Free sample - The US Government Should Not be Funding Arts.. translation missing

The US Government Should Not be Funding Arts.. The US Government Should Not be Funding Arts.Introduction First, what does "funding" refer to? Funding can be either direct or indirect. The US government was funding arts in this country before 1965 but that it took in-direct forms, including land grants, tax exemptions to educational and cultural institutions such as museums, and tax advantages for private donations of art to the public. This paper delves more onto direct state funding of the arts. The US arts system has no single control but instead, has a variety of public subsidies composing of roughly 13% of the nation’s total investment in nonprofit arts groups. The National Endowment for the Arts-NEA is the largest single funder of the arts across America, but the majority of direct public funding still flows from a combination of other federal, state, regional and local agencies. NEA in 2009 had a budget of US$155 million.   Even before the creation of the NEA in 1965, the issue of government in funding of the arts had been a contested one. Some justifications for governme nt arts funding are found, but it is noted that in embracing these justifications inappropriate consequences may be occur. Thus, in this paper it is urged that we refrain from government funding of the arts because the effects of such funding, would be deleterious to the art world. Much government funding is aimed at what might be thought of as the preservation of culture. It supports museums and repertory companies and is intent on keeping our culture intact. Other objectives of government funding target community art centers, regional theaters, and school programs. And funding may also be directed to professional artists for the purpose of enabling them to produce new works of art.    Whereas funding of museums looks to the past of our culture, funding professional artists is futuristic.   The preservation of culture, of course, is involved with education, which falls under the jurisdiction of the state . More to that, though not clearly, art preservation keeps us aware of who we have been, which informs our practical decisions about who we shall become. Support for the production of modern day art can also be defended as educational but, bluntly, contemporary art is not our heritage yet; nor is it clear how much of it will be or how far it will stand time.   If the aesthetic value of contemporary art would be used to justify prospective arts funding, it also will have unfortunate consequence in that it only warrants the funding of certain kinds of art, the art of the beautiful, the sublime, and that expressive of psychically balancing qualities. If no further justification can be found, the ill consequence of this is that the state can only fund a certain typ e of art. Artists pursuing certain non aesthetic aims cannot be funded by the state. If the government places large investments behind one type of art, the evolution of the art world will undoubtedly be affect ed. Whole avenues of artistic development will appear less viable than the production of aesthetic art. And from the contemporary art world's point of view, this kind of arts funding might be regarded as having a regressive effect overall.    Another justification used by proponents of arts funding is that it may function as an economic stimulant, promoting prosperity by, for example, attracting tourists. As far as this funding can be pegged to the state of the economy, it would appear to be a legitimate course of action, since functioning of economy is related to the state responsibilities. It is often difficult to imagine the way in which grants to individual artists for new works as opposed to city art centers can spur economic growth. An economic growth argument identifies the value of arts funding not with aesthetic or artistic value, but as an economic instrument. But despite this, the argument seems acceptable, although it can only be mobilized under certain constraints. Where   arts funding is employed to stimulate tourism or some other form of economic activity in a given area, the state must be convinced that there is no alternative form of intervention of comparable cost would yield greater prosperity in that area. More to that, where national rather than local economy is at issue, the state must supply some rationale why it is undertaking to stimulate tourism in one geographical region rather than another.      Another justification put forward is connecting arts funding to   employment. If state funding is not forthcoming, then many artists will be unemployed. Unemployment is a genuine matter of concern to the state. Massive unemployment is one of the great tragedies of our society, and we must demand that the state do something about it. Artists do not constitute a group that is comparable to unemployed youth. Justice and equal opportunity do not seem to bear on the issue of artistic unemployment. For instance, I may not be able to support my family as an unemployed poet; but that does not mean that I can't do it in another way, say, as a cook or a copywriter. It does not fall under the state's responsibilities in regard to the unemployed extend to guaranteeing that everyone have the job he or she most desires. The case of artistic unemployment involves people not able to pursue the line of work they most like, while youth unemployment at large involves people excluded from the work force altogether. Fairness can be used to ground government arts support. If a given government subsidizes the building of sports arenas, then, in all fairness, arts production should also be supported. If the government facilitates the pursuits of sports fans, then it should, as a matter of treating people equally, also facilitate the pursuits of arts fans, perhaps by means of supporting the creation of new art. But what, in such a context, justifies the subsidizing of sports? If nothing does, then perhaps what is required is that neither sports nor the arts be subsidized. Of course, a subsidy for a sport might be defended on the grounds that it stimulates the economy of an area; but then arts funding can, in principle, be similarly defended. Again, it does seem correct to say that if a majority, call them sports fans, demand sports funding in the face of opposition by a minority, call them arts lovers, then fairness urges that the leisure activity of the latter group also be supported, though perhap s not to the same extent. The deeper question, however, is whether any leisure activity should be supported. The advancement of the leisure professions may just not be an area the state should enter at all.    One of the earliest arguments in favor of government support of the arts is that the arts perform a moral function.   If art can function as a means of improving morality, then the state is justified in supporting it. Some art enables us to see the world from a different perspective, thus not only promoting the acquisition of a formal requirement of morality, but also enabling us to understand situations of different classes, races, creeds, and genders. Art, then, can foster greater tolerance within society and thereby bolster the moral order. If we argue from these grounds then state funding on moralizing grounds will be justified ,but   then only to that art which will increase moral sympathies. This will require some serious   research into the moral importance of different kinds of art. Art that afford no moral uplift cannot be funded. This raises problems like those encountered in an earlier discussion of the aesthetics value. If the state is funding only certain kinds of art and it enters the art world, putting its resources behind only moralizing kinds of art, then there is a danger that the development of the art world will be skewed in a certain direction. This violates our understanding   that   art should be pluralist and   independent of considerations of social utility.    Public arts funding primarily benefits the already advantaged. An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities   related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art(Wikipedia). Artist should be able to use their rare skills to improve their well being.    There is also an argument that public funding is necessary to promote innovation and dialogue among diverse points of view, so that groups that want to use the fine arts to challenge the status quo and advocate their unpopular world views and lifestyles can have a forum. However, while the common good requires tolerating the expression of unpopular points of view, the fact that most people do not share them suggests that the common good may not be served by supporting their expression. Even if it is, the government has no more business providing subsidies for such purposes. Indeed, many unpopular world views and lifestyles are at odds with traditional theism, and subsidizing them while not subsidizing theism would give the former an unfair advantage. People who think the expression of an unpopular viewpoint desirable should be fund it themselves just as religious believers should support their churches and missionary activities. The argument that public funding is necessary because some people have great and rare gifts that, due to lack of a market, otherwise will be lost. That might be true but the common good of political society is limited. It is not the proper role of the U.S. government to pursue all human goods in every possible way, and therefore not its business to subsidize every gift that otherwise will be fruitless. Some argue that subsidizing what initially appeals only to a few are necessary to foster a wide variety of creative initiatives that will elevate popular taste and tomorrow serve the multitude. Whether the funded work elevates anyone’s taste is arguable, but even supposing it does, can this indirect contribution to the common good justify the subsidy? Moreover, while some creative efforts that initially appeal to few eventually serve the masses, most do not, and it is hardly possible to show that public funding of some portion of art work is necessary for future cultural development. There are other needs calling for public funding, and some, plainly more pressing than this- for example, better basic education for the very poor- will surely put it to fruitful uses. One cannot justify spending for a dim and uncertain result when there are many urgent and promising alternatives. A recent argument draws a distinction between to view points of culture, Culture provides the particular paintings, performances, and novels, designs, sports and thrillers that we value and take delight in; but it also provides the structural frame that makes aesthetic values of that sort possible and makes them values for us. This structural frame includes a wealth of associations, references, images, and contrasts, which, like language, supply us with the tools with which we forge and map our common life. It insists that it is better for people to have a complex and multifarious cultural framework and that we owe future generations at least as rich a cultural framework as the one we inherited. Both these values can be achieved by promoting the creation of innovative art. Government support in this area is necessary because it "helps protect the fragile structure of our culture. This argument to endorse indirect rather than direct arts support by the government. But he does countena nce situations in which government support could be direct. At least two problems, however, beset this approach. First, there is the assumption that the structure of culture is fragile. When we look at the structure of culture, we note that it comprises many ingredients beside art-social dances, children's games, fashion, sports, religion, indeed the whole gamut of our symbolizing activities. These images become part and parcel of our ways of thinking; they are the very weave of our common culture. But it seems dubious to consider them to be fit beneficiaries of public funding. Yet if art deserves public funding because of its contribution to our cultural framework, so does anything else that similarly contributes, including, potentially, every sort of symbolizing activity, and notably some outlandish ones: hoopla-hoops, comic books, Billy Graham, the Watergate break-in, and so on. Government funding of anything involves government control. Proponents of arts funding are unaware of this peril when they praise the role of the national endowments as an seal of approval on artists and arts groups. This could lead to politicization of arts. Another claim used to justify public funding of arts is equal arts participation.   Participation in arts can not only be attributed to state funding and subsidy but may also be attributed to two other possible factors, that is; Groups that are inclined to participate even without state funding especially those with high income and highly educated may be attending in higher numbers; or, groups that formerly attended in lower rates for example, low income and education and certain ethnic groups may also be participating more given the rise in public support. Accordingly, If state art support truly makes the arts more available and accessible, then   it would be expected that an even more evenly distributed scenario of participation in states that provide more funding would be witnessed. Unequal participation in arts appears on several levels; in education, income, race, and geographic location. People will always participate in the arts at unequal levels, and statistical evidence confirms that participation in arts differs by various populace groups. Although income alone may not accurately predict participation at the individual level, a more complete picture is seen when economic   theory of choice is combined with other social and individual background characteristics that help determine preferences such as education level, racial alignment, income, and location. Therefore, participation inequalities occur not only because of variations of individual tastes, but also because of other social and cultural influences on the choice and ability to participate in arts.   The cultural equity argument for government support, depends on the problem of unequal access. The depends on the fact that factors beyond individuals’ immediate control prevent them from taking part in opportunities availed by participation in arts. Equal access can be categorized into three concepts: equality of opportunity, rights, opportunity, and of participation. Use of state funding to correct for unequal access is a form of redistribution. Redistribution through arts funding is skewed, since it favors those to whom art and the aesthetic are more important over those to whom it is less important. So, the best form of redistribution of state resources would be direct transfers to the less fortunate. Proponents of state funding will also argue that by funding arts the state is safeguarding the welfare of the citizens. But welfare, as it applies to as a state role, refers to assistance to individuals in need of the basic commodities that comprise a living. Is it practical to suppose that arts funding provides some such a commodity?   An analogy would be to say that someone needs Y is to say that they lack it, they will suffer injury, sickness, madness, hunger, or avoidable death. Does the production of contemporary artworks assist individuals in needful situations such as these? The answer is no. Some proponents of public funding will attempt to connect state arts support to the state's welfare function by   introducing a concept of aesthetic welfare. Aesthetic welfare is defined as all the aesthetic levels of the experience of members of the society at a given time. It is then suggested that there is a prima facie government duty to preserve the aesthetic wealth of society wh ere that wealth-pictures, plays, and so forth-is what gives rise to aesthetic welfare. It is not certain, however, that this particular notion of aesthetic welfare helps the case for prospective arts funding since it may be that, if there were such a prima facie duty, retrospective arts funding might suffice to discharge it. Also, one must question whether the connection between "aesthetic welfare" and the concept of welfare relevant to government activity is really unequivocal. First, "aesthetic welfare" doesn't correlate with de-finable needs, especially basic needs; nor does being below the poverty line imply being aesthetically disadvantaged. And clearly promoting individuals' aesthetic welfare will not raise them over the poverty line. More-over, the state's welfare responsibility under this conception of aesthetic welfare doesn't seem to be directly connected to individuals but is a matter of ensuring that there will be a large number of aesthetic objects around so that people can have aesthetic experiences if they want them. The state is to ensure the permanent possibility of high levels of what is called aesthetic welfare but might better be called aesthetic well-being. This well-being is to be secured for society at large, construed additively, whereas the state's welfare responsibilities are discharged toward particular per-sons, viz., anyone in need. Thus the notion of aesthetic welfare" appears not to refer to welfare of the kind that defines the state's proper domain of activity; it is merely a homonymous term that, though sounding like the concept employed in the discussion of the state's welfare responsibilities, is actually quite separate. Lastly, the idea that art will disappear if the government does not support it, and if the state does not fund new art, no one else will. Of course, this is a false claim, and a dubious one at that. The arts flourished in democratic societies before the coming of direct public funding; there is no reason to suppose that they will disappear without the direct government funding of new arts. Where people are interested in art, there will still be an audience to support new work. Were there no audience whatsoever, it would be difficult to determine on what basis the government would justify funding new art. SUMMARY In conclusion, there do appear to be some theoretical justifications for possible government funding of art. The two important   justifications seem to be those concerning the aesthetic environment and the moralizing effects of the arts.   For they endorse the funding of only certain types of art. Government support for only certain types of art may indeed disturb the structure of artistic production and perhaps destroy the art world as we know it.

Presidential Wives essays

Presidential Wives essays Throughout American history, most chief executives have had a lady by their side. Two Presidents were widowed before their election, three had wives who died in the White House, and several lost their wives after winning office . Only two bachelors have been elected to the Presidency in over 200 years, James Buchanan in 1856 and Grover Cleveland in 1884 (Cleveland married during his first term ). Taking all of these occurrences into account, women have only been absent for thirty-two of the 215 years that this country has been using the presidential system. One cannot write off this number as mere coincidence when the troubles faced by those lone bachelors are taken into account. The public criticism that was directed at both men suggested that Americans expect their Head of State to come with a partner. This, the most striking point of a Presidents private life, has much to do with how well a man can perform the duties of President of the United States. There is no doubt of t he impact that a First Lady can have on the election of and strength of the President. Some of the ladies that embody the qualities of the First Lady are Dolley Madison, Lucy Hayes, Jackie Kennedy, and Hillary Clinton. Born in 1768, Dolley Payne Todd Madison grew up in a Virginian Quaker Community. She married at 21, but soon lost her first husband and a young son to illness. It was when she moved to Washington to aid her mother in the running of a boardinghouse that she was introduced to James Madison. Madison was nearly twenty years her senior and several inches shorter than the beautiful Dolley, but she took a liking to him and referred to him as the great little Madison (Caroli, p13). The two were married in 1794. After the marriage, both Dolley and James seemed to blossom. Now free of Quaker laws, Dolley began to wear colorful, expensive clothing and learned to entertain. James, who was once described as always looking like &qu...

Bank of England Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Bank of England - Essay Example This paper highlights that it the time of the financial crisis, banks tend to raise the interest rate to discourage investors from borrowing money that is due to depositors. Yield curves are used to predict the changes in economic output and its overall growth. The line plots the interest rates at a given point in time of bonds having similar credit quality but differing in their maturity period. As the paper outlines the shape arising from the yield curve is significant to the investors as it helps give an idea of what the future interest rates change and the change of the economic environment of the country. Yield curves are of three types; Under this type of curve bonds with a shorter-term maturity period will normally yield higher than bonds with longer-term maturity period, which will tend to have lesser returns, this can be a sign of the upcoming recession. When the yield curve is flat, it means that shorter- and longer-term yields are relatively close to each other in terms of their yield; this can be a prediction of an economic transition. The gradient of a yield curve is a significant factor to investors; the bigger the gradient of the yield curve, the bigger the difference between short- and long-term rates of return to investment.The UK government is prudent to note the liability of the economy. The liability nominal yield curves are retrieved from UK gilt prices a nd General Collateral (GC) rates and the UK index-linked bond prices. Gilt-edged securities are Foreseeable and guaranteed for a future pay by the Government to the holder of the gilt. The payment is made in a fixed cash payment (coupon) semi-annually until the maturity date. At maturity, the holder receives the final coupon payment and the principal. Index-linked gilt is intended to:

Development and creation of effective advertising Essay

Development and creation of effective advertising - Essay Example Different writes argue about the effect of sex and gender in the development and creation of effective advertising. However, this paper provides an argumentative approach that contrast sex and gender perception in developing and creating an effective advertising. Body In developing and creation of effective advertising the company focuses grabbing the audience almost immediately. Effective advertising offers the audience the chance to view the products displayed. Effective advertising focuses directly to the people regardless of sex or gender and offer them the first glance of the advertisement. This kind of approach is beyond the gender codes since it focuses on the audience using an effective means. Most of the adverts come through the televisions, prints and other advertising mediums. The best kind of advert is that grabs the customer or the prospective audience in a second. This means that the advertisement should be attractive and designed with effective fonts that attract many people. The creative concepts are the advertisement’s central idea that grabs your attention and sticks the audience memory. Creativity embraces on a vital feature of advertising that dictates the entire advertising field (Petley, 2003:30). In order to affect the advert, advertises usually take a general overview of the purpose of the advertisement as well as the people intended to be conveyed the message. The approach in which the advert will make the audience to give a second glance depends on the content and its effectiveness. Advertisers should pay different attributes in convening their messages through exploring different kinds of cultures of different societies in order to incorporate their say in the advert (Berman, 2010:107). This can be writing in a print or billboard that has impact to the psychology and perception. Goff man argues on the withdrawal of attention from social circumstances and the setting at the hand that features on emotions and tension that appears unresolved. He shows the contrast on men looking straight down the camera without blinking, challenging, and potentially aggressive. This attributes on control and consolidation as a mode of gender division in the view of events. The current advertisement focuses on all the audience regardless of gender or sex with attractive message conveyed to meet them in a collective manner. Another way of developing and creating an effective advertisement is by being clever and creative. Most of the companies depending on advertisement to reach their customers embrace on improved art in designing the advert to represent the message the company wants to convey to the people. The companies take a lot of time and even employee additional activities from external sources in order attain the best advert that outdoes the competitor. The companies even employ some respondents to report on the steps made by their competitors in order to take counter measures in response to the competitor’s plan s. Here, critical skills become essential in order to link people with the message the company wish to portray a seductive package. This means that these means that effective advertisements remains well executed. As such, the details, the image representation, the writing, the acting, the setting, and the way the product remain represented should mirror the highest production standards. Advertising often sets the customary or establishes the cutting edge for the printing, propagation, and internet design because clients demand the best production their plans can allow (Kapferer, 2008:496). Goff man

Advanced practical production Essay Example for Free

Advanced practical production Essay Introduction In my AS year I decided to produce an Internet site, which came under the new media production. The website was based on astrology and horoscopes, I named the site Stars and Their future. This year in my A2 year I decided to do a print based project, I chose to complete a CD cover, Video cover and a magazine article for an upmarket magazine. They will all be based around the promotion of an upcoming music talent Sophie. Last year a lot of my work was based on the computer as it was an internet site, the pictures didnt need to be high resolution as I wasnt printing them off they were staying on the screen, whereas this year my project is based on Print, the pictures will have to be of a higher quality and resolution. The main differences between the two projects are also that this year my work will be promotional. I am designing to attract people to either buy the products or to read the article, I need to make my client look her best and attract new fans. A lot of work will be needed to put in to make my project look its best. Planning For my coursework I plan to do a print based project, which will consist of a CD cover, Video cover and a magazine article all promoting the same female artist. I have decided to merge the style of contemporary and classical theme, regarding the layout and pictures used within my project. I have decided to produce the article for a more upmarket magazine such as Company, B, or Cosmopolitan this will consist of a simple classic layout with an informal use of contemporary pictures. The CD and video will be of a similar style. The target audience for my magazine article will be for women aged 15+. My products will be open to all prospective buyers as I am basing my project on a female talent the prospective buyers could be men or women of all ages. For my album and video cover the style will be more stylised as they need to be more eye-catching for the prospective buyer, they also need to reflect my chosen artists style. The CD cover will need to be eye-catching, make the prospective buyer want to pick up the CD and want to know more. It will be located at all reputable music retailers. The video should look fun and interesting to watch and make the buyer feel that they are going to get all the latest news on the artist that they couldnt get elsewhere. It will be on sale at all supermarkets and high street outlet stores; it should be interesting and fun to watch. My magazine article will appear in an upmarket magazine and will be available at all newsagents, stationers and reputable supermarkets. When researching for my project I did a survey asking a range of 20 people questions on which type of artist they prefer, what style and type of colour scheme. Looking at the results from my questionnaire, the results were quite split, based on the results the audience would prefer an artist that incorporated a bit of pop and classical, with a mixture of contemporary and classic style with use of classic colour schemes. Once I had my results from my survey I decided to do more research on the web, I decided to search for existing CD covers on www. covers.cc by female artists. I noticed that all of the covers had a bright and eye-catching picture of the artist on the front, with a few smaller pictures of the artist on the back with the list of the tracks. I decided that I wanted to base my layout on this style. I also decided to include the lyrics form the songs I have written myself; they will be included within the sleeve of the front cover with pictures of the artist also to be included next to, and superimposed behind the lyrics, again similar to the style of CD covers I have already researched. I also went to my local supermarket to look at the different types of music videos that are on the market; they consisted of either tour videos or a compilation archive video of all the artists recent pop videos. I decided that these ideas would be good to put together, the video cover would explain that my video was going to include all of the artists latest videos, plus never before seen footage, with exclusive interviews with the artist. After purchasing two magazines with an interview with a huge female music artist Jennifer Lopez, I analysed the two to see the similarities and differences between the two. One of the articles was taken from Company magazine and one of them was taken from B magazine, they both have a classic layout with a big picture of the artist that covers one page and a short interview with Jennifer on the opposite page, I felt that I could incorporate the two articles to base an idea on for my own on. Throughout all of my research I have noted the graphology and fonts used on the page, they are always clear to read and are not of a size that is too big or too small to read. Colour schemes are important; they can either reflect a theme or use of colours that compliment each other. I began organising the task by drawing up a plan of what I have to do and in what order it has to be done; I decided to design the layout of each of my pieces and making a list of what pictures needed to be taken. Important decisions that needed to be made was the style and angles in which the pictures had to be taken and deciding on a theme that would run through all 3 pieces to reflect the style of my chosen artist. I decided to use the theme of fire and classic themes, using warm tones and colours such as reds, oranges and yellows, and subtle smoky greys and shadow effects; this decision was due to Sophies (my artist) fiery red hair. The technology I used when creating my project included a digital camera for taking and recording pictures. Microsoft Photo draw to touch up and edit pictures, I also used this programme to create my video and CD cover. I used the programme Microsoft Publisher to create my magazine article. This influenced the progress of my production by allowing easy transfer of my pictures into my pieces. The programme Photo draw also helped my to edit the pictures and allowed me to get them to the best quality. I decided to work on my own when completing this project as this meant that I could organise my time easily and I could make my own decisions. Analysis I have produced a video cover, CD cover package and a magazine article. All three of my projects share a classic theme to reflect the style of Sophie my chosen artist. My product reflects and uses the conventions of the media genre that I am working in which is the promotion of an up and coming teen music star. Overall I think that finished product reflects the theme and style I set out to. I wanted Sophie to be seen as a classic artist and to not be associated with the pop genre. My CD cover consists of grey tones that reflect a classic theme; within the booklet it contains the lyrics and more pictures of Sophie, each reflecting her individual style. I named the album The way you like it, I chose this as the title for my album because it reflects to any potential buyers that Sophies kind of music is a type that can be enjoyed by all. When researching for my CD cover I noticed and trend with albums that were used for female stars, on the front was a close up of the star that was very noticeable to the prospective buyer. I took a picture of Sophies head and made it fill the front. I then used the tools within the photo draw package to touch-up the photo and make it look more professional. I made the picture appear in grey tone by using the greyscale tool that made the picture appear in black and white, I also made the picture fade out around the edges by using the transparency tool. To make the face more noticeable I used web effects to make the face have a glow around it. This made the front cover look professional. I added the title and my artists name using the font vinetta sans in a white font. I chose this particular font as I felt is was a classic font the looked great and fitted my chosen theme. The video cover again uses the same colour scheme as the CD cover, greys and shadows, although the video cover is set out in quite a different way. I decided that the title for the video would be Up Close and Personal the theme on the font cover reflects this. I took a few pictures of Sophie that were close up head shots in various positions and from different angles, for some of the pictures I used a fan to blow Sophies hair to give the pictures a more professional touch. When researching for my product I noticed that when professional pictures were taken of models in most cases the models werent looking directly at the camera, this looked more professional so I decided to adopt this technique. As the video is called Up Close and personal I waned to reflect the theme of a photo shoot on the front cover. I chose three of the pictures of Sophie and arranged them in a suitable way. I also made them 3D by embossing the pictures and giving the designer edges with the Photo draw package, again allowing Sophie to seem closer to the prospective buyer. Again I touched up the pictures getting rid of any dust or blemishes using the photo draw tools. The way in which the photos are arranged is o look like a fashion/ photo shoot i. e. being up close and personal- nothing to hide. Which is what the content of the video is going to be about. The magazine article is made for a more upmarket magazine, I blended the styles of cosmopolitan and B, I think that my article portrays the right theme for my artist, the article is quite contemporary using a close up head shot of Sophie to fill one page of the article and pinks and purples on the other page, The writing is not to big or to small. I got my idea from two magazine articles that already existed about a stars 5-point plan to fame. I also incorporated an interview into this so that the readers could get to know my artist Sophie. I used Microsoft publisher to create my article. I have followed media conventions literally when creating my products. The CD cover is typical of an album cover of an uprising female artist, with a large head shot on the front, listing of tracks on the back with lyrics included with images of the artist with the booklet itself. The image on the front is eye-catching and shows my artist in a classic way. The video front is eye-catching with 3 images of the artist on the front with the title in bold front as to catch the prospective buyers attention. The title is up close and personal which gives the buyer an insight into how detailed the biography/ behind the scenes video is. Typical conventions have been used when writing the article I have created an upbeat chatty voice, which the reader can relate to. The article is aimed towards females age 15+ as these are the typical market for this type of magazine /article. Again a large image of Sophie is opposite the article so that the reader is automatically aware of whom the article is about. I mentioned use of voice within the magazine article, using phrases such as had bagged her first theatre role in Londons west end. Bagged is a colloquial term that the readers can relate to, it allows the article to seem informal and friendly which is how I want Sophie to be perceived. When creating the CD cover I wanted to create some form of narrative, the lyrics tell a story as the reader/ listener gets to know Sophie more personally. When writing the thank you section at the end of the booklet I wanted my choice of words to be personal and informal, when addressing the fans and relatives/ management I needed to use the correct language so that it felt like Sophie was talking directly to the reader. The video cover doesnt include a lot of text, there is a blurb on the back which aims to entice the reader into wanting to watch the video gaining information that they wouldnt be able to get else where i. e. using phrases like never before seen footage. The potential buyers only read this though once they have picked the video up. I included quotes on the front cover from top magazines to show what they think of the video and Sophie, HOTTEST NEW TALENT, NOT TO BE MISSED!!! Again enticing the potential buyer to pick up the video. The representation of the video is included on the back of the video cover within the blurb. Words like exclusive and descriptive work describing Sophie beautiful, superstar all make the buyer want to know more. I have made use of particular stereotypes within my work, I have gone against them. Typically new uprising music stars are manufactured, blonde, dont have individual style, and are single and available. All of these I have gone against and my star is refreshingly new, red hair, individual style, writes own music/ lyrics, and is in love and is not ashamed to let the world know. Her music comes first not the number of no1s or record sales. A breath of fresh air and individuality makes sales.

The Ballad Of The Sad Cafe Essay -- Essays Papers

The Ballad Of The Sad Cafe Throughout the novel The Ballad Of The Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers, there is an evident recurring theme. Ever-present in the story is a feeling of unrequited love, illustrated through looking at the parallels of the intertwined relationships between three separate individuals. Miss Amelia Evans, Cousin Lymon Willis, and Marvin Macy, are the players involved in this grotesque love triangle. The feelings they respectively have for each other are what drives the story, and are significant enough that the prosperity of entire town hinges upon them. First to come of the couplings between these main characters, was the 10 day marriage of Marvin Macy and Amelia Evans. Previously notorious as a womanizer and town miscreant, meeting Amelia made Martin wish to be a better man. He cleaned up his act, and devoted his entire attention to his love for Amelia. Amelia, however, felt no connection with this man, and sought a relationship only out of economic advantage. When this finally became clear to Marvin, when he was once and for all removed of the illusion that his love was returned, it was already too late. Amelia had stripped him of everything he owned. He took refuge in criminal activity, and was sent to prison. His love was not returned, and he suffered greatly for it. Many years down the line, there came into Miss Amelia’s life a man named Lymon Willis. He was a distant cousin, not to mention a deformed hunchback, ...

“What’s Your Color?” a Study on Color Preferences

â€Å"What’s your Color? † A Study on Color Preferences A Research Paper Presented to the Languages Department Of the College of Science, University of Santo Tomas in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Course Academic Writing Group No. 3 1st Semester, SY 2011-2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page 1 INTRODUCTION Background of the Study2 Statement of the Problem2 Significance of the Study2 Scope and Limitations2 Materials and Methods2 Definition of Terms2 2 DISCUSSION Colors2 Background (Definition of Colors)3 Perception and Sensation3 Theory of Colors3 Psychology of Colors2 Research History on Color Preferences2 Color Preference By Gender3 Color Preference By Age3 Possible Factors Affecting Color Preferences3 3 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summary2 Conclusions2 Recommendations2 REFERENCES2 Chapter I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study Conventions of society on color preferences, whether on age or gender, are nothing but stereotypes. The traditional adage of â€Å"pink is for girls while blue is for boys† may be proven wrong. About 80% of the information which is incorporated through the senses is visual and it influences an individual’s everyday decisions. Individuals use color in choosing certain objects such as identification and selection of different kinds of food and drink, toys or cars and dresses. Colors also influence object preference in many situations, like a color of a house, clothes and furniture. However, color does more than just give objective information about the world, for it also affects an individual’s feelings. It possibly may dictate a person’s moods and emotions, perceptions, likes and dislikes. Such influence by a certain color is an important center of research in color psychology, which is called color preference. Color preference is the tendency of an individual or a group to  prefer  some  colors  over others or a strong inclination that results from identification with a certain or favorite color. People are affected by different color stimuli and it varies from person to person. However, color does more than just give us objective information about our world; it affects how we feel. A preference for a specific color can be related to how a person may or want to feel in any situation and even how it may be the basis to remember certain experiences. Many investigations have indicated that children and adults, depending n the gender and age, have differences in preferences for colors. A study done by Eysenck (1941) found that there was a relationship between gender and color and that people have a general preference for color. According to Ellis & Ficek (2001), females and males tended to be somehow divided in preferring both green and blue and said that it may be affected in taking t he view of neuroscience. On the other hand, Davis, Pitchford & Seerif (2009) found out that color preferences emerged with age and that perception of color was shown to have a mediating role in determining a color preference. Additionally, children prefer colors they find to be pleasant and comforting and it can be changed and can vary while adult color preference is usually non-malleable. Although with these researches, color psychology received minimal attention to research probably because of the inevitable ‘instability’ of the results that may vary in different researchers in the past decades. This instability is mostly due to the unpredictability of the color’s variables, making it difficult to come about with results that will lead to a concrete conclusion (Child, Hansen, & Hornbeck, 1968). Another problem is that there is no known direct cause of why and how an individual develops the certain attachment to a specific color, which brings the researchers to assumptions rather than backed by empirical evidences. With these in mind, color preference now holds a huge impact in a person’s everyday life for it can be found basis on how people will act in certain situations and is not just brought about by what parents or peers have taught to an individual to like. Moreover, the need for a new research on the issue is a priority because even some of this research’s credible references are decades old. This paper now aims to determine what these specific color preferences are, its occurrence over time, its societal effects on an individual and its psychological cause, bases and changes. B. Statement of the Problem This study aims to answer the following questions: 1. What colors are preferred by male and female individuals? 2. What changes in preference occur over time or as they age? 3. What are the psychological and societal causes and bases of the preferences and changes that happen? C. Significance of the Study Developmental Psychologists. Psychologists, from the field of Developmental Psychology, are concerned with the nature of human development or change in the cognitive, social, emotional, behavioral and physical aspects throughout the life span and this study will help them understand the role of color preference as a building block in development. Consumer Psychologists. Psychologists, from the field of consumerism, study people’s emotional, cognitive and behavioral responses to a wide variety of stimuli (advertisements, packaging, products, etc. and this study will help them understand how color preference plays an important role in the selection of a product based on its appearance. Future Researchers. Because this study has received minimal attention in the past decades to contribute to the growth of this discipline, this will help future researchers solve why people have color preferences and to improve this study. They are also heeded to develop researches based on how these preferences will affect th e person’s behavior. D. Scope and Limitations This study focuses on the color preferences of an individual based on their age and gender. This will also concentrate on the possible cause and effect and relations between the two, the psychological implications and societal effects to the preferences. Because this research is not empirical, this study will no longer conduct interviews and surveys to the population. Moreover, this will not discuss any behavioral outcomes due to a person’s color preference. This study attempts to discuss the causes to take such preference. E. Materials and Methods This research employs a Descriptive Method since the researchers aim to escribe and to discuss color preferences based on an individual’s gender, age, their possible relations with each other and the psychological explanations causing the phenomenon. This method is defined as â€Å"a process of gathering, analyzing, classifying and tabulating about prevailing conditions, trends, processes†¦ and then making adequate interpretation about such data†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Calderon & Sanchez, 1995). With this, Descriptive Method is believed necessary for the study. Different reference materials containing data relevant to the research was gathered such as books and journal articles from scholarly periodicals and online sources. F. Definition of Terms For a common frame of reference, the following terms are operationally and conceptually defined. Color Preference. This refers to the tendency of an individual to be inclined to one specific color. Color Psychology. This refers to the application of the study of psychology into sensation and perception of colors. Hue. This refers to the description of color we readily experience when we look at color. (Briggs, n. d. ) Perception. This refers to the brain’s interpretation of a received sensation. Psychology. This refers to the scientific study of the overt and covert processes of the mind. Saturation. This refers to the dominance of hue in a color. (Briggs, n. d. ) Sensation. This refers to the stimuli received by the main senses of the body. Value. This refers to the linear axis running through the middle of a color wheel. (Briggs, n. d. ) Chapter 2 DISCUSSION Colors A. Definition of Color Color studies began with the interaction of light and color because without light a person cannot observe a color, shape, or space. Understanding light and color was greatly aided by Isaac Newton's discovery that white light contains all visible color. A person can see colors because wavelengths of light vary; high energy light appears violet, while low energy light appears red. (Cherry, 2011) B. Perception and Sensation C. Theory of Colors Psychology of Colors Color psychology is the study of color as a factor of human behavior and consists of varied studies on color preference. Color preference is a vital aspect of an individual’s visual experience that influences a wide spectrum of human behaviors: buying cars, choosing clothes, decorating homes, and designing websites, to name but a few. When an individual reacts to colors, a number of factors may influence that reaction. A person's culture, gender, age, emotional and mental state, specific experiences, mood — as well as the appearance, combination and other properties of the colors themselves — can all affect the reaction. An individual’s experience of color is influenced by one’s personal and cultural associations. One would tend to approach or withdraw from objects based on how pleasing a color is or how others would imply meaning to it (Lescroart, 2010). Based on an interview conducted by Sohn (2010), Karen Schloss, a graduate student in psychology at the University of California, Berkeley agreed: I might like purple more than you because my sister's bedroom was purple and I had positive experiences there. My own personal preference is determined by all the entities you've encountered of that color and how much you liked them. † Color preference is also influenced by societal affiliations. Sohn (2010), â€Å"†¦ But it shows that people are generally interest ed in the subtle differences between people and what has driven that. Color provides a tool to understand why we like some things more than others. † (Sohn, 2010) While perceptions of color are somewhat subjective, there are some color effects that have universal meaning. Colors are perceived as warm or cool primarily because of long-held and universal implications. Colors in the red area of the color spectrum are known as warm colors and include red, orange and yellow. Warm colors can bring forth emotions that range from feelings of warmth and comfort to feelings of anger and hostility. Alternatively, colors on the blue side of the spectrum are called cool colors and include blue, purple and green. These colors are often described as calm, but can also bring about feelings of unhappiness or lack of interest (Cherry, 2011). Moreover, warm colors are linked with the heat of sun and fire and are generally considered as high arousal colors. On the other hand, cool colors are associated with the coolness of leaves, sea and the sky and are considered as low arousal colors (Pantone, n. d. ). Research History on Color Preferences A. Color Preferences By Gender Most researchers may have not exactly agreed to what color do individuals prefer according to their gender, but all of them said that there is significance only to a little extent. Work (2011) concluded that only blue is the favorite color for both males and females like. However, they differ in the color that genders dislike, having brown for men and orange for women. Ellis and Ficek’s (2001) conclusions almost agrees to that of Work’s, where men places Blue and Green as their top two with the women’s counterpart interchanges the two colors. Eysenck’s (1941) experiment also sees no difference between the two sexes, ranking Blue, Red and Green as the participants’ favorite colors. Early researchers also saw if color properties would have affected an individual to such preferences in colors. Eysenck pointed out that the color’s luminosity may have affected the decision, but no longer elaborated the reason, which is confusing for the researchers of this paper. Child, Hansen, and Hornbeck (1968) focused little on sex differences, but noted that males prefer cool colors while women prefers warm, appearing not later than 17 years of age. On the other hand, Work presented a more accurate explanation that may have a role in preferences. He said that men tended to be inclined toward shade colors, or those colors with black added, because it make them feel dominant and mysterious. It is the contrary for women, liking tint colors, now colors added with white, because it made them feel young and soothed. Moreover, Work said that light and dark colors are preference for both sexes, while soft colors were preferred by women, and bright by men. B. Color Preferences By Age If there is any relation between color preferences and the individual’s age, the answer would be a yes, an almost significant yes. Michaels (1924) experimented on 6 to 15 year-old boys and concluded that there is only a little importance on colors but presented a big factor on the reason of why the preference is present. While green occurred as a favorite color for six year-old boys, the remaining years turned their attentions to like blue. Michaels said: Several possibilities present themselves as means of explanation. Should we consider that at 6 years and under there is no appreciation of the aesthetic sense; or that the individual undergoes physiological changes, which mature at 7 years, bringing into development a physiological mechanism which causes to see objects in a different light? There might be some psychological basis for explanation where the individual the keener sense of perception to aid him in his judgments. Perhaps his social environment is changed at this period to allow a little freedom of action – a vital influence of an individual in general. Could it not be that the innate tendency was unable to find a field of action until properly stimulated? These are some suggestions along the lines of which one could work out a case on the evidence at hand†¦ whether the explanation is physiological or psychological (p. 82). Most researchers, however, focused on the properties of color as determinants if there are significant differences that can be found. On value, the darker category was found preferred by older individuals, opposing younger ones who likes lighter ones, as said by Lee, Gong, and Leung (2009). Meanwhile, Child, Hansen, and Hornbeck concluded that cooler colors are preferred by all ages, which is becoming prevalent as early as six, and that there is little to no significant transcendence of color preference, raising their point to the study of Burnham, Hanes, and Bartleson in 1963 as cited in their article. But they still stressed that changes may still occur because the individual may be socially-affected, which may then change his attention from the color’s saturation as a criterion to its hue. They also added that if there is change by age, the change in cognitive functions of a child to an adult is one big cause. This is affirmed by the study of Davis, Pitchford, and Seerif (2009), which in their experiment showed that adults are more in favor of desaturated and hue colors than that of saturated ones. C. Possible Factors affecting Color Preferences Except the properties of colors and cognitive functions that is earlier mentioned, this study saw no clear cause to explain everything as different researchers concluded either biologically, psychologically, or both. Ellis and Ficek presented a biological origin that it may be a neurohormonal factor that affects color preference, but not elaborated further because the evidence supporting the hypothesis is an experiment in rats and is currently in study. Another one is that color preference came about by retinal biochemistry and the way the brain processes color information, which is sensitive to some colors that is found different in sexes. Females are more sensitive to pink and, while males are more sensitive to green and blue. Lee, Gong, and Leung also noted that elders would prefer colors related to joyful events, while the younger ones would prefer those that will make them comfortable. They agree to Child, Hansen, and Hornbeck’s hypothesis that color preference may be emotionally-evoked which may be an influence of an individual’s experience with the color. Chapter 3 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS SUMMARY This paper attempted to determine the colors preferred by male and female individuals, their changes in preference in their occurrence over time and the psychological and societal causes and bases of the preferences and changes that happen. The research design used in this study is the Descriptive Method wherein data from books and journal articles from scholarly periodicals and online resources were used to answer the research questions posed. The research findings are the following: 1. The color blue is generally preferred by all individuals. Based on the color properties, both genders differ in color preference with males liking cool, bright and shady colors while females favor warm, soft and tinted colors. 2. The changes in color preference by age are not specific. Cooler colors are commonly preferred throughout the life span but changes are caused by an individual’s changing criterion, from saturation to hue. 3. Psychologically, color preference exists from an individual’s emotion, cognitive function and perception stored in memory related to the color. Society also influences color but is yet to be proven. CONCLUSION Based on the findings of this study, the researchers therefore conclude that an individual’s color preference does depend on age, gender, and the color’s properties. RECOMMENDATIONS After drawing the conclusions of the study, the researchers hereby make the following suggestions/recommendations for future researchers: 1. In conducting further research on color preferences, an Empirical Method should be used to gain more accurate and more meaningful results and data. 2. It should focus on the biological bases because only a few researchers have produced information about the biological aspects of color preferences. . It should also focus on the effects of color preferences to an individual’s behavior and inclinations to certain objects. REFERENCES Briggs, D. (n. d. ). The dimensions of color. Retrieved from http://www. huevaluechroma. com/ 012. php. Cherry, K. (n. d. ). Color psychology: How colors impact moods, feelings, and behaviors. Retrieved from http://psych ology. about. com/od/sensationandperception/colorpsych. htm. Child, I. , Hansen, J. , & Hornbeck, F. (1968). Age and sex differences in children’s color preferences. Child Development, 39(1), 237-247. doi:10. 2307/1127374. Ciccarelli, S. , & Write, J. N. 2009). Psychology (2nd ed. ). Jurong, SG: Pearson Education South Asia Pte. Ltd. Davis, E. , Pitchford, N. , & Seerif, G. (2009). Does colour preference have a role in colour term aquisition?. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 27(4), 993-1012 doi:10. 1348/026151008Ãâ€"399916. Ellis, L. , & Ficek, C. (2001). Color preferences according to gender and sexual orientation. Personality and Individual Differences, 31(8), 1375-1379. doi: 10. 1016/S0191- 8869(00)00231-2. Eysenck, H. (1941). A critical and experimental study of colour preference. The American Journal of Psychology, 54(3), 385-394. doi:10. 307/1417683. Lee, W. , Leung, C. , & Gong, S. Is color preference determined by age difference?. Retrieved from http://w ww. iasdr2009. org/ap/Papers/Orally%20Presented%20Papers/Behavior/Is%20 Color%20Preference%20Affected%20by%20Age%20Difference. pdf. Lescroart, M. (2010). Favorite colors: Color preference determined by desirability of objects. Retrieved from http://www. scientificamerican. com/article. cfm? id=favorite-colors. Michaels, G. (1941). Color preference according to age. The American Journal of Psychology, 35(1), 79-87. doi:10. 2307/1127374. Munger, D. (2005). Color preference in kids and adults. Retrieved from http://scienceblogs. com/ cognitivedaily/2005/06/color_preference_in_kids_and_a. php. Pantone. (n. d. ) How does color affect us? Retrieved from http://www. pantone. com/pages/ pantone/Pantone. aspx? pg=19382&ca=29 Pinel, J. (2008). Biopsychology (7th ed. ). Jurong, SG: Pearson Education South Asia Pte. Ltd. Sohn, E. (2010). Color preference determined by experience. Retrieved from http://news. discovery. com/human/colors-preferences-evolution-style. html. Work, S. (2011). True colors – breakdown of color preferences by gender. Retrieved from http://blog. kissmetrics. com/gender-and-color/.

The Strange Ride of Morrowbie

In Rudyard Kipling’s story â€Å"The Strange Ride of Morrowbie Jukes† there are many aspects of the India’s traditions and customs. But one custom that is strongly present though out the story is the role of the Indian caste system. Within each character you are taken into the five levels of the caste system. The caste system has been present in Indian culture for as far back as their history can be traced. The five levels that are present with in the characters in the story are Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra, and Harijans (www. suchico. edu) According to Indianchild. com the India caste system is a hierarchical society. In the Indian caste system, no matter where you live or what religion you are everybody is ranked into one of the five levels. The caste system is respected and followed by all who live within the system. No matter where you live everyone knows their caste ranking, and they behave towards each other according to their ranking. We are first i ntroduced to Morrowbie, who is a man that is placed in the caste system known as Vaishya.According to Caste System, the Vaishya are known as the Krsi (who are the people for grow the food grains), the goraksha (who are the cow protection), the vanijyam (who do the trading), the Vaisya karma (people who work), and svabhavajam (are the people who are born of his own nature). The Vaisyas were known as the land-owners, money-lenders and influential traders. Morrowbie is known as a man with an education and career as a civil engineer. Due to his successful career he is known as a land-owner. It is evident though out the story that Morrowbie knows of his high class level and the caste level of the people around him.When he first falls into the hole he finds himself in the middle of a crowd. He states that the people are scantily clothed and can be associated with the Hindu mendicants (p. 24). According to the Indian caste level the merchants are considered to be one level below Morrowbie Jukes. You can tell from the way that he speaks about them, that he believes them not to be worthy to be in his presence. Morrowbie goes on to say how the merchants should show him respect and give him recognition of his presence there. In the story, Morrowbie is shown to treat the lower caste levels as second class citizens to him.While Morrowbie is trying to buy food and shelter from Gunga he once again refers to the lower class of merchants that surround him. He states â€Å"One does not protest against the doings of a den of wild beasts; and my companions were lower than any beasts (p. 28). We are then introduced to Gunga Dass as a man of power and status in the purgatory of the dead. Gunga Dass is considered to be the highest class of the Indian caste system. According to www. csuchico. edu, Gunga Dass is in the caste level of Brahmin. According to Gnome Research Brahmin are members of the priestly class in the Indian system, and belongs to the upper caste society.The Brahmins as described by Indianchild. com is â€Å"Brahman is of the nature of truth, knowledge and infinity. Gunga Dass claimed that he no longer lived his life as a Deccanee Brahmin, but he does still maintained his status in the land of the living dead. Even though Dass states that he renounced the Brahmin life, he still is living the role of his caste system. Gunga becomes the guide to Morrowbie, showing him the ways of the new land and the laws that he must follow. Gunga takes the role of protector just as he was in his time on earth. Morrowbie states â€Å"Gunga Dass, whom I had begun to regard as my natural protector† (p. 7). It is Gunga who nourishes the people, protects the land, just as he was during his life as a Brahmin. He gave Morrowbie shelter and food when he was asked. He also had the knowledge of the land, giving Morrowbie the answers that were proper for his own caste level knowledge. When Dass is requested by Morrowbie to get the white boy’s body, he state s to Morrowbie â€Å"But I am Brahmin, Sahib- a high caste Brahmin†. Even though it seems that Morrowbie has over stepped his caste position, it is Dass who is always in control. He is the protector, guide, nourishes, and all knowing of the land of the living dead.We are then introduced to the white boy that is killed by Gunga. The unnamed boy is considered to be a Harijan in the Indian caste system. According to Caste System in India the Harijan or untouchables; was the lowest class of the Indian caste system. They were called the outsiders of the system, the people who were too low on the level to be considered part of the system. They were traditionally sweepers, washers of clothes, leatherworkers, and those whose occupation it was to kill animals (indianchild. com). The murdered white boy was described as wearing an olive-green hunting suit that was much stained and worn (p. 5). This description gives a clear indication that the murder boy is a hunter, this is thought by the Indian caste system as a person who deserves no ranking or rights. The boy is never given a name, which indicates the unimportance of his position. Also it is his body that is drowns in the quick sand for no clear reason. His soul and body are not given a second thought about, he is treated like a dried up piece of meat, just as he would have been treated during life on earth. We are finally introduced to Dunnoo, a boy that lives in the Indian caste system called Shudra.The Shudra are traditionally people that work in service as slaves or practitioners of unskilled trades. Dunnoo is in unskilled tradesmen who work as Morrowbie’s dog boy. He is a worker at Morrowbie’s farm that tends to his collies. Even though Dunnoo is considered to be in the lower class of the caste system, he is thought to be above the untouchables. That is why he is used as the person who saves Morrowbie, but it is never mention of any gratitude from Morrowbie for saving his life. In â€Å"The Strange Ride of Morrowbie Jukes† it is evident that the Indian caste system is used in each characters actions and manners.The Indian Caste system is a system that till this day, has been the back bone of the Indian society. The characters of this story displayed not only the attitudes of each caste system, but also the beliefs of how each caste level associated with each other. Each character from Morrowbie to the white hunter established themselves in the undead world the same as they lived above ground. They did not care where their bodies were, for living in the caste system you live your full life even after death in the same caste system.

Supply and Demand Essays

Supply and Demand Essays Supply and Demand Essay Supply and Demand Essay chapter: 3 Supply and Demand Krugman/Wells Economics  ©2009 ? Worth Publishers WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS CHAPTER ? ? ? ? ? What a competitive market is and how it is described by the supply and demand model What the demand curve and supply curve are The difference between movements along a curve and shifts of a curve How the supply and demand curves determine a market’s equilibrium price and equilibrium quantity In the case of a shortage or surplus, how price moves the market back to equilibrium 2 of 42 Supply and Demand ? A competitive market: ? ? Many buyers and sellers Same good or service ? ? The supply and demand model is a model of how a competitive market works. Five key elements: ? ? ? ? ? Demand curve Supply curve Demand and supply curve shifts Market equilibrium Changes in the market equilibrium 3 of 42 Demand Schedule ? A demand schedule shows how much of a good or service consumers will want to buy at different prices. Demand Schedule for Coffee Beans Price of coffee beans (per pound) Quantity of coffee beans demanded (billions of pounds) $2. 00 1. 75 7. 1 7. 5 1. 50 1. 25 1. 00 0. 75 0. 50 8. 1 8. 9 10. 0 11. 5 14. 2 of 42 Demand Curve Price of coffee bean (per gallon) $2. 00 1. 75 1. 50 1. 25 1. 00 0. 75 0. 50 A demand curve is the graphical representation of the demand schedule; it shows how much of a good or service consumers want to buy at any given price. As price rises, the quantity demanded falls Demand curve, D 0 7 9 11 13 15 17 Quantity of coffee beans (billions of pounds) 5 of 42 GLOBAL COMPARISON Pay Mor e, Pump Less†¦ ? Price of gasoline (per gallon) Germany Because of high taxes, gasoline and diesel fuel are more than twice as expensive in most European countries as in the United States. According to the law of demand, Europeans should buy less gasoline than Americans, and they do: Europeans consume less than half as much fuel as Americans, mainly because they drive smaller cars with better mileage. $8 7 6 United Kingdom Italy France Spain ? 5 4 3 Japan Canada United States 0. 2 0. 6 1. 0 1. 4 0 Consumption of gasoline (gallons per day per capita) 6 of 42 An Increase in Demand ? ? An increase in the population and other factors generate an increase in demand – a rise in the quantity demanded at any given price. This is represented by the two demand schedules one showing demand in 2002, before the rise in population, the other showing demand in 2006, after the rise in population. Demand Schedules for Coffee Beans Quantity of coffee beans demanded (billions of pounds) Price of coffee beans (per pound) in 2002 in 2006 $2. 00 1. 75 1. 50 1. 25 1. 00 0. 75 0. 50 7. 1 7. 5 8. 1 8. 9 10. 0 11. 5 14. 2 8. 5 9. 0 9. 7 10. 7 12. 0 13. 8 17. 0 7 of 42 An Increase in Demand Price of coffee beans (per gallon) $2. 00 Increase in population ? more coffee drinkers 1. 75 1. 50 1. 25 1. 00 0. 75 0. 50 0 Demand curve in 2006 Demand curve in 2002 7 9 11 13 D 1 D 17 2 15 Quantity of coffee beans (billions of pounds) A shift of the demand curve is a change in the quantity demanded at any given price, represented by the change of the original demand curve to a new position, denoted by a new demand curve. 8 of 42 Movement Along the Demand Curve Price of coffee beans (per gallon) $2. 00 1. 75 1. 50 1. 25 A C †¦ is not the same thing as a movement along the demand curve B A shift of the demand curve†¦ A movement along the demand curve is a change in the quantity demanded of a good that is the result of a change in that good’s price. 1. 00 0. 75 . 50 D 7 8. 1 9. 7 10 13 1 D 17 2 0 15 Quantity of coffee beans (billions of pounds) 9 of 42 Shifts of the Demand Curve Price Increase in demand An â€Å"increase in demand† A â€Å"decrease in demand†, means a leftward shift of rightward shift of the demand curve: at any given price, consumers demand a smaller quantity larger quantity than before. (D1? D3) (D1? D2) Decrease in demand D 3 D 1 D 2 Quantity 10 of 42 What Causes a Demand Curve to Shift? ? Changes in the Prices of Related Goods ? Substitutes: Two goods are substitutes if a fall in the price of one of the goods makes consumers less willing to buy the other good. Complements: Two goods are complements if a fall in the price of one good makes people more willing to buy the other good. ? 11 of 42 What Causes a Demand Curve to Shift? ? Changes in Income ? ? Normal Goods: When a rise in income increases the demand for a good the normal case we say that the good is a normal good. Inferior Goods: When a rise in income decreases the demand for a good, it is an inferior good. ? ? Changes in Tastes Changes in Expectations 12 of 42 Individual Demand Curve and the Market Demand Curve The market demand curve is the horizontal sum of the individual demand curves of all consumers in that market. (a) (b) (c) Darla’s Individual Demand Curve Price of coffee beans (per pound) Price of coffee beans (per pound) Dino’s Individual Demand Curve Price of coffee beans (per pound) Market Demand Curve $2 $2 $2 DMarket 1 1 1 DDarla DDino 0 20 30 Quantity of coffee beans (pounds) 0 10 20 Quantity of coffee beans (pounds) 0 30 40 50 Quantity of coffee beans (pounds) 13 of 42 Supply Schedule ? A supply schedule shows how much of a good or service would be supplied at different prices. Supply Schedule for Coffee Beans Price of coffee beans (per pound) Quantity of coffee beans supplied (billions of pounds) $2. 00 1. 75 1. 50 1. 25 1. 00 0. 75 0. 50 11. 6 11. 5 11. 2 10. 7 10. 0 9. 1 8. 0 14 of 42 Supply Curve Price of coffee beans (per pound) Supply curve, S $2. 00 1. 75 1. 50 1. 25 1. 00 0. 75 0. 50 0 7 9 11 13 A supply curve shows graphically how much of a good or service people are willing to sell at any given price. As price rises, the quantity supplied rises. 15 17 Quantity of coffee beans (billions of pounds) 15 of 42 An Increase in Supply ? ? The entry of Vietnam Supply Schedule for Coffee Beans into the coffee bean Quantity of beans supplied Price of business generated coffee beans (billions of pounds) an increase in (per pound) Before entry After entry supply- a rise in the quantity supplied at $2. 00 11. 6 13. 9 any given price. 1. 75 11. 5 13. 8 This event is 1. 50 11. 2 13. 4 represented by the 1. 25 10. 7 12. 8 two supply schedules- one 1. 00 10. 0 12. 0 showing supply before 0. 75 9. 1 10. 9 Vietnam’s entry, the 0. 50 8. 0 9. 6 other showing supply after Vietnam came in. 16 of 42 An Increase in Supply Price of coffee beans (per pound) S $2. 0 1 S 2 Vietnam enters coffee bean business ? more coffee producers 1. 75 1. 50 1. 25 1. 00 0. 75 0. 50 0 7 A movement along the supply curve†¦ †¦ is not the same thing as a shift of the supply curve 9 11 13 15 17 Quantity of coffee beans (billions of pounds) A shift of the supply curve is a change in the quantity supplied of a good at any given price. 17 of 42 Movement Along the Supply Curve Price of coffee beans (per pound) $2. 00 1. 75 1. 50 1. 25 1. 00 0. 75 0. 50 0 7 10 11. 2 12 A C †¦ is not the same thing as a shift of the supply curve 15 17 A movement along the supply curve†¦ S 1 S 2 B Quantity of coffee beans (billions of pounds) A movement along the supply curve is a change in the quantity supplied of a good that is the result of a change in that good’s price. 18 of 42 Shifts of the Supply Curve Price S 3 S 1 S 2 Increase in supply Any â€Å"increase in â€Å"decrease in supply† means a leftward shift of the rightward shift of the supply curve: at any given price, there is an a decrease in the increase in the quantity supplied. (S1? S2) S3) Decrease in supply Quantity 19 of 42 What Causes a Supply Curve to Shift? ? ? ? ? ? Changes in input prices ? An input is a good that is used to produce another good. Changes in the prices of related goods and services Changes in technology Changes in expectations Changes in the number of producers 20 of 42 Individual Supply Curve and the Market Supply Curve The market supply curve is the horizontal sum of the individual supply curves of all firms in that market. (a) Price of coffee beans (per pound) (b) Price of coffee beans (per pound) (c) Market Supply Curve Price of coffee beans (per pound) Mr. Figueroa’s Individual Supply Curve SFigueroa Mr. Bien Pho’s Individual Supply Curve S Pho Bien $2 $2 $2 S Market 1 1 1 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 Quantity of coffee beans (pounds) 0 1 2 3 4 5 Quantity of coffee beans (pounds) Quantity of coffee beans (pounds) 21 of 42 Supply, Demand and Equilibrium ? Equilibrium in a competitive market: when the quantity demanded of a good equals the quantity supplied of that good. The price at which this takes place is the equilibrium price (a. k. a. market-clearing price): ? ? Every buyer finds a seller and vice versa. The quantity of the good bought and sold at that price is the equilibrium quantity. ? 22 of 42 Market Equilibrium Price of coffee beans (per pound) Supply 2. 00 1. 75 1. 50 1. 25 Market equilibrium occurs at point E, where the supply curve and the demand curve intersect. Equilibrium price 1. 00 0. 75 E Equilibrium 0. 50 0 7 10 Equilibrium quantity 13 Demand 15 17 Quantity of coffee beans (billions of pounds) 23 of 42 Surplus Price of coffee beans (per pound) Supply $2. 00 1. 75 Surplus 1. 50 1. 25 1. 00 0. 75 E There is a surplus of a good when the quantity supplied exceeds the quantity demanded. Surpluses occur when the price is above its equilibrium level. 0. 50 0 7 8. 1 10 11. 2 13 Demand 15 17 Quantity of coffee beans (billions of pounds) Quantity demanded Quantity supplied 24 of 42 Shortage Price of coffee beans (per pound) $2. 00 1. 75 Supply 1. 50 1. 25 There is a shortage of a good when the quantity demanded exceeds the quantity supplied. Shortages occur when the price is below its equilibrium level. 1. 00 0. 75 E 0. 50 0 7 9. 1 Shortage Demand 13 15 17 Quantity of coffee beans (billions of pounds) 10 11. 5 Quantity supplied Quantity demanded 25 of 42 >ECONOMICS IN ACTION The Price of Admission: Compare the box office price for a recent Justin Timberlake concert in Miami, Florida, to the StubHub. com price for seats in the same location: $88. 0 versus $155. Why is there such a big difference in prices? For major events, buying tickets from the box office means waiting in very long lines. Ticket buyers who use Internet resellers have decided that the opportunity cost of their time is too high to spend waiting in line. For those major events with online box offices selling tickets at face value, tickets often sell out within minutes. In this case, some people who want to go to the concert badly but have missed out on the opportunity to buy cheaper tickets from the online box office are willing to pay the higher Internet reseller price. 6 of 42 Equilibrium and Shifts of the Demand Curve Price of coffee beans An increase in demand†¦ Supply E P 2 2 Price rises E P 1 1 †¦ leads to a movement along the supply curve due to a higher equilibrium price and higher equilibrium quantity D 2 D 1 Q 1 Q 2 Quantity of coffee beans Quantity rises 27 of 42 Equilibrium and Shifts of the Supply Curve Price of coffee beans S 2 S 1 A decrease in supply†¦ P Price rises E 2 2 †¦ leads to a movement along the demand curve due to a higher equilibrium price and lower equilibrium quantity P 1 E1 Demand Q 2 Q 1 Quantity of coffee beans Quantity falls 28 of 42 Technology Shifts of the Supply Curve Price An increase in supply †¦ S1 S2 †¦ leads to a movement along the demand curve to a lower equilibrium price and higher equilibrium quantity. E1 Price falls P1 P2 E2 Technological innovation: In the early 1970s, engineers learned how to put microscopic electronic components onto a silicon chip; progress in the technique has allowed ever more components to be put on each chip. Demand Q 1 Q 2 Quantity Quantity increases 29 of 42 Simultaneous Shifts of Supply and Demand (a) One possible outcome: Price Rises, Quantity Rises Price of coffee Small decrease in supply S 2 S 1 E P 2 2 The opposing forces Two increase in demand dominates the determining the decrease in supply. equilibrium quantity. E P 1 1 D D 1 Large increase in demand Q 1 Q2 2 Quantity of coffee 30 of 42 Simultaneous Shifts of Supply and Demand (b) Another Possibility Outcome: Price Rises, Quantity Falls Price of coffee Large decrease in supply S 2 S 1 E P 2 2 Two opposing forces determining the equilibrium quantity. E P 1 1 Small increase in demand D D 2 1 Q 2 Q 1 Quantity of coffee 31 of 42 Simultaneous Shifts of Supply and Demand We can make the following predictions about the outcome when the supply and demand curves shift simultaneously: Simultaneous Shifts of Supply and Demand Demand Increases Demand Decreases Supply Increases Supply Decreases Price: ambiguous Quantity: up Price: up Quantity: ambiguous Price: down Price: ambiguous Quantity: ambiguous Quantity: down 32 of 42 FOR INQUIRING MINDS Your Turn on the Runway: An Exercise of Supply, Demand and Supermodels ? The ease of transmitting photos over the Internet and the relatively low cost of international travel ? beautiful young women from all over the world, eagerly trying to make it as models = influx of aspiring models from around the world In addition the tastes of many of those who hire models have changed ? hey prefer celebrities What happened to the equilibrium price of a young (not a celebrity) fashion model? Use your supply and demand curves to determine the salaries of â€Å"America’s Next Best Models†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 33 of 42 ? ? FOR INQUIRING MINDS Another Example: Supply, Demand and Controlled Substances Price S2 S1 E2 P2 Price rises P1 E1 Howe ver, we can see The equilibrium by comparing the price has risen from original equilibrium E1 P1 to P2, and this with â€Å"war on The the new drugs† induces suppliers to equilibrium E2 that the provide drugs shifts the supply actual reduction in the despite the left. curve tothe risks. uantity of drugs supplied is much smaller than the shift of the supply curve. Demand Q2 Q1 Quantity Quantity falls 34 of 42 >ECONOMICS IN ACTION The Great Tortilla Crises: A sharp rise in the price of tortillas, a staple food of Mexico’s poor, which had gone from 25 cents a pound to between 35 and 45 cents a pound in just a few months in early 2007. Why were tortilla prices soaring? It was a classic example of what happens to equilibrium prices when supply falls. Tortillas are made from corn; much of Mexico’s corn is imported from the United States, with the price of corn in both countries basically set in the U. S. corn market. And U. S. corn prices were rising rapidly thanks to surging demand in a new market: the market for ethanol. 35 of 42 Demand and Supply Shifts at Work in the Global Economy ? A recent drought in Australia reduced the amount of grass on which Australian dairy cows could feed, thus limiting the amount of milk these cows produced for export. At the same time, a new tax levied by the government of Argentina raised the price of the milk the country exported, thereby decreasing Argentine milk sales worldwide. These two developments produced a supply shortage in the world market, which dairy farmers in Europe couldn’t fill because of strict production quotas set by the European Union. ? ? 36 of 42 Demand and Supply Shifts at Work in the Global Economy ? In China, meanwhile, demand for milk and milk products increased, as rising income levels drove higher per-capita consumption. All these occurrences resulted in a strong upward pressure on the price of milk everywhere in 2007. ? 37 of 42 SUMMARY 1. The supply and demand model illustrates how a competitive market works. 2. The demand schedule shows the quantity demanded at each price and is represented graphically by a demand curve. The law of demand says that demand curves slope downward. 3. A movement along the demand curve occurs when a price change leads to a change in the quantity demanded. When economists talk of increasing or decreasing demand, they mean shifts of the demand curve- a change in the quantity demanded at any given price. 38 of 42 SUMMARY 4. There are five main factors that shift the demand curve: A change in the prices of related goods or services A change in income A hange in tastes A change in expectations A change in the number of consumers 5. The market demand curve for a good or service is the horizontal sum of the individual demand curves of all consumers in the market. 6. The supply schedule shows the quantity supplied at each price and is represented graphically by a supply curve. Supply curves usually slope upward. 39 of 42 SUMMARY 7. A movement along the supply curve occurs when a price change leads to a change in the quantity supplied. When economists talk of increasing or decreasing supply, they mean shifts of the supply curve- a change in the quantity supplied at any given price. 8. There are five main factors that shift the supply curve: A change in input prices A change in the prices of related goods and services A change in technology A change in expectations A change in the number of producers 9. The market supply curve for a good or service is the horizontal sum of the individual supply curves of all producers in the market. 40 of 42 SUMMARY 10. The supply and demand model is based on the principle that the price in a market moves to its equilibrium price, or market-clearing price, the price at which the quantity demanded is equal to the quantity supplied. This quantity is the equilibrium quantity. When the price is above its market-clearing level, there is a surplus that pushes the price down. When the price is below its market-clearing level, there is a shortage that pushes the price up. 11. An increase in demand increases both the equilibrium price and the equilibrium quantity; a decrease in demand has the opposite effect. An increase in supply reduces the equilibrium price and increases the equilibrium quantity; a decrease in supply has the opposite effect. 12. Shifts of the demand curve and the supply curve can happen simultaneously. 41 of 42 The End of Chapter 3 Coming attraction Chapter 4: The Market Strikes Back 42 of 42

The Biography and Inventions of Inventor Thomas Edison

The Biography and Inventions of Inventor Thomas Edison Thomas Alva Edison was born on February 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio; the seventh and last child of Samuel and Nancy Edison. When Edison was seven his family moved to Port Huron, Michigan. Edison lived here until he struck out on his own at the age of sixteen. Edison had very little formal education as a child, attending school only for a few months. He was taught reading, writing, and arithmetic by his mother, but was always a very curious child and taught himself much by reading on his own. This belief in self-improvement remained throughout his life. Work as a Telegrapher Edison began working at an early age, as most boys did at the time. At thirteen he took a job as a newsboy, selling newspapers and candy on the local railroad that ran through Port Huron to Detroit. He seems to have spent much of his free time reading scientific, and technical books, and also had the opportunity at this time to learn how to operate a telegraph. By the time he was sixteen, Edison was proficient enough to work as a telegrapher full time. First Patent The development of the telegraph was the first step in the communication revolution, and the telegraph industry expanded rapidly in the second half of the 19th century. This rapid growth gave Edison and others like him a chance to travel, see the country, and gain experience. Edison worked in a number of cities throughout the United States before arriving in Boston in 1868. Here Edison began to change his profession from telegrapher to inventor. He received his first patent on an electric vote recorder, a device intended for use by elected bodies such as Congress to speed the voting process. This invention was a commercial failure. Edison resolved that in the future he would only invent things that he was certain the public would want. Marriage to Mary Stilwell Edison moved to New York City in 1869. He continued to work on inventions related to the telegraph, and developed his first successful invention, an improved stock ticker called the Universal Stock Printer. For this and some related inventions, Edison was paid $40,000. This gave Edison the money he needed to set up his first small laboratory and manufacturing facility in Newark, New Jersey in 1871. During the next five years, Edison worked in Newark inventing and manufacturing devices that greatly improved the speed and efficiency of the telegraph. He also found time to get married to Mary Stilwell and start a family. Move to Menlo Park In 1876 Edison sold all his Newark manufacturing concerns and moved his family and staff of assistants to the small village of Menlo Park, twenty-five miles southwest of New York City. Edison established a new facility containing all the equipment necessary to work on any invention. This research and development laboratory was the first of its kind anywhere; the model for later, modern facilities such as Bell Laboratories, this is sometimes considered to be Edisons greatest invention. Here Edison began to change the world. The first great invention developed by Edison in Menlo Park was the tin foil phonograph. The first machine that could record and reproduce sound created a sensation and brought Edison international fame. Edison toured the country with the tin foil phonograph  and was invited to the White House to demonstrate it to President Rutherford B. Hayes in April 1878. Edison next undertook his greatest challenge, the development of a practical incandescent, electric light. The idea of electric lighting was not new, and a number of people had worked on, and even developed forms of electric lighting. But up to that time, nothing had been developed that was remotely practical for home use. Edisons eventual achievement was inventing not just an incandescent electric light, but also an electric lighting system that contained all the elements necessary to make the incandescent light practical, safe, and economical.    Thomas Edison Founds an Industry Based on Electricity After one and a half years of work, success was achieved when an incandescent lamp with a filament of carbonized sewing thread burned for thirteen and a half hours. The first public demonstration of the Edisons incandescent lighting system was in December 1879, when the Menlo Park laboratory complex was electrically lighted. Edison spent the next several years creating the electric industry. In September 1882, the first commercial power station, located on Pearl Street in lower Manhattan, went into operation providing light and power to customers in a one square mile area; the electric age had begun.    Fame Wealth The success of his electric light brought Edison to new heights of fame and wealth, as electricity spread around the world. Edisons various electric companies continued to grow until in 1889 they were brought together to form Edison General Electric. Despite the use of Edison in the company title however, Edison never controlled this company. The tremendous amount of capital needed to develop the incandescent lighting industry had necessitated the involvement of investment bankers such as J.P. Morgan. When Edison General Electric merged with its leading competitor Thompson-Houston in 1892, Edison was dropped from the name, and the company became simply General Electric. Marriage to Mina Miller This period of success was marred by the death of Edisons wife Mary in 1884. Edisons involvement in the business end of the electric industry had caused Edison to spend less time in Menlo Park. After Marys death, Edison was there even less, living instead in New York City with his three children. A year later, while vacationing at a friends house in New England, Edison met Mina Miller and fell in love. The couple was married in February 1886 and moved to West Orange, New Jersey where Edison had purchased an estate, Glenmont, for his bride. Thomas Edison lived here with Mina until his death.    New Laboratory Factories When Edison moved to West Orange, he was doing experimental work in makeshift facilities in his electric lamp factory in nearby Harrison, New Jersey. A few months after his marriage, however, Edison decided to build a new laboratory in West Orange itself, less than a mile from his home. Edison possessed the both the resources and experience by this time to build, the best equipped and largest laboratory extant and the facilities superior to any other for rapid and cheap development of an invention. The new laboratory complex consisting of five buildings opened in November 1887. A three story main laboratory building contained a power plant, machine shops, stock rooms, experimental rooms and a large library. Four smaller one story buildings built perpendicular to the main building contained a physics lab, chemistry lab, metallurgy lab, pattern shop, and chemical storage. The large size of the laboratory not only allowed Edison to work on any sort of project, but also allowed him to work on as many as ten or twenty projects at once. Facilities were added to the laboratory or modified to meet Edisons changing needs as he continued to work in this complex until his death in 1931. Over the years, factories to manufacture Edison inventions were built around the laboratory. The entire laboratory and factory complex eventually covered more than twenty acres and employed 10,000 people at its peak during World War One (1914-1918). After opening the new laboratory, Edison began to work on the phonograph again, having set the project aside to develop the electric light in the late 1870s. By the 1890s, Edison began to manufacture phonographs for both home, and business use. Like the electric light, Edison developed everything needed to have a phonograph work, including records to play, equipment to record the records, and equipment to manufacture the records and the machines. In the process of making the phonograph practical, Edison created the recording industry. The development and improvement of the phonograph was an ongoing project, continuing almost until Edisons death.    The Movies While working on the phonograph, Edison began working on a device that, does for the eye what the phonograph does for the ear, this was to become motion pictures. Edison first demonstrated motion pictures in 1891, and began commercial production of movies two years later in a peculiar looking structure, built on the laboratory grounds, known as the Black Maria. Like the electric light and phonograph before it, Edison developed a complete system, developing everything needed to both film and show motion pictures. Edisons initial work in motion pictures was pioneering and original. However, many people became interested in this third new industry Edison created, and worked to further improve on Edisons early motion picture work. There were therefore many contributors to the swift development of motion pictures beyond the early work of Edison. By the late 1890s, a thriving new industry was firmly established, and by 1918 the industry had become so competitive that Edison got out of the movie business all together.    Even a Genius Can have a Bad Day 1890s greatest failure    A Profitable Product alkaline battery . By 1911, Thomas Edison had built a vast industrial operation in West Orange. Numerous factories had been built through the years around the original laboratory, and the staff of the entire complex had grown into the thousands. To better manage operations, Edison brought all the companies he had started to make his inventions together into one corporation, Thomas A. Edison Incorporated, with Edison as president and chairman. Aging Gracefully In the 1915, Edison was asked to head the Naval Consulting Board. With the United States inching closer towards the involvement in World War One, the Naval Consulting Board was an attempt to organize the talents of the leading scientists and inventors in the United States for the benefit of the American armed forces. Edison favored preparedness, and accepted the appointment. The Board did not make a notable contribution to the final allied victory, but did serve as a precedent for future successful cooperation between scientists, inventors and the United States military. During the war, at age seventy, Edison spent several months on Long Island Sound in a borrowed navy vessel experimenting on techniques for detecting submarines. Honoring a Lifetime of Achievement Edisons role in life began to change from inventor and industrialist to cultural icon, a symbol of American ingenuity, and a real life Horatio Alger story. In 1928, in recognition of a lifetime of achievement, the United States Congress voted Edison a special Medal of Honor. In 1929 the nation celebrated the golden jubilee of the incandescent light. The celebration culminated at a banquet honoring Edison given by Henry Ford at Greenfield Village, Fords new American history museum, which included a complete restoration of the Menlo Park Laboratory. Attendees included President Herbert Hoover and many of the leading American scientists and inventors. The last experimental work of Edisons life was done at the request of Edisons good friends Henry Ford, and Harvey Firestone in the late 1920s. They asked Edison to find an alternative source of rubber for use in automobile tires. The natural rubber used for tires up to that time came from the rubber tree, which does not grow in the United States. Crude rubber had to be imported and was becoming increasingly expensive. With his customary energy and thoroughness, Edison tested thousands of different plants to find a suitable substitute, eventually finding a type of Goldenrod weed that could produce enough rubber to be feasible. Edison was still working on this at the time of his death. A Great Man Dies During the last two years of his life Edison was in increasingly poor health. Edison spent more time away from the laboratory, working instead at Glenmont. Trips to the family vacation home in Fort Myers, Florida became longer. Edison was past eighty and suffering from a number of ailments. In August 1931 Edison collapsed at Glenmont. Essentially house bound from that point, Edison steadily declined until at 3:21 am on October 18, 1931 the great man died.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Enterprise Rent-A-Car - Assignment Example Avis and Hertz have been the major competitors of Enterprise in the car hire industry in the United States. However,they have majored on airport business. In 2002 hertz was the number one airport car rental brand in the United States followed by Avis (Kellogg school of Management, 9). At this time, enterprise was involved largely in local rental market and was rated top in this sector. Due to customer demand enterprise started airport business in 2002 and up to 2012 there have been ranked top seven years consecutively and thus expressing the command of the company in the industry. I would recommend the other companies to replicate them to match their success. However, they would need to implement the strategies used by Enterprise. Zipcarwas the first car sharing service provider and it dominated the market making super-normal profits before other companies such as Hertz and Enterprise joined .The reliability of this system has brought high competition in the industry . This has led to a drift of customers from car hiring and leasing to car sharing and thus reducing profits of Enterprise. They need to work go an extra mile and market themselves in car sharing or even introduce a better service than this. The growth and popularity of Zipcar is likely to reduce the profits of Enterprise since most universities and corporations have adopted this style of transport to ease traffic congestion and to reduce on costs of leasing and car maintenance.