Impact of Tax Essay Example for Free

Impact of Tax Essay Income tax is a tool to achieve economic growth in any country. Income tax is accepted not only as a means of raising the required public revenue, but also as an essential fiscal instrument for managing the economy (Burgess, 1993). Of all the taxing systems, income tax plays a major role in generation of revenue and distribution of income in any country. If income taxation is poorly designed, it may lead to fiscal imbalance, insufficient tax revenue and distortions in resource allocation that can reduce economic welfare and growth (World Bank, 1991). Hence, an ideal tax system would achieve a balance between resource allocation, income distribution and economic stabilization (Lewis, 1984). Patterns of income taxation (both in level and in composition) differ from country to country because of economic, cultural and historical factors. Ratios of tax revenue to gross domestic product (GDP) in developing countries are typically in the range of 15 to 20%, compared with 30% in industrialized nations (World Bank, 1991). It is also established that countries have different approaches to tax administration. Maisto (1988) stated that â€Å"contradictory approaches towards the subject matter have been shown by the tax authorities of different countries because of their diverging interests†. An optimal tax rate has to compromise between the state’s revenue and its economic development. A high tax rate would deter saving and development, while a lower tax rate would lead to less revenue to the state. A tax directly influences the savings of individuals and companies; it is a double edged sword used to curtail consumption activity and at the same time, allows the taxpayer to save money in different development activities (Swami, 1995). The income tax financing the current social security benefits such as health, security and provision of utilities draws heavily upon income that otherwise would have been saved. Instead of accumulating capital, this income goes to social security transfers which are probably consumed (Boadway, 1982). Bartik (1994a and b) suggested that a 10% lowering of taxes would raise employment and investment between 1 and 6%. World Bank periodically relates that economic development is directly correlated to the level of taxation, more so in developing nations where the lower marginal tax rates have higher economic growth. In addition, policy makers in these countries have a â€Å"keen interest in the elasticity of economic activity with respect to taxes, suggesting that states and regions are interested in manipulating their tax systems in an attempt to attract business or to foster growth† (Wasylenko, 1997). On the other hand, income tax rates are increased due to factors such as enormous reduction in the purchasing power of money, heavy tax erosion, urgent need for yield and dynamic public expenditure (Fossati, 1992). While dealing with the effects of income tax rates (ITR) on economic reforms, Henry and William (1996) suggested that one should evaluate the desirability of reform proposals and the impact of such reforms on individuals and businesses as a whole. They further stated that ITR change would revolve around three factors: the tax base, allowable deductions and economic development. While dealing with the ITR, it is suggested that one should study the effects created by these rates, especially the impact of ITR on economic growth (Holger, 2003). Various governments have different approaches and methods of fixing the ITR. The French Government recently introduced preferential tax treatment by reduced ITR for young innovative companies completely based on the economic growth. The scheme was originally proposed to the State by French biotechnology as â€Å"a way to rapid and strong economic growth† (European Chemical News, 2004). Martin and George (2003) analyzed several tax rates and expenditure categories and concluded that the tax system has a direct impact on the growth rate of the economy of a country. Long-term economic growth has a direct link with the country’s tax policy (John and Pamela, 2003). Fixation of ITR may be based on different systems of taxation. Akira (2003) demonstrated that a flat rate wage tax stimulated economic growth, while interest income taxation did not foster such growth. Tetsuo (2003) suggested that taxation based on environmental pollution factors results in two contradicting issues such as reduction in production and increase in tax revenue, but in the long run, this system will help the healthy economic growth for future generations. Olhoft (2003) is of the opinion that spending millions of taxpayers’ money on tax breaks and tax incentives is most likely a misguided strategy for any State when the State is in budget deficit.

Causes Of The Peloponnese War History Essay

Causes Of The Peloponnese War History Essay Thucydides an Athenian aristocrat and veteran of the Peloponnesian War documented the war from the beginning of the conflict in 431 BC to its conclusion in 404 BC. His on the scene reporting was the first of its kind and has been used by historians and political theorists for the last twenty four hundred years. Thucydides documentation of Athenian political and military actions prior to the war has been the basis of realists theory in the world of international relations. From an international relations perspective his analysis of war squarely points the finger at Athens and its quest for power in the Delian League and the region. Athens dominance in the Delian League allowed it to convert the alliance into an Athenian Empire that threatened the entire region and shifted the balance of power in the region. As Athens power grew it took on an imperialistic and militaristic policy that not only threatened its alliance but neutral states as well. The change in Athenian attitudes toward n eutral states can be seen in its response to Melos elders concerns over Athens attempts to take over their state, the strong do what they will and the weak suffer what they must.  [1]  Sparta, the premiere military power in Greece felt its influence weakening as Athens power began to creep into Spartan spheres of authority. Athens power spread throughout Spartan sphere of influence with alliances with city states such as Corcyra. Sparta viewed the rise of these alliances and the Athenian Navy as a direct threat to their and allies resources and food supply. The super power status of Sparta was giving way to the imperialistic moves of the Athenian city state. For much of the period prior to the Peloponnesian War Sparta was the premiere military force in Greece. Spartas society was a 400 year old stratified, militaristic system that bread men for war. Spartas military was the envy of the Greek world and its hoplite army the model of efficiency. Spartas men were allowed to spend all their time training for war due to Spartas large helot slave population. The helots tended to all agricultural and manual labor requirements for the state which allowed the men of Sparta to concentrate of military tactics. The primary function of the Sparta army was to defend the city and its colonies from any outside threat or in the event of a helot uprising. Due to the extremely large helot population, Spartas army was on a constant state of readiness to counter any helot insurgency. This war like mentality spread Spartas reputation to all corners of Greece allowing it to seize the status of super power. With Athens emergence as the other super power after the Persian wars it provided a balance of power in Greece and allowed the formation of opposing political systems and alliances. Sparta lead the Peloponnesian League, a group of oligary city states that benefited from Spartas vast land army for protection. Athens led the Delian League, a group of democratic city states that came together to defend the region against further Persian aggression. Athens assumed command of all military matters, dictated and allotted the distribution of league contributions. Athens with the resources of the Delian League began to tilt the balance of power and threaten Spartas position as a super power. Ultimately, Athens dominance threatened commerce and trade throughout the region causing the Spartan lead Peloponnesian League to take military action against Athens and the Delian League. According to Thucydides the cause of the war was the fear of the growth of the power of Athens.  [2]  At the conclusion of the Persian Wars Athens had become the undisputed leader in Greece, the School of Hellas, and for thirty years was to enjoy the faboulus Golden Age. Under Pericles leadership Athens grew in austereity becoming the fitting home for unsurpassed intellectual and artistic achievements. To enure Greeces prosperity and defend against a possible Perisian invasion, a coalition of city states formed the Delian League. Due to Athens standing as a naval power after the Persian War it assumed the primary leadership role. The primary purpose of the Delian league was to create and fund a standing navy to defend against future Persian raids into Delian held territory. Initially as a way to fund the league, members provided Athens an annual tribute of money or ships. Athens appointed financial officers to manage the leagues treasury on the Island of Delos, the leagues headqu arters. In an effort to consolidate Athens power Pericles relocated the tresury from Delos to Athens. This event moved the focus from defending league members interests to improving Athens status as a regional power and raised Athens as Greeces cultural center. Athens at this point was keeping one sixtieth of all revenues to benefit its own wealth and projects. Under Pericles leadership Athens used league funds to build monuments such as the Parthenon on the Acropolis and improvements to Athens infastructure. It is a remarkable fact that the thirty-plus monuments, temples, and buildings that we associate with Athens of the Golden Age were built in about eight years, while Pericles dominated Athenian politics.  [3]  Additionally, league members lost control of their ships to Athens as Athens assumed control of all naval operations increasing its importance and power in the league. Athens control of league resources allowed it to prosper and enhance its influence across the regio n. The control of these reources was very important to Athens as a whole due to the area around the city not being suitable for producing a abundant supply of crops. Athens survivied because its navy controlled the seas and the colonies that produced the grain and other food stables for the city. This rise of influence came at the expense of league members as they witnessed their liberties and wealth decrease. The consolidation of Athenian power among league menbers had transformed the Delian league into the Athenian Empire. The alliance that was formed out of democratic ideals of prosperity and protection of league members began to tear apart. Athenian increase in power, to almost tyrant levels caused league members began to question its overall purpose due to the decreased threat from Persia. With a decreased threat from Persia some league members wished to limit tributary payments to Athens or leave the alliance all together. Naxos was the first city state to revolt but was forced back to allegiance  [4]  but they would would not be the last. Megara was one of the members of the league that wished to separate from Athens empire and allign itself with Corinth in the Peloponessian League. In a break with Athens, Megara had supplied ships to Corinth during the battle of Sybota in 433 and along with Corcyra assitance Athens soundly defeated the Corinthian Navy. In retaliation for supplying naval assistance to Corinth, Athens, at Pericles insistance imposed a trade embargo against the City Megara in th e form of the Megarian Decree. The Megarian Decree prevented Megara Merchants from trading with Athenian markets. Pericles may have used the issue of Megara inhabitants cultivating land that was consecrated to Demeter and the killing of a Athenian herald to put forth the decree.  [5]  The harshness of the decree seems more in line with Athens anger with Megaras Military support for Corinth during the battle of Sybota. As a result of the trade embargo Megara appealed to Sparta for help. Spartas King Archidamus was reluctant to provide aide to Megara due to the possibility of going to war with Athens. Some in Sparta wanted to use the Megara Decree to go to war with Athens to curb its growing power. Thucydides writes of Spartas growing concern with Athens power, The Spartans voted that war should be declared not so much because they were influenced by the speeches of their allies as because they were afraid of the further growth of Athenian power.  [6]  Sparta and its allies in the Peloponnesian League believ ed that Athens actions were another attempt to enhance Athens power in the region and that a line needed to be drawn if Peloponnesian League was to maintain a power position in the region. In attempt to avoid war Sparta dispatched ambassadors to Athens to give a last minute ultimatum. Diodorus of Sicily documents Spartas diplomatic event, And the Spartans dispatched ambassadors, ordering the Athenians to rescind the action against the Megarians and threatening, if they did not accede, to wage war upon them together with the forces of their allies.  [7]  This approach goes directly against the Athens/Sparta agreement to settle disagreements by arbitration. The ultimatum also fuels the fires of war within the Athenian assembly and its master politician Pericles. The Athenian assembly gathered in 432 BC to hear in the Spartan ultimatum to withdraw the Megara Decree or face war with the Peloponnesian League. At the head of the Athenian government was Pericles a noted general (strategoi) and statesman. Under Pericles leadership Athens transformed the Delian league into a tool for Athenian imperialism. Pericles known for his great oratory skills used the moment to deliver his famous speech highlighting Athens glory during the ritual burying of the dead. His speech incited the assembly by saying that for them to accede to the demands of the Spartans, contrary to their own interests, would be the first step toward slavery  [8]  . Pericles reminded the assembly for the Athens that I have celebrated is only what the heroism of these and their like have made her, men whose fame, unlike that of most Hellenes, will be found to be only commensurate with their deserts.  [9]  Pericles lectured the assembly that Sparta had no right to dictate Athen s policies and how it used the resources of its alliance. He also reminded the assembly that it was Sparta that was breaking established doctrine on disputes and that this action symbolized Spartas disrespect towards Athens position of power in the region. With the aid of Pericles speaking skills and assemblys confidence in its military and diplomatic abilities followed Pericles lead and rejected the Sparta ambassadors. Sparta and the Peloponnesian League followed the Athenian rejection with a declaration of war. Conflict between Athens and Spartan led Peloponnesian League was nothing new and had been brewing for some time. Athens and members of the Peloponnesian League had fought a series of pitched battles prior to this event with Athens emerging the victor each time. During the battle of Sybota Islands, Sparta witnessed their Megarans and Corinthians allies suffer significant defeats. As leader of the Peloponnesian League, Sparta felt increased pressure from league members to act militarily to counter Athens power. Sparta had grown weary of Athens military build-up and diplomatic activities in the area and had looked for reasons to counter her imperialistic actions. Athens building of the Long Walls in 479 BC had stirred great amount of resentment in Athens to the point of going to war over its construction. Sparta detested the building of the Long Walls and looked at this building as a major esc alation of military activities in the area. The building of the walls connected Athens with its port in Piraeus and virtually made Athens an island nation within Greece itself. The construction of the great walls was equivalent to todays US missile defense system. As with the missile defense system, the great walls had both a defensive and offensive capability and caused Sparta to view its construction as simply an offensive weapon system. The reason Sparta viewed this as an offensive weapon system is the port in Piraeus handled all of Athens grain shipments coming from Hellespont and the Black Sea Regions. The walls that connected Athens and Piraeus ensured Athens supply of grain and its survival as long as Athens controlled the sea. Additionally, the strategic value of the Long Walls rendered Spartas land army useless, eliminating its only military offensive capability. Since Sparta lacked a navy that could challenge Athens, the Long Walls were an additional weapon system that til ted the balance of power in Athens favor. Sparta in an effort to preserve its super power status and influence in the region was left with little recourse then to pursue war against Athens. Athens aggressive development of the Delian League into an Athenian Empire proved to be that catalyst to war. The imperialistic policies and actions of the Athenian City state caused Sparta to question its own security

Use of Disguise in Homers Odyssey Essay example -- Homer, Odyssey Ess

The Use of Disguise in Odyssey       In Homer's Odyssey, the use of disguise to help convey a false identity assists the characters in accomplishing their plans.   Without the use of disguise it would thwart Odyssey’s attempts at arriving back to his homeland. Each disguise has its own individual purpose, for example Athene's image as Mentor to advise Telemachos.   The main intention being to assist and encourage Telemachos into searching for news of his long lost father without revealing her true identity of divinity.   Being old and wise, and more specifically male, enables Athene to place more power behind the words spoken by Mentor.   This is since men were received with greater influence and reverence than women were culturally and contextually.   Similarly, Odysseus, through... ...d disguiser.   Works Cited and Consulted Heubeck, Alfred, J.B. Hainsworth, et al. A commentary on Homer's Odyssey. 3 Vols. Oxford 1988 Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Vintage Books, 1989. Murnaghan, Sheila, Disguise and Recognition in the Odyssey, Princeton UP 1987 Van der Valk, Marchinus. Textual Criticism of the Odyssey. Leiden: A.W. Sijthoff, 1949.

The explaination of ‘cinema of attractions’ Essay -- Film

The concept of ‘cinema of attractions’ encompasses the development of early cinema, its technology, industry and cultural context. The explanation of how it is perceived by early cinema audiences is closely related to the effects of history at that time. How Gunning coined the term ‘cinema of attractions’ pertains to the history of the film industry at the turn of the 20th century and his interpretation of the audience and their reaction film technology. Single shots, the process of creating a moving picture and the juxtaposition of limited techniques, coupled with a new invention of showing a moving picture. Cultural context of an audience According to historians like Neil Burch, the primitive period of the film industry, at the turn of the 20th century was making films that appealed to their audiences due to the simple story. A non-fiction narrative, single shots a burgeoning sense â€Å"of exhibitionist confrontation rather than absorption,† (Gunning, Tom 2000 p 232) as Gunning suggests the spectator is asking for an escape that is censored and delivered with a controlled element of movement and audiovisual. Gunning believes that the audience had a different relationship with film before 1906. (Gunning, Tom 2000 p 229) By seeing the cinema pre World War I as primitive the mother of all creation, necessity was utilised and the economic and technological immaturity, did not hold back the creators but the limits freed them. Gunning terms this as a linear evolutionary process. Gunning, T 1993 The cinema of attractions is an idea that Tom Gunning and Mr Gaudreault developed and over time coined as a term to describe the capabilities of film. They had a different idea of the early days in film history and wanted that to ... ...ction, 6th ed, McGraw-Hill, Boston, pp. 76,77, 96, 160 Brownlow, Kevin 1994, ‘Preface’, in Paolo, C, Burning Passions: an introduction to the study of silent film, British Film Institute, London: BFI, pp. 1-3. Gaudreault, A 1990, ‘Showing and Telling : image and word in early cinema’, in Elsaesser, T & Barker, A, Early cinema : space, frame, narrative, BFI Publishing, London, pp. 274-281. Gunning, T 1993, â€Å"Now you see it, now you don’t† : the temporality of the cinema of attractions’, The velvet light trap, vol. 32, Fall, pp. 3-12. Gunning, Tom 2000, â€Å"The Cinema of Attraction: Early film, its spectator, and the avant-garde.† Film and theory: An anthology, Robert Stam & Toby Miller, Blackwell, pp 229-235. Thompson, K 2003, ‘The struggle for the expanding american film industry’, in Film history : an introduction, 2nd ed, McGraw-Hill, Boston, pp. 37-54

John Dewey Essay example -- American Philosopher Philosophy

John Dewey was one of the greatest minds in history. A philosopher, his concern was democracy and its ideals. A thinker about the problems in education. A prominent voice in America, commanding the admiration of those who agreed with his views, and respect for his mind even from those who did not. The man: John Dewey, an American philosopher. Dewey’s pedagogy was one with three distinctive traits: it was democratic in that it called for pluralism. It was a follower of the scientific method in that it was a systemic approach at solving problems and forming judgments, both practical and moral. It prized directed experience as an ongoing process of means as ends and ends as means. These three traits of Dewey’s philosophy are tied to all that he wrote and thought. Dewey felt that democracy was the ideal social structure, the one best suited to the needs and aims of all people; under no other political scheme was it possible for general citizens to have allowance and responsibility to grow individually and culturally. All other systems hindered personal and social growth in Dewey’s scheme. Any form of despotic state used fear to such an extent that it became one of the only factors that kept the state in union, and the other factors that would naturally cause people to work together in their social environments were perverted and wasted. â€Å"Instead of operating on their own account they are reduced to mere servants of attaining pleasure and avoiding pain† (DE, 84). The cultural paralysis was seen in the fact that â€Å"there is no free play back and forth among the members of the social group. Stimulation and response are exceedingly one-sided.† Both the rich and poor suffer: the poor in that they have little involvement in the courses taken in their lives; the rich in that their â€Å"culture becomes sterile† (DE, 84). Dewey asserted that â€Å"democracy has always been allied with humanism, with faith in the potentials of human nature† and that â€Å"democracy means the belief that humanistic culture should prevail.† He advised that democracy is not something that will necessarily happen if â€Å"human nature is left to itself, when freed from external arbitrary restriction† (FC, 97). Democracy, for Dewey, was a moral issue that required efforts born in democratic vision. Democracy was Dewey’s tool of progress. But Dewey also saw that democracy did not guarantee progress. The imper... ...nt. Otherwise facts gained only have the potential to gain meaning, and many facts will turn out to be disconnected, never finding their place in a person’s experience. Facts grow naturally out of meaningful experience, but meaningful experience which leads to more facts do not necessarily flow from facts. Dewey wrote that â€Å"the tragic weakness of the present school is that it endeavors to prepare future members of the social order in a medium in which the conditions of the social spirit are eminently wanting† (SSCC, 15). The conditions wanting were democracy, rational judgment conducive of the scientific method, and a conception of experience that recognizes the continuous nature of ends as means of further action. What Dewey wanted was ideal, but it was not utopian. He knew that we should do better, that we could do better. The question was more whether there was a will to do better. References Dewey, John. 1944. Democracy and Education (DE). New York: The Free Press. Dewey, John. 1989. Freedom and Culture (FC). Buffalo: Prometheus Books. Dewey, John. 1964. The School and Society and The Child and the Curriculum (SSCC). Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Assess the part played by socialisation in the development of gender roles and identities

My scorn-bound edition of Chambers Concise defines socialisation as â€Å"the act or process of socialising: the process by which infants and young children become aware of society and their relationship with others1† Haralambos and Holborn2 are more comprehensive in their definition: socialisation applies to individuals and is a collection of lifelong actions and changes. Social studies of socialisation's impact upon gender roles and identities have been carried out in the modern western world3 and amongst the less densely populated and differing culture of the tribespeople of New Guinea4. The purchasing of toys, clothes, linguistic application and the direction to specified acts of play have been interpreted by Ann Oakley as culturally produced. Margaret Mead concluded from the behaviour of the three tribes she studied, that cultural choice was the driving factor with reference to adoption of gender-active norms and values. This social construct is proceeded by physical construction: obligatory nine month stay in the womb, gene-penning and receiving delivery of testosterone or oestrogen. Goldberg5 and Wilson are proponents of the view that biological determinism has a part to play, with relation to chemical influence on passive/aggressive behavioural development, and on the varying abilities of the sexes. Genetic instruction Wilson types, means men are more promiscuous due to evolutionary related urges and that women are more involved in child-care. 6 Those social scientists putting forward the importance of the ‘nature' perspective in this area are of number and both Talcott Parsons and John Bowlby have put forward sensible arguments. In this spaces, I hope to communicate my fine understanding of gender roles, identities and the evolution of, rather than biology, present here only because of the enhanced visibility of the matter. Ann Oakley3 whom I mentioned earlier based her findings on a study by Ruth Hartley around infants in a contemporary trading communities. Oakley wrote that at a young age, children's self-concept was affected through a childwear fashion manipulation. This adherence to bigger cultural norms is further expanded upon with the over-suggested direction in relation to playthings and the passive/aggressive (or submissive/dominant) images they bring. This closure of activity choice leads to a path of exposure to activity, one that is pre-defined according to stereotypes with a cautious ward glance according to gender identify. With mother and father is another primary socialiser – a black box window which brings sounds and pictures from the world around. â€Å"Television: comforter, nurturer, provider7† D. M. Meehan's study of shows like Dynasty and Dallas detected ten female character types, divided into roles that were good (submissive, sensitive and domesticated) or bad (rebellious, independent and selfish). This content analysis study of fiction serials8 brings to light the low-brow targeting of the shows, the addictive nature of the message (as the ‘soap opera/drama' form intends) is one of stagnation, gender identity is enforced by advice of repetition to the same message. In the real world, bra-burning doesn't exist as part of Women's Liberation, rape is treated sensationally and given too much word count : one wonders of the extent to which the media folk set the agenda, correlating improvement in purchases of automobiles. Women's media too, deals with ‘soft news' (such as family and fashion). This most public of images is the ideology the child finds in doctor's waiting rooms when out of comic books or toys to play with, and their views of the world are further preformed. Not that comicbooklets are much better with reference to representation. Alan Moores semiological analysis9 has findings in common with Meehans. In US comicbooklets, male characters are often ubermensch, attention centre and the only purpose of a woman in a comic is to be ‘rescued': a convenient plot device, they constantly divert the superheroes attention from worthier matters. Female characters who are strong (as with younger characters) are mere appendixes to their male counterparts- in the days of Moore's study Batwoman, Batgirl, Spiderwoman, Supergirl, WonderWoman and She-Hulk were most devoid of any personality that singled them out as fully constructed characters. A study of the teenage girls magazine ‘Jackie' found results which Angela McRobbie refers to as ‘the ideology of romance'10 : connotive and denotive casting spells of a restricted house based future, moving to marriage and child bearing and rearing. The quest for (wealthy pop media idol) boys paints on a culture of feminity to which digression is prevented and reinforced by labelling. Oakley's findings are backed up by two major studies of comprehensive school age. Sharpe11 found priorities and concerns relating to matters of â€Å"love, marriage, husbands, children, jobs and careers, more or less in that order†. A similar study ten years later, of roughly a hundred 15-16 year olds from a bigger variation of class and ethnicity got a somewhat similar result12. Hartnett, although not scribing specifically of teenage years puts forward the idea of a system whereby gender roles are shared out as sex-roles. Gender divisions are created by the assignment of quite opposite personality traits, uneven distribution of activity and social value, which accompanies this. 13 A hundred years ago, Engels14 observed many disturbing elements of the ‘traditional' family life which in the past number of decades those of the Marxist-Feminist Perspective have found recurring. The connections between patriarchy and the labour system are too pervading during the attempt to form gender norms and values. The impact of domestic labour on capitalist economy shows the girls the map to the kitchen while the ideological role family provides society, conditions the lads off to the factory15. The development of these gender roles and identities is as the marker is no doubt aware, annoyingly pessimistic, in as far as the bulk of the writings. Many of the studies on these matters are by women and the imbalance is. Anna Pollert's report on working classes is a far more encouraging scales balance. Pollert print is of the transit of women to manual labour, â€Å"immediately painfully aware of the dehumanisation, the mind-destroying emptiness of their jobs†16 Pollert states that chaps readily embrace employment, and are by default blind to this effect. Returning to biological relativity (for the time of a paragraph) and the impact of gender based identity adoption, Seligman stalks the passive and submissive element to find out that they have ‘learnt helplessness'. Seligman attempts a through connection that implies the encouragement of acts of dependency are appropriate values for a women. That women are culturally prepared to diffuse stress through the act of sharing is backed up by cultural-behavioural analyses and gender differentials in mortality and morbidity. 17 The dull, tedious nature of housework is also often fulfilling, and Oakley comments upon how there is little prestige to the work and role and a lack of bargaining power, Many married woman would agree with Oakley18 although views are constantly changing19 as the years do. The conclusion of symmetrical role balance20 (and thus symmetrical role identity) is one which Oakley solidly opposes, mostly on the grounds of it's financial intimations. The labour-family issue is riddled with colourful concepts, valid and imaginative. J. Stacey's postmodernist approach is favoured by this author, family and marriage based on relationship needs21. Views are valid regarding individual selection. Social action, social positivism. The power of suggestion. Few community analysts are absolute in their judgements, open to questioning their own theories, findings and interpretations. Critics are never rare. There are a number of challengers to these documentations of gender identity. The area of ‘Masculinity' is of primary interest as it is one that suffers from overlook in the social studies foremost represented. I've already covered men's identities as boys in earlier pages of this assignment, so I'll proceed directly to the part of education, central to the role of socialisation as it is. Marsha Jones in Sociology Review a few years back noted that equal opportunities have been so implemented that researcher concerns now focus upon the lack of educational achievement amongst boys. Jones findings are based on a statistical analysis: recent GCSE results and she goes on to comment on an increase in truancy amongst working class boys22. With regards to the tertiary socialiser (the mass media), Moore and his colleague, the unique Dave Sim23 have often noted that male entertainment media teaches that ‘character only comes through conflict'. With a patriarchy n place and males behind the camera and in front of it, this quote from W. Farrell's ‘The Myth of Male Power' could as easily apply, â€Å"It has been mainly men who have died for their country – and they have had little choice in the matter. Men do the worst jobs: they dies sooner: their lives are given less value (women and children come first): they suffer legal discrimination (eg. Custody of children): their traditional role of breadwinner is misleadingly called ‘power' (power is about the ability to control one's life, not the obligation to earn money)> Men have been opposed and damaged by gender roles. The wound that unifies all men is their disposability: as soldiers, workers, fathers. â€Å"24 As women are encouraged to go from education to domestic life quickly, men are expected to go from secondary level education to work just as fast. With regards to family, modern scientific revelations in the media, have built a social construct that whispers to man that biologically they are becoming obsolete, as sperm donators. Rising divorce rates and separation rates have meant lone parents. Rising divorce rates and separation rates have meant lone parents and absentee fathers , hardly cause for surprise when traditional roles are weighed up. ‘Feckless Fathers' who refuse to pay child support, adherents to the New Right policies police them as demons for the binding. 25 At the workplace, there is a decline of manual labour and the consequent increase in unemployment for working class men. Perhaps this is a result of women's greater visibility there, coupled with man's desire to make more of his short life, were he is expected to remain silent about his problems. â€Å"What? † I whisperscreamed in a public restaurant today, reading of D. Thomas â€Å"Not Guilty†26. In Britain in 1991, 3,007 men committed suicide (compared with 886 women, if comparison matters). Thomas goes onto calculate that males live lives 7% shorter than those of women. I find that bloody scary. Looking back to thirty years ago, the following attitudes were on that basis much more bleeding scarier and very very ugly. S. Brownmiller writing in 1975 finds â€Å"a pattern of coercive sexuality† were rape is a conscious conspiracy on the part of the male collective to keep all women in a state of fear27. Although statistical figures back up findings of domestic violence, such radical feminist outlooks in the seventies depicted men as a sex as monsters or oppressors. (Radical as Radical-militant-extremist). Around this time, Tolson identifies a ‘crisis of masculinity', with males uncertain relating to their roles, and their cause containing ‘contradictions and turmoils28'. A. Dworkin in her study of porn found that it reinforced the ‘myth' that women like to be dominated by men. There are however feminists who have taken different positions and advocate the pleasure gained from pornography and too, erotic displays. Dworkin attempts to form a causal link with domestic violence. Sadly plausible I guess estimate, but her statement that porn's social impact desensitises men is valid though somewhat one-sided29. The following year, saw two more important commentaries and studies, which seem to indicate both genders advocating a wiser and stronger approach. Coote and Campbell30 addressed feminist calls to embrace ‘heterosexual chauvinism' or ‘separatism' by pointing out that those roles were as trappings. The aim of a ‘self-determining sexuality' was given, with sexual preference and lifestyle down to individual choice. Goode31 states that most men were genuinely surprised by the discontent of women and slowly started adjusting to changing gender roles. Margaret Thatcher, the most powerful visible female role model in the UK had at this point begun to hint at her own secret agendas, lunacie, and sent masses of male troops off to the Falkland Islands to die. The final decade of the eighties saw sociological theory based on good research get into the intricacies of observing and observable gender norms and values. Carrigan et al32 identify hegemonic and subordinate masculine image in dominance. Wolf exposes the false ideology that is the beauty myth and it's damaging effects such as the creation of inferiority complexes among older women. With the 1990s only recently ended, I am unable to form quite as crystallised a picture of gender socialisation developing as the years prior. At this point, I have no new studies to mention that haven't already been mentioned in this chronology of gender norms and values. However, Farrell in his 1992 work suggests that that the world is both patriarchal and matriarchal and I quote a weighty note of advanced healthier optimism, â€Å"What we need is not a women's movement or a men's movement but a gender transition movement† As strong a signalling for positive socialisation if ever I've read one.

Negotiation strategies & procedures

It is agreed that negotiation is a process and that the first stage of any negotiation, the pre-negotiation stage, is very essential in the planning process for negotiations. But the stage of pre-negotiations, as scholars have come to agree, is in itself also a process. Since the pre-negotiation stage is so crucial there are therefore certain essential steps to proceed on in order to ensure success. While scholars are not agreed on the exact labeling of the different phases of pre-negotiation, nor on how many specific steps there are to be followed, they generally agree on the essential elements that must come into play during pre-negotiations. Peterson & Lucas (2001) identify four stages of pre-negotiations. Other writers have classified the processes involved in pre-negotiation into five categories and even some have limited their categories to only three components. Scholars agree that the first step to take in pre-negotiations is for the parties to identify and define the exact nature of the problem and conduct necessary intelligence gathering procedures. This first phase is basically the framing phase. Furthermore, in this first step, parties are able to demonstrate whether or not they are willing to negotiate address the issues. The next step is the formulation aspects where the parties begin to search for available options or alternatives to the issue(s) from the perspective of both parties. Each party will have to anticipate the possible options that the other could propose. In the third step there is first some amount of commitment to negotiate among the parties, whether formally or informally based on the information gathered and the alternatives identified. There is following this commitment a concrete agreement or decision to negotiate by both parties. Here the negotiating parties decide on the parameters under which such negotiations would take place. The final step in the pre-negotiation process is the structuring phase where negotiation strategies are developed and plans are made by each side as how best to tackle the actual negotiation. Formal negotiations begin as soon as the parties agree to negotiate and appoint a committee over the negotiations. What are the Individual Characteristics of Negotiators? One important factor that impacts greatly on the process and outcome of negotiations is the individual characteristics of the negotiators. While no scholar has proposed a particular model of the best characteristic traits for a successful negotiator, they have identified several factors that could swing negotiation outcomes either in favor of or against the party for with the individual is negotiating. Among the individual characteristics of negotiators the most commonly identified are negotiation experience, age, sex, education and training as well as culture and beliefs. Other variable characteristics could also have an impact on how well a negotiator performs. Irritability, tension, historical relationship between negotiators, physical health among others factors have been noted to affect the negotiation process. These characteristics are, however, quite variable, and depend heavily on the specific negotiation time and situation and not completely on the negotiator’s usual character traits. As it pertains to the classifiable characteristics, as it pertains to matters of age, research has not proven any significant relation between this variable and the outcome of negotiations. Younger or older negotiators have not been shown to produce better consecutive results than their counterparts. Age is only relevant only as it relates to experience because it is only as the negotiator ages and matures that significant experience would be gathered. Thus, in reference to experience, it must be admitted that the more experienced a negotiator is with particular negotiating situations, the easier and smoother the negotiation process flows. The know-how gathered with experience gives a sort of comfort level but it does not, however, suppose a greater propensity to succeed. Peterson & Lucas (2001) note of younger, more inexperienced negotiators, that they are more rigid and uncompromising to the proposals of the other side. Overall the amount of experience a negotiator has could in fact impact negotiations. A negotiators training and education could impact negotiators. While university qualification does not automatically signify a more successful negotiator, researchers have seen some amount of correlation between education and training and the performance of negotiators. However such correlation has not been shown to be significant enough to make a difference. The sex of the negotiator has also been highlighted as a characteristic of negotiators. The position of researchers on the approaches taken in negotiations by both sexes is mixed. Some studies suggest that women are more compromising than men and make a greater effort to obtain mutual agreeable solutions. Differences in negotiators’ cultures and beliefs do of course mean that particular tactics and approaches would be more characteristic of particular negotiators more than others. Such differences are, however, too varied to classify. Suffice it to say that a negotiator’s cultural convictions may be against certain negotiating styles. Of the characteristics of negotiators outlined above, experience appears to be the more crucial to the success of negotiation sessions. More experienced negotiators understand the intricacies of negotiation and are more familiar with the process and steps to take given any negotiation situation. Because of this knowledge gained overtime, negotiators would tend to move more smoothly through the process where a less experienced negotiation would demonstrate hesitancy. Unfortunately some experienced negotiations overtime tend to begin to overstep certain critical phases of negotiation (Peterson & Lucas, 2001) as they are quite competent and thus do not need to plan as much or as well as before. REFERENCES Peterson, R.M. & Lucas, G.H. (Fall 2001). Expanding the Antecedent Component of the Traditional Business Negotiation Model: Pre-negotiation Literature Review and Planning-Preparation Propositions. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, vol #(issue #), pages.