The Side Effects of Casual Indifference A Critical Analysis of Shirley Jacksons The Lottery - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1336 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2019/08/16 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: The Lottery Essay Did you like this example? The Lottery In her short story, The Lottery, Shirley Jackson demonstrates the hypocrisy of a person through the development of the character of Tessie Hutchinson. The publication of The Lottery in The New Yorker on June 26, 1948 resulted in many cancelled subscriptions due to its gruesome plot (Franklin par. 1). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Side Effects of Casual Indifference A Critical Analysis of Shirley Jacksons The Lottery" essay for you Create order The short story follows a village of people participating in an annual tradition, the drawing of the lottery, which is later revealed to be a sacrifice to an unknown entity through death by stoning. It is suggested that the sacrifice will benefit the village. The village people mindlessly carry on the tradition knowing that they are putting their lives at risk by doing so. Tessie Hutchinson willfully participates in the annual tradition and does not speak against it until her and her family fall victim to the lottery. If Shirley Jacksons intent was to symbolize into complete mystification, and at the same time be gratuitously disagreeable, she certainly succeeded, Alfred L. Kroeber wrote, an anthropologist at the University of California, Berkeley (Franklin). Tessie Hutchinson illustrates casual indifference to acts of violence, self-centered nature, and one who does not question injustice until it directly affects them. When Tessie Hutchinson is introduced in the story, right away her attitude is shown as indifferent. Mrs. Hutchinson came hurriedly along the path to the square, her sweater thrown over her shoulders, and slid into place in the back of the crowd. (Jackson par. 8). Tessie is late to the lottery because she had forgotten about it. She was so engaged in her daily responsibilities that she had not noticed the date until she noticed that her family was not at home. The village people are excused from their responsibilities to participate in the lottery, suggesting that this is an important tradition to uphold. Healthy and able villagers are required to participate in the tradition. If one falls ill or injured, a family member is ordered to draw in their place. Although her tardiness is dismissed with a laugh, it is clear that this tradition has no true significance to Tessie herself. Like a student late for class, it is seen for the first time, Tessie Hutchinson probably regards the ceremony as routine and has got used to it, and it is no longer of much importance in her. (Fuyu Chen par. 9). Tessie feels unaffected whether the tradition happens or not. As it is Bill Hutchinsons turn to draw for his family, Tessie jokingly encourages him. Her casual indifference to the situation is alarming, but most of the other village people demonstrate the same attitude as they watch their husbands draw a slip of paper from the black box. Tessie is indifferent because she assumes that she or her family will never fall victims to the lottery. Her naivetà © and complacency are not only a danger to herself, but a danger to the entire village as a whole. Tessies attitude shifts as her husband reveals that he has the slip of paper with the mark on it, stamping his entire family to draw from the black box in the second round. Tessie begins to feel panicked, her chances of becoming a sacrifice just increased greatly. Suddenly it is unfair to her and she views the tradition in a new light, or perhaps a new darkness. Even with the shift in attitude though, Tessie still appears indifferent. However, this time it is indifference towards the fate of her family members. She tries to include her daughter, Eva, who is married into a different family. Daughters draw with their husbands families, Tessie, Mr. Summers said gently. You know that as well as anyone else. (Jackson par 51). Tessie tries to bend the rules to her advantage and does not care that this would risk her daughter being stoned to death, as long as it increased her own chances of survival. Before the second drawing, Shirley Jackson illustrates Tessie Hutchinson as a self-centered mother. Jackson wants the readers view of Tessie to shift as Tessies does, it is difficult to grasp a specific emotion as this tradition unfolds. Jackson wants the reader to feel conflicted about their feelings towards Tessie. She sets the reader up to feel empathy towards Tessie but to question it allowing frustration to follow. Empathy for the possibility that Tessie could be stoned to death, but frustration for the possibility that this could have been prevented. It is frightening to remember that Tessie is a mother and is willfully volunteering her own children to take their chance at becoming the next sacrifice to increase her own chance at survival. The fact that the story seems to be such a transparent attack on blind obedience to tradition may be the reason that no further explanation is necessary. But it is not just an attack on mindless, cultural conformity; it is a suggestion of evil inherent in human nature, (Shields 412). Tessie fails to consider whether she holds any blame for what is to happen to her that shes essentially allowed to happen to other village people throughout the years. It is not until Tessie realizes that her life is on the line that she speaks against the tradition. Earlier in the story, some of the village people spoke of the nearby villages abandoning the lottery and they spoke down on it: Listening to the young folks, nothings good enough for them. Next thing you know, theyll be wanting to go back to living in caves, nobody work any more, live that way for a while. Used to be a saying about Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon. First thing you know, wed all be eating stewed chickweed and acorns. Theres always been a lottery, he added petulantly. Bad enough to see young Joe Summers up there joking with everybody. Some places have already quit lotteries. Mrs. Adams said. Nothing but trouble in that, Old Man Warner said stoutly. Pack of young fools. (Jackson par 33). From what Jackson reveals about this specific village, no one has spoken out against the tradition or considered altering or abandoning it. Old Man Warner, the oldest man in the village, illustrates the older generations being resistant to change. He believes that if the lottery were abandoned that their vegetation and crops would be no more. When Tessie begins to protest, claiming that the tradition is not fair, she is demonstrating a very common occurrence of only speaking out about injustices when they become personal. She does not view the tradition as unfair and is incredibly indifferent towards it until she falls victim and becomes the next sacrifice. Tessie Hutchinson was in the center of a cleared space by now, and she held her hands out desperately as the villagers moved in on her, (Jackson par 79). Even though she is suddenly against the tradition for her own selfish reasons, it is too late to protest. Speaking out against the lottery in the moment that it becomes personal to herself does not allow enough time for any proper change to be made. Especially given the fact that the elders are so dedicated to upholding the tradition and are reluctant to abandoning or altering it in anyway. Opposition in panic is not enough to convince anyone to stop the final step of the tradition, death by stoning. It isnt fair, it isnt right, Mrs. Hutchinson screamed, and then they were upon her, (Jackson par 80). Tessie Hutchinson illustrates the hypocritical and self-centered nature of humans. The fate of Tessie lies in her behavior, she willfully participates in a tradition that she knows she could be killed in. Her casual indifference highlights that she is comfortable in the assumption that she would never become the sacrifice and shows no concern for it to happen to others. Addressing concerns and sparking the debate of altering or ending the lottery could have saved her life and the lives of many victims before her. Tessies failure to speak out against casual acts of violence until she fell victim to it, ultimately cost her life.

Homer s Odyssey The King Of Ithaca And Glorious Hero Of...

In the Illiad, King Menelaus of Sparta and all of Greece waged a bloody and long war against the city of Troy. Among the Greek, there were many heroes: Achilles, Ajax, Agamemnon, and many more. The one who made it possible for the Greek to win in the end was Odysseus, the King of Ithaca. Homer’s Odyssey, in which the story of Odysseus continued on, described the tormenting years of his journey home. He set sailed from Troy, expecting to be home in a few months. Instead, his ships were blown all across the Mediterranean Sea, facing countless obstacles, and he finally reached his beloved home alone, after ten painstaking years. By the end of his journey, Odysseus the mighty King of Ithaca and glorious hero of the Trojan War, changed from a proud and reckless young man to a humble, travel-weary, wise man from all the hardships and troubles he underwent. At the beginning of his quest, Odysseus was still relatively young and proud, especially since he just won the Trojan War. Many a times on his journey, it was his own pride and curiosity that became his undoing. The most ample example would be his infamous encounter with the Cyclopes, Polyphemus. Odysseus and twelve of his men went to explore the land for its inhabitants, only to find a cave full of food. Not only did Odysseus’ men eat Polyphemus’ food without permission, Odysseus had ungratefully asked for a gift: â€Å"It was our luck to come here; here we stand / beholden for your help, or any gifts / you give – as custom is toShow MoreRelatedOdyssey Historical Background6500 Words   |  26 PagesThe Odyssey ~ Background Information * The novel covers a 10 year period. * The novel was written approximately in 720 B.C. * The novel takes place in 1230 B.C. ~ during the Bronze age. * The Iliad (written first) and The Odyssey are based on historical events that took place about 1230 B.C. * Both novels are considered epic poems * The Odyssey is defined as a journey. This is the story of Odysseus’ journey back home after the Trojan War. From The Odyssey, Homer chose theRead MoreKleos in The Odyssey by Homer938 Words   |  4 PagesTHE ODYSSEY Heroic glory occupies a very crucial place in the Indo-European epic tradition, because the Greek society is a shame culture, in which being honoured is one of the primary purposes of people s lives. Hence, the concept of kleos formed an essential part of the bardic tradition which helped the people to maintain the heroic stature of the mythical heroes from generation to generation. This is why, it has got an important place in the Greek epics also. In The Odyssey by Homer alsoRead MoreBeowulf : A Man Of Great Power Essay1567 Words   |  7 PagesLiterary epics tend to follow the basic path in their plotlines of a hero who undergoes a quest, and Beowulf is no different. Beowulf is unique in that his tale is split into two stories taking place decades apart, one when he is a young warrior and the other when he is an old and wise king. Both stories follow the basic structure for a literary epic, a talented hero is charged with a quest, proves himself with a smaller feat, is aided b y supplementary characters, enters a foreign and often supernaturalRead MoreThe Hero Of Homer s Epic Tale, The Odyssey1922 Words   |  8 Pagesheroes is most certainly Odysseus, the mythological Grecian subject of Homer s epic tale, The Odyssey. This legendary figure displays exemplary brains and muscle, appearing almost superhuman at times. He embodies the ideals Greeks heroes aspired to: manly valor, loyalty to both his family and friends, as well as keen intelligence. The popularity of Odysseus has proven timeless; to this day, he remains greatly admired as both a hero, and an ordinary man who must overcome hurdles and embark on epicRead MoreOdysseus Character Analysis2044 Words   |  9 PagesOdysseus is a man of many ways. He has seen numerous cities and has learned the minds of countless people (Book I: 1 – 4). He is glorious. Zeus calls him godlike, greatest among other men in mind (Book I: 65). Athena and Hephaestus taught him the arts of war and carpentry, resp ectively (Book IV: 233). He sacrificed more to the gods of heaven than any other mortal and thus, he is loved by all the gods. Additionally, he is a noble father and is as just and kind to his subjects as to his own kin. He

The Real Facts About Abortions Free Essays

Abortion Abortion is quite a controversial issue in today’s government. Many of us refrain from even getting into a discussion over abortion, because it is such a sensitive topic. It is very unfortunate that so many women around the world have to make decisions involving abortion, period. We will write a custom essay sample on The Real Facts About Abortions or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"One in three women will have at least one abortion by the time she is 45, and these run the gamut of ages, races, backgrounds and beliefs. † (Welch) In one’s eye abortion is simply immoral and unacceptable, while in another it is a typical procedure. Often, pro-abortionists are portrayed â€Å"†¦ s merciful and anti-abortionists as close-minded† (Olasky). As an outsider I interpret each group as one extreme to the other, and the purpose of this paper is to inform myself and the reader of both, pro-life and pro-choice sides and perspectives of abortion in the U. S. Somebody that claims to be in favor of the Pro-Life policy is opposed to wrongful death and in favor of life-enhancing actions. The main argument of a pro-lifer is religious based beliefs. They argue that an abortion is immoral because, â€Å"†¦ all life was created by God and belongs to Him, no one has the right to murder another human being. (Cain) A person in favor of Pro-Life polic y believes that having an abortion is a sin, but so is sex before marriage and half of the woman getting pregnant nowadays are not even out of high school. Does that mean that just because they decided to attempt to raise a baby at 15 that they have been forgiven for their original sin? No, either way they will be judged by those in favor of what is acceptable according to their religion. They even disagree on early abortions because they claim â€Å" life begins at conception†¦ † (Lowen). Anti-choice people â€Å"†¦ ant to outlaw abortion, regardless of the woman’s situation† (The Problem). They don’t see any exception for committing murder. Anti- Abortionists often compare abortions to Hitler and the concentration camps, â€Å"One out of every three children conceived in America since 1972 has died a brutal death through abortion—more than six times the number of Jews that Adolf Hitler put to death in his Nazi concentration camps. â₠¬  (Roe) The cost of abortion is another issue for pro-lifer’s, they think that the government shouldn’t have to spend so much money to undermine future growth. â€Å"The inistry of health claimed that the 45,000 women treated in public hospitals for incomplete abortions each year is costing the state R19 million† (Cain). They believe tax dollars should not be used to provide women with this type of birth control, it is unfair to those who do not support the pro-choice policy and it is unacceptable. Being Pro-Choice means being in favor of safe and legal abortions, but also in reducing the need for abortions. Their religious beliefs are not a base for their opinions on abortion. Those who are in favor of the Pro-Choice policy argue that person-hood at conception is â€Å"†¦ ot a provable biological fact,† it is simply a religious belief (Choice Matters). Pro-choice supporters give women the benefit of the doubt allow for a logical explanation for an abortion. Abortions are medically necessary for some women, â€Å"Teen girls, whose bodies are not yet ready for childbirth, are five times more likely to die† (Health). In a case like that would it be fair to pass judgment? The same goes for woman who are raped. Pro-choice people argue that instead of trying to prohibit abortion altogether, we should try alternate methods like; safe, affordable contraceptives and comprehensive sex education. Laws against abortion do not stop abortion; they simply make it less safe†¦ the only thing that changes is more women die† (Health). Outlawing it would lead women to turn to unsafe abortions, not conducted in clinics. For some families abortion â€Å"†¦ helps parents limit their families to number of children they want and can afford, both financially and emotionally† (Choice Matters). Taking away the civil rights of women and/or families by making it illegal to have abortions, will only lead to more poverty in th e United States and lead to increasing government spending on welfare. According to the First Amendment, we all have our right to privacy. I am a woman myself and I honestly wouldn’t appreciate strangers making decisions for me. What happens in the privacy of one woman’s body doesn’t belong out in the open for everyone else to critique. I am fully aware that if a woman feels she is mature enough to have sexual intercourse, then she should be prepared to face the possible consequences, but this is the real world and we are only human. Mistakes do happen. I do not support women getting abortions just because they are promiscuous and lazy. Of course the abstinence policy is the best policy, but as long as we are living on planet Earth, that just won’t cut it. Just like Hillary Clinton, I believe that, â€Å"†¦ whatever side you’re on in the pro-choice vs. pro-life debate,†¦ we can all agree on a third principle: we would be better off with fewer of them† (Sullivan). I personally think that providing all sexually active women with contraceptives is the smartest thing to do in order to decrease high rates of abortion. In the United states, â€Å"†¦ 74% say having a baby would interfere with work, school, or other responsibilities† (United States). Some women may have to go through with an abortion simply because she has severe health risks that may possibly kill her if she went into labor. She may want a child just as bad as many other women except her body cant support a pregnancy. Or, if a women is raped she shouldn’t have to relive the agony of such an event every single day for 9 months. What if she didn’t even want kids? Just because she got pregnant from a rapist, doesn’t mean she has to raise his child. Some â€Å"†¦ people say an aborted child might have grown up to be President. There’s a better chance he would have grown up to be the one who shot the President† (Olasky). It would all really depend on the mother of that child, if she kept the kid and ended up to resent him/her then, that would most likely effect the child in a negative manner; it would make that child have a negative outlook on life. He/she would hate everything and everyone. In that situation in my eyes, the mother would be doing the kid and herself a favor. I’m not saying I would be the one to have an abortion, because in the end I most likely wouldn’t have the heart to get rid of something that I partially created. I would think, what if he/she is the only chance I have at ever being a mother? What if I only had one shot and I blew it? On the other hand, I would recap on all the things I could potentially loose out on because I decided to have a child that I wasn’t capable of raising yet. At the end of the day, deciding to abort a baby depends on the situation a women may be in at that point of her life; it doesn’t depend on all of the outsiders who think they have the right to decide for her. Every women has a life and has a choice, and the reasoning behind her decision is completely personal. After conducting all of my research, I noticed that there are strong points on each side of abortion. No matter what position a person takes on this issue, there will always be others critiquing it. I think it is important to accept some woman’s reasons for abortion, but at the same time support the fight on lowering the needs for abortion. We need to educate women about their choices and consequences. Birth control methods need to be expressed and easily obtained. Until the Pro-Choice v. Pro-Life fight gets settled, the United States will only get more and more divided as a nation. How to cite The Real Facts About Abortions, Papers

Macro economics Essay Example For Students

Macro economics Essay Keynesian EconomicsMacroeconomics, branch of economics concerned with the aggregate, or overall, economy. Macroeconomics deals with economic factors such as total national output and income, unemployment, balance of payments, and the rate of inflation. It is distinct from microeconomics, which is the study of the composition of output such as the supply and demand for individual goods and services, the way they are traded in markets, and the pattern of their relative prices. At the basis of macroeconomics is an understanding of what constitutes national output, or national income, and the related concept of gross national product (GNP). The GNP is the total value of goods and services produced in an economy during a given period of time, usually a year. The measure of what a countrys economic activity produces in the end is called final demand. The main determinants of final demand are consumption (personal expenditure on items such as food, clothing, appliances, and cars), investment (spending by businesses on items such as new facilities and equipment), government spending, and net exports (exports minus imports). Macroeconomic theory is largely concerned with what determines the size of GNP, its stability, and its relationship to variables such as unemployment and inflation. The size of a countrys potential GNP at any moment in time depends on its factors of production-labor and capital-and its technology. Over time the countrys labor force, capital stock, and technology will change, and the determination of long-run changes in a countrys productive potential is the subject matter of one branch of macroeconomic theory known as growth theory. The study of macroeconomics is relatively new, generally beginning with the ideas of British economist John Maynard Keynes in the 1930s. Keyness ideas revolutionized thinking in several areas of macroeconomics, including unemployment, money supply, and inflation. Keynesian Theory and Unemployment Unemployment causes a great deal of social distress and concern; as a result, the causes and consequences of unemployment have received the most attention in macroeconomic theory. Until the publication in 1936 of The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money by Keynes, large-scale unemployment was generally explained in terms of rigidity in the labor market that prevented wages from falling to a level at which the labor market would be in equilibrium. Equilibrium would be reached when pressure from members of the labor force seeking work had bid down the wage to the point where either some dropped out of the labor market (the supply of labor fell) or firms became willing to take on more labor given that the lower wage increased the profitability of hiring more workers (demand increased). If, however, some rigidity prevented wages from falling to the point where supply and demand for labor were at equilibrium, then unemployment could persist. Such an obstacle could be, for example, trade union action to maintain minimum wages or minimum-wage legislation. Keyness major innovation was to argue that persistent unemployment might be caused by a deficiency in demand for production or services, rather than by a disequilibrium in the labor market. Such a deficiency of demand could be explained by a failure of planned (intended) investment to match planned (intended) savings. Savings constitute a leakage in the circular flow by which the incomes earned in the course of producing goods or services are transferred back into demand for other goods and services. A leakage in the circular flow of incomes would tend to reduce the level of total demand. Real investment, known as capital formation (the production of machines, factories, housing, and so on), has the opposite effect-it is an injection into the circular flow relating income to output-and tends to raise the level of demand. Why Stealing Is Wrong essay The cost-push theory basically emphasized the role of excessive increases in wages relative to productivity increases as a cause of inflation, whereas the demand-pull theory tended to attribute inflation more to excess demand in the goods market caused by expansion of the money supply. A central concept in inflationary theory since the mid-1950s has been the Phillips curve, which relates the level of unemployment to the rate of inflation. The Phillips curve suggests that society can make a choice between various combinations of inflation rate and unemployment level. Many economists, however, dispute whether such a choice really exists, saying that in order to keep unemployment under control it will be necessary to accept continuously increasing inflation. At the same time many other economists dispute whether a stable relationship between unemployment and the level of real wage demands exists. Modern Theories During the last few decades there have been numerous refinements of the Keynesian theory of unemployment. For example, although there is still much disagreement as to the importance of wage rigidity, significant progress has been made in explaining it without recourse to trade union behavior or government regulation. At first it seemed difficult to reconcile the notion of wage rigidity with the usual economists assumption that people seek to maximize utility or satisfaction and would be willing to accept a lower wage in order to get a job. However, by widening the range of variables over which individuals optimize to include variables such as loyalty and self-respect, it has become easier to reconcile labor market disequilibrium with the usual assumptions of optimizing behavior. Macroeconomic theories regarding the way that the determinants of total final demand operate form the basis of large macroeconomic models of the economy that are used in economic forecasting to make predictions of output and employment and related variables. During the last few years, the record of most such predictions has been poor, and an analysis of the errors has led to continual revisions of the basic models and refinements of the theory. Phillips curve The Phillips curve illustrates the trade-off found by economist A. W. Phillips between lower unemployment and increased inflation. If unemployment is low at 4 percent, inflation is slightly high at 6 percent (point a). If inflation is eliminated, unemployment increases to 8 percent (point b). The trade-off poses a dilemma for policy-makers, although economists disagree on whether this relationship exists.

Research Project-Week Two Essays - Economy, Business,

Research Project-Week Two David A. Keith BUS 642: Business Research Methods & Tools Instructor Donnie Smith July 31, 2017 Background The reason for doing this type of research chosen will be identifying the difference that companies had to have capital funds, proper investments with values of ventures included with their business that helps along the way with safety measures on the job for self reasons and staff. Company startups should base reasons on corporation and/or entrepreneur of investments they strategize through durations of time from start to finish from equal importance of that business (Guo, Lou, & Castrillo, 2015, p.416). Capitals from ventures entrepreneurship within businesses will run into risk of financial logics within startup processes which takes time and get better as time goes by. As the business grows, these breakthroughs become easier within that firm of business that create a form of stability within that company; making it easy access to benefit from. When one come across supermarkets that have the possiblilty of making millions of dollars with the right tactics goes a long way to how everything within that company will form. Partnership within other firms makes it a lot easier with the sense of relating time to make sure everything forms where they suppose to in making things work for everybody involved. From the begining of startup is where that company builds a strong foundation to what makes that building safe for everyone which takes time and money to get things right. It all comes down to the safety of that structured building and the safety of all involved by addressing the importance of policies and rules to be followed. Ethical Concerns During Research When it comes to ones' safety on a job, also should do with main ethical concerbs by which everyone have equal rights of being respected by each other and by management. Everyone gets equal shares by which they are all told about the safety precusions of that jobs policies and rules and this imformation must not lack value to how it is told to everyone. This sometimes lead to information integrities and conflicts of interest. Preliminaries of Thought on Designed Researches When it comes to ways banks do what they do with a business to get them started, helps on to believe who much decision-making goes into a business and what things they will face in the future. This brings moral means to levels unpredicted to what mortgage loan companies base their spending on for a business to how much they try to make certain that business standards are correct to prevent bankrupcy from occurring in the future. At times, startup business have a blindside by portfolios and have tendencies of over spending and over borrowing to get by. Samplings of Data's within Researching Investers take time of matters to adding quantitive with qualitative, means of measure, and critical thinkings with empricals to help them that relates with sampled data. From working in a supermarket, I see a lot that goes on or should or could be better with the running of that business. I bring to the table what customers say to me about any or everything within the store, items, products or services. It's about customers satisfaction first and what they say makes a lot of difference. Getting back to the safety and structure of a business running properly makes a whole lot of difference to the life and meaning to everyone involved. In addition, this makes less for sue cases forming because of mishaps occurring within the store. A lot of thought and preparation goes into a business if they plan to be around for a long time. Research Designs & Methods When it comes to research designs being formed within any type of situation, make one to believe how these structures are based upon reason of scores either being of positive or negative forms. Employers not only make sure all units of their facility structures are made for the safety of all people involved; they also make sure through forms of full medical courage of their employees lively-hood in health form is taken care of so they are able and equip for the job. There may be certain limitations by which studies prove ways of centering hypothesis matters or notions how employees invest in the wellbeing and health to every employee through how they cut cost of usual businesses being expected through these means. Big things about investments are resulting in win-to-win situations to which the employee and employer benefit mutually from these. According

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buy custom Healthcare Reforms essay In as much as healthcare may not be free, its provision should not be done with exploitation to the recipients. Health is a basic necessity, and every citizen should see that he or she can afford or control it. Individual health covers tend to be different from those that are based on the employer. The individual market offers no bargaining powers, thus, making it hard for its clients to obtain them. Clients should be empowered to bargain for their covers, considering that most of them are unemployed. In most cases, those who benefit are those in the job market, where they can depend on empowered employer based systems. Claims for damage usually increase every day, and the insurance company gets close to being overwhelmed. The challenge to reduce the liabilities has become more of their concern, rather than making it a client-centered issue. However, they usually compensate this by spilling the punishment to the consumer. Those who do not have the bargaining powers are slapped harder. However, if liabilities control was not made effective, then provision of covers even to those with bargaining powers would collapse. This raise questions as to why these insurance companies manipulate the fact that they have to induce these controls and gain more by extending control levels. That means the United States require a health reform plan. Pharmaceutical companies make their world an issue of sizeable profit, making and remaining competitive. Pharmaceuticals provision should be nationalized. This will align medicine back to natural science and care of human beings. It will make medicine shift from being a business back to being a humanitarian science. However, when pharmaceuticals are privatized, there is competition in the quest of discovering better medicine, thus, making the companies and the medics work harder. On the other hand, the therapies and treatment available are there under the motivation of sizeable profits. On the other hand, would they be as effective, as they are without such motivation. Maybe the government would subsidize the treatments (Jacobs H. L.,1999). Has it not subsidized enough treatments? Many have seen that the solution towards a more humanitarian provision of health covers could be through the creation of the national health insurance (Carter E.L.,1998). Efforts to create such an institution have failed. Labor unions and physicians have opposed to the move. This attributes to the fact that health cover advantages usually favor them. They would work hard in efforts to protect their advantages. However, one should not escape the fact that they are professionals who are aware of negative latent implications of the move. They are aware that privatization usually produces competitive and resourceful commodities, and efforts to make some issues national would mean laxity by medical practitioners. However, they hold on myths that the United States health provision is the most powerful, and it is not in need of desperate measures to make it better. Is it not the best in world? That may sound less debatable considering that United States is a super power, but that does not m ean that the United States do not have such problem (Carter E.L.,1998). The more a country is complex, the more the problems needed to be solved. The provision of health is not an exemption. Indeed, healthcare reforms are not about politics. Without healthy citizens, leadership would also be hard. It is about peoples lives that need to be protected. There is an agony when a person moves from a hospital bed to the court dock. Does the patient actually heal? He is not, because his physical sickness turns into a legal sickness. The national healthcare reforms would bring in freedom in health cover, and choice of high quality. This means that a person will not have tto be liable to profit-oriented insurance companies. However, reforming that way would mean that financial restraints will slap those who depend on a regular salary, in case of terminal illnesses that need heavy financing. It would be a negative reform to them. The government will be able to provide the consumer protection from exploitative policies that the insurance companies advocate (Jacobs H. L.,1999). Also, consumers will be protected from competitive measures that the insurance companies put in place to th e disadvantage of the consumer. Also, the government will be skyrocketing health costs under the control. The government can subsidize some of the costs and determine the costs that should be charged for various covers. The current condition in the United States makes one wonder, whether a person should feel at ease after a misfortune, or he should wander in stress and fear of law suits, and compensation liabilities. Healthcare covers should make the clients feel at ease. Nevertheless, after reforming in that way, to some people it would mean laxity in seeking the healthcare cover. Would that translate to higher mortality rates? Conclusion Surely, the United States desperately require a health reform move. The healthcare sector needs to go back to, when it was more humanitarian, rather than business-oriented. The government should look for ways to sensitize the issue even to those who oppose it. The opposition should be made aware that this is nothing to do with politics. It is the high time that the United States stop holding myths about its peoples health, because health is something practical rather than abstract. Insurance companies need to return to the age of protecting its clients, rather than exploiting them. For sure, healthcare in the United States is so challenging that it also needs a health cover. The reform is crucial. Buy custom Healthcare Reforms essay

Law Related to hospitality American Disablity Act Essay

Law Related to hospitality American Disablity Act - Essay Example The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) keenly describes the term disability, states those safeguarded by such laws and clearly prohibits discrimination based on disability in areas we shall discuss. ADA describes individuals with disability as those who have physical or mental deficiency that limit there performance in life (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). Alternatively it is described as anyone who has some history on such impairment or that perceived by members of the society to have such an impairment (A Guide to Disability Rights Law). ADA Title I addresses employment of persons with disabilities. Employers are supposed to extend equal opportunities to qualified candidates regardless of the physical or mental state. Employers with more than fifteen employees have to observe this law while recruiting, hiring, training, promoting, paying and while extending any other benefits and privileges in the course of employment (Goren). Events of violation of such rights sh ould be filed with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity commission (EEOC) that issues a â€Å"right-to –sue† letter. ADA Title II addresses the benefits entitled to persons with disabilities from the State and Local governments (Goren). Benefits such as those derived from the programs, activities and services of these offices should be available to the less-abled persons. These people should not be discriminated, and special programs should be empowered to lead a self-reliant life in the society. Violations should be reported to the department of Justice with a period that does not exceed 180 days. ADA Title II also addresses public transport of individuals with disabilities. They should not be discriminated, and the public service automobiles should be designed in a manner that cater for such people while Para-transit for sake of such people is highly encouraged. ADA Title III covers public accommodation where such services should be extended in a

'Provision of care in the NHS is integrated, seamless and effective' Essay

'Provision of care in the NHS is integrated, seamless and effective' - Essay Example Although much progress has been made, NHS clinical governance systems do not yet formally recognize the need to work in collaboration with local authorities when adult safeguarding concerns arise during healthcare delivery. There was also a clear request from NHS respondents for guidance to clarify the relationship between adverse incident reporting, complaints, and safeguarding in order to encourage reporting in a way that supports the investigation and empowers staff in the process. The aim of this guidance is to encourage organizations to develop local robust arrangements to ensure that adult safeguarding becomes fully integrated into NHS systems. This will result in greater openness and transparency about clinical incidents, learning from safeguarding concerns that occur within the NHS, clarity on reporting and more improved positive partnership working (Department of Health, 2008). NHS Lack of Communication The lack of communication with NHS has caused problems for patient care (Borrill, 2002). In The NHS Plan2 shows the need to break down barriers between staff. This was emphasized so as to tackle the inefficiencies in working practices identified: ‘Old-fashioned demarcations between staff mean some patients see a procession of health professionals... Information is not shared and investigations are repeated ... Unnecessary boundaries exist between the professions which hold back staff from achieving their true potential.’(Borrill, p.27) ‘Throughout the NHS, the old hierarchical ways of working are giving way to more flexible team working between different clinical professionals’( p82). The importance of teamwork in health care has been emphasized in numerous reports and policy documents on the National Health Service. One particularly emphasized the importance of teamwork if health and social care for people are to be of the highest quality and efficiency: ‘The best and most cost-effective outcomes for patients and clients are achieved when professionals work together, learn together, engage in clinical audit of outcomes together, and generate innovation to ensure progress in practice and service.’ Over the last thirty years this has proved very difficult because of the barriers between Professional groupings - such as doctors and nurses (Borrill, 2002). Influence and Future Practice The response of the government has been to promise a huge increase in spending on the NHS. A key challenge is how this better funded delivery of healthcare can be managed to achieve good, fair and cost effective services for the whole population. A primary prescription that policy makers and practitioners have offered for meeting such a challenge facing the NHS is the development of multidisciplinary teamwork. This report details the findings of a major national study of teamwork in the NHS on the factors associated with effective team working, and the effects on quality of care and well-being of staff (Borrill, 2 002). Planning, implementing and managing change in a fast-changing environment is increasingly the situation in which most organizations now work (Chapman, 2007). However the many complaints against NHS mannerism show their influence and practices needs improvement. Dr Janet McCray presents a grounded theory model of how inter-professional workings can be facilitated. Arising from a learning

Vodafone in India Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Vodafone in India - Research Paper Example The political situation in India is democratic and stable which means that the companies can work in India and perform their day-to-day business activities with ease (Bowhill 2008). Recently a single party has an own majority in the elections considered in the country which is a boon for Vodafone as a company as policy decisions are likely to be taken with ease which will help the company. For companies like Vodafone, this presents a huge opportunity and a wide market that it can explore in order to proliferate mobile subscriber base for its business. People in India are family loving and family oriented (Neild and Carol 2008). To take advantage of the situation Vodafone has introduced lower call rates to help stay connected with family members at low cost. Vodafone has been part of these technological changes and introduced advanced technologies in their operational processes. Considering Environmental factors Vodafone markets itself as one which takes care of the environment as thi s plays as a good sentimental advantage and helps the company in long run. There has been recent turmoil that has been witnessed in the telecom sector in India. The turmoil has been witnessed in the spectrum allocation and 2G license. Vodafone as a major telecom company abides by the rules and regulations set by the Supreme Court avoiding any disputes that may affect the brand image. Vodafone has researched on the Indian market and came up with plans to cater the needs of the Indian consumers.

Analysis Of The Uk Renewable Energy Industry Environmental Sciences Essay

Analysis Of The Uk Renewable Energy Industry Environmental Sciences Essay Renewable energy is the energy generated from natural resources such as biomass, sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable, that is, naturally replenished(Wikipedia, 2010). Renewable energy technologies are essential contributors to energy supply portfolio, as they contribute to world energy security, reduce dependency on fossil fuels, and provide opportunities for mitigating greenhouse gases (IEA, 2007). Renewable energy is also considered by some to be a potentially significant contributor toward the economic development of rural areas, a means of reducing poverty through the creation of employment and improving the quality of lives (Mark et al, 2008). Renewable energy sources were very unpopular in the past decades because of their comparative cost disadvantage. With the exception of large hydropower, combustible biomass, and larger geothermal projects, the average cost of renewable energy are generally not competitive with the wholesale electricity and fossil fuel prices(IEA, 2007). However, this decade has witnessed a tremendous development in renewable energy sector. The rising oil prices, issue of global warming , carbon gas emission, terrorism and political instability in many oil producing countries in the middle east are the major forces driving this development. The International Energy Agency estimates that nearly 50% of global electricity supplies will need to come from renewable energy sources in order to reduce carbon dioxide emission by 50% by 2050 and minimise significant, irreversible climate change impacts (IEA, 2008). During the five- years period from the end of 2004 -2009, worldwide renewable energy grew at the rates of 10-60% for many technologies (REN21, 2010). In 2008 for the first time, more renewable energy than convectional power capacity was added in both European Union and United States, demonstrating a fundamental transition of the worlds energy markets towards renewable (Eric et al, 2009). Renewable energy sector is growing at a very amazing rate in UK. Between 2003 and 2009 there was 138 per cent increase in power generation from renewables in the UK, but faster rates of growth were recorded in Northern Ireland (702 per cent), East Midlands (268 per cent), North East (211 per cent), Scotland (188 per cent), South East (146 per cent) and Yorkshire and the Humber (139 per cent) (DECC, 2010). Higher growth rate is expected in the next decade. This can be inferred from the fact that power generation from the UKs oil and gas and nuclear reactors have been on a long-term downward trend and tend towards the end of their life span (Keynote, 2008). As a result, UK government has devised a comprehensive approach to support the development of the renewable energy sector through the UK renewable energy strategy 2009. Renewable energy in UK is supported through a range of measures. The renewable obligation Order requires electricity suppliers to purchase a specified amount of the electricity they supply from renewable sources (Keynote, 2010). Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) are obtained to demonstrate that renewable sources have been used. The climate change levy is a fossil-fuel tax from which exemptions can be obtained by using certain renewable technologies. Capital grants are available for research and development for a wide range of renewable energy projects. Grants are also available for the cultivation of energy crops. Obviously, these are good incentives to stimulate investments in renewable energy. However, investors need assurance that these incentives and subsidies will be available over a larger part of the product life cycle and not just trap-in-incentives. This will enable renewable energy companies to build a more stable and viable strategic plan to take best advantage of t he incentives. The favourable geographical location of UK in terms of its windy condition, long coastline and excellent infrastructural facilities contributes to the rapid growth of renewable energy. The amount of power generated in terms of renewable energy in UK grew each year between 2004 and 2008 (DECC, 2009).A total of 17,566 gigawatt hours (GWh) was generated in 2008 which is 76.2% more than the amount generated in 2004. Biomass produced most of the renewable electricity in 2008 (46.1%) of the total, followed by wind and wave power (40.4%) and hydropower (13.4%), see table 1. Renewable energy is expected to develop into a major sector, providing scope for business growth and a substantial source of employment (Keynote, 2010). UK Renewable Energy Strategy, (2009) estimated that 500, 000 jobs could be created in the market by 2020. Table 1 : Electricity Generated from UK Renewable Energy Sources (gigawatt hours), 2004-2008 Biomass 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Landfill 4,004 4,290 4,424 4,677 4,757 Co-firing with fossils fuels 1,022 2,533 2,528 1,956 1,613 Animal biomass 565 468 434 555 587 Plant biomass 362 382 363 409 568 Sewage-sludge digestion 440 470 456 496 564 Total biomass 6,393 8,143 8,204 8,092 8,090 Wind wave power Onshore 1,736 2,501 3,574 4,491 5,792 Offshore 199 403 651 783 1,305 Total wind wave power 1,935 2,904 4,225 5,274 7,097 Hydropower Small scale 283 444 478 534 568 Other hydro 1,353 1,542 1,969 1,912 1,794 Total hydropower 1,636 1,986 2,447 2,446 2,362 Solar photovoltaics 4 8 11 14 17 Total 9,968 13,040 14,887 15,826 17,566 Source :Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics 2009, Department of Energy and Climate Change Having presented the general overview of renewable energy industry , a critical environmental analysis of the industry will be examined using PEST analysis, SWOT analysis and Porters five model of competitive advantage. PEST ANALYSIS The environment in which an organisation operates is divided into macro and micro environments(Philip, 2000). The micro environment has a major and direct impact upon the organisation, and its strategic planning process while the macro environment comprises those conditions that have a broad, rather than direct, impact upon the organisation (Wendy,1997). Brannan (1992) identified the major potential macro environmental factors that could significantly impact on organisation performance and a possible framework for listing such factors is PEST-Politics, Economics, Sociology and Technological developments. POLITICAL FACTORS The long-term decline in UKs oil and gas fortunes has led to an increasing import of oil and gas (Keynote, 2010). This means UK will be competing in the world markets for its oil and gas requirements with emerging economies, such as China and India. These countries have different cultures and political structures to the UK, and it could be a challenge for the UK to maintain a good relationship with them. Political instability and terrorism in the middle east is also of concern on the security of global energy supply. Therefore, Energy supply could become a very political issues in the future. It is hopeful that renewable energy sector will gain enormous political support from the UK government as an alternative to heavy reliance on importation of oil and gas. This will create favourable atmosphere and opportunities for investment in renewable energy sector. The quest to solve the problem of global warming has great political impact on government policies towards renewable energy. There is co-operation among the western world to reduce global warming by reducing carbon gas emission . The UK Government takes a prominent role in mitigating the effects of climate change by reducing carbon gas emission. Several government initiatives and legislation have been put in place, notable among these are; The Climate Change Act 2008-a commitment to reduce the UKs greenhouse gas emissions to at least 80% below the 1990 levels by 2050, Energy Act 2008 and Renewable Obligation (Keynote,2010). Renewable Obligation requires electricity suppliers to supply a specific amount of electricity from renewable sources. This is a good initiative to develop renewable energy. According to Deloitte(2010), UK has nearly 30 different low carbon energy incentives in form of tax credits and subsidies. The argument here is the certainty of the availability of the incenti ves throughout the project life cycle. This is vital for long term strategic plans. Nonetheless, the political imperative to introduce regulatory and fiscal incentives will continue to create opportunities for investors (Deloitte, 2010). ECONOMIC FACTORS GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (GDP) There was an annual increase in the UKs GDP between 2005 and 2008, but a decline of 4.8% was seen in annual chain-linked GDP in 2009, NSW,2010 (cited in keynote, 2010). GDP forecast for the period from 2009 to 2013 are well below the growth experienced during the 2005 to 2008 period (when annual growth was between 3.4% and 5.7% at current prices) TIA,2009 (Cited in Keynote, 2010). Growth is forecast to fall steeply to -4.2% in 2009, followed by a slow recovery to 2.6% in 2013. By 2013, GDP annual growth will still not be as great as any year in the period from 2005 to 2008. It is likely that lower GDP will have a depressing effect on renewable energy demand. However, this notion has been proved otherwise by the year on year increase in UK demand for renewable energy (DECC, 2009). UK demand for renewable energy increased by 6.7% between 2006 and 2007 and by 12.9% between 2007 and 2008. It is expected that the demand for renewable energy will continue to increase over the years to 2020 as government has put in place several incentives to attract private investors in a bid to achieve the goals of UK renewable energy strategy by 2020. According to the secretary of state for energy and climate change (UK renewable energy strategy, 2009), UK government aims at reducing carbon emissions by expanding renewable energy to account for 15% of energy demand by 2020, reduce UKs of fossil fuels by around 10% by 2020. Through the implementation of this strategy, enough renewable energy will be in place by 2020 to supply the equivalent of nearly all 26 million homes in the UK with their current electricity needs and 4 million homes with their current heating needs. This radical approach will require a seven -fold increase in renewable energy in the 11 years from 2009 to 2020. The lead scenario of this proposed massive expansion is based on more than 30% of electricity needs to be generated from renewable (up from around 5.5% now), mostly from wind power, 12% of heat needs and 1 0% of transport needs from the current level of 2.6%. If the proposal is fully implemented and progressed as planned, it will create a huge investment opportunities for investors in the renewable energy sector. It will also promote innovation and catalyse infrastructural development in the renewable energy sector. If infrastructural and technological development are sustained over a period of time, it can bring economy of scale in terms of reduced energy cost. This will improve the competitive strength of renewable energy. UNEMPLOYMENT Another important economic variable is unemployment. UK unemployment rose from 860,000 in 2005 to 910,000 in 2008, before suffering a huge rise of 68.1% to reach 1.5million in 2009 (Keynote, 2010). The drastic rise in unemployment rate was as a direct consequence of economic meltdown. The 5-year period from 2009 to 2013 is forecast to experience unemployment levels well above any annual figure in the preceding period (2005 -2009),unemployment is forecast to rise from 1.5million in 2009 to 2.16 million in 2010, after which it will decline to 1.86 million in 2013 TIA, 2009 (Cited in keynote, 2010). The implication of this is that with fewer people at work, it is to be expected that energy consumption in the workplace will decline. There will, however, be an increase in domestic energy consumption if a large number of people are at home during cold weather. INFLATION A stable inflation rate over time is essential for a more realistic strategic plans, whereas, in a situation of fluctuating inflation it may be difficult for organisations to have stable plans as adjustment will have to be made from time to time. UK inflation increased from 2.8% to 4.3% between 2005 and 2007, it fell to 4% in 2008 and a deflation of 0.5% set in 2009 (Keynote, 2010). From the economic point of view, a slightly rising inflation over time tends to favour investment as higher returns will be accrued to factors of production. Energy prices increased generally between 2005 and 2009 (Keynote, 2010). This can be partially attributed to increase in inflation rate over the same period. However, a well stable inflation over time can lead to economic stagnation, which can impact negatively on renewable energy market demand. SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS Renewable energy is often considered as the solution to the worlds climate change and wider environmental concerns (Deloitte,2010). The success of renewable energy as an environmentally friendly and alternative energy source is always questioned by its scope and sustainability. The issue of sustainability is rising and corporate social responsibility is becoming an increasing concern for all companies. Therefore, there is more pressure on renewable energy companies to deliver an effective sustainability agenda (Deloitte, 2010). Renewable energy can involve large infrastructure, its construction and operation has both environmental and social consequences. These include questions regarding the carbon benefits of bio-fuels and argument that they are contributing to rising food prices, fears over the impact of wind farms and tidal barrages on local biodiversity, as well as the social impact of large hydro projects which can involve relocation of villages (Deloitte, 2010). As renewable e nergy continues to become a larger part of the energy equation, there will be increasing focus on its sustainability credentials. The strategic implication of this for a renewable energy companies is that they should undertake thorough environmental and social assessments embedding sustainability into their overall corporate strategy and supply chain in order to preserve their own and the industrys reputation (Deloitte, 2010). It can be inferred that increased sustainability and social responsibilities will lead to increased renewable energy cost . A survey by electric utility week (2010), found that the single most energy related problem facing consumers today is high cost of various forms of energy. Another social factor militating the development of renewable energy project is the difficulties in obtaining planning permission (Michael, 2008). The reason for this is local NIMBY (Not-in-my backyard) opposition. But, this has been borne out of a fear of change and a lack of appreciation of the benefits that renewable energy can play in local communities. This constraint can be eliminated by encouraging local communities to co-invest in small scale renewable energy projects (Deloitte, 2010). This approach will assist in alleviating rural poverty and at the same time raise awareness on the benefits of renewable energy. POPULATION The population of a region, its distribution, composition, growth and trend over time is an important environmental factor that could play a key role in designing an effective corporate strategies over a relatively long period of time .Understanding population dynamics of the market in which corporate organizations operate promotes recruitment policies, gives better understanding of demand for the products and proper segmentation of the market. In 2009, the UK resident population was 61.8 million, which grew by 0.7% compared with previous figures of 61.38million in 2008 and by 2.6% compared with 60.24million in 2005 (NSW,2010). The UK population is projected to grow by 0.7% per annum between 2009 and 2013, rising from 61.8 million to 63.7 million (GAD,2009).This strong population growth and forecast is a favourable factor for the current and future prospects for the renewable energy industry. A favourable population growth can lead to increase demand for renewable energy, as a result companies can expand their market share which will impact positively on the organizations bottom line (profit motive). However, a growing population could also a challenge for the industry to continue to provide a good service as it aims to reduce carbon emissions(Keynote, 2010). TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS The growing demand for renewable energy of all kinds is generating a need for people with appropriate skills. Companies need to consider how to build up, manage and retain their human capital, particularly where projects may face an uncertain development period (Deloitte, 2010). Already, there have been reports of shortages of turbine blades, restricting wind-farm development (Keynote, 2008). Renewable energy in UK is a world-class industry and with government commitment to realise the sectors full potentials, it is essential that its skill base grows to support its expansion. Key players in the oil and gas industry are also stakeholders in the development of renewable energy sector. These companies employ the latest technology, possess well- trained engineers and other personnel. Some of these skills can be readily transferred to renewable energy sector (Deloitte, 2010 ). Technological developments in the global renewable energy world is also important. For instance, China is already the largest and fastest renewable energy economy in the word, their focus is not just domestic but international, and their impact will be felt everywhere (Deloitte, 2010). COMPETITIVE STRUCTURE Organizations do not exist in isolation but operate in a dynamic, turbulent and constantly changing world with many forces in place. Among the significant environmental variables are those relating to the nature of competition in particular market as these will determine current profitability and the scope for manoeuvring within that market (Wendy,1997). These environmental variables were identified by Porter through his five forces model of competitive structure, Porter, 1980 (cited in Wendy, 1997). These environmental variables include; threat of new entrants, bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, threat of substitute products or services and rivalry among existing competitors. The current competitive position of any organization will be the net force of these five aggregated (Porter, 1980). This model will be used to analyse the competitive structure of the renewable energy industry in UK. RIVALRY BETWEEN COMPETITORS UK energy industry is dominated by many multinational energy companies. Notable among are ; AMEC Plc, BP Plc, Centrica plc, EDF Plc, E.ON Climate and Renewables UK Operations Ltd, Renewable Energy System Ltd, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, RWE Power Plc, Scottish Power Ltd, Scottish and Southern Energy Plc, AES Solar, Bio-energy Technology Ltd, among others (Keynote, 2010). These companies have very strong financial strength, employ latest technology and possess first class manpower. Their recent interests and investments in various renewable technologies in UK is making the competition tougher than before. For instance, in 2008, BP Plc invested $1.4b in its alternative energy business and Centrica Plc announced that its proposed 250MW offshore wind farm off the Lincolnshire coast had received official consent (Keynote, 2010). This trend is expected to continue because of the global interest in reducing global warming and carbon emission through low carbon energy sources. The implication of this is that competition between rival will grow more intense. Moreover, renewable energy is a fast growing sector of the energy industry in UK. The renewable energy sector is expected to experienced a spontaneous and sustained growth over the next two decades because of the government supports to develop the sector. As the sector grows spontaneously over time, competition among competitors tends to be more intense. It is hopeful that increased competition will lead to overall industry efficiency and consequently reduced energy cost. THREATS OF NEW ENTRANTS Availability of different incentives in terms of tax credit and subsidies will definitely woo potential investors to invest in UK renewable energy sector. The existing companies in the UK renewable energy sector are mostly multinationals with robust balance sheet, highly innovative and technologically advanced. Their size and efficient technology give them economic of scale advantage in the area of production, marketing and distribution of renewable energy over the incoming companies. The effect of this is reduced energy cost per unit that can be favourably transferred to consumers. The greatest concern about the future of renewable energy is the acceptability of its higher cost compare to other traditional energy sources to consumers. However, injection of huge capital at start-up by new companies, with right management team and dedicated staff could neutralise the retaliation power of the existing competitor. This could as well serve as threats to the existing companies. THREATS OF SUBSTITUTES In recent years, renewable energy sector has received tremendous supports for its increase share of total energy supply not only from the UK government but also from EU and the world at large. This is attributed to its positive effects on climate change. However, much have not been said about the comparative cost of renewable energy with other convectional energy sources. A study carried out by the BP Power for Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE, 2010) revealed that renewable energy sources are generally more expensive than convectional energy sources. The studies attributed the higher cost of renewable energy to immaturity of the technology and limited opportunity to take advantage of cost savings through economy of scale. Convectional energy sources are good substitutes to renewable energy and constitute a serious threat to its growth and development . However, it is hopeful that with the global trend towards renewable energy, the sector will experience a technological revolution an d take advantage of economy of scale from increased market opportunities. THE POWER OF BUYERS AND SUPPLIERS The bargaining power of suppliers is relatively high. This is driven by the small number of renewable energy suppliers and relatively lack of information and product choice for buyers. SWOT ANALYSIS This is a model for assessing the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats that face an organization . Strengths and weaknesses define the internal context of the organization, while opportunities and threats examine the external environment (Philip, 2000). STRENGHTS One of the greatest environmental problems facing the world today is global warming. Global warming is caused by carbon gas emission from the convectional fossil fuels . The focus of the western world is to reduce carbon emission to as low as possible. The fundamental approach to this is the development of global alternative energy sources with low carbon emission, of which renewable energy is viable and feasible option. UK is playing a leading role at reducing global carbon emission. A comprehensive approach towards achieving these goals, UK Renewable Energy Strategy 2009 was presented to the house of parliament in July, 2009. The strategy contains various incentives to attract private investors and proposed huge government capital investment in different areas of renewable sector. Renewable energy already benefits  £485 million a year through the Renewable Obligation and plans are on ground to offer further subsidies (e.g. reductions in transmission charges) through amendments to the electricity bills (RAE, 2010). Also, recent legislation in the UK and EU provides a framework for more commitment to the development of renewable energy. Furthermore, UK is blessed with many suitable locations for the development of various forms of renewable energy. As at 2009, a total of 1,648 sites generated electricity from different renewable sources; 939 (57%) were in England , 436 (26.4%) were in Scotland, 143 (8.7%) were in Wales and 130(7.9%) were in Northern Ireland (DECC, 2010). The location advantage couple with UK government and EU supports is a strong impetus that could drive a revolutionary development in the renewable energy sector. Also, the long- term decline in the UKs offshore oil and gas industry adds strength for an increase in renewable energy. OPPORTUNITIES UK has a stable political structure characterised by high technological and infrastructural development. Thus, the economy is capable of developing extensive expertise in a wide range of renewable technologies, including design, research, manufacture and installation (Keynote, 2009). The availability of world class facilities and manpower in various UK universities can be harnessed to channel research towards developing a first class renewable energy technologies that will promote overall industry efficiency in the sector. The impact of research and technology in the development of a sustainable renewable energy economy cannot be overemphasised. It will drive the industry into maturity from which economy of scale can be achieved. Also, renewable energy sector opens opportunities for many multinational oil and gas companies to increase their stake or as new entrants. These companies have appropriate skills mix and technology. Development in renewable energy sector can also open opport unity for companies to enter foreign markets. THREATS Large energy companies review the whole global energy market to identify the best returns for their investment. Some of these companies have decided to curtail investment in renewable energy in certain regions and technologies, as more interesting opportunities (not necessarily in renewable energy ) lie outside UK (keynote, 2009). Also the proposed plans to replace the UKs ageing nuclear power stations with new nuclear power stations pose a serious threat to the future of renewable energy. They have very low carbon emissions and represent perfect substitute to renewable energy in this respect. WEAKNESSESS The development of large scale renewable energy and the necessary infrastructures require substantial amount of capital which is difficult to come by. Investors are finding it very difficult to obtain the much needed fund from the banks because of the recession. Also, it has been established by research that, in the short run, renewable energy are more expensive than the convectional energy sources . The business implication of this is that profitability will be affected in the short run. Energy supply has little product differentiation and consumers will only go for the cheapest energy source. Thus, new renewable energy companies may be forced to apply price penetration policy to gain enough market share from which they can enjoy economy of scale. Shortage of equipment, for instance in wind farm power sector also hinders development of renewable energy (Keynote, 2010). CONCLUSION This analysis has shown that renewable energy is a growing sector of the energy industry in UK with many potentials to develop into a major energy sector. Many forces are responsible for the growth of renewable energy industry. These include; the global and EU commitments to reduce carbon gas emission from the convectional fossil fuel and gas, UK government supports in terms of incentives and subsidies, location advantage of UK, long term decline in UKs oil and gas output and various government legislations. In addition to this, renewable energy if fully developed provides a permanent energy source unlike other convectional sources with limited supply life span. However, the greatest challenges facing the development of renewable energy sector are uncertainty of supply as most renewable sources are affected by natural conditions that are difficult to control, and high cost of renewable energy. Studies have shown that renewable energy sources are more expensive than other convectional energy sources(Lucintel, 2010, IEA, 2007 RAE, 2010). The reasons given for this are both technical and economic. The technical aspect of the cost has to do with the level of technology while economic relates to cost savings through economy of scale. According to Reuters (2009), the high cost of renewable energy sources relative to convectional energy sources is a short term technical and economic bottleneck, which will be eliminated as the sector grows in scope, expand its market share and tends towards maturity. Al Gore (2009) claimed that as time progresses, renewable energy cost generally gets cheaper, while fossil fuel generally gets more expensive. It is expected that the UK 11 years (2009-2020) strategic plans for developing the renewable energy industry as analysed by UK renewable energy strategy 2009, will drive the industry into maturity through innovation and high technology. The continuous increase in demand and market share by the renewable energy over the years is an indication that in the very near future, the sector can achieve reduced energy cost per unit through economy of scale. Thus, the sector will be able to compete favourably in terms of cost with other sources of energy. It is therefore, evident that there are potential and viable business opportunities for investors in renewable energy sector of the UK economy.

Analysis of Hills Like White Elephants Essay -- Hills Like White Elepha

Analysis of Hills Like White Elephants â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants†, by Ernest Hemingway, is a short story published in 1927 that takes place in a train station in Spain with a man and a woman discussing an operation. Most of the story is simply dialogue between the two characters, the American and Jig. This couple is at a critical point in their lives when they must decide whether or not to have an abortion. Certain themes arise from this story such as choices and consequences, doubt and ambiguity, and how men and women relate. Hemingway also uses many examples of symbolism in â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants†, including descriptions of the surrounding scenery, the hills themselves, and the station where the action takes place. Clearly, this short story crosses timelines to become relevant to both the early twentieth century and modern times. The most obvious theme recognized early in this short story is that of choices and consequences. The couple is unmarried and the girl has become pregnant, but the man wants her to have an abortion. The American obviously believes that the abortion will free the couple from any responsibilities, which is what they have been experiencing before this turn of events (Short Stories for Students 158). The man also feels that the pregnancy is the only thing that has caused them to have arguments and become unhappy with each other in the relationship (Hamid 77). Clearly, the girl is reluctant in her decision to have the abortion. She feels that either choice she makes will not have much of an effect on their long-term relationship and hopes of finding true love and happiness (Short Stories for Students 158). Another theme found in â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† is that of doubt and ... ...ingway allowed this story to be open for discussion for many years to follow, allowing it to not only reflect the ideas of pre-World War II Europe, but to be adapted to the thoughts of modern societies. Bibliography: Works Cited Akers, Tim (Ed.). Short Stories for Students (Vol. 6). Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 1999. 158-170. Beacham, Walton. Critical Survey of Short Fiction. Ed. Frank N. Magill. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Salem Press, 1981. 6-8 Hamid, Syed Ali. â€Å"Men with Women: Hemingway ‘Love Stories’†. The Short Fiction of Ernest Hemingway. New Delhi: Ashish Publishing House, 1985. 77-78. Johnston, Kenneth G. Short Stories for Students (Vol. 6). Ed. Tim Akers. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 1999. 167-168. Weeks, Lewis E. Jr. Short Stories for Students (Vol. 6). Ed. Tim Akers. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 1999. 169-170.