Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Porters 5 Forces Essay Example for Free

Porters 5 Forces Essay Competitive strategy is a field of great interest to managers and is mainly based on a thorough understanding of the industrial, trade and service, competitors and environment. However, until the 80s, has offered few comprehensive analytical methods to obtain it. The competitive analysis and formulate corporate strategy, planning also helps to finance, marketing, value analysis and many other aspects of daily life of a business. One interesting for corporate strategy planning approach has been proposed by Michael E. Porter who states that there are five forces that influence the long-term profitability of a market or some segment of it. Therefore, the corporation must assess their objectives and resources against these five forces driving industry competitions, which are described below: 1) Threat of entry of new competitors or the market segment is unattractive depending on whether entry barriers are easy or not to cross by new entrants that may come with new resources and capabilities to seize market share. 2) Rivalry among competitors: for a corporation will be more difficult to compete in a market or a particular segment where competitors are well positioned, are very numerous and fixed costs are high, it will be constantly faced price wars, aggressive advertising, promotions and new product entry. 3) Bargaining power of suppliers: a market or market segment will not be attractive when providers are very well organized or trade union have strong resources and to impose its conditions of price and size of the order (with the aggravating circumstance if inputs that provide or have no substitutes are scarce and expensive). Nor if the provider decides strategically integrated forward and, for example, takes the distribution channels or where a product is distributed. 4) Bargaining power of buyers: a market or segment will not be attractive when customers are very well organized, the product has many substitutes, and it is not very differentiated or low cost to the client, allowing you they can make substitutions equally or lower cost. The growing demands of large buyers are focused on reducing prices, higher quality and best service; therefore, a corporation will be affected profit margins. The situation would worsen if buyers decide to integrate backwards and, for example, acquire d its suppliers or produce their own inputs.

Monday, January 20, 2020

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight :: Essays Papers

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight What makes a man a hero? Where lies the line which when crossed changes a mortal man into a legend? Is it at the altar at Canterbury? in the Minotaur’s labyrinth? or is it an age or a time? Does a man become a hero when he transforms from a boy to an adult? or when he stops being a man and becomes a martyr? Where are the heroes of 1993? In whom do the children of this age believe? Like whom do they strive to be? Kennedy, Lennon, and even Superman are dead. World leaders are mockeries of real men, more like Pilates than Thomas Mores. Pop culture’s icons change daily. It is interesting that nearly 600 years ago someone was writing about heroism in a way that can be understood today. The poet of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight tells a tale in which a man is proven to be a hero through the seemingly un-heroic decisions made in the course of numerous tests. Sir Gawain is a hero for the 21st century. He is tried and trapped, he is inundated with opportunities to fail and yet he does not lose. More importantly though, in the end he learns an essential, inescapable fact about himself and human nature. What makes a man a hero? Just before he leaves Camelot in search for the Green Knight, Sir Gawain gives perhaps the best possible answer to this question: â€Å"In destinies sad or merry, True men can but try.† Tests and decisions are as numerous in any man’s life as are the beats of his heart. The consequences he incurs follow him forever; he is judged by them and they affect his entire existence. Gawain’s statement is not merely profound sentiment, useful even today as a measure of a man’s mettle. It is also, coming as early as it does in Part II of the poem, a harbinger of how Gawain’s tale may end. It tells a reader that Gawain means to do his level best in his grand endeavor and if in but one small way he should fail, do not persecute him until considering how a different man may have fared. Gawain, similar to most of the characters in the tale, is tested on several occasions. In the poem, as in real life, judgment should not be passed on a man’s single decisions individually, but only by observing how he has chosen to live his life. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight :: Essays Papers Sir Gawain and the Green Knight What makes a man a hero? Where lies the line which when crossed changes a mortal man into a legend? Is it at the altar at Canterbury? in the Minotaur’s labyrinth? or is it an age or a time? Does a man become a hero when he transforms from a boy to an adult? or when he stops being a man and becomes a martyr? Where are the heroes of 1993? In whom do the children of this age believe? Like whom do they strive to be? Kennedy, Lennon, and even Superman are dead. World leaders are mockeries of real men, more like Pilates than Thomas Mores. Pop culture’s icons change daily. It is interesting that nearly 600 years ago someone was writing about heroism in a way that can be understood today. The poet of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight tells a tale in which a man is proven to be a hero through the seemingly un-heroic decisions made in the course of numerous tests. Sir Gawain is a hero for the 21st century. He is tried and trapped, he is inundated with opportunities to fail and yet he does not lose. More importantly though, in the end he learns an essential, inescapable fact about himself and human nature. What makes a man a hero? Just before he leaves Camelot in search for the Green Knight, Sir Gawain gives perhaps the best possible answer to this question: â€Å"In destinies sad or merry, True men can but try.† Tests and decisions are as numerous in any man’s life as are the beats of his heart. The consequences he incurs follow him forever; he is judged by them and they affect his entire existence. Gawain’s statement is not merely profound sentiment, useful even today as a measure of a man’s mettle. It is also, coming as early as it does in Part II of the poem, a harbinger of how Gawain’s tale may end. It tells a reader that Gawain means to do his level best in his grand endeavor and if in but one small way he should fail, do not persecute him until considering how a different man may have fared. Gawain, similar to most of the characters in the tale, is tested on several occasions. In the poem, as in real life, judgment should not be passed on a man’s single decisions individually, but only by observing how he has chosen to live his life.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Legalization of Marijuana for Recreational Use

Hewlett-Packard| Legalization of Marijuana for Recreational Use| Introduction to Ethics: Theory and Application| | HP| Assignment # 4 | Nichole Hysel| Legalization of Marijuana for Recreational Use On a cold January afternoon in a small community, a police officer is called to a residence for suspected domestic issue. As he arrives, he can hear shouting coming from the house. He knocks on the door and a boy of about five years old, who is dressed in nothing but shorts, comes to the door. He stands with the door open, a slice of bread in his dirty hand, smiling at the officer. He has seen the officer at the home a few times in the past.The child has also been over to the officer’s house to play with his children. The officer’s wife and the boy’s mother work together at the local grocery store and the boy’s father looks after him while his mother is at work. After the officer talks to the parents about their issues, which always seem to be basic domestic iss ues, he heads for the door. The boy follows him, hugs his leg, looks up and says, â€Å"Can I come with you? † The officer responds, â€Å"Sorry buddy, not today. † Two weeks later, on a bitter cold afternoon, the mother comes home from work to discover the child is gone.The same police officer searches along with the majority of the community. The boy is found an hour later on a rural country road. He is taken to the emergency room and treated for hypothermia. He is then taken in by Child Protective Services. The father is charged with possession of marijuana, his 2nd offense, along with intent to deliver. The mother has had enough and has turned the father in for growing a few plants in the basement and selling it to his buddies. After 7 days, the child is returned to his mother. He had been under the care of the police officer and his wife.Marijuana is the most widely used, illegal drug in the world. â€Å"It is estimated that 119 million to 224 million people used cannabis in 2011,† reports, Glenn D. Braunstein, M. D. and Vice President of clinical innovation at Cedars Sinai Hospital. Marijuana is considered a depressant, stimulant and hallucinogen. It has recently been legalized, as a recreational drug in two out of 50 states, Colorado and Washington. In these states, those who are 21 and older can possess up to an ounce of marijuana, it will be sold and taxed in state-licensed stores, much the same way alcohol is sold.In the state of Colorado, cultivation of up to six marijuana plants per person is allowed. Both states prohibit public use. Is it morally acceptable for marijuana to be legalized as a recreational drug? After exploring my own experiences, the possible pros and cons of legalization, and the social contract, utilitarian, and the ethics of care theories, I do not think it is morally acceptable. My personal opinion about the legalization of marijuana is that it should not be legal. While I have seen both negative and positi ve effects of marijuana use, it has affected me and my family in a negative way.I am aware that it can be used recreationally and have no affects. I also know that it can be addictive and have negative effects, both physically and mentally, when used on a regular basis. It is my personal opinion that the negative effects associated with marijuana outweigh the positives. I believe that if something has the potential to do harm to those who chose not to partake, it shouldn’t be legalized. I don’t believe that we should take the stand that because it is less harmful than alcohol, it should be legal.I believe that marijuana is dangerous, especially to today’s youth who use marijuana without considering the consequences. It is my fear that legalization could send the message to youth that it is acceptable to use marijuana as a coping mechanism. I do not want my children to be tempted to use a drug as a crutch, to relax or temporarily solve their problems. There are s everal reasonable arguments for legalization of marijuana. They are based on the idea that attempting to control its use causes more problems than it solves. The argument seems to be, that it isn’t going away so we may as well benefit from it.It is projected that by legalizing marijuana we could reduce the strain on our justice system, drastically cutting crime and possibly eliminating drug trafficking of marijuana. The production and sales of marijuana, by the government would save lives, create jobs and generate money that could be used for social progression, education, and healthcare which would in turn better the lives of everyone in society. Laws against use for those under 21 will prevent youth from obtaining the drug. I feel that benefitting from anything that is already illegal and proven to be a problem is immoral.Since we cannot guarantee that society will benefit from legalizing marijuana, it should not be legal. Age restrictions do not prevent youth from obtainin g alcohol; therefor I do not believe age restrictions on pot will deter them either. It is important that we use what we know about alcohol abuse as a whole, rather than use it as an excuse, due to the fact that it is perceived as more harmful, to legalize marijuana. Other arguments for legalization are based on free will and respect for autonomy. The belief is that, we all have the right to make choices for ourselves, using our own rational thought.If we are the only person who knows our needs, we can be the only person that can decide what is best for us. Marijuana users take the stand that,† If we are in our own homes, using marijuana, who are we harming? † I respect an individual’s right to choose as rational beings, unfortunately, not everyone is rational. Laws are put in place to protect us and benefit us as a society. Children suffer when parents use drugs in their presence. When children are under the care of a parent who is under the influence of a drug, their safety is sometimes being compromised.A few examples could be, a parent choosing to use money to buy marijuana instead of food or clothing, an inability to drive in an emergency situation and lack of focus and reasoning. I am not saying that pot use automatically makes a parent neglectful. I know several daily users who seem to be acceptable parents, even while under the influence. Yet I ask myself, could they be better parents? When a parent uses marijuana or any drug, legal or not, in the presence of their children, it sends the message that it is ok. Legalizing the drug will cause more parents to use in front of their children.I believe this will cause more children to use. Arguments against the legalization of marijuana tend to weigh heavily on the slippery slope argument, that any softening of the laws as they pertain to drugs will cause a bigger problem. It is anticipated by The Office of National Drug Control Policy that legalizing marijuana will increase use of the dru g and, consequently, the harm it causes, thus adding to the burden on the criminal justice system. They also report that legalizing the drug will make it less expensive and more attainable to youth.Because it is illegal in most countries, we have far less clinical evidence about pot’s effects than many other drugs. The only authorized source of marijuana research comes from the University of Mississippi and is controlled by the National Institute of Drug Abuse, they report that use of marijuana impairs memory in regular users, especially in youth. It impairs driving, inhibits productivity, causes depression, and can be addictive. It is also thought that those predisposed to addiction, will have an easier time obtaining and using the drug as a possible gateway drug.These are problems we face while it is not legal, if legalization will increase usage, these will become a more widespread problem. Utilitarianism states that we ought to choose the action which is the one that maxi mizes the overall â€Å"good† of the greatest number of individuals. The problem of drug use, from the utilitarian perspective, rests on the consequences of using the drug and whether or not it will benefit the majority of the population, now and in the future. In order for us to say that it is morally bad, we need to prove that the consequences in legalizing marijuana will be bad.The problem is, we cannot definitively say what the consequences will be. But, we can use what we learn from other areas that have or are in the process of regulating pot for recreational use. Studies done by the Drug Free America Foundation, report that based on experiences where marijuana has been legalized, the number of marijuana users tend to double or triple. This could mean an additional 17 to 34 million young and adult users in the United States. Recently, Here and Now, a talk show on local public radio in Colorado, had guest Dr. Christian Thurston, medical director for an adolescence substa nce abuse treatment program in Denver.He stated, â€Å"Young patients seeking addiction treatment for marijuana tell me that pot helps them with their anger, ADHD and that it helps them to sleep. † Thurston also said, â€Å"While marijuana can have medicinal value for adults, it can be very harmful to teens. † He also states that, â€Å"We’ve seen, starting in the late 1980s, that adolescents exposed to marijuana have about a two to four-fold increase of developing psychosis. We have good evidence now that adolescence exposure to marijuana affects intelligence, cognition, learning and memory. † Jann Gumbiner, Ph. D. licensed psychologist at the University of California, Irvine College of Medicine, who specializes in adolescent and child psychology reports, â€Å"About 10% of users will develop problems that impair their work and relationships. Many more will come to depend on pot for relaxation and social purposes. This will be problematic if they donâ⠂¬â„¢t learn more effective coping mechanisms and come to rely on marijuana instead of solving their problems. † It is my fear that legalization could send the message to youth that it is acceptable to use marijuana as a coping mechanism.Since we know teens are likely to suffer long term affects, and that legalization will cause more teens to use the drug, we are likely to see serious negative effects that could greatly impact society in the future. Social Contract theory also plays a big role in legalization of marijuana. Social Contract theory is based on the set of rules governing behavior that all rational people accept, on the condition that others accept the rules as well. What the majority of society feels and believes plays a very big role in our lawmaking process. Lawmakers tend to go with what their constituents want, in order to get votes.In the past society has placed a negative stigma on marijuana use, making it hard for those rallying for legalization to be heard . Recent statistics show society’s view on marijuana is changing. A Gallop Poll recently found that 50% of Americans think marijuana should be legal for adult use. This percentage is up by 4% from the previous year. This is in large part due to the fact that our younger generation is more supportive, while opposition generally comes from the older generation. It makes sense that as the older generation leaves, the younger generation’s opinion will be the majority.As popular opinion changes, it makes sense that we will be likely to see more states attempt to legalize marijuana. It is troublesome to me that information about marijuana is usually either directly for or against the drug. Internet articles are almost always directly for or against legalization. It is very hard to get unbiased facts. It is my concern that people, especially impressionable youth, aren’t getting the facts and are using how they feel as a basis for their opinion on marijuana. These youth , will soon decide what laws will govern society. The minimum conception of morality says we ought to at he very least, do what are the best reasons for doing while giving equal weight to the interests of each individual affected by our decision. I do not believe we should make something that is illegal, legal based on the idea that we might be able to control it even possibly benefit from it. We cannot say what the consequences will be. This is the major defect of the utilitarian theory of ethics. It does not take in to consideration that often times we cannot project the outcome of moral decisions. We cannot guarantee that the majority of society will benefit from legalization of recreational marijuana.There are too many questions involved. Could it make dealers even more competitive? Are there unforeseen costs that will take away from the suspected benefits? Will current dealers stop growing and selling? What will the effect on society be, given that legalization will most likely cause usage to greatly increase? If we don’t know the answers to such serious issues, we shouldn’t act. It is important that we use past experiences as examples. It is proven that history can be a valuable tool when attempting to predict an outcome of a hypothetical act.It is my hope that we learn what is best, by using what we learn from the areas that have legalized pot. I am aware that my personal perspective has a lot to do with having children and my sense to protect them from all things negative, taking the ethics of care position. Carol Gilligan, internationally acclaimed writer, psychologist, American feminist and ethicist, believes a woman’s basic moral orientation is one of caring, in a personal way, not just being concerned for humanity, in general. She believes that an ethic of caring for those close to you should not be inferior to that of an ethic of principle.I tend to agree; if we want for everyone, what we want for those we love and care for wo n’t the world be a better place? In summary I believe, based on what we do not know about the effects of legalizing marijuana, we should not legalize it. To say the problem isn’t going way so we may as well legalize it and benefit, is irresponsible. There is a trend showing increased usage with legalization. We aren’t able to predict the affect that increased usage will have on society. If we are to use alcohol as a guide at all, it should be as an example of what legalizing harmful substances can do to society.It is anticipated that legalizing marijuana will entice youth even more, causing future issues. While marijuana use will always be a problem in youth, I believe educating youth with factual information about marijuana will help them make better choices and allow us to have laws that will most benefit society in the future. As Walt Disney quoted, â€Å"Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children†. Work Sited â€Å"187,000 Lb. of Mari juana Annually? Legal Pot Business to Bloom in Washington. †Ã‚  Business Money 187000 Lb of Marijuana Annually Legal Pot Business to Bloom in Washington Comments.N. p. , 08 Jan. 2013. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. Braunstein, M. D. , Glenn D. â€Å"Weeding Through Marijuana Facts and Fiction. †Ã‚  The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost. com, 01 Feb. 2013. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. â€Å"Legalizing of Marijuana Raises Health Concerns. †Ã‚  Well Legalizing of Marijuana Raises Health Concerns Comments. N. p. , n. d. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. â€Å"Marijuana: An Unbiased Analysis. †Ã‚  Marijuana: An Unbiased Analysis. N. p. , n. d. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. â€Å"Medical Marijuana: The Government's View. †Ã‚  National Drug Prevention Alliance & PPP  » USA. N. p. , n. d. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. â€Å"Principles and Theories.   Principles and Theories. N. p. , n. d. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. Rachels, James, James Rachels, and Stuart Rachels. The Elements of Moral Philosophy: 7th Revised Editio n. London: Mcgraw Hill Higher Education, 2012. Print. Swanson, Emily. â€Å"Marijuana Legalization Poll Finds Americans Want Federal Government To Leave States Alone. †Ã‚  The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost. com, 07 Dec. 2012. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. Turner, Dan. â€Å"Marijuana Legalization: States Send Message, Feds Aren't Listening. †Ã‚  Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 13 Nov. 2012. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. The White House. N. p. , n. d. Web. 15 Apr. 2013.

Saturday, January 4, 2020

Juvenile Delinquency Is Defined As Illegal Acts Committed...

Juvenile delinquency is defined as illegal acts committed by youngsters under the age of 18, especially for juveniles who grow up in low-income families and living in urban areas. Low income and juvenile delinquency is a popular theory and has always been linked in studies (Farnworth, 1984). Juveniles are usually classified as poor if they live with parent(s) or guardian whose yearly income is below the official poverty threshold. It has also been proven that children are more likely to live in poverty than adults, and that children around the ages of 6 - 11 are at risk of engaging in criminal behavior. Although children living with higher income are also reported to have committed crimes as well, researchers have proven that the crime rate is not as high as children living in low-income families (SecureTeen, 2014). According to the National Center for Children in Poverty (2008), an average family of four who live on a yearly income of $21, 200 would rank below average for the feder al income level. Studies have shown that youngsters develop well in families of higher income, whereas juvenile delinquency is shown to have a connection with children who grow up in low-income households. Because yearly income of a family is associated with certain parental characteristics such as employment status, marital status, and age, it is hard to detach the source of the outcome of a youth. Reports have also shown that twenty percent of youths are charged with a crime, which is more thanShow MoreRelatedThe Censorship of Art Essay example14698 Words   |  59 PagesThe Censorship of Art While the censorship of art is not a new phenomenon, recent years have witnessed renewed and intensified attempts to control popular culture. In particular, rap and rock music have come under increasing attack from various sides representing the entire left and right political spectrum, purportedly for their explicit sexual and violent lyrical contents. In this paper is investigated which moral codes underlie these claims against popular music, how social movements mobilize