methods of an IPO, they decided to use the OpenIPO in lieu of the standard public offering. As Girard (2009) explains, the OpenIPO resembles the Dutch auction where the seller sets a bid price and the number of shares, and allows the investors to bid what they think is the fair price. In the end, all winning bids will pay the exact same price regardless if some of the bids were higher, which is in contrast of the typical Wall Street IPO which allows investment bankers to manipulate the system in their favor. The OpenIPO strategy gave Google the credibility, confidence, and favorable public opinion from the start. Market and Financial Position Google was not formed yet when the World Wide Web took off in the mid 1990s. The internet search market was shared by Magellan, InfoSeek, AltaVista, Yahoo, Inktomi and Northern Light (Web Search Engine, n.d.). Although Google formed in 1998, its search engine (and main component) started to gain market share in the year 2000  [5]  through its unique technology and basic home page design. In 2002 Google was ahead of both Yahoo and MSN by a half of a percent to a percent in the market (29.2%6). By May 2003, Google had fifty-five percent (55.2%  [6]  ) of the global search engine market share with Yahoo at a distance second (21.7%6). As recent as March 2011, Googles claim on the search engine market is nearly two-thirds even though Microsoft has been gaining as of lately mostly due to its Bing search engine and Yahoo which is included in the Microsoft statistics from their partnering (Parr, 2011). Googles financial position is very strong. In terms of revenue, the company grew from eighty-six million in 2001 to over twenty-nine billion dollars reported (unaudited) in 2010  [7]  (Google investor relations, n.d.). Google has managed to increase their revenues every year within that time and the majority of that comes through advertising. For example in 2010, twenty-eight of the twenty-nine billion dollars were logged in under total advertising revenues7. Many dot com (.com) companies did not last in the market and faded after the early 2000s, and if they did, struggled thereafter. Google however has proven to be a profitable company. In 2001 their net income was just under seven million dollars while earning four cents per share outstanding  [8]  (Google investor relations, n.d.). They have since grown to a net income of eight and a half billion dollars and impressive earnings per share of twenty-six dollars8 (Google investor relations, n.d.). Though competition in the technology world is fierce, Googles financial figures still far outweigh its two closest competitors in the information technology web services industry, Yahoo and Chinas Baidu. To date Googles total revenues are greater than Yahoo and Baidu by twenty-three and twenty-eight billion dollars respectively  [9]  . Research and Development A large factor in the success of Google comes from its commitment to research and development. Google spent over three billion dollars ($3.7 bil) towards research and development8 (Google investor relations, n.d.) . Compare that to Yahoo, according to their investor relations site, who report just over a billion dollars in 2010 for product development (up from only two hundred million in 2009), and Baidu who only allocated just over seven hundred million towards research and development9. One of Googles policies in human resource management is not only to acquire who they think is of great innovative talent, but to allow them some space to be creative. This is what is known as the twenty percent rule (Girard, 2009). Google is so committed to research that they allow their people to have twenty percent of their time to work on research and not be devoted full time on specific projects. This is not a typical policy in most organizations. The Sun Tzu and the art of business axiom that applies to Googles theory towards innovation is Deception and Foreknowledge, Maximizing the Power of Market Information.  [10]  (McNeilly, 1996). The principle refers to staying connected to what your competition is involved in to be able to better respond to what your market is dictating at the time. If ignorant of the conditions of mountains, forests, dangerous defiles, swamps and marshes he cannot conduct the march of an army.  [11]  (McNeilly, 1996) This is especially important in information technology because it is more dynamic than most other industries. As Bernard Girard (2009) points out what sets Google apart from the typical company when it comes to the attitude towards development, is that it stays connected to the world around them for ideas that can be placed into motion. One of the policies pertaining to this is the building of networks in their Silicon Valley area to listen to what other companies are doing and what may be the next start up new entrant on the horizon (Girard, 2009). They also encourage their employees to stay connected to their alma maters and other university students to stay in touch on new ideas in the market. Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths Google is a large corporation whose strength relies on its current technology and innovation. They have dynamic leadership in founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who have the vision and the means to put it forward as they have demonstrated from its inception in 1998. An obvious strength is their current financial position. They are in good position monetarily to invest in new technologies and combat legalities and new services. As stated in the previous section, most of their revenues are generated through advertising. What set Google apart from the competition when it launched its search engine was the model they incorporated. It is known as the cost-per-click strategy which was a system that allowed advertisers to pay what they thought their ads were worth which mathematically was translated in search rankings (Girard, 2009). Google gave advertisers a visual way of tracking the effectiveness of their marketing dollars. This was a breakthrough because before Googles method, it was difficult for companies to track their marketing efforts whether it was on the web, or even in other media outlets such as print and television. In an indirect way, Google became a substitute product or service  [12]  , referring to Porters force driving industry competition, in relation to advertising venues besides the internet. Google offered companies a more fair way to judge what they thought they should price their advertisements as well as the ability to view their effectiveness. For marketers, this information can be priceless and a better opportunity than blind ads. Another one of Googles strength is its algorithm that runs its page ranking search engine. It is different from the typical methods of other engines because its objective is to rank pages not only by its word content but also uses artificial intelligence for relevance. Their search engine algorithm approach can be viewed as avoiding strength and attacking weakness  [13]  . Instead of following methods and theories of the status quo web engines, they developed a unique system that has revolutionized internet searching today. Weakness It is hard to fathom weakness in a company of this magnitude, but no organization is without them. The obvious is the possible loss of key members which can include anyone from the executive management team to its software engineers. The information technology market is very competitive because it relies heavily on scientific and mathematical talent that is not easy to come by if you measure it against all disciplines overall. Key production employees may opt to leave to other organizations for better offers or start up their own technology company. Googles enormous growth could possibly be a weakness. With that in mind other companies that are competing to regain a part of that large share that Google currently owns. An example is Microsofts Bing Maps feature birdseye view which is direct competition with Google Earth for usage as it refers to the threat of new products and services from competitors. They will also have to combat new companies that will enter the information technology arena looking to capitalize on the rewards Google has discovered. One such company that has developed a new computational knowledge search based on natural language and new algorithms is Wolfram|Alpha, the very company that produced the software Mathematica (About Wolfram|Alpha, 2011). Such a company could prove to be the direct competition for Googles search engine market because of its ability to match the sophistication of the algorithms that drive both organizations search engines. Technological Position Google puts stock in innovation. As mentioned, they encourage collaboration and creativity. This is evident from the technology they are able to house. According to author Bernard Girard (2009), Googles data house, which is built on a very powerful software platform, may consist of approximately four hundred and fifty thousand (450,000) microcomputers. There in house intranet known as Moma, is extremely powerful and acts as their enterprise wide application which reveals numerous statistics about their operations as well as an open view of all of their research and development. Googles technological arsenal is stocked well enough to compete against rival companies. Advancements and Emerging Markets Some of Googles advancements in the market include their web browser Chrome, which is one of the fastest, the popular Android mobile operating system, and their Gmail service. The Gmail service has emerged as of the more popular email systems today that offer an extraordinary amount of free space. They accomplished this through by leveraging their cloud technology which is also emerging today. They also plan to offer almost all personal and workstation computing applications through the cloud technology which would directly compete against Microsoft. One example is the current research and development of the Google Chrome OS (operating system) which is intended to run exclusively on computers specifically manufactured from Googles partners (Google Chrome OS, n.d.). Google has even partnered with the company GeoEye to launch a satellite for higher quality imagery for their Google Earth service in 2008 (Google. n.d.). They have also entered the renewable-energy market with their subsidiary, Google Energy, and invested in a wind project in the state of North Dakota (Google. n.d.). Another market that Google is experimenting with advantageously is the broadband service. They have an agreement to install the Google fiber optic system which will offer broadband at ultra high speeds upward towards one hundred times faster than normal broadband according to Google. They are also beta testing a free home wireless service under the name Google TiSP. International Policy One of the negatives that always need to be dealt with in reference to large corporations is its position in the international community. Antitrust laws can be used to limit the power one company may have. Googles already has had a negative experience abroad in relation to China. According to contributor Steven Levy (2011), Google had a rough relationship with China due to the countrys censorship policies which were contrary to Googles views and style. Googles service was also different over there because it had to adapt to the possibility of turning over data to the Chinese government, something they wanted to avoid. As Levy (2011) explains it got so bad that even Googles policy for their employees to take twenty percent of their time towards independent ventures was not well received in Chinas culture. This is an example of not only are there different and possible unique laws a corporation may have to abide by, but also a different lifestyle and culture may hinder how a company ma y run its operations. Evaluation Answering the question about how Google can improve market share is a difficult one. Google is basically competing against itself in its own industry. This is why they expand in all directions to gain share and enter other markets. Their market share can improve greatly with the success of their ultra high speed broadband service experiment. Ultra high speed connection for everyone, even in outlying rural areas is the future. Google has the technology, resources and ability to deliver this. Another possible market Google would have the capability to enter is the smart appliance industry. This emerging technology uses programmable features in appliances that would allow control for household energy usage. The industry is still new, but a company such as Google could make an impact because of its software programming talent, internet dominance, and its new broadband technology. Googles management is very progressive. According to Girard (2009) they took liberties to install a collaborative environment to be able to connect its employees to each other as well as to the outside world (universities, other companies) to better react to the changes in demand from customers and emerging technologies. For example users were becoming more frustrated with internet explorer in the late 1990 and early 2000s. Google responded with the Chrome web browser to take market share. When email services were cheap on storage, they answered with Gmail. Now the public has been demanding more speed for the rich applications across the internet and Google is responding with an ultra high speed service. A couple of laws that Google needs to stay on top of are privacy laws and antitrust laws. One law in particular, The Patriot Act, may impact Google in a negative way because there are laws that all companies have to abide by, which may mean handing over of information when requested. This could have effect on usage and market share due to how the public may perceive the giant corporation. Antitrust laws can affect Google because of its growth and size. Google has a history of buying companies to acquire different technologies which included KeyHole, DoubleClick, Aardvark, and YouTube to name a few (Google. n.d.). Laws that prohibit monopolies may impede Googles quest to grow further in certain markets. Conclusion One would have to ask the question, will Google be able to sustain its own growth? Information technology is a broad field that covers many aspects of the industry. Googles corporate strategy judging by the amount of services it offers and the ones it is trying to breakthrough makes it an aggressive company that likes to stay on top of innovation and market share. Growing too fast can be an achilles heel at some point, because a company can end up spreading itself too far while ignoring advancements and changes it might need for its main services.

Relationship Between The Income Inequality And Development Economics Essay

Relationship Between The Income Inequality And Development Economics Essay Income inequality within the majority of developing countries has been rising in some cases, sharply over the years. Various studies such as; (Cornia 2004, Birdsall 2005, Van der Hoeven 2008) concluded that the last two decades have witnessed a widespread and symmetric rise in within-country inequality in developing countries. This persistence rise in income inequality in many developing economies has made it difficult to reduce poverty and promote economic development. There is a growing consensus that excessive inequality can stunt growth itself (Birdsall 2005). The effects are not only economic; there are also political and social consequences of income inequality. Alesina and Peroti (1996) found that high income inequality can also have undesirable political and social consequences. Where the institutions of government are weak, inequality exacerbates the problem of creating and maintaining accountable government, increasing the probability of economic and social policies that i nhibit growth, and poverty reduction and where social institutions are fragile, inequality further discourages the civic and social life that undergirds collective decision-making which is necessary to the functioning of healthy societies (Birdsall 2005). Put differently, high inequality is associated with higher crime rates, lower life expectancy and conflicts. Also According to Alexis de Tocqueville ([1835-40] 1961, 302), Almost all of the revolutions which have changed the aspect of nations have been made to consolidate or to destroy social inequality. Making generalizations about the causes of income inequality in developing countries must be done with care. The situation in each nation depends on country-specific circumstances and policy mixes. Yet, it is clear that there are some common factors behind the widespread surges in income inequality around the world. It has been noted that a worsening situation in the traditional causes of inequality such as land concentration, urban bias and inequality in education has not caused the recent increases in inequality in developing countries, although these factors still do explain most of the variation in cross-country inequality (Cornia 1994). Rather, the evidence points to new causes associated with neo-liberal policy reforms that have increasingly been adopted in transitional and developing countries (Cornia and Court 2001, Birdsall 2005, Van der Hoeven 2008, UNRISD 2010). The most important of such policy reforms are macro-economic reforms including, inter alia, financial and labour market liberalization, privatization, and reforms in the tax and transfer systems. Despite the numerous studies on income inequality, the extent to which it affects development hasnt yet been fully explored. Uganda among other developing countries has been experiencing a gradual and sustained economic growth and poverty reduction over the years. Currently the country is growing at a rate of 6.4% (CIA 2011). The benefits of growth, however, are not being distributed equally. In all regions of the country, income and consumption are growing at a slower rate in rural areas than in their urban counterparts (Ssewanyana N. S. et al, 2009). Moreover, both rural and urban areas are experiencing growing inequality between the top and bottom income quintiles (Appleton Ssewanyana, 2003). According to Valentine (1993), inequality increases as the incomes of the asset-rich rise at a faster rate than those of the asset-poor. Some policies such as privatisation and financial liberalization may contribute to concentrate the ownership of resources among the few hence affecting the distribution of present and future income which then might affect the development of a country. This study therefore will seek to analyse the causes of income inequality and establish its effects on development. Trends in income inequality in Uganda will also be analysed to establish clearly how its increase or decrease has affected the level of the countrys development. This study will also explore the consequences of income inequality to Uganda. Empirical studies, such as Appleton (2001), and Appleton Ssewanyana (2003), provide limited policy guidance on how to address the inequality problem in Uganda. The thesis will also look at policy options to curb the rising income inequality levels in Uganda hence fostering development. Statement of the Problem In order for Uganda whose economy is experiencing economic growth, to continue on a straight and consistent development path, one of the issues that have to be taken into great consideration is the growing disparity in income distribution. Currently the country is experiencing a high level of income inequality with most of the income being concentrated in the hands of the few. If this state of income inequality continues, the development of the country will be greatly affected. Also this disparity in income could lead to social injustices which would have greater consequences on the economy. Research Questions What are the major causes of income inequality in Uganda? Is there a relationship between income inequality and development? What consequences does income inequality pose to Uganda? Scope The study will look at how income has been distributed in Uganda over the years and the countrys level of development in the same years. It will also look at levels of poverty and GDP as a measure of development. Human development will also be taken into consideration while comparing income distribution and improvements in human development of the country. Methodology The study will be based purely on secondary data. It will review journals and books on theories regarding income inequality and development. Statistics from international organisations and Government of Ugandas websites will also be reviewed as part of the study. A comparative analysis of income distribution and Ugandas economic development will be done to assess the relationship between the two variables. Causes of Income Inequality This section looks at the causes of income inequality in Uganda. As highlighted in the introduction section, the rate of income inequality in Uganda has been fluctuating over the years although in an increasing manner. According to the World Bank Gini Index (2011), Ugandas Gini Coefficient was at 44 as of 2009 and rose slightly to 44.3 as of 2011 indicating a rise in income inequality. There is a huge disparity in income distribution in Uganda with a few individuals holding much of the countrys income. The table below shows that as of 2009, 20% of Ugandas population received half of the countrys income indicating a huge disparity in income distribution. Therefore what could be the explanation of the rising income inequality? In response to this question, I discuss the possible causes of income inequality and how they relate to Ugandas case. Table 1: Ugandas income distribution for the years 2006 and 2009 Indicator 2009 2006 Income share held by fourth 20% 20 20.7 Income share held by highest 10% 36.1 34.1 Income share held by highest 20% 50.7 49.3 Income share held by lowest 10% 2.35 2.59 Income share held by lowest 20% 5.84 6.08 Income share held by second 20% 9.64 9.78 Income share held by third 20% 13.8 14.1 Source: World Bank Database Over the years, economists and social scientists have been discussing factors that are responsible for the rising incoming inequality both in developing and developed countries. Some of the identified causes are specific to developing countries and have been discussed from various dimensions. These dimensions range from social, economic to the political causes of income inequality. One of the factors which is familiar with developing and less developed countries and has been associated with rising income inequality is the issue of foreign aid. Developing and less developed countries have been receiving aid since attaining independence yet the question of aid effectiveness is still highly contestable with some studies suggesting that aid hasnt done much to improve the living standards in such countries. Several studies have been conducted to ascertain the association between foreign aid and income inequality. Some studies such as (Herzer and Nunnenkamp, 2012; Alesina and Dollar, 2000) showed that foreign aid contributes to income inequality. However the extent of foreign aids effect on income inequality hasnt been conclusive yet. Donor countries and organisation have been donating large sums of money to developing countries as aid, one of such countries is Uganda, whose ODA (Official Development Assistance) had reached 1.8 billion in 2010 according to Global Hum anitarian Assistance. Despite this figure having risen over the years, some funds which are aimed at improving the well being of the poor actually end up in the hands of a few individuals hence exacerbating the widening income gap in the country. Foreign aid may lead to income inequality through various mechanisms all of which point in the direction of aid money flowing to a particular group of people in a society. Layton and Nielson (2009) in their study titled Aiding Inequality: The Effect of Foreign Aid on Income Inequality, which included Uganda showed that foreign aid has contributed to increases in income inequality in the developing world. In their analysis (although inconclusive), they found that the effect of foreign aid on income inequality is somewhere between zero and weakly positive. They also found that an increase in aid of 10% would increase inequality by 2.5 points which according to them, is substantially significant given the slow moving nature of income inequality. Their study also showed that foreign aid has an impact on income distribution with it favouring mostly rich individuals. Layton and Nielson identified politics as one of the channels through which foreign aid benefits the rich. This finding is s upported by Boone (1996) who stated that all political systems favour a high-income political elite when it comes to income distribution. In most cases this distribution of income is in favour of private and selfish interests of their supporters who are more likely to be societys wealthy and prominent individuals. The assumption here is that these individuals will enable them win subsequent elections in office and also contribute to their campaigns. This creates a widening gap in income inequality with the majority of the population who are poor and supposed to benefit from the aid money usually remaining poor while a few individuals income increasing. With the increase in income, the rich are able to invest and amass more wealth which can lead to a decade of income inequality unless the government embarks on re-distributive policies. Ethnic diversity has also been seen as having a linkage with income inequality. According to Meisenberg (2007), ethnic diversity at certain levels leads to large discrepancies in income distribution. In countries whose ethnicity is diverse such as Uganda, political leaders from a particular ethnic group might favour individuals from such groups both in terms of resource allocations and distribution of opportunities. Such is common in African countries especially those that are undemocratic where political leaders tend to divert funds meant for public services to such individuals. Diversion of funds causes a discrepancy in income distribution since one group is preferred over others hence exposing that group to opportunities such as better jobs and government contracts which allows them to have a higher level of income. Also an interplay between ethnic diversity, politics and institutions contribute to a rise in income inequality Similarly, Milanovic (2003) whose focus was on the political-economy side of the story found that ethnic diversity contributes to income inequality. He found that inequality in African countries is high especially in those countries whose ethnic diversity is high. He added that inequality in such countries is even higher if such countries are undemocratic (This is consistent with Mickiewicz and Gerry (2008) who also discovered that countries introducing sustainable democratic institutions early are characterised by lower inequality), and poor. Millanovic also considers the interplay of ethnic fragmentation, low per capita income and lack of democratic pluralism to be an important determinant of income inequality in Africa. Given the status of developing countries whose ethnicity is diverse and at the same time being recipients of foreign aid, diversion of aid to a particular ethnicity is likely to be much higher. This is likely to contribute to higher income discrepancies especially since the political leaders might divert most of this money to individuals from their ethnicity. Apart from distributing money to people from a particular ethnicity, they will also use the money to directly improve infrastructure in the areas where members of their ethnic group reside. This will ensure that individuals from such areas have better access to certain services, such as; education and health services including better paying jobs; which can guarantee an increase in their income. With only a section of the society being exposed to better services and facilities, the income gap is bound to widen. Another factor which has been cited as a cause of income inequality is Corruption. This is a channel, through which public funds get diverted for private interests. With public funds being siphoned by certain individuals, a country is bound to have a few wealthy individuals while the majority of the population remain poor hence a wide income gap. According to an IMF working paper (May 1998) titled Does Corruption affect Income Inequality and Poverty?, high and rising corruption increases income inequality and poverty by reducing economic growth, the progressivity of the tax system, the level and effectiveness of social spending, and the formation of human capital, and by perpetuating an unequal distribution of asset ownership and unequal access to education. The World of Work report (2008) also suggested a positive relationship between inequality and corruption. According to the First Annual Report on Corruption in Uganda (2010) by the Inspectorate General of Government, corruption remains a hindrance to development and a barrier to poverty reduction in Uganda. The World Bank estimates show that Uganda loses $300 million (Ugx 500 billion) annually to corruption. Likewise, the 2011 Transparency International Perception Index gives Uganda a decimal score of 2.4 on scale of 10, placing it as the 143rd  out of the worlds 183 countries. Currently with the discovery of oil and the prospects of oil revenue in the relatively near future, Uganda is bound to face major challenges with regards to corruption. With evidence showing that corruption accelerates income inequality, then the income gap in Uganda is also bound to widen. Education levels in a country also have an effect on how income is distributed; with those individuals whose level of education is low getting less income compared to their highly educated counterparts. In an economy characterised by globalisation and demand for skilled labour, the less educated tend to receive little pay compared to the highly educated; this exerts income in-equalizing effects. A study by Gregorio and Lee (2002) supports this argument. They found that the level of education of the population in a country has an effect on income distribution. Their study also found that equal distribution of education and higher attainment of education; both have equalizing effects on income distribution. Education levels in Uganda are also unevenly distributed. According to Mugendawala (2012), the Ugandan education system still manifests inequities based on sex, location and income quintile. He further mentioned that the inequities also explain the income gaps in Uganda. The difference in education attainment is also an explanation for the variation in income distribution and inequality levels between urban and rural areas in the country. Mugendawala found that education disparities between rural and urban areas also caused income disparities between the two. Also in terms of socio-economic classes, he found that there is more inequality amongst the poor while more equality prevails among the rich. This could be due to the ability of the rich to afford better education services for their children unlike the poor who are in rural areas with access to free government education whose quality is questionable. With this disparity in access to education, a vicious cycle might be created wh ere the poor remain less educated hence receiving little income while the rich attaining higher education and eventually accessing well paying jobs. This disparity will most likely maintain or accelerate the disparity in incomes over time. Other studies which share the above argument include; Odedokun and Round (2001) who found that a high level of illiteracy (and, hence, low level of skilled workers) exerts in-equalizing effects. Also Ssewanyana et al. (2004) showed that education is as a key factor in explaining most of the observed variations in income in Uganda. In this case, education was seen as a means through which policies that seek to make education accessible could lead to a reduction in income inequality over time. Mickiewicz and Gerry (2008) found that education fosters equality. Other scholars who found that education has income equalizing effects over time included (Morely, 1995; Alderson and Nielsen, 1995; Lee, 2005). According to these studies, the equalizing effect occurs because education allows the poor to escape poverty and enter into jobs that pay better wages. A number of economic factors have also been found to contribute to income disparities; one of such factors is globalisation. Globalisation through a number of variables has also been identified as a determinant of income inequality. Some studies which particularly looked at the effects of trade liberalisation on inequality showed that it might have an income gap widening effect. Meschi and Vivarelli (2009) found total aggregate trade flows to be weakly related to income inequality. However, once total trade flows were disaggregated according to their areas of origin/destination, they found that trade with high income countries worsens income distribution in developing countries, both through imports and exports. Still with regards to trade, Angeles-Castro (2008), found that manufactured exports reduce inequality, whereas the expansion of primary exports does not have any positive effects on income distribution in any way. As of 2011, Uganda manufactured export was 22.9% as a percenta ge of total merchandise exports while export of primary products such as raw material and food accounted for 74%. With developing countries such as Uganda, whose major exports are primary products, the above argument, is bound to hold. Similarly, Breen and Garcà ­a-Peà ±alosa (2005), showed that greater volatility (which they measured by the standard deviation of the rate of growth of output), is associated with a higher degree of income inequality. Breen and Garcà ­a-Peà ±alosa (2005) also examined the effect of volatility on income shares of various quintiles and found that greater volatility results in redistribution from middle income groups (second and third quintiles) to the top-income group (fifth quintile). They also mentioned that an interplay of factors that previous research has shown as determinants of income inequality such as the degree of dualism and the extent of civil liberties together with volatility prove to have a robust impact on the distribution of income. Anyanwu (2011) in his study of International Remittances and Income Inequality in Africa found that, international migrant remittances have a significant positive impact on income inequality. After instrumenting for the possible endogeneity of remittances, he found that a 10 percent increase in remittances as a percentage of GDP will lead, on average, to a 0.013 percent increase in income inequality. Remittances are also contributing greatly to Ugandas economy. According to a Bank of Uganda Report titled International Remittances 2008, remittances increased from US$406 million in the year 2006 to US$732 million in 2008. Income inequality in Uganda could then be explained as being fuelled by international remittances from. In the same study, Anyanwu (2011) found inflation rate as one of the strongest factors influencing income inequality in Africa. This can be substantiated by findings from several works (Bulir, 2001; Easterly and Fischer, 2001) among others which presented evidence correlating high rates of inflation with income inequality and/or poverty. Table 2: Summary of reviewed literature on causes of income inequality Cause Papers Measured variable Effect on Income Inequality Possible problems Foreign Aid The effect of foreign aid on income inequality: Evidence from panel cointegration Herzer and Nunnenkamp, (2012) Foreign Aid and Income Inequality Direct Effect: Foreign Aid exerts an income inequality increasing effect Measures aid using Net Aid  Transfers (NAT) which is problematic for aid research and donor evaluation Aiding Inequality: The Effect of Foreign Aid on Income Inequality, Layton and Nielson, (2009) Foreign Aid and Income Inequality Direct Effect: Foreign aid has a positive effect on income inequality Findings inconclusive Politics and the Effectiveness of Foreign Aid, Boone (1996) Foreign aid and politics Indirect Effect on income inequality: Politics influences allocation of foreign aid. Effects on income inequality not measured Ethnic Diversity Is Inequality in Africa Really Different, Millanovic (2003) Income Inequality and Politics Direct Effect: High ethnic fractionalisation results to high income inequality Findings not satisfactory due to inability to test for ethnicity conclusively Corruption IMF working paper (May 1998): Does Corruption affect Income Inequality and Poverty? Corruption, Income Inequality and poverty Direct Effect: Increase in corruption increases income inequality Education Education and Income Inequality: New Evidence from cross country data. Gregorio and Lee (20020 Education and Income Inequality Education has equalizing effects on income inequality Didnt discuss the issues of reverse causation between variables International Remittances International Remittances and Income Inequality in Africa, Anyanwu (2011) International Remittances and income inequality Direct Effect: International Remittance increases income inequality Inflation International Remittances and Income Inequality in Africa, Anyanwu (2011) International Remittances and income inequality Indirect Effect; International Remittances increase inflation which fuels income inequality Relationship between Income Inequality and Development This section looks at the relationship between income inequality and development. In a bid to ascertain the nature of the relationship, it discusses mechanisms through which income inequality affects or might affect development. Measuring the development of a country can be done using a number of economic and social variables. Such variables include GDP, GDP per capita, life expectancy, and literacy rate among other. The UNDP also developed the Human Development Index which is a compound indicator that uses the above variables to determine the level of human development of a country. In determining the relationship between income inequality and development, the above variables for measuring development are taken into consideration. Studies on the relationship between income inequality and development originated from the groundbreaking research by Simon Kuznets where he studied economic growth and income inequality and came up with a hypothesis that is currently regarded as the Kuznets hypothesis or the inverted U shaped hypothesis. The Kuznets hypothesis formed the basis from which most preceding studies analysed the relationship between income inequality and growth. Kuznets (1955) postulated that in the early stages of development, both a countrys economic growth and its inequality increase. As countries grow and develop, the income gap between the rich and the poor should decrease. Indeed, according to Kuznets, there is a gradual shift from a low-inequality, low-income, agricultural economy, towards a high-income and medium-inequality economy characterized by industrial production. This shift would lead to the inverted U-shaped relationship between real GDP per capita and inequality. Kuznets argues that in th e initial period, agriculture represents the majority of a countrys economy, which is also characterized by low levels of inequality. According to Kuznets, a shift towards the secondary and the tertiary sectors has in essence two effects in the short run. The first effect is that it accelerates economic growth leading to higher levels of GDP per capita. The second and most dramatic effect is that this increases the level of inequality. Consequently, in the initial stages of economic development, the level of GDP per capita and inequality are positively correlated. As countries develop they shift more and more resources from agriculture to industry (and later to services), and this will in time decrease the income gap between the industry and agriculture simply because there will be more and more workers working in the industrial sector. Consequently, the long run relationship between inequality and GDP per capita is negative. The Kuznets hypothesis therefore showed causality from de velopment to income inequality. Although several investigations have found some support for the Kuznets hypothesis (e.g. Oswang, (1994); Milanovic, (1994); Fishlow, (1995) as well as Ali, (1998), some studies such as Ahluwalia, (1976); Bruno, Ravallion and Squire, (1995) and UNCTAD, (1997) however, found no such relationship between growth rates and income inequality. Deininger and Squire (1996) also did not find any evidence for the existence of such (Kuznets Relationship) a relationship between development and inequality. This shows that not all economies follow the inverted U shaped hypothesis during their development path. Apart from Kuznets, several scholars have shown the relationship between income inequality and development mostly through a number of social variables such as; health and education and also through economic variables such as; taxation, credit markets and investment. The political mechanism has also been emphasised as one through which income inequality is associated with development. Most literature on the subject shows evidence of income inequality being detrimental to development. The World Banks World Development Report (2006) says in its introduction that there is considerable evidence that equity is also instrumental to the pursuit of long-term prosperity in aggregate terms for society as a whole. This goes a long way in saying that income inequality is detrimental to the welfare of a society. Galor and Zeira (1993) found that inequality affects growth through credit market imperfections for financing investment in education. In this case, their finding was in regards to the poor who face borrowing constraints in financing education and hence in accumulating human capital. This has further effects on investment by the poor since they are forced to forego human capital even if the investments have a high rate of return. Therefore, the greater the degree of wealth and income inequality, the greater the number of people for which the constraints would be binding and, therefore, the lower is the stock of human capital in the economy. Economic growth is presumed to be enhanced through human capital accumulation. Therefore with less or no human capital accumulation, growth tends to be affected. Low levels of human capital formation are associated with low levels of human development which leads to low levels of development especially among the poor. However, the effect of this c hannel is weaker if education is being financed by the state of if its made compulsory; for example, in a country like Uganda where primary and secondary school education is being financed by the government. The poor though would still find challenges in financing higher education. With education being seen as a mechanism through which the poor can escape poverty, its limited accessibility by the poor has huge impact on the development of the country. Perotti (1996) after carefully examining the various channels through which income inequality may affect economic growth provided support for the Galor-Zeira hypothesis showing that inequality is indeed associated with lower level of human capital formation, and lower human capital formation is associated with lower levels of economic growth. Further support for the education channel is advanced by Deninger and Squire (1998) who utilized the distribution of land as a proxy for the distribution of assets and found that initial inequality has a significant adverse effect on education and economic growth. Moreover, consistent with the theories advanced by the credit market imperfections approach that these imperfections ought to have a larger effect on the investment decisions of individuals with lower income they find that initial inequality primarily hurts the poor. From a social perspective, various studies have shown that social political unrest hurts development. Countries that have experienced such unrests provide evidence of the extent to which their development is affected. Alesina and Rodrik (1993) after studying a set of 70 countries found quite solidly that income inequality increases socio-political instability which in turn decreases investment. Subsequently, Alesina and Perotti (1996) linked inequality to social political unrest where they showed the likely negative effects of high inequality on economic growth through increased crime, social unrest and political instability. Despite its effect on growth, social political unrest also has an effect on development, first since all development activities will be halted in areas experiencing the unrest. This will affect various social variables such as education, health and access to basic services. These unrests tend to cause death and destruction of property in countries where they hap pen. Also institutions in such countries especially when the unrests are severe tend not to function optimally. A countrys development therefore either gets retarded or remains stagnant as a result of the unrests, even the economy ceases to grow. Foreign Direct Investment to such countries gets halted since investors are scared of investing in countries that are unruly. All these factors combined have far reaching dangers on development. Alesina and Rodrik (1994) argued that inequality affects the economy through endogenous fiscal policy or political economy. They argue that a high level of inequality leads to redistributive fiscal policy in the form of higher government expenditure and distortionary taxation which, in turn, are believed to retard growth. They formed the median voter paradigm which is based on the assumption that political power (e.g. one-person-one-vote in a democratic settin

Huck Finn: The Twisting Tides Of Portrayal - Racism Essay -- essays re

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In recent years, there has been increasing discussion of the seemingly racist ideas expressed by Mark Twain in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In some cases, the novel has been banned by public school systems and even censored by public libraries. Along with the excessive use of the word, â€Å"nigger,† the basis for this blatant censorship has been the portrayal of one of the main characters in Huck Finn, Jim, a black slave who runs away from his owner, Miss Watson. At several points in the novel, Jim's character is described to the reader, and some people have looked upon the presented characterization as racist. However, before one begins to censor a novel it important to distinguish the ideas of the author from the ideas of his characters. It is also important to read carefully to sufficiently capture the underlying themes of a novel. If one were to do this in relation to Huck Finn, one would, without a doubt, realize that it is not racist and is, in fact, anti-slavery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On an superficial level The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn might appear to be racist. The first time we meet Jim he is given a very negative description. The reader is told that Jim is illiterate, childlike, not very bright, and extremely superstitious. However, it is important not to lose sight of who is giving this description and who it is being given to. Although Huck is not a racist child, he has been raised by extremely racist individuals w...

Ole Mac :: essays research papers

I live close to a town called, Hot Coffee, down by the Mississippi River with my family on a small farm. I have two brothers and one sister. When we come home from school we have chores waiting for us. My errand is to feed chickens and collect the eggs for Mama. My older brother Bobby, chops wood for our heat and cooking. Mike, the youngest brother is ten and the smartest of us kids. Well at least we thought he was. His job is feeding the mule Ole Mac.Ole Mac is nine years old and the best mule Daddy ever had. Daddy talked well of Mac, about how strong he is, and how easy he is to plow. Daddy is always saying best dang mule in the county. Mac stands 14 hands tall and 4 feet across the back. He is the biggest mule I've ever seen, and according to Daddy he is also the smartest.One day Mike came by the chicken coop coming from the barn with a big smile."Why you smiling Mike?" I asked opening the coop gate heading for the house too."Oh nothin, nothin at all." He said with that big grin."Oh come on what is it?""Nothin I said and leave me alone." He said running ahead of me toward the house. "Here you are Mama." I said handing her the ten eggs I'd collected."Not bad Jimbo." I loved my Mama more than anything, but I wished she would stop calling me Jimbo. If she kept it up everybody would start doing it. She stirred my hair seeing my frown, she beamed and said, "Sorry I mean James." I smiled at her, "Thanks Mama." "You go wash up for supper now. Your daddy will be in from the fields soon.""Ok." I said going down the hallway to the bathroom.I could hear her talking to Mike."Boy, what in the world are you so happy about." "Nothin Ma, I'm just smilen. Can't I smile?" "Boy, when you smile, I get worried.""Oh Ma, I ain't done nothin for you to worry about." I could hear the smile in his voice. I don't know what Mike did, but I knew it wasn't good. Mike was a smart kid, but sometimes he was too smart for his own good.Bobby was the oldest, at 14 an a half as he called himself. He wasn't the brightest boy you'd want to meet, but at 14 and standing 5'10" all muscle, and let me say this nobody at school said a cross word to him.

Ernest Hemingway :: essays research papers

Ernest Hemingway lived his life as he wanted. His writing touched the hearts of millions. His sentences were short and to the point but his novels strong and unforgettable. He wrote about what he felt like writing about. On July 21, 1899, Ernest Hemingway was born. He was created by Dr. Clarence Edmonds and Grace Hall Hemingway. His hometown was a small town named Oak Park. Oak Park was in Illinois. His father was a practicing doctor, and later taught him how to hunt and fish. His mother on the other hand had wished that he would become a professional musician. Hemingway did not like his mother and when he grew up he would call her "the old bitch". He grew up in a somewhat religious environment. He went to Oak Park and River Forest High School, which is where he realized his writing gift. Besides writing, other activities that he loved included swimming, and boxing. When he was18 years old he had an important decision to make he could either move to Kansas city, which was growing more and more every day, or he could go to collage. His final choice was that he would move to Kansas City. In Kansas City he got a job as a cub reporter on the Kansas City Star. At the train station his father, who latter on in Ernest's life would commit suicide which would totally disgust Ernest, kissed his son goodbye with tears in his eyes. This exact moment in time would be the soul purpose for a book he wrote called "For Whom the Bell Tolls". One of the reasons why he wrote that book is because he felt so much older than his father at that time that he could hardly bear it any longer. While he was at Kansas City he was quite and did not stand out much. He stayed to himself. He went through a little culture shock due to the fact that Kansas City was a lot more complex than Oak Hill was. His writing style was first introduced by the Star. His writing was brief, and to the point. His writing had to be like that at the time because he was a news writer, but he would carry that style over to fiction when the time came. In May of 1918, Hemingway wanted to join the Army but could not due to a defective left eye which he inherited from his mother.

Tears of a Tiger

Justin Evans Goodbye to love This song goes along with the mood of the story because it is a sad song about losing a loved one. In the story after Rob and Andy pass away their families were very sad about losing them. This was a major plot point in the story. Eye of a Tiger Eye of a tiger relates to the story because Andy tells his brother multiple times in the story â€Å"it’s ok to put dragons in the jungle and tears on a tiger† the title of the story comes from this quote.Basketball The Theme of Tears of a tiger is basketball. This rising action of the story is when Andy, Rob, and 20B. J were celebrating after a huge win. Basketball by Lil Bow Wow I could imagine that this song is Robert Washington’s favorite song. The song talks about playing basketball. Rob always wanted to be on the court, or practicing his shot. That is why I think this song was Roberts’s favorite song.Heaven wasn’t so far away. After Andy and Rob died, their families wished they could see them again. In this song it talks about going to heaven for a day which is what they wanted to do Wish you were here In the climax of this story Rob Washington dies. The song wish you were here fits the mood of the story because everybody wishes Rob was there. Robs girlfriend wishes Roberts was back several times in the story. Tears of a Tiger

Vitamin K

Vitamin & Mineral Project Sundria Carroll February 22nd, 2011 Diet 1310 650 Brenda Speight, Instructor Vitamin K Vitamins are a group of organic substances essential in small quantities to normal metabolism, found in minute amounts in natural foods or sometimes produced synthetically. Vitamins help our bodies metabolize nutrients and grow cells. They come in two forms: those tat dissolve in water (vitamins B & C) and those that are absorbed and stored in fat (vitamins A, D, E, and K). Vitamin K named for the German word for clotting â€Å"koagulation† is responsible for enabling your blood to clot, ensuring you don't bleed out from a paper cut or small scratch. Vitamin K also teams up with calcium to strengthen your bones. Because vitamin K is fat soluble, be sure to consume this nutrient at the same time as a (healthy) fat because it will aid with its absorption. Some studies indicate that it helps in maintaining strong bones in the elderly. Vitamin K participates in the synthesis of bone proteins. Without vitamin K the bones produce an abnormal protein that cannot bind to the minerals that normally form bones. This results in bone density. Researchers continue to discover proteins needing vitamin K’s assistance. Vitamin K deficiency bleeding is a rare disease that occurs in approximately 1 in 10,000 newborns. The disease can cause significant damage to the brain of the newborn, and in some cases can also lead to death. It has been said that there is some good news about vitamin K deficiency bleeding is completely preventable. You can safeguard your baby from vitamin K deficiency bleeding by giving extra vitamin K to your child after birth. Newborns present a unique case of vitamin K nutrition because they are born with a sterile intestinal tract, and the vitamin K producing bacteria take weeks to establish themselves. To prevent any hemorrhagic disease in newborns usually a single dose of vitamin k is given. If for any reason the mother took medication for blood clotting, tuberculosis, or epilepsy during pregnancy, it is recommended that the baby be given Vitamin K through injection. The reason is that such babies may not be able to properly absorb Vitamin K orally. Vitamin is not toxic when consumed orally, even in large amounts. However, menadione (a synthetic, water-soluble vitamin K precursor) can cause toxicity and should not be used to treat vitamin K deficiency. People taking this drug should eat vitamin K enriched foods to keep their intakes consistent from day to day. Significant food sources: Bacterial synthesis in the digestive tract, liver, leafy green vegetables, cabbage, and milk. Specific recommendations depend on age, gender, and other factors (such as pregnancy). The best way to get the daily requirement of essential vitamins is to eat a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods from the food guide pyramid. The Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine recommends the following dietary intake for vitamin K: Infants * 0 – 6 months: 2. 0 micrograms per day (mcg/day) * 7 – 12 months: 2. 5 mcg/day Children * 1 – 3 years: 30 mcg/day * 4 – 8 years: 55 mcg/day * 9 – 13 years: 60 mcg/day Adolescents and Adults * Males and females age 14 – 18: 75 mcg/day * Males and females age 19 and older: 90 mcg/day If you take Warfarin (a blood thinner), one should know that vitamin K or foods containing vitamin K can affect how the drug works. To get more information one should ask their health care provider how much vitamin K or vitamin K-containing foods they should consume. Bibliography Hamrick I, Counts SH. Vitamin and mineral supplements. Wellness and Prevention. December 2008; 729-747. Rolfes, Sharon and Ellie Whitney Understanding Nutrition 11th Ed Belmont CA 2008 http://www. kosmix. com/topic/vitamin_k/overview/adam20#ixzz1KfWhlT00 http://www. osteoporosis-vitamins. com/vitamin-K-toxicity. html