Aldi case studies Essay

QUESTION 1 Aldi is a leading retailer with over 8,000 stores worldwide. They operate a typical store sells around 700 products, compared to approximately 25,000 items stock at traditional supermarket. Since opening its first store in 1913, Aldi has successfully established itself as one of the most trustworthy retailers in the international business market. In industry business, company were achieved their competitive advantage in operating management based on competing a difference, competing cost and competing a response. ALDI have a different way of their services in retail shop industry. Physically, grocery shop is quite common but they achieve a competitive advantage through a services attributes in retail industry. ALDI‘s strategy lead to competitive advantage thorugh their brand that associated with value for money. Operating manager in ALDI operates an effective plan in order to emphasizing their product and services that will influence potential value to the customer. Its emphasis is on providing high quality products and excellent value for customers. As simply, ALDI have provided the customer an efficient way to shop. As we know, customers want the best quality products at the lowest possible prices. With such tough competition it is vital for organizations to understand what their customers want. As a reputable retailer, ALDI understands that its customers want value for money but do not want to compromise on quality. ALDI’s strategy revolves around providing good quality groceries for low price. For ALDI quality is important that guarantees product sold with a no questions asked money back guarantee. Based on case, ALDI achieves its low cost strategy but still maintain to produce quality products. They applied a several methods such as buys large quantities of item from trusted suppliers, taking advantage of quantity discounts and economies of scale. ALDI did not waste their cost towards shelving, locations and warehouse because they utilized an effectively resources. Otherwise, ALDI have a quick response in term of delivery product because of Just in Time (JIT). The staffs in ALDI operate the checkout as well as restock items by replacing pallets and this is quite flexible. They arrange a excellent scheduling of their performance such as minimize overhead cost. QUESTION 2 ALDI is a retailer that offers a low cost strategy as one of its strength in retail industry in Germany. Even though pertain a low cost strategy, there is no such things that ALDI offer a low standard of products. They could maintain to providing a good service quality because they succeed in customized the utilities of its resources capacity. ALDI using a time based management that required them to meet changing market and customer needs. Regardless of competitive strategy, quality is important to create a value to pay. It means, customers did not had regret buying our products and keep to buy it that similar principle used by ALDI that guarantees product sold with a no questions asked money back guarantee. Other than, a good service is one of a part of quality. It is because, services such as meet customer want on time, readily available and convenience stores could satisfy a customer on their routine daily grocery shop.

Investment in the Indian Education Sector Essay

Education is the key to unlocking and building lasting value in a robust economy. For any country to grow and prosper, a well-positioned educated young population is the fundamental requirement to meet the demands of an increasingly global economy and productive value creation. India has amongst the largest student population in the world and a low literacy level of 74. 04% (2011)1. According to census 2011 figures, over 35. 3% of the 1. 21 billion people are between the age group 0-14 years. Additionally, there is shortage of employable manpower in various industry segments. In order to meet this existing and emergent demand, there is huge need of investments in the Indian education sector. Currently, education is primarily handled by the government through its infrastructure and budget outlays. But given the small budget outlays and complex regulatory structure, supply is lagging far behind the demand of education. Expenditure on Education as %age of GDP 6000 GDP in thousnad Crores 5000 3. 64 4000 3000 3. 36 2000 1000 0 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2,098 2,261 2,538 2,878 3,282 3,779 3. 51 3. 45 4,321 4,933 3. 81 3. 74 3. 80 3. 70 3. 60 3. 50 3. 40 % expendutire on education 3. 78 3. 78 3. 90 3. 30 3. 20 3. 10 Source: Ministry of Human resource and Development (MHRD), Government of India REGULATION India’s tightly controlled regulatory structure is the primary reason for shortage of quality education institutions. Being in â€Å"Concurrent list†, education is being governed by both Central and State government with huge variations amongst the state regulations. Currently, the government regulates who you can teach, what you can teach them and what you can charge them. Some of the key bodies regulating education in India are:? Schooling o Department of School Education and Literacy – MHRD o Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) o Various State Boards o National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) 1 Census of India, 2011 Page 3 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector ? Higher Education o Department of Higher Education – MHRD o University Grants Commission( UGC) o All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) o Statutory Councils ? Medical Council of India (MCI) ? Bar Council of India (BCI) ? National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE) Voluntary Education and Skill Development o National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) o National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) ? In order to overcome this overlapping nature of various governing bodies especially in higher education, government is planning to come up with National Commission for Higher Education and Research (NCHER). This commission would work as a single regulatory body which would determine, co-ordinate and maintain standards in promotion of higher education and research. It will subsume regulatory bodies such as UGC, NCTE and AICTE, thus making the process more streamlined. KEY POLICY/ACT ? Foreign Educational Institutions(FEIs) o Allows FEIs to setup multi-disciplinary campuses and award degrees o Mandates FEIs to reinvest surplus from Indian operations o Mandates FEIs to invest at least 51% of capital expenditure required o Regulates the admission process, fee structure, period of operation of FEIs Right to Education o Makes access to primary education a fundamental right o Mandates 25% reservation for underprivileged students in schools? BUDGET 2011 HIGHLIGHTS ? ? ? ? ? Allocated an amount of Rs 52,057 Crores for universalizing access to secondary education Allocated an amount of Rs 21,000 Crores for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Increased the total allocation by 24% over the previous year Lack in allocation of funds for Teacher improvement and training Lacked emphasis on the K-12 sector in terms of school improvement, quality control etc. EDUCATION IN INDIA Indian education sector has witnessed a series of changes in the last few years, which resulted in a significant increase in market size of the education industry. With economic growth and enhanced technology it has become necessary to develop the Indian education sector. Funds are a major concern in the market to meet this demand. The government has taken many initiatives for the development of education infrastructure which needs to be supplemented led by private players. The government has also opened the doors for foreign universities by passing Foreign Educational Institution (Regulation of Entry and Operation) Bill, 2010, which will help in shaping the education industry structure specially pertaining of higher education in India. A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector About 185,000 Indians study overseas and spend USD 4 billion annually. This is almost 10% of the private spend on education, coming from a very small 0. 001% segment of the student population. A number of these students are now returning to India after completing their studies, as job markets in India are more attractive, especially in contrast to weak macro scenarios in the western markets. Entry of leading foreign institutions will enable some of this USD 4 billion spend to stay in India, and also provide a much needed boost to quality. STRUCTURE Indian education system can be divided into formal and informal segments which are further divided into sub-segments. Formal education segment broadly comprises schools and higher education institutes. Schools often classified as K-12(Kindergarten to 12th) caters to ‘3-17 years’ age group. While higher education includes graduate, diploma, professional and post-graduation courses caters to ’18-22 years’ and above age group. On the other hand, informal education segment comprises of preschools, multimedia, ICT, vocational training, books and coaching classes. This segment is free from regulation as opposed to highly regulated formal education segment. Schools (K-12) Formal Higher Education Preschools Indian Education System Multimedia ICT Non-formal Vocational training Books Coaching classes Page 5 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS India is home to several well acclaimed International Schools and is increasing rapidly. This demand has been fuelled by parents looking for a new system of education which is more interesting and less stressful. Also, large number of NRIs resettling in India is also contributing to this demand. Being in India these schools have to adhere to certain requirements of the Indian national system irrespective of the examination system adopted by them. Most of the international schools opt for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Board. However, there are other examination systems like the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) and General Certificate of Education (GCE) examination systems which are also present. The IB is a recognized leader in the field of international education. It is a non-profit, mission-driven foundation that offers three programs for students aged 3 to 19. ? ? ? Primary Years Programme (PYP) Middle Years Programme (MYP) Diploma Programme -For students aged 3 to 12 -For students aged 11 to 16 -For students aged 16 to 19 In India, most international schools offer IB Diploma Programme. In this students study six courses at higher level or standard level. Students must choose one subject from each of groups 1 to 5, thus ensuring breadth of experience in languages, social studies, experimental sciences and mathematics. The sixth subject may be an arts subject chosen from group 6, or the student may choose another subject from groups 1 to 5. Additionally, the programme has three core requirements that are included to broaden the educational experience and challenge students to apply their knowledge and understanding. The â€Å"extended essay† is a requirement for students to engage in independent research through an in-depth study of a question relating to one of the subjects they are studying. â€Å"Theory of knowledge† is a course designed to encourage each student to reflect on the nature of knowledge by critically examining different ways of knowing (perception, emotion, language and reason) and different kinds of knowledge (scientific, artistic, mathematical and historical). â€Å"Creativity, action, service† requires that students actively learn from the experience of doing real tasks beyond the classroom. Students can combine all three components or do activities related to each one of them separately. Some of the International Schools in India:? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Aditya Birla World Academy-Mumbai American Embassy School- New Delhi Amity Global School-New Delhi D Y Patil International School-Mumbai and Nagpur Dhirubhai Ambani International SchoolMumbai GD Goenka World School-Gurgoan Indus International School-Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune KiiT International School-Bhubaneswar Pathways School-Gurgoan, Noida and NewDelhi Stonehill International School-Bangalore Sharad Pawar International School-Pune Doon School -Dehradun Page 6 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector ANALYSIS OF VARIOUS SEGMENTS BASED ON KEY PARAMETERS. Growth Prospect Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Regulated No Yes Yes No No No No No Scalable Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Possibility to Create Value Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No Preschool Schools(K-12) Higher Education Multimedia ICT Coaching Classes Vocational Training Books GROWTH DRIVERS ? ? Demographic advantage o As per Census 2011 ,35. 3% of the Indian population is under the age of 14 Increasing awareness o Increase in awareness towards education as a priority and essential tool for career growth o Increase in job opportunities and salaries offered making investment in education prudent Human Resource driven economy o Increase in  the demand for an educated skilled workforce by services sector o Share of service sector in GDP increased from 30% in 1950 to 55% in 2007. Technology aided delivery o Increase in penetration of technology resulting in virtual learning and education delivery New employment avenues o Newer employment avenues such as KPO, LPO, retail, aviation, animation etc. demanding highly skilled manpower ? ? ? INDUSTRY FORECAST SCHOOLING. Segment Pre-School K-12 Tutorial Books Stationery Education CD-ROMs Multimedia in School Total 2008 1,200 21,000 5,000 1,700 1,380 120 25 30,425 CAGR 20%-25% 5%-10% 8%-13% 5%-10% 5%-10% 25%-30% 60%-70% 2013 3,500 30,800 8,000 2,400 2,000 390 320 47,410 CAGR 10%-15% 5%-10% 5%-10% 3%-8% 3%-8% 20%-25% 50%-60% 2018 5,800 43,200 11,800 3,000 2,600 1,100 3,300 70,800 (Figures in USD million) Page 7 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector HIGHER EDUCATION. Segment Higher Education Preparatory Total 2008 6,700 1,600 30,425 CAGR 8%-13% 13%-18% 2013 11,200 3,200 47,410 CAGR 7%-12% 10%-15% 2018 18,100 5,900 70,800 (Figures in USD million) VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT Segment Child skill enhancement IT training E-learning Finishing school Vocational Teacher training Total 2008 740 195 45 25 1,500 15 2,520 CAGR 20%-25% 35%-45% 35%-45% 50%-60% 15%-20% 50%-60% 2013 2,200 1,050 240 235 3,100 140 6,965 CAGR 17%-22% 33%-38% 33%-38% 45%-55% 10%-15% 45%-55% 2018 5,600 4,700 1,100 1,800 6,200 1,100 20,500 (Figures in USD million) Source: Technopak report on India Education Sector INVESTMENT SCENARIO With an education network of more than one million schools and 20,000 higher-education institutes, the market size of the Indian education system is estimated at more than US$40 billion2 (2009). However, inadequate infrastructure has placed pressure on the sector’s overall development. Education sector is unable to cope with growing market demand and global competition due to constrained investments. Increased private investment is imperative to expand infrastructure and provide greater access to quality education. Also, Government is planning to set up an education ? nance corporation with an investment of around US$4–5 billion, which aims to provide the education sector with long-term, low-cost ? nancing. PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP (PPP) PPP can provide the much needed finance to the education sector while serving as an efficient operating model. Establishing strong partnerships between private and public sector can achieve the growth. POSSIBLE PPP STRUCTURE The educational institute (special purpose vehicle) is set up as a Society or Trust, as per applicable guidelines. The UGC, AICTE or some other central regulatory body approves norms and standards of the institute. The state provides applicable administrative and financial support to the institute. Capital outlays are met by an educational services entity which 2 E&Y’s Private Equity Round Up April-June 2010 Page 8 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector provides infrastructure. The educational services entity charges a fee for use of facilities by the Society or Trust. Finally, the infrastructure facilities are transferred to the institute after a particular time period. Central Government State Government AICTE, UGC approvals Provision of grants Local approvals Land and utilities Trust/Society Service fees Infrastructure Service Provider Transfer of Infrastructure after prescribed time period Source:-2009 E & Y – EDGE 2009 report on Private Enterprise in Indian Higher Education KEY PLAYERS GLOBAL ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Apollo Group (USA) Mcgraw-Hill (USA) Pearson Plc (England) Benesse Corp (Japan) Devry Inc (USA) ITT Educational (USA) Strayer Education (USA) New Oriental (China) Career Education (USA) Corinthian College (USA) Capella Education (USA) Raffles Education ( Singapore) Mega Study ( South Korea) SkillSoft ( USA) Page 9 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector INDIA FORMAL ? ? Preschool o Kidzee o Euro Kids Multimedia in private schools o Educomp o Everonn o NIIT Vocational Training o NIIT o Aptech o Frank Finn Coaching Classes o FIIT-JEE o TIME o Career Launcher Books o Tata Mcgraw Hill o John Wiley o Navneet Publications ? INFORMAL K -12 (School) o Millennium Schools (Part of EduComp) o Kids Zee High o Billabong High (Part of Kangaroo Kids) o GEMS ( Dubai based) Higher Education o Manipal Education o Amity o IIPM o ICFAI ? ? ? ? MAJOR DEALS INVESTMENTS ? ? ? ? Rs10 billion investment plan from educational institutes in Haryana’s Rajiv Gandhi Educational City ( January’11) RS 28. 08 billion investment for setting up 20 IIITs under PPP route ( January’11) Everonn Rs 36 billion investment plan to setup 300 K-12 schools by 2015 (July’10) Educomp Rs 510 million contract to provide computer education in Bihar’s schools (May’10). PRIVATE EQUITY DEALS Education sector has witnessed 29 PE deals (refer Exhibit 1), cumulatively worth US$381 million, between January 2006 and June 2010 (as per Private equity roundup April-June 2010 by Ernst and Young). The majority of these investments have been in for-pro? t corporate entities that are not subjected to any government regulations. In future, with increased government spending and expansion plans of private players, the potential for PE investments in the Indian education sector is significant. Additionally, sector’s less correlation with the broad economic growth makes it more attractive. Page 10 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector SEGEMENT WISE BREAKUP OF PE INVESTMENTS IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF DEALS 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 3 3 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 Vocational Preschool K12 Education technology 4 College/University 3 Coaching 2006 2007 2008 Number of Deals 2009 2010 SEGMENT WISE BREAKUP OF PE INVESTMENTS IN TERMS OF DEAL VALUE 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 2006 2007 83 30 74 1 2008 43 2009 2010 12 13 10 37 5 9 23 Vocational 39 Preschool K12 Education technology College/University Coaching 67. Deal Value ( US$ million) Sources: Asian Venture Capital Journal; Dow Jones Factiva; ISI Emerging Market MAJOR ISSUES ? ? ? ? ? Overregulated and under- governed Not for profit structure and all surplus needs to be reinvested High involvement of politicians in higher education industry with no willingness to change the existing structure High land prices and hoarding of land reserved for educational purposes for resale Fragmentation in the sector due to difficulties in achieving scale Page 11 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector.

Less Talk, More Work Essay

Have you ever thought that there is a greater need to work constantly on a daily basis than to catch up on your social life with family and friends? Work addiction is a growing problem today. Most workaholics seem to put work, a main priority, before anything else such as time spent with others. The obsession with work is due to many reasons. For some people, work is needed to earn money to pay for necessary expenses such as food and bills. However, too much of a workload affects a person mentally, physically, or even both. Stress is one of the many reactions when it comes to constant hours or days spent at work. In â€Å"The Company Man,† written by Ellen Goodman, the main character Phil shows how chaotic he is with himself and with his work that eventually leads to his tragic farewell. The lifestyle of working excessively is common. The idea of becoming a workaholic is to strive for a certain value or feeling for oneself. Goodman’s story of The Company Man illustrates a vivid example of a common workaholic. If a workaholic is spotted, the image is depicted as â€Å"anxious, guilt-ridden, insecure, or self-righteous about †¦work†¦ a slave to a set schedule, merciless in his demands upon himself for peak performance †¦compulsively overcommitted† (Marlowitz 7). This workaholic image illustrates Phil. In Phil’s world, everything he does is directed towards work. As an addict living with a wife and three children, he works nearly every day as well as many nights (Goodman 61). He works for an important company, serving as a vice president (Goodman 60-61). Having a high-level position makes him feel important because he â€Å"worked like the Important People† (Goodman 61). Based on his high position, Goodman hints at Phil’ s pride, a powerful factor influencing his motivation and duty to work. While Phil is driven mainly by pride there are many other reasons why he works too hard. These reasons include his identity, self-respect, self-esteem, self-doubts, pressure from family expectations, perfectionism, a coping mechanism for his negative emotions, and his obsessive-compulsive behavior. Some of the key components of workaholism include intensity, energy, competition, and motivation (Machlowitz 26). Workaholism also includes three other main components such as enjoyment, drive, and work involvement (McMillan). When it comes to workaholic men like Phil, they view themselves as the family caretaker and feel completely responsible for taking care of all the family needs (Killinger 139). This viewpoint brings pressure on workaholic men because they feel that they are expected to ensure that there is both financial protection and emotional well-being in the family (Killinger 139). They must be independent especially with earning money. Money attracts power, freedom, and independence (Schaef 120). Chasing after the goal of money-making is a way for workaholics to ga in achievement, which sets off a powerful drive (Schaef 120). Not only do pressures from the family increase this drive, but the work addict himself plays a factor as well. A workaholic is able to enjoy and love a job if he is fairly good at it. His self-esteem increases with the thought of being good at something. Therefore, he would feel even better and take even greater pride in what he knows and what he is capable of doing. This pride takes over and motivates him to excel and become a perfectionist. However, there comes a moment when perfection gets out of hand and he develops an obsession. A psychological dependence grows out of the addictive behavior from workaholism (McMillan). Work becomes central and all other aspects of life are forgotten (Schaef 119). As compulsive workers, they become obsessed with work and cannot stop (Shimazu). Their drive is ongoing with the thought of taking charge and taking control over everything and everyone (Shimazu). Fears, doubts, and insecurities start to develop inside, which pushes their mindset to work to the full extent. Aside from these feelings, workaholics hold ambitions, enabling them to be superior and competitive at all times, which can bring an overload of stress (Machlowitz 43). Working hard appears to be the only solution to overcome and avoid negative emotions such as anxiety and to gain respect and approval from others (Machlowitz 43). Other reasons for Phil’s obsession with work include his Type A personality and fears of laziness, failure, and loss of control, and. Phil is motivated to work long and hard because he cannot bear the thought of failing. Failure portrays the end of the world to workaholics like Phil; therefore, they must succeed (Machlowitz 41). Another fear is laziness. Ironically, workaholics hold a strange belief that they are naturally lazy (Machlowitz 42). As a result, they drive themselves even harder to avoid falling behind in work. Some, but not all, workaholics develop a Type A personality. This personality consists of negative traits such as impatience, aggressiveness, and competitive impulses (Machlowitz 44). A Type A also includes the need to rush, to work rapidly, and to set aside feelings such as fatigue during working hours (Machlowitz 44). Workaholics hold an illusion over the loss of control (Machlowitz 45). Because of their obsession, they are made to believe they are given all the respect and hold all the power if everything is done only their way and no one else’s (Killinger 8). Work has the ability to consume selfish and demanding feelings in an addict (Killinger 9). Being a workaholic can significantly affect both psychological and physiological health. According to Barbara Killinger, workaholics are at a loss because they suffer through many mixed emotions. Workaholics experience confusion and pressure from their families, doctors, or colleagues which causes them to reduce the amount of hours they work (133). Severe fatigue and exhaustion also occur (133). When they decide to slack off and the work starts piling up, they are at a loss of control, becoming stressed, overwhelmed, and panicky, and experience claustrophobic moments (134). Some, but not all, may feel empty and at a loss for sense of direction (134). They may also become overly sensitive, restless, and easily annoyed (134). They then go into frenzy, taking all things personally (134). Workaholics have a problem with the need to regain control in order to feel satisfied after (134). They know they cannot accept failure and so, the goal is to succeed fully, otherwise, they turn irate and feel worthless (134). However, the more adrenalin they build up into their system, the more constant fatigue they will most likely experience after (134). Barbara Killinger also mentions fatigue as a leading cause of a number of conditions in behavior (134). A pattern of eating and sleeping changes, sexual desires increase or decrease, inability to concentrate, and lack of motivation in work or play. Other signs include isolation from family and friends, memory loss, mental, physical and emotional exhaustion, unreasonable frustration or mistrust, and lack of care and need to distance oneself from a problem (134). In addition to these signs of depression are the harmful responses from anxiety and workaholism. Such responses can include inability to keep calm, nervousness, dizziness, abnormal blood pressure, heart problems, difficulty breathing, and other physiological symptoms (135). As for the psychological responses, these include an increase in stress and defense responses. Once they experience extreme anxiety they may cope by resorting to fantasy and exaggeration (135). Excessive worry and sense of sudden danger occur as well (135). Once workaholics become paranoid, they also experience high levels of doubt. They feel anxious and worry that bad things are about to occur (135). Going back to Phil, he most likely could have experienced one or more of these kinds of signs or symptoms. As the passage states, â€Å"Phil was overweight and nervous and worked too hard. If he wasn’t at the office, he was worried about it. Phil was a Type A, a heart-attack natural.† (Goodman 62). Therefore, he did have three symptoms: nervousness, worry, and heart problems. These symptoms did some serious harm to him. It is no surprise that Phil passed away because of a coronary thrombosis (Goodman 60). Workaholism also affects those around the workaholic. Very often, workaholics do not consider how their behavior affects others, particularly family members. Consider Phil from The Company Man as an example. Work interference puts the role of parenting in jeopardy. Work serves as the main priority. Because Phil works so much, this interferes with his ability to be a good parent (Killinger 159). There are three types of fathers: authoritarian father, indulgent father, and negligent father (Killinger 147). All three types affect children in negative ways (Killinger 147). Phil is the negligent father type. He is oblivious to the needs of his family and engages solely in work (Killinger 147). A lack of communication exists between Phil and his twenty-four-year-old daughter. They have nothing to say to one another (Goodman 61). A lack of interaction also occurs between Phil and his twenty-year-old son who graduated from high school and works various jobs to support himself for food (Goodman 61). Phil is impressed by his son’s good actions of earning money and the son is Phil’s favorite. However, Phil’s absence and his unavailability is such a disappointment, especially for his son. Phil’s son tries so hard to reach out and grab his attention and approval (Killinger 161-62). Although Phil shows little affection by staying up many nights in excessive worry for his son, it is still not enough to say that there is interaction or love between the two because there is none. Sons of missing fathers think as if they don’t belong in society and feel like outsiders (Killinger 162). As a result, these negative thoughts and feelings cause them to turn to drugs and crime or drop out of school (Killinger 162). From the money Phil’s son earns, he uses it to buy â€Å"grass† or drugs (Goodman 61). His action portrays how badly affected he is for the lack of acceptance, personal warmth, and value he desperately needs from his father (Killinger 162). The negative affection is the same for Phil’s forty-eight-year-old wife Helen (Goodman 61). Phil’s constant absences emotionally harm her the most. As a spouse, it is hard to maintain an intimate, loving relationship if the significant other happens to be a work addict (McMillan). Maintaining such a need leads to a bad outcome. Since there is no emotional attachment, care, and intimacy presented, the relationship is put at risk due to work interference (McMillan). In addition, the family is left in dissatisfaction and distress. Phil chooses to give up his social life, an essential value, instead of his work obsession, what he believes to be most important than anything else (McMillan). Having to continue putting up with Phil’s behavior, Helen is left with no choice but to give up trying to fix the problem of keeping everyone united together when the real problem is Phil and his lack of presence and his role as the father. Emotional damage is not just in family members but in coworkers as well. Coworkers have to deal with the complaints and demands from workaholics (Machlowitz 52). In addition, they are given all the blame and criticism, especially if tasks are not done perfectly (Machlowitz 54). Some workaholics tend to do more than what is expected of them, making everyone else’s hard work seem very little as if they have not done enough (Shimazu). Recognized as aggressive individuals, workaholics put a great amount of pressure and verbal harassment on coworkers (Machlowitz 44). Because of this negative abuse, coworkers may feel easily annoyed or put down too much, which can affect their work performance (Shimazu 156). According to Marilyn Machlowitz, there are actually four types of work addicts (32). Knowing for a fact that there is more than one type is unusual for one may assume all workaholics are the same based on the one activity they have in common: work obsession. However, this assumption is not true. The four types of work addicts are the dedicated workaholic, the integrated workaholic, the diffuse workaholic, and the intense workaholic (33). Phil is a dedicated workaholic because this type of workaholic has no outside activities or hobbies (33). If anything, their relationship with their job serves as the only activity they will ever have because it is their only prime focus. Consider the line of the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, â€Å"I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date. No time to say hello, goodbye, I’m late, I’m late, I’m late!† (Killinger 132). Every second is precious because time is a major necessity that cannot afford to go to waste (Machlowitz 31). Impatience is presented but a strong dedication is shown as well. Workaholism works the same way. Like the white rabbit, Phil shows a strong commitment to work and to act on it fully. Studies have shown how badly workaholics put themselves in with themselves and their lives. Studies also show the negative health effects on workaholics more than non-workaholics such as sleeping problems, depression, and dissatisfaction with the balance between work and life, and constant worry over lack of quality time with family and friends (Keown). For example, 56% admit being unable to make time for leisure and making plans to change all that (Keown). Another example declared that one-third prefers to be more isolated (Keown). These studies show how much of a huge impact work has on their identity (Keown). Although they accept the consequences they must bear and the sacrifices they must cope with, workaholism does not eliminate the outcome of having poor detrimental health. Everyone has their own excuses, reasons, and values to workaholism. Their compulsive attitude and behavior gives the impression that nothing gets in the way of work, the â€Å"only† priority in life. However, workaholism puts one’s health, whether mental or physical, at high risk. Emotional and physical harm is targeted not just towards the workaholic but towards his or her family members and coworkers too. The Company Man depicts Phil’s workaholism displaying a serious effect on his wife and children. His work obsession also illustrates the loss of his social life with his family and his coworkers.

FedEx International Aviation Policy Research Paper - 1

FedEx International Aviation Policy - Research Paper Example nies in the world. It has expanded in more than 220 nations. The company has successfully placed itself as a dominant player in the logistics and shipping network. Presently, FedEx possesses strong international consignment network, through which it can rapidly deliver the packages globally. In the international arena, there are many competitors of FedEx who are also striving to achieve the leading position in the logistics and shipping market. Thus, it is essential for FedEx to keep expanding and developing new markets to maintain its position in the market (Smirt & Et. Al., 2007). Competitive One of the biggest competitors of FedEx is UPS (United Parcel Service). UPS is renowned as one of the biggest global courier enterprises. It has a capacity of shipping 15 million packages per day to approximately 6.1 million people in more than 200 nations. Besides UPS the other competitors of FedEx are Japan Post, TNT N.V., Deutsche Post, Royal Mail, India Post, and others. In the domestic ma rket the major competitor of FedEx is USPS (United States Postal Service). FedEx had expanded its business operations in the year 1998 by acquisition of RPS (Roadway Package System) and rebranded it to FedEx Ground in the year 2000. In the year 2003, FedEx’s competitor DHL had entered the US market by taking over Airborne Express and thus developed its strong presence in the logistics and shipping market. This acquisition had increased the competition in the ground delivery market. To maintain their position, UPS had made partnership with USPS. This affiliation had allowed UPS to pick up mail and deliver to USPS for final distribution (Gomez, 2009). For many years, FedEx and UPS have expanded their business operations. There are little differences in the operation of these two rivals. UPS depends mainly on the ground delivery system and FedEx focuses on air delivery system. FedEx can reach almost every international business destination in less period of time (Anton, 2010). D istributive National and International Agencies Available In China There are four kinds of companies available for distributing goods and services in China which are ‘state owned transport and warehouse companies’, private domestic logistics enterprises, overseas logistic enterprises and in-house logistics enterprises. The top state owned agencies of China are COSCO logistics, Sinotrans Limited, China National Port Logistics, and others (Chin & Kim, ND). National and International Agencies Available in Canada Besides FedEx there are other national and international agencies which provide quality distribution solution to customers in Canada. The renowned logistics companies

Finance assignment 2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Finance 2 - Assignment Example This can be attributed to the fact that the level of inflation continues to surge making the expense very high. At the same time, it can be seen that other charges line the bank and interest charges can be high when accumulated. Most households who fail to include them in the budget risk failing experiencing budget crisis. Moreover, it is clear that expenditures on entertainment and on social things are also very high if accumulated. From the budget, the expenses made on tours, entertainment is summed is almost equivalent to the amount incurred on the essential goods (Chiuri, 2000). Preparing a budget is completely different from following the budget estimates. Most households who prepare budgets fail to completely adhere to their set budgets. This is because most households engage in impulse expenditures (Weston, n.d.). Moreover, the unpredictable changes in prices of the foods and other conditions have made it difficult to follow the budgets. Moreover, following this budget require finance discipline, which is normally a major problem to the households. Most households are unable to forecast on the expected changes in economic environment or may fail to spread their budgets throughout the budget period. In most cases, households tent to spend heavily immediately after receiving cash than towards the last quarter of the budget period. Career change or further education might have a big impact on the budget. First, a change in career could enable an individual acquire additional knowledge on budget preparation or it could result in a change in the social class. For instance, a household who shift to study economics may learn on the need to increase savings or invest hence change the budget expenditure. At the same time, advancement in the level of education may result in a change in the social class (Pate & McKee, 2010). Such a change is accompanied by a change in the consumption pattern or a change in the

MANAGEMENT DECISION MAKING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

MANAGEMENT DECISION MAKING - Essay Example To harmonize the shareholders’ activities and achieve optimum perspectives within the organization, there exists need for exceptional attention towards strategy of group decision-making. For instance, the personnel must adopt a broader and a more dynamic perspective to enable the full integration of all functions of the organization. Further, the strategies of group decision-making need to designate the collection of lasting goals and objectives concerning the organization’s staff members. The strategies must put in place the modalities to ensure that goals set are achievable. Moreover, necessary resources to guarantee the organizational structure, culture, and value alongside the utilization of personnel to fulfill the organization’s objectives should remain implemented. (Emanoil and Nicoleta, 2013, p. 1526). In the recent past, the decision-making process in CCHT slightly improved. Despite this step, the CCHT management is seemingly not fully involved in the decision-making process, and the situation is bringing up confusion as notable consultant partners seem to make unilateral decisions that run the hospital. Delivery of the health care services in CCHT hospital often remains confined in a situation of inefficiencies and resentment. Therefore, it is imperative to consider an integrated form of group decision-making to ensure smooth and coordinated running of the hospital’s functions. A shared understanding is crucial to ensure effective collaboration of the health care practitioners. In order to integrate an understanding among a diverse group of individuals, there is a need for heterogeneity of the work group to remain effected. (Bittner and Leimeister, 2014, p, 111). The report has a foremost objective of enhancing identification of group-decision makers among the health care professionals. During setting up of a group, confidence of

Culture and Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Culture and Religion - Essay Example This paper talks about the physicians who attended the girls were unable to offer any plausible explanation. The confusion escalated into mass hysteria and people believed that the hovering presence of the devil over the village caused this problem. Tituba, a migrant African, confessed that a conspiracy of witches permeated Salem Village. Thus began the Salem Witch Hunt. The episode’s far-reaching ramifications are dealt in three classic works: I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem, a novel by Maryse Conde, The Crucible, a play by Arthur Miller, and Young Goodman Brown, a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The themes of all three stories are inspired by historical accounts of the Salem witch trials. All of them attempt to comment earnestly and staunchly on the hypocrisy and social stigmas; class, ethnic and racial distinctions that draw the fine line between the privileged and under-privileged, through the literary devices like theme, characterization, symbolism. There is always an association between forests and evil because of its dark and gloomy nature. That is why the witch meetings were held in the midst of it. The minister and the deacon are also corrupt and evil. They all are considered to be holy and people of God, but they are just the opposite. This essay makes a conclusion that a reader can easily recognize a common thread of the authors’ criticism of the evils of Puritanism, of religious and class bias that served only to marginalize a certain segment. The extent to which race, gender, class and other indicators play a part in the events that form the basis for human history has been artfully and subtly dealt by all the three authors.

Analyses the processes of innovation implemented during new venture Essay

Analyses the processes of innovation implemented during new venture creation through the study of a Small to Medium Enterprise ( - Essay Example Thus, it is important to analyse the processes involved in the creation of a venture and this can be clearly illustrated through the study of SMEs. Especially in the case of understanding innovation for a new venture, SMEs are perfect models in order to understand the entire process involved. This essay tries to discuss the processes of innovation involved in the creation of new venture through understanding SMEs. SME and its environment The SMEs are affected by the internal and business environment because they are all integral parts of the existing innovative process of the global business. As of the present trend in conducting business, SMEs are the basic units of a country’s affairs in commerce and trade. Thus, there is a need to analyse the recent business environment that substantially influenced SMEs significant moves. PEST Analysis Politics, economy, social and technological aspects are essential parts of the business environment. All of these components are affecting SMEs at certain level. After all, SMEs are organisations or companies with specific structure, operation and resources that are highly influenced by politics, economy, social and technological factors. ... This is the current scenario especially among SMEs in which their opportunities lie on the ability of the government to integrate its political power into the business environment. Thus, SMEs are trying to create important efforts to eliminate whatever existing gaps that may arise along the process. Economy The recent global economic recession is said to be worst economic downturn in history as next to Great Depression (Marino et al., 2010). It is in this reason that companies are making extra effort in order to recover from corresponding profit lose they incurred from such economic event. In line with this, SMEs are under important moves in order to ensure continuous business operation. Social The business environment without question is composed of individuals who are in their daily activities may be influenced by the information they received from the environment. One of this may be due to the effort of companies to stimulate needs for their offerings. Kotler (1999) discussed that companies are into formulating strategies that eventually will stimulate needs for their offerings. This in return may set the current social trend in which the business sectors have gained considerable opportunity for their growth. In line with this, SMEs are challenged to formulate their own strategy in order to also gain social acceptance. Technology The transfer of knowledge and technology is politically desired by the government but this is hindered by issues such as problems related with communication and technology down to intellectual property regimes (Dhillon et al., 2009). The real issue therefore is on how SMEs can eventually adapt into technological competency as the latest trend in the business environment. Aspects of

Demings Plan-Do-Check-Act Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Demings Plan-Do-Check-Act - Coursework Example She faced many problems for the settlement of her infant child. Therefore, the idea came to my mind that she and many others like mothers are facing the adverse situation. In this case, a child may be disturbed. Therefore in order to save mothers and children form this adverse condition I planned to open a day care centre which actually provides the best services to the people regarding the care of their children that they feel fully satisfied after leaving their child here in the day care centre. The project of day care centre is done through a formal process even from the building to the hiring of staff. Initially the day care centre faces many problems. There was a little awareness about the day care centre in the public. In some cases, people do not rely on the environment and services of a day care centre. In my opinion, the problem was in the marketing of the project. We did not focus on the promotion and advertisements regarding day care centre. Some people are even unaware of the day care centre. A newly introduced project needs a high level investment on the marketing schemes. At the end of first year, the project of day care centre was a partial success just because of the lack of advertising promotions. The project could be fully successful if there was market analysis before its start. Therefore, in my opinion, a business manager should analyze the whole market in order to check the demand awareness of the project. Initially there should be a high-level investment on the marketing purpose. For these projects, there should be a marketing manager so that they can perform the duties in a regular manner (Lake, 2012). Then the management of the business can take right decisions. The concept of process management groups is very much similar to Deming’s plan, do, check and act strategy. This approach is very helpful in the problem just because of the division of work

To what extent do you agree with free market economics being more Essay

To what extent do you agree with free market economics being more effective than a mixed economy - Essay Example The government apart from refraining from regulating the market also does not provide any services and leaves this to the private sector. This kind of market has received both positive argument and negative ones (Hodgson, 2006). Those who do not feel that this kind of market economy can be efficient argue for a mixed market economy which includes the role of the government both as a regulator as well as a player in the production of goods and services. This mixed market is also called Keynesian economics, named after the famous English economist who helped in the rebuilding of the American economy during the great economic recession of the 1930s in the United States of America. The mixed market system features the government as a referee and prefect in the economy, providing for regulation and control as much as is needed. It also features the government as the provider of the most crucial and basic needs and services to the public. This is done to make sure that these are not capita lized. These services include education especially at elementally level, health and security. In a mixed market economy, the private sector is involved in the greater part of the production, but under the watch of the government. There are a number of advantages with regard to the mixed market. To begin with, the fact that the government is involved in the production of essential services is important in order to provide for the protection of those who may not afford to get these services from the capitalist market. The mixed market also regulates the private sector for the purposes of protecting consumers against unfair exploitation. Those who argue in favor of the mixed market argue that the belief by free-markets enthusiasts that the market has its own way of regulating itself through the laws of demand and supply (competition) are fundamentally wrong. This argument against the efficacy and

Influence of HK movies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Influence of HK movies - Essay Example Therefore, it should be claimed that Hong Kong movie genres has combined centennial values of Chinese nation and transferred them to the contemporaries in an â€Å"easy-going† and comprehensible manner. Key words: kung fu movie, gangster movie, comedy/action comedy movie. Introduction Hong Kong cinematograph is often compared and contrasted to Hollywood cinematograph. Still, there is a need to claim that the importance of movies produced in Hong Kong is in their uniqueness. Such genres as kung fu movie, gangster movie and action comedy and comedy movie are discussed in the paper further on. The most important integrative components of Hong Kong movies are: following Chinese traditions, interpreting centennial arts of combat to the contemporaries and inspiring them with patriotism, brevity and a power of a spirit and providing modern Eastern and Western families with a perfect opportunity to spend their evening while watching movies of Hong Kong cinematograph. This is a zestful cocktail of Hong Kong cinematograph. Moreover, it should be noted that every genre has contributed a lot to the Eastern and Western audiences. ... The main idea relevant to contemporary researchers should be focused on the central importance of Chinese philosophy, spiritual heritage of the Eastern world and the way these issues are interpreted in the modern Hong Kong cinematograph. Hong Kong Action Comedy Movie Hong Kong action comedy movies are, supposedly, the most important products of Hong Kong cinematograph. There are three basic components in these films that are so much attracting to the audience. Firstly, these films comply with Chinese traditions; secondly, these films follow the best traditions of Hollywood action films and thirdly, these films border with transculutral imagination of the audience about â€Å"good† cinematograph. There is much deeper sense beyond action comedy genre than the audience can think. There is much more philosophical background beyond the play of handsome Ekin Cheng and Nicholas Tse. Whether digital effects are used or not, a good spirit of humor and positivism is present in action co medy movie of Hong Kong in any case (Yau, 2001). It is especially important to discuss the important role these films play for Hong Kong people and Westerners nowadays. This can be explained by overall tendencies of globalization. Different national and cultural borders are being blurred and there is a need to create such kind of a cultural product that would be appealing for representative of any nation (Ma, 1999). There were different stages in the development of comedy movie in Hong Kong. At first, politicians criticized spiritual load of the films; in 70s death of Bruce Lee (Baker, 2008) set different accents in this type of films. 80s was a period of Jackie Chan upheaval and the genre of

Tesco is the most successful supermarket chain in UK Essay Example for Free

Tesco is the most successful supermarket chain in UK Essay Tesco is the most successful supermarket chain in UK because of its well-known good services and product quality. To maintain this loyalty, they go greater lengths to improve and sustain quality. Tesco define quality assurance and quality control as an ongoing approach to providing 100% customer satisfaction by providing error free, waste free and accident free products and services. To establish this quality process, each functions management staff attends meetings every day on total quality management and on leadership of quality between functions to achieve objectives. Within the company, a quality improvement team meets weekly to lead and monitor the quality process. The organisation as a whole has principles that it operates on to ensure quality mainly: * A must to meet customer requirements and satisfaction all the time * Prevention of defects and errors of any kind * Measurements to verify the processes are meeting requirements as intended Improving quality in products is done in many ways. Starting with products produced by Tesco itself to meet their customer needs, products are inspected and tested at various points during production. Staff are highly trained to maintain quality and also keep personal hygiene so that they dont contaminate the products with germs. The products also have expiry dates which also monitored so that the expired ones are quickly removed. Most fresh products are not sold after 24 hours but instead removed and replaced with new ones. The place is regularly cleaned to maintain hygiene. The quality control assurance management is concerned with detecting and cutting out the products that fall below set standards. This process takes place after these products have been produced. Quality control is carried out by Tesco employing quality control inspectors. Inspection and testing are the most common methods Tesco uses to carry out quality control. Quality assurance occurs both during and after the event, and is concerned with trying to stop faults from happening. Quality assurance is concerned with making sure products are produced to satisfactory standards. Quality assurance is the responsibility of the workforce working in teams. Quality standards should be maintained by following steps set out in Tesco quality assurance system. Tesco produce their very own basic household products to satisfy the needs of various consumers. There are various processes involved in adding value in the process of their products. Tesco add value to their products by adding more information on the products. Even when a product remains the same, packaging information may have to be altered because of a change in legal requirements, changes in nutritional concepts, or advances in food preservation and cooking. For example, a product might have its packaging altered to indicate that it could be suitable for microwave cooking. It will therefore be necessary to test the product in their laboratory. Here they insert fibre optic probes into the product. This allows Tesco to monitor the temperature of the product whilst it is cooking, in order to ensure that it reaches a high enough temperature for it to be consumed with safety and this is how Tesco adds value to its goods so that customers are tempted and attracted to buy them. Quality Systems Tesco products are continually monitored and tested for their quality and customer acceptability; this is their product evaluation. Tesco staff and management procedures are also monitored to ensure that they maintain the highest standards; this is quality assurance. Below are the quality systems which Tesco use in their production process to add value. Total Quality Management (TQM) this is the most complete and complicated form of operations management. It is concerned with encouraging everyone in the workplace to think about quality in the business and use different management techniques within each department. Tesco does not prescribe any particular system of standards such as BS5750 or ISO9000. This is because they set their own standards through product specifications, detailed analytical specifications and codes of practice like preventing diseases from entering the food chain. Within the product process, they also expect their suppliers to have identified the critical points in the production process controls and premises by one of their technologists. However, if a supplier chooses to use BS5750 or ISO9000 as part of its discipline, they have no objection whatsoever. So therefore Tesco uses its very own quality standards to produce and sell its products. In terms of services, Tesco staff are well trained to deal with customers even in the most difficult moments when they are angry. They are always expected to be polite, smile when serving customers and also say bye after serving them. To enforce this, they are regularly monitored by managers and supervisors and anybody not obeying the regulations faces disciplinary action. Tesco not only has well trained staff but also a whole lot of other things including free car parks with easy access for shoppers who have cars, free wide trolleys with special seats for babies and young children, special tills for the disabled people which also decreases long queues, the supermarkets are well organised that a shopper can easily find what they are looking for and also the chances of getting lost around the places are very minimal, they have got staff always standing by to help, tight security with guards and CCTV cameras to maintain customer safety, some stores have free busses that customers can use, childrens play areas so that they dont get so bored, it has got online orders where customers make their orders and get free delivery to their door steps, shops are always open to make it more reliable for customers to shop, some stores are open twenty four hours a day and many are adopting this idea, chairs around the place which customers can sit on when tired, free l oyalty cards for customers who wish to sign up therefore saving on their shopping, Tesco not only provides western food but also ethnic foods to cater for the ethnic minorities, free scanners that shorten queues, special offers like buy one get one free, there is a variety of product s in the stores, more facilities including: -cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s -photo processing -phone services -electric, books, music video stores -petrol stations C Tesco is definitely meeting its quality objectives. They have been awarded quality prices and granted as the best supermarket chain in the country. Their sales are always growing and the only time they fall is when the whole economy is not doing well which means people are in recessions. Because the business is able to deliver good quality services and products, it is increasingly expanding with stores all over Europe and also being the first UK supermarket chain to expand into Asia.

The obligation to obey the law the normative

The obligation to obey the law the normative The obligation to obey the law the normative phenomenon in jurisprudence. Introduction: This dissertation aims to provide a general discourse into the normative jurisprudential phenomenon of political obligation. The debate surrounding the issue of whether or not there exists a general obligation to obey the law shall be defined and described, and the arguments of the different positions within this debate shall then be summarised at length, and critically analysed. The author shall then engage with this debate and provide his own opinions as to the correct approach to take when tackling the important question of whether or not there is an obligation to obey the law. Defining the scope of the debate: Before we attempt to define the scope of this debate, it is important to first understand the nature of the obligation in question, and also the characteristics of the duty arising from that obligation. The nature of the obligation: A moral or legal obligation? Jurists are not often concerned with the legal duty to obey the law, after all, such a notion is circular and meaningless; of course the law imposes a legal duty on its citizens to obey it. As Alexy[1] notes, â€Å"†¦ in the praxis of any system of dominion there is an implicit claim to correctness, which must be redeemed to anybody. A normative system which does not raise a claim to correctness explicitly or implicitly is not a legal system.† Neither can the law provide ultimate reasons for action, just as a parent will be unable to explain to their perpetually inquisitive child why they must not steal without recourse to the underlying morality of the actions involved in such a crime. As Nino[2] notes, â€Å"Legal norms do not by themselves constitutive reasons for justifying actions and decisions (like those of judges), unless they are conceived as deriving from moral judgments; normative propositions that exhibit the distinctive traits of autonomy, justificatory finality, universalisability, generality, supervinience and finality†. Therefore, rather than an assessment of the legal obligations to obey the law, most[3] jurists are instead concerned with the moral aspect of this obligation; are we always morally obliged to obey the law, and if not, in which situations may such a moral duty be deemed non-existent? The characteristics of the duty arising from this obligation: An absolute duty, or merely a prima facie one? To argue that there is an absolute duty to obey the law is to simultaneously suggest that in the case of every law, the moral reasons for obeying such law could never be outweighed by moral reasons pointing to disobedience. Such a position seems to pay no regard to notions of individual autonomy. As Menendez[4] writes, â€Å"if we consider it as providing an absolute reason, then we cannot any longer see it as part and parcel of the exercise of our practical reason, but as an alternative to it.† On the other hand, if we are to argue that the only duty that exists is a prima facie one, i.e. that a duty can be said to exist until it is rebutted by an assessment of the moral content of the law, then we are in essence suggesting that the law will only impose an obligation upon us where we as individuals are able to agree with the morality underlying the law in question. Such a position seems to pay little regard to the need of a legal system to be generally obeyed in order for it to successfully perform its roles of conflict solving and social co-ordination. As Raz[5] writes: â€Å"legal norms are reasons for acting, and not merely statements to the effect that there are reasons for acting.† The actual characteristics of the duty in question must lie somewhere between these two positions; the law must respect the processes of individual reasoning, but at the same time must impose obligations upon its citizens, at least to the extent that the system is able to retain social order and manage social conflict. As we shall observe later in this essay, different jurists have their own opinions of where the balance should be perceived to lie, although as we shall also see, this position tends to be nearer a notion of a prima facie duty, than that of an absolute duty. With these considerations in mind, let us now briefly attempt to define the scope of this jurisprudential debate. Defining the scope of the debate There is a divide amongst legal philosophers over the fundamental question of whether or not there is an obligation to obey the law. Some jurists, such as Rawls[6], Finnis[7] and Honorà ©[8], argue that the law always has prima facie authority over its citizens, i.e. that before the content of a law is assessed, it is morally right to comply- albeit that it may later be qualified. For the sake of later discussion, let us refer to this position as position 1. Other legal philosophers such as Smith[9], have rejected this position arguing that whether or not there is such a duty to obey the law depends entirely upon which law in question is being obeyed/disobeyed i.e. that only sometimes will there be a prima facie moral obligation to obey the law [Position 2]. Between these two positions lie the opinions of jurists such as Raz[10], who argues for a more or less general prima facie obligation to obey the law, and Greenawalt[11], who, as mentioned earlier, offers an interesting alternative view which tries to show how there could be legitimate authority without a moral obligation to obey the law, a theory which is co ntrary to the working assumption of this paper that the nature of the obligation in question must be a moral one. At this point in my dissertation I would like to make some more general points about the issue of whether or not there is a duty to obey the law, in particular to make some remarks about the irreconcilability of this question with the basic tenets of legal positivism. Critics of positivism have often voiced their concerns over this very point; they argue that if the claims which positivism makes are correct about the separation of laws and morals, then there can never be a moral obligation to obey the law which arises because of the law. In other words, they cannot suggest that the law must be obeyed without resorting to some other authority other than the law itself. Lon Fuller, a natural lawyer, is one of these critics, as is Feinberg[12], who argues that: â€Å"The positivist account of legal validity is hard to reconcile with the claim that valid law as such, no matter what its content, deserves our respect and general fidelity. Even if valid law is bad law, we have some obligation to obey it simply because it is law. But how can this be so if a law's validity has nothing to do with its content?† In many respects this is an argument that is hard to dispel. Certain contemporary positivists have even accepted, such as Himma[13], that positivism is irreconcilable with a notion of a duty to obey the law arising from the mere fact that it is the law. He argues that a citizen has a moral obligation to obey laws which contain norms worthy of moral obedience, such as those law prohibiting theft, murder, and even laws which are necessary to retain certain levels of human control, such as driving offences, but admits that a law creates no moral duty of obedience simply on the basis that it is the law. The result of this admission is as follows; positivists have been forced to seek out justifications for a prima facie obligation to obey the law, and have done so, quite unsuccessfully [as we shall now see], through reference to arguments based on gratitude, fairness, social contract via implied consent and utilitarian arguments pertaining to the common good. Let us now discuss the intricacies of these position 1 arguments in more detail, and critically analyse some of the justifications that have been offered by these leading jurists in support of their position. Defending position [1]: there is a general prima facie moral duty to obey the law. Four concepts have been advanced as giving rise to this duty[14]; 1] Gratitude; 2] Promise-Keeping; 3] Fairness, and; 4] Promotion of the Common Good. Let us assess each of these concepts in turn: Gratitude: The basic concept underlying this justification for a general prima facie moral duty to obey the law is as follows: In light of the great benefits which the law has conferred upon its citizens, those citizens should obey those laws, unless there is a good reason not to in a particular case. Promise-Keeping: This concept suggests that any citizen who enjoys the benefits and protections of the law commits him or herself to a social contract, which states that in return for such benefits they will obey the law. In this way a citizen is morally obliged to obey the law unless they have good reasons to the contrary. John Rawls[15] was a strong proponent of this thesis, although his formulation was somewhat more sophisticated than the reasoning above: He asserted that a society is just if it is governed by principles which people would have agreed to in a state of ignorance about their own particular position in society. He went on to argue that a natural consequence of this ‘veil of ignorance’ is a natural duty to obey the law; where the society is just (or nearly just), then there is a ‘natural duty’ of all citizens to support and further just institutions, because they would be collectively labelled right by the very people that are governed by them. Under Rawls’ theory, the duty exists independently from the promise to obey that which is required of them by an institution in a just society, because behind their ‘veil of ignorance,’ people would have agreed to it. In this way Rawls manages to justify the existence of a duty to obey, even where a pa rticular law is not particularly just, provided the basic structure of the society is reasonably just. Rawls does not advocate an absolute duty however; he argues that where a particular law exceeds certain limits of injustice, conscientious refusal is warranted, or even civil disobedience, should the injustice reach blatant levels. 3] Fairness This argument is twofold; firstly, in light of all the benefits that the law confers on its citizens, it would be unfair for a citizen not to obey them, and; secondly, a citizen has a duty to obey the law, not because that citizen owes anything to the government, but because he or she owes something to his or her fellow citizens; if everyone else complies with the law, then it is not fair for one citizen not to, whilst at the same time still receiving the benefit which that law confers. In essence therefore, under this concept, there are two tests that must be satisfied before it can be said that a prima facie moral obligation to obey the law has been established on the grounds of fairness. Firstly, the law must have generally beneficial effects; and secondly, most citizens must obey the law, so that a citizen would be taking an unfair advantage should he or she decide not to. The latter part of this test is identical to the argument offered by Dworkin[16] in justification of his general moral duty to obey the law; Dworkin asserts that a man is under a moral duty to obey the law for reasons of fairness, as outlined above, but at the same time, that same man may also be under conflicting duties other than those he owes to the state, such as to God and his own conscience; if these further duties conflict with his duties to the state, then Dworkin argues that such a man is entitled to do what he judges to be right. 4] Promotion of the Common Good: This ground for the existence of a prima facie duty is grounded in the ideals of utilitarianism; if citizens break the law then the collective welfare of society will diminish: therefore citizens are morally obliged to obey the law. The disadvantage suffered by one citizen through giving to obey the law should, under this reasoning, be balanced against the benefit conferred to society as a whole by his compliance. Finnis[17] is one of the main proponents of this theory, although his reasoning does go somewhat further than the simple utilitarian approaches offered above. Finnis argues that fulfilling legal obligations is necessary for the common good, simply because the common good is the good of individuals. Having described and understood all of the possible justifications promoted for the existence of a general prima facie moral duty to obey the law [position 1], let us now return to each of them and offer some critical analysis: Defeating Position [1]: no prima facie moral duty to obey the law can be justified via the concepts of gratitude, promise-keeping, fairness or the promotion of the common good: 1] Gratitude: Whilst gratitude in its normal everyday meaning might indeed lead to certain moral obligations, never has it been suggested that as a direct result of gratitude one should do everything that is asked of you. It is for this reason that this ground is weak, and does not adequately justify a general prima facie moral duty to obey the law. 2] Promise-Keeping: It is instantly obvious that no general prima facie duty could ever be said to exist by virtue of the basic promise-keeping rationale; unlike a party to a contract, a citizen has no real choice as to which country he or she belongs, and therefore even though that citizen may indeed receive benefits, be given the chance to vote, and be subjected to a just social structure, there is nothing embedded in the process of receiving these benefits which would lead one to automatically assume the imposition of a promise to obey. Therefore, I do not agree that a general prima facie obligation to obey the law can be derived by way of this rationale. 3] Fairness: This justification for a prima facie moral obligation to obey the law relies heavily upon an idea that all law confers benefits; an anarchist however may argue that the state produces no such benefits. Also, it is difficult to the concept of ‘fairness’ to a legal constraint which actually does no-one any good: if this type of case is frequently occurring, then the analysis of fairness as day to day co-operative transactions will break down. 4] Promotion of the Common Good: Whichever brand of utilitarianism one chooses to apply to this concept, the same conclusion results; ‘promotion of the common good’ cannot be used to justify the existence of a prima facie duty to obey the law: Act-Utilitarianism: The very mechanics of act-utilitarianism require a balancing act of all the positive and negative attributes of a certain action before deciding which course would be in the interests of the common good; to decide whether or not a duty to obey the law exists will therefore depend upon which particular law is in question. As such, there can be no prima facie obligation to obey the law via this concept. Rule-Utilitarianism: The very mechanics of rule-utilitarianism suggest that an action is right if it is required by a rule where general observance of that rule would have the best consequences. Following on from this, it makes sense that a rule requiring one to obey (with certain exceptions) would probably have better consequences than a rule requiring one always to obey. The process of formulating a comprehensive list of such exceptions would in effect require an assessment using the same mechanisms as relevant to act-utilitarianism, and as such, the same criticisms to a prima facie duty will apply. It should be noted that these criticisms do no necessarily serve to destroy the arguments of Finnis; Finnis argues that that fulfilling legal obligations is necessary for the common good, simply because the common good is the good of individuals. This is a theory that I will address in more detail at a later point in this dissertation. For now, we should simply be satisfied that any justifications based upon act- or rule- utilitarianism cannot be successful in establishing the existence of a general prima facie duty to obey the law. In essence, the criticisms of act-utilitarianism and rule-utilitarianism do not preclude there ever being a duty to obey the law, merely that the existence of such a duty can only be determined with reference to each particular law. This leads us back to our earlier discussion of ‘position 2’ jurists, those such as Smith[18], who argue that whether or not there is such a duty to obey the law depends entirely upon which law in question is being obeyed/disobeyed i.e. that only sometimes will there be a prima facie moral obligation to obey the law. Before we go on to discuss the rationales that have been offered in support of position 2, let us first take a brief look at the work of George Klosko[19], and his multiple principle theory of political obligation: George Klosko’s multiple principle theory of political obligation; combining the failing justifications of Natural Duty, Fairness and the Promotion of the Common Good, into a comprehensive justification for the existence of a general moral obligation to obey the law: George Klosko employs three concepts in order to combine the principles of Natural Duty, fairness and the promotion of the common good into a single comprehensive unifying theory. He labels these three concepts as cumulation, mutual support and overlap. He describes these three principles in the following way: ‘First is what we call cumulation. Different principles can cover different services provided by the state, and so by combining principles, a larger range of state services can be accounted for. Second is what can be referred to as mutual support. In regard to certain state functions, if a given principle on its own cannot justify compliance, the problem might possibly be overcome by more than one principle working in tandem. The third way is simple overlap. The intuition here is that, while requirements to obey given laws could be relatively weak, these can be strengthened by support of additional principles.[20]’ These three concepts admit that individually arguments of Natural duty, fairness and those argument pertaining to the common good must fail in their task of explaining and identifying a general moral duty to obey the law, but using these three principles as described above, he purports to show how these failing arguments can be combined to successfully address those limitations. The principle of culmination serves to suggest that the main limitation of these theories is their applicability to a limited area of state function, i.e. the services that the state provides to its citizens. Mutual support deals with the limitations of these individual arguments in relation to their attempt to justify a general moral obligation to obey the law, and the overlap principle deals with the respective weaknesses of each of these individual arguments, very much in the same way as we have done earlier in this essay. Klosko argues that a theory that only purports to account for one type of state function cannot be said to lead to a general duty to obey the law. He argues that state functions are social facts, and as such the failure of theorists to account for the variety of these functions in their theories is a factual failure in their arguments, a factual failure which must therefore lead to conclusions which are non-comprehensive and cannot therefore be said to give rise to the general moral duty to obey the law which they purport to do. Whilst prima facie I can see the point that Klosko is making; each of these theories do work to a certain extent, the problem being that we are always able to find many situations which exist where the theories fail to hold up to scrutiny. What Klosko has therefore tried to do is to incorporate these theories together, so that when one of them fails, another justification can step in to uphold our position of there being a general moral duty to obey the law. Whilst at first this may seem somewhat artificial, at least Klosko has tried to justify the fusion of these very different arguments by reference to state function. One cant help however feeling that some of the failures of the very individual justifications that he is using, rather than being simply due to their limited scope [by virtue of differing state functions], are so fundamental as to render any fusion of them inappropriate. By the end of this essay I shall hopefully have demonstrated that the best analysis of the question of whether or not there is a general moral duty to obey the law does not result from any of these individual arguments, neither from the fusion of them, but rather from a wholly new conceptualization of the character of the obligation and duty itself. Let us now turn to the position 2 theorists, and see if we can find some compelling arguments amongst their writing: Defending Position [2]; there may be a prima facie obligation to obey some laws, but such a duty cannot be a general one: M.B.E. Smith is commonly known as an advocate of this position. In his earlier work, ‘Is There a Prima Facie Obligation to Obey the Law?’ he performs an analysis of all the arguments which purport to support the existence of a ‘position [1]’ duty to obey the law, providing successful counter arguments for each, and finally concluding as a result these analyses that the true answer to the question of whether or not there is a general prima facie moral duty to obey the law must reside at ‘position [2];’ whether or not there is such a duty to obey the law depends entirely upon which law in question is being obeyed/disobeyed i.e. there will only sometimes be a prima facie moral obligation to obey the law. Defeating Position [2]; Simply because we cannot find adequate justification for the existence of a general prima facie moral duty to obey the law does not mean that we must, by default, resort to the conclusion that the most accurate description of this normative phenomenon is that of there only sometimes being a prima facie moral obligation to obey the law: Simply because we cannot find adequate justification for the existence of a general prima facie moral duty to obey the law does not mean that we must, by default, resort to the simplistic conclusion that the most accurate description of this normative phenomenon is that of there only sometimes being a prima facie moral obligation to obey the law. Joseph Raz, in his ‘Theory of Justice’ (1971) argues this point exactly. He does not understand why theorists have not ventured to reach a compromise between position [1] and position [2], especially in light of the fact that it seems so clear that the true answer must lie somewhere between these two extreme positions. Raz therefore proposed such a theory. The compromise between position [1] and position [2]; J. Raz, in search of a new characterisation: Earlier in this essay we discussed the character of the duty in question. We argued that whilst the duty will never be an absolute one, neither is it realistic to suggest that such a duty will be generally prima facie in character. To reiterate those arguments, for the duty to be absolute is to deny a place for individual reasoning and autonomy in a society; if every law must be obeyed regardless of any extraneous personal beliefs or opinions, then personal practical morality is denied. Likewise, if the duty was prima facie in character, the ability of the law to retain social order and manage social conflicts may come into question; Raz therefore decided that an alternative characterisation of the obligation was required, and so was born the notion of an ‘absolute reason’, or, as it has become known by certain other jurists[21], ‘the exclusionary reason.’ Let us now consider exactly what Raz understands by it: Raz’s new characterisation of the obligation to obey the law: Raz introduces the idea of there being two orders of practical reason; first-order reasons and second order reasons. These reasons are ‘practical’ in that they are the kind of reasons that may feature in an individual’s decision process when that individual is attempting to decide upon a particular course of action, i.e. reasons to act or to refrain from acting for a reason. Second order reasons are higher in priority that first-order reasons, and as such, if two such reasons should come into conflict, it will be the second-order reason that shall prevail. Second-order reasons however might themselves be trumped by what Raz describes as ‘cancelling-reasons’, reasons which might exist within the context of the particular decision process at hand which could render the secondary-reasons void. The jurisdiction of a ‘cancelling-reason’, i.e. its scope within the context of a particular decision, will be affected by what Raz calls ‘scope -affecting reasons.’ Exclusionary reasons are second-order reasons of a special kind; whereas all the other types of reasons may be distinguished by their ground, exclusionary reasons have a special normative role to play in the whole practical deliberative process, and it is this normative role by which exclusionary reasons should be distinguished. In effect therefore, ‘A second-order reason is any reason to act or to refrain from acting for a reason, whereas an exclusionary reason is a second-order reason to refrain from acting for some reason.[22]’ Exclusionary reasons exclude other secondary reasons from playing their normal role in the deliberative process, in effect cancelling these otherwise valid reasons from the decision making process. To best understand the nature of these exclusionary reasons, and how they operate within the practical decision making process, let us follow through Raz’s very argument for the existence of these special secondary reasons: Raz commences his argument with an analysis of a couple of examples of the decision-making process. The first example scenario involves an agent who refuses to accept a business deal on the basis that he is too tired to think about whether or not the deal could be advantageous to him. Raz explains how the decision making process in this example did not involve the processing of the actual fact pertaining to the deal in question, but rather on the basis that she realised that she was too tired to perform a thorough assessment, and as such decided to play safe and decline. In this case, the first order reasons would be the facts relating to the deal, and these are trumped by the second-order reason of tiredness. Raz then proposes the situation where a colleague of the agent, another like-minded agent of similar financial status, decides to accept an identical deal; this may prove to be an adequate reason for the agent, despite her tiredness and inability to assess all the intricacies o f the deal, to accept the deal. In such a case, we could say that the fact that the other agent accepted the deal serves as a reason for her to accept it herself. This reason does not outweigh the tiredness reason, nor does it undermine it, but it does result in a different outcome to her decision-making process. The second example scenario offered by Raz is as follows: ‘While serving in the army Jeremy is ordered by his commanding officer to appropriate and use a van belonging to a certain tradesman. Therefore he has reason to appropriate the van. His friend urges him to disobey the order pointing to weighty reasons for doing so. Jeremy does not deny that his friend may have a case. But, he claims, it does not matter whether he is right or not. Orders are orders and should be obeyed even if wrong, even if no harm will come from disobeying them. That is what it means to be a subordinate’[23]. According to Raz, the order given to Jeremy by his commanding officer should be regarded as an exclusionary reason in that it excludes the reasons offered to him by his friend, from featuring in his practical deliberative process, despite the fact that these reasons were sound in nature. This is what Raz means by ‘exclusionary reasons.’ As stated above, these reasons are disting uishable by virtue of their normative role, a role which Raz describes as â€Å"†¦reasons for performing certain actions, and, other things being equal, the fact that they are excluded by an exclusionary reason merely means that they should not be complied with, not that they should not be conformed to. The best course is if they are indirectly obeyed, i.e. if the action they indicate is performed for some other, independent, reason.[24]’ Let us now apply this characterization to our general duty to obey the law. The first thing which becomes evident is that the duty to obey the law can itself be described as an exclusionary reason; when we state that someone is under a duty to obey the law, we are effectively stating that in the decision process of that person, reliance on extra-legal considerations in the formulation of the decision of whether or not to act in such a way has no actual place in that process. Such extra-legal considerations are thus excluded from the practical decision making process by the very existence of a duty to obey the law. One might argue here that an analysis of the duty in this way yields no different results to that of the characterization of the duty as an absolute one. In fact, whilst the result may very well be the same, the description of the duty as an exclusionary reason does give respect to the existence of a balancing decision making process, in a way which an absolute conception would not; as Menendez[25] writes, â€Å"the duty to obey the law, when conceptualized as an exclusionary reason, precludes direct weighting and balancing, but it does not rule out a margin of exercise of practical reason. This is enough to render compatible the obligation with individual autonomy.† Raz’s picture of the duty to obey the law is certainly the most convincing to date; although somewhat contrived, it does manage to reconcile legal and moral duty in a way which allows the law to retain a legitimate authority, whilst respecting the fact that human beings are essentially autonomous in their decision making. Let us now see if we can find any criticisms of Raz’s

Essay on Fame in Djerassi’s Cantors Dilemma -- Cantors Dilemma Essay

Dreams of Fame in Djerassi’s Cantor's Dilemma  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚   Opportunistic scientists, the most hypocritical deviants of the modern age, revolve around the scientific method, or at least they used to. The scientific method once involved formulating a hypothesis from a problem posed, experimenting, and forming a conclusion that best explained the data collected. Yet today, those who are willing to critique the work of their peers are themselves performing the scientific method out of sequence. I propose that scientists, or the "treasure hunters" of that field, are no longer interested in permanent solutions, achieved through proper use of the scientific method, and rather are more interested in solutions that guarantee fame and fortune. Fame and fortune as a motive for scientific discovery is a popular theme in fictional writing, especially in Cantor's Dilemma by Carl Djerassi. Cantor's Dilemma is a novel of the struggles of two scientists through life and a Nobel Prize "campaign". As one digs deeper into the context of the novel, one finds it similar to that of a political race, a fight for glory. For example, the "Cantor-Stafford experiment", the first tumorigenesis experiment tested in the novel, was not validated before its findings were published. This example fails to meet the standards of the scientific method because a conclusion was reached before experimentation was fully executed. Surely any true scientist would know such conclusions to be unsuitable and not "Nobel" worthy. Yet, Cantor and Stafford, both, won a Nobel Prize for their work. Kurt Krauss in Cantor's Dilemma, an opportunistic scientist, is the extreme of scientific deviance. As a fellow scientist and a competitor, Krauss is charged with the duty of ch... ...o not believe my experience has changed the ways of the scientist at that company. Both in fiction and in real life a certain breed of scientists has decided to ignore the scientific method and chase dreams of fame. With that fame, they hope to dig deep into our pockets and reap the benefits of their poor workmanship. It is most evident from the examples given that these scientists, who have seemingly reversed scientific evolution, no longer care for true science and the scientific method, but rather are interested in personal glory. 1 Carl Djerassi, Cantor's Dilemma (New York, New York: Penguin Books, 1991), pg. 113. 2 Djerassi, Cantor's Dilemma, pg. 113. 3 Abbott laboratories, medical news, (http://www.plsgroup.com/dg/72da.htm), 5:25 p.m. 9/23/97 4 "Cold Fusion Times", (Wellesey Hills, MA http://world.std.com), 7:15 p.m. 9/23/97      

Types of Crimes Essay -- Crime Violence Felony Misdemeanor Laws Essays

Types of Crimes A crime is an act against the public good, punishable by a fine, imprisonment, or both. There are two major classifications of crime. The first classification of crime is a felony. A felony is a major crime punishable by imprisonment or death. Murder, manslaughter, burglary, robbery, and arson are examples of felonies. The second major classification of a crime is a misdemeanor. A misdemeanor is a less serious crime with a less severe penalty. Misdemeanors that aren’t as serious are known as petty offenses. Driving an automobile without a license, lying about your age to purchase alcohol, and leaving the scene of an automobile accident are all examples of misdemeanors. Crimes are defined by two elements. The first element is the criminal act. Every law that defines a crime must specifically explain the conduct that is forbidden by that law. The criminal act must also involve voluntary conduct. The second element is the required state of mind. The required state of mind is specified in the law that defines the crime. In this statue the mental state of mind is required. There are many different crimes that are against people. Murder is the unlawful killing of another human being. There are two degrees of murder. To be charged with the first degree of murder you must kill some one with premeditation, you use cruel torture in killing someone, and you kill someone while acting out a felony. The second degree of murder is known as mans...

advertisng vs, graphic design :: essays research papers

There is one thing for certain I know, when I think about what I’m going to do when I get out of school and it consists of getting a job. Another thing I know for sure is that I want to go into graphic design and stay away from advertising. My degree is going to be in Advertising and Graphic Design but I think I want to stay away from the advertising and do the designing. Designing is something that I enjoy doing and hopefully I can find a job that makes me happy doing what I like. I decided to stay away from advertising because of a lot of reasons really. The first reason would be I have a hard time coming up with a concept with legs. The kind of concept that can go on, and on forever. It seems to me that all the great ides I get only have one great ad and that’s it, it’s done. I also want to stay away from advertising because, it’s a really ruthless game, come up with a great idea or basically you’re not going to have a job. I’m going to need to go in to a career that has a little more job stability. Knowing that I’m going to have a job always makes me feel better. Another reason I want to stay away from advertising is that you have short deadlines and extreme pressure to get things done in such a fast past. That’s all good and fine but I want to be able to take time on some projects that need it and move fast on the projects that don’t need a lot of time. I don’t mind doing things that need to be rushed but if I had to do it on every project I think my head would get a little loopy. Last semester I had an internship at an ad agency. The agency specialized in the field of attorneys. All the advertisements consisted of basically the same concept; there was not a lot of room for creativity. I did though learn a lot from that internship in the ways of doing concepts on a budget and on a time scale. I also got to sit in on client meetings and give my input on key projects. But after a while it was just the same boring thing. Now I have an internship at Opera Columbus, which I have really enjoyed so far.

Beowulf: A Comparison between Hrothgar and Beowulf Essay

Throughout history, kings have been the primary figure in kingdoms and territories. People looked to these authoritative figures for many different things ranging from religion to leadership and guidance. The heroic epic Beowulf takes the concept of kingship and elaborates on it through the roles of two very different characters: King Hrothgar and Beowulf. In doing so, it reveals the differing values instilled within each man. Very early on in Beowulf, it is evident that the German and Scandinavian world that exists at this time is both hostile and unpredictable. The constant upheaval between the differing cultures force the people of these villages to look to a higher power for a sense of well-being. King Hrothgar of Heorot embodies the necessary characteristics of a leader at the beginning of the tale: strength, bravery, and leadership. The introduction of Grendel, however, eliminates any sense of stability in the King of the Danes. Instead of standing up to fight Grendel, Hrothgar cowardly retreats and allows the monster to terrorize and pillage his kingdom for many years. As a result of this, the people lose their sense of trust and security. It is at this point that they place their belief in pagan rituals, turning their backs on God. Beowulf, the hero of this epic, demonstrates what a hero truly represents. He first and foremost places his trust in God rather than in other humans or pagan rituals. His strength, bravery, and self-sacrifice shine through his underlying persistent optimism. This drive stems from Beowulf’s ultimate goal of being remembered after he is long gone and time has passed. As he tells Hrothgar, â€Å"We must all expect and end to life in this world; let him who can win fame before death, because that is a dead man’s best memorial.† When Beowulf hears of the turmoil Grendel is causing in Heorot, he immediately responds to the call, against his father’s wishes. He determines that he will fight the creature without any weapon or armor. This confidence only demonstrates his faith in God and fate. He believes that if something happens, it will happen, and there is no way of preventing the inevitable.  Beowulf’s fight with Grendel represents the beginning of his journey as a hero. Grendel is the most evil foe for Beowulf, because he is a direct descendant of Cain. Beowulf’s character through this difficult first task establishes a foundation for him to build on with each increasingly arduous task. After having defeated Grendel, Heorot once again returns to a peaceful and serene place. The halls within the Danish kingdom grow joyous and jovial. All of this jollity quickly dissipates, however, when Grendel’s mother begins murdering and ravaging the town in a fit of rage over her son’s death. This is the second struggle that Beowulf is faced with. In this particular situation, he is forced to travel into a hostile environment down into the mother’s lair. This second act of heroism shows how Beowulf goes one step further in securing his place as a genuine hero. When he defeats the mother with a sword that he did not come equipped with, it becomes very clear that divine intervention makes up a large part of his success. Once Grendel’s mother is defeated, peace is once again restored in the Danish kingdom. Fifty long years pass before any other major act of heroism occurs in Beowulf’s life. During this time, he becomes King of the Geats, and establishes himself as a great ruler. When a dragon interrupts the tranquility of the kingdom, Beowulf truly secures his place as a legend. Unlike King Hrothgar, Beowulf does not shy away from danger, and aggressively pursues the dragon. This is by far the most difficult task Beowulf faces and he soon realizes it. Not only is the beast more powerful and dangerous than its predecessors, Beowulf is now an old man and does not possess the strength and energy that so freely flowed through him as a younger man. The twelve â€Å"companions† that accompany Beowulf on this quest desert him in the face of danger, except for Wiglaf, the only true and loyal servant. These cowards can be looked at in much the same light as King Hrothgar. They act brave and mighty, but when confronted with real danger and risk, coward away. All of these factors combine to ultimately defeat Beowulf. He defeats the dragon, but dies in doing so. Even as he dies, Beowulf exudes his humbleness and faithfulness to God and the people he watched over. â€Å"I speak with words of thankfulness to God the king of glory, our eternal Lord, for all the wealth that I see here, and because I was permitted to win it for my people before my death.† Countless times in history, people are faced with tough decisions that unknowingly affect an entire society. It is how these people respond to these situations that truly reveal their character. Attempting to hide or run away does not solve the problem, much to the dismay of people like King Hrothgar. If anything can be learned from this, I think it is that when we are faced with these decisions in life, we must trust in what we firmly believe in and fully put our reputation or life on the line. In doing so, we too have the ability to become heroes in our own right, whether it be a controversial choice or just something very simple. By focusing on the same principles as Beowulf did, we can affect the society around us as well.