The Cathedral by Raymond Carver an Example of the Topic Literature Essays by

The Cathedral by Raymond Carver Raymond Carver is a writer who had been an author in which did not have a regular story compared to other writers. He had often placed very different characters in the same story and creates twists for the readers to reflect and analyzes (Rebein, 22-25). In the story cathedral, he does the same thing strategy and makes his readers connect the dots with the lesson he wants them to learn. The story "Cathedral" written by Raymond Carver is not like any typical literature which could be found anywhere. The story is also not a regular tale which could be found any where else due to the shifting of the story, the characters and the theme of the story. It is not often that a literature is pertaining about a religion or belief of any individuals (Parks, 723). Need essay sample on "The Cathedral by Raymond Carver" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed With the story of the Cathedral, the narrator of the story had been very puzzled with different kinds of actions of the blind manRobert. Like what the narrator had said in the story, he had never encountered any blind person in his life. It was only in the movies that he was able to experience and learn about the basics of being blind. But then, he was clear that this is not enough in order for him to realize the real situation of a blind person. In the continuing story of the cathedral, it was kind of unlikely that the narrators wife had kept a deep relationship with a blind man. For a normal person, being close to a blind person is mostly irregular. First, blind persons are not as expressive and as friendly as Robert. Most of them are quiet for the reason that they are trying to feel the aura of the placeif they are not familiar with it. Blind individuals are usually feeling the person that they are with. Usually, they try to sense the person whether he or she is good or bad. On th e other hand, Robert was nothing like others; he was very friendly and has a positive approach towards different kinds of things. Through the writing of the author, it could be felt that Robert is not close to a personality of a blind man. University Students Usually Tell Us:I'm don't want to write my essay online. I want to spend time with my girlfriendEssay writers suggest:Find Your Helping Hand!Essays Already Done For You Cheap Essays Online Essay Company Best Essay Writing Company It was stated that the narrator did not have any clue to what type of person the blind man was. However, he does know that her wife was closely related to him before he even came to their house. As obviously as it seems, the husband was did not think that having the blind man come to their house was something positive for him. He admittedly said that he did not feel good about it due to the past relationship which had taken place with the blind man and his wife. But still, he did not condone the desire of his wife to accept the blind man in their home. Even before the blind man came to their home, the husband have already clarified that he did not see the positive outcome of this visit. Like a typical man who is not open to new things and changes, he did not open the possibility that there was something different with the blind man. The narrator already assumed that the blind man was only someone who was helpless and is so needy that he needed someone to be there for him. In addition , his wife had highlighted to him that the blind man had just lost his wife which meant that he was lonely. But then the story gave a different twist to the character of the blind man. In the course of the story the narrators wife was described to have a close relation with Robert. As noted, she was clutching the blind man on his arm while they were walking. There was also a time in which the wife went out of the car having a big smile on her face in which the husband find very unusual. In the story, the wife did not express any happiness until Robert came to their home. Normally, the woman was having a small talk with her husband but it did not seem as if they had a deep connection unlike she and Robert has. It was also stated that Robert and the wife had a close relationship due to the tapes which they had been recording to one another in order to stay in touch with one another. After the time Robert came into their house, the narrator tried to fit in the friendship of his wife and the blind man. He was trying not to be left out of the conversation they were having. The narrator continuously spurs different thoughts while both of them laughed and mingle with one another (Bullock, 344). In one way or the other, it really seemed that the narrator had become jealous of the action and devotion of his wife to the man whom she had never seen for a decade (Facknitz 290). In some points of the story, the narrator was trying to wait for his name to come out to the mouth of his wife. But then, his wife never mentioned his name but only pertains to him as her husband. Whenever the wife was looking at him it was a look due to irritation or disappointment. There was no loving feeling or a feeling that she adores her husband. Instead it was only a feeling that she wants her husband to disappear and leave them alone while both of them have fun. The adoration was all focuse d on a man who she had worked for only a few months while the person she have chosen to marry had become some kind of a stranger to her. The connection with the wife and the narrator seemed rocky which could be translated that they usually have misunderstandings. While on the other hand, the wife and Robert had a different relationshipa closeness which seems could never be leveled to the relationship of the husband and the wife. The closeness of Robert and the wife could be concluded that they had an intimate relationship in the past. Due to the lines which stated that: "at the end of the summer she let the blind man run his hands over her face, said good-bye to him."(Carver 163). In addition, it seems like the wife and the husband have conflict to their beliefs and their relationships which each other. Therefore, making the assumption that the jealously was really the emotion in which the husband felt while being with them. In the side of religion and beliefs, the author had closely highlighted that the couple does not have any type of faith that they hold on to. The husband simply stated that he did not have any belief in which he focuses on. At some point, it could be assumed that this is the problem of the couple. No one of them believed anything or did not believe in the same things. Another proof is that when the time the couple was still dating, the husband was not paying attention to the interest of his wife. It was already a sign in which the couples interest was not linked to each other, making them separated and disconnected. Therefore the relationship of the couple is very dry and unhappy. It could be seen, that the woman tried to find someone who she could connect with in which she found with his long time friend Robert. The blind man evidently makes the wife of the narrator very enthusiastic of the things that interest him. The little actions in which the blind was doing was something very special for the wife while the husbands acts were not given as much attention by the woman in the story. While reading the story, it could immediately felt that the couple did not have much passion with one another. Maybe they had but then the sparks had now been totally lost. Although the couple clearly had the means to all they need, they did seem dissatisfied with one another. At some point, the husband stated that there was never a time in which both of them slept at the same time. It was usually the woman who sleeps first and he only follows when he is really tired and sleepy. In every happy relationship, one of the most intimate parts of their daily lives is being together in bed sleeping beside each other. Given that they do not share such thing, it could be easily assumed that they have an unhappy relationship. Not only unhappy but unsatisfied with their state within the couples relationship and immediately seen that there is a problem between them (Bosha 149-151). In conclusion, the whole story which is written by Raymond Carver is something that every one must readmost especially those people who are in need to enlightenment. Robert was seen in the story as someone who had just came out of no where and suddenly became their visitor. He was a friend of the narrators wife but then, the husband has no idea about him until he came to their home. The blind man could be easily seen as someone who had separated the couple for quite a while because the wife became fond of Robert instead of her husband. He became one of the huge obstacles for the couple to overcome but in the long run, the blind man was able to make the narrator realize that there is really more to life than the normal life that every person is taking. Most of the time, normal individuals only see what their eyes are seeing. Human beings become distracted by the material things and the physical things they see that it becomes a problem for them. The physical world becomes a mask of so mething that is really basic. Blind people experience such things all the time, having seen movies which had blind characters in them it is often that they are the ones very positive in life. They were the ones who had the wisdom about every thing while the individual who is perfectly fine had more problems and hassles in their life (Bosha 150). Another problem that could be seen in the story is the concern regarding making life very complicated for one another. In the story, it is often seen that the wife and the husband mostly worry about themselves. The wife often stresses herself that she needed to take care of Robert and help him figure his way around. The husband on the other hand was insecure of himself that he keeps on telling Robert that he was not good in describing things. Robert on the other side was very calmtrying state that he was generally alright. Most people do not realize that worrying too much had become something that controls us which leads us to not appreciating the basic things in life and also hinders us from being ourselves (Carver 170). During the end part of the story, it had been very obvious that the narrator was being insecure towards his abilities. Provided that maybe he was not really a person who had a descriptive skill but Robert taught him that it is never too late to learn and discover new things and learn that he has the ability to do other things and conquer his fears. In the end, fear (Carver 169), insecurity and jealously had been the major problems of the couple. With the help of a long time friend of her wife, the visit had not only become a typical weekend but a learning experience for all of them (Schnapp, 169). Work Cited Bosha, Francis J. "Raymond Carver, Cathedral." Thought Currents in English Literature 57 (1984): 149-151. Bullock, Chris. "From Castle to Cathedral: The Architecture of Masculinity in Raymond Carvers Cathedral." Journal of Mens Studies. 2.4 (2000): 343-348. Proquest Research Library. Sacramento City Coll. Lib., Sacramento, CA. 02 Dec. 2006. Carver, Raymond. "Cathedral." Short Fiction: Classic and Contemporary. 5th ed. Ed. Charles Bohner and Lyman Grant. Upper Saddle River: Prentice, 2002. 163-172. Facknitz, Mark A. R. "The Calm, A Small Good Thing, and Cathedral: Raymond Carver and the Rediscovery of Worth." Studies in Short Fiction. 23.3 (1986): 287-296. Literature Resource Parks, John G. "American Short Stories Since 1945." New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. Schnapp, Patricia. "A Review of Cathedral." Western American Literature 20.2 (1985): 168-169. Rebein, Robert. "Hicks, Tribes, & Dirty Realists." United States of America: University Press of Kentucky, 2001

Play script Essays - Culture, Human Behavior, Entertainment

Play script Essays - Culture, Human Behavior, Entertainment Group Play Script Man living in his house Narrator: old man Jones living there. he's been there for a long time. All his memories are here. Landlord comes and (air knock on door) "Hello Mr. Jones how are you" "I'm here to notify you that as of next month the rent prices will be increasing" (charges more on living space) "I'm sorry sir, but the developer told me i had to raise the prices, the competition of the housing complexes is getting fierce" "Besides there's other people willing to pay more for this house" "I have to keep up with the market you know" Narrator: this is an example of capitalism. With the mindset to maximise profit the landlord has kicked the elderly man out Man is obviously upset, talks about family and living here forever Man is homeless now Narrator: Fast forward this man is now homeless and the home that held all his memories is now for sale "White man" Connor comes talks to the landlord and inquires about the property and talks about how cheap the living area is. Narrator: The price of living went from 800 to 1,600 which was a steal for Connor Narrator: in a fit of rage Jones fights Connor and gets arrested *i'm arresting him* Jones realizes Connor has taken his home As narrator returns to spot Landlord: "I'm sorry for what just happened our neighborhood has changed drastically and some people just aren't happy with it" "the crime rate has actually decreased in this neighborhood" Narrator: This is a prime example of Pyrrhic defeat which is a theory by J. Reiman. Pyrrhic defeat theory explains how the criminal justice system serves the rich by its failure to defeat crime. The criminal just creates the image that crime is exclusively the work of the poor which in turn serves the interest of the powerful. The crimes done by poor people has been reported as going down but by the pyrrhic defeat theory it is just being masked to hide the true crime which in this case is gentrification that is being done by the developers. Starts presentation Gentrification is: the process in which affluent people move into poor homes and neighborhoods and attract new and more expensive businesses

Sociology - write an essay about the main theoretical perspectives

Sociology - write an about the main theoretical perspectives. Compare and contrast the explanations offered by the different theoretical perspectives with regard to the family - Essay Example Similarly sociology can be studied from a majority/minority perspective wherein the issues and problems faced by minority communities are given special attention. Ultimately, all these approaches have one thing in common, namely, the identification of pressing social problems and devising of ways to alleviate them. While these conceptual analyses are usually applied to large groups of people such as the inhabitants of cities, counties and states, the family could be considered the fundamental unit of society. Hence a good understanding of these interpersonal human interactions at the level of the family is essential for grasping the broader picture. The rest of this essay will delve further into various prominent theoretical perspectives with regard to the family. â€Å"Simply put, a theory is an explanation of a fact pattern. Social scientists generally do not develop theories to explain individual cases or incidents. Rather, theories are developed to explain how and why certain things happen, particularly when those things happen repeatedly. For example, scientists and therapists realized that a lot of couples who get divorced exhibit certain patterns of destructive conflict. Scientific theories serve a number of useful functions. Perhaps the most basic function of a theory is to explain how and why a phenomenon occurs or operates. A related function of theories is to predict when a phenomenon might or might not happen.† (Segrin, 2005) Hence, from the above definition of a sociological theory one can see its importance in resolving family issues and alleviating interpersonal conflict between family members. An important theory relating to the institution of family is called the Family Systems theory which was derived from the broader General Systems Theory (GST), â€Å"which is a theoretical perspective developed for explaining how elements of a

Research of self-defence case Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Of self-defence case - Research Paper Example The government view is that, after Belcher confronted Suber, he went ahead, retrieved a gun from Brown and began shooting Suber with no excuse. the state affirms that the killing has to be unlawful and thus instructs the jury that the malice be inferred for the use of the deadly weapon (California Center for Research and Education in Government 86). The states stress that courts have been bestowed powers to settle fixtures in the criminal systems of the company. 2) What is the prosecutor's point of view? From the prosecutor’s point of view, Belcher is guilty and has two counts of charges to answer. One of the charges is that Belcher committed murder while the second one is the possession of the illegal firearm. The prosecutor finds sufficient evidence to believe that Belcher committed the heinous act, it is for this reason that the prosecutor instructs the jury to convict Belcher for murder and the illegal possession of the firearm. The prosecutor refers the charges with respe ct to Belcher’s murder reiterating that his act contravenes the state law regarding human conduct. According to the prosecutor, Murder is the unlawful killing with malice, which may be inferred by the deadly weapons or from the circumstances that may be proved by the state. According to the prosecutor, the law presumes malice from the homicide and therefore Belcher is guilty of the offense. However, the prosecutor does not take the step of prosecuting Belcher. In his response to the judgment of the jury that warrants the jury to charge Belcher for murder and voluntary manslaughter, the prosecutor finds the inference of malice regarding the use of the deadly weapon as no longer being a good law in South Carolina. He therefore makes a ruling that Belcher’s convictions be reversed and remand for a new trial to begin. The prosecutor arrives at this verdict owing to the conflicting testimonies presented at the pretrial chamber. 3) What is the element of the crime? The eleme nts of the crime are the use of the deadly weapon and malice. However, the evidence of self-defense and malice are presented with respect to this case. The evidence of malice in this case is evidenced by Belcher’s use of handgun. It is however, perceived that the notion of charging malice by the use of the deadly weapon is harmless. This makes the case complicated. 4) What is the issue inference, Mens Rea, Actus Res, or Presumptuous? The issue inference here is the Suber’s murder subject to malice. Belcher portrays the Actus reas in his submission of evidence when he states that, his decision to shoot Suber was an attempt to defend him (West Publishing Company 270). The evidence provided is presumptuous and thus fail to catch the prosecutor’s admissibility. It is therefore, upon the jury’s decision to make valid ruling regarding the pursuance of justice. It is important to note that presumption is not applicable when the circumstances and facts related to the homicide are disclosed in evidence in a manner that it draws a conclusion of malice. Presumptions are used as substitutes when theirs is a lack of direct proof. In Belcher’s case, presumption is employed owing to lack of sufficient evidence. 5) What was the previous Law? It emerges that the prosecution embraced the Bishop criminal law previously. Subject to this law, the inference of malice was drawn from the use of deadly weapons especially in the act of

Firstmover Advantage Essay Example for Free

Firstmover Advantage Essay What, exactly, are first-mover advantages? Under what conditions do they arise, and by what specific mechanisms? Do first-movers make aboveaverage profits? And when is it in a firm’s interest to pursue first-mover opportunities, as opposed to allowing rivals to make the pioneering investments? In this paper we examine these and other related questions. We categorize the mechanisms that confer advantages and disadvantages on first-mover firms, and critically assess the relevant theoretical and empirical literature. The recent burgeoning of theoretical work in industrial economics provides a rich set of models that help make our understanding of first-mover advantages more precise. There is also a growing body of empirical literature on order-of-entry effects. Our aim is to begin to provide a more detailed mapping of mechanisms and outcomes, to serve as a guide for future research. We define first-mover advantages in terms of the ability of pioneering firms to earn positive economic profits (i. e. , profits in excess of the cost of capital). First-mover advantages arise endogenously within a multi-stage process, as illustrated in Figure 1. In the first stage, some asymmetry is generated, enabling one particular firm to gain a head start over rivals. This first-mover opportunity may occur because the firm posesses some unique resources or foresight, or simply because of luck. Once this asymmetry is generated there are a variety of mechanisms that may enable the firm to exploit its position; these mechanisms enhance the magnitude or durability (or both) of first-mover profits. Our discussion is organized as follows. We first consider theoretical models and empirical evidence on three general categories in which first-mover advantage can be attained: leadership in product and process technology, preemption of assets, and development of buyer switching costs. We then examine potential disadvantages of first-mover firms (or conversely, relative advantages enjoyed by late-mover rivals). These include free-rider problems and a tendency toward inertia or sluggish response by established incumbents. The next section addresses a series of basic conceptual issues. These include the endogenous nature of first-mover opportunities, and various definitional and measurement questions. We conclude with an assessment of opportunities for additional research, and a summary of managerial implications. 1 MECHANISMS LEADING TO FIRST-MOVER ADVANTAGES First-mover advantages arise from three primary sources: (1) technological leadership, (2) preemption of assets, and (3) buyer switching costs. Within each category there are a number of specific mechanisms. 1 In this section we survey the existing theoretical and empirical literature on these three general categories of first-mover advantages. The theoretical models surveyed in this section assume the existence of some initial asymmetry among competitors that can be exploited by the first-mover firm. This intial asymmetry is critical; without it first-mover. advantages do not arise. Later in the paper we consider ways in which this asymmetry may come about. Technological Leadership First-movers can gain advantage through sustainable leadership in technology. Two basic mechanisms are considered in the literature: (1) advantages derived from the â€Å"learning† or â€Å"experience† curve, where costs fall with Cumulative output, and (2) success in patent or RD races, where advances in product or process technology are a function of RD expenditures. Learning curve In the standard learning-curve model, unit production costs fall with cumulative output. This generates a sustainable cost advantage for the early entrant if learning can be kept proprietary and the firm can maintain leadership in market share. This argument was popularized by the Boston Consulting Group during the 1970s and has had a considerable influence on the strategic management field. In a seminal theoretical paper, Spence (1981) demonstrated that when learning can be kept proprietary, the learning curve can generate substantial barriers to entry. Fewer than a handful of firms may be able to compete profitably. 2 However, despite high seller concentration there are incentives for vigorous competition. Firms that do enter may initially sell below cost Rumelt (1987) refers to these as â€Å"isolating mechanisms,† since they protect â€Å"entrepreneurial rents† from imitative competition. 2 1n a related setting where learning depends on accumulated investment rather than output, Gilbert and Harris (1981) show that a first-mover will preempt in the construction of new plants over multiple generations. 1 2 in an effort to accumulate greater experience, and thereby gain a long-term cost advantage. Such vigorous competition sharply reduces profits. Empirical evidence supporting such learning-based preemption is given by Ghemawat (1984) in the case of DuPont’s development of an innovative process for titanium dioxide, and by Porter (1981) who discusses Proctor and Gamble’s sustained advantage in disposable diapers in the US. Similarly, Shaw and Shaw (1984) argue that late entrants into European synthetic fiber markets failed to gain significant market shares or low cost positions, and many ultimately exited. Learning-based advantages are also evident in the case of Lincoln Electric Company (Fast, 1975); the firm’s early market entry with superior patented products, coupled with a distinctive managerial system promoting continued cost reduction in an evolutionary technological environment, has enabled the company to sustain remarkably high profitability. Inter-firm diffusion of technology, which diminishes first-mover advantages derived from the learning curve, is emphasized in theoretical papers by Ghemawat and Spence (1985) and Lieberman (1987c). It is now generally recognized that diffusion occurs rapidly in most industries, and learning-based advantages are less widespread than was commonly believed in the 1970s. Mechanisms for diffusion include workforce mobility, research publication, informal technical communication, â€Å"reverse engineering,† plant tours, etc. For a sample of firms in ten industries, Mansfield (1985) found that process technology leaks more slowly than product technology, but competitors typically gain access to detailed information on both products and processes within a year of development. Lieberman (1982, 1987b) shows that diffusion of process technology enabled late entry into a sample of forty chemical product industries, despite strong learning curve effects at the industry level. R~Dand patents When technological advantage is largely a function of RD expenditures, pioneers can gain advantage if technology can be patented or maintained as trade secrets. This has been formalized in the theoretical economics literature in the form of RD or patent races where advantages are often enjoyed by the first-mover firm. Gilbert and Newberry (1982) were the first to develop a model of preemptive patenting, in which a firm with an early head-start in research exploits its lead to deter rivals from entering the patent race. Subsequent papers by Reinganum (1983), Fudenberg, et 3 al. (1983) and others showed that that preemption by the leader depends on assumptions regarding the stochastic nature of the RD process and whether it is possible for followers to â€Å"leapfrog† ahead of the incumbent. One general defect of this patent race literature is that all returns are assumed to go exclusively to the winner of the race. As an empirical matter, such patent races seem to be important in only a few industries, such as pharmaceuticals. In most industries, patents confer only weak protection, are easy to â€Å"invent around,† or have transitory value given the pace of technological change. For a sample of 48 patented product innovations in pharmaceuticals, chemicals and electrical products, Mansfield et al. (1981) found that on average, imitators could duplicate patented innovations for about 65% of the innovators cost; imitation was fairly rapid, with 60% of the patented innovations imitated within four years. Imitation appeared relatively more costly in the pharmaceutical industry, where immitators must go through the same regulatory approval procedures as the innovating firm. Levin et al. (1984) found wide inter-industry variation in the cost and time required for imitation. They also found inter-industry differences in appropriability mechanisms, with lead-time and learning curve advantages relatively important in many industries, and patents important in few. In a study using the PIMS data base, Robinson (1988) found that pioneer firms benefit from patents or trade secrets to a significantly greater extent than followers (29% vs. 13%). However, he also found that patents accounted for only a small proportion of the perceived quality advantages enjoyed by pioneers. Several case studies have examined the role of patents in sustaining firstmover advantages. Bresnahan (1985) discusses Xerox’s use of patents as an entry barrier. In addition to key patents on the basic Xerography process, Xerox patented a thicket of alternative technologies which defended the firm from entry until challengers used anti-trust actions to force compulsory licensing. Bright (1949) argues that GE’s long-term dominance of the electric lamp industry was initially derived from control of the basic Edison patent, and later maintained through the accumulation of hundreds of minor patents on the lamp and associated equipment. RD and innovation need not be limited to physical hardware; firms also make improvements in managerial systems and may invent new organizational forms. Organizational innovation is often slow to diffuse, and hence may convey more durable first-mover advantage than product or process innovation (Teece, 1980). Chandler (1977) describes managerial innovations that enabled producers to exploit newly-available scale economies in 4 manufacturing and distribution in the late 19th century. Many of these firms—e. g. , American Tobacco, Campbell Soup, Quaker Oats, Proctor and  Gamble—still retain dominant positions in their industries. Preemption of Scarce Assets The first-mover firm may be able to gain advantage by preempting rivals in the acquisition of scarce assets. Here, the first-mover gains advantage by controffing assets that already exist, rather than those created by the firm through development of new technology. Such assets may be physical resources or other process inputs. Alternatively, the assets may relate to positioning in â€Å"space,† including geographic space, product space, shelf space, etc. Preemption of input factors II the first-mover firm has superior information, it may be able to purchase assets at market prices below those that will prevail later in the evolution of the market. Such assets include natural resource deposits and prime retailing or manufacturing locations. Here, the returns garnered by the first-mover are pure economic rents. 3 A first-mover with superior information can (in principle) collect all such rents earned on non-mobile assets such as resource deposits and real estate. 4 The firm may also be able to appropriate some of the rents that accrue to potentially mobile assets such as employees, suppliers and distributors. The firm can collect such rents if these factors are bound to the firm by switching costs, so that their mobility is restricted. One empirical study of first-mover advantages in controlling natural resources is Main (1955). Main argues that the concentration of high-grade nickel deposits in a single geographic area made it possible for the first company in the area to secure rights to virtually the entire supply, and thus dominate world production for decades. The basic argument is sta-ndard economic analysis, and can be traced back to Ricardo’s analysis of rents captured by landowners (first-movers) in the market for wheat in 19th century England. 4 Note that with complete markets, a first-mover with superior information need not actually own or control such assets to capture economic rents. Hirshleifer (1971) argues that if futures markets exist, the firm can simply assume forward market positions that exploit its superior information. 3 5 Preemption of locations in geographic and product characteristics space First-movers may also be able to deter entry through strategies of spatial preemption. In many markets there is â€Å"room† for only a limited number of profitable firms; the first-mover can often select the most attractive niches and may be able to take strategic actions that limit the amount of space available for subsequent entrants. Preemptable â€Å"space† can be interpreted broadly to include not only geographic space, but also shelf space and â€Å"product characteristics space† (i. e. , niches for product differentiation). The theory of spatial preemption is developed in papers by Prescott and Vissher (1977), Schmalensee (1978), Rao and Ruttenberg (1979) and Eaton and Lipsey (1979, 1981). The basic argument is that the first-mover can establish positions in geographic or product space such that latecomers find it unprofitable to occupy the interstices. If the market is growing, new niches are filled by incumbents before new entry becomes profitable. 5 Entry is repelled through the threat of price warfare, which is more intense when firms are positioned more closely. Incumbent commitment is provided through sunk investment costs. 6 The empirical evidence suggests that successful preemption through geographic space packing is rare. In their study of the cement industry, Johnson and Parkman (1983) found no evidence of successful geographic preemption even though structural characteristics of the industry suggest that such strategies would be likely. In a study of local newspaper markets, Glazer (1985) found no difference in survival rates between first- and second-mover firms. One explanation for these findings is that all firms in cement and newspaper markets have similar technologies and entry opportunities, so preemptive competition for preferred sites drives profits to zero. In other words, there were no initial asymmetries in timing or information to be exploited. One counter-example illustrating effective geographic preemption is a case study of the Wal-Mart discount retailing firm (Ghemawat, 1986b). Wal-Mart targeted small southern towns located in contiguous areas that competitors initially found unprofitable to serve. By coupling spatial preemption at the retail level with an. extremely efficient distribution network, the firm has been able to defend its position and earn sustained high profits. Schmalensee (1978) developed his model of product space preemption in lncumbents fill these niches in order to sustain monopoly profits at nearby locations; these profits may be dissipated if new entry occurs. 6 judd (1985) argues that sunk costs are not sufficient; exit costs are required as well. 5 6 the context of a lawsuit brought by the Federal Trade Commission against the three major US breakfast cereal companies. The FTC alleged that these firms had sustained their high profit rates through a strategy of tacit collusion in preempting supermarket shelf space and product differentiation niches. Although the lawsuit was dismissed, the cereal firms have continued to sustain exceptionally high profit rates. 7 Robinson and Fornell (1985) found that new consumer product pioneers initially held product quality superiority over imitators, and eventually developed advantages in the form of a broader product line. Thus, there is some evidence that pioneers try to reinforce their early lead by filling product differentiation niches. Preemptive investment in plant and equipment Another way in which an established first-mover can deter entry is through pre-emptive investment in plant and equipment. Here, the enlarged capacity of the incumbent serves as a commitment to maintain greater output following entry, with price cuts threatened to make entrants unprofitable. In these models, the incumbent may successfully deter new entry, as in Spence (1977), Dixit (1980), Gilbert and Harris (1981) and Eaton and Ware (1987). Alternatively, pre-emptive investment by the pioneer may simply deter the growth of smaller entrants, as in Spence (1979) and Fudenberg and Tirole (1983). These investment tactics do not seem to be particularly important in practice. Gilbert (1986) argues that most industries lack the cost structure required for preemptive investment to prove effective. Lieberman (1987a) shows that preemptive investment by incumbents was seldom successful in deterring entry into chemical product industries. One exception was magnesium, where Dow Chemical maintained a near monopoly position for several decades, based largely on investments (threatened or actual) in plant capacity (Lieberman, 1983). The role of scale economies is intentionally de-emphasized in the abovementioned models of preemptive investment. 8 When scale economies are large, first-mover advantages are typically enhanced, with the limiting case being that of natural monopoly. However, outside of public utilities, scale 7 8 0f course, these profits may be derived from sources other than spatial preemption. have also ignored the possibility that network externalities may enhance the po- sition of the first-mover firm. These externalities arise if there are incentives for interconnection or compatibility among users. (See, for example, Farrell and Saloner (1986) and Katz and Shapiro (1986). ) 7 economies approaching the natural monopoly level are seldom observed in US manufacturing industries. 9 In a theoretical treatment, Schmalensee (1981) shows that in most realistic industry settings, scale economies provide only minor entry barriers and hence potential for enhanced profits. Switching Costs and Buyer Choice Under Uncertainty Switching costs First-mover advantages may also arise from buyer switching costs. With switching costs, late entrants must invest extra resources to attract customers away from the first-mover firm. Several types of switching costs can arise. First, switching costs can stem from initial transactions costs or investments that the buyer makes in adapting to the seller’s product. These include the time and resources spent in qualifying a new supplier, the cost of ancillary products such as software for a new computer, and the time, disruption, and financial burdens of training employees. A second category of switching costs arises due to supplier-specific learning by the buyer. Over time, the buyer adapts to characteristics of the product and its supplier and thus finds it costly to change over to another brand (Wernerfelt, 1988). For example, nurses become accustomed to the intravenous solution delivery systems of a given supplier and are reluctant to switch (Porter, 1980). A third type of switching cost is contractual switching cost that may be intentionally created by the seller. Airline frequent flyer programs fit in this category (Klemperer, 1986). Theoretical models of market equilibrium with buyer switching costs include Klemperer (1986) and Wernerfelt (1986, 1988). Switching costs typically enhance the value of market share obtained early in the evolution of a new market. Thus, they provide a rationale for pursuit of market share. However, first-movers with large market shares do not necessarily earn high profits; early competition for share can dissipate profits. And under some conditions the inertia of an incumbent with a large customer base can make this firm vulnerable to late entrants, who prove to be relatively more profitable (Klemperer, 1986). For example, see Weiss (1976). This finding applies to manufacturing operations only; greater scale economies may arise in distribution and advertising. Also, many retailing markets are geographically fragmented, leading to the possibility of spatial preemption of the sort described earlier. Such preemption requires the presence of some scale economies in the form of fixed costs. 9 8 Buyer choice under uncertainty A related theoretical literature (e. g. , Schmalensee, 1982) deals with the imperfect information of buyers regarding product quality. In such a context, buyers may rationally stick with the first brand they encounter that performs the job satisfactorily. Brand loyalty of this sort may be particularly strong for low-cost â€Å"convenience goods† where the benefits of finding a superior brand are seldom great enough to justify the additional search costs that must be incurred (Porter, 1976). In such an environment, early-mover firms may be able to establish a reputation for quality that can be transferred to additional products through umbrella branding and other tactics (Wernerfelt, 1987). Similar arguments derived from the psychology literature suggest that the first product introduced receives disproportionate attention in the consumer’s mind. Late entrants must have a truly superior product, or else advertise more frequently (or more creatively) than the incumbent in order to be noticed by the consumer. In a laboratory study using consumer products, Carpenter and Nakamoto (1986) found that order-of-entry influences the formation of consumer preferences. If the pioneer is able to achieve significant consumer trial, it can define the attributes that are perceived as important within a product category. Pioneers such as Coca-Cola and Kleenex have become prototypical, occupying a unique position in the consumer’s mind. Pioneers’ large market shares tend to persist because perceptions and preferences, once formed, are difficult to alter. More traditional marketing studies confirm the existence of such perceptual effects. In a study of two types of prescription pharmaceuticals—oral diuretics and antianginals—Bond and Lean (1977) found that physicians ignored â€Å"me-too† products, even if offered at lower prices and with substantial marketing support. ’ ° Montgomery (1975) found that a product’s newness was one of the two key variables necessary to gain acceptance onto supermarket shelves. These imperfect information effects should be greater for individual consumers than corporate buyers, since the latter’s larger purchase volume justifies greater investment in information acquisition activities)-~ Using the 0ne explanation of these findings is that physicians are price insensitive because they do not actually pay the prescription costs. However, the Carpenter and Nakamoto (1986) experiments found that more typical consumers are also unwilling to switch to objectively similar â€Å"me-too† brands, even at substantially lower prices. 11 Moreover, switching costs in industrial markets often dissipate over time as the buy~r becomes more knowledgeable about competing products (Cady, 1985). 10 9 PIMS data base, Robinson (1988) and Robinson and Fornell (1985) found that pioneers had larger market shares than followers in both consumer and industrial markets, but the effect was much greater for consumer goods: order of entry explained 18% of the variance in market share in consumer goods markets, but only 8% in industrial markets. For a sample of 129 consumer packaged goods, Urban et al. (1986) found a strong inverse relation between order-of-entry and market share. Brand positions remain remarkably durable in many consumer markets. Ries and Trout (1986) noted that of twenty-five leading brands in 1923, twenty were still in first place some sixty years later. Davidson (1976) found that two-thirds of the pioneers in eighteen United Kingdom grocery product categories developed since 1945 retained their market leadership through the mid- 1970s. FIRST-MOVER DISADVANTAGES The above-mentioned mechanisms that benefit the first-mover may be counterbalanced by various disadvantages. These first-mover disadvantages are, in effect, advantages enjoyed by late mover firms. Late movers may benefit from: (1) the ability to â€Å"free ride† on first-mover investments, (2) resolution of technological and market uncertainty, (3) technological discontinuities that provide â€Å"gateways† for new entry, and (4) various types of â€Å"incumbent inertia† that make it difficult for the incumbent to adapt to environmental change. These phenomena can reduce, or even completely negate, the net advantage of the incumbent derived from the mechanisms considered previously. Free-Rider Effects Late movers may be able to â€Å"free ride† on a pioneering firm’s investments in a number of areas including RD, buyer education, and infrastructure development. As mentioned previously, imitation costs are lower than innovation costs in most industries. However, innovators enjoy an initial period of monopoly that is not available to imitator firms. Nevertheless, the ability of follower firms to free ride reduces the magnitude and durability of the pioneer’s profits, and hence its incentive to make early investments. The theoretical literature has focused largely on the implications of freerider effects in the form of information spillovers in RD (Spence, 1984; Baldwin Childs, 1969), and learning-based productivity improvement 10 (Ghemawat and Spence, 1985; Lieberman, 1987c). As mentioned previously, empirical studies document a high rate of inter-firm diffusion of technology in most industries. Guasch and Weiss (1980) assess free-rider effects operating in the labor market. They give a theoretical argument that late-mover firms may be able to exploit employee screening performed by early entrants, and thus acquire skilled labor at lower cost. This is on top of the fact that early entrants may invest in employee training, with benefits enjoyed by later entrants who may be able to hire away the trained personnel. Teece (1986a, 1986b) argues that the magnitude of free-rider effects depends in part on the ownership of assets that are complementary or specialized† with the underlying innovation. For example, EMI developed the first CT scanner but lost in the marketplace because the firm lacked a technology infrastructure and marketing base in the medical field; Pilkington, by comparison, was able to profit handsomely from its pioneering float glass process because of the firm’s ability to draw upon relevant assets and experience in the glass industry. In other instances late-mover firms have proven successful largely because they were able to exploit existing assets in areas such as marketing, distribution, and customer reputation—e. g. , IBM in personal computers and Matsushita in VCRs (Schnaars, 1986). Resolution of Technological or Market Uncertainty Late movers can gain an edge through resolution of market or technological uncertainty. 12 Wernerfelt and Karnani (1987) consider the effects of uncertainty on the desirability of early versus late market entry. They argue that early entry is more attractive when firms can influence the way that uncertainty is resolved. Firm size may also matter—they suggest that large firms may be better equipped to wait for resolution of uncertainty, or to hedge by maintaining a more flexible portfolio of investments. In many new product markets, uncertainty is resolved over time through the emergence of a â€Å"dominant design. † The Model T Ford and the DC-3 are examples of such designs in the automotive and aircraft industries. After emergence of such a design, competition often shifts to price, thereby con12 A related point is that a late-mover may be able to take advantage of the firstmover’s mistakes. For example, when Toyota was first planning to enter the US market it interviewed owners of Volkswagons, the leading small car at that time. Information on what owners liked and disliked about the VW was incorporated in the design process for the new Toyota. 11 veyin. g greater advantage on firms possessing skills in low-cost manufacturing (Teece, 1986b). Shifts in Technology or Customer Needs. Schumpeter (1961) conceived of technological progress as a process of â€Å"creative destruction† in which existing products are superceded by the innovations of new firms. New entrants exploit technological discontinuities to displace existing incumbents. Empirical studies which consider these technological discontinuities or â€Å"gateways† for new entry include Yip (1982), and Bevan (1974). Foster (1986) gives practical advice on how such discontinuities can be exploited by entrants, who might be defined as â€Å"first-movers† into the next technological phase. Sch. erer (1980, p.438) provides a list of innovative entrants who revolutionized existing industries with new products and processes. He also cites numerous examples of dominant incumbents that proved slow innovators but aggressive followers (p. 431). Since the replacement technology often appears while the old technology is still growing, it may be difficult for an incumbent to percieve the threat and take adequate preventative steps. Cooper and Schendel (1976) provide several examples, such as the failure of steam locomotive manufacturers to respond to the invention of diesel. Foster (1986) cites American Viscose’s failure to recognize the potential of polyester as a replacement for rayon, and Transitron’s inattention to silicon as a substitute for germanium in semiconductor fabrication. This perceptual failure problem is closely related to that of â€Å"incumbent inertia† considered below. Customer needs are also dynamic, creating opportunities for later entrants unless the first mover is alert and able to respond. Docutel, as the pioneer, had virtually 100% of the automatic teller machine market up to late 1974. Over the next four years, its market share declined to less than 10% under the onslaught of Honeywell, IBM and Burroughs, all of whom offered total system solutions to customers’ emerging needs for electronic funds transfer (Abell, 1978). Incumbent Inertia Vulnerability of the first-mover is often enhanced by problems of â€Å"incumbent inertia. † Such inertia can have several root causes: (1) the firm may be locked-in to a specific set of fixed assets, (2) the firm may be reluctant to cannibalize its existing product lines, or (3) the firm may become organi-12 zationally inflexible. These factors inhibit the ability of the firm to respond to environmental change or competitive threats. Incumbent inertia is often a rational, profit-maximizing response, even though it may lead to organizational decline. For example, Tang (1988) presents a model that rationalizes the decisions of most U. S. steel producers to continue investing in open hearth furnace technology during the late 1950’s and early 1960’s even though it had become clear that basic oxygen furnaces were superior. A firm with heavy sunk costs in fixed plant or marketing channels that ultimately prove sub-optimal may find it rational to â€Å"harvest† these investments rather than attempt to transform itself radically. 13 MacMillan (1983) suggests that in the rapidly-changing environment of health care, old health care systems may currently be harvesting from their initial investments in locations and personnel. The appropriate choice between adaptation and harvesting depends on how costly it is to convert the firm’s existing assets to alternative uses. And as we consider below, there have been numerous instances where organizational inertia has led firms to continue investing in their existing asset base well beyond the point where such investments could be economically justified. Much of the literature on cannibalization-avoidance refers to the case of RD. Arrow (1962) was the first to lay out the theoretical argument that an incumbent monopolist is less likely to innovate than a new entrant, since innovation destroys rents on the firm’s existing products. More recent theoretical work along these lines include Reinganum (1983) and Ghemawat (1986a). Bresnahan (1985) argues that Xerox exhibited such behavior following the expiration ofits patent-enforced monopoly—Xerox lagged in certain types of innovations and was sluggish to cut prices, given the firm’s large fleet of rental machines in the field. Brock (1975) and Ghemawat (1986a) make similar arguments regarding the innovative responses of IBM in computers and ATT in PBX’s. However, Connor (1988) shows that under a broad range of conditions, the incumbent’s optimal strategy is to develop an improved product but delay market introduction until challenged by the appearance of a rival product. From an organizational theory perspective, Hannan and Freeman (1984) outline factors that limit adaptive response by incumbents.

Comparing The Epic of Gilgamesh and Noah and the Flood Essay -- Book o

Comparing The Epic of Gilgamesh and Noah and the Flood It is said that life is 10% what you make it and 90% how you take it. It is not the circumstances of life that determine a person's character. Rather, it is the way a character responds to those circumstances that provides a display of who he is. "From the Epic of Gilgamesh", as translated by N.K. Sandars, and "Noah and the Flood" from the Book of Genesis, both Gilgamesh and Noah face similar circumstances, but don’t always respond to them the same way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Accepting immortality and the ultimate powerlessness to be in control of death's inevitability is something that both Gilgamesh and Noah encounter. Gilgamesh faces the death of his closest companion, Enkidu, with hopelessness, fear, and anger. "In his bitterness he cried, 'How can I be at peace? Despair is in my heart. What my brother is now, that I shall be when I am dead. '" (p. 141) To Siduri's questioning, Gilgamesh responds, "Because of my brother I am afraid of death, because of my brother I stray through the wilderness and cannot rest." (p. 144) Noah, faced with the impending death of everyone except his own family and the pairs of creatures joining him in the ark, is unquestioning and obedient in following God's instructions. After the instructions about the animals that he is to take into the ark, "Noah did so; just as God commanded him, so he did." (p. 172) When God tells Noah that He will blot out all of creation in forty days and forty nights, "†¦ Noa...

Latin American History Essay

According to Chasteen (2006), Latin America can be regarded as either having a single history or not. The twenty countries can be said to have a common history due to them being similar in more ways than one. When looked at from a different perspective, they can also be said not to have a single history because these countries’ history cannot be accurately and fully described in one story. This article will explore Chasteens’ views with the aim of establishing if his views are accurate. Jose Maria Caicedo was the first one to refer to this geographical region as ‘Latin America† The introduction of this name encompassed both the Spaniards and French speaking people occupying the lands. Latin America is comprised of countries found in the south of the United States of America and maybe sub-divided into regions namely; Carribean, Central America, South America and North America. Latin America is the 4th largest Continent on planet Earth. History shows that the entry and exit of regions into and out of Latin America was a gradual transition that cannot be traced to specific dates. One common feature of these countries is the European conquest and colonization. Christopher Columbus arrived there in 1942, consequently opening them up to the world. Eventually, the region was taken over by European powers comprised of Portugal and Spain, who introduced diseases such as small pox in order to weaken the indigenous populace. Many died, while the survivors were subjected to forced labor. Eventually independence was attained between 1810 and 1830 through a string of freedom fighters. The Latin American republics also share a religion because during the period of colonization, the Roman Catholic Church was introduced in order to override the traditions of the natives. It became the major economic – political power and the authorized religion of the land. Most of the republics of Latin America, spoke the languages of romance, which were French and Spanish, with Spanish being the main dialect. Another language that was spoken is Portuguese. These dialects existed because these countries were colonized by Spain and Portugal. Some countries e. g. Guyane speak English, Suriname speaks Dutch and Brasilia speaks Portuguese. The Latin American nations possess a rich ethnicity in the make-up of the populace. We find the Amerindians who are the Aborigins, then there are the Blacks who were slaves brought in from Africa, the Asians who were traders from Japan and China, Mestizos were as a result of inter-marriage between the Europeans and the Amerindians and the Mulattoes from marriages between Europeans and Africans. The Whites were composed of the Spaniards and French and last but not least were the Zambos who came up as a result of mixed marriages between Africans and Amerindians. Another common trait was the signing of the International Human Rights Treaties by the 20 Latin American countries and the 28 Post Communist countries. The treaties addressed civil liberties, freedoms of speech, assembly, association, movement, religion and the independence of courts. Civil liberties of Latin American countries had been smothered by the Communist rule, which eventually collapsed between 1989 and 1991. Human rights and democratic self governance rights significantly improved across the countries after the fall of communism. This improvement was triggered by the increased shining of the spotlight on conduction of open and just elections. Personal integrity privileges remained explosive as they were for the most part affected by the struggle involving government and guerrilla movements. Crowley (1993) says the rights experienced a stunted improvement but nevertheless started showing progress as from 1991. The Latin American countries went through a state of dependency and neo-colonialism. Grandin (2004) wrote that in order to safeguard its economic interest, USA provided fiscal, military and moral support to the non-independent countries. Liberalization was initiated from 1989, though the Soviet and Yugoslav conflict continuously hindered growth. However, progress could by 1993 because there were more liberal and semi-liberal countries, and an increased show of respect for individuals’ rights to own property. In conclusion, it can be said that not only are the Latin American countries unified geographically, but across the cultural, economic, religious and historical background. Their masters without knowing united these countries, creating a wealthy people, empowered to transform their continent into a resourceful and culturally rich continent. References Chasteen J. C. (2006). Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America. New York: W. W. Norton & Co. Crowley, W. and Timothy P. (1991). Guerrillas and Revolution in Latin America: A Comparative Study of Insurgents and Regimes since 1956. New Jersey: Princeton: Princeton University Press. Grandin, G. (2004). The Last Colonial Massacre: Latin America in the Cold War. Chicago: Chicago University Press.