Policy Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Policy Analysis - Essay Example Such statements are suppressed because they violate the Fifth Amendment and they are subject to the Miranda exclusionary rule. A waiver, in this regard, occurs when the suspect logically, knowingly and voluntarily waives his right. In order to determine the validity of the waiver, it is important to look at the circumstances and events resulting in the waiver. Where the suspect makes a spontaneous or voluntary statement before the rights are read, such statements can be admitted provided the statements were not prompted by interrogations. This position clearly shows that Miranda rights are only necessary when law enforcement intends to interrogate a suspect (Burgan, 2006). Miranda rights, policies and procedures, therefore, greatly affect the operations and decision making process within law enforcement. The rights give the suspect protection against self-incrimination as well as providing appropriate guidelines for law enforcement in the manner they interrogate suspects. Miranda policies and procedures assist in determining whether suspects’ statements can be admitted or suppressed in a court of

Assessing Importance of School Factors Such as Racism Essay Example for Free

Assessing Importance of School Factors Such as Racism Essay A variety of material disadvantages that may confront ethnic minorities coming from working class backgrounds are they do not achieve the same level of education. The main achievers are Indian, Chinese and African students, but the lowest achievers are Turkish, Bangladeshi And Afro Caribbean students. The white working class students are the lowest achieving, which is peculiar because most sociologists are white who stereotype and label other students from different backgrounds. The main cause of underachievement in schools are cultural and language factors which sociologists clarify and focus on and are thought to be main cause of everything. Previously the spotlight has been put on what happens in school and racism in common As shown by Cecile Wright, which explains that, Asian students can also be the victims of teachers Cecile found out that regardless of the schools evident promise to equal opportunities, teachers still hold ethnocentric views they believe that British culture and English are greater. This prepared teachers to assume that they would have a poor pronunciation of English and left them out of class debates or used basic, childlike speech when speaking to them. Asian pupils also felt cut off when teachers spoken dissatisfaction of their behaviour or misread their names. Teachers saw them not as a risk but as a difficulty they could take no notice of. This resulted in that Asian pupils in particular the girls were hard-pressed to the limits and disallowed from play a part fully. Close at hand is proof of teacher racial discrimination and harmful labelling. Nevertheless study shows that pupils can take action in variety of ways. They may take action by becoming unsettling or withdrawn but pupils may decline to agree to the label and even choose to prove it incorrect by putting in hard work. Off-putting labels do not repeatedly twist into self-fulfilling prophecy Working class white pupils attain below standards and have lesser desires. There isn’t much parental support at home, which means there is low achievement and goals. Reports show that teachers have to deal with low level of behaviour and discipline in white working class schools. Nevertheless they had fewer kids on benefit programs teachers blame this on inadequate parental support at home and negative attitude that white working class parents have towards their children and their education. The life in the street for white working class can be tough for pupils which means they get used to getting intimidating and intimidate other which they pick up and use in school to cause disruptions and make it hard for other students to succeed at school. Underachievement of student of different is blamed on cultural deprivation. Few sociologists say that Afro-Caribbean families lack a close relationship to their family and therefore are extremely violent towards everything they do. Arguments explain that families aren’t very supportive towards their children and they don’t offer enough cultural capital for their children. Stereotypical views suggest those students are not deprived because of their class or because of their backgrounds. Factors like social class are important to certain ethnic minorities like Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and a considerable amount of Afro-Caribbean students, which are all working class backgrounds in which material deprivation play a main role because to find out why they achieve below the national standards. Sociologists say schools and curriculums made just for one specific group of ethnic minority gives priority to one particular ethnic minority while disregarding other ethnic groups. Some schools have curriculums, which are ethnocentric because they only give priority to English languages. The British curriculum has been described as exclusively British. In history Britain is thought to bring civilisation to ancient people are colonised. Black people as inferior weakens black children’s self esteem and Leads to them to underachieving and failing. It isn’t for sure what effects the ethnocentric study shows that black don’t really suffer from low self esteem. Wright’s study found some ethnic minority groups received poorer interaction from staff. Teachers perceptions were seem as stereotypical although Asian students were seen as good and black students were seen disruptive and disobedient. Study show that schools in cities which contain ethnic minority students were not benefitting in terms of O Levels entries because of being in low set and having to achieve high grade in order to get good results and become successful. Overall taking into consideration we can not split or label ethnicity from social classes and gender since this is really difficult matter as some of the main achieving students are from ethnic minorities so for that reason there isn’t a connection here so we can’t make statements or come to conclusions as to what the association among ethnic groups and schools actually are. Pupils can refuse to accept negative classing and teacher expectations. Sociologists can’t come to a conclusion to explain what occurs between teacher and students or what takes place in different ethnic groups related to education. Students live up to roles they are given but can try to resist the labels and getting put behind by carrying out what is thought of them to do or do what they want to do and achieve good education and become successful.

Introduction to Santander and its market plan

Introduction to Santander and its market plan Santander is one of the largest financial institutes in the world with a consumer base of 66 million people worldwide functioning in 40 countries with 150 years of experience making it the 5th largest bank in the world by profit and the 7th largest by market capitalization (Santander Home Page). The success of a business lies with its collaboration and communication strategies with its customers and clients (Kotler Sitawan, 2007). Santander has enhanced and developed its business by emphasizing the need to communicate and collaborate with consumer and customer demands prior to financial profit and organizational benefits; this is the biggest secret to its success. Marketing has evolved a great deal in the past decade and Kotler describes marketing as the process by which companies create value for customers and build strong relationships in order to capture value from customers in return (Kotler, 1999). 1.1.1 Marketing plan and mission the mission of Santander is dedicated to being a resilient financial institute while embracing a culture of market orientation and making customers priority and forefront of every strategy or plan formulated. The marketing plan for Santander hence stands to endeavor and to seek out and conserve the buoyancy of its customers and offer generous services aligned with consumer expectations and demands (Santander Home Page). 1.1.2 Marketing plan and vision- the vision henceforth is aptly aligned with the mission of the organization by unremittingly creating value products for customers offering a sense of belonging and a family environment where services are beneficial according to their requirements (Santander Home Page). 2.1 Marketing plan in terms of changing market trends Marketing has evolved a great deal and Kotler defined these changes in three stages (1) marketing 1.0 (2) marketing 2.0 and (3) marketing 3.0 (Kotler Sitawan, 2007). The 1.0 marketing strategy is epitomized by Henry Fords marketing strategy with respect to his T automobile Model stating any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black; illustrating that marketing is about selling a single product on a large mass scale bearing in mind feasibility and low cost (Kotler Sitawan, 2007). Henceforth marketing 2.0 signifies technological trends of marketing epitomized as age of participation where collaborative marketing strategies i.e. news, advertisements and online marketing approaches like Wikipedia, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter etc are used for marketing products and services. Most of the organizations functioning in the business world follow and adhere to marketing 2.0 strategies but with the changing trends corporations like Santander have altered th eir marketing strategies by collaborating marketing 2.0 and marketing 3.0 strategy where information technology is collaborated with global marketing approaches as 3.0 is an approach that addresses concerns and desires of global citizens (Kotler Setiawan, 2007). Santander has improved and enhanced its marketing products and service by offering online banking to its customers. However as the competitive market has evolved fiercely the organization has realized a need for change with reference to their services. The rapidly advancing technological trends and consumer demands in accordance to it Santander has aimed to leverage its consumer base to escalate its revenue stream while offering extended services in banking to its customers. Taking all these factors into consideration a marketing plan for Santander thus formulated was to introduce a much more advanced and improved version of online banking ensuing releases supplements new features and functionalities to make it truly state-of-the-art (Santander Home Page). A brief outline of its marketing plan thus follows: 2.1.1 E-Services The corporation with the changing trends aims at the best quality services that are beneficial and according to customer demands and requirements. Santander has launched an online direct savings for Family Planning and Education and is offering the following:  · Childrens savings accounts  · Education savings accounts  · Holiday savings accounts  · Retirement savings accounts While offering these Santander offers the following additional services to its best eminence (Santander Home Page):  · Accepting deposits  · Lending loans  · Transfer of money  · Trustee business  · Safekeeping  · Government business  · Venture capital offering loan for initiation of a risky business  · ATM  · Phone and internet banking  · Deposit insurance schemes 2.2 Marketing plan and product analysis in terms of marketing environment and competitors Family planning and educational savings account is offered by every bank in the world. Santanders marketing environment is highly competitive and rapidly evolving with institutions adapting to advance and current marketing trends in order to enhance consumer base. What makes Santander different and unique in its marketing strategy and service offers is their cost effective and consumer reliable savings accounts and services that prove to be beneficial to their customers in the long and short term. Following is a comparison of its competitors to the e-savings services it offers: Source: www.comparethemarket.com Analyzing the market environment and market trends, Nationwide offers award winning savings accounts with their e-saver account acknowledged by Money-facts as one of the most consistently high-paying internet savings account between 2005 and 2008. The service however is limited and targets a particular set of customers those who can afford it activating it by depositing  £5,000 in their accounts. Their cost-effective and premier services are limited to a particular class in society which is also evident in their limited advertising strategies. The services they offer are (www.natwest.co.uk):  · 2.00% gross p.a./AER with no more than 3 withdrawals annually otherwise it may result in low interest rate  · Savings from  £1 to  £500,000  · Customers holding a Nationwide Flex Account is offered to set up a high interest internet savings account  · Customer not a Nationwide Flex Account members are obligated to open a Flex account online alongside an e-savings Plus Abbey is a collaborative of Santander and is ranked as one of the 10 largest banks worldwide. On the other hand Abbeys marketing strategies and services seem more business oriented with the aim of enhancing revenue stream while offering customer satisfactory services and products. Abbeys allow its customer to open a savings account with a minimum deposit of  £1 while offering them an interest rate of 2.50%. Although a lot of other banks provide the same service i.e. opening a savings account for the amount of  £1 the difference is highlighted in their interest rates which are less then Abbeys. Abbey offers interest rates and savings accounts which helps customers in achieving their saving targets for short and long term. Their advertisement and marketing strategy invokes customers stating whether youre saving up for a new car or just for a rainy day you can get their quicker with an Abbey savings account (www.abbey.co.uk). Abbeys savings account are designed and formulated to suit variety of needs of customers i.e. whether customers are planning to save up annually with the purpose of benefitting from higher interest rates or in need of savings accounts which does not limit withdrawals on the cost of interest rates. The bank offers savings accounts all suited to a variety of customers and a universal mass target. Their product and services are as (Abbeys home page):  · Offers a grand return of 2.50% gross/AER with a bonus of 2.00% gross/AER for the first year while opening a savings account  · Savings from  £1  · Offers round the clock money withdrawals without limitations or penalties  · Calculation of interest on a daily basis with final payment on a monthly basis  · Provision of Financial Services Compensation Scheme Services where savings is cosseted up to  £50,000 The market environment after analyzing both of these financial institutes seems to be fiercely competitive. The comparison of both distinguishes the aims and objectives of both on different yet same plane e.g. Nat-west targets a particular class with limited services with no compromise on quality or performance; hence confining a major part of its services to business customers and their investment securities. In simple words the services of Nat-west are beneficial and reserved for the elite. Abbey, conversely, appeals to the needs and demands to a variety of investors big or small and their services and products are designed for all classes. Evaluating products and services of these two competitors Santander aims to offer services that are not reserved or confined to just one class or a particular set of targeted customers. To establish a strong market plan and marketing approach Santander has launched branches in various destinations nationwide emphasizing that location is significant in marketing strategies. The location of the branches is vigilantly planned out i.e. on high streets and malls etc which are easily accessible by customers. Santander has also invested in promoting branches in the rural area by carefully evaluating the saving rates in both rural and urban areas; and after careful evaluation it seems that people in the rural area tend to save up more as compared to urban areas. Apart from this Santander has launched an easily accessible e-savings family and educational accounts by enhancing its profit margin by 3% (Santander Home Page). The reason for this improvement in profit scale is beneficial with reference to organizational marketing benefits and customer requirements and demands e.g. this service is offered online making it more cost effective i.e. not investing in staff, branching or online advertisement and by offering online bank statements it saves up on cost of postal or printing. Hence it proves beneficial for both customer and the Bank. Santander offers the following services in a competitive market environment (Santander Home Page):  · Great return of 3% gross/AER including a bonus of a free laptop after one year on first commencement of the account  · Savings from  £1  · Customers with current accounts can set up savings accounts on high interest rates  · Withdrawal of money anytime with interest generating on an annual basis  · Customers with e-savings accounts are entitled to a 25% discount on travel 2.2.1 SWOT analysis of Santander Strengths v Introduction to e-savings interest account v Comparatively better interest rates v Ideally suited to a variety of needs v Provision of better discount offers v Being more cost-efficient through e-services Weaknesses v Increased costs associated with more benefits to attract customers Opportunities v Introduction of new branches in rural areas v Moving a product into a new market sector v Benefitting from new technological trends i.e. e-savings and online banking Threats v Increasing competition and threats to the Banking industry from other companies v Decreased investment in savings account due to the current financial climate 2.3 Marketing plan in terms of marketing environment and consumer behavior The marketing environment assessed and evaluated for a marketing plan is derived from two factors (1) motivational factors of consumer attitude (2) amendment of marketing strategies according to changing consumer attitudes and demands (Kotabe Helsen, 2010). Hence in this scenario the marketing environment thus assessed for apposite marketing management are derived from two factors (1) motivational factors or aspirations of people whether to having savings or not (2) amending interest rates with changing consumer attitudes and demands. While evaluating the marketing environment and consumer demands organizations should evaluate products that are in the market and are not appealing to consumers; the best way to overcome such a challenge for the marketer is either to find ways to change the product or change consumer perception (Elliot Roach, 1991). In the banking sector it is known fact that the amount of savings by a consumer escalates with the increase in their income and as econom y strengthens the volume of savings by individuals is likely to grow (Johnson 2004). It is for this reason that consumer attitudes and motivations must be evaluated and aptly assessed to better comprehend how and why flux in savings occurs. What motivates people to save? this aspect of consumer attitude has been researched by the Survey Research Center where it analyzes and evaluates consumer attitudes towards savings. Their findings demonstrate that consumer save for a variety of reasons different from the other and the two major reasons hence highlighted are of two kinds (1) the survey showed that 40 to 45% of individuals save for emergencies or for a rainy day to eliminate the chances of being broke if ever unfortunate turn of events may occur (2) 70% of the individuals surveyed gave a positive outlook to their savings stating that they would save for an early retirement or for family and educational needs or to purchase a house or start a small business (Spiegel Samuels 1984). Due to these factors Santander strives and seeks to preserve and attain consumer confidence by offering products that are aligned with their attitudes and demands and services that comply with their life aspirations and their needs for savings. The following critical path or marketing plan analysis has been established by the organization to follow the launch of e-services: 3.1 Marketing in terms of technological and media trends Kotler has described the enablers of new wave technology the rise of social media and has further classified it into two categories (1) expressice social media (2) collaborative media (Kotler Satiawan, 2007). In recent years the World Wide Web has become one blog and has evolved personal communication for availing economical benefits and gains. This has given rise to new technological trends and changing marketing strategies for organizations like Santander. Consumers products in quick access and easily managed are now rapidly becoming popular by means of e-services or the internet as business social media is low-cost and bias-free and it will be the future of marketing communications (Kotler Satiawan, 2007). Trend-watching becomes essential when it comes to promotion, pricing, positioning and executing a product into the market as it summarizes consumers motivation for product co-creation (Kotler Satiawan, 2007). 3.1.1 Promotion- online advertising a means of collaborative social media trend is rapidly evolving and developing in the business world. The Internet Advertising Bureau and Price water-house Coopers, surveyed a report with reference to online advertising and its growing consumer appeal stating that it grew 41.2.% to reach  £2.02 billion in 2003and it exceeded by 11.4% market share against 10.4% traditional and conventional advertising media i.e. newspapers and magazines. The traditional advertising market saw a 2.9% decline in their market share in 2008 against internet advertising (Shampine, 2003). The three principle categories in online advertising formats i.e. display advertising, paid-for-search and online classified advertising grew by 35%, 52% and 45% respectively generating revenues of  £453.7 million,  £1.2 billion and  £379 million annually, respectively (Shampine, 2003). Recent years have shown a thrust in technological trends particularly in E-services and it is anticipated that this impetus will escalate and advertisers feel prone towards experimenting and benefitting from these technological trends and creating more innovative and appealing advertisements to enhance consumer base. In response to this drastic technological change, Santander Bank is promoting its business through operating a very user attractive website and by using the social Medias such as facebook and twitter. Companys website is where promoting the business also the main aim is to facilitating the customers and management perceived the healthy impacts on customer base of the company. Hence, online advertisements are more beneficial for organizations like Santander. 3.1.2 Pricing- the pricing for the service offered by the Bank should be aligned with consumers motivation for product co-creation. The interest rates should be amended and modified with the changing consumer attitudes and their feasibility. Market evaluation hence for expressive social media becomes essential for Santander to understand and collaborate with consumers and their expectations associated with the organization. 3.1.3 Products- Santander management is continuously seeking the new ways to meet up the needs and demands of their customers by offering them the more competitive and versatile products. The e-savings offered by the Bank is offered to appeal consumers who are pursuing means to save up for a better tomorrow for their families and child well being. The services online offered by Santander include Childrens saving accounts, Education savings accounts, Holiday savings account and Retirement savings account. 3.1.4 Placement- Internet and web has become the fastest growing convenience in the past recent years. However, the bank is offering the combination of both services; online and offline services. Considering that there are areas where the branches have not been setup, e-services are ideal for the customers to access their account details, statements and deposits online. 4.1 Marketing in terms of future sustainability According to the projections released by the Office for National Statics, the population in the UK is anticipated to increase by 4 million to 65.6 million by 2018 highlighting a 1.2% incline per annum. The statistics illustrate that the working population defined as individuals between 16 and 59 is anticipated to increase by 14% i.e. from 38.1.million to 43.3 million in the span between 2008 to 2033. This also means a 1.2% increase per annum and since this is the target of Santanders e-savings services the market evaluation and product projection is carried out with reference to these statistics and information. (Source: www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/pprojnr1009.pdf). According to a published report by Mintel Corporation Ltd. people investing in savings accounts average percentage stands at 40% and which is expected to rise to 42.1% by 2012; demonstrating a  £95.14 per head savings that is to increase to  £98.37 and  £101.29 in 2011 and 2012 respectively (www.statistics.gov.uk). Bearing in mind all these figures and statistics the future prospects of Santanders e-savings can be made hence: Net profit 4,685 5,109 5,538 For future prospects and the firms future reputation will be well managed by controlling launch product effectively and aptly by  · Calculated planning of the e-savings service after vigilant market environment and consumer behavior evaluation and assessment  · Conducting online surveys and creating blogs for feedback and evaluating possible opportunities for modifying product according to consumer needs  · Managing online project management by establishing monitoring and task management teams  · Viral circulation strategies i.e. advertising through expressive social media and collaborative social media  · Refining formats i.e. pricing, promotions, bonuses and discount rates, up-sells and continuous improvement programs for the services being offered  · Synchronizing efforts with in-house staff, outsources and vendors and deliverables from project principles  · Setting up a customer service online operating team available to consumer round the clock. 5.1 Conclusion When undertaking a sustainability initiative it is important to measure the costs, savings, and revenues and other benefits to get all stakeholders on board and the measures should be accurate and honest to evaluate the impact of initiative on financial return and intangible benefits (Cooperman Gifford, 2008).Santander is keen on adapting to the changing technological trends as due to globalization the world has become one block where exchange of ideas, thoughts, personal communication and information is carried out through the evolving internet trend. As the statistics show online advertising is rapidly becoming popular due to the vastly growing number of consumers approaching firms and organizations for their needs and requirements by e-services. The future for Santander stands bright and the high reputation is evident from its inclining market share and consumer base by adapting to the 3.0 marketing strategy in todays business world. This will also enable the organization in comm unicating and collaborating with its customers in a better way and better comprehend their needs and demands and modify their products accordingly.

In a Grove :: essays research papers

Louis Andrei Zabala Litera2 10335625 07/11/05 In A Grove It is a story that provides the ultimate explanation of how two different people who are witnesses to a crime give completely different psychological recollections of the same event. The author reminds us that truth depends on the telling. Someone must step forward and tell that truth. I believe that no matter how many times you read "In A Grove," there's not enough information in the story to figure out the truth about what took place on the day of the samurai's death, but it's still fun to sort out what you think you know for sure, what seems highly probable, what seems highly improbable, and what doesn't fit into any of these three categories. But for me, "In A Grove" isn't about searching for some kind of absolute truth — it's about how differently people perceive the same external event. The best example in the story of what I mean by this is perhaps the sword fight between the bandit and the samurai. The bandit perceived it as a heroic duel between a pair of honorable, expert swordsmen while the woodsman saw two scared, clumsy men stumbling around with swords in their hands as each tried desperately to prevail over the other any way he could. When it's all said and done, you won't know who is telling the truth, who is lying and, mos t importantly, why. Yet the parable is more important, today, perhaps, as a lesson in how we construct the narratives upon which justice depends: What facts must we know to decide the truth? That question makes the author’s inquiry the concern of those who now seek justice in the GMA presidency, as well. And it doesn't matter one bit. The writer isn't interested in truth, lies or anything of the sort. He's interested in reality, and the reality of human truth is that no one will ever really know it.

Feminism and Equal Rights Essay -- Opportunities, Organized Activity, W

Feminism is the belief in equal rights and opportunities, in organized activity, in support of women’s rights and interests, and also in the theory of political, economic, and social equality of the sexes (Merriam-Webster). Typically, the word â€Å"feminism† has a negative connotation associated with it and feminists are stereotyped as closed minded, man hating, ugly, and whiny, among many other things. However, these stereotypes are much exaggerated and while they may be true of some feminists, most are normal women who could not be picked out from a crowd. Modern day feminists are following in the footsteps of their ancestors who starting in the late 1800’s have participated in three major feminist movements (Stockton). The first of these movements occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The goal of the first wave was to open more opportunity doors for women with a main focus on suffrage. The wave officially began at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 (Stockton). Here, over 300 men and women rallied for the equality of women (Ruether). In its early stages, feminism was often related to temperance and abolitionist movements. This first wave of feminism movements if often referred to as the â€Å"Suffrage Movement† (Gender Press). This movement helped give voice to many early stage feminist advocates who are famous today, some of which include Sojourner Truth, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony. These women fought for the right to vote, a privilege that was reserved for men (Stockton). This movement transformed into something much larger when the National Women’s Rights Convention was formed a few years later. This movement led to the 19th Amendment being passed in 1920. The 19th Amendment outlawed gender- biased vot... ...//genderpressing.wordpress.com/2013/08/26/feminism-the-first-wave-2/>. 9. "." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 14 May 2014. . 10. "The History of Second Wave Feminism." Suite. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014. . 11. "Third Wave Foundation." Third Wave Foundation History Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. . 12. "A Manifesto for Third Wave Feminism." Alternet. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. . 13. Duca, Lauren. "A Definitive Guide To Celebrity Feminism In 2013." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 22 Dec. 2013. Web. 15 May 2014. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/22/celebrity-feminisn_n_4476120.html.

Is a College Education Necessary to Succeed in Life Essay

Education is the key that opens the door to all life has to offer. The benefits of a good education, enhanced vision, increased motivation, and improved performance is crucial to being successful in life. Success belongs to those who acquire a good education. Enhanced vision. Getting a good education can help you gain a better view of what you are capable of doing. Education gives a person an enhanced sense of personal control (Schieman and Plickert, 2008). Sound theoretical and empirical research has established that educational attainment is the critical first step in improving communication skills, improving relationship skills and improving your life (Schieman and Plickert, 2008). The most important thing to remember about education is education is the most important element that can help you increase your personal control in life. Increased motivation. Acquiring a good education can also help you improve your station in life. Abraham Maslow believed that what motivates people is a hierarchy of needs beginning at the most basic needs of food, shelter, and clothing and ending in self actualization (Wilson and Madsen, 2008). Maslow believed individuals have the ability through education to become whatever they want to become because the individual has an ability to learn (Wilson and Madsen, 2008). Through using this ability to learn and acquiring education you can find success and you can find the power to change your life. Increased performance Improving your education will improve your chance for success. Getting a good education has a tendency to make you feel good about yourself. When you begin to feel good your life takes on a new meaning and you are able to cast off the garments of a meaningless life and put on the garments of a meaningful life (The humanist, 1992). This change is accomplished through the renewal of your dreams. When you start dreaming again you will begin to learn through structured programs of learning, from friends and family, from daily experiences, and from self reflection (Teare, 1997). Learning will become a fun thing to do. Finally, education equips you with the critical career and life skills that lead to a successful life (Hays, 2008). When you learn through education to listen, have empathy, start caring about life, become persuasive, become aware of the world in which you live, develop foresight or vision, start seeing the big picture, become committed to your growth as a person, become concerned about doing the right thing, and realize that you are a small part of a greater whole (Hays, 2008) then you will be well on your way to being successful in life and will have proved that people really do need education to succeed. References Hays, J. M. (2008). Teacher as servant: Applications of Greenleaf’s servant leadership in higher education. Journal of Global Business Issues, 2(1), 113. Retrieved form ABI/INFORM Global database. Schieman, S. and Plickert, G. (2008). How knowledge is power: Education and the sense of control. Social Forces, 87(1), 153. Retrieved March 31, 2009, from ProQuest Multiple databases.

Economic Systems Essay

Socialism Socialism is an economic system where all the economic decisions are made by the government or a central authority. There will be no private property rights since the government officially owns all resources. It is also known as a command economy or a planned system. Socialist economics refers to the economic theories, practices, and norms of hypothetical and existing socialist economic systems. A socialist economy is based on some form of social ownership, which includes varieties of public ownership and independent cooperatives, over the means of production, wherein production is carried out to directly produce use-value sometimes, but not always, coordinated through economic planning and a system of accounting based on calculation-in-kind or a direct measure of labor-time. The term socialist economics may also be applied to analysis of former and existing economic systems that call themselves â€Å"socialist†, such as the works of Hungarian economist Jà ¡nos Kornai. Socialist economics has been associated with different schools of economic thought, most notably Marxian economics, institutional economics, evolutionary economics and neoclassical economics. Early socialism, like Ricardian socialism, was based on classical economics. During the 20th century, proposals and models for planned economies and market socialism were based heavily on neoclassical economics or a synthesis of neoclassical economics with Marxian or institutional economics. look more:  what is the basic economic problem essay Characteristics 1 Public ownership of resources All the resources are owned and operated by the state or the government in the interest of society as a whole. This is to ensure equal opportunity of all citizens regardless of their income. Public ownership also aims to fully utilize the country’s resources. 2 Central planning authority The central authority is responsible for making economic decisions for society. The authority plans and allocates resources between current consumption and investment for the future. 3 Price mechanism of lesser importance Socialism gives less importance to market forces. Prices are fixed by the government and not determined by demand and supply. Private profits are not allowed and public interest is emphasized in the command economy. 4 Central control and ownership A socialist economy is a fully planned economy where the government intervenes in all aspects of economic activity. The government controls production, consumption, and the distribution of goods and services. Merits of Socialism 1 Production according to basic needs Production in a socialist economy is mainly directed at producing the basic needs of the people such as food, clothing and building materials. It is not determined by the purchasing power of the rich in society. The phenomenon of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer does not exist in the socialist economy. 2 Equal distribution of income and wealth There is no difference between the rich and the poor. This system provides equal opportunity for all citizens in earning an income. Wealth is also equally distributed since private enterprise is limited 3 Better allocation of resourses Under the socialist system, the planning authority will allocate resources between current consumption and future investment. 4 No serious unemployment or recession/ inflation The unemployment rate and inflation are usually taken care of by the government to ensure economic stability in the country. 5 Rapid economic development In a socialism system, the economy grows faster. The main factors responsible for the rapic economic growth are the full utilization of resources, planning and quick decisions. 6 Social welfare The government will provide all citizens of the country with full social security benefits such as pension, accident benefits and others. Since the government is concerned, labour dispute and wastage of resources do not exist in a socialism system. Economic Decisions in a Socialistic System What to produce In Socialism, planning authorities decide what to produce. The Central Planning Authority will collect detailed statistics on the resource availability in the country and link it with national priorities. If the planning authority has a choice of producing computers using more labour or more machinery. How to produce The Central Planning Authority also decided on the techniques to be used in the production of different goods and services. The choice is between traditional and modern technique of production. For example, the planning authority has a choice of producing computers using more labour or more machinery. For whom to produce The distribution of the national product is decided by the Central Planning Authority. The distribution of various commodities among citizens is done through a set of administred fixwd processes. Necessity goods are fixed at lower prices, and luxury goods at higher prices. The purpose of these fixed prices is to reduce inequalities in the distribution of income. Demerits of Socialism 1 Lacks of incentives and initative by individuals Individuals have no profit motive. This will lead to economic inefficiency since jobs are provided by the government and individuals are not motivated to work harder. 2 Loss of economic freedom and consumer sovereignty Under a socialist economy, the central planning authority or the government directs all economic activity. There is no choice given to the consumer and they accept whatever public enterprise produce. There is little variety in the goods and services produced and availability is restricted. Limited private organizations exist in a socialist economy. 3 Absence of competition Since there are limited private enterprises, less research and development (R&D) activities are carried out. This results in low quality products since there is no competition. Socialist economies in theory Robin Hahnel and Michael Albert identify five economic models within the rubric of socialist economics * Public Enterprise Centrally Planned Economy in which all property is owned by the State and all key economic decisions are made centrally by the State, the former Soviet Union. * Public Enterprise State-Managed Market Economy, one form of market socialism which attempts to use the price mechanism to increase economic efficiency, while all decisive productive assets remain in the ownership of the state, e.g. socialist market economy in China after reform. * A mixed economy, where public and private ownership are mixed, and where industrial planning is ultimately subordinate to market allocation, the model generally adopted by social democrats e.g. in twentieth century Sweden. * Public Enterprise Employee Managed Market Economies, another form of market socialism in which publicly owned, employee-managed production units engage in free market exchange of goods and services with one another as well as with final consumers, e.g. mid twentieth century Yugoslavia, Two more theoretical models are Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar’s Progressive Utilization Theory and Economic democracy. * Public Enterprise Participatory Planning, an economy featuring social ownership of the means of production with allocation based on an integration of decentralized democratic planning, e.g. stateless communism, libertarian socialism. An incipient historical forebear is that of Catalonia during the Spanish revolution. More developed theoretical models include those of Karl Polanyi, Participatory Economics and the negotiated coordination model of Pat Devine, as well as in Cornelius Castoriadis’s pamphlet â€Å"Workers’ Councils and the Economics of a Self-Managed Society†. Additionally, Jà ¡nos Kornai identifies five distinct classifications for socialism: * Classical / Marxist conception, where socialism is a stage of economic development in which wage labour, private property in the means of production and monetary relations have been made redundant through the development of the productive forces, so that capital accumulation has been superseded by economic planning. Economic planning in this definition means conscious allocation of economic inputs and the means of production by the associated producers to directly maximise use-values as opposed to exchange-values, in contrast to the â€Å"anarchy of production† of capitalism. * Walrasian / Market Socialist which defines socialism as public-ownership or cooperative-enterprises in a market economy, with prices for producer goods set through a trial-and-error method by a central planning board. In this view, socialism is defined in terms of de jure public property rights over major enterprises. * Leninist conception, which includes a form of political organisation based on control of the means of production and government by a single political party apparatus that claims to act in the interest of the working class, and an ideology hostile toward markets and political dissent, with coordination of economic activity through centralised economic planning (a â€Å"command economy†). * Social Democratic concept, based on the capitalist mode of production, which defines socialism as a set of values rather than a specific type of social and economic organisation. It includes unconditional support for parliamentary democracy, gradual and reformist attempts to establish socialism, and support for socially progressive causes. Social democrats are not opposed to the market or private property; instead they try to ameliorate the effects of capitalism through a welfare state, which relies on the market as the fundamental coordinating entity in the economy and a degree of public ownership/public provision of public goods in an economy otherwise dominated by private enterprise. * East Asian model, or socialist market economy, based on a largely free-market, capital accumulation for profit and substantial private ownership along with state-ownership of strategic industries monopolised by a single political party. Jà ¡nos Kornai ultimately leaves the classification of this model (as either socialist or capitalist) to the reader.[16] What are the disadvantages and advantages of socialism? Advantages of Socialism * In environments with plentiful resources, socialism provides all members with their survival needs, creating a stable social environment. * Members that cannot participate economically – due to disabilities, age, or periods of poor health – can still impart wisdom, emotional support and continuity of experience to the system. * Freedom from work provides opportunity for some societal members to explore non-economically-productive pursuits, such as pure science, math and non-popular arts. Disadvantages of Socialism * Since there is no culling and no economic advantage to working harder, socialistic systems provide no inherent incentive to participate. This makes socialism internally unstable. * Due to a lack of incentives, socialistic systems tend not to be competitive, making them externally unstable. * In times of plenty, immigrants are drawn to the free resources offered by socialistic systems, while potentially adding nothing economically productive. * In times of scarcity, resentment of non-economically-productive members of society increases, causing a destabilizing effect on the society and economy History of socialist economic thought Values of socialism have roots in pre-capitalist institutions such as the religious communes, reciprocal obligations, and communal charity of Mediaeval Europe, the development of its economic theory primarily reflects and responds to the monumental changes brought about by the dissolution of feudalism and the emergence of specifically capitalist social relations. As such it is commonly regarded as a movement belonging to the modern era. Many socialists have considered their advocacy as the preservation and extension of the radical humanist ideas expressed in Enlightenment doctrine such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Discourse on Inequality, Wilhelm von Humboldt’s Limits of State Action, or Immanuel Kant’s insistent defense of the French Revolution. Capitalism appeared in mature form as a result of the problems raised when an industrial factory system requiring long-term investment and entailing corresponding risks was introduced into an internationalized commercial (mercantilist) framework. Historically speaking, the most pressing needs of this new system were an assured supply of the elements of industry – land, elaborate machinery, and labour – and these imperatives led to the commodification of these elements. According to influential socialist economic historian Karl Polanyi’s classic account, the forceful transformation of land, money and especially labour into commodities to be allocated by an autonomous market mechanism was an alien and inhuman rupture of the pre-existing social fabric. Marx had viewed the process in a similar light, referring to it as part of the process of â€Å"primitive accumulation† whereby enough initial capital is amassed to begin capitalist production. The dislocation that Polyani and others describe, triggered natural counter-movements in efforts to re-embed the economy in society. These counter-movements, that included, for example, the Luddite rebellions, are the incipient socialist movements. Over time such movements gave birth to or acquired an array of intellectual defenders who attempted to develop their ideas in theory. As Polanyi noted, these counter-movements were mostly reactive and therefore not full-fledged socialist movements. Some demands went no further than a wish to mitigate the capitalist market’s worst effects. Later, a full socialist program developed, arguing for systemic transformation. Its theorists believed that even if markets and private property could be tamed so as not to be excessively â€Å"exploitative†, or crises could be effectively mitigated, capitalist social relations would remain significantly unjust and anti-democratic, suppressing universal human needs for fulfilling, empowering and creative work, diversity and solidarity. Within this context socialism has undergone four periods: the first in the 19th century was a period of utopian visions (1780s-1850s); then occurred the rise of revolutionary socialist and Communist movements in the 19th century as the primary opposition to the rise of corporations and industrialization (1830–1916); the polarisation of socialism around the question of the Soviet Union, and adoption of socialist or social democratic policies in response (1916–1989) and the response of socialism in the neo-liberal era (1990- ). As socialism developed, so did the socialist system of economics. Utopian socialism The first theories which came to hold the term â€Å"socialism† began to be formulated in the late 18th century, and were termed â€Å"socialism† early in the 19th century. The central beliefs of the socialism of this period rested on the exploitation of those who labored by those who owned capital or rented land and housing. The abject misery, poverty and disease to which laboring classes seemed destined was the inspiration for a series of schools of thought which argued that life under a class of masters, or â€Å"capitalists† as they were then becoming to be called, would consist of working classes being driven down to subsistence wages. Socialist ideas found expression in utopian movements, which often formed agricultural communes aimed at being self-sufficient on the land. These included many religious movements, such as the Shakers in America. Utopian socialism had little to offer in terms of a systematic theory of economic phenomena. In theory, economic problems were dissolved by a utopian society which had transcended material scarcity. In practice, small communities with a common spirit could sometimes resolve allocation problems. Socialism and classical political economy The first organized theories of socialist economics were significantly impacted by classical economic theory, including elements in Adam Smith, Robert Malthus and David Ricardo. In Smith there is a conception of a common good not provided by the market, a class analysis, a concern for the dehumanizing aspects of the factory system, and the concept of rent as being unproductive. Ricardo argued that the renting class was parasitic. This, and the possibility of a â€Å"general glut†, an over accumulation of capital to produce goods for sale rather than for use, became the foundation of a rising critique of the concept that free markets with competition would be sufficient to prevent disastrous downturns in the economy, and whether the need for expansion would inevitably lead to war. Socialist political economy before Marx Charles Fourier, influential early French socialist thinker A key early socialist theorist of political economy was Pierre-Joseph Proudhon. He was the most well-known of nineteenth century mutualist theorists and the first thinker to refer to himself as an anarchist. Others were: Technocrats like Henri de Saint Simon, agrarian radicals like Thomas Spence, William Ogilvie and William Cobbett; anti-capitalists like Thomas Hodgskin; communitarian and utopian socialists like Robert Owen, William Thompson and Charles Fourier; anti-market socialists like John Gray and John Francis Bray; the Christian mutualist William Batchelder Greene; as well as the theorists of the Chartist movement and early proponents of syndicalism. The first advocates of socialism promoted social leveling in order to create a meritocratic or technocratic society based upon individual talent. Count Henri de Saint-Simon was the first individual to coin the term â€Å"socialism†. Simon was fascinated by the enormous potential of science and technology, which led him to advocate a socialist society that would eliminate the disorderly aspects of capitalism and which would be based upon equal opportunities. Simon advocated a society in which each person was ranked according to his or her capacities and rewarded according to his or her work. This was accompanied by a desire to implement a rationally organized economy based on planning and geared towards large-scale scientific and material progress, which embodied a desire for a semi-planned economy. Other early socialist thinkers were influenced by the classical economists. The Ricardian socialists, such as Thomas Hodgskin and Charles Hall, were based on the work of David Ricardo and reasoned that the equilibrium value of commodities approximated producer prices when those commodities were in elastic supply, and that these producer prices corresponded to the embodied labor. The Ricardian socialists viewed profit, interest and rent as deductions from this exchange-value. Das Kapital Karl Marx employed systematic analysis in an ambitious attempt to elucidate capitalism’s contradictory laws of motion, as well as to expose the specific mechanisms by which it exploits and alienates. He radically modified classical political economic theories. Notably, the labor theory of value that had been worked upon by Adam Smith and David Ricardo, was transformed into his characteristic â€Å"law of value† and used for the purpose of revealing how commodity fetishism obscures the reality of capitalist society. His approach, which Engels would call â€Å"scientific socialism†, would stand as the branching point in economic theory: in one direction went those who rejected the capitalist system as fundamentally anti-social, arguing that it could never be harnessed to effectively realize the fullest development of human potentialities wherein â€Å"the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all.†. Das Kapital is one of the many famous incomplete works of economic theory: Marx had planned four volumes, completed two, and left his collaborator Engels to complete the third. In many ways the work is modelled on Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations, seeking to be a comprehensive logical description of production, consumption and finance in relation to morality and the state. It is a work of philosophy, anthropology and sociology as much as one of economics. However, it has several important statements: * The Law of Value Capitalist production is the production of â€Å"an immense multitude of commodities† or generalised commodity production. A commodity has two essential qualities firstly, they are useful, they satisfy some human want, â€Å"the nature of such wants, whether, for instance, they spring from the stomach or from fancy, makes no difference,† and secondly they are sold on a market or exchanged. Critically the exchange value of a commodity â€Å"is independent of the amount of labour required to appropriate its useful qualities.† But rather depends on the amount of socially necessary labour required to produce it. All commodities are sold at their value, so the origin of the capitalist profit is not in cheating or theft but in the fact that the cost of reproduction of labour power, or the worker’s wage, is less than the value created during their time at work, enabling the capitalists to yield a surplus value or profit on their investments. * Historical Property Relations Historical capitalism represents a process of momentous social upheaval where rural masses were separated from the land and ownership of the means of production by force, deprivation, and legal manipulation, creating an urban proletariat based on the institution of wage-labour. Moreover, capitalist property relations aggravated the artificial separation between city and country, which is a key factor in accounting for the metabolic rift between human beings in capitalism and their natural environment, which is at the root of our current ecological dilemmas. * Commodity Fetishism Marx adapted previous value-theory to show that in capitalism phenomena involved with the price system (markets, competition, supply and demand) constitute a powerful ideology that obscures the underlying social relations of capitalist society. â€Å"Commodity fetishism† refers to this distortion of appearance. The underlying social reality is one of economic exploitation. * Economic Exploitation Workers are the fundamental creative source of new value. Property relations affording the right of usufruct and despotic control of the workplace to capitalists are the devices by which the surplus value created by workers is appropriated by the capitalists. * Accumulation Inherent to capitalism is the incessant drive to accumulate as a response to the competitive forces acting upon all capitalists. In such a context the accumulated wealth which is the source of the capitalist’s social power derives itself from being able to repeat the circuit of Money–>Commodity–>Money’, where the capitalist receives an increment or â€Å"surplus value† higher than their initial investment, as rapidly and efficiently as possible. Moreover this driving imperative leads capitalism to its expansion on a worldwide scale. * Crises Marx identified natural and historically specific (i.e. structural) barriers to accumulation that were interrelated and interpenetrated one another in times of crises. Different types of crises, such as realization crises and overproduction crises, are expressions of capitalism’s inability to constructively overcome such barriers. Moreover, the upshot of crises is increased centralization, the expropriation of the many capitalists by the few. * Centralization The interacting forces of competition, endemic crises, intensive and extensive expansion of the scale of production, and a growing interdependency with the state apparatus, all promote a strong developmental tendency towards the centralization of capital. * Material Development As a result of its constant drive to optimize profitability by increasing the productivity of labour, typically by revolutionizing technology and production techniques, capitalism develops so as to progressively reduce the objective need for work, suggesting the potential for a new era of creative forms of work and expanded scope for leisure. * Socialization, and the pre-conditions for Revolution By socializing the labour process, concentrating workers into urban settings in large-scale production processes and linking them in a worldwide market, the agents of a potential revolutionary change are created. Thus Marx felt that in the course of its development capitalism was at the same time developing the preconditions for its own negation. However, although the objective conditions for change are generated by the capitalist system itself, the subjective conditions for social revolution can only come about through the apprehension of the objective circumstances by the agents themselves and the transformation of such understanding into an effective revolutionary program Anarchist economics Anarchist economics is the set of theories and practices of economics and economic activity within the political philosophy of anarchism. Pierre Joseph Proudhon was involved with the Lyons mutualists and later adopted the name to describe his own teachings. Mutualism is an anarchist school of thought that originates in the writings of Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, who envisioned a society where each person might possess a means of production, either individually or collectively, with trade representing equivalent amounts of labor in the free market. Integral to the scheme was the establishment of a mutual-credit bank that would lend to producers at a minimal interest rate, just high enough to cover administration. Mutualism is based on a labor theory of value that holds that when labor or its product is sold, in exchange, it ought to receive goods or services embodying â€Å"the amount of labor necessary to produce an article of exactly similar and equal utility†. Receiving anything less would be considered exploitation, theft of labor, or usury. Collectivist anarchism (also known as anarcho-collectivism) is a revolutionary doctrine that advocates the abolition of the state and private ownership of the means of production. Instead, it envisions the means of production being owned collectively and controlled and managed by the producers themselves. Once collectivization takes place, workers’ salaries would be determined in democratic organizations based on the amount of time they contributed to production. These salaries would be used to purchase goods in a communal market. Collectivist anarchism is most commonly associated with Mikhail Bakunin, the anti-authoritarian sections of the First International, and the early Spanish anarchist movement. The Conquest of Bread by Peter Kropotkin, influential work which presents the economic vision ofanarcho-communism Anarchist communism is a theory of anarchism which advocates the abolition of the state, private property, and capitalism in favor of common ownership of the means of production, direct democracy and a horizontal network of voluntary associations and workers’ councils with production and consumption based on the guiding principle: â€Å"from each according to ability, to each according to need†. Unlike mutualism, collectivist anarchism and marxism, anarcho-communism as defended by Peter Kropotkin and Errico Malatesta rejected the labor theory of value altogether, instead advocating a gift economy and to base distribution on need. Anarchist communism as a coherent, modern economic-political philosophy was first formulated in the Italian section of the First International by Carlo Cafiero, Emilio Covelli, Errico Malatesta, Andrea Costa and other ex-Mazzinian Republicans. Out of respect for Mikhail Bakunin, they did not make their differences with collectivist anarchism explicit until after Bakunin’s death. By the early 1880s, most of the European anarchist movement had adopted an anarchist communist position, advocating the abolition of wage labour and distribution according to need. Ironically, the â€Å"collectivist† label then became more commonly associated with Marxist state socialists who advocated the retention of some sort of wage system during the transition to full communism. After Marx Marx’s work sharpened the existing differences between the revolutionary and non-revolutionary socialists. Non-revolutionary socialists took inspiration from the work of John Stuart Mill, and later Keynes and the Keynesians, who provided theoretical justification for (potentially very extensive) state involvement in an existing market economy. According to the Keynesians, if the business cycle could be solved by national ownership of key industries and state direction of their investment, class antagonism would be effectively tamed a compact would be formed between labour and the capitalists. There would be no need for revolution; instead Keynes looked to the eventual â€Å"euthanasia of the rentier† sometime in the far future. Joan Robinson and Michael Kalecki employed Keynesian insights to form the basis of a critical post-Keynesian economics that at times went well beyond liberal reformism. Many original socialist economic ideas would also emerge out of the trade union movement In the wake of Marx, â€Å"Marxist† economists developed many different, sometimes contradictory tendencies. Some of these tendencies were based on internal disputes about the meaning of some of Marx’s ideas, including the ‘Law of Value’ and his crisis theory. Other variations were elaborations that subsequent theorists made in light of real world developments. For example the monopoly capitalist school saw Paul A. Baran and Paul Sweezy attempt to modify Marx’s theory of capitalist development, which was based upon the assumption of price competition, to reflect the evolution to a stage where both economy and state were subject to the dominating influence of giant corporations. World-systems analysis, would restate Marx’s ideas about the worldwide division of labour and the drive to accumulate from the holistic perspective of capitalism’s historical development as a global system. Accordingly, Immanuel Wallerstein, writing in 1979, maintained that â€Å"There are today no socialist systems in the world-economy any more than there are feudal systems because there is only one world-system. It is a world-economy and it is by definition capitalist in form. Socialism involves the creation of a new kind of world-system, neither a redistributive world-empire nor a capitalist world-economy but a socialist world-government. I don’t see this projection as being in the least utopian but I also don’t feel its institution is imminent. It will be the outcome of a long social struggle in forms that may be familiar and perhaps in very few forms, that will take place in all the areas of the world-economy.† Meanwhile other notable strands of reformist and revolutionary socialist economics sprung up that were either only loosely associated with Marxism or wholly independent. Thorsten Veblen is widely credited as the founder of critical institutionalism. His idiosyncratic theorizing included acidic critiques of the inefficiency of capitalism, monopolies, advertising, and the utility of conspicuous consumption. Some institutionalists have addressed the incentive problems experienced by the Soviet Union. Critical institutionalists have worked on the specification of incentive-compatible institutions, usually based on forms of participatory democracy, as a resolution superior to allocation by an autonomous market mechanism. Another key socialist, closely related to Marx, Keynes, and Gramsci, was Piero Sraffa. He mined classical political economy, particularly Ricardo, in an attempt to erect a value theory that was at the same time an explanation of the normal distribution of prices in an economy, as well that of income and economic growth. A key finding was that the net product or surplus in the sphere of production was determined by the balance of bargaining power between workers and capitalists, which was in turn subject to the influence of non-economic, presumably social and political factors.