Television Programs American Idol - 910 Words

One of the most influential television programs was American Idol. When it first came out, people were mesmerized by the new program. Local news outlets that would come on after the show would discuss the results of the show on-air, people would call in after the show to participate in the voting process. When it first came out, my family and I were hooked on American Idol. The television program, American Idol, and its appeal to consumers and advertisers is the relationship that’s studied in Chapter 2 of Henry Jenkins’s book, Convergence Culture. At its core, American Idol claims to be a reality show to showcase lesser known singers. But yet, almost every aspect of American Idol can be seen as a type of advertising, for example, Coca-Cola branded the real room, where contestants wait before going onstage, offers soft drink promotions where the winner can go to the finales, and is often a prominent sponsorship figure at the American Idol finalists national concert tour. Yet, despite the blant consumerism that is in these shows, viewers still tune into the program time and the time again. It is this conundrum that Jenkins hopes to figure out in his analysis. The rise of convergence culture and next generation technologies like the VCR gave rise to an American public that was fed up with ads and â€Å"harder to impress.† Jenkins defines the term â€Å"impress† from two different perspectives. In the eyes of the consumer, â€Å"impress† is used as a verb. Consumers are looking for somethingShow MoreRelatedCase Study Of 30 Amazing Things You DidnT Know About Fox973 Words   |  4 Pageshas been on air since 30 years. It has undoubtedly been an incredible journey for Fox. as well as, its audience who have been linked to the network through the various programs that airs on the network. Whether it was American Idol that ended last year with the completion of its fifteenth edition or the currently running television series, Bones or 24: Legacy that you cannot miss, there are surely many more that you are an ardent fan of. However, we bet you probably don’t know about some interestingRead MoreSimilarities and Differences between the American Television Shows American Idol and X-Factor1269 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction American society is characterized by its upward mobility. Anyone, particularly those with a talent in high demand, can achieve prosperity through hard ward and determination. Both American Idol and X-Factor showcase this phenomenon within the confines of their shows. Consumers, particularly those geared towards drama, love to see this upward mobility concept in action. Both shows do a great job articulating this concept in a manner that is engaging and though provoking. However, American IdolRead MoreTelevision And Its Effects On Children1673 Words   |  7 PagesTelevision is one of the biggest influences in the lives of most people. People spend hours every day watching television programming, so of course this will affect their behavior. Television is like a window to the modern world. Many people view the programs that are aired on television; they can gain a lot of information and knowledge. Most programming like the National Geographic and Discovery Channels can be used as an educational tools in schools and at home to teach our children to learn insteadRead MoreThe Positive and Negative Effects of Reality TV1031 Words   |  4 Pages reality television can impact many lives everyday. Growing up in the era of the growth of reality television, I’ve seen many shows that influence and affect other teenagers and people more and more every day. The variety of shows seem to find something to interest anyone, leading to positive and negative effects. They are produced on more channels daily causing people to wonder how reality television is impacting our world today and what the future holds for it. Reality television is nonfictionRead MoreTelevision : A Vast Cultural Wasteland Essay1341 Words   |  6 PagesTelevision has been criticized as â€Å"a vast cultural wasteland†. Tv is supposed to be something that people use for fun and entertainment not a way to get away from your problems. Now with that being said this quote is trying to say that tv is useless. I think the reason that some people think that tv is useless is because of shows like SpongeBob and family guy. Sponge bob is a very popular kids show that has been around for years but doesn’t benefit the people watching it in anyway. In fact, watchingRead MoreDoes Reality Television Influence Youth?1480 Words   |  6 PagesJaesuk Eom Dr. Mary Gray English 1303 29 March 2016 Does reality television influence youth? Part I Television plays a very large and influential role in spreading modern pop culture. It seems like there is no doubt that television are taking over and regulating many of our business, social value, and lifestyle. Its entertaining aspect led it to become a significant part of our lives. Since it has deeply rooted into our culture, we might believe that it always has been on our side. However, I personallyRead MoreWhy Reality Television Is Harmful Essay example695 Words   |  3 PagesSome of the most popular television shows in today’s society are The Biggest Looser, Jersey Shore, and Big Brother. These programs and many others are classified as reality television. Reality television’s main purpose is to attempt to portray ordinary people in unscripted situations. Recently, however, many of these shows have achieved in creating the complete opposite, and have earned an immense amount of criticism as a result. Reality television programs are detrimental to society beca use theyRead MoreThe Reality of Reality Television1699 Words   |  7 PagesThe Reality of Reality Television Jacqueline Knudsen ENG122: English Composition II Jenna Fussell February 2, 2013 The Reality of Reality Television Have you ever set there watching your favorite reality television show and wondered what effects it could have on you, your family or your friends? Truth is most people do not think about the effects television shows can have before watching them or allowing their children to watch them. ThisRead MoreShould Television Programs Be Banned?1743 Words   |  7 PagesTV programs broadcasted in Malaysia are mainly imported from the USA and other Western countries, and the values are different from the values in Malaysian communities. The government argued that the media had negative influences on the education, attitude, and morality amongst Malaysian youth. With TV programs such as Baywatch, Friends, and several reality shows being popular amongst the youth, a lack of Malaysian values are being expressed. Malaysian TV stations even adopted some of the conceptsRead MoreReason why People Watch Reality TV Shows1283 Words   |  6 Pagesstatements. One of the main reasons for watching reality TV is to provide people with entertainment. To an extent, the majority of society has a desire to explore what goes on in the world around them. People like watching drama that occurs on public television. â€Å"Insults, temper tantrums, selfishness, gross behavior, and plain old stupidity- these are the main ingredients for most of today’s reality TV shows. Guess who is watching them? Millions of viewers just like you† (Cohen). â€Å"Viewers cannot seem to

Kurt Vonnegut and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - 810 Words

Kurt Vonnegut was an American writer, born in Indianapolis, Indiana. His parents, Kurt Vonnegut Sr. and Edith Vonnegut, both studied architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He had two older siblings, Bernard and Alice. He attended Cornell University, along with his siblings. He enlisted in the army while at Cornell, and from there the army transferred him over to Carnegie Institute of Technology and then to the University of Tennessee, in which he studied mechanical engineering. One of his most known works, â€Å"Slaughterhouse-Five†, was about a soldier in World War II, much like himself, and the journey’s he goes through after, during, and before the war. Billy Pilgrim, the main character in the story randomly travels through time, and is abducted by aliens who see everything in fourth dimension. Billy was an optometrist, who then was drafted into the military. Billy pilgrim reflects the type of man that Vonnegut is himself. He writes of himself thr ough the fictional character, Billy. It is clear that they both suffer with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD is a disorder, common in war veterans, that causes anxiety due to a tragic accident or injury that the person experienced. It causes the person to have horrible flashbacks, or memories of the accident. In Billy’s case, the bombing of Dresden could account for the tragic accident that caused the anxiety. Vonnegut is using this allusion, as he was present and survived in the bombing of Dresden as well. AsShow MoreRelatedKurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five -- A Great American Novel1383 Words   |  6 Pagesnovel, Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut writes about war and its destructiveness. Vonnegut tells the story of Billy Pilgrim, an unlikely hero, mentally scarred by World War Two. Kurt Vonnegut explains how war is so devastating it can ruin a person forever. These are topics that are reoccurring in American history and have a relevance to the American people thus making Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five a Great American Novel. After serving in World War Two, Kurt Vonnegut wrote Slaughterhouse-FiveRead MoreMental Health in Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut 737 Words   |  3 PagesFive, Kurt Vonnegut uses Billy Pilgrim’s actions, thoughts, and choices to demonstrate that Billy is insane in order to develop the idea that one’s hold on sanity can become altered following tragic events. Through Billy Pilgrim’s he creates an alternated world because Kurt Vonnegut demonstrates that Billy Pilgrim has not lost his sanity, but rather he suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in order to develop the idea that sanity may appear different for people dealing with traumatic life eventsRead MoreWar and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Essay1831 Words   |  8 Pageslonger a concerning matter. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder does not attract sympathy from the citizens who lives were saved and protected by the soldier who no longer can live a normal life. American citizens have the expectation of soldiers who return to home to be strong, brave, and, overall, heroic. They glamorize the situation of returning home, and do take into account the horrors that the soldier has witnessed through his journey of survival. According to Vonnegut, in his novel, Slaughterhouse-FiveRead MoreKurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five902 Words   |  4 PagesI. Introduction A. Hook 1. PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is an anxiety disorder that develops in some after they experience extremely traumatic events, such as combat. Those with PTSD may relive the event via intrusive memories, flashbacks and nightmares; they would do anything to avoid memories of trauma, including inventing an alternate planet. 2. Billy, the main character in Kurt Vonnegut’s novel Slaughterhouse-Five, experienced firsthand the trauma of war during the firebombing ofRead MoreWhy Does Billy Pilgrim Become Unstuck in Time in Slaughterhouse-Five?710 Words   |  3 Pagesbook Slaughterhouse-Five the character Billy Pilgrim is a reflection of the author Kurt Vonnegut. He is said to become unstuck in time. But what does the author really mean by â€Å"unstuck in time?† The story begins after the bombing of Dresden, which caused PTSD that is very common in many people after being at war. PTSD is a very common aftermath of war, or even during war. PSTD stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is very common in deployed troops of all ages. It occurs after an event thatRead MoreSlaughterhouse Five By Kurt Vonnegut1211 Words   |  5 Pageswar isn’t a positive reaction, for it causes others to feel hate, fear, and anger. Kurt Vonnegut expresses his thoughts and experiences during World War Two and through the witnessing of the Dresden firebombing to show the reasons for the main character Billy’s actions. Billy Pilgrim has suffered from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) which was caused by the negative experiences he faced during war. This disorder came about from this hate, fear, and anger he went through during this harsh timeRead MoreSlaughterhouse Five Are Obvious And Piercing As One1139 Words   |  5 PagesSo It Goes Kurt Vonnegut’s anti-war novel, Slaughterhouse Five, illustrates the ghastly experiences within World War II and the journey through the universe and time of the main character, Billy Pilgrim. Although war is a sensitive subject in most cases, Vonnegut’s sarcastic, dark humor on the matter helps bring light to the fact that war is horrendous. Slaughterhouse Five demonstrates the reality of war throughout its major themes, historical accuracy, and Kurt Vonnegut’s personal experiences withinRead MoreKurt Vonnegut Analysis1239 Words   |  5 PagesKurt Vonnegut The Nonsense of War and Billy Pilgrim The firebombing of Dresden by the Allies took as many as 135,000 innocent lives (AE). Among those firebombed, there was Kurt Vonnegut, a U.S. POW during World War II being held captive by the Nazis (AE). Strategically, the firebombing was senseless (AE). Many have speculated that the purpose of the bombing was to disrupt the Nazi war machine, which would make sense if it wasn’t for the fact that Dresden contained no heavy industry (AE). TheRead MoreBilly Pilgrims Struggle with PTSD in Vonneguts Slaughterhouse Five1766 Words   |  8 PagesIn order to illustrate the devastating affects of war, Kurt Vonnegut afflicted Billy Pilgrim with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which caused him to become â€Å"unstuck in time† in the novel. Billy Pilgrim illustrates many symptoms of PTSD throughout the story. Vonnegut uses these Slaughterhouse Five negative examples to illustrate the horrible and devastating examples of war. The examples from the book are parallel to real l ife experiences of war veterans, including Vonnegut’s, and culminateRead MoreBilly Pilgrims Presentations of Metal Illness in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five1286 Words   |  5 PagesBilly Pilgrim, the main character of Kurt Vonnegut’s novel Slaughterhouse Five, would not be described as an ordinary person by any standards. Billy is an optometrist, prisoner of war, World War II veteran, a zoo display for aliens, and a frequent time traveler. The character Billy is a controversial subject, because readers cannot discern whether he is sane and has fantastical experiences or is insane and deserves to be in a mental hospital. Billy Pilgrim may be many things, but is Billy simply

Affirmative Action Is Not the Solution Essay - 1340 Words

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Affirmative action is a social policy created to promote the welfare of minorities by supporting the idea that individuals are all created equal and should not be judged by race or gender. Therefore, in situations like job and university applications, we should consider minorities to be as feasible a choice for hire as a white male candidate, taking into consideration their background. In short, it tries to give minorities that have been at a disadvantage their whole life, an opportunity to ‘equal the playing field’ by providing a broader context by which to measure an applicant or prospective employee. In the end, however, this goal is not realized. Instead, superficial ‘quotas’ are established and the†¦show more content†¦Bob had six months to prepare for the race while John had a ball and chain tied to his leg for the entire six months. Without a doubt, I would believe that Bob would win this race. However, if we interpol ate affirmative action into this analogy, we would justifiably be assisting John. Unfortunately, the problem isn’t that we are helping John, the problem is the way we are helping him. Instead of releasing John from his ball and chain, affirmative action would be placing a heavier ball and chain on Bob forcing John to meet a lower expectation, thus not inherently removing the ball and chain, but rather using it as an excuse to justify his shortcomings. Implicitly, this would then create animus and resentment against Bob, rather than empathy and compassion for his disadvantage. Although the motive behind affirmative action is moral and just, in practice it seems to fail and causes an even more unequal treatment of race and sexuality. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The unequal treatment brought on by affirmative action brings us to the second argument against it: Affirmative action itself violates the principles of equality. The main goal behind affirmative action is to ensure that all individuals are treated equally, not to create more inequality. However, white individuals are simply used as a means to an end and unfortunately more discrimination is created. If we were to take a look at both analogies above, the white male was treatedShow MoreRelatedEssay on Is Diversity The Solution to Affirmative Action?2725 Words   |  11 PagesIS DIVERSITY THE SOLUTION TO AFFIRMATIVE ACTION Equal employment practices, in many organizations, have been established through affirmative action programs. These programs were created by government mandate to create a fair and non-discriminatory working environment in organizations. The need for affirmative action was recognized as early as the 1940’s, as a concept, based on the racial diversity of our country. The goal was the redistribution of opportunities on the basis of race. Now as weRead MoreAffirmative Action in Colleges1218 Words   |  5 PagesHispanics. In order to combat this gap, the Kennedy administration in 1961 instituted a policy called affirmative action aimed towards counteracting the racial and socioeconomic disadvantages that these minority groups have. Opponents of affirmative action argue that this violates the 14th Amendment, creates reverse discrimination and reinforces racial inequality. Meanwhile, the supporters of affirmative action claim that it is necessary to create equal opportunity for ev ery person and as a way for addressingRead MoreAffirmative Action Essay1151 Words   |  5 PagesAffirmative Action Blacks and other minority groups have been wrongfully persecuted and punished and have suffered the indignities of discrimination. As Martin Luther King stated so eloquently in his I Have a Dream speech, blacks should be judged #8230;not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. Our American culture with its political, legal, and social considerations, is struggling with the idea of white redemption while offering minorities a more fairRead MoreAffirmative Action Is The Perfect Plan1173 Words   |  5 PagesAffirmative Action On March 6th, 1955, President John F. Kennedy signed executive order 10925 enforcing that government corporations not discriminate against anyone based off their race and skin color. This became â€Å"positive† discrimination otherwise known as affirmative action. Affirmative action is a method benefiting anyone who have experienced discrimination particular to one’s education and/ or employment (Affirmative Action). In today’s age affirmative action is creating â€Å"reverse racism† dueRead MoreAffirmative Action Is Important For The Future Of The Diversified Generations Of America Essay1641 Words   |  7 Pages Affirmative Action In Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream Speech, he states â€Å"I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character† for this reason affirmative action in higher education admission should alter for it creates a perpetual racial preference in admission. Affirmative action is controversial due its issue of whether the generation of today should pay for the past injustices done to certain ethnicities. It questions the constitutionalityRead More Affirmative Action: Keeping minorities down for 30 years. Essay1509 Words   |  7 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The subject of affirmative action in college admissions has been hotly debated since its inception. Although affirmative action was originally supported by the vast majority, that same majority is now starting to wonder if there is a better way. Commonly asked questions include: â€Å"Is affirmative action still working?† and â€Å"Is there an alternative?† The answers to each of these questions will provide insurmountable evidence that affirmative action in college admissions no longer fulfillsRead MoreAffirmative Action And Its Effect On Society Essay1639 Words   |  7 Pagesbased on a person’s race is wrong. For this reason affirmative action in higher edu cation admission should alter for it creates a perpetual racial preference in admission. Affirmative action is controversial due its issue of whether the generation of today should pay for the past injustices done to certain ethnicities. It questions the constitutionality of its existence and whether it perpetuates racial discrimination. Although affirmative action greatly promotes diversity and exposes diverse perspectivesRead MoreEssay about Affirmative Action1384 Words   |  6 PagesAffirmative Action has been an issue of contention since its inception during the Civil Rights struggles of mid 20th century America. Discrimination could no longer be tolerated and the Unites States government had an obligation to encourage equality at all levels of the social infrastructure. The main type of discrimination being addressed by Affirmative Action programs was racial discrimination. The Merriam Webster dictionary defines racism as: ‘a belief that race is the primary determinant ofRead MoreThe Issue Of Affirmative Action Essay1667 Words   |  7 Pagesthe content of their character† for this reason affirmative action in higher education admission should be altered for it creates a perpetually racial preference in admission. Affirmative action is controversial due it s issue of whether the generation of today should pay for the past injustices done to certain ethnicities. It questions the constitutionality of its existence and whether it perpetuates racial discrimination. Although affirmative action is a great start in promoting diversity and exposingRead MoreWe Do NOT Need Affirmative Action Essay549 Words   |  3 Pages    Affirmative Action is steps that are taken to ensure that the opportunities are equal between minorities and others. There have been many heated debates over this issue, and maybe the worst is yet to come. Some might feel it is necessary because they feel opportunities are not equal for minorities. Many people believe that gaps need to be closed between minorities and others, but there is a difference in the method. I feel the current method is not constitutional, lawful, and not proven

Suddenly A knock at the door free essay sample

Although it Is one of the shortest stones in the collection, What Do We Have In Our Pockets was the story that really stuck out the most to me. In the two pages of the story Etgar Keret provides a vivid look into the sad life and hopes of a man looking for love _ The man In the story, whose name we never learn, carles around with him everywhere he goes, an odd assortment consisting of a lighter, a cigarette, a cough drop, d postage stamp, a pen, and two five shekel coins. People are always asking him What the fuck do you have in your pockets? to which he never answers but simply smiles and laughs. Where they to be persistent and ask him again, he would explain why he needs all of the things he carries with him all the time, but they never do. Keret Includes this detail to show that nobody cares about the man, and they arent even curious enough to find out what Is In his pockets and why he carries It all. We will write a custom essay sample on Suddenly A knock at the door or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In the next paragraph of the very short story he explains why he carries all these Items on him all the time. He says its so that he is always prepared. He carries them so that hes never at a disadvantage at the moment of truth. He carries all of these things with him every day and everywhere he goes just so that he will be ready if a pretty girl needs somethlng, no matter how trlvlal It may be. Hes so desperate tor love and female Interaction that he believes that someday having a stamp for a girl that needs to mall a letter or a pen for a lady who needs to sign her name will be the ay that he will find his sole mate. He fantasizes about how it will happen. He describes a scenario where he gets to play prince charming just for having a stamp and a cough drop in his pockets. When she asks, what else do you have in your pockets? he will have the opportunity to reply, Everything youll ever need my love. This sad tale of a lonely sole forever waiting for his chance to come along Is just one of the many subtly dark stories that Keret spins In Suddenly, A Knock At the Door.

Transaction Cost Economics free essay sample

Transaction cost economics (TCE) is most associated with the work of Oliver Williamson (see his book The Economic Institutions of Capitalism on the reading list), though he was building on earlier work, particularly by the Nobel prize winner Coase. One reason why the theory is so important is that it represents one of the first and most influential attempts to develop an economic theory that takes seriously the structure of firms. Previously, economic theories tended to treat the firm as a sort of â€Å"black box,† the internal workings of which were not considered to be important. This, of course, contrasts with most other people’s view of businesses, where the internal workings of the organization is given prominence. It is sometimes said that TCE attempts to explain why firms exist. That is, why are some transactions directed by managers in the context of a hierarchy, as opposed to taking place in an open market? It’s more accurate, though, to say that TCE tries to explain the particular structure of a firm, most importantly, the extent to which it will integrate vertically. We will write a custom essay sample on Transaction Cost Economics or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It must be emphasised that while Williamson’s work is very distinctive, it falls well within mainstream economic thinking. It assumes that firms are profit maximising, and that profit maximisation involves costs minimisation. By implication, it is an equilibrium theory. It assumes rationality on the part of owners and/or managers. Where it differs is in stressing transaction costs as well as production costs. Williamson envisions production costs as being analogous to the cost of building and running an â€Å"ideal† machine, while transaction costs are those costs which are incurred by departures from perfection, such as friction. In the economic sector, the ideal machine would be a perfectly efficient market. As you know, such a market requires full information to be available to all parties and perfect competition, among other factors. Departures from this perfection (sometimes called â€Å"market failures†) can result in firms incurring costs when they attempt to buy or sell goods or services. For example, lack of information about alternative suppliers might lead to paying too high a price for a good. Lack of information about a customer’s creditworthiness might result in a bad debt. These are transaction costs. Williamson argues that firms want to minimise their total costs, which are made up of both production and transaction costs. Under some circumstances transaction costs may be lower if the transaction takes place in an open market, which in other situations costs will be lower if managers coordinate the transaction. Williamson’s contribution rests in specifying the variables that determine whether â€Å"market or hierarchy† will have the lower transaction costs in various circumstances. Before discussing these variables, though, we also need to mention the assumptions that Williamson makes that underpin the theory. It is important not to confuse these assumptions with the variables. The assumptions are unchanging contextual factors. They are important in that if these assumptions were not valid, then the arguments about the effects of the variables would not be valid. But the factors mentioned in the assumptions don’t themselves vary, and so they cannot explain variation in organizational structure. Assumptions 1. Bounded rationality 2. Opportunism Bounded rationality refers to the fact that people have limited memories and limited cognitive processing power. We can’t assimilate all the information at our disposal, we can’t accurately work out the consequences of the information we do have. A good metaphor is the game of chess. Despite knowing all the rules which fully specify the game, no one is capable of faultlessly analysing any given position during a chess game. This is partly because the game itself is inherently too complex (there are too many alternatives), and also because the actions of the opponent are unpredictable. Managers face the same problems. No matter how knowledgeable they might be, they cannot consider all the possible alternative courses of action. This is compounded by the fact that in reaching a decision they must take into account how competitors will react. Opportunism refers to the possibility that people will act in a self-interested way â€Å"with guile,† as Williamson puts it. That is, people may not be entirely honest and truthful about their intentions, or they might attempt to take advantage of unforeseen circumstances that gives them the chance to exploit another party. Williamson doesn’t assume that all people will act opportunistically all of the time. He merely assumes that some people will act opportunistically some of the time, and that you can’t tell in advance who is an opportunist and who is not. These two assumptions are important contextual factors, but in themselves they tell us nothing about why a firm will integrate vertically, because they are constant characteristics of our world. These assumptions represent something of a departure from standard economic models, but not a terribly dramatic one. People are still assumed to be rational, in the sense that they want to maximise the profits of the firms they manager, but that there are limits on their ability to make a truly rational decision to achieve this end. Similarly, self-interested behaviour is assumed in traditional economic theory, but guileful behaviour — â€Å"human nature as we know it,† as Williamson put it — is not expected. Variables 1. Frequency 2. Uncertainty 3. Asset specificity The real explanatory power of the theory, though, comes from the three dimensions or variables that are used to characterise any transaction. Transactions can be frequent or rare; have high or low uncertainty; or involve specific or non-specific assets. These three variables will, according to the theory, determine whether transaction costs will be lowest in a market or in a hierarchy. It is easiest to consider these variables with respect to decisions about whether to integrate vertically. Frequency is the most easily dealt with. There will never be a situation in which a firm would want to integrate vertically so as to bring â€Å"in-house† the provision of a good or service that is very rarely used. For example, most firms will not want to set up their own management consultancy departments because they only use the services of a management consultant on a very infrequent basis. If a firm did nevertheless set up its own consultancy, that department would have to try to sell its services to their parties in the periods when it was not doing consultancy within its parent company. But why should we expect such a department to be able to perform better than specialist consultants? In general, we would expect the firms for which consultancy is a â€Å"core competence† to do better. Of course, if firms use consultants frequently, they may decide to set up an in-house operation. National Westminster Bank, for example, have done just this, though they also use external consultants as well. Because frequency is so clear cut, it is usually omitted from detailed discussion. But note that this is not because it is unimportant. On the contrary, the effect of frequency on transaction costs is very strong. It is just that the case where the frequency of transactions is low isn’t very interesting. Uncertainty is more interesting. The issue here is how hard is it to foresee the eventualities that might occur during the course of the transaction. One obvious factor here is the length of time over which the transaction will take place. Transactions that take place on â€Å"spot markets† will have relatively little uncertainty, because one doesn’t have to predict the future. On the other hand, transactions that involve a commitment over some time have some uncertainty built in to them. An example we considered before is the printer agreeing to provide a service to a newspaper publisher. Both parties are likely to want a reasonably long term agreement to enable them to plan. But the very long term nature of the agreement adds to the uncertainty. How can the printer be sure that the publisher won’t go out of business during the life of the contract, thereby putting at risk her investment in a printing press? Uncertainty causes problems in part because of bounded rationality. We can’t foresee all possible eventualities. It might also come about because of information asymmetries: the printer doesn’t know as much about the financial health of the publisher than does the publisher himself. Uncertainty also causes problems because of the danger of opportunism. How does the printer know she can trust any figures that the publisher presents to her? How does she know that, having invested in a press, the publisher won’t try to renegotiate the contract at some future time? What we have to ask ourselves is will uncertainty be reduced by vertical integration? If so, will any savings in transaction costs be enough to outweigh any costs there might be associated with vertical integration — administrative costs, for example? In our example, uncertainty would be reduced by vertical integration of printer and publisher. Asset specificity is perhaps the most important element in Williamson’s theory. He argues that where transactions involve assets that are only valuable (or are much more valuable) in the context of a specific transaction, transaction costs will tend to be reduced by vertical integration. In our example, if transport costs mean that the printer would not be able to compete for business from other publishers, her printing press would be a highly transaction specific asset: it would only be of value in the context of transactions with one publisher. This variable is again only a problem in the context of bounded rationality and opportunism. It is this that makes it risky for the printer to invest in a press. Other things being equal, when transactions involve highly specific assets, transaction costs are likely to be lower in a hierarchy than in a market. The following table gives a summary of the relationship between asset specificity, uncertainty and governance structure. Asset specificity Low for both parties High for both parties High for one party, low for one party Uncertainty High Contract/vertical integration Vertical integration Vertical integration Low Spot contract Long-term contract Vertical integration TCE is perhaps most often applied to understanding vertical integration, but it can often be applied to any internalisation/externalisation question. For example, where employees develop skills â€Å"on-the-job† that are highly firm-specific, these skills can be considered to be transaction specific assets. The transaction in this case is the employment relation. As we know, this can take several forms, from highly temporary (such as seasonal farm work), which is similar to a â€Å"spot market†, to an internal labour market, which is analogous to vertical integration. Criticisms Although TCE is very useful, it is not without its critics. It is important to recognise some possible weaknesses in the theory. 1. The theory assumes that it is possible to neatly separate production and transaction costs, but in practice this is often not the case. More generally, it is often very difficult to measure transaction costs even if they can be defined. . Although TCE assumes that their are limits on the extent to which decision-makers can be rational (that is, it assumes bounded rationality), it still makes little allowance for the other factors that we know affect decision-making. For example, the profit maximising, cost minimising object is not considered to be problematic. In reality, we know that this is not the case. There are often conflicts of interest among managers, the interests of managers and shareholders may not be perfectly aligned, and so on. Consequently, power plays an important role in decision-making. 3. Reputation and trust are not considered. Transactions are treated as though they occur without any knowledge of previous transactions involving the parties concerned. Yet we know that trust does develop between people as they do business with each other. We know that a reputation for trustworthiness is an important business asset that firms will often be reluctant to jeopardise. Therefore, the assumption that we cannot judge ex ante who will be opportunistic is an oversimplification.

Overpriced Vehicles for Teenagers Essays - Insurance, Free Essays

Overpriced Vehicles for Teenagers Essays - Insurance, Free Essays Overpriced Vehicles for Teenagers Overpriced Vehicles for Teenagers New cool cars are too expensive for teenagers to afford. I would like to have a new sports car to drive around but I do not have the money to afford the car. By being in high school I do not have enough time to go and get a job and do the work to make the money to afford the car. There is not enough time in the day for me to go to school then go home, do my homework, and work only about 2 hours after school if I was to have the job. Even if I was to get the car, the insurance on the car would be very expensive because it is a sports car and I am only 17 years old. The prices on new cool cars for teenagers should be lowered because they do not have enough time in the day to do the work to make money and the insurance on the cars are overpriced. There is not enough time in the day for teenagers to work to make the money for the new sports cars. Most teenagers like myself are in school from 8 in the morning until 3:30 in the afternoon. Then I go to football or basketball practice afterward until sometimes 5 or 6 that evening. I then go home and do my homework and after I help clean up around the house. By this time that evening it is already late and close to my bed time so that ill be able to get enough rest and get up to go to school the following day. There is no time in the day for teenagers to get a job and work the hours to make the money to buy the sports car. The insurance on the sports are overpriced. If I was able to get a sports car, I still would not be able to afford the insurance on the car. That is not including gas prices and all the maintenance I would need to keep the car in a good condition. Insurance prices on sports cars are overpriced especially for teenagers since teenagers are not able to pay the high prices for the car. The insurance needs to be lowered so that teenagers will be able to buy the sports cars they want and be able to afford the insurance for the car as well. Although I believe that new sports car and their insurance prices are very expensive for teenagers, people think the opposite. Others believe the prices should stay the way they are. They feel that teenagers should not have the sports cars because of the in-experience of the young drivers and by driving the cools car they will pay less attention to driving and more to what their friends think about them in the car and they will ?show boat?. They believe that there is a also a higher risk of the teenagers having an accident. This is why the insurance is so expensive because if there was an accident they will be covered. I still believe that the prices for the new cool sports cars? prices should be lowered so teenagers can buy them. Although others believe prices for the new cool cars should remain the same, I strongly believe prices should be lowered for the teenagers so that they will be able to afford the new cool cars without paying a fortune for them. With the little time the teenagers have in the day they cannot make enough money to afford the vehicles they would like to have because of the expensive prices. The new cool cars and their insurance prices should be lowered for teenagers.

CRIMINAL EVIDENCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

CRIMINAL EVIDENCE - Essay Example It is considered as the most imperative magnitude to judge and assess the validity and authenticity of an incident, an offence or a felony. The statutes of law are devised and implemented to control crimes by announcing penalty and punishment to the culprit as well as protecting the life, honour, possessions and rights of the innocent citizens. Since no law declares an accused as offender without having sound proof of his offence; and evidence is the only technique to prove or disapprove any fact the truth of which is submitted to judicial investigation. Hence, evidence is the tool, which attests the validity of the offence. Evidence includes: Q 1: In an offence like theft, stealing and burglary, no one is the eyewitness of the felony. Same is the situation in the case under study, where Edna is eyewitness of the presence of a person in her bedroom, where the burglary had been committed at Edna’s house on the night of 21 December. Edna blames Alan as the culprit on the following grounds: The man committing burglary in Edna’s bedroom has the same scar mark as Alan’s. In addition, the person has also left an ear print on window, which looks like the ear print of Alan; it is therefore he has been accused as the same offender, who committed burglary in Edna’s house. The law of evidence allows eyewitness [es] present both oral and documentary evidence. The oral statement made by Edna does not carry weight because she is unable to provide a detailed description of the burglar. Moreover, since she has presented documentary evidence, where only one scar mark describes the identity of the accused. The provisions of the law of Evidence allow an accused to make necessary changes in his appearance. In its words: Hence, provisions of Evidence Law allocate Edna the position of both complainant and the witness of the presence of the offender in her bedroom during the procedure. In the light of the points above-mentioned, Law of Evidence declares her