Economic convergence is the concept that poor economies will Assignment

Economic convergence is the concept that poor economies will eventually catch up with the developed countries - Assignment Example Chile is one of the smaller countries in South American region with one of the most vibrant economies in the region. It is termed as an upper middle income country as per the standards of World Bank. It is also considered as most stable and prosperous nations in the region due to its sustained economic performance. It has been argued that the Chile’s government has kept constant policies sustained over the period of almost three decades witnessing reduction in poverty to almost half. This impressive economic performance of the country has resulted into the narrowing of the gap between Chile and other developed countries as accelerated rate of growth has provided Chile much needed convergence to be part of the fastest growing countries. This literature review will provide a review of existing literature on the subject of economic convergence, growth and financial development in Chile. By reviewing the current literature, this review will offer insight into economic convergence of Chile. Macroeconomic Convergence- Theoretical Framework As mentioned above, there are two different concepts of macroeconomic convergence i.e. beta and sigma convergence. Beta convergence signifies convergence through the per capita income and the later is through convergence of cross sectional dispersion of per capita income. In economic growth literature, word convergence is often used to define the initial economic and subsequent growth. (Jones) Two countries exhibit convergence if the poor country with lower levels of income grows faster than the other. This type of convergence is called beta convergence where absolute convergence can be achieved when the per capita incomes actually converge to a steady level of state. Conditional convergence however occurs when the countries have different level of per capita income and it is also experiencing convergence. This also means that each country is actually converging at its own rate and that in the long run all countries will con verge and growth rates will be equalized. Absolute convergence also suggests the conversion of the growth rates of all the economies over the period of time. The convergence debate is mostly based upon two important models of economic growth i.e. Solow’s growth model as well as the endogenous growth theory. Neo-classical literature suggests that an economy starts to converge when the output is constant and the growth rate is zero. When both these variables are witnessed, a country is believed to be entering into an steady state where it starts to achieve convergence with other countries depending upon the fact that with whom country wants to correlate itself. (Papageorgiou and Perez-Sebastian) Economists have actually attempted to explain this concept by assuming two types of economies i.e. if two countries with same rates of investment, savings, depreciation, population growth rates and technological progress, poorer countries will tend to grow faster than the developed or r ich country. There is however a controversy over the growth models regarding the unconditional convergence especially endogenous growth models are believed to be based upon providing decreasing returns or constant returns to per capita capital. This controversy therefore makes it relatively difficult as growth theories predict convergence however; empirical studies do not tend to support this assertion with the data. Neo-classical models have also failed to find any correlation between

'French argues that 'An awareness of the impact of (national) culture Essay - 1

'French argues that 'An awareness of the impact of (national) culture on people in work organisations' is important in tod - Essay Example According to Samovar et al (2009), culture has been subjected to numerous and often-complex abstract definitions as writers labored to incorporate and explain array of cultural components and objectives. They continue to say that, what was considered earliest definition of culture by British anthropologist Sir Edward Burnett Taylor in 1871, explained culture as â€Å"the complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by a man as a member of society (Tylor, 2007) Blad (p. 7) explains that, it is important to note that the characteristic that define state autonomy and global market integration are found in both cases. He continues to say that, the comparison of inter-related state-building projects allows us to not only understand the role of distinct national culture but also how sub-state autonomy is enhanced through global political economic integration. According to Entezar (2008, p. 24-25) ‘culture ca n be studied in two different ways. One can either study specifics in order to determine the general patterns (inductive) or study the general patterns to identify the specifics of a culture (deductive). The second approach is adopted by Hofstede in his dimensional analysis of culture.’ She continues to explain that, ‘every culture deals with power ambiguity, individualism, and gender that are universal and exist in all cultures. Here again these dimensions are filtered through the value systems of various cultures.’ In the argument that, â€Å"awareness of the impact of national culture on people in work organizations and its importance in today’s world†, I will argue for it. Theories of National Culture Ernest Gellner’s theory of nationalism, initially articulated in a chapter of Thought and Change in 1964, rigorously questioned the putative casual power of a pre-existing culture in formation of nations and nationalism. In what is now a fam ous reversal of commonsensical understandings of the relationship between culture and nationalism, he insisted no â€Å"the nation†, a bounded national culture that creates nationalism, but the other way round. (Hall et al 2010, p. 516) Lussier & Achua (2010: pp 391) explains that whether organizational or national, culture is a product of values and norms that people use to guide and control their behavior. Culture affects the relationship between members and leaders of a nation based on shared values. They continue to explain that, on national level, a country’s values and norms determine what kinds of attitude and behaviors are acceptable or appropriate. The people of a particular culture are socialized into these values as they grow up, and norms and social guidelines prescribe the way they should behave toward one another. From the above explanation by Lussier and Achua, we can see that, in a nation, a specific conduct that people should relate to each other, ther e is a specific way that people in management position should relate to their subjects. These codes of conduct dictate how they relate and behave. For instance, the eastern countries, they have a unique dressing manner. In that, all women should be in a certain type of cloth. The same is seen in other countries with Islam religion. Another example is the African countries; the traditional Africans had a unique way of dressing their leaders with different types of clothing. The leaders could be donned with animal skin, to

Penal policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Penal policy - Essay Example , they are charged for their food, water, bedding and other daily necessities based on a scale in accordance with their social standing which was used instead of their financial capacity (Faucult 1997, p 97). A variety of forms of this system which can be seen as an early and bad example of the user pays principle continued in England until the 1780s, when prisoners began to be sent to Australia (Faucult 1997, p. 98). The financial exploitation of prisoners was regular in France and the United States (US) all through much of the nineteenth century, but was significantly extended in the southern states of the US in response to the severe labor scarcity following the Civil War. In the US, convicts were either forced to work under state supervision on railroad construction, mining, lumbering and other areas where free labor was in short supply, or were subleased by the state to entrepreneurs who used them, fundamentally as slaves, on cotton plantations and in factories. Next to the United States is Australia when it comes to the participation to the era of privatization. The National Party government of Queensland decided to start the operation of the new prison located at Borallon, near Brisbane, controlled by a private company under a management contract. The current Labor government confirmed its decision immediately after coming to power and ever since placed its new remand and reception centre at Wacol, a Brisbane suburb, under private management. New South Wales is the only other Australian State to date to adopt prison privatization. The NSW Liberal Party Government has entered into contract with a private firm for the design, construction and management of a maximum security prison at Junee, which is scheduled to become operational in March 1993 (Logan 1997, p. 112). A private prison is an institution that is managed by a nongovernment entity on behalf of the state. Logan (1997, p. 113) defined it as a place of confinement management by a private company

Wage Inequality in the Airline Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Wage Inequality in the Airline Industry - Essay Example For example, in the trucking industry, after deregulation union wages fell, whereas nonunion wages did not change significantly. This contrasts to the situation in the airline industry, where the wages of nonunion workers after deregulation have "eroded" (Bratsberg et al, 2001). The entry of new "non-union, low-wage" companies into the market forced existing companies to "extract wage concessions" from their employees, if they wanted to remain competitive (Deller, 2002). In this way competition with other private airline companies and governmental airline suppliers, forced wages downward to contain costs increases. Still, because of high industry unionization (Bratsberg et al, 2001), the unions retained considerable bargaining power, hence they were more effective in preserving high wages, and the union wage advantage increased during the years after the deregulation. Literature review has not identified one single method for determining wage inequality for the airline industry. Instead, various research papers investigate into different aspects that explain wage levels and estimate wage inequality in the airline industry by making comparisons between different worker/employee groups in the industry. One such paper distinguishes between wage levels of union, and nonun... One such paper distinguishes between wage levels of union, and nonunion workers, by assessing "the effect of deregulation on union power" (Bratsberg et al, 2001). Eventually, union power influences the wage levels of similar categories of workers who differ in their employment relations (union versus nonunion workers). According to the article, after deregulation, union wages have been less responsive to this change, whereas non-union wages have decreased significantly (Bratsberg et al, 2001) due to competitive pressure on costs. This has increased "the union premium" and has created greater wage inequality in the industry. Another research project undertaken by Michael Reich (2003) assesses wage policies at the San Francisco International Airport - SFO - for eighty employers in security areas or who perform security functions. The paper distinguishes between different level service workers, defining "security screeners, baggage handlers, fuel agents, customer service agents []" as the "lowest paid [non-managerial level] airline service workers". The research ascertains wage inequality based on company of employment, whereas lower wages are concentrated among employees of airline service contractors, contrasted by (in-house) airline companies. Additionally, Reich (2003) determines a benchmark minimum wage level (similar to the relative poverty line) of $10.00 per hour and comments that the introduction of new policies that decrease wage inequality have created significant decline in jobs turnover. This has created the positive effect of reduced pay inequality on service levels, worker motivation and pro ductivity (Reich, 2003). References: 1. Bratsberg, B. & Ragan J. (2001) "Changes in the Union Wage Premium

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl - Essay Example Yet, the polemic of the novel often distorts our perception of the heroine, driving the focuses from the multidimensional nature of a really existing human being to her reactions to the conditions of her slave life. It is preferable to analyze Harriet Jacobs’ (Linda Brent’) personality with the help of psychology. Linda’s childhood was happy and serene till she was six. Born in a family of beautiful and intelligent mulattoes, she â€Å"was so fondly shielded† that she never dreamed she was â€Å"a piece of merchandise, trusted to them for safe keeping, and liable to be demanded of them at any moment† (11-12). The death of her mother was the first blow. Then she learnt she was a slave. Yet, Linda did not realize the entire sense of the word for the following six years. She was taken to the house of her mistress, the foster sister of her mother, who treated the girl well and taught her to read and write, though it was forbidden by law. Though the mistress tried to replace the girl’s dead mother, she did not keep her promise to give freedom to the girl and her brother. This was a bitter truth poisoning the girl’s perception of the mistress. I would give much to blot out from my memory that one great wrong. As a child, I loved my mistress; and, looking back on t he happy days I spent with her, I try to think with less bitterness of this act of injustice. While I was with her, she taught me to read and spell; and for this privilege, which so rarely falls to the lot of a slave, I bless her memory (16). These lines convey the inner conflict, which Linda continued experiencing even as a grown-up. On the one hand, she understood that that her mistress behaved like most of whites, that she, Linda, was only a kind of a doll for the woman, who played with her without really caring of her. On the other hand, the mistress was Linda’s substitution of the dead mother, and Linda strove for happy recollections of her childhood,

Reading the Constitution Essay Example for Free

Reading the Constitution Essay In their essay, How Not to Read the Constitution, Lawrence Tribe and Michael Dorf describe the ways the Constitution has been interpreted by different people. Tribe and Dorf make it clear that the idea that the Constitution should be interpreted based on what the framers original intent was is not the way to read the Constitution, it takes much more than that. Tribe and Dorf also explain that justices do not interpret the Constitution in a way that would please the readers (the people) on purpose, because if that were so then the authority of the Constitution would lose all legitimacy if it really were only a mirror for the readers ideals and ideas (p. 49). This means that people have the tendency to interpret the Constitution based on their own beliefs. Also, the justices themselves have their own beliefs and their own interpretations of the Constitution, but they should not come up with a decision based solely on their own opinions. The exact way to read the Constitution is indefinable, therefore in their essay, Tribe and Dorf instead described how not to interpret it and implied that justices should make wise decisions that are not entirely based on their own beliefs, the original intents of the framers made generations ago, or the expectations of the public now. In the case Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, Planned Parenthood was challenging a Pennsylvania law that placed some restrictions on abortion. Many opponents of abortion hoped that the Supreme Court would use the case to strike down the decision made in Roe v. Wade, which states that a state ban on all abortions is unconstitutional. The majority of the court voted not to do so. This is a good case for providing insight into the way justices interpret the constitution and make their decisions. Justice of the Supreme Court Sandra Day OConnor wrote the majority opinion for the case. The majority voted not to overrule the decision made in Roe v. Wade. OConnor wrote on behalf of the majority and wrote in the opinion that the main reasons for this decision were based on the principle of stare decisis and the fact that the cases central ruling is workable for the states and does not come at odds with other precedents. Also, OConnor wrote that the word liberty from the statement no state shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law, (the Due  Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment) includes a womans right to an abortion. Thus, the precedent decision made in the case Roe v. Wade that deals with the rights to and restrictions on abortion still stands. Justices William Rehnquist and Atonin Scalia each wrote dissenting opinions about this case. In Rehnquists dissenting opinion, his main point upon which he disagrees with OConnor is that the right to an abortion is not fundamental. By this statement Rehnquist means that the word liberty in the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment does not encompass the right to an abortion because the right to an abortion is not implicit in the concept of ordered liberty. Thus, he does not agree with the majority opinion. Scalia disagreed with OConnor and the majority about roughly the same point Rehnquist described in his dissenting opinion. The difference in Scalias opinion is that he believes there is no question that the right to an abortion is a liberty, but he states that it is not a liberty that is protected by the Constitution. Out of these three justices, Sandra Day OConnor would most agree with Tribe and Dorfs essay about how to read and interpret the Constitution. I believe she would be in agreement with them because unlike Rehnquist and Scalia, it seems that she interpreted the Constitution not by what she thought the framers originally meant, but by what she thought would do some good in the future. She also made it clear in her writing that the decision by the majority was not made based on the justices personal beliefs. She shows this in the majority opinion she wrote, the stronger argument is for affirming Roes central holding, with whatever degree of personal reluctance any of us may have, not for overruling it.

The Origins Of The Classical Symphony And The Classical Orchestra

The Origins Of The Classical Symphony And The Classical Orchestra Claire Michelle Walsh – Level 1 – History Project 2 Listen and follow Mozarts Symphony No.40 in G minor K550. Describe the character and form of each movement. Go on to write down the instruments used and explain why this is considered a â€Å"classical orchestra. You will need to research the origins of the classical symphony and the classical orchestra. The question is really asking for an analysis of the symphony but to concentrate on the large – scale forms. However you will have to show how movements fit the forms and this will also include a certain amount of harmonic and motivic analysis The orchestra that had taken shape during the baroque period began to expand and become more balanced. During the early eighteenth century the four part string ensemble became established which has remained mainly unchanged. The harpsichord was set aside by the end of the eighteenth century due to larger scale of the orchestra and the invention of the piano. By the end of the eighteenth century the standard large orchestra consisted of: two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two or four horns, two trumpets, timpani and a full string section. The Symphony originally in three movements became four movements, incorporating a minuet and trio. The movement structure was the same as instrumental sonata form. Movement one is usually at a fairly fast speed usually in sonata form in contrast to the second movement which was played at a slower tempo, with a singing melody line. This was often in ternary, variation or sonata form. A minuet and trio in ABA form was the basis of the third movement, concluding in the final movement which was either in rondo, sonata or variation form. Mozart wrote forty one symphonys during his life. Symphony No. 40 in G minor is exceptionally well known and has been used widely in television and film. An early critic of Mozarts music, Otto Jahn called it â€Å"a symphony of pain and lamentation†(scribd.com/doc/7742485). Whereas another critic, Kramer stated that it was â€Å"nothing but joy and animation† (scribd.com/doc/7742485). These two quotes are of the extreme in describing its mood and character. It is the second of his last three symphonies, which were composed between June and August in 1788. The work is said to have been written without a commission and was written at the height of his expressionist phase. The instrumentation is written as we would find in the standard eighteenth century classical orchestra: one flute, two oboes, 2 clarinets, two bassoons, two horns. The string section consisted of: two first and two second violin players, two violas, one cello and one string bass. The instrumentation does not include any percussion or weighty brass. What we are expecting to hear includes an extra flute, two trumpets and timpani as found in a typical Johann Stamitz composition. It was he who The horns are used for effect to emphasize the crescendos and sforzando. The work is in four movements, in the usual arrangement (fast movement, slow movement, minuet, fast movement) for a classical-style symphony: Molto allegro Andante Menuetto: Trio Allegro assai Every movement but the third is in sonata form, the minuet and trio are in the usual ternary form. Molto Allegro The first movement of the ‘Symphony No. 40 in G Minor by W.A. Mozart is written in Sonata form. The piece begins with perhaps the most recognisable openings of any of his symphonies. The movement in cut common time, in the key of G Minor, commences with the first theme in bar one, played by the first and second violins, played piano in the tonic key. Bar 14 sees the woodwind section enter for the first time, still piano. The first dynamic change happens in bar 16 with a forte woodwind entry; the violins then repeat the first subject, piano in bar twenty. The key then modulates in bar 28, to the relative Major of B-Flat for a bridge passage, it is her that we hear a forte dynamic for the first time which leads to the 2nd theme. In bar 43 Mozart uses a silent bar across the whole orchestra, having created the tension this is then dissipated. The 2nd theme begins in bar 44 until bar 72, the clarinet and bassoon playing a piano melody initially which is then passed to the strings. This melody is a more lyrical feminine passage that is very chromatic throughout. This codetta commences at bar 77 in the dominant key and is based around the first 3 notes of the first theme and is played by the clarinet and then imitated by the bassoon. This four bar phrase concludes with the strings playing a variation of the phrase concluding with a strong IV – I cadence. This is then repeated with the oboe and bassoon taking the lead and again concluded with the strings. Commencing at bar 88 there is descending quaver runs throughout the orchestra leading to rising crotchets. In bar 100 there is a repeat back to the beginning. Bars 72- 75 The Development begins in bar 101 with the key now in F-Sharp Minor, modulating in bar 115 to the key of E Minor. It is at this point we can hear the melody in the Bassoon and the Bass line with contrapuntal writing in the upper woodwind. The harmony now expands and changes key very two bars, through A, D and G minor, C major for one bar followed by one bar of F Major, until reaching Bb Major. The violins then play the 1st theme in a falling sequence, whilst the lower strings introduce a counter melody. The movement builds with use of a pedal A in the Bass line, expecting the Recapitulation the Bass line creates a stretto which is then climaxed with a forte in bar 152. Here all parts are all competing to get their idea heard. The sudden dynamic change in bar 160 releases the tension with the commencement of the Recapitulation in bar 164. The Recapitulation back in the tonic key begins with the upper strings which are joined by the lower strings in comparison to the beginning of the movement, this is then joined in bar 168 by the bassoon playing a new countermelody . The 2nd theme is then reintroduced. Mozart uses suspensions commencing at bar 199 to create tension, to further this he uses imitation at the half between the upper and lower strings. Further tension is heard in the bass line at bar 218 with minims alternating between Bb and A. In bar 226 there is another silent bar throughout the orchestra. Bar 228 sees the reintroduction of second subject still in the tonic key. It is during this we hear in bar 247 new ideas played in the First Violin culminating in Diminished and dominant seventh chords. Bar 260 sees the return of the first theme passed between all the woodwind parts and after a chromatically rising syncopated passage throughout the orchestra, the dynamic drops to a sudden piano the first theme is once again heard in the first and second violins. In bar 293 the whole orchestra plays a rousing forte for the last seven bars. Andante The second movement is a lyrical work in 6/8, in E flat major. The orchestration is the same except that the horns are now in E flat. It commences with the violas playing a quaver motif, a bar later this is taken up by the second violin. A bar later the first violin plays this in imitation. This passage is one of the main themes in this movement. Bars 1-8. Theme A A demisemi-quaver motif then begins in bar 16, which acts as a bridging passage to theme B. This rhythm plays an important role for the movement of this whole movement. Theme B at bar 20 is played by the first violin and answered by the flute, the texture is very thin and simple. At bar 27 there is a three way conversation between the woodwind ending in the first violin ending the conversation at bar 35. A smooth theme is introduced in bar 37, which is briefly interrupted at bar 43 by a bar of semi-quavers, but soon returns to its previous texture before the section is repeated. The development section of the 2nd movement begins, with the earlier demisemi-quaver motif, which is enforforced by the bass, playing a rising chromatic figure for bar 56- 62. The recapitulation commences in bar 74. We hear small segment from both themes played until a final theme is heard in bar 108. Menuetto This third movement is in Minuet and Trio form and commences in the key of G Minor. Unlike a traditional dance Mozart uses the whole orchestra which remains full throughout. He uses a hemiola, a 2/4 feel in a 3/4 time signature, with a rising melody line. The movement opens with a strong melody played by the strings and the woodwind, consisting of two, three bar phrases followed by two, and four bar phrases, which is then repeated back to the beginning. The second section in B flat Major it is a variation of the first, played contrapuntally. The trio modulates to G major where he has thinned the texture for the first section. The second section sees the return of the Horns bringing a contrasting texture to the end of the trio. Finale – Allegro assai The final movement, Allegro Assai, begins almost like a Baroque Concerto Grosso, with contrasting piano string and forte tutti passages alternating every two bars. An important quaver motif, heard in bar 3 can be heard repeatedly throughout the movement, for example the bridge passage at bar 32. Bars 1-15 Theme B is introduced in bar 71 in the key of B flat Major. It is more thinly scored with a lighter feel. The melody is played by the first violin, being handed to the clarinet at bar 85, who plays a duet with the bassoon. Bar 101 sees the coda played forte and continues until bar 124 with growing intensity where it is repeated back to the beginning. Bars 125 – 134 includes a bridging passage that is very different to anything we have heard earlier, this leads into the development phase of the movement. Bars 125-141 A piano theme is then heard, which is passed around the woodwind and first violin parts with lower string accompaniment. This acts as a bridging passage before we hear a fugal section commencing at bar 152 in the strings which modulates through many different keys. Bars 205 -206 are primarily silent before the beginning of the recapitulation in the key of G Minor. Theme B can be heard again in bar 247 before a closing section which can found at bar 277. This consists of a forte passage with running quavers in the violins, which is dramatically dropped to a piano four bar passage at bar 286. The symphony concludes with a burst of energy at bar 290 whilst the running quavers are a constant until the last three separate chords from the whole orchestra.