Fair Division :: Essays Papers

Fair Division The problem of how resources can be fairly distributed has remained at the forefront of political, academic, and social life for centuries. According to political scientist Steven J. Brams (1996) and mathematician Alan D. Taylor (1996), the issue of fair division can be traced back to the Hebrew Bible, with King Solomon’s proposal to divide a baby in two in order to appease the claims of two mothers. Within the last century, questions regarding the fair division and allocation of property have arisen throughout various spheres—divorce claims, estate settlements, assessments of taxes—and attempts to solve these dilemmas have increased as well (Brams & Taylor 1996). It is my intention with this essay to better understand this issue of fair division by looking at two permutations of the fair division problem. I would like to look at two existing methods—Divider-Chooser and the Method of Sealed Bids—and criteria—cooperation, rationality , privacy, symmetry—in order to examine the ways in which people have used mathematical devices to guarantee a fair share. However, it is also my intention with this essay to a introduce a new criteria—manipulation—to see how it coexists with the existing criteria, and how well it works in accordance with the two methods. One historical problem concerning a fair share has been the selection of a new king from a list of several candidates, such that each candidate receives a fair share at the chance to become king. According to Theodore P. Hill (2000), there exist many legends explaining attempts to solve this problem—Darius became king when his horse was the first to neigh at the city walls, and O’Neill became king under the rule that â€Å"he who first touches Irish soil will be monarch,† by chopping off his left hand and tossing it ashore ahead of his competitors. The problem with these methods was that they lacked a central organizing premise, such that each participant would be satisfied that they received a fair shot. Imagine that little Hank and little Johnny have just mowed the backyard for their parents. As a reward for their efforts, Hank and Johnny’s parents give them a box of pastries from the local bakery. There are muffins, à ©clairs, cookies, and even a few Russian teacakes. Fair Division :: Essays Papers Fair Division The problem of how resources can be fairly distributed has remained at the forefront of political, academic, and social life for centuries. According to political scientist Steven J. Brams (1996) and mathematician Alan D. Taylor (1996), the issue of fair division can be traced back to the Hebrew Bible, with King Solomon’s proposal to divide a baby in two in order to appease the claims of two mothers. Within the last century, questions regarding the fair division and allocation of property have arisen throughout various spheres—divorce claims, estate settlements, assessments of taxes—and attempts to solve these dilemmas have increased as well (Brams & Taylor 1996). It is my intention with this essay to better understand this issue of fair division by looking at two permutations of the fair division problem. I would like to look at two existing methods—Divider-Chooser and the Method of Sealed Bids—and criteria—cooperation, rationality , privacy, symmetry—in order to examine the ways in which people have used mathematical devices to guarantee a fair share. However, it is also my intention with this essay to a introduce a new criteria—manipulation—to see how it coexists with the existing criteria, and how well it works in accordance with the two methods. One historical problem concerning a fair share has been the selection of a new king from a list of several candidates, such that each candidate receives a fair share at the chance to become king. According to Theodore P. Hill (2000), there exist many legends explaining attempts to solve this problem—Darius became king when his horse was the first to neigh at the city walls, and O’Neill became king under the rule that â€Å"he who first touches Irish soil will be monarch,† by chopping off his left hand and tossing it ashore ahead of his competitors. The problem with these methods was that they lacked a central organizing premise, such that each participant would be satisfied that they received a fair shot. Imagine that little Hank and little Johnny have just mowed the backyard for their parents. As a reward for their efforts, Hank and Johnny’s parents give them a box of pastries from the local bakery. There are muffins, à ©clairs, cookies, and even a few Russian teacakes.

Pricing Strategies

Penetration Pricing Price set to ‘penetrate the market’ ‘Low’ price to secure high volumes Typical in mass market products – chocolate bars, food stuffs, household goods, etc. Suitable for products with long anticipated life cycles May be useful if launching into a new marketMarket Skimming High price, Low volumes Skim the profit from the market Suitable for products that have short life cycles or which will face competition at some point in the future (e.g. after a patent runs out) Examples include: Playstation, jewellery, digital technology, new DVDs, etc.Value Pricing Price set in accordance with customer perceptions about the value of the product/service Examples include status products/exclusive productsLoss Leader Goods/services deliberately sold below cost to encourage sales elsewhere Typical in supermarkets, e.g. at Christmas, selling bottles of gin at  £3 in the hope that people will be attracted to the store and buy other things Purchases of other items more than covers ‘loss’ on item sold e.g. ‘Free’ mobile phone when taking on contract packagePsychological Pricing Used to play on consumer perceptions Classic example –  £9.99 instead of  £10.99! Links with value pricing – high value goods priced according to what consumers THINK should be the priceGoing Rate (Price Leadership) In case of price leader, rivals have difficulty in competing on price – too high and they lose market share, too low and the price leader would match price and force smaller rival out of market May follow pricing leads of rivals especially where those rivals have a clear dominance of market share Where competition is limited, ‘going rate’ pricing may be applicable – banks, petrol, supermarkets, electrical goods – find very similar prices in all outletsTender Pricing Many contracts awarded on a tender basis Firm (or firms) submit their price for carrying out the work Purchaser then chooses which represents best value Mostly done in secretPrice Discrimination Charging a different price for the same good/service in different markets Requires each market to be impenetrable Requires different price elasticity of demand in each marketDestroyer/Predatory Pricing Deliberate price cutting or offer of ‘free gifts/products’ to force rivals (normally smaller and weaker) out of business or prevent new entrants Anti-competitive and illegal if it can be provedAbsorption/Full Cost Pricing Full Cost Pricing – attempting to set price to cover both fixed and variable costs Absorption Cost Pricing – Price set to ‘absorb’ some of the fixed costs of productionMarginal Cost Pricing Marginal cost – the cost of producing ONE extra or ONE fewer item of production MC pricing – allows flexibility Particularly relevant in transport where fixed costs may be relatively high Allows variable pricing structure – e.g. on a flight from London to New York – providing the cost of the extra passenger is covered, the price could be  varied a good deal to attract customers and fill the aircraftContribution Pricing Contribution = Selling Price – Variable (direct costs) Prices set to ensure coverage of variable costs and a ‘contribution’ to the fixed costs Similar in principle to marginal cost pricing Break-even analysis might be useful in such circumstancesTarget Pricing Setting price to ‘target’ a specified profit level Estimates of the cost and potential revenue at different prices, and thus the break-even have to be made, to determine the mark-up Mark-up = Profit/Cost x 100Cost-Plus Pricing Calculation of the average cost (AC) plus a mark up AC = Total Cost/OutputInfluence of Elasticity Any pricing decision must be mindful of the impact of price elasticity The degree of price elasticity impacts on the level of sales and hence revenue Elasticity focuses on pro portionate (percentage) changesPED = % Change in Quantity demanded/% Change in PricePrice Inelastic: % change in Q < % change in P e.g. a 5% increase in price would be met by a fall in sales of something less than 5% Revenue would rise A 7% reduction in price would lead to a rise in sales of something less than 7% Revenue would fallPrice Elastic: % change in quantity demanded > % change in price e.g. A 4% rise in price would lead to sales falling by something more than 4% Revenue would fall A 9% fall in price would lead to a rise in sales of something more than 9% Revenue would rise

Is Life Fair? Essay

Is life fair? This is a question which has always been asked by people from all walks of life since time immemorial. It was always asked by people who have less in life. For people from Africa – they who have always been featured in international magazines looking like skeletons wrapped in desiccated skin, life certainly is unfair. They are the people who cannot even eat one whole nutritious meal in one week. They only exist because of the kindness of others. If help comes, then they can eat; if none arrives, they have to forgo eating and patiently wait for another day. They could not even afford to wrap themselves in the flimsiest garment to protect their bodies from the elements. When they get sick – which happens very often because of their state of deprivation – they cannot get their hands on the simplest medicine because none is available to them. They are supposed to be our brothers and sisters in God who were given free will just like ours. However, in their situation, one could not help asking the question: Are they in any position to exercise their free will? The answer is undoubtedly a resounding NO! How could they when they could not even lift a finger to defend themselves from biting insects? They who have been photographed in an apparently weakened state being watched by waiting vultures preparing to eat their remains as soon as they close their eyes in dying surrender? These unfortunate people of Africa could not be heard asking if life is fair because even their voices have already been swallowed by poverty and deprivation. In spite of their silence, however, nobody can deny that life has indeed been very unfair for these ill-fated, luckless, forgotten children of God. The situation in Africa is by all means extreme. One does not need to cite such severe cases nor go to far-off Africa, however, just to establish that life has never, or could never be fair. There are numerous examples of life’s unfairness right here in the country. Even in America, the unequal distribution of wealth is very evident. There are parents who could barely send their children to school because of poverty. There are high school graduates (in fact majority of them) who choose not to proceed to college because they would rather work and help support their families. Some defenders of the American way of life would often flaunt that this is because jobs are readily available in America. This is merely a smoke screen, however. Who would not aspire to have a college degree if given the opportunity? It is not unknown to everybody that the high-paying jobs are only available to college graduates and holders of master or doctoral degrees. As a result, these people enjoy more of life’s blessings than their fellow citizens who work after high school. Of course, there are student loans available to those who qualify. Unfortunately, this program is not readily available to everybody, aside from the fact that the loan has to be paid with interest some years after graduation. Meanwhile, the family members are already reeling from the effects of poverty. So instead of availing of these student loans and go to college, young people choose to work instead. In the meantime, rich kids go to college, work for their master’s degrees and even proceed to the doctoral programs and get as much as five, six, or even ten times higher salaries afterwards. So is life fair in the United States? The picture becomes slightly different when one visits the third world countries. Because college education is comparatively cheaper in such countries, many of the high school graduates could afford to go to college and in fact do so. Unfortunately for them, jobs are not available even to college graduates. Some of the more fortunate find their way to developed countries like the United States and land good-paying jobs. The rest, however, have no other option but to stay at home and basically work for loose change, become underemployed, or even join the ranks of the unemployed despite their diplomas. In such countries, it is usual to find college graduates working as busboys in restaurants, crews in supermarkets, and taxi drivers. Is life, then, fair?

21st Economic

21st Economic Our economy is like Wall Street; what goes up, must come down. People most affected by recession are those in the middle and working class families.Because of the unstable economy, companies are threatens to downsize their employee work forced and closing doors are their next options. Many companies are laying off their employees. The loss of a job threatens many working class and middle class families with the threat of bankruptcy, because of the increasing accumulation of consumer debt. (Whiting, Sept. 1998) Jobs were hard to find; in addition, most people by without the choice, but were forced to sell their homes; many of them moved to other states. Most of them took low paying jobs to support their family. The unfortunate ones took from seven months to a year before they could find a decent job; however, "we have every reasons to maintain confidence in the US economy" according to Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill.United StatesOthers who are fortunate could sit and wait or started their own business, and the rest either take out a home equity loan or refinance to lower their mortgage payment.In many cases, the measured responses to cost changes appear to correspond with outsourcing theories that are based on searched and customization cost. Swenson, D. (2004) Economic Indicator, Congressional Budget Office. U.S companies that outsourced the most jobs in 2003 also offered well above average pay increase up to 46% to their CEOs who outsource jobs according to new study released Tuesday from Forbes, Ackman, D. (2004). Many of them moved their businesses out of the U.S.A to other countries nearby or in the pacific where people are willing to take low paying jobs. The Dot-Com popularity is almost extinct. The recession hit California very hard with this. "On the basis of the most...

Help You Do an Expository Essay like a Pro an Explicit Example About Friends

Help You Do an Expository Essay like a Pro an Explicit Example About Friends They say that friends are the family you can choose. Its also an invisible shield that keeps you warm on a cold day. Read about the qualities of a great friend and think whether you are the one. What Is an Expository Essay? An expository essay is a type of written discourse that serves the purpose of explaining, describing and providing information to the reader. This is a simple expository essay definition. Expository essays can also be fairly accurately termed ‘information’ or ‘informative’ essays. 50 MOST POPULAR EXPOSITORY ESSAY TOPICS If you are looking for expository essay examples here is a great one below Expository Essay Example: Qualities of a Good Friend Of all the friends one gets to have in a lifetime, the good friends are the ones who last longest and become family. Friends are the people we let into our walled-off lives – they are the people we know well and with whom we have a bond of mutual affection. A good friend is someone who defends and protects, who is loyal, considerate and kind, a person who is fun and brings out the best in their friends. The list of qualities making up a good friend is endless and depends on the individual. However, there are many common qualities that can be seen in all â€Å"good† friends. For starters, a good friend is a person on which someone else can always depend. This can probably be said about all good friends. They are dependable. When another friend needs them, they are the first there to help. They make their friend’s problem their own problem, too. Whether it’s money, time, resources or emotional support, a good friend is always there for someone they care about, for their other friends. They are reliable – you can always rely on a good friend. Its kind of a little miracle, that your friend always happens to be there for you, willing to offer their time and energy. Also, another quality of a good friend is being a good listener. Sometimes, people just need someone to talk to, someone who will listen and put their own thoughts, concerns, and opinions aside just for a few minutes. Being a good listener is a friend attractor, actually, because listening demonstrates one’s support, sensitivity, empathy, kindness, and consideration – among other things. In times of celebration and in times of hardship, what everyone needs and wants and requires is someone they can express their thoughts, emotions, concerns, and celebrations to. It’s a rather simple, almost innate need – to have a friend. On top of that, a good friend is thoughtful. A good friend is a friend who will, upon hearing of their friend’s bad day, will change their plans and plan something that friend will definitely find uplifting. A good friend in someone who will, upon getting the news about their friend’s promotion or a new job, will throw a party in their name and celebrate with them to make the moment memorable and special. Thoughtfulness means mindfulness, which requires being a good listener and caring about a person. Everyone wants respect, needs it and has to have it. It feels good. It’s a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements, something all good friends also must have or demonstrate from time to time. Most good friendships are supported by mutual respect. This means they look up to that person and have an immense amount of satisfaction in being close to, associating with this person and calling them a â€Å"friend.† Lastly, straightforwardness is also a quality that can be found in good friends. This means they say things as they are and can be honest without sugarcoating the truth. This occurs only in the case the friends trust each other’s opinions and can share them. The qualities of a good friend range, as there are tons of different qualities that people find valuable and attractive in others. But the qualities listed above – that illustrate how a good friend is dependable, a good listener, thoughtful, respectful and straightforward – are the ones most people most likely see, or want to see, in a really good friend. A really good friend will always help you to face facts and make your life easier. Always be a good friend! If you are looking for an excellent expository essay that will be written according to your requirements, will contain proper formatting, language, and structure, feel free to contact our writing staff and  place your order  with us. We have written hundreds of expository papers in the past and have developed extensive expertise in expository essay writing.

Deterrence Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Deterrence - Term Paper Example Deterrence injects that fear of punishment into the minds of the people that keeps them away from committing crimes. One of the great aspects of deterrence is that it seeks to target the potential crimes before they actually happen. Deterrence theory underlies the act of crime prevention. This theory is based on the concept that a person will be deterred from committing any sort of crime, if he is aware of the consequences of committing a crime. Deterrence theory promotes the concept that every person understands the difference between a right act and a wrong act. This theory of criminology is founded on the belief that a person does not commit a crime if the consequences of the crime outweigh the crime’s benefits. Deterrence is a concept that relates to the criminal justice system and keeps the citizens safe from different kinds of crimes. Correctional sanctions have played a considerable role in reducing the crime rate in almost every country of the word. Application of correctional sanctions is an attempt to prevent the criminals from committing any sort of crime by injecting the sense of consequences into the minds of the criminals. The fear of punishment makes a person think twice before committing a crime. Correctional sanctions include such measures that have really proved to be very successful in reducing the crime rate in every part of the world. Some of the most useful measures include incarceration, punishments, and long sentences. â€Å"Punishments such as imprisonment are very useful mechanisms for deterring criminal activity† (Lynch, 1999). One of the most important tasks of the government of any country should be to create the fear of punishment in the minds of criminals in order to prevent them from carrying out a criminal activity. One of the benefits, which come from the implementation of correctional sanctions, is removal of the fear of crimes and violence

Critique Advertisments Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Critique Advertisments - Thesis Example They composed three hypothetical advertisements: Americas a lot like Ice Cream; Fantasy America; and America America. According to the advertisers, none of these ads have a feeling of America or a trusted brand however they needed to revamp Americas image and the only way to do this was to create ads that would create a trusted image even if they were not accurate or if people would oppose the message. The government does have some likeable qualities but most people find that the government provides very little to comfort its people and brings many disappointments to the American people. The advertisers know the ads are ridiculous in nature but in order to revamp Americas image, they have to make some white lies or at least stretch the truth. The ads were enjoyable on their own merit but when thinking of how they represent America, there are many inaccurate and false messages in their description of what America is. The ad that I will do my critique on is the America is a lot like Am erica ad. It illustrates members of the general American population along with Robert Downey Jr to convey that good old American feeling. This ad is so phony and brings negative feelings and I will describe how it says very little about America and how it conveys more of Americas faults as opposed to its strengths. This is an argumentative essay focusing on whether we are sold on the idea that the American dream and the American brand are trusted and thriving according to Americans. Whether this advertisements depiction of the American dream is credible and warrants logical reasoning will be analyzed. The introduction of other articles will also help to determine the accuracy and details of the American dream today. A final strong rebuttal to this ad will be placed in this essay as a final measurement on its ability to sell the American dream. Although some believe that the