In the Time of the Butterflies By Julia Alvaraz Essay

Organizational Patterns: In the Time of the Butterflies is organized into three parts—Part I, Part II, and Part III. These parts are followed by an Epilogue critical to the story. Each part of the book consists of four chapters, each chapter is told by a different narrator. The narrators are the four Mirabal sisters (aka the butterflies), Dede, Minerva, Maria Teresa, and Patria. As each chapter changes narrators, bits and pieces of the story are revealed as each different personality finds different facts important. Dede, Minerva, and Patria all use a standard narration, but Maria’s narration is related through her journal: she includes drawings, dates, pictures, and more trivial and personal experiences of her days. Maria’s chapters add something a little unique and therefore contribute to the creativity and interest of the story. Narrator: Dede is the leading character as she is the only sister who is not claimed by the martyrdom. The narration begins in second person with Dede in her current time (1994), relating the story of the butterflies by going back in time. Each sister then begins taking her turn, rotating chapters, narrating in first person. With Dede, Minerva, Patria, and Maria all taking a turn by chapter, each girl’s distinct personality and voice adds variety and excitement to the book. The story then does well to validate a large audience who will most likely find some of themselves in a particular sister, or in the sisters combined. Themes: Sacrifice – The central theme of this book is sacrifice; sacrificing oneself for the greater good, for others, and for one’s country. Throughout the entire novel the Mirabal sisters are exemplars of this as they sacrifice of their time, energy, and hearts to help not only the ones they love, but the many strangers about them who are suffering political injustice and violence. Minerva, who becomes a political icon and some sort of a hero because of her fighting spirit and call to action, consistently sacrifices herself in her combat of injustice, and expects the same of those around her. Her sisters follow her lead in sacrificing themselves through her persuasion and passion for what is right. Political Control – The book resonates with political chains and injustice. All people in the Dominican Republic in this time period, the early and middle 1900’s, lived in constant fear of the way they spoke and the way they lived. The dictator of the time—Trujillo—had planted spies and technology within hearing range of most public homes. If for any reason Trujillo was to suspect a person or family of political disloyalty the suspects would disappear, being sent to either prison or their death. Throughout the book superficiality and fear are continually exhibited through the public who are forced to worship and praise a bloodthirsty dictator or fear for their lives. Loyalty – Many different forms of loyalty are addressed in the book through those fighting for freedom and those fighting for power. The Mirabal family displays strong loyalty and love as they do not allow a political system to tear them apart. At all costs they fight for one another and prove the importance of family, devotion, and forgiveness. The opposing side also displays a different kind of loyalty as loyalty is forced through fear. The superficial loyalty of the government stands in stark contrast to the chosen loyalty of friends and family members. Identity – There is a strong sense of identity throughout the book as each Mirabal sisters’ personality and value system is related in the different chapters. There is an obvious struggle in each sister as she must determine who she is, which side she is on, and what she will stand for. Detailed and intimate conflicts are related as each girl interacts with the people around her, and decides the kind of life she will lead. Choosing the course that is best for all and contributes to the greater good, rather than focusing on just the individual, is stressed. Each sister succeeds in finding a strong and accomplishing individuality through the help and encouragement of each other. Regret and inner battles are something each girl deals with immensely as she struggles to choose the right course for herself, and her conscience. High contribution and expectation are placed upon each sister as they succeed in living up to a strong sense of purpose and identity. Setting: The setting of the book takes place in the Dominican Republic. Because the book relates two different time periods as Dede gives the present view and the relation of the story by going back in time, the time periods and situations do change. When Dede goes back in time the years are 1938-1960 where dictator Trujillo has control of the country. In this setting the political unrest and fear of the people are very high. The Mirabals begin as a regular family who then gradually become famous in this time period through their noncompliance with the government and â€Å"radical† political views. Dede also relates her present circumstances in the year 1994 throughout the book. In this this time period the effect and fame of the Mirabals are related as current political icons and martyrs in a now free Dominican Republic. The two different settings accomplish cause and effect. The cause of the Mirabals is related in the first setting and time period of the book, and the effect of their action is displayed in the second and current time period for Dede. Tone: The tone of the book is one of action and enjoyment. As the Mirabal sisters choose a dangerous and outspoken course the book becomes very high spirited. Through many adventures, love stories, relationships, and sorrows, reader is called to a more active lifestyle with high expectation. While the book deals with very dangerous situations ultimately resulting in death, somehow it is also able to keep a tone of love, loyalty, and pleasure through the optimism and energy of the sisters. A tone of willpower definitely comes forth, most highly exemplified through the character of Minerva. Foreshadowing: As the main narrator Dede relates the story of the butterflies through a second person narration as a moment in history, and because she is relating history she knows where the story will go and how it ends. This being the case, there are many moments of foreshadowing through flashbacks as Dede remembers certain parts of the story. Following are a few examples of Dede’s foreshadowing: Chapter 1 -Dede’s garden (year 1994) foreshadows the ending of her sisters, or â€Å"the butterflies†, when she realizes she has accidentally, â€Å"snipped her prize butterfly orchid† (5). -A foreshadowing of the history Dede experienced when she hears a car door slam and jumps, â€Å"Any Dominican of a certain generation would have jumped at that gunshot sound† (5). -Foreshadowed is the inability to freely express oneself in the historical time period to be told, â€Å"Words repeated, distorted, words recreated by those who might bear them a grudge, words stitched to words until they are the winding sheet the family will be buried in when their bodies are found dumped in a ditch, their tongues cut off for speaking too much† (10). The sisters all take part in foreshadowing their future martyrdom as political unrest and their involvement proceed: -Maria comments in her journal early on of her most radical sister Minerva, â€Å"I swear my older sister will be the death of me!† (39) Minerva does end up swaying Maria into the underground fight that ultimately does result in her death. -After the first couple encounters with the dangerous Trujillo, Minerva writes of her family, â€Å"We sit silently, listening to the rain on the thatched roof, a numb, damp, fatalistic feeling among us. Something has started none of us can stop† (116). -As Dede scolds her niece (Minerva’s daughter) at the present time about being on the road at night, she thinks, â€Å"If their mothers had only waited until the next morning to drive back over that deserted mountain road, they might still be alive to scold their own daughters about the dangers of driving at night† (173). -And Minerva as she is feeling the end near, â€Å"Certainly there was something suspicious in his granting us these privileges. But all I felt was numb, resigned, sitting in that stuffy office. Not only was there nothing in the world we could do to save the men, there was nothing in the world we could do to save ourselves either† (283). The sisters are murdered the next month. Affective Issues Related to the Work: Peer Pressure – There are ample amounts of peer pressure as these sisters face a highly energized time where every person must choose a side. Minerva is the sister that gives the most pressure to her other sisters as she works at persuading them to be strong and join her cause. The most inner conflict is seen in the character of Dede as she is torn by what her husband believes and what Minerva believes. Both are fighting for her loyalty. Dede wants to please everyone but finds that it is an impossible task. She is continually swayed back and forth as she battles her conscience about what side she should join. She feels she must be loyal to her husband and his opinion to stay out of the political issues, but then she feels a call morally to join her sister Minerva who is fighting against evil. She never quite finds the solution or a single path to follow, but ends up finding a good in between for herself. This is the more realistic case in most people’s world, and theref ore brings a strong sense of humanness as Dede experiences the power of influence, and the power of inner conscience. Most secondary students are dealing with the same issues and can relate to the pressures of pleasing both ourselves and others. Right and Wrong – There are many examples of people having to choose in quick moments between what is right and wrong. Minerva has an extremely strong sense of what is right and wrong and is continually fighting for fairness and truth. Patria is extremely religious and is guided always by her inner devotion to God. Maria is timid but consistently chooses a good path, and notices in others when they make bad or wrong choices. Dede also fights the same battle within to make choices that are right. All four girls are extremely guided by religion and doing what is right. Their complications and inner struggles are very real and relatable as each person ultimately chooses at some point the path they will choose. There are many good examples in the book of when one needs to stand up for what is right. All secondary students are battling with this same thing in their lives as they make decisions that will affect their character for the rest of their lives, and as they decide whether they will stand for what is right, or for what is wrong. Self Discovery – Because each sister is able to have her turn at narrating, there is a strong sense of self discovery as very personal details of their lives are included. Each girl explains her childhood and the many paths that were before them, and the reasons why they chose the paths they did. The strongest example of self discovery would lie in the character of Patria as she feels an extreme devotion to God as a young child. Because of her extremely large heart and faith she is sent to a religious school where she can be guided in becoming a nun if that is the path she would choose. She is extremely devoted to God and continues to be devoted as she experiences puberty and all things that come with it. Very personally, but not graphically, she relates her desire to be touched as stronger than her desire to become a nun. She chooses to love a man instead of becoming a nun, gets married to her love, and begins having children. She remains extremely faithful religiously and never regrets the path she chooses as she discovers the things she really wants from life. Vocabulary Issues: The book is fairly easy to read on terms of vocabulary; however Spanish is consistently mixed in throughout the book. The story does take place in the Dominican Republic, where the standard language is Spanish, so often Spanish expressions and words are used by the characters. Reader does not need to understand these words to understand the novel by any means, however understanding the few Spanish words would be helpful. It might be nice as a class to either go over the Spanish words together after each reading, or simply have a list typed of all the Spanish used in the book, with English translations for students to refer to as they read. There are a few words that are used repetitively and so should be addressed in the beginning. Males are often referred to as macho—the Spanish word for male. Also the butterflies are referred to as las mariposas—the Spanish word for butterflies. Background Knowledge: Author Julia Alvarez does a fantastic job at explaining the state of political unrest and depicting the power of a government run by a dictator in this historical novel. While background knowledge is not necessary because the book contains good recounting of the history in question with much explanation, background information could still be helpful. One’s interest may be peaked upon learning of the butterflies, the underground political system, Trujillo and his government etc†¦ and their actual role in history. Because the historical facts are so interesting it could be very fun to give a build up lesson or two teaching about dictators and government in general and the power they have successfully gained in the past. Followed by this general outline of government, the specific time period of the book could then be searched and taught about. The characters themselves would be very interesting to study and to learn of in a more historical and brief way before the book is read. This book offers many outside lessons as it deals with actual history, social problems, and real people. Many doors are opened for outside lessons to understand the novel more clearly. Implications for Students of Diversity: This is a great book for students of diversity as it takes place in a different country, with darker colored people, who speak a different language. The book is an experience that the majority of students in the class will be unfamiliar with. Because the majority of minorities in the United States right now are Spanish speakers, this book will be of more interest to them as the characters use Spanish throughout the book and are living in a Spanish culture. It is fun to read this book as a minority because these girls are heroines of a different ethnicity. It would also be helpful to have some of the Spanish speaking students in the class contribute in translating some of the words or explaining the culture for the class if they are acquainted with some of the traditions. This will be a good opportunity for these students of diversity to better acquaint themselves and their background with their classmates. It will also be a good opportunity for the majority of the class to experience and learn about a history and lifestyle other than their own. Gender Issues: Gender issues are addressed strongly throughout the book mainly because the main characters in the story are women. Not only are they women, they are women experiencing the mid 1900’s, they are outspoken, and they are extremely active in areas that women were not usually active in. Minerva time and time again undermines the authority of Trujillo, not just a male but also the leading dictator. The father of the Mirabal girls passionately loves his daughters, but often references to wishing he had sons as they are the preferred gender. Men are shown at their worst often in the story sometimes exuding a feministic tone. Maria continually includes in her journal how she hates men, as she has reason, having seen adultery committed by the men closest to her. Each sister is extremely independent often undermining any kind of authority their husbands â€Å"should† have. The sisters are extremely ahead of their time when it comes to the woman question, and it is referenced again and again throughout the novel. While there are hints of feminism throughout the novel, there is also an extreme devotion of the Mirabal sisters to their father and husbands. Forgiveness plays a key role in the relationships as it should in most relationships, and therefore does not truly exhibit negativity towards men or these relationships. The girls are strong, but still extremely loyal and loving of their male counterparts. The Central Question or Enduring Issue: The central question or enduring issue of this novel would have to do with choice. Each person chooses his or her path. Each person decides their own fate according to what is inside of them, and what the outside circumstances would require. In more of a question form perhaps, when does one act? When does one stand up and manifest who they are? Every person has agency and practices it each day. The Mirabal sisters chose a higher route. They used their agency to battle the fight against evil. They chose to make something of themselves bit by bit in every little decision they made that led to the big decisions in the end. Humans everywhere settle for mediocrity, but a better question might be, when is mediocrity not enough? When does one use his or her agency to accomplish something greater? The battle of right and wrong is everywhere, and the Mirabal sisters chose the path for right. Research Issues/Project Ideas: Because of the historical richness of the novel there are many opportunities for research papers. Students could research the dictator Trujillo, the history of government in the Dominican Republic, the time period, specific characters, the accuracy of the novel in comparison to the facts, the effect of the Mirabal sisters, whether the legend lives on etc†¦ Projects might include expressions of art using the theme of butterflies, or using the different personalities of each sister, characterization in the form of art or a paper on a favorite sister. Other options for papers are available in the form of a compare and contrast essay between the student and a chosen character, or two characters form the novel, a creative writing paper including a new character or an expansion of the chapters on one of the sisters, a paper on a chosen theme or issue, social problems could be studied, feminism could be written about, the relationships between the men and women could be written about etc†¦ The topics go on and on in this novel. Because of its perfect blend of characterization, plot, history, and social issues the opportunities seem endless! Informational/Functional Texts: Wikipedia gives a good intro and brief historical explanation of the book that might be a nice intro: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Time_of_the_Butterflies This site gives a brief introduction to the government, history, and culture of the Dominican Republic to familiarize with the students: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107475.html This is a good picture of a map to help students see where the Dominican Republic is located and how close it is to the United States: http://www.islandbrides.com/maps/loc_dominican_republic.gif This site gives a wonderful introduction to In the Time of the Butterflies historically, followed by facts about Trujillo’s bloody reign. The facts are both graphic and eye opening as the destruction one man caused is related. This makes the Mirabal sisters even more admirable as the ruthlessness of Trujillo is accessed here: http://gbs.glenbrook.k12.il.us/Academics/gbseng2/ButterfliesAlvarez/trujillobutterflies.htm This is a wonderful site that con tains pictures of the Mirabal sisters, explains their lives, and their martyrdoms. There is also a picture of their murderer available—Trujillo. There is an English and Spanish option to read and learn more about the lives of the heroines: http://www.learntoquestion.com/seevak/groups/2000/sites/mirabal/mainpage.html

The Neanderthal Man In Retrospect

We have always been fascinated by Darwin and his theories of evolution. With so many â€Å"schools of thought† of how the earth came into existence, it seemed impossible to narrow down our choices, analyze each theory, and prove everything that it postulates. It was a clear indication that the search for our ancestors, and the â€Å"missing link† will continue until an answer is sought. But, will we ever find out? For now, that remains to be seen. The Neanderthal man is believed to be one of the â€Å"missing links† in our ancestry. Like the Cro-Magnon man, Peking man, and Java man, this â€Å"species† became extinct 32,000 years ago. The purpose of this paper is to familiarize the reader with the Neanderthal man and the possible theories that might have led to his extinction. The remains of the Neanderthal man, also known as Homo (sapiens) neanderthalensis, was discovered in 1856 by workers quarrying for limestone in Neander Valley, Dusseldorf, Germany. These fossils were also found in other parts of Europe and Asia. They were considered a subspecies of humans because upon examination, they had features that are almost similar with humans, except for heavy brow ridges, a long low skull, and a robust skeleton (Foley, 2002). Neanderthals were shorter than the modern man, and as previously stated, had prominent brow ridges. Aside from that, they had low, sloping foreheads, a chinless and heavy, forward-jutting jaw, extremely large front teeth, wider shoulders and pelvis, more conical rib cage, and shorter forearms and lower legs (Columbia Encyclopedia, 2005). Some scientists, majority of which are paleoanthropoloists, claim that these were not a subspecies of humans because of their more â€Å"primitive† appearance. According to Stringer and Gamble (1993), the Neanderthals are a late form of Homo erectus or a descendant of that species. It was believed that the Neanderthals have been living in Europe 200,000 years before the Homo sapiens arrived (BBC News, 2007).In van der Dennen’s Book Review Essay on Neanderthal Man (2005), he stated that: This was the first evidence of a distinct (and now extinct) species or subspecies of human, Homo (sapiens) neanderthalensis, that lived during the later part of the Pleistocene epoch, more familiarly known as the Ice Age, some 200,000 to 30,000 years ago. During 1917, Emil Bachler, in one of his excavations in the mountains of Switzerland, found no fossils of the Neanderthals (Van der Dennen, 2005). However, Mousterian tools and the remains of many cave bears were in abundance. Mousterian tools were most closely associated with Neanderthals. Bachler also felt that the bones and the tools were part of a ritual, and believed that the Neanderthals practice some sort of   â€Å"bear cult† (Van der Dennen, 2005). This led to the notion that the Neanderthals, like humans, had some form of communication and â€Å"culture†. When the fossil of this subspecies was studied by world-renowned pathologist and anatomist, Rudolf Virchow, he found out that the remains had evidence of rickets and osteoporosis, and he attributed this to the ape-like appearance of Neanderthals. Rickets and Osteoporosis is a manifestation of Vitamin D deficiency. Francis Ivanhoe (1970) in his paper supported Virchow’s   statement and postulated that the disease causes skeletal deformities and enlargement of the liver and spleen (Thompson, 2002). This maybe true because in the Pleistocene epoch, more commonly referred to as the â€Å"IceAge†, sunlight was a rarity. Vitamin D, in itself is stored in an inactive form and in order for it to be utilized by the body, it needs to be converted to its active form by UV rays (good source, sunlight). Therefore, it is not surprising that a number of fossils recovered during this era had evidence of bone deformities. However, Trinkaus and Shipman (1992), claimed that Neanderthal features are not caused by these bone diseases and argued that the bones of the 1st Neanderthal, were about 50% thicker than the average modern man. Klein (1989), supported this idea by comparing the long bones of Neanderthals and those of rickets’ victims. He claimed that both of their long bones are more curved than normal but rickets causes a sideways curvature of the femur, while Neanderthal femurs curve backwards. If Neanderthals are more human than ape, then it should follow that these subspecies should have survived today. Surprisingly, this is not the case. One of the earliest theories of the extinction believe that the â€Å"Ice Age† era, with its harsh climate, could have killed the Neanderthals. It points out that during this period, it was not only the climate that affected them, but the scarcity of resources were a factor as well. However, Professor Katerina Harvati, a palaeoanthroplogist from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Germany, said: â€Å"The more controversial date of circa 24,000 years ago, places the last Neanderthals just before a major climate shift that would have been characterised by a large expansion of ice sheets and the onset of cold conditions in northern Europe† (Morrelle, 2007). Another theory is is the â€Å"candelabra model† or â€Å"multiregional evolution† theory. According to Trinkaus and Shipman (1992): â€Å"Though the evidence in different regions of the Old World records genuinely different events, nowhere is there evidence for violent confrontations between Neandertals and modern humans (myths notwithstanding). The mosaic of local evolution, migration, admixture, absorption, or local extinction of Neandertals was a complex process that occurred over the last 10,000 years† (p.416). But, Tattersall (2005), in his book, had another theory. He is convinced that the extinction of Homo neanderthalensis was brought about by the arrival of the more intelligent and   more adaptable Homo sapiens, and that the latter killed the race of the former. On his book he wrote: â€Å"It is vanishingly unlikely, however, that peaceful assimilation was an overall option, with groups of the two kinds of humans [the resident Homo neanderthalensis and the invading Homo sapiens or Cro-Magnons] exchanging members when they met and going their separate ways, or joining forces. More likely, perhaps, if intermixing is to be considered at all, is a scenario of well-equipped and cunning Homo sapiens descending on Neanderthal groups, killing the males – through strategy and guile, certainly not through strength – and abducting the females†(p. 202). However, there was no evidence of large scale killings (Richards, 1987), and the theory of â€Å"Biological displacement† was proposed. It states that the Neanderthals and modern man (Cro-Magnons), coexisted and lived side by side. But, due to the fact that humans are much more intelligent than these subspecies, they might have indirectly led to the extinction of Neanderthals by driving them away from their territories. These led to occasional violence between the groups, but, as expected the humans won, driving them to places with insufficient resources for sustenance. Ironicallly, the very species that are studying these Neanderthals are the cause of their extinction. Works Cited â€Å"Neanderthal Man.† Columbia Encyclopedia 6th edition. 2005. Foley, Jim. â€Å"Creationist Arguments: Neandertals† 31 October 2002. Talkorigins. 14 September 2007 http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/a_neands.html Ivanhoe, Francis. â€Å"Was Virchow Right About Neanderthal?† 1970. Nature, 227:577-579 Klein, Richard. The Human Career: Human Biological and Cultural Origins. 1989. Morrelle, Rebecca. â€Å"Neanderthal Climate Link Debated†. 13 September 2007 BBC News. 15 September 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6992721.stm Richards, G. Human Evolution: An Introduction for the Behavioural Sciences. 1987. Stringer, Andrew and Clive Gamble. In Search of Neanderthals. 1993. Tattersall, Ian. The Last Neanderthal: The Rise, Success, and Mysterious Extinction of Our Closest Human Relatives. 2005. Thompson, Bert. â€Å"Neanderthal Man – Another Look.† May 2002. Apologetics Press. 15 September 2007 http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/491 Trinkaus, E., and P. Shipman. The Neanderthals: Changing the Images of   Mankind. 1992. Van der Dennen, Johan. â€Å"The Continuing Essay of Neanderthal Man: Book Essay.† 2005. Rechten University of Goningen. 15 September 2007 http://rechten.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/FILES/departments/Algemeen/overigepublicaties/2005enouder/NEANDER/NEANDER.pdf â€Å"The Day We Learned To Think – Programme Summary.† 20 February 2007. BBC News. 14 September 2007 http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/2003/learnthink.shtml   

Newspapers’ role in society Essay

Mass media is a distinctive element of today’s society. Together, the different elements are a product of societal change, forced regulations, rising living standards, and technological modernization. Mass media includes mediums such as magazines, television, internet, radio, cinema, video games, and cellular telephones. The ability to mass communicate with these devices has had such a massive impact that Denis McQuail describes that â€Å"the mass media has primary and crucial importance for the integration of the diverse secular worlds of modern men into coherence and unity† (32). There is no doubt among theorists that media is influencing society, but there are different theories that suggest that it may be society influencing media, not media influencing society. This essay shall look at newspapers’ past and present, and how they will continue to affect the world we live in. In the early 1950s after WWII, American communication made deep inroads into Europe, and words like â€Å"mass†, â€Å"effects†, and â€Å"functions† organized research on both sides of the Atlantic (Curran 407). Almost a decade later, some of the biggest research took place in 1959, when Elihu Katz argued that people need to concentrate less on what the media do to people and more on what people do with media (McQuail 71). Dennis McQuail sides with Katz, in believing that peoples contact with media is of utmost importance, stating, â€Å"media is helping in enabling people to bring about a more satisfying relationship between themselves and the people around them† (71). The views are across the board, pointing in both directions, but research continues even today as to what extent life is changing because of emerging technologies. Not only the substance of what is being communicated is important, but just as vital is the process. Technological innovations have assisted in supplying content for our media forms, and also the circuits and motherboards of how they are made are affecting the ways which society operates. Both aspects have a hand in the creation of the world we live in today, and should be realized when reading this essay. Mass media first appeared on the scene as newspapers. The newspaper was the first medium of communication with a genuinely mass character. U.S newspaper firms had slow growth until the 1800s. It was in the 1830s that the population concentration in cities and the spread of mass literacy provided  a market for mass press (Wells 7). The news could finally be spread on paper, rather than word of mouth. The entire world was suddenly in-the-know about what was happening around them. Newspapers made the transition from the realm of the educated, to serving a wide range of people from this time thought the Civil War (Grant, Meadows 8). The development of advertising, telegraph, and improved production methods have assisted newspapers in reaching a worldwide audience, and eventually being the main source of news for years to come. To this day 97% of towns have only one newspaper to choose from for local news (Wells 7). This idea of newspaper monopolies is discouraging to the market, because only one view is being seen on the issue. No single company is at fault though, because starting a newspaper or radio station these days requires far more investment and risk then in previous years. Despite other forms of news, the newspapers industry is still growing today. In 2002, there were over 10,000 newspaper firms in the United States, and over half the country reading a newspaper daily (Grant, Meadows 9). The future of newspapers looks to be heading toward the digital world, against many wishes of traditional newspaper readers. Flexibility from digital methods has increased newspapers’ ability to deliver zoned editions that reduce unprofitable readership in areas far away from print facilities (Grant, Meadows 10). By the end of the 20th century, over two-thirds of U.S. newspapers maintained websites that offered classified advertising (Grant, Meadows 10). According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the majority of the population prefers to purchase the printed edition rather than viewing the electronic edition (Grant, Meadows 11). This may change though, because digital news is rather new, and websites such as cnn.com can be updated on the hour informing viewers of up-to-the minute news, instead of waiting for the next days edition to receive that same news. McQuail, Denis. Towards a Sociology of Mass Communication. London. MacMillian Publishers Limited, 1968 Curran, James, Gurevitich, Michael, Woolacott, Janet. Mass Communication and Society. 1st ed. London: Edward Arnold Publishers, 1979 Katz, Elihu, Szecsko, Tamas. Mass Media and Social Change. London: Sage.1981 Wells, Alan. Mass Media and Society. Palo Alto, National Press Books. 1972 Grant, August and Jennifer Meadows. Communication Technology Update. Oxford: Focal Press, 2004.

Business Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 4

Business Environment - Essay Example This lies solely as a theoretical benchmark of measuring performance of companies operating under perfect competition. In practice, one of the many deviations may be the possibility and that the firms and customers may not have perfect information about the market. Some firms operating in the market may not have access to information that older firms do (Rees et al, 2005). Similarly, customers in emerging markets may also be at a lower access to information about the products and the industry than already developed and mature markets. This will lead to a change in structure of the theoretical perfect competition structure. Moreover, the imbalance in perfect information may also affect other factors such as the firms being price takers and barriers to exit and entry may persist for some firms while others may not face the same consequences. Firms may not exactly be operating on the floating prices as many market prices may be either exaggerated or deflated due to an overall nature of the industry at a given time. Many firms may drastically lower their prices in order to beat upcoming competition and if a new entrant takes the floating price at that time to try to equate marginal cost to marginal profit- it may lead to a long run closure of that new entrant (Worthington, 2006). Furthermore, pessimism and optimism in the market may also lead the market to deviate from the perfect competition theory as the cost of factors of production along with the floating price in the market may be perceived by the customers and firms in a different way both in the long and the short run. Many firms, therefore, may (along with the industry as a whole) may start functioning as a price setter rather than a price taker as generally assumed by the theory of perfect competition (Rees, 2005). Building upon supply and demand of the factors of production and the supply and demand of the product itself, the

Logic and thought Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Logic and thought - Essay Example Astrologers try to justify their beliefs by claiming that their work is based on science, but science is based on fact while astrology is not. Statistical studies can give support to the claims of astrology, but this is impossible in this case because astrology cannot be measured. 2 line A: Since the middle of the twentieth century, countless scientific studies that have ultimately supported the basic principles of astrology have been conducted. B: Michel Gauquelin, a noted French statistician, spent much of his life using statistical methods to investigate astrology; he established the truth of a number of claims, including the Mars effect, which proved a relationship between the planet Mars and outstanding athletes. †¢ Astrology needs to be taken more seriously as an art and science that can contribute to human well-being. This argument is incorrect because it cannot be proven 100 percent that scientific studies support the views of astrology. The fallacy for this argument is a genetic fallacy. For the French statistician, he cannot prove his theory of the Mars effect because other factors may have influenced the results. Astrology is linked with destiny, personality, human affairs, and natural events.

Briefly outline the causes and effects of famine in developing Essay - 1

Briefly outline the causes and effects of famine in developing countries - Essay Example It provides equal opportunities to all to live their lives to the fullest extent, but at the same time natural disasters and other vagaries of nature try to snuff out the very same life. In this essay we shall confine ourselves to how famines affect human civilization, what are the reasons of famine and how could we control them. The occurrence of famines in the developing countries of this world and the reasons thereof will be studied with analysis of the current research available on the topic. Man has harnessed the resources available on Earth to fulfil his basic needs by the use of science and technology. The foremost basic need is that of food and water without which life is impossible. Historically man was a nomadic animal who travelled from place to place in search of palatable food until his ingenuity led him to the practice of growing food which ultimately resulted in the modern practice of agriculture. However primitive agriculture was not sufficient to meet the needs of all mankind. Social peculiarities, cultural influences and the topography of the land masses influenced the practice of agriculture and it was not until the twentieth century that modern and scientific agriculture became a reality. This development was however only in the prosperous and developed countries of the world while the other regions are still struggling to meet their food requirements. Famines or acute shortage of food has therefore occurred with alarming regularity in the underdeveloped and the developing countries of the world. Cox G.W. (1981) defines famine as â€Å"the regional failure of food production or distribution systems leading to sharply increased mortality due to starvation and associated diseases.† Food production in most of the world is dependent on the availability of fertile land mostly near the major rivers as water is an integral necessity for good agriculture. Other regions depend on rainfall to meet their irrigation

Money & Banking Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Money & Banking - Assignment Example The name ‘Exeter’ will be more appreciated since it relates the business to the locality. In the instance that the success probability of the fish restaurant is higher than that of its failure, I would recommend that the sandwich restaurant is started instead. This is because in light of the discrepancy of the earnings, the partnership will still stand to gain from McExe. The fish restaurant Exeter is yet to break even as such, the viability of the business is pegged on an improvement of the marketing strategy; the 4 Ps of marketing. Without that the Bank’s proposal for the sandwich restaurant McExe seems to be the better option. In this instance I would recommend that the option since it is more viable than the previous two be given priority over the other two. It stands to profit them more than the fish and sandwich restaurant proposals. The Sushi restaurant should be owned by the Chef X since he has more earnings and as such stands as the ‘majority shareholder’. Consumption planning by the model (considering that a short term investment at date 1 is not available) they should focus on the model which has a higher return and so short term investment at date 0 with a return of r1 = 1 at date 1. This therefore, is the best model to use since it guarantees you a100% of earnings in the business. If I chose a long term investment today over a short term investment at date 0 (Yesterday) returns will be lower but being a long term investment, you can persist and hope for more gains in the future. This is because business is about risks; we risk to get a returns (Hellwig) Obviously if r2 is low at the moment agents will not invest it at date one because it is not promising. It will scare potential investors who agents are targeting to invest later. It will be a loss making investment to agents. They will not be exposed to fractuation in interst rates which can be brought by inflation,

Conflict Scenario Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Conflict Scenario - Assignment Example If one analyses these Myers-Briggs type differences in tandem with the differences in the age, experience and the qualification of these two people, it gets really easy to understand the dynamics of this conflict (Eilerman 1). Jane being more experienced and extrovert seems to be really interested in the technical expertise of Brandon. Brandon on the contrary being introvert and perceiving, seems to be misinterpreting Jane's overtures as being nosy and prying. Both the people do not harbor any serious malice towards each other. The conflict has originated simply because of the differences in their personality types. 3. While Brandon and Jane are resorting to a combination of the controlling and avoiding mode of conflict handling, they can make the things much better by resorting to a compromising mode that is expected to gradually evolve to a collaborating mode, considering the fact that both of them are talented and skilled people. 4. My plan of action is that first I would arrange separate meetings with Jane and Brandon. Listening is the most important skill that could be used in such a scenario. I will seriously listen to the views of Jane and Brandon and will try to identify their underlying concerns and issues.

Merger, Acquisition, and International Strategies Essay - 1

Merger, Acquisition, and International Strategies - Essay Example In acquisition, one company purchases another and establishes itself as a new owner. Normally, the dissolving company has to get the approval to merge with another through a majority vote of the share holders or as stipulated in the company’s constitution. The driving principle in mergers and acquisition is to make investor value. This means that after the merger the value of the two companies must exceed the value of the individual companies before the merger. It is important to note that the reasons behind mergers are far reaching, especially during the hard economic times. During such periods, big companies take the advantage of receding companies through share purchases with a view of creating a competitive advantage while achieving cost reduction. Any meaningful merger should be able to gain greater market share and efficiency. Once an agreement has been reached, then it should be made legal and its implementation done within the period stipulated in the agreement. The cu lture and working environment of the target company’s workforce must be considered at the time of merger acquisition strategy. When this is done, the workforce will not feel left out in the agreement and this boosts morale. The process of merging and acquisition is vital deal whose signing determines the gains and profits of the merging corporations. The process should therefore, be conducted in defined steps. The decision to have merging between two companies is complex in nature. This is because if it is not done carefully, it can affect the gains intended for in the merger or acquisition. In addition, merger and acquisition process should be conducted in steps as earlier stated. The initial step is the business valuation step in which the value of stock is assessed. In the assessment, the current financial performance as well as the estimated future performance is examined. Such steps should be geared towards profitability (Rosenbaum, 2008). 2. Identify one (1) company tha t would be a profitable candidate for the corporation to acquire or merge with and explain why this company would be a profitable target. Alcoa is a leading aluminum company in the United States of America. This public corporation was formed in 1907. The acronym Alcoa was coined in 1910 because of a merger with another company, which later in 1999 adopted it as an official name in 2001; Alcoa went into an acquisition agreement with Aluminum Corporation of china (Chalco) buying from them 9% of their shares. Alcoa has had a number of challenges since its inception, for instance in 1938, the department of justice-sued Alcoa for trying to monopolize. It also faced a financial crisis in 2004 leading to the sale of one of its divisions to Rhone Group, which has adopted the name Almatis Inc (Kazmi, & Kazmi, 2008). in the present day. In 2005, Alcoa acquired Russia and Belaya Kaliva production facilities that were major industry players to boost its performance and gain international recogn ition. It was during this time that Alcoa began improving on its performance when it started the construction in Iceland. This was the company’s first Greenfield smelting centre. This centre has been in existence for the last 20 years amid criticisms of corruption. In 2006, Alcoa shifted

Leadership Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership Assessment - Essay Example This will encourage them to work harder as well as take an interest in the goals and ambitions of the organization as they do not wish to be responsible for its failure to achieve them. This leadership style allows for the discussion of various issues and the input of all the employees involved in the making of a decision. The organization operates under a Divisional structure that is designed to enhance team development within the organization. This structure functions through grouping each organizational function into a division that is staffed with the necessary individuals and requirements in order to operate efficiently (Robbins & Judge, 2007). For example, the financial aspects of the organization will be dealt with by the finance division of the organization. This allows for the negation of any potential confusion and allows for an individual to hone their relationship skills within the workplace. This is because every division can be considered to be a team thus the emphasis on team development whereby individuals in the same division need to work together and with other divisions to reach the organization’s goals thus developing the relationship skills of the employees as a result (Robbins & Judge, 2007). The performance of the Company CEO in terms of ethical behavior and communication can be considered to be of a high level as he was successful in getting his employees to understand what he needed from them in a way that motivated the various individuals to give their best in the tasks that they were handed (Deckers, 2010). His ethics were also impressive as at no time did he show favoritism to one particular individual or group and operated on a basis of deserved merit when dealing with his employees. This led to the employees being motivated to improve on their work performance as they were encouraged by the fact that only their hard work would be the basis for recognition by the company meaning that everyone in the organization had a fair ch ance at climbing up the ladder. There are various practices that an organizational leader can use to motivate their employees to improve their work ethic. Some of these practices include the issuing of rewards for jobs well done. This will motivate an employee to give their best in whatever their working on as they try to achieve this award (Deckers, 2010). The reward in itself does not have to be a major gift and could be simple such as an additional off day for the employee, a gift card or any small token of appreciation that makes the individual feel the company has recognized the good work they have done. Another way of motivating employees can be through the hosting of social events for the workers. This could be a way of saying "thank you" for the hard work and will motivate them to make their company proud through the work that they do (Deckers, 2010). These events could be Christmas or other holiday parties or even hosting a birthday party for the longest serving employee in the company for example. A third practice in motivating employees is the issuing of equity shares to the workers that will make them feel like they are part of the company therefore its success will be their success. Diversity is an issue that can bring about a

Organizational Culture Model Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organizational Culture Model - Assignment Example Due to the company has laid down their model in such a way that they are able to accept change to occur. They deal with the market effect caused by competitors to ensure their superiority in the market. They produce ways to enter the market and ensure they stay in the market strongly and for longer. Second, the customer is highly respected by the company. Complaints from them dealt with the customer service and response given immediately so as to maintain the customer confidence in the market. The company allows the staff to interact with the customer this ensures that they are able to assess the progress and the customer response. The management team then designs solution to deal with the complaints. Third, the company has a policy that encourages teamwork. They create an environment that allows every employee to respect each other and deal with conflict in a way that no one is intimidating the other party. The policy allows people to mingle freely with the other their follow across the board the company policy of teamwork as made them be able to make calculated designs since they are able to meet an agreement due to the togetherness. The company has a set of rules that govern the staff. The rules are to be obeyed and followed them. Failure to follow it usually causes one to be punished. The image of the company is well protected in that this ethic of conduct was drafted to keep the workplace a professional area. All employees are able to read them and abide by them. Lastly, the company has invested in the empowerment of its own staff. They include them in design making. They have created a culture in which the staff feel part and parcel of the company. This allows the management to consider most information to be all members’ information. They are feed with very detailing concerning the company.  

Aristotle Plato Essay Example for Free

Aristotle Plato Essay Aristotle was born on 384 BC in Stageira, Chalcidice 34 miles east of modern-day Thessaloniki. His father Nicomachus was the personal physician to King Amyntas of Macedon. Aristotle educated as a member of aristocracy and at the age of eighteen, he went to Athens to do his further studies in Plato’s Academy. He was there at the beginning as a student of Plato, and then became a researcher and finally a teacher. Aristotle married Hermiass niece Pythias who died ten years later. After her death he married Herpyllis, who came from his birthplace, Stageira. By 335 BC he had returned to Athens, establishing his own school in there known as the Lyceum. This Academy focused more on biology than its predecessor that relied on mathematics. Aristotle not only studied almost every subject possible at the time, but made significant contributions to most of them. In physical science, Aristotle studied anatomy, astronomy, embryology, geography, geology, meteorology, physics and zoology. In philosophy, he wrote on aesthetics, ethics, government, metaphysics, politics, economics, psychology, rhetoric and theology. He also studied education, foreign customs, literature and poetry. His combined works constitute a virtual encyclopedia of Greek knowledge. It has been suggested that Aristotle was probably the last person to know everything there was to be known in his own time. He greatly admired Plato all the way to his death, despite the fact that he later opposed some of his most important points. Aristotle died in 322 BC at the age of sixty-two in Chalkis on the island of Euboea. He also said many sayings regarded to different topics or fields like other Philosophers. Once a person asked that â€Å"what is friend? † Aristotle answered as follows. â€Å"A single soul dwelling in Two Bodies†. Like other Philosophers, Aristotle too talked about friendship and the above quote is such one. When we talk about the friendship, it is a kind of internal bonding among two or more beings. Most of the time, this bonding does not depend on one’s caste, gender, age, occupation, wealth or any other. That is why even very best friend’s needs show a little difference from each other because our bodies are external and physical. The most valuable thing for a human life is the friendship because it is very difficult to live alone. Even the present Psychologists accept that concept. If we go deep into this particular relationship, this can be a good one or a bad one as this depends on their intentions and thoughts. Actually the friendship is a backup for a one’s life, when our self is down with a problem or sadness, our friend is the first person who identifies our situation. He/She may not be able to find a solution for us, but surely he/she will be there to cry with us. That is how best friends act at all. They never let the other down. One’s sadness will be the other’s sadness. That is why Aristotle clearly said that one sole dwelling in two bodies. Friendship will gives the same feeling for all the friends even that is a comedy, tragedy or a joy because friends are one in their souls. Friendship is not only within two persons but within a group of them. Education is the guider to a one’s life. Aristotle said that, â€Å"The roots of the education is bitter, but the fruit is sweet†. Education is received according to a specific order. That is why we can categorize it into primary education, secondary and higher education. Primary education or the very basic education is the important stage for a person because from that only he starts to think logically and effectively. Then only he can have a clear mind about his/her future. If the primary education is not strong, final result will be not a satisfactory one. If the root system is not well developed the tree will not be a good one. But the thing is our basic education is not a sweet one because there are many difficulties and hardships to undergo. Aristotle tried to tell that when we start something we must not judge its conditions from that point, we must think beyond that which means about its future. Because the fruit is our future. Although a tree is fully grown, it never is able to obtain nutrients and water from its top part. From root system only it will get those necessary nutrients. Likewise every new updating knowledge will come through our basic knowledge, if not we won’t be able to understand those. We must remember that there must be difficulties and unpleasant points in our life to make our future a brighter and comfortable one like the great Philosopher, Aristotle.

Issues with Business-to-consumer E-commerce

Issues with Business-to-consumer E-commerce Introduction: The long-term prosperity of business-to-consumer e-commerce depends upon the existence of consumers confidence and the availability of adequate supporting legal framework with effective means of enforcement. Because of the technological development e-commerce industry is growing with enormous speed. Majority of consumers prefer to buy products online and make electronic transactions with companies situated outside their national boundaries. The expansive use of e-commerce and the existence of complex legal framework necessitate that efforts should be made to introduce new means of enforcing Business to Consumer e-contracts and disputes resolution across state borders. This research work will mainly concentrate upon the existing issues in enforcing business to consumer e-contracts across national borders. These include the issue of jurisdiction, the issue of applicable law and the issue of enforcement. Furthermore it will evaluate thoroughly the need for new means of disputes resolution in cross border B2C e-commerce transactions. It will further assess the potentials of B2C e-commerce disputes resolution through internal complaint handling mechanism and direct contact with business. It will also evaluate the Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms, such as facilitative ADR, Advisory ADR, Determinative ADR, Combined ADR etc and will recommend how these forms of disputes resolution can be effectively implemented on national level and to be of binding nature. basic principle such as equality, fair treatment, affordability, Awareness about the ADR principles, accessibility to ADR mechanism, finality and rapidness of ADR process, and objectives of ADR. The research work will further analyse the concept of ADR in legal perspective and will suggest that what efforts should be made on international, regional and national level to promote the use and development of ADR, particularly in disputes arising out of cross-border transactions. It will take into consideration various legislative and other legal instruments i.e. European Union Directive on Electronic Commerce, OECD E-commerce Guidelines, European Commission Recommendations 1998, European Commission Recommendations 2001, International Chamber of Commerce best practices, ADR Guidelines 2003, International Consumer groups and International Businesses groups, and EEJ-NET etc and will suggest if necessary amendments are needed. The research work will also focus on the current obstacles in the expansion of ADR mechanism, such as unawareness of businesses and consumers of ADR process and its benefits, Lack of trained and educated specialist in dispute resolution, cultural and linguistic issues Due to cross-border nature of e-commerce, and jurisdictional and procedural issues resulting from the multi-national nature of e-commerce etc. Moreover this research will propose certain recommendations that how the current obstacles may be removed to paved a way for an effective dispute resolution system, compatible with the need of time, such as making of legislation on international, regional and national level to determine the issue of jurisdiction, applicable law and enforcement of judgement, making efforts by the governments to create awareness and educate people about the effective means of enforcing their rights and resolving disputes, the creation of independent bodies and institutions on international, regional and national level to deal with e-contracts enforcement and disputes resolution, the encouragement of both traditional and modern mechanisms of disputes resolution, the availability of internal complaint handling department in every business etc. Aim and objectives: The main aim of this study is to evaluate the existing issues in cross-border Business-to-Consumers ecommerce transactions. Specifically the research focuses on judicial obstacles, such as the issue of jurisdiction, applicable law, and enforcement. This study further suggests that what could be the best alternatives to address these issues and increase consumers confidence in online shopping. Hypothesis: According to my hypothesis the following are the main issues inherent in resolving business-to-consumers cross-borders ecommerce disputes. Issue of jurisdiction: The first and the most important issue in B2C ecommerce dispute is the issue of Jurisdiction. When a consumer in one country purchase a product online in another country and subsequently a dispute arises between the parties and consumer wants to seek judicial remedy, than in such case a question arises that which court is having territorial jurisdiction to entertain the matter. Applicable law: The matter of applicable law in ecommerce is another considerable issue. It is very difficult to determine that under which legal system or under what law the matter should be dealt with. Issue of enforcement: The issue of enforcement also needs to be addressed. In resolving business-to-consumers ecommerce dispute it is unclear that how and where the judgement may be enforced. Literature review: Literature review literally means a review of whatever has already been written by different scholars about the existing research topic, and than to demonstrate that the existing research is deficient and needs some supplementing. In todays advance technology the use of ecommerce is increasing. â€Å"Between 2004 and 2008, in EU the use of shopping through internet increased from 22% to 34%. In the UK in 2008, 57% consumers did online shopping, in Germany, Denmark and Netherlands the figure remained above 50%. In Estonia, Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Portugal the figure was respectively 10%, while in Romania and Bulgaria it was about 4%†. Although e-commerce is increasing at national level, it is still comparatively unusual for consumers to participate in cross-borders transactions. Consequently the gape between interstate and cross-border e-commerce is expanding. From 2006 to 2008, in EU the figure of online consumers increased from 27% to 33% while cross-border e-commerce remained still at 6% to 7%. On national level â€Å"laws that apply to traditional or off line commerce apply equally in an electronic environment. For instance laws governing business incorporation, registration, taxation, consumer protection, deceptive advertising, product safety and standards, criminal code, inter-provincial trade treaties, intellectual property and liability apply on the internet†. But when the matter goes beyond the territorial boundaries and involves another state than the situation changes completely and gives rise to uncertainty and ambiguity. In an ordinary civil matter the territorial jurisdiction of civil court may be determined on three factors i.e. where the parties reside, where the cause of action arises or where the property is situated. But when any dispute arises out of any electronic transaction that takes place across national borders, the first question arises that which court is having jurisdiction to entertain the matter. So it is very difficult to decide the jurisdiction and competency of the court. For instance, it is if an issue arises out of cross-border e-commerce transaction and the consumer wants to seek judicial remedy than in that case whether the court of consumers country will entertain the matter or it will come under the territorial jurisdiction of the court where the business is situated. According to Scott Cooper, â€Å"in resolving cross-border complaints it is very difficult to determine the matter of jurisdiction. Consumers are confident to resort to the courts of the countries where the businesses are based and in return the businesses will not be keen regarding trans-border transactions that could subject them to the reach of every country where there online customers resides†. Scott Cooper further states that â€Å"different levels have been established by different governments to protect and enforce consumer rights, but there are no international documents or agreements to determine the fact that which country is having jurisdiction to deal with cross-border B2C dispute†. Furthermore it is also very difficult to determine that under which legal system or under what law the matter should be resolved. There is no apparent legislation to conclude that whether the law of consumers state will apply or the matter should be governed by the law of the state where the business is based or it should be dealt with by an international legal system on uniform basis irrespective of geographic location. Similarly it is also unclear that how and where the judgement regarding the subject matter may be enforced. According to Chin Eang Ong â€Å"in a traditional marketplace, consumers knows means of enforcing their rights, but in electronic marketplace in an online transaction, delegating liability and providing access for redress might be a problem for consumers. A transaction is curable when it takes place within a single jurisdiction i.e. access to local court, but e-commerce is borderless and recourse to courts in any cross-border electronic transaction is complicated by difficulty jurisdiction over such dispute and the applicable law†. According to Mohamed S. Wahab because of technological advancement transactions are taking place in an online environment across national borders, where disputes are inevitable. Some of these disputes are unique to the e-commerce environment. Therefore it needs an effective mechanism of dispute resolution. Keeping in view the existing obstacles in resolving business-to-consumer cross-border e-commerce disputes resolution it is inevitable to consider substitute means to protect the rights of the parties and encourage them to participate in cross-border e-commerce. Some international and regional organizations have proposed that cross-border e-commerce disputes should be resolved through internal complaint system. For instance â€Å"the OECD ecommerce guidelines†, â€Å"the UN guidelines†, and â€Å"the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation Voluntary Online Consumer Protection guidelines† recommend the establishment of fair, effective and transparent internal mechanisms for businesses and consumers representatives in order to address consumer complaints and resolve their queries in fair and timely manner without imposing undue burden or cost upon consumers. When dispute between the parties can not be resolved through internal complaint handling mechanism than the parties should be given access to Alternative Dispute Resolution, as it can offer timely, efficient and cost-effective instrument to resolve cross-border disputes. Alternative Disputes Resolution is a mechanism other than judicial determination, whereby disputes are resolved through the medium of impartial third party by adopting different ways and means. When ADR takes place through internet than it is called Online Disputes Resolution. There is an extensive choice of ADR mechanisms. The most commonly used mechanisms are â€Å"arbitration†, â€Å"mediation† and â€Å"negotiation†. National Alternative Dispute Resolution Advisory Council (NADRAC) uses the term ADR in a broader sense. According to NADRAC submission â€Å"ADR mechanisms is consist of facilitative ADR, advisory ADR, determinative ADR, and some time the combination of these mechanisms†. According to UN report, the main challenge in e-commerce industry is how to resolve cross-border e-commerce disputes. Traditional methods of resolving disputes may not provide an efficient and effective remedy; therefore there is a need for considering alternative means that would provide speedy and cost efficient redress to the parties. Dr. Moira Patterson has adopted the same view. She states that there are two issues involved in e-commerce i.e. which law should govern cross-border transaction and that such transactions should either be subjected to national laws or should be dealt with by international instruments. In such circumstances Alternative Disputes Resolution offers a cost-effective and speedy solution through the medium of third party. According to Lilian Edwards and Caroline Wilson, â€Å"Online Dispute resolution introduces very powerful and efficient tools for dispute resolution and increases access to redress mechanisms. ODR is an efficient, fast, and cheap way of dispute resolution, Court costs are beyond the means of most consumers and takes twenty to thirty months, while ODR process may take few hours or days†. To look at the concept of Alternative Disputes Resolution in legal perspective, efforts have been made on international, regional and national level to encourage the use and development of Alternative Dispute Resolution, particularly in disputes arising out of cross-border transactions. But they do not have any binding effects. It is a discretionary option for the states to apply and adopt them in their national laws. For instance, Art 17 of the EU Directive on Electronic Commerce deals with out-of-court dispute settlement. â€Å"The Article imposes responsibility upon member states to support those bodies that are responsible for out-of-court disputes settlement of consumer to operate in a way which provides sufficient practical guarantees for the concerned parties. And that the member states shall ensure that their legislation does not obstruct the use of out-of-court methods, accessible under the state law, for dispute settlement†. According to OECD E-commerce Guidelines, â€Å"consumers should be given access to fair and timely ADR and remedy without undue cost or burden. And that Businesses, consumer representatives and governments should work jointly to continue to use and develop just, efficient, and transparent self-regulatory and other strategies and measures, including ADR mechanisms, to address consumer complaints and resolve their disputes arising out of Business-to-consumer electronic commerce in cross-border transactions†. Similarly the European Commission issued recommendations in 1998 which prescribes principles of independence, transparency, adversarial proceedings, effectiveness, legality, liberty, and representation for out-of-court consumers disputes settlement. Furthermore â€Å"Recommendations issued by European Commission in 2001 governs out-of-court procedures which lead to a settlement between the parties by common consent. It prescribes four principles i.e. impartiality, transparency, effectiveness, and fairness of procedure in-order to encourage consumers confidence in e-commerce and to ensure easy access to practical, effective, and inexpensive means of redress†. Moreover the International Chamber of Commerce has issued best practices for ODR. It provides guidance for online businesses and for ODR providers. It encourages businesses to resolve consumer disputes through the medium of Online Disputes Resolution mechanism when the matter can not be resolved internally. ADR Guidelines 2003 agreed between Consumers International and the Global Business Dialogue on Electronic Commerce. â€Å"These guidelines prescribe recommendations for ADR providers on impartiality and qualification of personnel, accessibility and convenience, speed, cost, transparency, representation, applicable rules and consumer awareness. It also recommends to governments to address international rules on jurisdiction and applicable law and to adopt different measures to promote increased use and development of ADR†. Methodology: In research methodology I will pursue triangulation method by adopting both quantitative (questionnaires) and qualitative (interviews) research methodologies. The main reason behind using various methods of research is that â€Å"it facilitates the validation of data through cross verification from more than two sources. In particular it refers to the application and combination of several research methodologies in the study of the same phenomenon†. Sampling: In selecting my respondents I will use both probability sampling method and non-probability sampling method. In probability sampling method I will choose my respondents from a list of potential people that I will use for primary data collection. Such list will be obtained from an existing database of a research organization such as IPSOS MORI. In non-probability sampling method I will question or interview any one who is available. This method is very quick and cost efficient. Method of data collection: For collecting primary data I will use two methods, which are questionnaire and interviews. I will also consult a research organization such as IPSOS MORI, for collecting data for my research work. Questionnaire: For collecting data through questionnaires first of all I will select my target group to be examined through questionnaire. For this purpose I will adopt probability and non-probability sampling methods as mentioned above in sampling section. For questionnaire distribution I will use three methods i.e. sending emails, using postal services and onsite distribution by going to particular places i.e. supermarkets, travel centres to distribute the questions among randomly selected individuals. I will also get in touch with various businesses that are involved in cross borders E-commerce and will analyse their procedure for resolving B2C E-commerce disputes through the medium of questionnaire and conducting interviews. In current research work I have conducted a pilot research to make sure that the questions that will be asked in my actual dissertation are answerable and that the methods that will be used are workable in practical sense. I have distributed 50 questionnaires among the students in Bradford College. The response of the participants was very high and positive. The questions used in questionnaires were quite simple, which I will improve further by making amendments and improvements in my dissertation stage. A sample of questionnaire is attached at the end of this research proposal in appendix 1. Interviews: Interview is the most popular technique of qualitative research. It is very useful because of its flexibility, both in terms of content and time and can be tailored to suit the research questions, respondents, and the researchers own life style much more effectively. The use of interview can help the researcher to gather valid and reliable data that are relevant to the research question and objectives. For collecting data I will use face-to-face interviews, as it is a useful method of data collection and is used by most of the researchers because body language and emotions of the participant can also be studied which is a fundamental factor for a qualitative researcher. I will also use phone interviews and e-mail interviews. Interview will be semi structured and unstructured, and the questions may either be already prepared on a peace of paper or they may be generated during the interview process. There will be in-depth interviews with the participants in order to collect as much information as possible regarding the research topic. If the participants are having any difficulty in understanding the questions I will clarify and explain the question. I can also use opinion poll method to find out public opinion, by making a random selection from the general public. In my current research proposal I have interviewed 15 people in order to check the response and effectiveness of conducting interviews. The response I got from the participants was high but the result obtained from interviews was different from questionnaire although the interview questions were almost similar to the questionnaires. In order to get similar results I will make changes in interview questions to improve the quality and response rate and to make it more attractive for the respondents. A summary of interviews is attached at the end of this proposal in appendix 2. Secondary Data: I will also use secondary data in my research work. In order to conduct my research work effectively I will use different library services to access books, scholarly articles, journals and magazines relating to the research topic. For collecting relevant data I will use internet to access online libraries, electronic books and other online materials. I will also make efforts to study case law in the field of E-commerce to find out that how the courts deal with the matters and to look at the courts procedure about resolving e-commerce disputes and will compare them with out of court settlement methods. Data analysis: Data analysis is a continuous procedure during the whole research. The analysis starts from the point where the researcher and the participants are in close relation for the first time during a research process. For data analysis previous knowledge and experience of the researcher is of vital importance in order to get effective results. Data analysis is an important part of the research, where the researcher prepares the data for analysis. Once a data is analysed it is interpreted and than converted into a final report. The traditional methods of data analysis are now replaced by computer software available in the market. As I have selected questionnaire and interview as my primary data collection process, therefore the questionnaire and interview questions will be prepared in such manners that the acquired result obtained from them is valid and reliable, so that the same results can be gained when the research is repeated subsequently. Triangulation method is used in this research methodology because the data collected can be compared from different angles to get the accurate results for the research. Conclusion: After a detailed study of e-commerce and the existence of certain problems i.e. problem of jurisdiction, applicable law and enforcement of judgement, it is therefore apparent and inevitable for building up consumers confidence and e-commerce development that new means of enforcing B2C e-contracts should be adopted. As obvious from the literature review there are no uniform legal principles and legislation on international, regional and national level regulating disputes arising out of e-commerce transaction that takes place across state-borders. There are no binding principles to compel the parties to perform their part of obligation. Similarly literature review further indicates that efforts have been made by different governments and organizations to escalate the problem of enforcing B2C e-contracts and to resolve disputes that arising out of cross-border transaction, but they are only guidelines and voluntary principles of non-binding nature. Although new means of enforcing B2C e-contracts and disputes resolution across state borders are in practice i.e. ADR/ODR, but there are a number of obstacles in developing these mechanisms, such as non-awareness of consumers about ADR, non-availability of independent ADR practitioners, linguistic and cultural differences, distance between the parties. All these barriers need proper and positive response from governments, different organizations and private sector. New ways and means need to be introduce in order to increase consumers confidence in cross-border e-commerce because traditional means of dispute resolution such as court proceedings and other administrative actions are very expensive and time consuming, particularly in small value claims. Therefore it can be concluded that to resolve cross-borders e-commerce disputes it is inevitable to adopt, strengthen and support new means of disputes resolution on international, regional and national level to provide an effective, timely and cost-effective system to build up consumers confidence and develop e-commerce. References Lee, N., Lings, I. (2008) Doing Business Research, A Guide to Theory and Practice. SAGE Publications, 2008, p80 Commission Of The European Communities, Report on cross-border e-commerce in the EU, Commission Staff Working Document, Brussels, 5.3.2009, SEC(2009) 283 final, p5 Commission Of The European Communities, Report on cross-border e-commerce in the EU, Commission Staff Working Document, Brussels, 5.3.2009, SEC(2009) 283 final, p6 Key e-commerce Regulatory Issues, An EBC Guide to Taxation, Security and Privacy, E-export and Legal Issues Commission Of The European Communities, Report on cross-border e-commerce in the EU, Commission Staff Working Document, Brussels, 5.3.2009, SEC(2009) 283 final, p5 Commission Of The European Communities, Report on cross-border e-commerce in the EU, Commission Staff Working Document, Brussels, 5.3.2009, SEC(2009) 283 final, p5 Ong, C.E. (2003) B2C E-commerce Trust in Redress Mechanism (Cross Border Issue) Monash University, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia A new Dawn for dispute resolution, the Global Information Society and online dispute resolution, 9/21/2006, Muhammad S. Wahab OECD Guidelines for Consumer Protection in the Context of Electronic Commerce (1999) United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection, United Nations New York, 2003 Asian-pacific, Advancing Free Trade for Asia-pacific Prosperity, Economic Cooperation, Electronic Commerce Steering Group The term Arbitration refers to a process or a legal technique whereby a dispute is resolved outside the court through the medium of arbitrators. This mechanism is very useful in resolving disputes arising out of international commercial transaction. Mediation is a process whereby an impartial third party facilitates communication between consumer and business. Mediator tries to enable the parties to reach a settlement. Negotiation is an interaction of influences. It includes the process of resolving disputes, agreeing upon courses of action, bargaining for collective or individual advantage, or crafting outcomes to satisfy various interests. Submission on ADR in e-commerce, by National Alternative Disputes Resolution Advisory Council, p2 E-commerce and Development Report, 2003, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Internet edition prepared by the UNCTAD secretariat, United Nations, New York and Geneva, 2003, UNCTAD/SIDTE/ECB/2003/1 Dr. Patterson, M. (2001) An Australian Free Trade Agreement- Opportunities Challenges, Hyatt Hotel, Canberra, Session 4b, Infoeconomy issue, E-commerce Law, Law School Monash University Edward, L., Wilson, C. (2006) Redress Alternative Dispute Resolution in Cross-Border E-commerce Transactions, Briefing Note, IP/A/IMCO/IC/2006-206, p3 Directive 2000/31/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of June 2000, on certain legal aspects of information society services, in particular electronic commerce, in the internal market (Directive on electronic commerce), Article 17 OECD Guidelines for consumer protection in the context of electronic commerce, p 18 98/257/EC: Commission Recommendation of 30 March 1998 on the principles applicable to the bodies responsible for out-of-court settlement of consumer disputes, official journal of European Communities Commission Recommendations of 4 April 2001 on the principles for out-of-court bodies involving in the consensual resolution of consumer disputes, Official Journal of European Communities ICC best practices for Online Disputes Resolution for B2C and C2C transactions, Department of policy and business practices, commission on e-Business, IT and Telecom Alternative Dispute Resolution Guidelines, May, 2003, Agreement reached between Consumers International and the Global Business Dialogue on Electronic Commerce Bogdan, R.C. Biklen, S.K. (2006) Qualitative Research in Education: An introduction to theory and methods, Allyn Bacon Lee, N., Lings I. (2008) Doing Business Research, A Guide to Theory and Practice, SAGE Publications, p 217 aunders, M et al. (2007) Research Methods for Business Students, Prentice Hall, 4th Edition, p310

Examining Perfectly Competitive And Monopoly And Oligopoly

Examining Perfectly Competitive And Monopoly And Oligopoly For the cause of enlarging our knowledge of Economics, we did this assignment. There are three main parts in it. They are Perfectly competitive, Monopoly and Oligopoly, which are really important in Economics. But not simple to learn in Economics study. The questions need us to draw graphs and use calculations for them. These questions would help us have a better understanding of them. Finding: 1.A number of markets are developing on the Internet. One of those market is eBay. Check out eBay at www.eBay.com and explain whether you believe that the eBay Internet auction market is perfectly competitive. Be sure to explain which of the six conditions of a perfectly competitive market are met and how. A: eBay is an online auction Website. Consumers use the Internet to research the goods they desire, then they look for bargains of the same products on eBay. If the products are available, a bid is entered and the winner of the auction eventually pays with her credit card. In addition to regular mail, vendors also use express-mail service to send the purchases to buyers if they choose that option. eBay is different from Amazon.com, another popular e-commerce Website, in that prices on eBay are set by the negotiation between bidders and sellers, whereas Amazon.coms prices are mostly determined by sellers. It is likely to Taobao, which is a well-known shopping website in China. ( http://baike.baidu.com/view/7777.html?wtp=tt, 2010) I believe that the eBay Internet auction market is perfectly competitive. Because it possess these four characteristics: There must be many and sellers in the market, none of whom is large enough to influence price. eBay have kinds of sellers to satisfied distinct demands in goods of consumers. No big firms control small firms. There is freedom of entry to and exit from the industry. Firms must be able to establish themselves in the industry easily and quickly. eBay sellers can entry and exit the business depend on their wishes. Buyers and sellers posses perfect knowledge of prices. They know the market and price well. They gain lots of information about that. All firms produce a homogeneous product. For example, there are many sellers in eBay have the same product, you can choose one base on service or else.  ¼Ã‹â€ Marcouse, 2008) Perfect competition requires that the following six conditions be fulfilled. In such a market, prices would normally move instantaneously to economic equilibrium. Atomicity An atomistic market have small producers and consumers on a given market, so that its actions have no important impact on others. Firms are price takers, which means that the market decide the price that they must choose. Homogeneity Goods and services can substitute perfectly, so all firms sell the same product. There is no difference. Perfect and complete information All firms and consumers understand the prices decide by the whole firms. Equal access All firms have entryed to production technology. If they wanted, they could free to entry or leave. Individual buyers and sellers act independently The market cannot have scope for buyers or sellers get together to have a overall view about the market price. (http://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/Perfect-competition#Requirements, 2010) Draw marginal revenue ¼Ã…’marginal cost and average total cost curves for a typical perfectly competitive firm and indicate the profit-maximising level of output and total profit or loss for that firm. Is the firm in long-run equilibrium? Why or why not? Figure1 This is a typical perfectly competitive firm firm graph. It is loss. Figure 2 Yes. It is long-run equilibrium. Because there is a point that LRAC line, ATC line, MC line and MR line intersect. The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates interstate and international communications, including merger activity within industry. Go to the FCC website at www.fcc.gov and search communication companies and answer the following questions: What reasons do consumers and producers have for opposing the merger? What reasons do consumers and producers have for supporting the merger? Does the theory of a monopolist discussed in class and the textbook support the reasons stated in your answers to a and b? A: a). 1.A monopolist charges a higher price and produces less output than a perfectly competitive firm. 2.Consumers have less choice, because one product only be produced bu one firm. 3.High barriers to entry means other firms cannot enter the market. 4.Governments can earn heavily tax through monopolies. 5.Governments can nationalise the monopoly (make it public) and therefore can keep prices too high. 6.Government can decline entry barriers (which is not good for the monopolistic firm). 7.The economy may suffer as less consumer spending may happen because of high prices charged by monopolistic firms. 8.Exploitation of consumer price discrimination 9.Potential for inefficiency complacency over controls on production 10.costs because there is no competition 11.May lack motivation and innovation because there is no competition To sum up, these 11 disadvantages of monopoly. Consumers and producers have for opposing the merger for their own profit. (Marcouse, 2008) b). 1.A monopoly may produce at a lower cost than a competitive industry. This is due to economies of scale, which a monopoly is able to exploit more than a competitive firm, as the monopoly is the sole provider of that good. The ability to set prices at a higher level in order to gain an abnormal profit. However, monopolistic firms are not simply able to charge a price they deem fit for the product, since it is constrained by its demand curve. A higher price will result in a fall in demand, and that may subsequently lead to a fall in revenue (depending on elasticity). The majority of monopolies are belonging to government, so tax will be higher. It can give more money to perfect public goods. Consumers may like price discrimination as it could be in their favour. There can be more control and stability in an industry if a monopoly is present. If it is a natural monopoly, it would be suitable an necessary. Encourages spending on RD which may create better products. Some products and services are not likely to be produced without some guarantee of monopoly protection. Economies of scale can be gained consumer may benefit from a lower cost In conclusion, consumers and producers supporting it, because of these several advantages. c). In general, I think monopolist discussed in class and textbook support the reasons stated in my answers to a. Because from a and b we can know disadvantages of monopoly are greater than advantages. It harms consumers through charging a higher price and producing a lower quantity than would be the case in a perfectly competitive situation.And a monopolist is inefficient because resources are under distributed to the production of its product. ( Smith, 2010 ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° Draw demand, marginal revenue, marginal cost and average total cost curves for a typical monopolistic firm and indicate the profit-maximising level of output and total profit or loss for that firm. Is the firm in long-run equilibrium? Why or why not? How does the profit-maximising position differ from that of a perfectly competitive firm? A: This is a typical monolistic graph. It is a loss. Monopolist can make a profit in the long-run. If the position of a monopolists demand and cost curves give it a profit and nothing disturbs these curves, it can make a profit in long-run. But there is no need to distinguish between the short run and long run for a monopolist. - a monopolist can make a profit in the short run and long run. - it can make a loss in the short run and long run.  ¼Ã‹â€ Smith, 2010 ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° From these two graphs we can see, the Demand and Marginal cost curves of the monopolist are downward sloping. In perfect competition they are horizontal. But the maximizes profits point are the same, when MC=MR.(graphs from Smiths PPT, 2010) Oligopoly The organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is an international cartel. Go to its home page at www.opec.org to answer the following questions: What are OPECs objectives of OPFC? How does it meet those objectives? What countries are members of OPEC? What percentage of world oil production comes from these nations? In what way is OPEC a cartel? What significant oil-exporting countries are not members? What has OPEC done to limit the effect of nonmember production on its own pricing decisions? A:a)1.In accordance with its Statute, the mission of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is to coordinate and unify the petroleum policies of its Member Countries and ensure the stabilization of oil markets in order to secure an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consumers, a steady income to producers and a fair return on capital for those investing in the petroleum industry.OPECs objective is to co-ordinate and unify petroleum policies among Member Countries, in order to secure fair and stable prices for petroleum producers; an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consuming nations; and a fair return on capital to those investing in the industry. In a word, OPEC organization is assorting with members oil policy, and unify them. Then decide to use the most suitable way to protect their own or personally benefit. (http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/about_us/23.htm, http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/about_us/24.htm, http://baike.baidu.com/view/24477.htm?fr=ala0_1, 2010) (1)The member countries delegates of OPEC in the OPEC meeting seek unity of oil policy. And contribute to prosper the oil market. These countries aim at the international situation and marketing trends of oil. They have a discussion and analysis to decide the increasing rate of economics. And also control the demand and supply of oil. (http://baike.baidu.com/view/24477.htm?fr=ala0_1, 2010) b) 1. Angola, Algeria, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and the United Arab Emirates. OPEC nations still have 2/3 of the worlds oil reserves. In April 2009, 33.3% of the worlds oil production, affording them lots of controlling in the global market. The next largest group of producers, members of the OECD and the Post-Soviet states produced only 23.8% and 14.8%, respectively, of the worlds total oil production.Since 2009, OPEC has ordered a production ceiling of 24.84 million barrels per day. At the end of 2008, OPEC had twice reduced the output quota by a total of 4.2 million barrels to 24.8 million barrels per day. In 1996, the members countries have 76.6% of oil, 69.7% in 2007. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPEC, http://www.hxen.com/englishnews/world/2010-03-18/103865.html, http://www.qqkqw.com/html/cyclopedia/ziyuanzhanlve/ziyuanxingshi/2010/02/23/152105199.html, 2010) Definition:1Cartel is a group of firms formally agreeing to control the price and output of a product.(Smith ,2010) In some markets, producing firms or producing countries band together, usually to restrict supply; this allows them to raise prices and increase their profits or revenues; the best known cartel is OPEC which restricts the supply of oil onto world world markets. OPEC countries, with less than half of current world output but with most of the worlds oil reserves, manipulate the price of oil by restricting supply. Overall, these evidence proves that OPEC did act as a cartel.(Marcouse, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPEC#Economics,2010) c). 1. The oil-exporting countries which are not memebers also produced great amount. For example, Russia have the second oil produced in barrels per day, just less than Saudi Arabia, 9,810,000 bbl a day in 2009. United States are the third, 8,514,00 bbl a day in 2008. China is the fourth, which is 3,795,000 per day in 2008. ( https://www.cia.gov/liabrary/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2173rank.html, 2008) 2.OPEC cannot control the international oil market. Draw demand,marginal revenue, marginal cost and average total cost curves for a typical oligopolistic firm and indicate the profit-maximising level of output and total profit or loss for that firm. Explain why prices are stable or sticky in this model. What are the characteristics of oligopoly? This is a typical oligopolistic firm. The graph shows total profit. A: 1.No incentive for price increases; Total Revenue will fall No incentive for price decreases; Total Revenue will fall 2.Mutual interdependence is a main characteristic of oligopoly and it may cause prices to be sticky. The market price incline to remain stable, or rigid, at the kink in the demand curve. 3.To maximize profits, oligopolistic firms operate where MR = MC. Because of the kinked demand curve, there is a range of MC curves which equal MR at the same price: price rigidity.( Smith, 2010) 1.Industry dominated by small number of large firms, but many firms may make up the industry; mutual interdependence among the large firms High barriers to entry Products could be highly differentiated each large firm producing a branded product Non-price competition(e.g 4 Ps) Price stability within the market-kinked demand curve Knowledge of market is not perfect,but there is potential for collusion among firms ( Smith, 2010)

Discussion of Murder Mysteries Essay -- Papers

Murder mysteries have a motive to start off the investigation. Murder mysteries always have detectives, murder/ killing, alibi ´s, victims, weapons, evidence, a twist in a tail, a bit of suspense or maybe a lot of suspense. The location and the setting are some of main factors for a murder mysteries. If a murder mystery doesn ´t contain any of these, it cannot be defined as a murder mystery. Lamb to the Slaughter was written by Roald Dahl. It was first published in 1954. Lamb to the Slaughter is written in speech of time the story was published. In Lamb to the Slaughter the use of present day modern language so automatically gives the impression that it is written in present day modern and now. Roald Dahl is more famous for writing children ´s story. Roald Dahl always writes about ordinary people who get involved in difficult situations for his stories for adults. Lamb to the Slaughter is more prominent as an adults story. This is a murder mystery and one of the two short stories that I am going to investigate. The other short story which I will be investigating is The Speckled Band. The Speckled Band was written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It was first published in 1892. The Speckled Band is also written in speech of the time the Speckled Band was first Published. The language of that time seemed to be much formal as accurate English and much less slang was used. Holmes and Watson speak very typically English and p... ... manner that the reader ´s suspension of disbelief is never broken. We are with Mary Maloney from the first sentence of the story, and only at the end do we realise that we never really knew her at all. The irony of it all is that the police who were puzzled why they could not find the murder weapon we are consuming it. This was almost a sick comical twist to the ending. When she laughs didn ´t seem funny but more sinister and evil. Compare The Speckled Band, Lamb to the Slaughter is easy to work out from the Speckled Band and more predictable. So if you are looking for a challenge The Speckled Band is the one to read but I think for the younger reader ´s Lamb to the Slaughter would be better. The Speckled was much more complicated and had much more twists and turns in it, and you weren ´t sure what was going to come next.