Response Essay :: Essays Papers

Response Essay When the issue of Animal Testing is brought up in the course of a conversation, almost every single person that is involved in this discussion will have opinions that differ in some way, shape, or form. Many people will talk about the horrific conditions that animals are forced to live under, as well as the pain and suffering that they must endure while being tested. However, these conditions are not all that horrible when you take into account the state of the world we live in. This issue can be debated back and forth until the end of time. It is an issue involving two totally opposite views, pros versus cons. Pro-Con. The Con side will state that so many animals are needlessly used while in a test, but according to Roger Marshall, large numbers must be used in tests in order to account for statistically reliable results (Marshall 1). The Con side will also say it is not needed, and it serves no purpose, however, animal testing is a great thing, because it can help find cures for human illnesses, it can aid in the advancements of medical procedures, and it can also find cures for illnesses of animals. For many years, performing research on animals has had invaluable benefits for the human race, and without the constant developments we receive from it, we might still be plagued by the most medieval of viruses that we do not even think about in this day in age. The probability of heart attacks, strokes, and kidney failure would greatly increase if we did not possess the medication we can now use to control high blood pressure. According to the American Medical Progress Education Foundation, great advancements have been made regarding cardiology, including coronary blood flow, coronary bypass techniques and high blood pressure medication (Research 2). Many medications have been produced as a result of testing on animals, including insulin, the medication used to regulate diabetes. If animals were not used in medical research, we might still be living in a world where we must fear diseases like polio, smallpox, and even measles. Human Benefits. Medicine alone is not the only thing that has been vastly improved due to animal testing, the way we treat diseases and surgeries has all drastically changed and improved.

All the reasons not to eat at Mcdonalds Essay

Almost every American has probably at one time or another eaten at one of McDonald’s many restaurants or they have at least heard of the mega fast food chain. For decades, Americans have enjoyed their array of menu items. Recently, people have been looking deeper and deeper into if McDonald’s is really a healthy restaurant to eat at. I propose that customers who enjoy McDonald’s food should no longer consume it because it can make you obese, the portions are way too big, and the food at McDonald’s is practically phony. To start off, people all over the world that like the McDonald’s should not eat at the familiar restaurant because it could lead to serious weight problems. Hopefully, people who eat at McDonald’s will realize it is not doing them any good. Studies show that those who frequently eat at McDonald’s gained 10 pounds more than those who did so less often, and were more than twice as likely to develop an insulin disorder linked to diabetes. Clearly, fast food eaters could gain more pounds especially if the foods that are high in fat, like the food served at McDonald’s. Therefore, if you do not want to get fat, I might steer clear from McDonald’s. The second reason as to why you should not eat at McDonald’s is because the portions are becoming larger. As the year’s progresses, the portions at McDonald’s are getting bigger and bigger even though you might not even realize it. The problem is that people tend to eat or drink what’s in front of them. We also significantly underestimate how many calories we consume. But even when consumers try to do right by their diets by choosing a small or medium of something at a fast-food chain, they may be getting more than they expect. Basically, this is teaching us that it is okay to eat what is in front of us, even if there is a lot. Last but not least, the food that they serve at McDonald’s is not authentic because of all of the extra additives that they have added just for the taste. I believe that there is definitely a difference between real food and fake food. Real food is savory and in some cases it melts in your mouth, while fake food doesn’t even taste and the texture is similar to plastic. People deserve much better than fake food and that is the kind of stuff that you are consuming when you eat McDonald’s. I do not know about you but a sausage burrito containing 50 different ingredients including milk, egg, wheat, corn syrup, and a range of chemicals and preservative agents does not sound very tempting to me. Not only that but the hash browns are cooked with animal products and the bacon contains wheat and soy. I just do not think that is right. The food that people eat should have real ingredients like potatoes in hash browns, not all those fake preservatives. You would not cook a meal at home with all of that extra stuff in it, so eating it at McDonald’s does not make much sense to me. Much of the food at McDonald’s contains extra additives. I think that we deserve much better than that. Just because of the ingredients in the food, I don’t think that we should eat at McDonald’s. People that take pleasure in the food at McDonald’s should not eat there any longer because the risk is far too high. It can make you gain weight because of the extra calories and fats that you are consuming. The portions of the food have grown year by year and you may not even know how much food you are actually eating. Also, there are so many other restaurant alternatives that offer a much better selection of food that actually have true ingredients. So, the next time you go to eat at a restaurant even if a McDonald’s is nearby, I would rethink your options.

Epic Hero Essay

Moral Courage EMMA WALSKY PRE-AP CHALLENGE ENGLISH 9 MRS. PEARSON 2 MARCH 2013 â€Å"It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare. † (Mark Twain) Courage is the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. Aragorn, from The Lord of the Rings, Odysseus from The Iliad and The Odyssey, and Katniss from The Hunger Games all demonstrate jarring courage throughout their journey to heroism.As Aragorn leads the Fellowship, they come across many obstacles and interferences. He is required to battle off Urak-hai, Orcs, and Nazgul and protect his comrades, all while continuing his quest to Mount Doom. Aragorn is a very loyal and intrepid leader whom is brought to heroism through his magnificent courage. Odysseus makes a very long journey in order to return home to Ithaca. He is forced to make tremendous sacrifices, survive the wrath of Skylla and Kharybdis, and take the form of an intelligent beggar.Odysseus is brought to his heroic means through his gallant courage and distinctive endurance. Katniss battles for days in order to win victory for her district. She protects fellow members, cunningly kills off enemies, and endures major physical and intellectual damage. Katniss’ stunning dedication and over powering courage lead her to great heroism. Heroes of epic orchestration, such as Aragorn from The Lord of The Rings by J. R. R.Tolkien, Odysseus from The Iliad and The Odyssey, by Homer, and Katniss from The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, establish themselves as superior epic heroes through their intelligent utilization of the twenty-five epic hero steps, along with their astounding courage, bravery, and endurance which ultimately transforms them into three epic heroes that will never be forgotten. As an epic hero the first hero journey step, The Call to Adventure, acts as one of most important steps, as it begins ones strenuous expedition towards victory and t riumph.Odysseus, The Great Glory of the Achaians, was under oath to protect the marriage of Helen and Menelaus. After Helen was taken by Paris to the city of Troy, the Greeks demanded war upon the Trojans. Odysseus was asked by King Agamemnon and King Menelaus to endure war and bring his fleet of ships and soldiers. This marked the start of Odysseus’ lengthy journey to capture Helen, and defeat Troy. Odysseus proudly led the Walsky 2 Cephallenians, with twelve ships, who were settled in Ithaca, Neriton, Crocyleia, Aigilips, Zacynthos, and Samos.He was forced to leave his wife, Penelope, and his son, Telelmachus, for what soon became 20 years. Odysseus’ tremendous sacrifice to his country and his family along with his outstanding courage to bring home victory prove his title of an epic hero. Katniss, The Girl Who Was on Fire, begins her journey in the square of District 12. As the reaping begins, Katniss separates from her sister, Primrose, and waits for Effie Trinket t o announce which two children of the Seam will act as tribute. Effie reaches her hand deep into the ball and pulls out a slip of paper.As she crosses back to the podium, she smoothes the slip of paper and reads out the name in a clear voice, Primrose Everdeen. As a â€Å"strangled cry comes out of her throat and her muscles begin to move again,† Katniss screams out â€Å"Prim! † (Collins 22). Katniss makes way for the stage and pulls Prim behind her with one sweep of her arm as she gasps â€Å"I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute! † (Collins 22). Katniss protects her sister from the dangers of the battle as she unexpectedly volunteers to take her place as tribute. With this, she displays shocking courage and wholesome bravery.Katniss’ great deed is one of many that prove she is a respectable epic hero. Katniss and Odysseus both embark on hearty journeys that force them to make important sacrifices, portray a leader figure, and act courageous in battle, whi ch ultimately prove themselves as epic heroes. Each epic hero heftily utilizes the third hero journey step, The Wise and Helpful Guide and the Magic Tailsman, to assist and guide them in their path to success and glory. Aragorn, The Great Strider, along with the rest of the Fellowship, is led from the shire to Mount Doom by Gandalf the Grey, later Gandalf the White.Gandalf is a wizard, and is also known as the head of the Istari after the fall of Saruman. Gandalf leads and protects the Fellowship through Brandywine, The Old Forest, Chetwood, Bree, Weathertop, Trollshaws, and Rivendell until the final reach of Mount Doom. Aragorn is loyal to Walsky 3 Gandalf’s decisions and respects his strategies and tactics. He allows Gandalf to lead the Fellowship and trusts his knowledge and intelligence. Aragorn’s ability to respect, along with his distinctive loyalty and dedication towards others distinguishes him as an epic hero.Katniss is mentored by Haymitch Abernathy, victor o f the 50th Hunger Games, and won for District 12 at the age of 16. Haymitch first appears to Katniss as drunk and staggering as he dives off the stage at the reaping, and once again as he vomits on the expensive floor of the train headed to the Capitol. After a small fight between the two and Peeta, Haymitch begins to formulate a plan as he is interested in ones who can put up a fight. He tells them to train and learn new things, to avoid practicing skills they excel in. Haymitch successfully trains Katniss, as she comes out with a very high training score.Katniss respects Haymitch, although she is aware of his drinking problem, and obeys his rules and consequences. Katniss’ capability to learn and regard others methods prove her as a true epic hero. Aragorn and Katniss are capable of respecting others and distinguishing loyalty towards their mentors, ultimately giving them the title of epic hero. An epic hero would be nowhere without the sixth hero journey step, Hero Partner s, to lead, guide, and build each other up throughout the course of their journey. To Aragorn, the members of the Fellowship act as his hero partners.Frodo Baggins, Wise by Experience, Samwise Gamgee, The Salt of the Earth, Merry Brandybuck, Meriadoc the Magnificent, Pippin Took, The Hunchback, Legolas, The Green Leaf, Gimli, The Fire, Boromir, The War Jewel, Faramir, The Jeweled Hunter, and Gandalf, The Elf of the Staff, are all comrades of Aragorn. Each member of the Fellowship has a different type of relationship with Aragorn, whether it is family oriented or merely acquaintances. Aragorn utilizes the skills and abilities of each individual Fellowship member to bring them to victory and triumph.His healthy relationship with each Fellowship member allows them to relate to each other and create a Walsky 4 stronger bond, which is very important in the ultimate win. Aragorn’s healthy bonds and strong relationship with his hero partners differentiates him as an epic hero. One o f Odysseus’ hero partners is Diomedes, King of Argos. Diomedes is asked by Nestor to go on a night raid to the Trojan camp to kill guards and destroy their supplies. Diomedes is â€Å"willing to visit the enemy camp. But if one more could go with, that means more courage and more comfort† (The Iliad. 10. 119).Agamemnon orders Diomedes to choose a comrade, anyone he likes, as he knows the force of two will be stronger than one. Diomedes â€Å"could not think of anyone but Odysseus, the best man of all, ready heart and high temper in every enterprise† (The Iliad. 10. 120). Diomedes, along with many other Achaians, trusts and respects Odysseus as a fighter and as a genuine and loyal man. Athena, the Grey Eyed Goddess, is also a hero partner of Odysseus. As Odysseus enters the Phaiakians city, Athena â€Å"poured a sea fog around him as he went† so â€Å"that no jeering sailor should halt the man or challenge him for his luck† (The Odyssey. . 111). She cares about Odysseus’ safety and does everything she can to get him out of harm’s way. Athena knows Odysseus is a caring, genuine man whom deserves protection from danger. Odysseus’ bold relationships with his army and the gods and goddesses, and his strong bonds with generosity associate with the necessary deeds of an epic hero. The intelligent and genuine utilizations of hero partners by Aragorn and Odysseus prove their title as epic hero. The seventeenth hero journey step, The Hero’s Return, is one of the most important steps because it marks the hero’s victorious journey home.Odysseus had a very long expedition back to his home land of Ithaca. Odysseus and his men sail to the island of Cicones where they slaughter soldiers and kill livestock. After leaving Cicones, they sail to the Island of the Lotus Eaters, where many of his men eat the lotus plant and are intrigued to stay. They then sail to the Island of the Cyclopes and are trapped in Pol yphemus’ cave. They brutally drive a pole into his eye ball and escape by hanging under Walsky 5 the sheep he lets out to graze.After leaving the Cyclopes Island, Odysseus and his men sail to Aeolia, where he receives a gift of stormy winds to return home to Ithaca. The men open the bag and are directed to Aeaea, where they are given food and drinks from Circe. They sail to the Land of the Dead, where Teiresias tells them how to fend of the Sirens, Scylla, and Kharybdis. They sail through sirens but 6 of his men are taken by Skylla. As they reach Lord Helios’ island, Odysseus notifies his men not to slaughter and eat the cattle. They do so anyway and they are killed, leaving Odysseus alone. After many days he washes up upon Ogygia, Calypso’s island. He is oused there for seven years, and then lands on the island of Phaeacia, where he is the guest of honor at a banquet in the Phaeacian King’s palace. The king orders his men to give Odysseus a ship and then he sails off to home. He safely arrives in Ithaca, and has completed his journey home. Odysseus has many difficult encounters, near death experiences, and challenging tasks he must complete in order to return home. His outstanding level of endurance, strength and perseverance allows him to complete this miraculous journey and hold the title of en epic hero. Katniss endures many physically harmful situations in her quest to victory.Katniss protects fellow district members, hunts for food, kills off enemies, and builds shelters. As Claudis reinforms Katniss and Peeta that â€Å"the earlier revision has been revoked. Closer examination of the rulebook has disclosed that only one winner may be allowed,† she strings her bow and points the arrow right towards Peeta’s heart (Collins 342). As Peeta drops his knife, Katniss lowers her bow and steps back with shame. The two decide to, on the count of three, feed themselves a handful of poisonous berries so that neither of them would feel the pain of killing the other.Just as they lift their hands to their lips Claudis yells for them to stop and is â€Å"pleased to present the victors of the 74th Hunger Games† (Collins 345). A hovercraft materializes overhead and two ladders drop for Katniss and Peeta. As she places a foot on the first rung Walsky 6 of the ladder, she is home. As she steps aboard the plane safety and security fill the air. Katniss endured very harsh conditions, poor consistency, and emotional swings while in battle. Her astounding dedication and devotion for the victory of her district, led her home with triumph.Odysseus and Katniss return home through their astonishing endurance, dedication and courage, ultimately proving themselves as epic heroes. The twenty fifth hero journey step, Final Victory, is the most important as it labels the victory and win of a strenuous expedition, completed by an epic hero. Aragorn leads the Fellowship to triumph through his excellent leadership skil ls, combat abilities, and intelligent methods. The Battle of the Hornburg began Aragorn’s final victory. He revealed himself to Sauron as the heir of Isildur, in order to distract Sauron's attention from Frodo, who was approaching Mordor.Aragorn defended the city with the Dead Men of Dunharrow, who owed allegiance to the King of Gondor. They defeated Saurons allies, and sailed to Minas Tirith. They arrived at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields and with the help of the southern forces the armies of Gondor and Rohan rallied and defeated Sauron's army. Aragorn then led his armies to the Gates of Mordor, to distract Sauron. Sauron attacked with overwhelming force but at that moment the Ring was destroyed by Frodo and Sauron and his forces were defeated. Aragorn was crowned King of Elessar and as the heir of Isildur, bore the shards of Narsil.He demands â€Å"this day doesn’t belong to one man but to all† and vows to â€Å"rebuild this world that they may share in th e days of peace† (LOTR:RK). He is loyal to his country and even after acquiring glory and fame through his crown, he still believes the most important thing he can do as King is distinguish the world with peace and tolerance. As Aragorn is walking out of his coronation with his wife, Arwen, he encounters the hobbits as they bow towards his glory. Aragorn claims they â€Å"bow to no one† as he, along with the rest of the crowd, bow towards their tremendous accomplishment (LOTR:RK).Aragorn beholds genuine loyalty and Walsky 7 respect towards his fellow men and acts as a great role model to future epic heroes. His wholesome courage and bold leadership led the Fellowship to a final victory and prove he is worthy of being an epic hero. Odysseus battles many obstacles in order to share his identity with his family. As Odysseus arrives on Ithaca Athena covers him in a mist which allows him to reach his home without being harmed. Odysseus reveals himself to Telemachus, although it takes some time as he appears god-like.Then Odysseus disguises himself as a beggar and ventures to his home with Eumaeus. A fight broke out between Odysseus and Antinoos, a troublesome suitor, and he was summoned by Penelope as she was perceptive about the â€Å"beggar. † He tells her all he knows about Odysseus’ whereabouts and is then sent away. As he is receiving a cleanse from Eur’ykleia, the nurse, she notices his scar directly above his knee from hunting wild boar. Odysseus grabs her throat as he braces her up against the wall and informs her he will kill her if she tells others his true identity.Penelope believes Odysseus is not returning and decides to have a bow and arrow contest, to see which suitor possesses the skills of Odysseus. One must string a bow and shoot the arrow through a line of twelve axes. None of the suitors complete the task, so Odysseus proposes that he try and Penelope insists that he be given a chance. Odysseus swiftly completes the task, and strings a second arrow through the throat of Antinoos. He reveals himself as Odysseus, and the suitors then realize they have been locked in the room by Eumaeas and Philoetius.A raging battle begins and within no time all of the suitors are killed. Penelope, who slept through the entire fight, was called down to the scene. She didn’t believe it was Odysseus, and thought a god was playing a trick on her. She then orders Eur’ykleia to move her bridal bed and Odysseus immediately flares up. He explains that the bed is immovable, how it is built from the trunk of an olive tree around which the house had been constructed. Hearing him recount these details, she knows that this man Walsky 8 must be her husband.He is reunited with his wife and his son, and becomes part of a family once again. Odysseus cleansed his home with the blood of the suitors and their families were pacified by Athena. After twenty long years, he is finally home. Odysseus’ unimagina ble perseverance and outstanding courage are what lead him home to a final victory and prove that he is an epic hero. Aragorn and Odysseus both utilize their withstanding endurance and bravery to complete their final victory and return â€Å"home. † An epic hero is a brave, noble and courageous character, whom is admired for their great achievements.Aragorn, Odysseus and Katniss are all classified as epic heroes through their outstanding courage throughout their journey to heroism. Heroes of epic orchestration, such as Aragorn from The Lord of The Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien, Odysseus from The Iliad and The Odyssey, by Homer, and Katniss from The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, establish themselves as superior epic heroes through their intelligent utilization of the twenty-five epic hero steps, along with their astounding courage, bravery, and endurance which ultimately transforms them into three epic heroes that will never be forgotten.Aragorn, Odysseus and Katniss will fore ver be remembered as stunning epic heroes. One’s moral courage determines one’s future. Walsky 9 Work Cited Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Press, 2008. Homer. The Iliad. Trans. W. H. D. Rouse. New York: NAL Penguin Inc. , 1938. Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 1998 Tolkein, J. R. R. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. Dir. Peter Jackson. New Line Cinema, 2001, 2002, 2003. Twain, Mark. The Quote Garden, 1998. http://www. quotegarden. com/courage. html

Walmart Store Analysis

Wal-Mart, â€Å"Always Low Prices, Always.† It is well known that one of the great keys to Wal-Mart’s formidable success is its lower-than-low cost of doing business. Wages in particular are as low as can be. Minimum wages and minimum benefits: that’s the way Wal-Mart stays ultra competitive.This report examines the state of Wal-Mart’s business practices and its effect on the economy. It will describe Wal-Mart as a non-union employer, paying lower wages to their employees than other retail and grocery stores. They do not offer benefits to all employees and most are unable to afford them.Between Wal-Mart’s business practices in increasing their profits and the need to recognize their social and ethical responsibilities, Wal-Mart needs to find a comfortable balance of profitability and responsibility in order to improve their reputation.During the process of writing this report, we found that there was much more information to be discussed about Wal-M art’s unethical business practice than what was reported. We also wanted to point out that although all companies do everything possible to lower their costs and maintain high production rates, Wal-Mart has crossed the line over the years by managing their profits in unethical ways compared to other large corporations who have been ethically and successfully managing their business practices. Information that can be found on Wal-Mart is changing everyday and it was  sometimes difficult to keep up.EXECUTIVE SUMMARYWal-Mart has been recognized as the leader in its industry and the largest company in the nation. With its powerful profit making abilities, Wal-Mart has grown from a local corner store to the money making â€Å"monster† it is today. The company has damaged its reputation over the years due to unethical choices made by its top executives. As a result, its anti-union stance has been singled out on issues concerning benefits, wages, and overall business practi ces.When reviewing Wal-Mart’s financial statements, one would be overwhelmed to see such high performances; but when you are a Wal-Mart employee, it is no surprise why that is true. Employees have been denied opportunities of advancement and pay raises. Lawsuits have been pending against the company with employees claiming they have been denied promotion opportunities in the company due to their gender, and some employees have sued for being over-worked and under paid.Wal-Mart has become so big in its industry, that it has lowered the wages through out the country and has influenced economic change. Since most of Wal-Mart’s employees live below the poverty line, it is difficult for them to afford health insurance when deductions out of their paychecks are sometimes as high as 33%. A Wal-Mart employee who obtains health insurance would have a very difficult time raising a family with this kind of premium. Wal-Mart employees are unable to receive healthcare benefits beca use the cost is too high and their wages are low.As a result, employees face a difficult time deciding whether to sacrifice such a large portion of their pay to obtain health insurance; in most cases Wal-Mart employees persist without health coverage. Deductions for health insurance are higher for Wal-Mart employees than other national retail employees. A Wal-Mart employee pays about 25% more for health insurance than the average retail worker. Wal-Mart has also been opposed by its female employees, who make up two-thirds of its workforce.Women have been discriminated in wage and have been denied any advancement to upper managerial positions – dominated my men. Men make approximately 5%-15% more than women and have a higher chance of advancing to a better position. Dukes vs. Wal-Mart, filed in 2001, was the largest lawsuit against a private employer in the nation and represented 1. 6 million female employees who were discriminated based on their sex. From lawsuits to employee complaints, Wal-Mart has been faced with a great deal of difficulties that have developed through their own unethical business practices.Although every company’s goal is to lower costs and produce large numbers, Wal-Mart has made sky-rocketing profits by unethically hurting its employees and cutting down their wages. Many question why Wal-Mart, the richest retailer in the world, chooses not to provide adequate wages or health benefits for its employees. If Wal-Mart were to reform its health benefits program, raise their product prices by as little as a penny, and create a bias free working environment for women, Wal-Mart would be in better terms with its employees and improve the reputation it sacrificed from the start.â€Å"SAVE MONEY, LIVE BETTER†, NOT ON WAL-MART WAGESINTRODUCTION BackgroundWal-Mart, the large international discount chain was founded by Sam Walton. On May 5, 1950, Walton purchased a store in Bentonville, Arkansas, and opened Walton’s 5 & 10. Little did the small town residents know that they would later become the headquarters for the world’s largest retailer store in the U. S. Through his savvy, and sometimes unusual, business practices, he and his associates led the company forward for thirty years.As Wal-Mart grew into a global corporation it is today, it has dealt with a great deal of criticism by outsiders. Wal-Mart’s ethical citizenship has been questioned numerous times and researched by many. There have been many doubts about Wal-Mart’s business integrity and questions whether their practices are ethical or not. Wal-Mart has faced, and is still facing, a significant amount of controversy over several different issues.Wal-Mart has been caught bribing its employees, discriminating against women, denying its employees of training or promotions, paying low wages, and providing high deductibles for health insurance. Wal-Mart is now paying the consequences and need to become socially responsible in order to maintain a better reputation with society. Although consumers are reeled in with the low prices Wal-Mart has to offer, others feel their ethical beliefs are more important than saving a quick buck.Statement of Purpose The purpose of this report is to examine Wal-Mart’s unethical business practices with a focus on employee wages and high health care deductibles. The report will question Wal-Mart’s aptitude to sell products cheaper than any of its leading competitors and yet maintain making a substantial amount of profit. The report will analyze the unethical practices that have developed through Wal-Mart’s history as a result of focusing on high productivity and profit making strategies.Scope The report will describe Wal-Mart’s unethical business practices that affect its employees. It will examine Wal-Mart’s unethical behavior in conducting business with an overall focus on employee wages.Limitations Time constraints have limited the ex tent of the research. There is a vast amount of information regarding this issue and we are unable to report it all. In addition, no funds are available to conduct primary research.Methods of Research The method of research for this paper was secondary research through databases, internet websites, and books. The research databases of California State University, Los Angeles, will be used to locate articles in current and past publication. The databases used are Lexis/Nexis and  Business Source Premiere. Also libraries, such as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library at California State University, Los Angeles and Los Angeles Public Library in Porter Ranch, California.The major findings of this study indicate that Wal-Mart being the world’s largest and richest retail chain is setting the standard on wages for retail workers and beyond. Because Wal-Mart has become so big, it has dragged down wages throughout the country. Wal-Mart has become what it is today by selling products at low prices and paying their â€Å"associates† even lower wages. Unhappy Wal-Mart workers complain as much about being over-worked as underpaid. Wal-Mart has its own stated policies at its employees’ expense. Wal-Mart pays it’s â€Å"associates† below basic living wage standards and even below poverty lines.Overworked and Underpaid EmployeesH. Lee Scott Jr. is the chief executive of the powerful corporation we call Wal-Mart. According to Mr. Scott, by selling vast quantities of goods at its trademark â€Å"Every Day Low Prices,† Wal-Mart has single-handedly raised America’s standard of living, saving consumers about $100 billion a year (Bianco 2). They feel that selling vast quantities of low price merchandise gives them the right to act as if they represent the American people. Scott states, â€Å"Wal-Mart also provides good jobs for hundreds of thousands of equally deserving employees, offers even part-time workers generous health insur ance and other benefits† (Bianco 2).He accuses greedy labor unions, inefficient supermarket chains, and other Wal-Mart opponents of distorting â€Å"the facts† to suit their own purposes. Wal-Mart insists on describing themselves as â€Å"pro-associate, not anti-union,† but is quick to suppress any and all attempts to have unions organize in its stores. In his book The Bully of Bentonville, Anthony Bianco describes how Wal-Mart has affected wages beyond their own company: Because Wal-Mart is so big, it has dragged down wages throughout the country.Economists at the University of California at Berkeley  found that Wal-Mart’s expansion during the 1990s cut the income of America’s retail employees by 1. 3 percent-or by $4. 7 billion in 2000 alone. What is more, the depressing effect of Wal-Mart’s expansion on payrolls extended well beyond retailing. According to a 2005 analysis by economists at the Public Policy Institute of California, take-h ome pay per person fell by 5 percent across the board following Wal-Mart’s entry into a country.The evidence â€Å"strongly suggest(s) that Wal-Mart stores lead to wage declines,  shifts to lower-paying jobs (or less skilled workers), or increased use of part-time workers. (4) Today, Wal-Mart is surrounded by controversy, but the greatest is from within. Unhappy employees are quitting and dozens of class-action lawsuits are pending against the company. Managers have been known to force employees to work extra hours without pay; either by eliminating breaks or by having them clock out and keep working â€Å"off the clock†. This is Wal-Mart’s way of saving on costs at the price of its employees. Store managers earn bonuses based on earnings.Since the corporation dictates the inventory and operating expenses, managers’ only control is labor costs. Joyce Moody, a former manager in Alabama and Mississippi, told the New York Times that Wal-Mart â€Å"threat ened to write up managers if they didn’t bring the payroll in low enough†. Depositions in wage and hour lawsuits reveal that company headquarters leaned on management to keep their labor costs at 8 percent of sales or less, and managers in turn leaned on assistant managers to work their employee’s off-the-clock or simply delete time from employee time sheet (ufcw.org).In the late 1990’s Wal-Mart’s annual turnover rate was a remarkably high 70 percent, 40 percent higher than in previous years (Slater 120). Wal-Mart does not see this as being a problem. The constant turnover reduces employees eligible for raises, promotions, benefits, and holds the average wage down. Just another way to keep payroll costs at a minimum.Employee WagesWal-Mart employs 1. 3 million workers in just the U. S. and operates more than 3,400 stores throughout the United States. A full time employee working 28- 40 hours a week at Wal-Mart is paid on an average of $250 a week. Be sides having low wages, those workers who are interested or eligible in obtaining health insurance for themselves or for their family pay high premiums and frequently don’t get the coverage they expect. The majority of Wal-Mart employees live below the poverty line and after making deductions in taxes and insurance coverage, a Wal-Mart employee’s salary is not enough to provide them a standard way of living.â€Å"The 2003 poverty guideline for a family of four is $18,400, $4,256 more than the $14,144 in earnings a full-time Wal-Mart worker earns at $8 per hour†¦ A household of four with a gross income of $23,920 or less could be eligible for food stamps -$9,776 more than a full-time, $8-an-hour Wal-Mart worker would earn in a year. † (www. aflcio. org) These numbers are even worst for part time workers. Today, one-third of Wal-Mart’s employees are part-time workers. They are limited to less than 34 hours of work per week and are not eligible for bene fits and must wait 1 year before they can enroll.Sex Discrimination in the Work PlaceIn addition to Wal-Mart’s low wages, its female workers are more disadvantaged and discriminated against in wage than its male workers. More than two thirds of Wal-Mart’s hourly employees are women and make up most of the lower wage positions which include: working the cash registers, stocking shelves and working the sales floor. Although men take responsibilities in these positions as well, the majority of men who work at Wal-Mart have positions as Management Associates or much higher ranked positions. Seventy-two percent of Wal-Mart employees are female and less than one-third of those women have management positions in the company.With that in mind, the average male employee was paid about $5,000 more in 2001 per year than the average female full-time employee. As Wal-Mart’s own workforce data reveals, women in every major job category at Wal-Mart have been paid less than men with the same seniority, in every year since 1997 even though the female employees on average have higher performance ratings and less turnover than men. (http://www. walmartclass. com).Dukes vs. Wal-Mart is said to be the largest and most famous gender discrimination lawsuit against a private employer and is the largest class-action suit in U. S. history, representing 1.6 million current and former female employees. Betty Dukes was the leading plaintiff in the case and sued Wal-Mart for sex discrimination; she was a fifty-four year old African-American woman who worked as a greeter for Wal-Mart.Factors such as seniority and performance were Wal-Mart’s main excuses and reasons that women earned from 5% to 15% less than men. It is disappointing to see that even the cashier positions, that are dominated by women, have men earning more than women. Wal-Mart not only overworks, under pays and discriminates against women, but it also provides neither childcare for workers or affor dable family health benefits.Unaffordable Healthcare DeductiblesWal-Mart employees are incapable of receiving healthcare benefits available for them because of its high cost and their low wages. Since most of Wal-Mart’s employees are unable to afford these health benefits, most of these individuals either turn to government aided insurance such as Medicaid, depend on their spouse’s plans, or expect to see a doctor in rare and emergency cases with no insurance. It is argued that uncovered Wal-Mart employees are not signing up for medical insurance and benefits because most of them exceed the income ceiling and are not eligible.Wal-Mart provides insurance for over 900,000 employees that are with and with out dependants. Employee premiums range between $143. 54 to $249. 71 per month for family coverage and $33. 04 to $72. 04 per month for single coverage. The National Average of workers covered by employer health insurance is 67 percent, and only 47 percent of Wal-Martâ⠂¬â„¢s employees are covered by the company’s health care plan. That is a huge gap when considering that each percent represents thousands of people.Most Wal-Mart employees have a difficult time deciding whether to attain health insurance or stay uninsured for the sake of saving money. ‘Cynthia Murray, who has worked at a Wal-Mart store in Laurel, Md. , for six years, suffers from asthma, but goes to see a doctor only when she suffers a bad attack. Murray is 50 years old, makes $9. 47 an hour, and says that the Wal-Mart plan that costs $23 a month has a $1,000 deductible, which makes it too expensive for her to use. Another plan subtracts $100 from her paycheck every two weeks.â€Å"I don't think anybody working at Wal-Mart has that kind of money,† says Murray. â€Å"All I'm asking from Wal-Mart is a fair share. †Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Gogoi). Many Americans question why Wal-Mart, one of the richest companies in the United States, can’t offer affordable health i nsurance and pay a living wage. Comparing Wal-Mart’s employee health benefits and wages to Costco’s employee health benefits and wages, one will notice that Costco not only pays its employees higher than Wal-Mart but their deductions are far less. â€Å"The average wage at Costco is $17 an hour†¦. a full-time worker at Wal-Mart makes $7.50 an hour on average.Costco workers pay just 8% of their health premiums, whereas Wal-Mart workers pay 33% of theirs. Ninety-one percent of Costco's employees are covered by retirement plans, with the company contributing an annual average of $1,330 per employee† (Cascio). Based on these facts, it is easy to say that Wal-Mart employees are giving up a large portion of their paychecks to obtain health care. Wal-Mart employees who do have health insurance and receive coverage are paying more in premiums but receive less for their money; in large corporations this has become a trend.New laws have been passed intended to force large corporations to control employee wages and reduce insurance deductibles. From law suits to employee complaints, Wal-Mart has recently thought of ways to reduce the cost of health benefits. The new plan would charge monthly premiums ranging from $25. 00 for individuals to $65. 00 for a family, making that 45-65% less than what employees contributed in the company’s existing plan. But it is not enough to reform the reputation Wal-Mart has lost or the vulnerable employees they let down.ConclusionsHigh productivity and lowering costs is one of the top and most important objectives in business. Wal-Mart being the World’s largest retailer can afford to pay their â€Å"associates† more than what the minimum wage offers. They are in fact, the richest retailer in the world and yet neglect to provide their employees affordable health care with a livable wage. Even if Wal-Mart was to pass 100 percent of the wage increase on to consumers, the average impact on a Wal-M art shopper would be quite small.Wal-Mart’s choice of action toward employee wages, health benefits, and bias work environment have not only brought an enormous shadow over its employees’ lives but also over its own big business reputation. The injustice decisions made through out the history of Wal-Mart has changed many lives and has forever changed the American economy. In the business world, there is big, and then there is Wal-Mart. Recommendations Based on the conclusions presented above, the following actions are recommended: 1. Retaining â€Å"associates† already on staff would be more cost affective then high employee turnover. 2. Train employees. Give the opportunity to advance and have freedom to associate and organize. 3. Our analysis reveals that establishing a higher minimum wage for large retailers like Wal-Mart would have a significant impact on workers living in poverty or near-poverty. 4. In order to increase employee satisfaction, reforming the cost of health insurance would help keep Wal-Mart in good terms with their employees. 5. If Wal-Mart was to raise their prices by as little as a penny to the dollar it would afford them to pay the higher wages. Higher wages provide the employees opportunity to afford health coverage. 6. Implementing fair employment and labor practices. In other words, â€Å"Obey the Law†.

Provided in the Doc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Provided in the Doc - Essay Example Susan Greenfield in her news column in Mail Online furthers this idea by demonstrating how the brain is a constantly changing organ, shaped by our environment and experiences upon which technology is impacting unfathomable effects. John A. Bargh and Katelyn Y.A McKenna exemplifies how technology, especially the internet, has influenced our psychological well-being and social identity. There is are ultimate resultant changes in our personality, behavior, and characteristic. Gahan has detailed both the cellular and psychological changes taking place as a result of technology. The contemporary life of technology is well modifying our human identity. The case of three study groups not previously exposed to piano showed significant change in the brain section responsible for finger movement for the group that underwent intense training and no change at all in the control group. According to Gahan, the present generation is interpreting the world through digital filters, and there’s a vague line as to where individuality boundaries begin. Greenfield agrees with the apparent benefits of the dynamic technology and also asserts the oblivious imminent dangers are tagging along such advancements. She has outlined how pharmaceutical and electronic advancements are impacting on our biochemistry and micro-cellular structure that in turn affects our characteristics, personality and behavior and ultimately our human identity (â€Å"Modern technology is changing the way our brains work, says neuroscientist,† n.d.). Humans are not passive consumers of technology but are instead actively shaped and transformed by it. John A. Bargh and Katelyn Y.A McKenna also adds that advent of these technological advancements will undeniably produce dramatic changes to our personal identity. However, John A. Bargh and Katelyn Y.A McKenna contest that such technology, especially in communication does not pose a significant threat

Marketing Mix Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing Mix - Research Paper Example According to the research findings there are four significant elements of the marketing mix in as far as marketing a business organization’s products and services are concerned. These elements, also known as the four Ps of marketing include product, price, place and promotion. The marketing mix is therefore a combination of promotion, product place and pricing strategies intended to generate equally satisfying exchanges within a target market. According to Ehmke et.al business organizations have to design a successful mix of the product, price, place and promotion. Product refers to the goods or services offered by the business organization or firm to its customers. Other than the physical product itself, there exist also a number of elements associated with the product, which attracts customers. Other attributes of a product include features, brand name, warranties, options, services and quality. A business organization’s products appearance, support and function sum u p what an organization’s customer is essentially buying. Successful business organization managers pay keen attention to the needs their product package addresses for their prospective customers as it is the right products that satisfy the needs of their prospective customers. On the other hand, price refers to how much a business organization charges its products or services. Out of all the elements of the marketing mix, price is the only one that gives rise to sales revenue since all the other elements are costs. The price of a product or service is thus a significant determinant of the sales value made. According to Ehmke et.al (2005), determining the price of a product or service is often a tricky as well as a frightening exercise for a number of business organizations. Pricing has to take into account a number of internal as well external factors such as actual costs, prices of competing products or services, expected profit margins, as well as the likely legal restricti ons. However, in theory, prices are determined by discovering what the customers perceive is the value of the product or service on sale. Researching customers’ (consumers) opinions regarding pricing is therefore important as this points out how they value, what they are looking for in a product or service as well as what they intend to pay (Ehmke et.al, 2005).Product price ought therefore to be right, as consumers need to purchase in large amounts to produce healthy profits. Place refers to the channels of distribution that a business organization employs in order to get its products or services to its customers. Ensuring the product or service is at the right place and at the right time involves the channels or system of distribution. The choice of the channel of distribution by an organization depends on various circumstances. For instance, a number of organizations sell their products or services to wholesalers who thereafter sell it to retailers. Other organizations, on the other hand, prefer selling directly to retailers or consumers (Ehmke et.al, 2005). Promotion refers to how a business organization informs prospective customers about the availability of products, its prices and its place. The purpose of promotion is to ensure prospective custo

Growth, Development, and Economic Transformation Essay

Growth, Development, and Economic Transformation - Essay Example This would result in lesser inequality when a particular level of GDP per capita is achieved because of the trickling down of growth benefits. Furthermore, as economic growth takes place, people’s incomes grow and the resulting structural changes in the mindset and attitudes of people invoke them to become environmentally conscious which leads to ‘greener’ measures in the society, thereby reducing the rate of environmental degradation. The other aspect is that increased incomes and environmental awareness can induce governments to impose tighter environmental controls thereby enhancing environmental quality. Another theoretical framework to explain this is the â€Å"self-regulatory market mechanism† associated with the exchange of natural resources within an economy (Unruh & Moomaw, 1998). The stock of natural resources tends to decrease during the early growth stages which results in increased prices. This price signaling mechanism then induces lower explo itation of natural resources at subsequent stages in economic growth (due to high prices) (Unruh & Moomaw, 1998) (World Bank, 1992). Due to this reason, economies also tend to shift towards technologies that are less resource intensive. Thus, the shape of the Kuznets’ Curve (see Appendix 1) is not only explained by enhanced environmental government expenditure but also the price signaling mechanism of the free markets (Torras & Boyce, 1998). One school of thought argues that the present rate of environmental degradation has a tendency to enlarge in the long run, hence, government policy should aim at more rapid economic growth in order to climb up the hump or the turning point soonest possible. However this maybe a tedious process, taking several years before the curve slopes downward; the longer the wait the higher the abatement costs. Hence, the policy of waiting for the relationship to become negative can be potentially damaging. A more appropriate policy is to â€Å"tunn el through† the curve and to flatten it through government interventions such as subsidies on energy and agrochemicals and property rights on natural resources. It is also important to note that developing nations cannot follow what their developed nations did in early stages of development (Unruh & Moomaw, 1998). Infact, the amount of greenhouse emissions inherited by today’s less developed nations is much higher than that inherited by their developed counterparts in similar stage of development. Infact, several resource-intensive industries have shifted from the North to South, thus putting the latter at a disadvantaged position. In the absence of an international government, international environmental policies under the umbrella of ‘sustainability’ are required to enforce both wings (the developed and developing) to cut down environmentally harmful emissions. The change in proportions of labor and capital across various sectors in an economy is one of t he most significant features of economic progress of a nation. Research by Clark, Kuznets and Chenery has produced solid evidence for the notion of decline in the role of agricultural (primary) and secondary sectors of an economy and the simultaneous increase in the role of tertiary sector as the economy develops (Clark, 1940). However, in recent years there has been growing consensus amongst researchers such as Maddison, Buera and Kaboski that while the