MBA Answers

Explain the different activity levels of Management? A: The management of an Industry can be sub-divided Into the following different level: 1. Top Management: It consists of the board of directors and the principal offers such as the chief executive managing director and the others concerned with the general operation as distinct from some functional specialization. They are the ultimate level of authority in the operation of the enterprise. They set the objectives fine the goals, establish the policies, see the policies are put into effect and Judge the results.Livingston has described the top management's actual operation by listing it as follows: a: Decision- Making I) Origination versus confirmation or veto ii) Planning 1. Setting of goals What, How, Much, at what price, when and where. 2. Mechanism a) Process b) Structural organization and co-ordination c) Appointment of key personnel â€Å"I) Ponca 1) Definition General versus specific 2) Integration v) Implementation 1) Rele ase of authority ) Financial 1) Selection of types of funds to be secured 2) Dilutions of profit.B) Judicial I) Comparison of accomplishment with goal ii) Evaluation 1. Of accomplishment with the cost 2. Of alternative possibilities iii) Counsel In place of decision or command There are certain behavioral characteristics of top level executives given below: I. Drive pure physical energy is an absolute necessity n. A strong desire to become the top man â€Å"l. A willingness to work for long hours projecting an Image of success v. Management's effectiveness

Climate Change And Economic Policy

Climate change is defined as â€Å"Change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods†(Bruno and Mehmet 2010). Modern methods of production create greenhouse gasses as a negative externality via the market failure and government intervention is needed to rectify the situation. Climate change is an issue for the Australian government as it needs to intervene to correct the market failure caused by the free markets inability to provide property rights to mitigate damages caused by the negative externality. (Calhoun 2010) The greenhouse gas externality is a by-product of the production of goods and services via the over-production of emissions. Dr Peter John Wood argues that† climate change is an indisputable threat† and on that basis, as well as the world stage Australia has taken the reins in acting upon climate change. An externality is defined as† are the unintended consequence of one economic agent’s economic activity that affect another agent’s economic activity, but which are not adequately priced through the market (Sonia and Jeff 2011)†. This is also known as market failure and requires government intervention to be able to rectify the problem due to a lack of property rights and correct mitigation for parties involved with the transaction. In this case, one form of the market failure is because the cost of CO2 is not factored into the transaction price. The Gillard government continued a legacy that was started with the Howard government back in 2007 that saw a Carbon Emissions Trading scheme take part in the Australian government to tackle Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions (Chris 2011). The Carbon tax was implemented on June 1st 2012 and has been controversial amongst politicians and economists alike according to Clive’s article â€Å"Australia's Carbon Tax: A Sheep in Wolf's Clothing†. The steps taken to implement a policy should be understood first before critiquing from different viewpoints. The four major points of policymaking are: 1. Specify the goals of policy 2. Identify the targets 3. Specify the policy instruments 4. Model the economy linking the instruments to the targets Using this framework, the goal’s of the policy are to mitigate damages caused by the production of greenhouse gasses on the (global) environment on a national scale and decrease the amount of pollution via increasing the price of polluting. The targets of the policy are the agents involved (Firms producing pollution, environment and households) with the transactions. Firms are the largest creators of the pollution and the households are directly affected by price increases, therefore their welfare post-tax needs to be considered in a socially acceptable policy. The policy instruments include subsidies to the households most affected by the increases in prices of amenities as well as the Pigovian Tax on polluting (Energy 2012). Lastly, the model that directly links the economy to the instruments proposed can be shown below. Tax brings the externality into equilibrium with the social cost. The amount of gain to the social benefit is the darker area and is also the taxation revenue collected on behalf of the government. This also decreases output by the difference in Original output-New output. This can also be shown on a Supply and Demand graph. The graph to the right illustrates the effectiveness of the tax on the existing market price and therefore reducing the quantity of pollution emitted. This tax is directly placed on the top 500 polluting firms in Australia which account for the majority of the pollution via production. The Department for Climate Change and Efficient Energy published their â€Å"Forth Assessment Report† outlining that â€Å"There is clear evidence that our climate is changing, largely due to human activities†. One can infer that the government is acting morally and taking partial responsibility for these human activities, hence action for change and mitigation. Market failure is defined as the inability of the market being able to deliver an efficient level of goods and or services (Calhoun 2010). This is an important aspect when determining what aspects of a policy are vital in addressing the issue at hand, because the situation of pollution is a non-Pareto optimal situation due to the negative externalities created in the transaction between agents. The government’s intervention due to the market failing is justified by its role in the G8, Kyoto Protocol and its response to the public on the matter (â€Å"Australia to have leading role in carbon mitigation† 2007). Another reason is that property rights are not defined clearly with the environment, therefore the government intervention to make the Marginal Social Cost equal the Marginal Social Cost via a Pigovian tax, decreasing the amount of negative externality produced (greenhouse gasses).(Bruno and Mehmet 2010) Macro-economically speaking, this issue impacts both Australia’s macroeconomic goal of efficient resource allocation and sustainable economic growth. Due to high public opinion on green alternatives and clean production, changes in consumer preferences will mean that some goods and services provided using traditional fossil fuels or unsustainable methods may be boy-cotted or fall second preference to ‘green goods’(Kathleen 2012) The Efficient resource allocation goal of Australia addresses â€Å"†¦where resources are allocated in the most efficient manner†(Weng 2008). The environment is a common resource and traditionally has not been defined to any specific owner. Firms may utilise the environment (clean air, sunshine and or clean water) as a factor of production, examples may include Personal Trainers or tour guides. With a market failure existing, it renders the goal incomplete as there is an excess of pollution and undersupply of environment as it is a rival good. Either the polluters must reduce their output of pollution or they must mitigate the affected agents. This causes a problem in the regard, whom is affected by the pollution and by how much does the affected agents need to be mitigated for. Sustainable economic growth in the long term is impacted by climate change. Not only will Australia be affected by the hypothesised changes to temperature for standards of living, but the changes may affect agricultural output and goods demanded by countries importing (supporting) clean production methods. Australia, by implementing policy change enables the economy to be in a better position to respond to act with funds allocated via the policy impact (â€Å"Australia: Australia Prepares for Carbon Tax† 2012). Comparing the current Carbon Tax (Clean Energy Bill) to alternatives that have been proposed such as Carbon Trading Schemes and Subsidies for Clean Investment have both advantages and disadvantages (Calhoun 2010). Australia’s Carbon Tax initially is a fixed price of $23 per Metric Tonne of Carbon Dioxide emitted from the top 500 polluting companies in Australia(Harris 2012). This in its simplicity is a Pigovian Tax, which is used to deter consumption/production of a good or service that causes the negative externality. Simultaneously the Indirect tax signals the taxed firms that they should spend investment capital on ways to lower their output of CO2 emissions (Carrie 2011). Pigovian taxes are designed to increase the price of the good that causes the negative externality by the amount that best reflects the cost to society in the production of the good which will internalise the effects of the externality (Carrie 2011). Examples of these in Australian society include the Alco-Pop tax and tobacco tax. In the case of the Carbon Tax, the good being taxed is pollution and the parties being mitigated are the Australian government on behalf of the environment in which it is representing, in effect the environment is gaining property rights in this explanation. The Pigovian tax, when applied will cause a reduction in the level of pollution due to the cost added. This will vary from firm to firm due to the elasticity of the cost to pollute. It is safe to assume that all firms are elastic with pollution expenses; therefore the economics of the tax are sound. Pigovian taxes have been praised for their simplistic approach to combating both losses of competitiveness due to inefficient methods of production and on goods themselves which are non-essential for consumption when viable substitutes are available according to Harris’s economic survey in 2012. Examples include using solar power on mine sites instead of Gas or Coal power. Pigovian Taxes however are not ideal in the case of Carbon Leakage, whereby firms choose to produce their goods offshore in countries that are not yet or not participating in Carbon Reduction. It reduces Australia’s carbon footprint, however the loss of production in Australia mean relative to before the tax, there is a reduction in output. (Dellaware 2011). By contrasting these to alternative methods to combat climate change such as an Emissions Trading Scheme (Cap and Trade) or the Carbon Offset system. All theoretically are able to reduce the level of the negative externality, however they all have different dynamics to each other and need to be applied using the framework aforementioned in the essay. The Cap and Trade system allows for the Coasian Bargaining of the right to emit greenhouse gasses as part of production of a firm. These permits would be of a set supply, and would limit firms to a ‘cap’ of pollution. These would be traded in the open market meaning that the market subject to demand and elasticity by a firm, determines the price of the permit. This would encourage firms to innovate and reduce the number of permits needed to produce, or be more efficient with the given quota of pollution per year.(Kathleen 2012) Advantages of the Cap and Trade system mean that the total level of greenhouse gases are controlled, IE a set amount per year meaning that it is easier to attain goals from the Kyoto Protocol. International trading markets are also proposed and feasible meaning that there is greater competition for permits which leads to more efficiency domestically. Firms that are unable to compete or innovate into cleaner greener methods are either absorbed by larger more efficient and environmentally viable companies or liquidate, meaning less pollution output. Another advantage is that there is little regulation and or further government attention required to maintain the Cap and Trade system. Because the market forces determine prices between firms, the need for a middle man is removed. Comparing this to a Carbon Tax, where constant auditing, monitoring and enforcement is both time consuming and expensive from a tax payers perspective. Comparing the two graphically below show the changes in price and quantity in the strict control of either supply of increase of price. The Carbon tax is indirect, it controls the price movements, which affect the quantity, and the Cap and Trade system controls the supply, which then determines the price. The biggest disadvantage to not controlling the price of pollution as oppose to the quantity is that it does not promote efficient investment on clean alternatives to production and instead causes prices to rise of the permits, allowing larger companies to purchase the right to continue polluting and drive out smaller less profitable companies, provided they can’t sustain operation by selling excess permits to excessive polluters. Graphically, they yield the same result however; Clive argues that the amount of red tape needed to maintain the Cap and Trade System is not viable. Introducing the Carbon Offset scheme, means that carbon offsets are purchased which in turn mitigates the marginal private cost of the firm to equilibrium level. Firms can only pollute according to their offset amount and has been successful in Europe with 5.5 Billion dollars of offsets traded according to Bruno and Mehmet’s paper on Governance and the Carbon impact. Advantages exist in the offset scheme whereby it guarantee’s firms to take positive action/investment due to money spent on offsets directly in the form of buying credits from firms specific for reducing pollution and or investment on re-forestation and cleaner methods of production. Other arguments exist stating that having a Cap of pollution will force in-efficient firms to find the lowest cost method to reduce their pollution. Again, like any alternative to the Carbon Tax, much more bureaucratic procedures, monitoring costs and governing bodies are required to manage such a proposal (Oh 2007). 1. Similarities exist between the two policy options in that both require a base measured level of pollution to which caps and prices can be compared 1. Both systems will generate revenue via the increase of the Marginal Private cost which can be distributed via the governing body. 1. Both systems will require a governing body to standardise and monitor activities to be equitable (International-Emissions-Trading-Association 2011) Using this information, the policies will affect different groups of individuals differently. The Carbon Tax will have some impact on households, but greater on the top 500 firms. Understanding how it will affect each party will enable a better understanding of the Pareto Efficiency concept. Households under the Carbon Tax will be charged more for amenities and certain activities such as air travel. Using the graph below it is clear that electricity is the largest producer of greenhouse gases and will have the largest impact via the tax. increase of costs of using electricity, any household that earns less than 80,000 dollars a year will benefit from subsidies and household assistance packages from the Liberal Government (Energy 2012).Households will also gain in subsidies and other cleaner initiatives from the government via the revenue collected from the tax which will increase their standard of living, proposed by the new energy reforms(Energy 2012). Linking back to Figure 1, the gains in Social Benefit are the largest gains that the households have, which economically speaking should be a new Pareto optimum specific to householders. Firms on the other hand, if subjected to the tax will have an increase in costs relative to the $23 per metric tonne of CO2 emitted. There is also the added cost of administration fees and loss of investment due to higher costs. Other costs that may be included are changes in capital. Pigovian taxes are aimed to have a distortion effect, decreasing the amount of CO2 emitted, changing what firms use to produce and furthermore where future capital investment may be directed (Bruno and Mehmet 2010). Firms from the impact of a Cap and Trade system will be partaking in Coasian Bargaining. This system has been used in the European Union and has shown dramatic decreases in the levels of CO2 by firms (International-Emissions-Trading-Association 2011). Due to the nature of the market, firms will bid and enter a price war against each other that will drive firms to have the lowest operating cost to save on purchasing permits. Firms that do not use the entire permit’s quota are able to bid off their remaining excess to firms whom can afford to pollute, or can’t afford to innovate into cleaner methods of production. Production, if the firm is pollutant dependant will be affected due to a rise in fixed and variable costs and may decrease output (Gilbert 2007). If the firm is not heavily reliant on pollution, it will see increases in its profits due to the revenue gained from trading the permits. The Cap and Trade system promotes production efficiency according to Gilbert Metcalfe’s proposal for a US Cap Swap in those methods that reduce CO2 output cost less via the tariffs placed. The Cap and Trade system from a household’s perspective will be similar to that of the carbon tax, however a time lag may be present due to firms having a time period in which they can allocate their pollution as opposed to an indirect tax. Each policy suggestion from an economic perspective has its own merits and weaknesses and need to be considered when creating a policy that affects both households and firms. The policy must be fair, equitable and efficient to all parties involved. By comparing the implemented Carbon Tax with the feasible alternative, the Cap and Trade system, the different viewpoints of firms and households are understood.

Conflict of Cultural Expectations

Social expectations are something every person faces. No matter one’s gender, ethnicity, or class, everyone feels pressure to behave a certain way, and I believe one of the most defining character traits is whether one chooses to conform to these social pressures or to pave his or her own path in life. Despite the existence of social norms in every culture, certain cultures hold these expectations in much higher regards than others, and breaking such social laws can have detrimental consequences.In Women of the Silk and Jasmine, we see numerous examples of societal expectations of women, as well as the different ways in which the women characters respond. This gives us insight into their individual strengths and weaknesses, specifically involving how they cope with the struggle between what they want and what is expected of them. In Women of the Silk, there is great significance placed on expectations of women, specifically in China circa 1920’s, including pressures to live a certain lifestyle and behave in an appropriate manner at all times.The differences between how women react to these pressures is first depicted by the contrast between Pei and her older sister Li. While from my modern American perspective Pei is clearly the stronger, more admirable of the two, this is quite opposite from the traditional Chinese perspective of the time. Li is a principal example of the ideal woman from the Chinese culture perspective. She is, by nature, a dutiful and submissive girl, who wishes to please others and stick to the status quo. This is evident throughout childhood, and continues as she gets older and is expected to marry.In contrast, Pei is curious by nature, always asking questions and seeking answers, despite being reprimanded frequently for doing so. Li’s passive nature and Pei’s bold, defiant manner are revealed throughout the novel, beginning with their childhood. For example, whenever the two girls play together, Pei is always t he one running ahead and then stopping to wait on her sister. Pei asks questions which Li calmly answers, and while Pei explores her surroundings, Li is content to sit still and quietly.One passage on page 19 of the text reads, â€Å"†¦Next to [Pei], she could hear Li’s even breathing and feel her calmness. Li’s hands rested quietly on her knees, while Pei’s felt the ground beside them for anything that would make the water splash. † This example depicts the dissimilarity between the two girls’ personalities and contrasts Pei’s curiosity with Li’s contentment. This difference between the sisters is significant in that it is the factor that ultimately dictates which of them their father, Pao, will decide to send to work in the silk factory.After visiting a fortune teller, who predicts that Li will get married but is unsure of Pei’s fate, Pao decides that Pei is better suited to work at the factory, as there is no guarantee of being able to marry her off and lighten the family’s financial burden. Consequently, Pei’s life is set in motion on an unusual path, and one that certainly does not conform to the standards and expectations of women at the time. Li’s subservient nature is further proven later in the novel, when she marries a much older farmer simply because she thinks it is what is expected of her.While her father does not force her to marry the farmer, she does anyway because it is what she is â€Å"supposed† to do, and she assumes it will please her family. Likewise, she still does not go back to her family when she finds out that her new husband is violent and abusive, as women are expected to be loyal to their husbands no matter what. Although this trait of being passive and obedient is considered to be a positive attribute within her culture, it is one that seems to come at a much larger price than it is worth.While Pei may not be overjoyed to be sent to the facto ry, I would consider her fate far less tragic than that of Li’s marriage to the farmer. Just as Li’s compliance stays with her as she matures out of childhood, so does Pei’s curiosity. At the silk factory, Pei asks questions primarily to Lin, who answers them with a kind of patience and willingness that Pei is not accustomed to. Pei’s impulsive nature is exposed once again when she decides, on a whim, that she wants to go through the hair dressing ceremony with Lin.Pei and Li’s mother, Yu-sung, grew up in a family that allowed her to forego social expectations for women and instead encouraged her lively spirit and curiosity. However, when she marries, she faces much heavier social pressure to become quiet and submissive. Rather than refusing to conform to these expectations, she adapts to the fullest extent. Now, as we see by her obedience to Pao, her entire disposition has changed drastically since her childhood. Yu-sung never states her thoughts if they conflict with those of her husband.For example, although she does not necessarily agree that Pei should be sent to work, she would never utter a single word of protest, especially to Pao. While in our culture it is expected that a married couple make important decisions together, Yu-sung does not get involved in any critical family decisions throughout the novel, no matter how strongly she feels. This isn’t to say she is apathetic by any means, as it is revealed upon Pei’s return how much she truly cares.However, it does show the high priority she places on fulfilling her roles as a woman and a wife properly and in the way anticipated of her. Another example of a character that, like Pei, refuses to conform to social norms and expectations is Auntie Yee’s daughter, Chen Ling. Chen Ling is portrayed as a charismatic leader among the girls at the silk factory, and it is made evident that she lives according to her own expectations of herself rather than pr essure she feels from others and/or society in general.For example, Chen Ling is the first to decide to go through a hair dressing ceremony, clearly showing that she likes to pave her own path in life rather than taking a trail someone else has already paved. For this reason, although Chen Ling is not a particularly sociable character, she captures my respect and admiration throughout the novel. The intensity of the pressure placed on women in this culture is difficult to comprehend in this day and age. However, the character in the novel that helps me develop a better understanding of the true force behind these pressures is Mei-li.Mei-li faces her family’s expectation of her to marry the man they chose for her, whether love exists between the two or not. She also faces society’s expectations, which dictate that sex outside of marriage is inexcusable. All of the stress and weight of these pressures are what ultimately drive Mei-li to commit suicide. In this instance, it seems to me that Mei-li’s actions are less representative of her own character, but rather say more about the society as a whole.Her suicide calls attention to the injustice in the existence of such extreme pressure and inequality that is capable of causing someone to end their own life. In Jasmine, the main character, Jasmine, shows characteristics of both strength and weakness. The expectations she faces are somewhat different between the Indian background she comes from and the American culture circa 1980’s in which she becomes immersed, and she handles them in different ways as well. The first time we see Jasmine refusing to follow the â€Å"gender rules† of society is when she kills Half Face in chapter 17 of the novel.She mentions that this is not her first time being raped; it has happened on many other accounts before. However, this time, rather than act in a submissive manner again as one would expect of an Indian woman, especially one so badly frigh tened, Jasmine loses control of her calm facade and brutally kills her rapist, referred to as Half Face. The second instance I notice in which Jasmine is nonconforming in regards to social norms is when she stays at the house of the Vadhera family.Rather than keeping her thoughts to herself, she takes matters into her own hands and is open about being unhappy there, which ultimately leads to her moving to New York. If she had not made anyone else aware of her depressed feelings, Jasmine would have stayed true to her role as a traditional Indian woman, at the expense of her true hopes and dreams. In contrast to these examples and to what we had learned throughout the book of Jasmine’s somewhat rebellious nature, one might argue that she â€Å"settles† when moves to Iowa and stays with Bud.Although she is not in love with Bud, she stays at first because he is good to her and because she feels pity for him. However, when Taylor shows up to bring her back with him, Jasmine ’s true colors shine through again, as she is unwilling to refuse herself happiness to convenience others or satisfy their expectations of her. While it may be mistaken as selfishness that leads her to behave this way, I think of it more as a strength. Jasmine is able to claim her own life by refusing to conform to the social expectations of her Indian culture or of American ulture. While characters from these two novels approach societal expectations in different manners, I think the same is true in every culture. There will always be a large contrast between those who go after what they want and refuse to be deterred by social pressure versus those who would rather fold to authority and please everyone around them. While there are assets to be found in both types of women, it is the â€Å"Chen Ling’s† and â€Å"Jasmine’s† that the world seems to remember and adore.Everyone has fears, and when we see someone able to throw fear to the wind and beha ve as they wish rather than as they believe they should, it is hard not to admire that person. From my perspective, people like Jasmine, Pei, and Chen Ling, who chase happiness and refuse to abide by social dictations, should not be ashamed in the least. Rather, those such as Li and Yu-sung, who conform to their roles so completely that they deny themselves of happiness in the process, need to learn their self-worth and realize that they are smart and capable of thinking for themselves.

Mini short story response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mini short story response - Essay Example g the story together to the final line, where Elisa is â€Å"crying weakly – like an old woman.† The way that Steinbeck does this can be discovered by taking a closer look at how Steinbeck uses imagery and action to illustrate the depth of Elisa’s isolation and frustration on a physical and emotional level. Steinbeck’s description of Elisa’s garden illustrates how isolated Elisa is physically from the rest of the world. The flowers are totally fenced in a specifically defined space. Although the fence is low, it still manages to serve as a barrier between Elisa and the other characters. Her isolation is added to by the description of the location where she lives. Steinbeck tells the reader about how â€Å"the high grey-flannel fog of winter closed off the [valley] from the sky and all the rest of the world.  Ã‚  On every side it sat like a lid on the mountains and made of the great valley a closed pot† (Steinbeck). This setting illustrates how Elisa is sealed within the ‘closed pot’ of the smothering cloud cover of social rules. Reinforcing that this is a symbolic concept, Elisa stands at the beginning of the story watching her husband talk to strangers at a location not far away from where she stands. Although she is curious about what they’r e saying, custom and expectation prevent her from leaving her garden to join them. The flowers within the garden are also symbolic of Elisa’s frustration in life. Steinbeck makes this connection by pointing out how she works with the flowers, â€Å"the chrysanthemum stems seemed too small and easy for her energy† (Steinbeck). The force and energy that she expends while she is tending to her plants is an outlet for the frustration she feels as she realizes that she cannot just join her husband. At the same time, Elisa obviously takes a great deal of pride in the beauty of her plants. This is Steinbeck’s way of pointing out that part of Elisa’s frustration is her failed ability to fulfill the role of

Differentiate between the humanities and other modes of human and Essay

Differentiate between the humanities and other modes of human and expression - Essay Example The paper will focus on defining the term humanities, distinguish it from the modes of human inquiry and expression and explain the way Art, Music, Architecture, Philosophy, and Literature are reflecting the current development in politics, socioeconomics and technology. Science is entirely separated and segregated into two classes, which include Social science and natural science, but humanities are separate from present day science since it associates with non-scientific approaches in human mode of inquiry (Lyn, 1997). Therefore, humanities are not focused on establishing validated theories and scientific laws; instead, humanities focus on interpretation of the historic and cultural context of art. It also explores the analysis of written text and validation through a comparison with other sources, which relate to presented material from other disciplines such as philosophy, history and sociology. On the other hand, Art, Music, Architecture, Philosophy and Literature have depicted the contemporary development in politics, socioeconomics and technology, for instance, Art has been applied in the process of expressing the social and economic factors. In fact, an exemplary example, relates to a famous artist, Donatello, who made humanistic expressions during the Medieval Times and his sculptures were admired, since he produced marble, bronze and wood. His work was in Gothic style, and this evolved into naturalism, which is known from the classical antiquity. In relation to this, the artists in the present day are using paintings and sculptures to display expressions of human enquiry, in fact, there are different kinds of art that are being enjoyed by people in different museums in the worldwide. Music has been used for worshiping, as a technique of worshiping in religion, and as a way of sending messages. In fact, during the slavery period, the lyrics of slave songs were used to express the need for freedom, and relaying messages to the other slaves. For example, slaves would use music to plan an escape, whereby the hymns offered substantial information like the meeting venue and departure time. Technology has been reflected through Architecture, where there are modern designs being developed through technology. For example, the architects are now using software such as Auto card to make designs. On the other hand, technology is enabling the exploration of arts into distinct past, through deployment of various pieces of art galleries, hence inhabiting them on the web pages; thus, art is being incorporated in art studio around the world, hence offering competition to the museums. Music also has also been integrated with technology leading to a decrease in the use of traditional instruments like trombone, flute and an organ, which were used for composing. In fact, the artists and producers are experiencing challenges of privacy since music can now be easily downloaded without charges from the internet. Literature has also depicted an element of philosophy, whereby different books has been written by various authors aiming to extend knowledge regarding a theory, and his has become vital sources of knowledge. For example, different scholars in the present world are use literature to review ideas from different books in order to provide evidence to support their notions. On the other hand, literature has been integrated w

What drives Chinese into Buying Luxury Goods in the 21 century Essay

What drives Chinese into Buying Luxury Goods in the 21 century - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that China’s luxury market has turned into a lucrative business over the recent years. Chinese consumers are becoming more brand conscious, becoming shrewder in their tastes, and making a better exertion to comprehend the traditional brands. China has become the second largest market for luxury goods in the world. The Chinese economy is growing day by day and her people are buying expensively priced branded commodities. Â  They buy these things not only within China but also from other countries as tourists. A rapidly growing upper and middle class are seen as bent on enhancing their individuality by buying luxury goods. China has been reported to have already overtaken the United States and Japan in terms of luxury items purchases. Â  China has worked hard to achieve economic prosperity, producing current generations of millionaires. Â  Accordingly, this generation has been spending a large amount in the luxury market day by day and Chinese are becoming more dynamic and active buyers in the market. China has emerged as the biggest purchaser of luxury goods in the world market. Chinese consumers are showing great interest in buying luxury goods these days, and this has not been left unnoticed by the global luxury market. The United States, Japan, and Europe, who have been the top consumers of luxury goods, are indeed quite surprised with the growing appetite of Chinese for luxury items. Nearly all Chinese visiting Paris have bought expensive bags without looking at its price tags.

Ethics and Law in Business and Society (4 questions) Essay

Ethics and Law in Business and Society (4 questions) - Essay Example A common example (argument) that arises when discussing market failure is the issue of the minimum wage law (Verleun et al. 15). The law sets wages higher than the going market-clearing wage in an effort to elevate market wages. Analysts argue that this greater wage cost will make employers recruit fewer minimum-wage workers compared to before the law was enacted (Verleun et al. 15). Therefore, more minimum wage employees are left jobless, establishing a social cost and leading to market failure. The advantage of government regulation on the minimum wage is that is enable people to be paid fairly for the work they have done (Verleun et al. 16). However, the disadvantage of this is that a firm cannot control how much they pay their workers. A sewer system could be regarded as a public good. It also falls under the theory of market failure because, in some regions, they system does not function appropriately as it is needed, and; therefore, it affect the people who depend on it. Questi on 2 One main policy foundation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was personal liability (Verleun et al. 23). ... 23). The act importantly reinforced the rule that shareholders own the United States corporations and that business managers ought to be working for shareholders to distribute business resources to their best use (Verleun et al. 23). After the law was enacted, financial experts cited enhanced investor confidence, more accuracy and more reliable financial statements as some of the benefits that the U.S. was enjoying. The CFO and CEO are now needed clearly to take charge for their financial statements below Section 302, which was not so before the SOX (Verleun et al. 23). Critics noted that this law is financially feasible because it has improved the confidence of investors (Verleun et al. 24). Many investors are now willing to venture into the United States because of the easiness of investing in the country. Also, the government does not have to worry about financially backing the investors because shareholders can enjoy full ownership of the corporations. This policy is fully conser vative as it puts everybody on the same platform when it comes to investment (Verleun et al. 23). Even though, critics argue that it reduces the number of workers in the U.S., everybody still has a chance of reaching the highest level with this law. Question 3 According to Hobbes, peoples’ lives in the state of nature were "lonely, poor, spiteful, violent and short", a state through which egotism and the nonexistence of rights and contracts prohibited the 'social', or society. Locke, on the other hand, considered that people in a state of nature are morally bound by The Law of Nature, simply not to harm themselves, but devoid of any government administration to safeguard them against those

Digital Media Platforms and Education Research Paper

Digital Media Platforms and Education - Research Paper Example The current developments an advancements in technology have greatly shaped the forms of communications used in education today. Unlike the traditional systems where the instructors had to be physically present in a class room in order to facilitate a lesson, the paradigm shift to the use of digital media have made this element redundant. The application and implementation of digital media in the learning process has offered a wide range of methods by which instructors and students can relay information (Mateer, 2013). For example, the internet and features such as teleconferencing can enable teachers to interact with their students at without necessarily meeting at a central place. This feature allows for all features of a normal classroom situation such as active student participation and the ability to ask immediate questions where a student may need further clarification. It only eliminates the aspect of physical presence. In addition, the technological improvements of digital med ia have also enhanced the speed at which information is passed on from the participants in any learning activity at an institution. This aspect subsequently improves the speed at which students learn and also the depth of knowledge covered. Digital media has also been proven to aid in the forms of communications used by the facilitators during their lessons in the classroom. Audio-visual communication is a key feature that has been brought about by digital media. Learning in the classroom has evolved from the chalk to board communication to audio-visual forms such as videos and computer slides (Belinha, 2010). A commonly used tool is the projector where instructors project their notes on a clear white surface as they explain... This paper approves that from the students’ perspective, potential disadvantages can arise while making the decision between the classroom education and digital learning. For digital learning, students need a lot of discipline and dedication in order for them to sit at a computer screen to listen to lectures, doing and completing any given assignments with respect to deadlines and more so assigning time and a proper schedule to study and conduct research. Since immediate feedback is one of the pros of classroom education, when it comes to digital learning, the process of clarification of any unclear information will take a longer time. Many scholars have also argued that the introduction of digital learning has slowly eradicated the traditional ‘feel’ of having a teacher stand in front of a class to give a lecture. This has a potential detrimental effect on students as it denies an immediate and natural interactivity with the facilitator that could actually enhance their learning capability and understanding. This essay makes a conclusion that even though there are a variety of opinions on the impact of digital media in education, studies conducted and personal experiences have shown a general improvement in the education system that has been brought about by the use of digital media. Despite the glitches that it may have on the learning process, the use of digital media has made great advancements in the classroom and is a clear improvement from the traditional learning process.

Philosophy - God's Existence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Philosophy - God's Existence - Essay Example In either case, belief in the existence/non-existence of God is the prime motivating force behind the manner in which we choose to lead our lives. Arguments for the existence of God are generally categorized into the ontological, cosmological and teleological. Saint Anselm uses abstract reasoning as proof of God’s existence. He conceives of God as a perfect being, â€Å"a being than which nothing greater can be conceived† (Anselm para1). This concept of God is understood even by the non-believer. Therefore, God exists in the understanding and cannot be conceived not to exist. Since the concept of God in understood and exists, God exists in reality. Saint Thomas Aquinas bases his argument on cosmology, which propounds that the existence of the world is contingent and must have a cause. Aquinas argues that motion, which is undisputed, predicates the existence of a mover. In this context, God is the â€Å"First Mover put in motion by no other† (Aquinas 58). Likewise, it is undeniable that everything has a cause and God here is the â€Å"First Efficient Cause† (58). Everything that exists has a necessity caused by another. God emerges as a necessary being, having his own inherent necessity and causing all other necessities. The acceptance of comparative degrees of quality: more and less, mandates the existence of â€Å"something which is uttermost† (59). This perfection is God. As all nature is designed to function towards the achievement of a particular purpose, it follows that this purpose has been ordained by an â€Å"intelligent being† (60), that is, God. Coming to the teleological argument, William Paley uses the analogy of a watch to assert that something as complex as nature has been ordered and specifically designed to serve a particular purpose. Therefore, even if we are unable to grasp the design and are aware of the defects, we cannot but acknowledge the contrivance which springs from â€Å"the intelligence of the

Interpreting Popular Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Interpreting Popular Music - Essay Example Lastly, of every significant structure, music has maybe the most unpretentious and complex connection to verbal dialect and the sorts of referentiality in which it is (customarily) related. The state of it being rich, makes music a vital source-case for a basic semiotics. Nevertheless, it is likewise this richness, which has regularly separated musical semiotics into contending camps, each one deficient. I ought to pause a minute, then, to show the general blueprints of the new amalgamation which, I believe, can at long last start to address this many-sided quality. There are three key improvements in musical semiotics in the 1990s. The principal was a basic swing in the field far from formalism for its own particular purpose, towards a recharged enthusiasm for hermeneutics (but of a profoundly formalized sort). The hermeneutic turn has given room for musical semiotics to say significantly more in regards to the particular connections between cultural value and formal detail. The second advancement was the development of an intelligible and effective hypothesis of musical gesture a vastly improved picture of the associations between musics symbolic and corporeal aspects, and the inconspicuous interplay in the middle of literal and progressively abstract signs of encapsulation in musical practice. This advancement has permitted musical semiotics to be more particular about the instruments fundamental musical connotation at all levels of sweeping statement. The third advancement has been the rise of a semiotic hypothesis of musical narrative and musical personae. However, the main aim of this paper is to give a semiotic analysis of aâ€Å"Not a second† a rock song done by the Beatles back in the years. There has been plenty of earnest rock writing -- Heylin 1992 Eisen 1969, and Kureishi 1995- are excellent anthologies. Nevertheless, so far it has largely concentrated on disciplines like music’s sociology, with their theories and concepts rooted in

Law and Morality Essay Example for Free

Law and Morality Essay 1. Criminal law is not (just) for the protection of individuals but also for the protection of society ? Moderate / Disintegration Thesis: 1 The state has power to legislate morality in order to protect itself against behaviors that may disintegrate society and its institutions ? Society â€Å"means a community of ideas; without shared ideas on politics, morals, and ethics no society can exist† (Devlin, 10). ? Devlin appealed to the idea of societys moral fabric. He argued that the criminal law must respect and reinforce the moral norms of society in order to keep social order from unravelling. Society’s morality is a crucial, if not the crucial, element that holds it together ? Societies disintegrate from within more frequently than they are broken up by external pressures. There is disintegration when no common morality is observed and history shows that the loosening of moral bonds is often the first stage of disintegration, so that society is justified in taking the same steps to preserve its moral code as it does to preserve its government the suppression of vice is as much the laws business as the suppression of subversive activities. Devlin, The Enforcement of Morals 36 (1959) ? Extreme/ Conservative Thesis: A society is entitled to enforce its morality in order to preserve its distinctive communal values and way of life HART: Hart critiques Lord Devlin’s first argument by challenging his conception of society â€Å"*He has+ a confused definition of what a society is† (Hart (1962) chapter 82). ? Attack against the Moderate/ Disintegration Thesis ? Hart argues that decriminalizing behavior, which has previously been viewed as immoral behavior, is not necessarily a threat to the society’s long-term cohesion or existence. ? [Devlin] appears to move from the acceptable proposition that some shared morality is essential to the existence of any society to the unacceptable proposition that a society is identical with its morality as that is at any given moment of its history, so that a change in its morality is tantamount to the destruction of a society. (Hart 51-52. Italics in original. ) ? The moderate thesis implies factual claims of the disintegration of society for which Devlin did not provide, and (in Harts view) could not have provided, substantial empirical support. DEVLIN: ? I do not assert that any deviation from a society? s shared morality threatens its existence any more than I assert that any subversive activity threatens its existence. I assert that they are both activities which are capable in their nature of threatening the existence of society so that neither can be put beyond the law . I would venture to assert, for example, that you cannot have a game without rules and that if there were no rules there would be no game. If I am asked whether that means that the game is „identical?with the rules, I would be willing for the question to be answered either way in the belief that the answer would lead to nowhere. If I am 1 (Hart’s term H. L. A. Hart, Social Solidarity and the Enforcement of Morality, The University of Chicago Law Review 35 (1976), pp 1-13]. ) asked whether a change in the rules means that one game has disappeared and another has taken its place, I would reply probably not, but that it would depend on the extent of the change. (Devlin, Morals 37). ? Lord Devlin does not then think that this power should be exercised against every single kind and act of immorality. Society should exercise this power only when the moral sensibility of the majority regarding a given immoral activity rises to the level of profound â€Å"intolerance, indignation, and disgust† (Devlin, Morals 17) ? DWORKIN: If society should not legislate against all immorality, because not all immoral activities and acts endanger its existence, then what standards for evidence and action will be used to justify society’s right to enforce its morality in any given case? The threshold criterion that Lord Devlin offers is public outrage, so it comes out that nothing more than passionate public disapproval is necessary after all!? (Taking Rights Seriously. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1977, p. 245) ? Attack against the Extreme/ Conservative Thesis Hart rejected the extreme thesis on the ground that it potentially justified legal enforcement of moral values, regardless of their content, simply because they were widely held. Such restrictions restrict society from evolving naturally in terms of its citizens’ moral beliefs practices. ? Devlin? s approach of incorporating moral values into the law â€Å"regardless of content, simply because they were widely held† places â€Å"an unjustified brake on changes in [what should be dynamic ] social mores† (Peter Cane 23). DEVLIN: 2. The content of moral legislation should be determined by what he terms â€Å"public morality†. ? This is not merely the majority position that could be determined by a public opinion poll. Public morality is the view held by the â€Å"reasonable man† /â€Å"right-minded man† ? What is acceptable to the ordinary man, the man in the jury box, who might also be called the reasonable man or the right minded man Devlin The Enforcement of Morals 38 (1959) Devlin chose the man in the jury box because: a) The verdict of a jury (12 men and women) must be unanimous (at the time he was writing) b) The jury will only reach its verdict after the issue has been fully examined and deliberated. c) The jury box is the place where the ordinary persons conception of morality is enforced. ? Elsewhere his comments suggest that the content of public morality can be identified by some kind of moral intuition ? It is the power of a common sense and not the power of reason that is behind the judgments of society†¦There is, for example, a general abhorrence of homosexuality. We should ask ourselves in the first instance whether, looking at it calmly and dispassionately, we regard it as a vice so abominable that its mere presence is an offence. If that is the genuine feeling of the society in which we live, I do not see how society can be denied the right to eradicate it (Devlin, Morals 40). ? As DWORKIN phrases the argument: â€Å"In the last analysis the decision must rest on some article of moral faith, and in a democracy this sort of issue must be settled in accordance with democratic principles. (b) It is, after all, the community which acts when the threats and sanctions of the criminal law are brought to bear. The community must take the moral responsibility, and it must therefore act on its own lights – that is, on the moral faith of its members† (Dworkin, 246-247) HART: ? Distinguishes between Positive and Critical Morality Critical Morality: A statement of what is morally true Positive/conventional morality: A statement of what most people believe is morally true. ? Hart argued Devlin always slipped into the Positive Morality approach. The problem is that beliefs about moral matters change. At any given time in a community, there may be a consensus on some moral questions, while on other questions there will be sharp divisions. Over time, an issue may go from being a matter of consensus to being a matter of controversy, and given enough time, an issue which there was a consensus one way may eventually be a matter of consensus the other way. How can we know that our laws are enforcing society’s moral consensus rather than just protecting the last generation’s prejudices against a consensus forming around another position. (Jurisprudence, theory and contextBrian Bix p. 169) ? The Harm Principle Hart’s2 point of inception was Mill’s ‘Harm Principle’: If there are any ‘Critically Moral Rights’ or ‘Natural Rights’ there must be a natural right of every person to be equally free. Therefore â€Å"The only purpose for which power can rightfully be exercised over any member of a civilised community against his will is to prevent harm to others. †3 ? Starting with the liberty-protecting Harm Principle enabled Hart to cast onto Devlin the burden of proof on the issue of the relationship between immorality and social harm. Certainly, Devlin provided no hard evidence to support his assertion that society would be worse off without legal moralism but neither did Hart provide any factual evidence that society would be a better (or, at least, no worse a) place without legal moralism (Peter Cane 31). ? DEVLIN: the fact that consent is not a defence for various harm-based offences showed that the harm principle was not the laws normative foundation. HART: distinction needed to be drawn between moralism and paternalism. Paternalism is justification of interfering with another person against their will, where that person will then be better off or protected from harm. ? DEVLIN: the existence of the crime of bigamy also undermined the harm principle. HART: distinction needed to be drawn between Harm and Offense. What is wrong with Bigamy is its offensiveness to peoples religious sensibilities. ? DEVLIN: We see (moral) wrongfulness taken into account went sentencing, and we do not premise this on harmfulness because otherwise all crimes will be treated alike whether it was done maliciously or otherwise. HART: distinction needed to be drawn between principles of Sentencing and criminal liability. The fact that the moral gravity of an offenders conduct- its wrongfulness as opposed to its harmfulness can be taken into account in sentencing tells us nothing about the relationship between law and morality. [Hart offers no reason why this should be so (Peter Cane 32)] ? To sum up Hart’s position: Everyone has a priori liberty. Cannot exercise that liberty when it infringes (Harm’s) another’s liberty. A change in social institutions is not the sort of harm from which a society has a right to protect itself. A society’s right to act should be restricted to demonstrable and imminent rather than speculated and distant harm. 2 3 Hart, Law, Liberty and Morality, p. 14. John Stuart Mill â€Å"On Liberty† ch. 1 ? Problem: The law seems to have little or nothing to do with the immediate consequences of the criminalized conduct. These include the criminalisation of attempts, offences of risk-creation, and the acceptability of strict and negligence-based criminal liability. (Peter Cane 33) ? In order to protect the ‘Harm Principle’ there are 2 reactions to criminal liability that seem to contradict the requirement of â€Å"Harm† : 1. Any law that is not premised on harm is wrong, should be decriminalized 2. Attempt to rationalize in terms of the harm principle any and every aspect of the criminal law that appears at first sight to be inconsistent with it. This is the strategy adopted by Gardner and Shute in relation to rape, and their approach could be applied more generally to cover risk-creation and attempts, for instance. We might say (as Gardner and Shute say in relation to rape) that a society in which the creation of certain risks was not a crime, or in which attempting and contemplating crimes were not themselves crimes, would be (in some sense) a worse society to live in than one in which they were. A worry about this sort of argument, however, is that it depends on the aggregate effect of many such acts, and does not seem to justify coercion of any individual. ? Classifying such diffuse effects as harm seem[s] to reduce the significance of Mills principle to vanishing point. 4 Reinterpreting the harm principle to encompass such non-individualized harm =(what Hart called) the moderate thesis in different garb! PETER CANE: ‘Taking Law Seriously: Starting Points of the Hart/Devlin Debate’(2006) 10 (1/2) The Journal of Ethics, Vol. 10, No. 1/2 (Jan. , 2006) ? The debate about the limits of the criminal law has become a debate about the meaning of the harm principle and the definition of harm. Devlins approach was better. He asked a nonleading question: what factors ought to be taken into account in deciding whether conduct ought to be criminalised? Harm (however defined) is one such factor. But should it be given lexical priority over other relevant factors? ? It is easy enough to accept Harts idea that freedom is a basic human value. Human beings are individuals, and being able to express that individuality in ones choices and actions is an essential component of human well-being. Alongside the individuality of human beings, however, their other most noticeable characteristic is sociability. It is not just that most people choose to live in (larger or smaller) communities or that most people belong to various overlapping and interacting groups. People are also heavily reliant on those communities and groups, and on their relationships with other human beings. If individual freedom is a precondition of human flourishing so, too, is membership of communities and groups, and a rich network of social interactions. ? The law has many social benefits: We must view the law positively as a set of social resources rather than negatively as a restraint on individual freedom. ? This misconception arises from an unsophisticated picture of criminal penalties that fails to recognize their variety and the varying degrees to which they invade individual autonomy, and impose harsh treatment on and stigmatize the offender. This is, no doubt, partly the result of Harts argument that rules and principles of sentencing are irrelevant to questions about the limits of the criminal law. This is incorrect: Some conduct should not be criminalised at all, no matter what the penalty. But in relation to some conduct, the answer to the question of 4 N. E. Simmonds, Law and Morality, in E. Craig (ed. ), Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy (London: Routledge, 2004), retrieved 19 May 2004 from http:/ www. rep. routledge. com. whether it should be criminalised will depend on whether a suitable penalty is available. Penalties relate to stigma, and stigma relates to informing a societies interactions. ? The conception of the criminal law and of law in general that underpins the Hart-Devlin debate is what we might call a conception of law as coercion. According to this understanding of law, its prime significance and function is to secure compliance with its norms by threats of coercion and imposition of punishments and other sanctions. Laws coerciveness is seen as the characteristic most relevant to determining its proper limits. This is a deficient understanding of law and its social functions. For the typical, law-abiding citizen the significance of law resides not in its coerciveness but in its normativity. Such a person obeys the law not in order to avoid its coercive sanctions but because they consider obedience to be the preferable or correct course of action. A legal system could not operate effectively if this were not so. In this light, we must question whether a theory of the limits of law based on the assumption that law is seen by those to whom it is addressed as an invasion of their autonomy is likely to be sound. Why should we determine the limits of law by reference to the perspective of the minority of people who obey it only because of its coercive capacity, rather than the perspective of those who view law as a legitimate source of standards of behaviour? If law were viewed from this latter perspective, the idea that it might appropriately prescribe standards of behaviour that express shared social values and aspirations would seem much less objectionable. DWORKIN: Distinguishes between Goal-Based Strategy and Rights-Based Strategy: Goal-Based Strategy: Even if the behavior is bad for the community as a whole, just considered in itself, the consequences of trying to censor or otherwise suppress it would be, in the long run, even worse. Rights-Based Strategy: Even if the behaviour makes the community worse off, even in the very long run, it is nevertheless wrong to censor or restrict it because this violates the individual moral or political rights of citizens who resent the censorship. Favouring the Rights-Based Strategy (p. 194) People have the right not to suffer disadvantage in the distribution of social goods and opportunities, including disadvantage in the liberties permitted to them by the criminal law, just on the ground that their officials or fellow-citizens think that their opinions about the right way for them to lead their own lives are ignoble or wrong. I shall call this the right to moral independence, Justification of the Right to Moral Independence Rights are individual’s trumps5 over a background justification for political decisions that states a goal for the community as a whole. If someone has a right to moral independence, this means that it is for some reason wrong for officials to act in violation of that right, even if they (correctly) believe that the community as a whole would be better off if they did. To some extent, the argument in favour of a particular right must depend on which general background justification for political decisions the right in question proposes to trump. 5 Dworking, Taking Rights Seriously Dworkin assumes that the background justification with which we are concerned is some form of utilitarianism, which takes, as the goal of politics, the fulfilment of as many of peoples goals for their own lives as possible. This is the most prevalent background in Western Democracies. Suppose we accept then that, at least in general, a political decision is justified if it promises to make citizens happier or to fulfil more of their preferences, on average, than any other decision could. Suppose we assume that the decision to prohibit pornography altogether does, in fact, meet that test, because the desires and preferences of publishers and consumers are outweighed by the desires and preferences of the majority, including their preferences about how others should lead their lives. How could any contrary decision, permitting even the private use of pornography, then be justified? A proper understanding of the underlying justification for utilitarianism will itself justify the Right. Utilitarianism owes whatever appeal it has to what we might call its egalitarian nature. Utilitarianism claims that people are treated as equals when the preferences of each, weighted only for intensity, are balanced in the same scales, with no distinctions for persons or merit. Even if the majority’s preference (i. e. that which will make the majority happier) is to disadvantage or to advantage a minority, this is inconsistent with the very essence of utilitarianism , so even if it does result in fulfilment of as many of peoples goals for their own lives as possible, utilitarianism cannot allow that without undermining the philosophy that bore utilitarianism itself. Dworkin’s argument, therefore, comes to this: If utilitarianism is to figure as part of an attractive working political theory, then it must be qualified so as to restrict the preferences that undermine egalitarianism. One very practical way to achieve this restriction is provided by the idea of rights as trumps over unrestricted utilitarianism. The right of moral independence can be defended in a parallel way. Neutral utilitarianism rejects the idea that some ambitions that people might have for their own lives should have less command over social resources and opportunities than others, except as this is the consequence of weighing all preferences on an equal basis in the same scales. It rejects the argument, for example, that some peoples conception of what sexual experience should be like are inherently degrading or unwholesome. But then it cannot (for the reasons just canvassed) count the moral preferences of those who do hold such opinions in the calculation whether individuals who form some sexual minority, including homosexuals and pornographers, should be prohibited from the sexual experiences they want to have. The right of moral independence is part of the same collection of rights as the right of political independence, and it is to be justified as a trump over an unrestricted utilitarian defence of prohibitory laws against pornography. Limitations on the Right: (p. 195) Suppose it is discovered that the private consumption of pornography does in fact significantly increase the danger of crimes of violence, either generally or specifically crimes of sexual violence. Or suppose that private consumption has some special and deleterious effect on the general economy, by causing great absenteeism from work. Then government would have, in these facts, a justification for the restraint and perhaps even for the prohibition of pornography that does not include the offending hypothesis either directly, by the assumption that the hypothesis is true, or indirectly, in the proposition that many people think it true. Can we find a plausible justification for restricting the display of pornography that does not violate the right of moral independence? We can, obviously, construct a certain argument in that direction, as follows. Many people do not like to encounter genital displays on the way to the grocer. This taste is not, nor does it necessarily reflect, any adverse view of the character of those who do not mind such encounters. Another may argue, for example, that his own delight in other peoples bodies is lessened or made less sharp and special if nakedness becomes either too familiar to him or less peculiar to those occasions in which it provides him special pleasure, which may be in museums or his own bedroom or both. Or that sex will come to be different and less valuable for him if he is too often or too forcefully reminded that it has different, more commercial or more sadistic, meaning for others. Or that his goal that his children develop certain similar tastes and opinions will be thwarted by the display or advertising that he opposes. None of these different opinions and complaints must be the product of some conviction that those with other opinions and tastes are people of bad character. The Williams Report: If one accepted, as a basis for coercing one persons actions, the fact that others would be upset even by the thought of his performing those actions, one would be denying any substantive individual liberty at all. 5 5 Report, p. 100. Laws against public sex would generally be thought to be consistent with the harm condition, in the sense that if members of the public are upset, distressed, disgusted, outraged or put out by witnessing some class of acts, then that constitutes a respect in which the public performance of those · acts harms their interests and gives them a reason to object . The offensiveness of publicly displayed pornography seems to us to be in line with traditionally accepted rules protecting the interest in public decency. Restrictions on the open sale of these publications, and analogous arrangements for films, thus seem to us to be justified . If one goes all the way down this line, however, one arrives at the situation in which people objected to even knowing that pornography was being read in private; and if one accepted as a basis for coercing one persons actions, the fact that others would be upset even by the thought of his performing these actions, one would be denying any substantive liberty at all.

With Each Moment, Comes Great Triumph Essay Example for Free

With Each Moment, Comes Great Triumph Essay It is inherent to say that each of us refers back to memories of our childhood to reminisce in the awkward, comical and daunting experiences and discover parallelisms to our present existence. Rohinton Mistry writes of the parallel fears of water and swimming from childhood to adulthood and of overcoming, slowly but surely, a seemingly trivial act. The imagery and memory of water, specifically, is a key theme throughout the story. Mistry writes of the symbolism and meaning of water for the character in a philosophical way through self-exploring questions and recollections. The thought and discussion of taking swimming lessons as an adult gives an opening to memories of attempted swimming lessons and the importance of Chaupatty Beach. â€Å"It seemed that the dirtier it became, the more crowds it attracted†¦ (Or was it the crowds that made it dirtier? )†(260) This distant and uninviting body of water is the starting place for swimming lessons, though quick to be unenthusiastic â€Å"because of the filth†(261) and the ‘guttersnipes’ that taunted and teased the young learner. This causes the reader to remember some aspects of swimming and the experiences of struggling physically, fearing peer pressure, and the unknown of deep water. Mistry is increasingly descriptive of water imagery and moments of memory so these images move off the page and into imagination, allowing the reader to visualise the filth, the struggle and the fear. â€Å"The universal symbol of life and regeneration did nothing but frustrate me. (260) There are numerous symbolic terms and meanings for water where water is cleansing, type of renewal, or a connection between symbolic life and death. When the first adult swimming lesson is attempted, there is a feeling of hopelessness and terror. The character is weighed with emotion and burdened with dispelled expectation. â€Å"The swimming pool, like Chaupatty beach, has produced a stillbirth. †(263) The character is beyond disappointment when he realises his expectation of triumph emerges into a symbol of death. Failure to swim through filth must mean something other than failure to rebirth – failure of symbolic death? †(264) This question is posed as much for the reader as they are for the character. There is a need to answer for the character so he might come to the realisation that there is more to life than being imprisoned by the failed attempts, to press on, move forward and endeavour to reach your goal. The character eventually becomes in a way reborn through his seemingly ordinary experience in the bathtub and the human nature of anting to overcome a fear. We relate to the idea of feeling reborn when overcoming the anxiety of particular obstacles on our lives. Finally, at his own pace, he realises he must fight his panic and fear of water as he has seen â€Å"the world outside the water†¦ it is now time to see what is inside. †(270) He sees with a changed perspective, his eyes are opened to the opportunities that he is yet to face and eventually triumph.

Edward Snowden: The Most Famous Whistleblower

Edward Snowden: The Most Famous Whistleblower Whistleblowers are some of the most important people to have in a democracy. They provide information that the government doesnt want to get out, while this could be dangerous in the case of Edward Snowden he released information that was valuable to the citizens of the united states. Snowden is not the first person to do something like this and has previously stated he was inspired by Daniel Ellsberg who leaked pentagon papers in the 1970s. Even though hes wanted by the government to some people Snowden is a hero. Edward Snowden who was born in North Carolina but later mover to Massachusetts had dropped out of of high school but was no degenerate. A bad case of mononucleosis kept him out of school for 9 months so instead of falling behind he decided that he would drop out. After dropping out he began studying computers at Anne Arundel Community College which was located in Maryland. His father was quoted saying We always considered Ed the smartest one in the family. and this was clear when Edward scored a 145 on two different IQ tests. He later enlisted into the special forces because he wanted to learn new languages, but never made it out of basic because he either broke both legs or washed out because of shin splints, it depends on who you ask. After this he was a security guard at a college in maryland that had ties to the NSA. After this he landed a job with the C.I.A.(Central Intelligence Agency) but quit after being suspected of attempting to break into classified files. While still with the C.I.A. he was on a mission in Switzerland where he first discovered corruption in the Government. This is where he first wanted to become a whistleblower but with Obama being soon elected he was optimistic about the changes he was going to make. After working for the C.I.A. for some time he moved to a private IT company where he worked as a contractor and would later work in a few offices for the N.S.A. this is where he notices a breach in security and got his hands on the classified information that he would leak. The definition of a hero is someone who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. When he was younger, saw sergeant Frank Ford reveal the information about the war in Iraq he thought of him as a hero for being honest, and letting the people know what was really going on in Iraq. Even though Ford was once Snowdens hero Snowden would make a bigger impact than Ford. Sowden and Ford are not the only whistleblowers who have made themselves public. Manning had leaked hundreds of documents that had to do with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Before any of them Ellsberg had leaked a ton of information in the early seventies. Nixons administration alienated Ellsberg much like Obamas administration has done to Snowden but now Ellsberg is considered a hero. Now Snowden is considered the hero to some people but a lot of people within the government or who listen to the government would disagree. He has inspired many other anonymous leaks from within the U.S. Government. Snowden receives credit for most of these but he has said that many leaks come from another source or other sources. The U.S. government has made it clear that they know about the the copycats when a representative, Adam Schiff who is a member of the House Intelligence Committee claiming that it is a big concern of theirs. Schiff also said The degree that people have been lionizing Snowden, it encourages people to make a name for themselves by leaking which is true. Even Some Government officials have publicly claimed that they went too far. Though many people think the Government was in the wrong for so intensely tracking suspected terrorist it makes sense for the Government to do that because some 9/11 hijackers were tracked but then nothing was done about them. Officials say that this could have put the country in more danger by showing potential terrorist how the government tracks them it allows them to b ypass those methods. Schiff also claimed that the Government should be more careful with who gets access to what by saying Snowden should have never had access in the first place. The Pentagon has approved as many as 3.2 million people access to highly classified information from 2006 to 2011 (CNN). After fleeing the country Snowden got ahold of journalists and offered them an unprecedented scoop(PBS). Even though the two journalists had received the documents it was not until they were on a plane and out of the country when they felt safe to open them and look at the things Snowden had shared. Greenwald, one of the journalists was quoted saying I didnt sleep one second for the next 16 hours because the adrenaline made that impossible. He said that he understood that this would be a story like hed never written before and one that people would talk about for decades. The journalists were given thousands of documents that showed what the Obama administration had been doing to regular citizens who had no criminal records and were not suspected terrorists. They were simply eavesdropping on regular citizens who had not done anything wrong. Some of the eavesdropping was justified but a surprising amount was not. Snowdens leaks shed a serious amount of light on this problem and it le d to a two part series on Frontline that dove into the topic from after 9/11 all the way to when things were leaked by Snowden. This series went even further than Snowden when they had revealed the extent that the government went to to keep these secrets hidden. It was during this time where Snowden had revealed that the worst of the wiretapping and eavesdropping had come from when Bush was president. Snowden still cares about America though saying that he would like to return one day and I told the government Id volunteer for prison, as long as it served the right purpose, he says I care more about the country than what happens to me. But we cant allow the law to become a political weapon or agree to scare people away from standing up for their rights, no matter how good the deal. Im not going to be part of that. (Wired). These statements show his true character and that he really does care about America. Snowden claimed that he had tried to leave clues for the N.S.A. to show him what documents were actually copied and which ones were just looked at. Despite these efforts the N.S.A. had missed the clues and reported that he took over a million documents when in reality he on took a few thousand. Snowden sounded disappointed when speaking on the fact that the government had missed his clues because he had thought that they were obvious. Sponsors from both major political parties c an agree that this has shown that the U.S. government needs to stop their mass surveillance for clear reasons. This was such a big deal that President Obama himself as well as congress have both publicly talked about the issue and the Supreme Court has hinted at making a decision about the governments use of unwarranted surveillance. This was never Snowdens intention he had just wanted to share what the government was doing because he felt that it was unjust. Despite the efforts by the government to make Snowden out to be the bad guy more than half the population agrees with what he did. Many government officials have spoken on this but not in the favor of snowden, N.S.A. director Keith Alexander claimed that the russian government had manipulated him while the secretary of state called him a coward and a traitor.

Expert Systems In Health Care :: essays research papers

A case referring to the beneficial use of the expert systems in the health sector was the attempt of the LDS Hospital in Salt Lake city,Utah to build “ the most complex artificial intelligence system ever created'; according to the words of DR David Classen.Its name was AIC or “Antibiotic Computer Consultant'; and it was part of HELP(Health Evaluation through Logical Processing), which was LDS’s hospital information system. The latter was existed, before the implementation of the Expert System. The role of AIC was to help doctors determine proper antibiotic treatment for specific patients.Achieving the specific purpose,the Expert System followed the above stages: 1) The doctor turned to the system with information on the infection type and site, and also identified the patient to the computer. 2) The system determined the pathogens, which are likely to have caused the infection. 3) The software examined the patient’s medical records( through the HELP information system) and searched for similar cases nationwide. 4) Finally, it displayed the five most likely antibiotic regimens to be effective and the cost of the prescription for each one. Altough,the system was extremely rewarding and expanded to include other cases involving antibiotics, some criticisms were made against it. It was stated that the system was unwieldy and that physicians had to enter much information, which was useless. Of course, the best answer came straightly from the physicians, who highlighted many important benefits of the AIC. The 88% of them believed that the use of AIC was very simple and they would recommend it to other colleagues. Another 85% stated that the program improved their selection of antibiotics, and 81% agreed that it enhanced patient care. Concerning its usability, doctors access into the system 3 times a day.

The Theory and Implementations of The Balance of Payments (BOP) :: Economics

The Theory and Implementations of The Balance of Payments (BOP) To develop country’s economic strength under the tendency of globalization, governments always seek to achieve two macroeconomic objectives, i.e. stable growth of internal economy and balanced development of external economic activities. The former can be realized by effectively adjusting Economic Growth, Unemployment and Inflation. However, how to realize the latter? An external macroeconomic variable is needed. In practice, the Balance of Payments fulfills this responsibility. (A). Balance of Payments (BOP used in following text), in principle, is a record of the country’s transactions with the rest of the world. It shows the country’s payment s to or deposits in other countries (debits) and its receipts or deposits from other countries (credits)[1]. The BOP account[2] also shows the balance between these debits and credits under various headings, which are categorized into the Current Account, the Capital Account and the Financial Account, which compose the main elements of balance of payments. The Current Account largely measures flow of real resources including exports and imports of goods and services, income receivable and payable abroad, and current transfers from and to abroad. It is normally divided into three subdivisions (Figure 1). Trade in goods account (often as the trade balance) The total value of exports of goods, subtracting the total value of imports of goods. Trade in services account Imports and exports of services, such as banking and insurance, transport services, law, accountancy, management consultancy and tourism. Investment incomes Interest, profit and dividends flowing into and out of the country. Transfers of money Two sectors: government transfers and transfers made by other sectors. Government transfers include contributions to international organisations (e.g. UK to EU budget) and foreign aid. The ‘other sectors’ section many highlights the transfer of assets by individuals to foreign bank accounts. The Capital Account measures external transactions in capital transfers, and in acquisition or disposal of non-produced, non-financial assets, which include land and subsoil assets, patents and copyrights etc. Capital transfers are transfers of ownership of a fixed asset or the forgiveness of a liability. The Financial Account records transactions in financial assets and liabilities between residents and non-residents. It shows how an economy's external transactions are financed. Transactions in the financial account are classified into direct investment, portfolio investment, other investment, and reserve assets[3] (Figure 2). Direct investment Money flows across national boundaries for the purpose of investing and it is thus either a credit or a debit item. Portfolio investment Changes in the holding of paper assets, such as company shares and bonds. Other investment It comprises loans, currency, deposits, and short and long-term trade credits, financial derivatives and other accounts receivable and payable. Reserve assets This refers to the reserves of gold, special drawing rights (SDRs) and

Powerful Theme and Allusions to Sex in Andersons Womanhood :: Anderson Womanhood Essays

Powerful Theme and Allusions to Sex in Anderson's Womanhood    Catherine Anderson's poem "Womanhood" tells about a young girl and her transition to womanhood.   In this intricately woven poem the reader will learn very little about the girl.   Neither she nor her mother are ever named, and no information is given about them or their family life.   What the reader does discover is what lies ahead for her as she begins her first day sewing rugs.   The poem begins a few moments before she enters the gates of the sweatshop that symbolizes her entry into womanhood.   Anderson uses metaphor within this poem to dramatize the difference in what lies ahead for her.   She should be looking forward to a bright and cheerful future, instead, she is faced with the drudgery of a life working in a sweatshop sewing rugs.   Anderson has woven this poem together so there is a link created between the first and second stanzas of the poem.   Each line in the first stanza, describing the carefree attitude of the young girl correlates with a line in th e second stanza illustrating how her life will be far different after she enters the gates of the factory and womanhood.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Within this poem there are many references or allusions to sex.   Most women are considered to have entered womanhood when they have their first sexual experience with a man.   Anderson plays up this aspect of becoming a woman in the poem to symbolize the girl's losing her innocence and youth to work in the sweatshop.   In essence, she is losing her virginity to that same sweatshop.   The first of these allusions to sex is in the opening lines of the poem; "she slides over/the hot upholstery" (1,2).   The young girl is described as sliding over hot upholstery, like girls sometimes do to snuggle up next to their boyfriends when driving a car.   This verse can also be seen as a metaphor for the hot young skin of a beautiful young girl.   Another example of these references is when Anderson describes the girl   as "loves humming & swaying to the music" (5).   This can be seen as the act of sexual intercourse itself.   The rhythmic swaying of bodies can be seen as little else especially when paired with line 25, "rocking back and forth"(25).   This is further emphasized by Anderson by her use of the ampersand signs (&) which she only uses in these two lines.

Regression Analysis

REGRESSION ANALYSIS Correlation only indicates the degree and direction of relationship between two variables. It does not, necessarily connote a cause-effect relationship. Even when there are grounds to believe the causal relationship exits, correlation does not tell us which variable is the cause and which, the effect. For example, the demand for a commodity and its price will generally be found to be correlated, but the question whether demand depends on price or vice-versa; will not be answered by correlation. The dictionary meaning of the ‘regression’ is the act of the returning or going back. The term ‘regression’ was first used by Francis Galton in 1877 while studying the relationship between the heights of fathers and sons. â€Å"Regression is the measure of the average relationship between two or more variables in terms of the original units of data. † The line of regression is the line, which gives the best estimate to the values of one variable for any specific values of other variables. For two variables on regression analysis, there are two regression lines. One line as the regression of x on y and other is for regression of y on x. These two regression line show the average relationship between the two variables. The regression line of y on x gives the most probable value of y for given value of x and the regression line of x and y gives the most probable values of x for the given value of y. For perfect correlation, positive or negative i. e. for r=  ±, the two lines coincide i. e. we will find only one straight line. If r=0, i. e. both the variance are independent then the two lines will cut each other at a right angle. In this case the two lines will be  ¦to x and y axis. The Graph is given below:- We restrict our discussion to linear relationships only that is the equations to be considered are 1- y=a+bx – x=a+by In equation first x is called the independent variable and y the dependent variable. Conditional on the x value, the equations gives the variation of y. In other words ,it means that corresponding to each value of x ,there is whole conditional probability distribution of y. Similar discussion holds for the equation second, where y acts as independent variable and x as dependent variable. What purpose does regression line serve? 1- The first object is to estimate the dependent variable from known values of independent variable. This is possible from regression line. – The next objective is to obtain a measure of the error involved in using regression line for estimation. 3- With the help of regression coefficients we can calculate the correlation coefficient. The square of correlation coefficient (r), is called coefficient of determination, measure the degree of association of correlation that exits between two variables. What is the difference between correlation and linear regression? Correlation and linear regression are not the same. Consider these differences: †¢ Correlation quantifies the degree to which two variables are related. Correlation does not find  a best-fit line (that is regression). You simply are computing a correlation coefficient (r) that tells you how much one variable tends to change when the other one does. †¢ With correlation you don't have to think about cause and effect. You simply quantify how well two variables relate to each other. With regression, you do have to think about cause and effect as the regression line is determined as the best way to predict Y from X. †¢ With correlation,  it doesn't matter which of the two variables you call â€Å"X† and which you call â€Å"Y†. You'll get the same correlation coefficient if you swap the two. With linear regression, the decision of which variable you call â€Å"X† and which you call â€Å"Y† matters a lot, as you'll get a different best-fit line if you swap the two. The line that best predicts Y from X is not the same as the line that predicts X from Y. †¢ Correlation is almost always used when you measure both variables. It rarely is appropriate when one variable is something you experimentally manipulate. With linear regression, the X variable is often something you experimental manipulate (time, concentration†¦ and the Y variable is something you measure. Regression analysis is widely used for  prediction  (including  forecasting  of  time-series  data). Use of regression analysis for prediction has substantial overlap with the field of  machine learning. Regression analysis is also used to understand which among the independent variables are related to the dependent variable, and to explore the forms of these relationships. In restricted circumstances, regression analysis can be used to infer  causal relationships  between the independent and dependent variables. A large body of techniques for carrying out regression analysis has been developed. Familiar methods such as  linear regression  and  ordinary least squares  regression are  parametric, in that the regression function is defined in terms of a finite number of unknown  parameters  that are estimated from the  data. Nonparametric regression  refers to techniques that allow the regression function to lie in a specified set of  functions, which may beinfinite-dimensional. The performance of regression analysis methods in practice depends on the form of the data-generating process, and how it relates to the regression approach being used. Since the true form of the data-generating process is not known, regression analysis depends to some extent on making assumptions about this process. These assumptions are sometimes (but not always) testable if a large amount of data is available. Regression models for prediction are often useful even when the assumptions are moderately violated, although they may not perform optimally. However when carrying out  inference  using regression models, especially involving small  effects  or questions of  causality  based on  observational data, regression methods must be used cautiously as they can easily give misleading results. Underlying assumptions Classical assumptions for regression analysis include: ? The sample must be representative of the population for the inference prediction. ? The error is assumed to be a  random variable  with a mean of zero conditional on the explanatory variables. ? The variables are error-free. If this is not so, modeling may be done using  errors-in-variables model  techniques. ? The predictors must be  linearly independent, i. e. it must not be possible to express any predictor as a linear combination of the others. SeeMulticollinearity. The errors are  uncorrelated, that is, the  variance-covariance matrix  of the errors is  diagonal  and each non-zero element is the variance of the error. ? The variance of the error is constant across observations (homoscedasticity). If not,  weighted least squares  or other methods might be used. These are sufficient (but not all necessary) conditions for the least-squares estimator to possess desirable propertie s, in particular, these assumptions imply that the parameter estimates will be  unbiased,  consistent, and  efficient  in the class of linear unbiased estimators. Many of these assumptions may be relaxed in more advanced treatments. Basic Formula of Regression Analysis:- X=a+by (Regression line x on y) Y=a+bx (Regression line y on x) 1st – Regression equation of x on y:- 2nd – Regression equation of y on x:- Regression Coefficient:- Case 1st – when x on y means regression coefficient is ‘bxy’ Case 2nd – when y on x means regression coefficient is ‘byx’ Least Square Estimation:- The main object of constructing statistical relationship is to predict or explain the effects on one dependent variable resulting from changes in one or more explanatory variables. Under the least square criteria, the line of best fit is said to be that which minimizes the sum of the squared residuals between the points of the graph and the points of straight line. The least squares method is the most widely used procedure for developing estimates of the model parameters. The graph of the estimated regression equation for simple linear regression is a straight line approximation to the relationship between y and x. When regression equations obtained directly that is without taking deviation from actual or assumed mean then the two Normal equations are to be solved simultaneously as follows; For Regression Equation of x on y i. e. x=a+by The two Normal Equations are:- For Regression Equation of y on x i. e. y=a+bx The two Normal Equations are:- Remarks:- 1- It may be noted that both the regression coefficient ( x on y means bxy and y on x means byx ) cannot exceed 1. 2- Both the regression coefficient shall either be positive + or negative -. 3- Correlation coefficient (r) will have same sign as that of regression coefficient. Regression Analysis REGRESSION ANALYSIS Correlation only indicates the degree and direction of relationship between two variables. It does not, necessarily connote a cause-effect relationship. Even when there are grounds to believe the causal relationship exits, correlation does not tell us which variable is the cause and which, the effect. For example, the demand for a commodity and its price will generally be found to be correlated, but the question whether demand depends on price or vice-versa; will not be answered by correlation. The dictionary meaning of the ‘regression’ is the act of the returning or going back. The term ‘regression’ was first used by Francis Galton in 1877 while studying the relationship between the heights of fathers and sons. â€Å"Regression is the measure of the average relationship between two or more variables in terms of the original units of data. † The line of regression is the line, which gives the best estimate to the values of one variable for any specific values of other variables. For two variables on regression analysis, there are two regression lines. One line as the regression of x on y and other is for regression of y on x. These two regression line show the average relationship between the two variables. The regression line of y on x gives the most probable value of y for given value of x and the regression line of x and y gives the most probable values of x for the given value of y. For perfect correlation, positive or negative i. e. for r=  ±, the two lines coincide i. e. we will find only one straight line. If r=0, i. e. both the variance are independent then the two lines will cut each other at a right angle. In this case the two lines will be  ¦to x and y axis. The Graph is given below:- We restrict our discussion to linear relationships only that is the equations to be considered are 1- y=a+bx – x=a+by In equation first x is called the independent variable and y the dependent variable. Conditional on the x value, the equations gives the variation of y. In other words ,it means that corresponding to each value of x ,there is whole conditional probability distribution of y. Similar discussion holds for the equation second, where y acts as independent variable and x as dependent variable. What purpose does regression line serve? 1- The first object is to estimate the dependent variable from known values of independent variable. This is possible from regression line. – The next objective is to obtain a measure of the error involved in using regression line for estimation. 3- With the help of regression coefficients we can calculate the correlation coefficient. The square of correlation coefficient (r), is called coefficient of determination, measure the degree of association of correlation that exits between two variables. What is the difference between correlation and linear regression? Correlation and linear regression are not the same. Consider these differences: †¢ Correlation quantifies the degree to which two variables are related. Correlation does not find  a best-fit line (that is regression). You simply are computing a correlation coefficient (r) that tells you how much one variable tends to change when the other one does. †¢ With correlation you don't have to think about cause and effect. You simply quantify how well two variables relate to each other. With regression, you do have to think about cause and effect as the regression line is determined as the best way to predict Y from X. †¢ With correlation,  it doesn't matter which of the two variables you call â€Å"X† and which you call â€Å"Y†. You'll get the same correlation coefficient if you swap the two. With linear regression, the decision of which variable you call â€Å"X† and which you call â€Å"Y† matters a lot, as you'll get a different best-fit line if you swap the two. The line that best predicts Y from X is not the same as the line that predicts X from Y. †¢ Correlation is almost always used when you measure both variables. It rarely is appropriate when one variable is something you experimentally manipulate. With linear regression, the X variable is often something you experimental manipulate (time, concentration†¦ and the Y variable is something you measure. Regression analysis is widely used for  prediction  (including  forecasting  of  time-series  data). Use of regression analysis for prediction has substantial overlap with the field of  machine learning. Regression analysis is also used to understand which among the independent variables are related to the dependent variable, and to explore the forms of these relationships. In restricted circumstances, regression analysis can be used to infer  causal relationships  between the independent and dependent variables. A large body of techniques for carrying out regression analysis has been developed. Familiar methods such as  linear regression  and  ordinary least squares  regression are  parametric, in that the regression function is defined in terms of a finite number of unknown  parameters  that are estimated from the  data. Nonparametric regression  refers to techniques that allow the regression function to lie in a specified set of  functions, which may beinfinite-dimensional. The performance of regression analysis methods in practice depends on the form of the data-generating process, and how it relates to the regression approach being used. Since the true form of the data-generating process is not known, regression analysis depends to some extent on making assumptions about this process. These assumptions are sometimes (but not always) testable if a large amount of data is available. Regression models for prediction are often useful even when the assumptions are moderately violated, although they may not perform optimally. However when carrying out  inference  using regression models, especially involving small  effects  or questions of  causality  based on  observational data, regression methods must be used cautiously as they can easily give misleading results. Underlying assumptions Classical assumptions for regression analysis include: ? The sample must be representative of the population for the inference prediction. ? The error is assumed to be a  random variable  with a mean of zero conditional on the explanatory variables. ? The variables are error-free. If this is not so, modeling may be done using  errors-in-variables model  techniques. ? The predictors must be  linearly independent, i. e. it must not be possible to express any predictor as a linear combination of the others. SeeMulticollinearity. The errors are  uncorrelated, that is, the  variance-covariance matrix  of the errors is  diagonal  and each non-zero element is the variance of the error. ? The variance of the error is constant across observations (homoscedasticity). If not,  weighted least squares  or other methods might be used. These are sufficient (but not all necessary) conditions for the least-squares estimator to possess desirable propertie s, in particular, these assumptions imply that the parameter estimates will be  unbiased,  consistent, and  efficient  in the class of linear unbiased estimators. Many of these assumptions may be relaxed in more advanced treatments. Basic Formula of Regression Analysis:- X=a+by (Regression line x on y) Y=a+bx (Regression line y on x) 1st – Regression equation of x on y:- 2nd – Regression equation of y on x:- Regression Coefficient:- Case 1st – when x on y means regression coefficient is ‘bxy’ Case 2nd – when y on x means regression coefficient is ‘byx’ Least Square Estimation:- The main object of constructing statistical relationship is to predict or explain the effects on one dependent variable resulting from changes in one or more explanatory variables. Under the least square criteria, the line of best fit is said to be that which minimizes the sum of the squared residuals between the points of the graph and the points of straight line. The least squares method is the most widely used procedure for developing estimates of the model parameters. The graph of the estimated regression equation for simple linear regression is a straight line approximation to the relationship between y and x. When regression equations obtained directly that is without taking deviation from actual or assumed mean then the two Normal equations are to be solved simultaneously as follows; For Regression Equation of x on y i. e. x=a+by The two Normal Equations are:- For Regression Equation of y on x i. e. y=a+bx The two Normal Equations are:- Remarks:- 1- It may be noted that both the regression coefficient ( x on y means bxy and y on x means byx ) cannot exceed 1. 2- Both the regression coefficient shall either be positive + or negative -. 3- Correlation coefficient (r) will have same sign as that of regression coefficient.