Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Production Function for Buses - Edgeworth Box Assignment

The Production Function for Buses - Edgeworth Box - Assignment Example Our function will reproduce increasing returns to scale. This means that with an accumulation of production factors volume of produced goods will grow. To find a number of buses with every combination of production factors, it is necessary to substitute each number of employees and the number of machines for K and L indicators. Hence, if a number of machines are 14 and number of employees who make buses is 5, the calculation of production output will be the following: In accordance with above example, we can calculate all the rest level of production. (K=10, L=3): (K=8, L=1): etc. From the table, we can also see that in accordance with the accumulation of employees, the number of produced buses grows. Part (B) Make an ‘Edgeworth box’ diagram for the production of buses in Utropica: put the number of employees making buses on the horizontal axis (0 to 6), and a number of machines used to make buses on the vertical axis (0 to 16). Draw an isoquant line for 5 buses. On the same diagram, add an isoquant for 7 buses, and an isoquant for 10 buses. To draw an ‘Edgeworth box’ diagram for the production of a specific number of buses, it is required to find all combinations of factors that are able to create the stated level of production. Hence, using a table above, it can be seen that 5 buses can be produced by 10 machines and 1 employee or 8 machines and 2 employees. So there are several alternatives for this output. Consequently, finding all possible combinations, we receive points that will form the isoquant line on the diagram. Using the same method, we find combinations of the factors for producing 7 buses.

The Romantic Era Essay Example for Free

The Romantic Era Essay The basic notion behind the music belonging to the Romantic Era was its deep and realistic impact on the audience’s heart and mind. Such was the popularity of Romanticism amongst musicians that a certain number of them created their own unique templates. Along with the progressing popularity of the German lieder, newly introduced instrumental styles like overtures and symphonic poems also gained heat (Kirby, 1990). Classical music in this era prospered and rose to such a high notch that it is absolutely essential to state that some of music’s most magnificent works were created during this period. Legendary music composers including Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, and Schumann, have made priceless contributions to the romantic classical music. For example, Beethoven composed his later works in this period while Schubert composed a vast number of lieder, symphonies, chamber music, and piano solos. Furthermore, Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner also attained popularity in the mid 19th century on behalf of their sophisticated compositions. Liszt produced some extraordinary music for piano while Wagner combined the various forms of arts into his mythological musicals (Kirby, 1990). In the late 19th century, composers performed diverse experimentations on their works. For instance, Anton Bruckner had a tinge of both religion and secularism in his symphonies; Johannes Brahms found himself in Classicism; Giuseppe Verdi was responsible for some of the greatest operas of all time; Gustav Mahler composed for a full orchestra; and Richard Strauss made his name in symphonic poems and operas. Moreover, this era was also famous for its nationalistic characteristics. Musicians in the north and east side of Europe took the initiative to include a patriotic element in their compositions. Their basic inspiration for this matter was their local folk songs and dances. The renowned Russian composer, Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky was a significant figure of this category and is attributed for his nationalistic approach (Kirby,1990).

Monday, October 14, 2019

Merger Between US Airways and American Airlines

Merger Between US Airways and American Airlines Merger between US Airways and American Airlines Mergers and Acquisitions On December 9th, 2013 the two airlines, US Airways and American Airlines merged to form the American Airline Group that turn out to be the major airline in the world. This merger was structured by the enlarged competition that airlines are countenancing in the business at present. The merger offered a prospect for both airlines to make use of the benefits of an extensive network that would effect subsequent to merging as countered to when each one operates separately. One of the foremost circumstances that encircled the merger was the imminent insolvency of American Airlines. The company in 2011 had filed for bankruptcy even though it relapsed to profitability the same year in July. The merger would enhance admission to opportunities of business for both airlines, particularly American Airlines that would decrease its coverage to financial risks, which were the preliminary grounds for the corporation filing for bankruptcy. The merger would generate enhanced synergies that would be ap parent in the course of increased flexibility and financial strength in the market (DePamphilis, 2008). Each of the entities merged would have admission to further destinations and bigger clientele. Each of them would admission to a bigger destinations network i.e. 300 destinations all around the world. They as well had a code share contract where customers would impeccably book their flights from any US Airways or American Airlines networks. Such controls are an enhancement to each of the airline’s ability and results to bigger business and performance. There are a variety of positive traits of this merger. One of the major advantages is that both airlines will have eminent penetration of market than what they had beforehand. This is since they will be creating on a daily basis more than 6,500 flights to above 300 destinations in additional than 50 countries all around the globe It effected in enlarged revenues and improved governance of most important routes. The American Airlines Group subsequent to the merger, is a foremost player in the Latin American global market of airline (CAPA center for aviation). Exploitation of these prospects directs to enhanced market performance and superior capability to compact with aggressive pressure. This is since the fresh airline company, subsequent to the merger, has additional resources at its disposal that direct to superior performance. An additional advantage of the merger is increase and diversification of the products offered by the airline (Boeh Beamish, 2007). Alongside the code sharing contract that permits air travelers to book their trip from any of the websites of company, there is improved access to one world association. This entails the improved opportunities of networking for the airline in the course of business agreements with further players in the industry for instance Iberia, British Airways, and Finnair. It lets the customers’ additional choices of air travel and unforgettable experiences of travelling crosswise a superior and more improved network. This develops levels of customer satisfaction and is necessary in developing loyalty of customer. The merger as well generates one of the finest-developed program of loyalty i.e. Advantage (American Airlines, 2014). Customers have superior access to prospect to possess and redeem miles crosswise the joint routes of both airlines. It constructs the customers gain from increased utilization of opportunities and capabilities in the wider market. It as well results in increased expediency for travelers, ensuing in cost savings. The fresh organizational structure has perceived the Doug Parker retention as the Chief executive officer of the fresh entity. The merger has, consequently, seen the construction of simply one chief executive’s place as opposite to two in view of the fact that each one of these companies had its individual chief executive formerly. There were as well considerable changes in the Board of Directors for the fresh company. The newly appointed Board of Directors incorporated four representatives of US Airways employees and as well five representatives for creditors of American Airlines. The preceding Boards of the separate entities did not have such representatives. Doug Parker was formerly the chairman and chief executive of US Airways. On the other hand beneath the new position, the chief executive will not be the chairman of the board. The preceding companies in particularly US Airways had a variety of groups that exercised to operate underneath the chief executive. Such groups incorporated corporate affairs, marketing and revenue group, and finance, in addition to the operations groups. However underneath the new corporation, there are no such groups. There were no chief changes in the practices of human resource subsequent to the merger. The fresh company, American Airlines Group, adopted the majority of its human resource strategies from US Airways and maintained the majority of its top managers. The foremost reason the corporation made no important changes in their human resource strategies is owing to reasons of business. They wanted to preserve their combined market share where employees contribute a vital role. They were acquainted with the fact that preserving their existing employees to a certain extent than recruiting new ones would simply utilize the more forceful worldwide network they had access to. This was reflected in the fresh setup where representatives of employee straightforwardly represented concerns of employee in the board of directors. This was intended at enhancing the satisfaction level of for these workers. This is since advanced levels of satisfaction enhance employee retention levels. The majority of these employees had served a lot of years in both airlines and their knowledge was very important for the success of the fresh airline company. The management at both companies had instituted that the majority of their non-impressive performances formerly, for instance those in 2011 that made American Airlines file for bankruptcy were primarily owing to callous market conditions. Employees had not added to the underperformance. The merger rendering the new entity to huge resources that might facilitate it to triumph over these market challenges. In actual fact the merger was seen as an prospect where the company would present the employees better compensation and benefits for their services (Bainbridge, 2003). It was perceive as a opportunity to close up the boil feuds that had been relentless among the two companies’ management and labor unions representing workers. This was additional widespread in American airlines than at US Airways. It concludes to union representatives being integrated in the Board of the fresh entity to make certain employee concerns were not looked downward upon. The retention of the majority of the employees and practically a parallel organizational structure is owing to the effectiveness of training such personnel on leadership qualities (Galpin Herndon, 2007). This is since the fresh entity would sustain minimal costs training these employees on facets of leadership in view of the fact that the airline had obtained a bigger global presence, as it turn out to be the biggest in the world. The development of leadership qualities in all its employees is decisive to the utilization of the opportunities offered by the bigger and more composite global market. Such employees are previously familiarized to the internal operations of the airline industry as opposite to new employees that would need substantial spending on induction and training. References American Airlines. (2014). AMR merger investor presentation. Retrieved on 8th March 2014 from http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=117098p=irol-irhome Boeh, K. Beamish, P. (2007). Mergers and acquisitions: Text and cases. New York. Sage publications. Bainbridge, S. (2003). Mergers and acquisitions. London. Foundation press.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Web-Based Issue Position Statement :: Essays Papers

Web-Based Issue Position Statement Introduction The use of laboratory animals in the classroom is an extremely controversial issue. Ethics as well as religion are challenged with the dissection of animals. This controversy is not a new one, animal dissection has been disputed for well over a hundred years (National Research Council, 1988). There have been numerous court cases concerning this issue and laws have been enacted to give students the right to refrain from participating in animal dissection (NABT, 1990). Background Animal dissection started hundreds of years ago in order to gain a better understanding of how the body works. It has helped us to learn about, prevent, and cure diseases that could have otherwise never been understood (National Research Council, 1988). Without animal research human health in general would be at a much lower level. â€Å"..in the United States, animal experimentation has contributed to an increase in average life expectancy of about twenty five years since 1900† (Research Council, 1988). Dissection was not used in the classroom until 1920 and did not become part of the regular curriculum until the 1960’s (NABT, 1990). The original attitude towards dissection in the classroom was generally supportive and understanding of the benefits of this type of study. In 1987 high school student Jennifer Graham went to court after her grade was lowered because she refused to participate in a frog dissection. After this incident, public opinion on dissection in the classroom completely changed (NABT, 1990). Since then, the controversy has heightened and researchers continue to debate with animal rights activists on the issue. People in support of animal use in the classroom present several arguments, the most popular being that it is a hands-on experience that allows student the opportunity to understand the body form and function (Lewis, 1997). It also allows students to see the actual placement of organs, the appearance and texture of tissues and organs, and the relationship of the organs with one another (NABT, 1990). Howard E. Buhse, associate director of the department of biological sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago, claims that through dissection students gain a respect for the complicated way a body is put together. Buhse also states that the plastic models throw students off because, unlike the models, no body has perfect organs and there is natural anatomical variation of the placement of the organs (Lewis, 1997).

Friday, October 11, 2019

Inflation in the UK Economy Essay -- Economics Money England Essays

Inflation in the UK Economy Before starting to explain inflation it is necessary first to define it. Inflation can be described as a positive rate of growth in the general price level of goods and services. It is measured as a percentage increase over time in a price index such as the GDP deflator or the Retail Price Index. The RPI is a basket of over six hundred different goods and services, weighted according to the percentage of how much household income they take up. There are two measurements of this: the headline rate (includes all the items in the basket) and the underlying rate (RPIX) which excludes mortgage interest payments. It is the RPIX which is used more often in this country, as a feature of the UK when compared to the rest of Europe is a very high proportion of owner/occupier homeowners. This means that many people have mortgages, and as such, changes in interest rates (to control inflation) can artificially raise the headline rate. Causes of Inflation There are two main causes of inflation, 1) Demand Pull Inflation This is where the total demand for goods and services in the economy exceeds the total supply. This happens after excessive growth in aggregate demand, and creates an inflationary gap. Excess demand in the economy drives up prices, and high prices mean that Suppliers want to produce more units of their product in order to make more money. To supply more, they must increase their production capacity, and the easiest way to do this in the short run is to increase the amount of labour they employ. This means that they are paying more wages, so people will have more disposable income, and hence there is more demand in the economy. Demand pull inflation is often monetary in origin: when the money supply grows faster than the ability of the economy to supply goods and services. This concept is explained by the Quantity Theory of Money. The quantity theory of money holds that changes in the general level of prices are directly proportional to changes in the quantity of money. It is obvious though, that merely an increase in the supply would have no effect on prices. The increase must be spent in order for this to happen. This is where velocity of circulation (V) becomes important. If the total amount of all transactions is T, and the total amount of money is... ...sion (ie unemployment) are lagged ? they do not respond until after the damage has been done, and so, in the example of the Lawson Boom, because consumer demand did not respond swiftly to interest rate increases, rates were put up too much, which stifled growth instead of merely slowing it. Some people are now suggesting that the cycle of boom and bust has ended with the advent of e-commerce, as more and more firms employ increasingly fewer people, and are far more responsive to changes in demand. There is some empirical evidence to suggest this as inflation seems to have been fairly constant for the last few years (see appendix 2). However, whether this is due to e-commerce, the Bank of England having semi-autonomous control over interest rates, or some other factor, has yet to be seen. Bibliography Introductory Economics - GF Stanlake Chapter 11 Principles of Economics ? Lipsey and Chrystal Chapters 26- 32 Macroeconomics ? Greenaway and Shaw www.tutor2u.net ? inflation, income and unemployment statistics www.answersleuth.com/numbers/1970.shmtl ? chronology of oil prices www.thebankofengland.co.uk -The Bank of England ? interest rate statistics

A Character’s Role Essay

In a world focused on elevators one wonders, what would it mean if one were to take the stairs? The Intuitionist, by Colson Whitehead, deals with the exploration of Lila Mae Watson, a black female intuitionist, who undergoes a quest to reveal what Intuitionism is all about. As a result of her quest, the connection between James Fulton, the creator of Intuitionism and Lila Mae Watson’s role as character is revealed. Lila M. Watson, the protagonist of this novel, endures a number of experiences as the first black elevator intuitionist. An accident occurs with an elevator which she was in charge of. From then on the story introduces Lila Mae’s quest for answers. Lila Mae’s life goes into detail about how fragments of her life have been shattered with grief, and racism above all. During her exam about elevators in college, she was answering flawlessly with details and precisions at the professor’s questions. The last question had nothing to do with elevators, just a reckoning to her; so that she knows that there are only twelve colored inspectors and they most of them are not even working, by making her know that even though she answered swiftly she didn’t know everything: â€Å"So you don’t know everything; that will be all Miss Watson. † (p 53) Within the story she goes into a subtle exploration of her own identity, race, and duty as a person in her position. This leads into the elusive quest for â€Å"the black box† and ultimately James’s Watson’s â€Å"Perfect elevator† But this quest of hers intertwines with the experiences of James Fulton. This intricate character deals with the many hardships that Lila Mae dealt with during her youth, only with the slight fact that he dealt with these issues with his inner self. Fulton’s secretive and deceiving nature is the actual cause of all the events that take place. James is actually a black man with light skin, who does not feel comfortable letting the world know that he is black because of his status. â€Å"Fulton’s hatred of himself and his lie of whiteness†(p 239). Although he’s not to blame because in the world they live in it is not as easy being a person of color. â€Å"There was no hope for him as a colored man because the white world will not let a colored man rise. â€Å"(p 240) For this very reason he decides to play the role of a white man. At early age he knew he would be confused for a white person, so he used this trait to achieve his greatness in life. Overtime Fulton became godly to people, because of his knowledge about elevators and what he had to write about them. â€Å"Every Tuesday James Fulton†¦. stood in the downstairs drawing room and lectured on the intricacies of his science† (p 54). One does not realize that this intuitionism is created as a joke. A joke that is taken seriously and soon evolves into the world itself. Both Fulton and Watson are two figures who struggle for one cause only. To achieve their goal in life, for Watson it is to find and reveal the perfect elevator into the world, and for Fulton it is to create and implement this perfect elevator into the world. As two black figures in a white-ruled society it is their socialistic duty to fulfill their goals and be aware that this achievement is critical for their community. Lila M. Watson is forced to go on a journey that is composed of events that will prove her innocence about the incident, discover the perfect elevator, and like Fulton, take an important position in society. She sees herself as a person who has a duty to fill Fulton’s shoes. In the other hand Fulton’s lies and secrets are what form the entire story. After having developed intuitionism for that long, he realized he needs a successor, who will deal with society. But it is Intuitionism that must be kept important until the world is ready for the perfect elevator. Fulton does not publish his work for this very reason. Like Lila Mae’s duty of finding his perfect elevator, it is his to create it. But little do we know that this perfect elevator is nothing more then what he has created as a mockery of the world he lives in. It consist of a perfect world where there exists no racial constrains. Fulton is a man who creates a perfect society in his mind and puts it in paper, but never reveals it. Lila Mae discovers this but she knows that even though she’s been living in a world of lies, it is her duty to preserve this knowledge until the world becomes a place like Fulton metaphorically described in his books. This the story that deals with one’s accomplishment to fool the world and in the meantime while everyone is fascinated by his accomplishments and fake works, he devotes his life to creating a blueprint to a better world for existence.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

We should embrace nihilism for growth

NIHILISTIC PERSPECTIVEâ€Å"Nihilism is the belief that all values are baseless and that nothing can be known or communicated. It is often associated with extreme pessimism and a radical skepticism that condemns existence. A true nihilist would believe in nothing, have no loyalties and no purpose other than, perhaps, an impulse to destroy† (http://www.iep.utm.edu/n/nihilism.htm). In a nihilist perspective, there are no beliefs in dogma, religion and other socially constructed norms and standards. Nihilists question the set of universally made way of thinking and that there is nothing real in this world.SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONâ€Å"Social constructs are institutionalized entity or artifacts in a social system, invented or constructed by participants in a particular culture or society that exist because people agree to behave as if it exist, or agree to follow certain conventional rules, or behave as if such agreement or rules existed† (wikipedia.org). Social constructs are c reated entities in which people or groups of people perceived them to be true. Social constructs are perceived realities that are put into a convention to be turned into social beliefs. Some examples of social constructs are religion, morality, sexuality, class and many more.These social constructs play a major role in people’s daily lives. Social constructs became an integral part of people’s daily lives. These became inevitable realities of their existence. Basically, how people act are based on social constructions. Social constructions dictate the everyday lives of people. Social constructs determine how people will act and what their pattern of actions is. These social constructs are the perceived rightness of actions in a particular given situation. Therefore, people’s lives are controlled and move by social constructs.Social constructs evolve and changes as time pass by. It depends on the richness of thought of human beings. The minds of human beings are very rich and full of possibilities. People have the capability of evolving one system of thought into another. A particular social construct is not permanent and will not last forever because it only depends on the people who were the ones who constructed them. Social constructs are dynamic because the minds of people are also dynamic. What most people are experiencing now may just become a history of tomorrow.THE WORLD AS A REALM OF MEANING AND CAN BE DISCLOSED BY NIHILISMFor Heidegger, he viewed the world as a realm of meanings and possibilities. These possibilities are for Da-sein to discover and the meanings are for Da-sein to assimilate. This world for Heidegger is where the Da-sein is situated and part of the facticities given to the Da-sein. This world is for the Da-sein to discover and understand. The world gives meaning to the existence of man and man is to exhaust these meanings or possibilities. Hence, the world is where the Da-sein interacts and for him to assimilate.Th is word â€Å"aletheia† describes the world for Heidegger. â€Å"Aletheia† means revelation and concealment which constitutes the world’s disclosedness to man. The world is the realm of meanings for man that man is always in constant assimilation. Even if it reveals itself to man, it also conceals something to man and that the task of man to assimilate and understand is a never-ending task and that Heidegger called man as â€Å"always already understanding the world†.The word â€Å"always† signifies the infinity of understanding that man is task to reveal the world, the never-ending task of correlation and understanding. Man as Da-sein is the very nature and function of man as a being who is thrown into this world. â€Å"Da† means there and â€Å"sein† means being. Da-sein is openness to the world and the readiness of man to exhaust and assimilate. Da-sein is the there of being of man, the very thrown ness of man into a particular con text. To understand more of man as Da-sein, we will tackle on the succeeding parts the functions of being a Da-sein.According to the great Heidegger, attunement is man’s mood or state of mind in which affects his perception of reality. He viewed man as always in the mood and is always ready to understand reality. Man as being thrown into this world, attunement is already embedded in his being. This attunement as already embedded in the being of man girds man to understand. Given the facticity of Da-sein as being-in-a-world, he is always in the mood to seize reality or to be conscious of reality and thus constituting man’s openness to the world. Da-sein as the there of being is always situated in the world thus, a temporal being.This situated ness of man gives him ample opportunity to correlate with the world and to fulfill his very nature as an understanding being who is already attuned to do so. Man becomes conscious by virtue of interaction, which is the very process of understanding for Heidegger. To correlate with the world is to exhaust its possibilities, to assimilate its meaning. Through interaction, man becomes conscious of reality, becomes conscious of meaning. Reality is already in the realm of meanings, which constitutes the world, and it is only for man that he can be conscious of and that is by virtue of correlating with the world.To question dogma and religion and other social constructs can be a tool for better understanding of reality. As discussed, Heidegger emphasized that man can slowly reveal the reality of beings by correlating with the world which is the world of meaning and possibilities. The world has its own meaning. The nihilistic view in its proper use, such as not totally for destruction but of finding the truth behind the world, it can open man’s eye to the real meaning of this world. Man as Da-sein in being a nihilist can be able to arrive at a better truth regarding the world. The world still has a lot to giv e in man’s understanding of it that is why dogmas and principles of today must be questioned because it is still not in its absolute state.NIHILISM AS A TOOL TO A BETTER UNDERSTANING OF REALITYMan’s life is full of socially constructed norms and beliefs that are the ones dictating what he ought to do and act. There is religion that dictates morality and there is government that dictates who are enemies and not such as who are terrorists and not terrorists. A society is comprised of many ideas and perspectives that battles to gain monopoly. Man is put in the center of contrasting views.With the birth of nihilism, there came an opportunity to arrive in a truth wherein wrong dogma and beliefs can be erased and replaced with better ones. Nihilism can give good effects if not put in its extreme nature of destruction. Questioning beliefs and dogma is a healthy process to undertake. Through questioning, man can slowly reveal to himself the true essence of his existence. Quest ioning must also not be intertwined with destruction because it can be a truly great means for development and better understanding.â€Å"I hope to bring some balance and clarity to a number of realities that seem to attract a great deal of misunderstanding: [1] the very serious issues of violence in Islam [including recent Muslim violence]; [2] the abhorrence that many Muslims have of violence; [stereotypes of Islam and Muslims as inherently violent]; and [4] the larger context of violence in our world [not just the Muslim world], much of which is woven into the fabric of our society in such a way that we may not even regard it as our own violence† (Hussain, 2006). The misunderstandings such as looking as a Muslim to be violent can be corrected by the nihilist perspective. People can arrive to a certain truth that not all Muslims are violent and stereotyping can be erased.NIHILISM AS A TOOL TO END CHAOS AND VIOLENCE IN THIS WORLDThe chaotic world is brought about by the diff erences in beliefs and norms and even in the practices of different religions. These are products of social constructions. With different beliefs and principles and with the devotion to such beliefs and principles, it brings chaos and even to violence. People seem to impose their own beliefs to other people which also have their own set of beliefs. By imposing one’s beliefs, it creates an atmosphere of competition that gives tensions and chaos to this world.Nihilism can be a tool to end all chaos and find peace in this world. People, in there different perspectives, can look at the common ground of their different beliefs. To question their own beliefs is a healthy process and even comparing their own beliefs to others is also a healthy process. This is an act of nihilism. People will not destroy their principles and beliefs but rather, developing it to be better set of beliefs and principles.One example can be seen in the realm of religion where we can see differences but lo oking at the greater reality of it, there are much more similarities that can be used in arriving to a better belief, a belief that can be bannered by all people from different contexts. Even the difference of science and religion, if nihilistic perspective can be used in a proper way of dialectics and questioning, people may arrive at a certain truth that science and religion has its common ground and that one will not be an opposition of the other.CONCLUSIONThe world is a realm of meaning and possibilities and is plague with socially constructed beliefs and principles. With the birth of nihilism, which is a perspective that most of a time attributed to destruction, the world may find better understanding in its hand. By the method of questioning which is a healthy process, people can arrive to better understanding of reality and the very principles and beliefs that they believe. Therefore, we should embrace nihilism.BIBLIOGRAPHYBogossian, Paul. What is Social Construction. 03 Mar. 2007Heidegger, Martin. The Question of Being. New Haven (Conn): College and University  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Press 1958.Hussain, Amir. Oil and Water: Two Faiths: One God. Pilgrim Pr, 2006.Nishitani, Keiji. Religion and Nothingness. University of California press, 1983.http://www.iep.utm.edu/n/nihilism.htm#H5