The State of Despair in American Beauty Essay -- American Beauty Films

The State of Despair in American Beauty In life, everyone must make choices. Choices give an individual the freedom to decide upon the path to which they will follow. Since it’s beginnings, the film making industry has focused on showing the direct relationship between the choices that people make and the resulting consequences they must face. In the movie American Beauty, the character of Lester Burnham must make many important choices that could either lead to his ultimate happiness, or draw him further into his despair. In the movie American Beauty, it is evident that Lester Burnham is in a state of despair. Lester’s dull and monotonous voice introduces the audience to his daily routine of life. When Lester declares plain and simply, â€Å"This is my neighborhood, this is my street, this is my life,† he exposes the lifelessness and unhappiness to which he has become accustomed. The hopeless tone that Lester has set continues when he cynically comments, â€Å"jerking off in the shower will be the high point of my day.† He realizes his family life is no better when he becomes aware that both his disdainful wife and his troubled daughter consider him â€Å"a gigantic loser.† It is easy to recognize and understand Lester’s disheartenment through analysis and symbolic car scene. In this scene, Lester sits slouched down in the back seat with a look of emptiness while his daughter Jane sits up front, next to his wife Caroline who is driving the car. The symbolism is shown through Carolyn driving the car, as she drives the family (especially Lester). She has evolved into the decision-maker, and leader of the Burnham family. Sitting in the backseat, Lester avoids further conflict with his wife, leading him to become an even unhappier and more desperate person. It is understandable why Lester feels like a sedated visitor in his own life. It is also easy to empathize with Lester when he states that he feels â€Å"in many ways already dead.† For Lester, his life at work is nothing better than his life at home. After fourteen years on the job, Lester is asked by an efficiency expert at work to write a memo justifying his position. This requires making the first of several choices, which will ultimately affect his future happiness. Should he justify his job and continue to provide for his family or choose freedom and a new life? To answer this question the audience must examine... ....† This is the first time in the movie in which it is apparent that he wants to know his own family and is just working out how to go about doing it. But it also allows Lester to be happy, happy for Jane to experience the â€Å"best thing he once had† a true loving relationship with Carolyn. Lester finds himself not sad that he is now missing that loving relationship, but happy that he got the chance to experience it at one point. By the end of the movie, Lester actually seems sincerely happy in his thoughts, in his mind and in his life. This is the happiness that he has been searching for all along. The discovery of happiness and the extinction of despair are two of the greatest feats known to humans. Everyone chooses which of the two will ultimately rule their life, but sometimes life itself can get in the way. Lester Burnham is a man with limits, a man without the freedom to know himself, but with the ability to overcome these boundaries. Throughout this movie Lester is taken down a path to which hedonism is the roadblock and morality is the hidden passage. For some the choice will never be able to be made, but to Lester, life was much too beautiful to ignore the possibilities.

African Americans Consequence Essay

The African Americans played a major role before and after the Civil War, beginning from 1861 to 1870, which helped shape the course and consequences of the Civil War. In determining how African Americans shaped the course and consequences of the Civil War, one must assess how African Americans were given more opportunities. Politically, African Americans began to have a role in voting and to have the President and Republican Party fight for their full freedom. Socially, the African American’s class began to be looked at differently. Ideologically, the African Americans were being looked at as equal and made sure that people knew they were people too. Although African Americans had to continue to fight for their equality, they did, in fact, shape the course and consequences of the Civil War by having political, ideological, and social actions. African Americans had no rights to vote or involve themselves in politics but that changed after the Civil War. Giving African Americans the right to vote shaped the consequences of the Civil War by African American’s views being looked at as well. On August 1865, the Convention of the Colored People of Virginia was proceeded which claimed that since African Americans are free, they deserve to vote (Doc H). The African Americans spoke of being given suffrage, and then they were given the right to vote. This shaped a consequence of the Civil War because the African American’s views were no longer over looked. During the Civil War, no one J. Crespo P a g e | 2 paid attention to what the African Americans wanted but afterward, they were granted the voice to speak about what they wanted. After being heard and given the right to vote, the African Americans had participation in Constitutional Conventions. A map shows the following: the participation of African Americans and Whites in Constitutional Conventions during 1867-1868. (Doc J). Politically, the whites did not want to be overtaken by the African Americans, so they had a larger participation to overrule the African Americans. The whites wanted a powerful Democratic Party that supported their wanting. The African Americans still participated in the conventions to make sure the Republic Party was strong enough to continue to give the African American their rights. African Americans participating in the Constitutional Conventions shaped one of the consequences of the Civil War by not letting whites take over the political system. Not only did the African Americans have a consequence politically with being heard and not having white supremacy, politically African Americans were also given their freedom. African Americans were being given their freedom. Politically, African Americans were being granted a change in society. Abraham Lincoln published a letter on August 26, 1863 that proposed the following: the African Americans as a whole, everywhere, should be granted their freedom for they fought for the North (Doc C). Abraham Lincoln was trying to persuade the Whites to agree on freedom for the African Americans in the United States. African Americans were being freed everywhere instead of just the North. Politically, this helped the African Americans tremendously because they were going to be freed everywhere. One of the consequences was African Americans being freed in the North, but then African Americans were going to be freed everywhere, including the South. After the letter sent out by Abraham Lincoln, the Republican Party decided to try to get an amendment that freed all African Americans. In 1864, the Republican Party’s platform stated the following: they wanted an Amendment to J. Crespo P a g e | 3 officially end slavery everywhere (Doc D). Politically, the African Americans were beginning to be seen as people throughout the nation. This consequence after the Civil War proved that African Americans were no longer going to be slaves anywhere. African Americans found their freedom with the help of the political power of Abraham Lincoln and Republican Party. Then the African Americans were socially looked at differently. The African Americans were no longer such a low class because people began to look at them differently and notice the good things about African Americans. Socially, the African Americans were being helped by the people. On July 30 1861 General Benjamin F. Butler reported to the secretary of the war stating the following: the African Americans should be free since they are a part of the North (Doc A). Socially, the North no longer presented the African Americans as property. This shaped the Civil War because the African Americans became part of the Union that fought for the North. Then after the Civil War was won and the African Americans were freed, their school system proved them socially equal and good as the whites. In March 1864, Charlotte Forten, an African American teacher in South Carolina Sea Islands, said the following: she spoke of how happy the African American children were to learn and how much knowledge they have attained (Doc E). Socially, the African Americans were no longer looked at as less smart than the Whites. The consequence of the Civil War with the African Americans socially with schools showed their equality to whites. Socially, the African Americans were no longer looked at as slaves or less knowledgeable. The African Americans, ideologically, were no longer looked as property. The African Americans were beginning to be looked at the same as the whites. The African Americans no longer were looked at as property. Ideologically, the African Americans caused a consequence of the Civil War to be looked at as people. On March 7, 1864 in The New J. Crespo P a g e | 4 York Times it stated the following: African Americans have gone through a drastic change to now be free Americans in the United States equal to the whites (Doc F). The African Americans were no longer the property they were once known of; African Americans were people just as the Whites. Ideologically, this proved that a consequence of the Civil War was the change of equality that African Americans had. After The New York Times had posted the article, Thomas Nast from Harper’s Weekly on August 5 1865 had posted the following: a picture of lady liberty standing next to an African American Union Solider asking â€Å"And Not This Man? † (Doc G). Ideologically, the picture proved that the people no longer were going to look at African Americans as property so they should be treated equal. The North wanted the South to have the same thoughts about African Americans. This set a consequence of the Civil War by having the African Americans no longer being looked at as slaves as they were when the war had begun. After the African Americans were no longer looked at as property, the African Americans made sure the Whites thought of them as people no matter what. African Americans were going to deal with racism and injustice but they made sure that the whites knew they were people also. Ideologically, the African American consequence after the Civil War was that African Americans are people, not slaves nor property. On August 20 1862 in New York during the resolution of African Americans in Newtown, African Americans stated the following: they wanted to make sure that the President knew that they were not going to leave because the United States was their country also that they were going to fight in for their freedom (Doc B). This constructed the course of the Civil War because the African Americans began fighting in the Civil War. Ideologically, African Americans were looked at as people in the nation of the United States to fight along the Whites for their freedom and country. After the Civil War, when African Americans were no longer slaves and granted their freedom, some J. Crespo P a g e | 5 whites resisted the full freedom of African Americans. In 1867 with Rebecca Parsons she went through the following: she went back to receive her kindred since she was a free slave but the owner would not allow her to because they were â€Å"his† (Doc I). Although, Parsons did not allow Rebecca her children it proved that Parsons realized she was also people because she demanded them back from him. Rebecca is no longer a slave who has to stand down, she also had rights which proved she is as equal as Parsons. Ideologically, after the Civil War this was a consequence by African Americans no longer being looked at differently because they were people also. African Americans ideologically created the course and consequence of the Civil War by being looked at as people and not slaves. African Americans shaped the course and consequences of the Civil War by ideological, social, and political reasoning. African Americans were known in the United States as slaves and property but they no longer were during and after the Civil War. They became people of equality to the whites in the United States. They no longer had no say in politics; they were given rights and opportunities to speak of their views. They no longer were viewed as property but people. Also, they weren’t the low class everyone had always labeled them as. African Americans helped the Union win the war to win themselves the freedom they deserved.

CTL Brainstorming Day 2013

CTL Brainstorming Day 2013 On November 1, 2013, more than 150 career professionals from 6 countries met for the annual Career Thought Leaders’ Global Career Brainstorming Day to discuss best practices, innovations, trends, and other factors currently impacting global job search and career management. I am pleased to write about their findings, just as I have for the last 3 years! Resumes are not dead! Even if you get your foot in the door with LinkedIn or an Executive Bio, your resume will still be a key part of your job search process. You absolutely must show a recruiter, in no uncertain terms, how you will solve their client companies’ problems. And you’ll need to make your great impression in not 15 or 20 seconds, but six (6)!! Here are the top 10 takeaways I’d like to share for resumes in 2014: Focus on your most current position. Many people reading resumes do not even look past that first position, so capture their attention right away! Remember that many recruiters are reading resumes on their phones, so make them mobile-friendly (there are applications available to create mobile-friendly resumes). Go for succinctness and clarity of direction, especially in your personal branding. Less is more. That means no 5-6-line summary paragraphs! Include quotes/testimonials on your resume – these tidbits are even easier to collect now that LinkedIn recommendations are so commonly given. Create multiple versions of your resume – for email, mobile, social media profiles, and yes, one on paper for networking and interviews. In most cases, keep your resume to 1-2 pages. Of course there are exceptions to this rule. In Europe, you may still include a photo, birth date and information about your familial relationships on your resume (Do NOT do this in the U.S., the U.K. or Australia). Generally, the U.S.-style â€Å"multinational† resume is becoming the norm. Be sure to have an ATS-friendly resume available for on-line applications. You might want one resume that works for both humans and ATS systems, or you might choose a format that works for both. Consider creating an infographic resume, which is a rising trend. Twitter resumes, video clips and other multi-media presentations will also make you stand out from the competition. Snail mailing a resume can make a good impression! Do it in addition to emailing and submitting on line! Don’t be afraid to include hyperlinks on your resume. This is a great way to keep things concise while offering a portal into the depth of your experience. More and more, resumes are becoming an aggregation of social media, with less content in the resume itself. Wondering about LinkedIn? LinkedIn profiles are a complement to your resume, not a carbon copy. LinkedIn provides an opportunity to be more personal and engaging. As recommended in my e-book, How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn Profile, create a robust LinkedIn profile complete with multimedia presentations, projects and videos. And use your LinkedIn Summary to project your â€Å"motivation, passion and individuality.† For more detail about trends in a range of job search categories, please go to the full article, Findings of 2013 Global Career Brainstorming Day:   Trends for the Now, the New the Next in Careers. For last year’s report, see my article, Are You Up on the Top Resume Cover Letter Trends of 2012-2013? Were you surprised by any of the findings?   What did you learn?   Please share in the comments below.

The Differences between Buddhist Music in Japan Essay Example

The Differences between Buddhist Music in Japan Essay Example The Differences between Buddhist Music in Japan Essay The Differences between Buddhist Music in Japan Essay Aragua The Differences between Buddhist Music in Japan, China and Tibet The Differences between Buddhist Music in Japan, China and Tibet The whole purpose of religion is to facilitate love and compassion, patience, tolerance, humility, forgiveness. -Dalai Lama Music plays an important role in religion, significantly influencing the worship practices of individuals who follow these faiths. As the music of a certain faith is influenced by the culture of a place, the music of certain peoples and places are influenced by the music of important religions that become deeply embedded in the culture. In this way, musical styles develop that are both religious and cultural, and are a reflection of both. This music is held in high regard by the people of these religions and cultures because it is the music that represents those aspects of life that are most precious. Culturally, music is a source of nationalist pride and unity for a group of people. Religiously, music reflects how followers worship their respective deities. In the Buddhist practice, music and chants are used for meditation across the global span of the religion. However, different forms of music and chants are used in a variety of ways throughout religious practices. The music and different forms of chants in the Buddhist religion affect Buddhist practices, and are also influenced by the religion and the different locations around the world in which Buddhism is practiced. Japan, China, and Tibet have the highest concentration of Buddhists and Buddhism is an integral part of the culture in these nations. In addition to Buddhism being reflected clearly in the cultures of Japan, China, and Tibet, each of these nations also has their own forms of prayer expressed through raying musical styles. In order to further investigate the styles and forms of Buddhist music, a short history of the religion will bring many of the elements of this cultural and religious music to light. Buddhism is based on a concurrent following of Four Noble Truths and an Eightfold Path. The Four Noble Truths are: 1) that life consists of suffering, 2) that the origin of suffering is attachment, 3) that suffering can only be ended through Miranda, and 4) that the path to the end of suffering is the Eightfold Path. This Development. The basis of the Buddhist faith is the belief in Karma (that the sections one makes in their current life will be returned to them in their future lives) and Rebirth (that one will be reincarnated in another life after death). There are a variety of different forms of prayer, worship, and meditation practices in the Buddhist religion, and each of these practices involve different forms of music and chanting. Every detail of faith, from the Four Noble Truths to the deep belief in Karma, is reflected in the sounds of Buddhism. These sounds have become a part of the Japanese, Chinese, and Tibetan cultures and are a constant reminder of the Buddhist tradition in these parts of the world. For example, In a Zen temple, the hours of the day may be marked by the deep somber tones of the big o-gang bell in the bell tower, evoking the idea of impermanence (Mall 1959). A bell tower can be heard for miles around and will create an environment of thoughtful contemplation for the surrounding area, further connecting the culture of a location with the precious music of a religion, and constantly reminding practicing Buddhists of their beliefs and education to follow the Eightfold Path. The effect of a Buddhist Temple bell tower may be felt in a number of religious raciest; the Muslim call to prayer is heard from a mosque across entire cities at midday, and the melodious clanging of Catholic and Christian cathedral bells may at times reach a volume that could only be described as a roar, but each of these sounds is a reflection of the religious practices these holy buildings house. Buddhism is set apart from other religions in the intricate and sacred ceremonies that revolve around the music of the religion. Wellness expresses his rapture at Buddhist music, There is scarcely any religious denomination on the face of this earth in whose cared ceremonies music holds a more prominent place than Buddhism (Wellness 1957) In oral traditions of Buddhism, the words of a sacred text are learned and recited from memory. Chant is a ritual used as a musical representation of this oral tradition. Not only are sacred texts memorized, but when these texts are recited, they are said with rhythm and pitches, which create a more spiritual and reverent atmosphere during the ritual of chant. The Buddhist monks who perform these chants therefore memorize the sacred texts as well as the specific choral or pitched movements or intervals that are carefully placed throughout the chants to emphasize certain parts of the texts and evoke certain emotions tied to the sacred traditions reflected in the texts as well as in the act of chanting. This ritual of chanting is a religious experience for the monk who is performing the chants as well as for the viewers of the bring awareness to the mentality of truth and living deeply connected with the present moment, an important aspect of faith for followers of Buddhism. Again, Just as different countries have different styles of music that reflect their ultras and people, the three countries in which Buddhism is most prominent, Japan, China, and Tibet, have different cultural forms of Buddhist music that represent their strong Buddhist faith as well as integrate the musical instruments and aspects of their culture. The music of these countries is similar in many ways, laced together by the common thread of Buddhism to guide the development of music for worship, but each nation still reflects the unique culture of the place in the Buddhist music of the people. SOMY is an improvised chant that has two styles: rooky and rooky. SOMY uses the You scale, a pentatonic scale with ascending intervals of two, three, two, two and three semitones. SOMY is a form of esoteric ritual chant that is used worldwide in the Buddhist tradition, though the use of this chant is also relevant to the place in which people worship. SOMY is a type of music that possesses mystical syllables inhabiting the recitation of certain mantras. When this form of music is performed, the assembled congregation attain a blessing from hearing these chants. Since SOMY is a type of chant and meditation that is used in the Buddhist religion and cultures, it is influenced by the Buddhist faith, but t is also influenced by the cultures around it. While most forms of Japanese Buddhism use music quite prevalently, true SOMY is a rare find in Japan, present only in a select few temples on specific ceremonial occasions. In the scope of Buddhism in Japan, the influence of Buddhism of other cultures and the influence of other languages are accepted as a part of the music, and part of the ceremony. Japanese Buddhist liturgical chants are divided into three different categories: Bonsai, hymns in which Chinese characters stand for Sanskrit sounds, Was, hymns with texts written in Japanese, and Kansas, hymns with purely Chinese texts. In the way Chinese text substituting Sanskrit, and Chinese text standing alone are clear examples of the blending of languages and culture throughout Japanese Buddhism, and the truly worldwide breadth of the Buddhist religion. Surprisingly, hymnal texts written in Japanese only occupy one of the categories of Japanese Buddhist texts. The most melodious of these chants is the Was. Was tends to be heavily syllabic in style, poetic in text, and with a clear line, creating a musical chant that is most like the more Western understanding of religious hymns and worship music. Compared to Was chants, SOMY is much more complex musically, and the rarity of this type of worship music makes it that much more intriguing for anyone who is privileged to hear it performed. There are two levels of SOMY that are observed, the first style lies exclusively in the domain of priesthood, which passes from master to pupil continuously, as reflection of the that is observed is for the public to observe, but is still only performed by Buddhist priests and monks. Yet many of these mantras, or Hookup, are reserved only for those in priesthood. Hookup literally meaner a mystery piece or secret composition. The secrecy of these mantras is due to the belief that they are a psychic and cosmic force. There is power to this chant because of the presence of the mystic syllable mm, which is sacred in the Buddhist religion. In this way, the importance of music to Buddhism is further solidified by the private performances of SOMY, proving that the music and chants of the Buddhist tradition are not only for the benefit of the congregation or as a type of worship, but also as a sacred way of passing on priesthood between holy leaders. In another form of these Japanese chants, Kansas, four ritual sections comprise and cake sense of the chants, each a different genre of chants, used for different occasions and to evoke a variety of different emotional responses. The first, Bombay, is a hymn of praise, used during ecstatic times of worship. Second is the Gangs, an elaborate chant performed by priests while they deliberately and ceremoniously scatter lotus flowers, a Buddhist symbol of enlightenment. The don-on is an offering of pure chant or mantra to the Buddhist deity, Buddha himself. Lastly, the Shake-Joy is a chant that occurs toward the end of any service as a closing, a contemplative farewell. These chants explore Japanese Buddhism in greater depth and allow one to understand the different ways that music and chants are used in the ceremonies and services of the religion. The music of Buddhism is central to the faith because without music many Buddhist ceremonies could not take place, which is a crucial difference between Buddhism and other faiths, many of which employ music to aid worship, but the central aspect of the religion would not be lost if the music were missing. The important role that music plays to the Buddhist faith is clearly represented by the complexity of the music and chants. Each song and chant has a pacific meaning, a particular time and place, and even is performed by certain Buddhist leaders. After the Eddo period, Western music and influences enter Japan during a time known as the Meijer Period (1868-1911); however, the new western influence did not completely replace the traditional music styles that were established during the Eddo period. The Meijer period introduced western concepts such as harmonistic and fixed meter and tempo, which was not common in music from the Eddo period. These western influences were combined with the traditional Japanese scale and were implemented into the newly developed public school systems. Many of the songs that were used were traditional Japanese folk songs or western songs that had been translated into Japanese text. One of the primarily Japanese instruments with a religious affiliation is the Chihuahuas. Most of the recent pieces played on this instrument are derived from spiritual or meditative songs. During the Eddo period, a group of priests called the Sumo used the instrument as a spiritual tool to help focus breathing for meditation. These priests were from a sect of Buddhism that saw the instrument as a way to achieve enlightenment by playing songs that inspired Winnie is a term used by the Chinese that refers to music. Fabian is a term to denote Buddhist monastic chants. It has been used by the Chinese since Buddhism was introduced. Fabian in translation meaner scripture recitation; it is emphasized that the chants be tranquil. Chant is the only body of liturgical action and an expression of the liturgy itself. It is used to channel liturgical participation amongst the people. Gate is a sacred verse. Buddhist music has made an influence on world music Just as it has been influenced. Buddhist famine, which is characterized by a relaxed and say pace with solemn, soft tones. Chinese music has been influenced by Famine when it was developed to popularize a new style of giving sermons and publicizing the Dharma sung to famine melodies. According to the Vienna in Ten Recitations, regularly listening to Buddhist famine can give the following five benefits: a reduction in bodily fatigue, less confusion and forgetfulness, a reduction in mental weariness, a more elegant voice and greater ease in both personal expression and communication. The style of chanting in Tibet is called choral singing, it allows the monks to sing solo chords. The monks of Tibet are able to produce deep, guttural monotones that disperse into polyphony. As a Western listener it is likely to assume that the monks are singing in parts, however each monk is displaying a full set of sounds and pitches of firsts, thirds, fifths and additional overtones as well. The ability to produce these overtones and multi-phonics with one voice has been researched and there is no reason or explanation why these monks are able to sing this way. There has been studies that think it is because of the location of Tibet because it is located at the highest elevation in the world. The monks begin training at the age of twelve, before their voices will be classified as bass, baritone or tenor voice. The average monk is able to produce a D two octaves below middle C; which is beneath the range of most male singers. The ability to produce these sounds comes with great focus which allows the singer to achieve the awareness that is stated in the Eightfold Path. Meditation Mindfulness is Buddha word for meditation. By mindfulness he meaner: you should always remain alert, watchful. You should always remain present. Not a single thing should be done in a sort of sleepy state of mind. You should not move like a somnambulist, you should move with a sharp consciousness. SOHO There is a sense in which the monk, in deep meditation, is thought to hear within himself spiritual sounds of specific types that only he can hear. The frame drum, cymbals, conch horn, double-reed oboe, long trumpet and thigh-bone trumpet are though to evoke the thudding, crashing, ringing and tapping within his body; which mirrors the spiritual forces of the universe. (Mbabane: 21) Upon hearing these sounds, the pe rson may naturally become mindful of the Buddha, mindful of the Dharma and tart, so music inspires or induce the spirit with sounds that they hear. Music plays an important role in religion, influencing the worship practices of each individual who follow these faiths. In the Buddhist practice, music and chants are used for meditation across the global span of the religion. However, different forms of music and chants are used in a variety of ways throughout religious practices. The music and different forms of chants in the Buddhist religion affect Buddhist practices, and are also influenced by the religion and the different locations around the world in which Buddhism is practiced. From SOMY chanting in Japan to choral, monophonic singing in Tibet, there are many differences and approaches in attaining mental wellness and achieving focal awareness in the Buddhist religion to spread the Dharma and become as Buddha-like in nature as the individual Buddhist follower can. Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isnt anyone who doesnt appreciate kindness and compassion. -Dalai Lama Bibliography Chin, Pi-yen. Buddhist Chant, Devotional Song, and Commercial Popular Music: From Ritual to Rock Mantra.

Discuss the definitions and characteristics of White Collar Crime Essay

Discuss the definitions and characteristics of White Collar Crime - Essay Example White collar fraud does not carry any act of violence with it. The chief trait of this fraud is to beguile the victims and making them the ‘ insects towards lamp’. Perpetrators are not easily caught and punished, since most of the victims do not make a complaint of their loss at an early stage. By the time the victims realise their plight of being cheated and try to make the issue open to the society, the perpetrators either vacate the scene or gain still more strength of popularity that shields them from the punishments. Naturally neither an individual nor a group of people award punishment for the lapse of the self. At the point of realisation, the question of awarding punishment to the self disappears. Thus analysis of crime and awarding punishment are always carried out in second person only and not in first person. The power of punishing is usually vested with people of higher status of socio economic arena. Crime is simply human. Status difference are not actually correlated to what is termed activities of crime. But since, the powered people are capable of making and breaking the rules, crimes committed by them are generally not treated as violent as the crimes of blue collar people. Sutherland’s definition of white collar crime goes this way: ‘white collar crime is the crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation†. Hazel Croall, (2001), has scrutinised this definition and found some deficiencies in it. He has pointed out that Sutherland’s definition is silent on the issue of identifying the activities of white collar crime. He was very much concerned about the miniature mentioning of white collar crime in many research findings and the low tone in the expressly declared results. The Marxist approach of criminology, which used to control the activities of the low powered or powerless, did keep

Carbonated Drinks Industry Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Carbonated Drinks Industry - Case Study Example It is in this aspect that Coke is differentiated. Unlike other products intended for a specific market niche, Coke targets a wide market range - from the mass market to the high end segment. This is in line with the vision of former company president Robert W. Woodruff, that everyone on Earth consumed Coke. To limit the scope, this paper assesses Coke in the context of the carbonated drinks segment in the UK. It evaluates the supply conditions given the prevailing market structure and competition among softdrink suppliers. Furthermore, this paper discusses the barriers to entry and political or social factors impacting the industry. It also considers the factors that drive demand, prospects in the carbonated drinks segment given changing demand trends and potential entry of new players. The 5-billion UK carbonated drinks market has more than adequate supply of carbonated drinks (The UK Softdrinks Market 2004). Notable colas include Coke; Pepsi Cola, Coke's major rival; Zamzam Cola, which is named after Mecca's holy spring; Virgin Cola, which is marketed under Sir Richard Branson's company; and Mecca Cola, which is promoted as Muslim people's alternative to US-made softdrinks. (McCaffrey 2005) In terms of market structure, the UK carbonated drinks sector may be character... Although there are numerous players in the industry, the cola drinks offered are differentiated depending on the preference of the market niche targeted (Gans, King, Stonecash & Mankiw pp.76-8). For instance, Mecca Cola is differentiated as it is advertised as the cola for Muslims. Bearing the catchphrase "No more drinking stupid, drink with commitment," (McCaffrey 2005) supplier creates a different brand that appeals to Muslim communities and their sentiments on Western culture. On the contrary, the UK carbonated drinks market may be classified as oligopolistic since it is dominated by few major suppliers. Quantitatively, oligopoly is derived by using the four-firm concentration ratio, measuring the percentage market share of the four largest firms in an industry (Samuelson & Nordhaus 2001 pp. 89-93). A ratio of beyond 40% generally renders the market as oligopolistic (Tirole 1988). According to Canadean, Coca-Cola Company alone has captured 45.3% of the market share of the UK carbonated softdrinks category in 2004. This indicates that the total market share of the two giant suppliers have gone above the threshold, thus, the industry may be deemed oligopolistic. Competition Unlike other oligopolistic industries wherein collusion of firms to raise prices is observed (Samuelson & Nordhaus 2001 pp. 89-93), Coca-Cola and Pepsi continue to battle each other in the marketing arena. Albeit their rivalry has spanned for almost a century, non-price competition has prevailed. These firms utilise extensive media mileage to compete with each other and foster brand loyalty. This is evidenced by the substantial allocation of firms for advertising cost. Instead of pricing, though the retail prices of Coke and Pepsi Cola do not substantially vary, they are observed to