Report Evaluation of Peets Coffee Tea

Report Evaluation of Peets Coffee Tea Company valuation is a cardinal process in an organization that is used to assess the elements of performance and financial condition. As a process, evaluation entails examination of economic and non-economic factors to determine the position of a company. The results of the evaluation process enable a business to increase efficiency and effectiveness of various business processes. Moreover, it provides an opportunity for an organization to improve customer service, reduce costs of operation, and modernize business practices (Jones, 2007). However, the most difficult task during company evaluation is identification of relevant areas that should be considered for the process. It is in this regard that this paper identifies several elements of evaluation that are applicable to Peet’s Coffee Tea. Peet’s Coffee and Tea Peet’s Coffee and Tea is a global company that sells coffee products and operates a long chain of coffee houses across the world. The company is headquartered in California and has many branches all over the world. The company offers a variety of coffee products that entail the full-leaf teas, whole-bean coffee, cold and hot coffee beverages, pastries and microground instant beverages (Baber, 2007). In addition to coffee products, the company sells other product varieties such as sandwiches, wines, and even beer depending on the target market. Peet’s Coffee and Tea has managed to become one of the successful coffee companies due to its market share and highly diversified product line. Therefore, the evaluation of the company should consider key elements of economic and non-economic factors, which include competitive strategies, market share, financial position, and labor practices (Youngme Quelch, 2003). Competitive Strategies When evaluating competitive strategies of a business, it is cardinal to assess the capability of the strategies to overcome competition in a given market or industry. Peet’s Coffee Tea has competitive strategies that enabled it to outmatch its rivals in the coffee industry. The company employs competitive strategies that entail competitive pricing, product innovation, and customer value proposition (Anthony, Dearden, Govindaraja 1992). Competitive Pricing With regards to competitive pricing, the organization offers quality coffee products that are favorably priced to attract and retain its customers. Currently, the company has lowered prices of most coffee products by more than 10% across all the markets in the world. The defensive approach taken by the company was also meant to enhance product value and increase the frequency of repeat purchases. Moreover, the approach was meant to enable the company outmatch the competitors who sell their products in supermarkets such as Folgers and Maxwell and Dunkin Donuts. However, the organization monitors changes in the prices of raw materials such as coffee beans to ensure that the strategy is sustainable (Baber, 2007). Product Innovation Peet’s Coffee and Tea relies on product innovation as a competitive strategy to achieve product-oriented differentiation. Product innovation involves developing new product features that meet the changes in consumers’ needs and wants. Peet’s Coffee and Tea has ensured product innovation by producing coffee products that meet the changes in culture, social status, and geographical setting. For example, on the issue of culture the organization offers products that conform to cultural requirements of the consumers. A coffee product in Italy has completely different taste compared to the coffee in London or New York. With regards to geography, it is appropriate to sell cold beverages in tropical regions and offer hot beverages in cold areas. Unpredictability of change sometimes makes it difficult for the organization to effectively utilize its product innovation strategies. The organization plans to invest in marketing research in order to predict changes in consumer behavior (Erasmus, 2008). Customer Value Proposition Customer value proposition is another competitive strategy that is used by the company to increase its competitiveness. It entails the total number of benefits that a consumer derives from the product or services offered by a company. Products with higher benefits enable the customers to attain higher value. Peet’s Coffee and Tea has been able to achieve this by providing good packaging, offering products in a serene environment, and improving the quality of coffee products. Customer value proposition enables the organization to improve customer service and increase its sales revenue (Collan Kinnunen, 2011). Market Share Market share is another key element that is deemed important for this evaluation. A company’s market share is the proportion of the market that is occupied by the company in terms of customer dominance. A company’s market share is determined by its competitive factors. In this case, Peet’s Coffee and Tea market share is influenced by the aforementioned competitive strategies (Baber, 2007). For example, defensive pricing approach used by the company has enabled the organization to attract retailers from various market segments. Pricing approach used by a business determines the unit market share from the percentage of units sold. The market unit also determines the level of sales revenues and profitability (Anthony et al., 1992) Peet’s Coffee Tea relies on effective assessment of the competitors’ activities and changes in consumers’ behavior to evaluate its market share. Moreover, the organization relies on external factors that affect the market, such as government regulations and changes in economic conditions to assess its market share. As an international organization, the company’s share is also affected by transactions in international markets. The movement of funds between countries affects economic variables such as inflation and exchange rate. Countries that maximize trade opportunities in export business are good places for investment since such countries have stable exchange rates and currencies. The company also predicts the changes in demand and supply for key products that affect economic conditions of different countries across the world. The demand and supply of a key product such as oil is very important in evaluating economic conditions and determining the demand of coffee products. Proper assessment of the market share must embrace the above-mentioned factors to enable an organization to determine its trade position in the industry. However, some of the factors that determine the performance of the market such as government, fiscal and monetary policies are very difficult to predict. Financial Position A company’s financial position is a key factor that should be considered during evaluation. Evaluation of a firm’s financial position enables organizational members to determine the profitability of the firm. Financial ratios used in determining profitability highlight the profit margin of an organization and its ability to withstand competition from other rivals in the same industry. Evaluation of financial position also defiles the liquidity of the firm. Liquidity rations in the balance sheet reveal the size of a company’s working capital and the ability of an organization to meet its financial requirements. Moreover, efficiency ratios in financial statements determine the relationship between inventory and the revenue of an organization (Collan Kinnunen, 2011). Evaluation of Peet’s Coffee and Tea financial position should embrace the following factors: the cash position of the company, overhead costs, solvency of the company, changes in securities and prices. Cash Position of the Company Cash flows affect the performance and growth of an organization. Peet’s Coffee and Tea has a good cash position whereby the total amount of inflows is higher than the outflows. The organization operates under a cash flow strategy, which enables it to minimize expenditure but increase the value of earnings. The company’s pricing strategy also enables to generate high sales revenue and increase the number of cash inflows. Moreover, the organization effectively controls its receivables by minimizing credit purchases and increasing investment in fixed assets (Erasmus, 2008). Overhead Costs The organization does not only focus on increasing its revenues but also controls overhead costs that emanate from expenditure in salaries, rents, power bills and other overhead charges. The company determines the percentage of revenues that can be used to meet the all the overheads. It keeps a good record of all the overhead costs. Peet’s Coffee and Tea also ensures that expenditure in overhead needs is consistent with the level of sales revenue. However, any losses in sales of the organization have been associated with the increase in cost of overhead needs. The organization should therefore control cost of overhead to minimize losses and ensure efficiency in operations (Collan Kinnunen, 2011). Solvency Evaluation of financial position of a company also enables it to determine its solvency. Since most businesses rely on cash inflows from sales, it is therefore important to determine the ratio of cash in the bank to monthly expenses incurred by an organization. Peet’s Coffee and Tea relies on the ratio in its cash management and ensures effective control of all major expenses in the company. The company also ensures effective debt collection method from the clients and reduces overreliance on accounts receivables to fund its operations. The organization has been very successful in managing its solvency in order to avoid bankruptcy (Anthony et al., 1992). Labor Practices The labor practices in an organization determine its productivity and performance in the industry. Good practices adopted by organization ensure the competitiveness of the organization and its success. For example, for Peet’s Coffee and Tea to achieve its competitive strategies such as product innovation, it has to ensure that workforce has the right skills and experience that is needed to facilitate innovation. Moreover, the company should ensure that its workforce is motivated towards the achievement of the company’s goals and objectives. The organization employs efficient labor practices to establish increased productivity of labor. These practices entail workforce planning and compensation policy. Workforce Planning Workforce planning is an activity that is employed by the organization to ensure that it hires the right number of workers who have right knowledge and experience pertaining to the job involved. The process also takes into account the regulatory and legislative requirements that govern labor practices. Peet’s Coffee and Tea relies on strategic workforce planning in order to acquire the employees that are highly experienced, innovative and talented in various functions of the business. Workforce planning is also important to determine the demand and supply of labor in the market. The organization embraces the fact that different categories of employees with specific skills are in varying demand by different organizations. For example, the demand for a nutrition analyst cannot be compared to the demand of a general company attendant. Therefore, the organization forecasts all labor requirements prior to the process of recruitment to avoid shortages in supply of highly skilled individuals. Compensation Policy Labor compensation policy is another key area that should be properly considered when evaluating a company’s labor practices. Such policy determines whether a company pays its workers according to the industry rate and adheres to the labor laws during compensation. The policy should also enable the organization to effectively manage labor costs in order to reduce over expenditure in labor. Peet’s Coffee and Tea compensation policy enables the organization to pay its employees according to the legal labor requirements and industry rate. In certain regions, the company pays its workers higher rates that are above the industry rates in order to attract highly qualified labor. The company’s compensation policy enabled it to achieve its competitive strategies by producing products of high quality and enjoy economies of scale. Summary Company evaluation plays an important role in assessing the performance of an organization. Peet’s Coffee and Tea evaluation is therefore important to identify the various factors that have contributed to its success. In addition to the aforementioned factors, Peet’s Coffee and Tea embraces equal treatment of all employees due to its highly diversified workforce. The company embraces diversity to ensure that all employees are treated equally regardless of their differences that may be based on gender, race, nationality, tribe, religion, and age. The organization ensures that human resources functions such as selection, hiring, training, compensation, and retrenchment embrace diversity of the workforce. It also adheres to labor requirements to ensure equal treatment of all workers. Peet’s Coffee and Tea also believes in diversity of the workforce as an element of improving creativity and innovation among the employees. The organization believes that different employees from different backgrounds have different ideas which should be shared for the benefit of the organization (Erasmus, 2008). References Anthony, R., Dearden, J., Govindarajan, V. (1992). Management Control of Projects. Chapter 17 of Management Control Systems. Homewood, Illinois: Irwin. Baber, J, (2007). A Knowledge-based Approach to Program Analysis. American Society for the Advancement of Project Management. Online Magazine, pp. 1- 11. Collan, M. Kinnunen, J. (2011). A Procedure for the Rapid Pre-acquisition Screening of Target Companies Using the Pay-off Method for Real Option Valuation. Journal of Real Options and Strategy, 4(1), 117-141. Erasmus, L. (2008). Financial Performance in terms of the PFMA: What does it mean? Journal of Accountability and Auditing Research, 4 (8), 57– 66. Jones, C. (2007, May 29). Peet’s moves roasting plant to double output of coffee. San Francisco Chronicle, p. B-2.

Description and History of AK-47 Assault Rifle

Description and History of AK-47 Assault Rifle AK-47 Specifications Cartridge: 7.62 x 39mmCapacity: 10-75 rounds depending on magazine usedMuzzle Velocity: 2,346 ft./sec.Effective Range: 330-440 yds.Weight: approx. 9.5 lbs.Length: 34.3 in.Barrel Length: 16.3 in.Sights: Adjustable iron sights,Action: Gas-operated, rotating boltNumber Built: approx. 75 million, 100 million AK-47-style weapons Development The evolution of the modern assault rifle began during World War II with the German development of the Sturmgewehr 44 (StG44). Entering service in 1944, the StG44 provided German soldiers with the firepower of a submachine gun, but with better range and accuracy. Encountering the StG44 on the Eastern Front, Soviet forces began looking for a similar weapon. Utilizing the 7.62 x 39mm M1943 cartridge, Alexey Sudayev designed the AS-44 assault rifle. Tested in 1944, it was found to be too heavy for widespread use. With the failure of this design, the Red Army temporarily halted its search for an assault rifle. In 1946, it returned to the issue and opened a new design competition. Among those who entered was Mikhail Kalashnikov. Wounded at the 1941 Battle of Bryansk, he had begun designing weapons during the war and had previously entered a design for a semi-automatic carbine. Though he lost this competition to Sergei Simonovs SKS, he pushed forward with an assault weapon design that drew inspiration from the StG44 and the American M1 Garand. Intended to be a reliable and rugged weapon, Kalashnikovs design (AK-1 AK-2) sufficiently impressed the judges to advance to the second round. Encouraged by his assistant, Aleksandr Zaytsev, Kalashnikov tinkered with the design to increase reliability across a wider range of conditions. These alterations advanced his 1947 model to the front of the pack. Testing progressed over the next two years with the Kalashnikov design winning the competition. As a result of this success, it moved to production under the designation AK-47. AK-47 Design A gas-operated weapon, the AK-47 utilizes a breech-block mechanism similar to Kalashnikovs failed carbine. Employing a curved 30-round magazine, the design is visually similar to the earlier StG44. Created for use in the severe climates of the Soviet Union, the AK-47 possesses relatively loose tolerances and is able to function even if its components are fouled by debris. Though this element of its design enhances reliability, the looser tolerances decrease the weapons accuracy. Capable of both semi- and fully-automatic fire, the AK-47 is aimed with adjustable iron sights. To enhance the AK-47s lifespan, the bore, chamber, gas piston, and the interior of the gas cylinder are chromium-plated to prevent corrosion. The AK-47s receiver was initially made from stamped sheet metal (Type 1), but these caused difficulties in assembling the rifles. As a result, the receiver was switched to one made from machined steel (Types 2 3). This issue was finally resolved in the late 1950s when a new stamped sheet metal receiver was introduced. This model, dubbed the AK-47 Type 4 or AKM, entered service in 1959 and became the definitive model of the weapon. Operational History Initially used by the Red Army, the AK-47 and its variants were exported widely to other Warsaw Pact nations during the Cold War. Due to its relatively simple design and compact size, the AK-47 became the favored weapon of many of the worlds militaries. Easy to produce, it was built under license in many nations as well as served as the basis for numerous derivative weapons such as the Finnish Rk 62, Israeli Galil, and Chinese Norinco Type 86S. Though the Red Army elected to move to the AK-74 during the 1970s, the AK-47 family of weapons remains in widespread military use with other nations. In addition to professional militaries, the AK-47 has been utilized by a variety of resistance and revolutionary groups including the Viet Cong, Sandinistas, and Afghani mujahedeen. As the weapon is easy to learn, operate, and repair, it has proven an effective tool for non-professional soldiers and militia groups. During the Vietnam War, American forces were initially stunned by the volume of fire that AK-47-equipped Viet Cong forces were able to bring to against them. As one of the most common and reliable assault rifles in the world, the AK-47 has also been utilized by organized crime and terrorist organizations. During the course of its production, over 75 million AK-47s and licensed variants have been built. Selected Sources Wired: The AK-47, An All-Purpose KillerMilitary Factory: AK-47

Conflict Resolution at General Hospital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Conflict Resolution at General Hospital - Essay Example The General Hospital opened its doors in 1968 to provide quality medical care to the community around it and beyond. At first, gradual growth resulted to an increased number of patients and hospital activity in general. Recently, however, there was a sharp decline in patient occupancy from 90 percent to 60 percent. The hospital chief executive officer (CEO), Mike Hammer, believed that physicians played a significant role in this decline by having their allegiance to their profession rather than to the hospital. In his opinion, the physicians did not consider the economic repercussions of their medical practice; neither did they care about the situation in which they were placing the hospital. In this respect, the CEO used various conflict resolution techniques to solve the stalemate between the hospital and its employees, and among the employees. At first, the CEO attempted to communicate his concerns to physicians through Dr. Mark Williams, Director of Medicine, to no avail. Later on, he had to cut costs by computerization of hospital procedures resulting in firing of a highly efficient EKG reader, Dr. James Boyer, and replacing him with a non-satisfactory computerized EKG reading system. This infuriated the physicians as not only was one of them fired, but also the computerized system was implemented without their consent or consultation. Hammer refused to take responsibility and his Chief Operations Officer (COO), Marge Harding, who implemented the system without consultations, refused to attend meetings with physicians to avoid meeting them and explaining her policies. This is the first approach that the CEO took by organizing a meeting with the Director of Medicine who was in charge of the physicians. The intention was to have each party air its views on the situation at hand and come to an agreement that would be

From your perspective and your experience, what do you think your Article

From your perspective and your experience, what do you think your culture can offer an American How can you contribute to the development of a cross-cultural perspective - Article Example The thirst of learning and the respect of teachers can be the most inspiring factor for an American. The elongated feathers of social values embedded in the Middle Eastern culture can never leave any American untouched. The system of upbringing a child with moral values, blend of provincial, official and national languages and in the beam of religion can be another captivating sight for any American. From a lullaby to national songs, from classical to pop, Middle Eastern music is enriched with melodies and rhythms an American might not have imagined. One of the most different experiences for any American can be found in literature, art and drama is the concept of love which demonstrates the true eastern values of soul. This will be true to say that Middle Eastern culture can give an American the secret to live a healthy and happy life. When it comes to my potential to serve for the development of cross culture, I tend to follow the same steps of my cultural and historical values: teaching and learning. I can create awareness about the fruitfulness of cultural exchange programs by writing and talking. I can give services to the foreigners visiting my country of origin by providing them deep and profound secrets of my land. If I get any chance to visit foreign country either on exchange program or not, I will be exhibiting my own customs and tradition in dressing, events and celebration to help the people of that country understand my culture. This way I would contribute in the development of cross cultural activities. In contrast to this, for the contribution in development of cross cultural perspective, I would also be inquisitive, appreciating and absorbing the values, customs and tradition of the other land. I would like to know the historical and cultural dome and the values upon which that nation is standing. It will be a great experience to explore the art, literature and cinema of that country and know the sense of

Soliloquy Essay - Two Soliloquies, One from Lady Macbeth and One from Macbeth :: GCSE Coursework Macbeth Essays

Analysis of Two Soliloquies - One from Lady Macbeth and another from Macbeth  Ã‚   On the level of human evil, Shakespeare's tragedy, Macbeth is about the character Macbeth's bloody rise to power, including the murder of the Scottish king, Duncan, and the guilt-ridden pathology of evil deeds generating still more evil deeds. Perhaps, the play's most memorable character is Lady Macbeth. Like her husband, Lady Macbeth's ambition for power leads her into an unnatural, phantasmagoric realm of witchcraft, insomnia and madness. But while Macbeth responds to the prophecies of the play's famous trio of witches, Lady Macbeth goes even further by figuratively transforming herself into an unnatural, desexualized evil spirit. Throughout the novel, there are moments when important characters are given the opportunity to express details of their character and reveal information that is otherwise not given, but vital to the development of the story. A soliloquy is a classical literary technique to allow a character to share his or her thoughts and feelings with the audience. I will now examine and attempt to interpret two of these soliloquies, one from Lady Macbeth and the second from Macbeth himself. As the scene opens, Lady Macbeth is reading a letter from her husband. The letter tells of the witches' prophecy for him, which is treated as a certainty, because "I have learned by the perfectest report, they have more in them than mortal knowledge". "The perfectest report" means "the most reliable information," so it appears that Macbeth has been asking people what they know about the reliability of witches. If that's the case, he has ignored the advice of Banquo, who is quite sure that witches can't be trusted. But Macbeth seems to trust the witches absolutely, because he is writing to his wife, his "dearest partner of greatness," so that she "mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing". That is, he believes that she has a right to rejoice because she will be a queen. However, Lady Macbeth doesn't rejoice. She is determined that he will be king, but she suspects that he doesn't have the right stuff to do what needs to be done. Speaking to him as though he were really there, she says: "Yet do I fear thy nature; / It is too full o' the milk of human kindness / To catch the nearest way". Her reaction to the letter shows that Lady Macbeth is a woman who knows her husband very well, perhaps because she shares some of his instincts.

Both Curley’s Wife and Crooks Essay

Steinbeck’s novel â€Å"Of Mice and Men† was set in the Great depression in 1930s America. The characters reflect the struggles and harsh times many working Americans faced in that era. Isolated, lonely, marginalised and mistrustful, people had to create new lives for themselves. In the novel Steinbeck describes several characters that are vulnerable due to the social context of that time; Crooks and Curley’s wife face particular hardship which result in them being outsiders in the place they consider home. Steinbeck implies early on in the novel the views other characters have of Crooks and Curley’s wife may differ from the modern reader. Though both women and black people had progressed in their rights by the time of the setting of the novel, old attitudes and mistreatment of black people and to an extent women were still present. Steinbeck immediately emphasises Crooks and Curley’s wife’s low status via their introduction. They are both introduced in such a way to highlight their low regard by others and how they are viewed by society. Steinbeck describes Crooks’ low status very early in the book through the â€Å"old swamper† Candy. Candy describes how Crooks gets abuse from the boss for things that are beyond his control. â€Å"An’ he give the stable buck hell too.† â€Å"Ya see the stable bucks a nigger.† The initial comments depict Crooks as an outsider as he is the only character described to have been getting abused by the boss. It also shows how Crooks is used as an outlet of the boss’s frustration. Candy then describes Crooks using a racial slur. This represents Crooks’ isolation further as Candy’s initial description of Crooks is through his colour and not his personality or other features. The use of the racial term reflects also how society sees Crooks and that this type of language was acceptable to the people of these times. Steinbeck uses a similar ploy when initially introducing Curley’s wife, as he introduces her again through Candy. We see early on how Curley’s wife is regarded on the ranch and this gives us an early view of why she is isolated as such. â€Å"well- she got the eye† â€Å"well I think Curley’s, married . . . a tart† Candy’s initial remark about Curley’s wife elicits the potential idea that she behaves in a flirtatious manner towards other ranchers, which has caused the ranchers to avoid her and therefore caused her segregation. The second remark by Candy suggests the opinion of her by other ranchers. The use of the strong derogatory term for her evidently suggests that she is isolated out of hatred towards her coquettish attitude. We see early on the Curley’s wife’s body language backs up what is said about her by Candy. She is described as trying to gain attention via her body. â€Å"Leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward.† It shows the vainness of Curley’s wife which can easily lead to her exclusion due to her being self-obsessed and unable to relate to the other workers. The line also shows how she is more inclined to use her body to gain attention from the others and this shows how she has become desperate for attention due to her isolation. The language used in the line about how her body is â€Å"thrown forward† which allows Steinbeck to clearly illustrate the extent of which she is going to gain attention, depicting early on the effects of her loneliness. In the novel we see how Steinbeck suggests Crooks also demands self-segregation, we see this when Lennie initially tries to talk with Crooks. â€Å"You got no right to come in my room†. This conveys how Crooks being subjected to so much isolation has become accustomed to it, possibly suggesting he has become an introvert. It also shows how Crooks puts on a defensive front due to his marginalization on the ranch. Crooks talks about his â€Å"rights† on several occasions. â€Å"Nobody got any right in here but me† The first comment shows how Crooks claims instant owner ship of his quarters, this reflects how his constant seclusion on the ranch and society has made him need to protect and claim things that are his. Steinbeck in the novel symbolizes through Crooks’ possessions how he seeks a way of removing his isolation. â€Å"A tattered dictionary and a mauled copy of the California civil code for 1905† The use of the dictionary and civil code allows Steinbeck to convey to the reader how Crooks is a learned man and also is not someone to quickly accept being excluded. It evokes sympathy and a degree of empathy for Crooks as we see how he tries to find a way for him to be accepted and also we see he is not a simple a rancher but a man of slight intellect. The use of the civil code also suggests how Crooks may not have initially understood the reasons for his segregation. Both Crooks and Curley’s wife are seen to feel as though no-one understands their situation of being alone. Steinbeck does this through the use of rhetorical questions in their dialect. â€Å" S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunkhouse and play rummy ‘cause you was black. How’d you like that?† This remark by Crooks explores how he understands that his seclusion is due to his colour. Steinbeck by using a rhetorical question also allows the reader to sympathize with Crooks and also picture what he describes. Steinbeck’s reference to the word â€Å"black† as opposed to â€Å"nigger† also shows how Crooks though secluded tries to maintain his dignity and self-respect. When Curley’s wife is talking with Lennie, Steinbeck does the same thing as he did with Crooks. â€Å"Aint I got a right to talk to nobody?† The use of language in this remark also allows us to sympathize with Curley’s wife as it allows the reader to empathize how frustrated she may feel from being shunned on the ranch. Steinbeck shows how Curley’s wife’s attitude and derogatory remarks about the ranchers has led to her being disliked and shunned on the ranch in chapter 4 when she is in the stables. â€Å" Standin’ here talkin’ to a bunch of bindle stiffs- a nigger an’ a dum-dum and a lousy ol’ sheep- an’ likin it because they aint nobody else.† This quote shows her low regard for certain ranchers and how she is forced to try and socialize with people she doesn’t like out of desperation. It also shows how her remarks about the ranchers â€Å"bindle stiffs† may have caused her to be isolated and marginalized by the workers. It also evokes the idea she lacks the ability to communicate with the other workers in a way where they respond in a positive manner. The quote also indirectly suggests Curley’s wife is not really meant on the ranch as she says â€Å"they aint nobody else† which illustrates how she has no-one, with whom she can properly relate to. Both Curley’s wife and Crooks are partly subjected to isolation due to the social context of the time period in which the book is set. Crooks being a black man in 1930s America would have suffered large amounts of seclusion and racial violence. Steinbeck conveys this through the threat made to him by Curley’s wife, â€Å"I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny†. The use of the threat allows Steinbeck to explore and clearly depict how Crooks can’t escape that in this society he will also be second class and looked upon as different and an outsider. The line shows explores the idea that due to him being classed as different, he is susceptible to being lynched or suffer some sort of violence so easily as it is accepted in society. The use of such a powerful image paves the way for Steinbeck to show the reader the extent of Crooks’ seclusion. Similarly he does same for Curley’s wife, as being a woman in 1930s Americ a she would have not had many rights. Steinbeck however when conveying this message uses more subtle imagery as a white woman had slightly higher regard than a black man. Steinbeck references how women were usually meant to be in the household, â€Å"she wore a cotton house dress† and â€Å"Think I like to stick in that house alla time?† the first quote describing her attire allows Steinbeck to suggest early on that her marginalized on the ranch is partly due to her gender, the use of the house dress implies that she is not meant to be on the ranch and is out of place. It secondly suggests that she constantly tries to avoid being isolated at home and is further out-casted for not fully compelling her role. The second remark also implies how society was such that people were meant to accept their place and, she is shown to not accept her place and therefore caused her to be shunned because it. The marginalized characters in the novel have several things in common and, ironically, if these characters could look beyond their own issues they might find some mutual trust and support. Steinbeck portrays Crooks and Curley’s wife (alongside George and Lennie) as having dreams of a better future. Curley’s wife wanted to be a film star â€Å" Coulda been in the movies† and Crooks desires a better life as represented by the civil code. However as with the American dream it only happens for a few and it consists of loneliness and despair. At the end of the novel there is not apparent freedom from isolation for Crooks, yet Curley’s wife gains some freedom in death. â€Å"the meanness and the planning’s and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face†

Free Market Economy - 837 Words

The United States is known to operate in a free market economy. In other words, the economy is based solely on supply and demand with little to no government control. In reality, however, the United States has various government regulations on our country’s market. The amount of regulation that is necessary is a continuing debate among politicians and economists to this day. Some would say that the key to a successful market economy is to remove government restrictions in order to force businesses to provide superior products and services at affordable prices. Yet, others assert that government regulations are essential in protecting consumers, stemming from the assumption that corporations are not always looking out for the public’s interest. Of course, there are various advantages and disadvantages associated with each level of regulation, however it is safe to assume that there must be a balance between an unregulated free market and a regulated economy in order to p rotect people and the environment and allow the economy to flourish. Advantages of a Free Market Economy A free market is driven by individual innovation and the concept that hard work and initiative will be rewarded with success. Because of the ingenuity factor, there is plenty of competition in the market place. Therefore, the rivalry between companies provides the best possible product to the customer at the best price. In addition, this gives consumers the ability to let their voices be heard, sinceShow MoreRelatedFree Market Economies2080 Words   |  8 Pagescentury. As usual the battles were for supremacy and for the right to have colonies all over the globe, because when these wars were raging the whole world was to be re-discovered in some way. Back then navies where the main driving force of the economy and even for the world. They were the only known to man method of transporting goods, slaves and people. History of France France was a pure monarchy for a vast period of its history as an established society of people. During this period peopleRead MoreThe Establishment Of A Free Market Economy964 Words   |  4 PagesThe establishment of a free market economy with the creation of joint-stock companies in the modern-day Netherlands during the 1500-1600s spelt the beginning of capitalism, an economic system which has, since this period, brought untold prosperity to billions throughout the world. Its proliferation throughout Europe is one of the primary reasons why in the centuries thereafter it became the sole hegemon on the world stage, with its greatest embracer, Great Britain, holding sway over a fourth of theRead MoreProgressing into Free Market Economies1048 Words   |  4 Pagesnation to have freer markets than most. According to the 2013 Index of Economic Freedom, the United States ranks as No. 10 in the most free market countries, while Zimbabwe ranks No. 175 out of the 177 countries listed. (1 ) How are countries like Hong Kong, New Zealand, and the U.S. ranked so high? With social cooperation, income inequality, comparative advantages, freedom of trade, sound money, reductions in taxes and regulations, and protection of property rights, more markets in other countriesRead MoreFree Market Economy Essay461 Words   |  2 PagesA free market is a type of market that the government is not involved in. Since the government does not care about what happens, the free market is also called â€Å"hands-off† or â€Å"let it be economics†. The government is limited to protect the citizens from the danger and that is the major goal for the government. In the free market economy, there are three components of the free market economy: competition, active but limited government, and the self-interest. Competition is one of the main componentsRead MoreConsumerism And Free Market Economy1509 Words   |  7 Pagesessential in the enhancement of capitalism and free market economy. It can also lead to innovation competition of companies in meeting the needs of consumers. However, Commercialism can lead to an increase in wasteful consumption or consumerism. It can also lead to the depletion of natural resources in trying to meet the consumption needs of the people. Although commercialism have it draw backs, it is not all bad; commercialism promotes capitalism and free trade both of which are very essential in ourRead MoreA Free Market Economy Is Better Than Command Economy Essay1247 Words   |  5 PagesA Free-market economy is better than Command economy Free-market and Command economy are the two-major economy system. It has sparked years of controversies among individuals over which system is better. However, no agreement has been reached. Meanwhile, it is obvious that free-market economy predominates all around the world as the majority of countries are following an economy which free-market process the dominating position. The significant difference between is whether government interventionRead MoreThe Differences between Command Economies and Free Market Economies478 Words   |  2 PagesThe Differences between Command Economies and Free Market Economies The prime difference between command economies and free market economies is the method used to answer the three central questions of what, for whom, and how? Each of these questions relates to production. In a free market economy, the answers to these questions are decided by the consumer and overseen by a government that practices a laissez-faire economic policy. Production is decided on a supplyRead MoreDifference Between Command Economy And Free Market Economy1617 Words   |  7 Pagesdifference between command economy and free market economy is the degree of government intervention and the reliance of market to determine prices (Cherunilam, 2009). Command market is the system in which the market is centrally controlled and regulated by the government; free market economy is the system demand and supply determine the market prices and regulations. However, mixed economy is a combination of Command and Free market economy (Bogolib, 2013); the market price is determined by demandRead MoreMain Economic Characteristics Of A Free Market Economy1506 Words   |  7 PagesThough there are three different types of economies that exist – free market economy, planned (also known as command) economy, and mixed economy, this essay will focus mainly on free market and planned economies. It will examine the main economic characteristics of each of the two economies and compare how they differ from each other, while in relation to the UK public sector. A free market economy is based on supply and demand and all major economic decisions are made by individual economic agentsRead MoreThe American Economy Is Characterized By A Free Market System2295 Words   |  10 Pages The American economy is characterized by a free-market system also known as capitalism. The basic tenet of which is that economic transactions are determined in the private sector and that assets and resources are held privately. There are many different economic models that can be used in a country but no country has a purely simplistic style but rather has a mixed model. A mixed model encompasses components of each different model. The U.S. currently dominates the world economy and by doing so