The Freedom of a Christian Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Freedom of a Christian - Essay Example However, justification by faith can only be done through believing in Christ. Believing in Christ is the root of Christianity and thus justification using this mean would result to righteousness without slavery to the law. Section 2 Christian faith is very important in the life of a Christian. It is regarded to be among the virtues that could drive the life of a Christian towards achievement of righteousness and freedom. Christians have different levels of Christian faith. However, nobody should boast that he has sufficient faith. The author agrees in this treatise that he does not have a wealth of faith (Luther, 1970). However, temptations have to occur to test the degree of Christian faith that Christians have. Christian faith is attained through believing in Christ and grows through passing through temptations and overcoming them. The strength associated with it is great and an essential asset that could help Christians to grow in Christianity and become better Christians. Christi ans should not succumb to what other people say about them. They should behave like masters who are willing to please only Christ. It is always clear that a person cannot become what others say about him unless be makes himself a slave to it. In failing to become what others say, the Christian becomes what his faith demands him to become. Faith does not emphasize on the laws but requires a Christian what is right according to what Christ demands. As a result, the aspect of emphasize on Christian laws is eliminated when faith comes into play and emphasize on grace takes its place. As a result, Christians are made justified on by their actions but by their faith in Christ. This makes them free from the judgment and condemnation of others in terms of their actions. Although Christians are free from judgment and condemnation of law, they are required to be righteous and to serve other people. This is because righteousness and service to other people is a requirement of the faith in Chri st. However, they should do this because of a desire to serve others and to please Christ and not because it is a doctrinal requirement. Therefore, righteousness and freedom should come from within a Christian without being caused by external factors. However, even within an individual Christian, there are two opposing forces. This is because an individual is made up of two persons. One person is the inner person and the other person is the outer person (Luther, 1970). What pleases the inner person does not please the outer person and vice versa. Christian faith makes Christians to emphasize mainly on pleasing the inner person. Physical person of a Christian can have various abilities like preaching, praying, and reading of scriptures. However, when these are not accompanied by faith they are of no use. This is because it can also be done by the individuals who are pretending to be Christians. The spiritual person can also undertake various works like contemplation and meditation. H owever, this is also insignificant without faith. This is because it might have little or no effect to the life of a Christian. Christian faith is however very crucial in the Christian life of an individual. This is because it promotes both righteousness and freedom of a Christian. This helps a Christian to grow and be able to overcome the temptations that might come on his way.

Call Center Interview Guide Essay Example for Free

Call Center Interview Guide Essay * Support and provide superior service via phones, e-mails and faxes as a receiver and caller * Use questioning and listening skills that support effective telephone communication. * Use an effective approach to handle special telephone tasks like call transfers, taking messages, call backs, holds, interruptions, and unintentional disconnects. * Understand the impact of attitude in handling calls professionally * Effectively deal with job stress, angry callers, and upset customers * Use the most appropriate way to communicate with different behavior types on the telephone. * Apply the elements of building positive rapport with different types of customers over the phone. * Apply the proper telephone etiquette to satisfy various customer situations. * Apply appropriate actions to effectively control a telephone call. * Identify voice skills and how to enhance a good telephone presentation. * Meets commitments to customers * Other duties as assigned. * Display Time flexibility towards shifts as per work floor requirements Responsibilities of an inbound call center agent A call center agent is a person responsible for answering the quires of the customers in case of customer support call center. they are responsible to satisfy customer and maintain good image for the company What is Your Greatest Strength? * When Im working on a project, I dont want just to meet deadlines. Rather, I prefer to complete the project well ahead of schedule. * My time management skills are excellent and Im organized, efficient, and take pride in excelling at my work. * Being an accounting major student has shaped me to be an analytic person. I use to analyze things first before putting actions on them Job Interview Question: What type of work environment do you prefer? * I can be flexible when it comes to my work environment. How do you measure success? I measure professional success by the standards of the company for which I work, the feedback I receive from my peers, supervisors and subordinates. Personally, it is to know Im regarded as a diligent student and a good child to my parents Describe your dream job. I concentrated on my skills in accounting because I realized it is an area where I not only can make significant contributions, but I enjoy using my talent in a corporate environment. How many hours a day/week do you need to work to get the job done? I use my time efficiently at work and, for the most part, its not the number of hours I work; but how effective my time has been to accomplish the job. I’m more than willing to put in the time to be sure the job was completed as quickly and as professionally as possible. Weakness: I had difficulty with calculus this college, but I persevered with tutoring assistance and asking my friends for help. I used extra effort to understand the hard equations until I got it. Salary: I’m open based upon the position and the overall compensation package. Or Id like to know more about the responsibilities and the challenges of the job prior to discussing salary. How Do You Handle Stress / Pressure? * I react to situations, rather than to stress. That way, the situation is handled and doesnt become stressful. * I tend to prioritize my responsibilities so I have a clear idea of what needs to be done. This has helped me effectively manage pressure on everything that I do especially in school works What Are Your Goals for the Future? * My long-term goals involve growing with a company where I can continue to learn, take on additional responsibilities, and contribute as much of value as I can. Why do you want this job? * The honest answer for this question is that I heard that being a call center agent pays big on starters. I need a job where I’ll be able to help my brother in paying for my tuition. Also I find this job a fine opportunity and a place where I’ll be able to contribute my good communication skills and interpersonal skills Why Should We Hire You? * I know I dont have enough experience with this position, but I am willing to learn about it. You should hire me because I can assure you that I am a fast learner and hard working. I want a new challenge in my life to strengthen and improve my skills. * I know that I lack experience but I am eager to learn new things and I am interested in new technology. I am a self motivated person, and I do not lack self confidence. I have good communication skills and I am able to perform well with a team. * Because first of all I believe that this job is suitable for me, second is because I know that this job can help me to ensure myself a better future and lastly is because I need this job to help not only myself but all of the people who trusts my ability, including my family. Tell me something about yourself * I appreciate this opportunity to introduce myelf. My name is Eliza Nartatez. I am a 4th year accounting student aspiring to be a CPA someday. I like reading books and I love to spend my time with my computer, listening to music. I am simple, flexible, self-motivated and a person always willing to do and learn a lot of good things. I can easily adapt to any environment and I am easy to get along with. Contribute: I can contribute my organizational skills and my ability to work well in a group.

Sulfur Dioxide and Oxides of Nitrogen

Sulfur Dioxide and Oxides of Nitrogen Alan Chan Since the Industrial revolution, there were great increases in emissions of sulfur dioxide and particulates, deteriorating air qualities more dominantly in industrial cities but also suburban areas and environments close by. Two of the very evident and dominant gases which cause much damage to our Earth include both sulfur dioxides and oxides of nitrogen which when reacted with water turn acidic through acid rain such that SO2(g) + H2O(l) > H2SO3(aq) and 2NO2(g) + H2O(l) > HNO2(aq) + HNO3(aq). As shown, the reaction between the sulfur dioxides and oxides of nitrogen form acidic solutions when reacted with water as they release hydronium ions which indicate their acidic natures. There are much of both (sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen) produced naturally and also industrially. Natural sources of sulfur dioxide contribute to of the total sulfur dioxide released to the atmosphere where it reacts with water and causes acid raid comes from activities of geothermal hot springs and volcanoes and the combustion of organic matter, eg bushfires and decomposition of organic matter. Natural sources of the oxides of nitrogen, such as nitric oxide is lightning. These oxides of N2 are generated by lightning such that atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen gases combine to form nitric oxide: O2(g) + N2(g) > 2NO(g) Then the nitric oxide slowly reacts with oxygen to form nitrogen dioxide: 2NO(g) + O2(g) > 2NO2(g) The above is the major natural source of nitrogen dioxide. And finally, nitrous oxide is formed naturally by the action of certain bacteria on nitrogenous material in soils. Main industrial origins of sulfur dioxide come from the combustion of fossil fuels (especially in power plants and motor vehicles). Smelting of sulphide ores during conversions of minerals to metals (such as lead, copper and zinc); incineration of garbage; petroleum refineries and industries using sulfur dioxide for production of sulfuric acid, production of paper, food processing and sewage treatment all contribute to the oxide of sulfur in the air. The main industrial origins of oxides of nitrogen include the large amounts of nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide is combustion, both in stationary sources (power stations) and moving ones (motor vehicles). At high temperatures in combustion chambers, oxygen and nitrogen from air combine to form nitric oxide, and then nitric oxide is slowly converted to nitrogen dioxide. Releases of nitrous oxides to the atmosphere include the increased uses of nitrogenous fertiliser which provides more raw material for the bacteria. In terms of concern for their release into the environment, there are many: Effects of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides on human health ie; sulfur dioxide irritates the respiratory system and causes breathing difficulties at concentrations as low as 1ppm. Effects of sulfur dioxide are magnified if particulates are present also. Nitrogen dioxide irritates the respiratory tract and causes breathing discomfort at concentration levels of about 3-5ppm and greater that causes tissue damage. Effects of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides on the environment -> formation of acid rain H2O(l) + SO2 > H2SO3(g) and 2NO2(g) + H2O(l) > HNO2(aq) + HNO3(aq) which contributes to the increasing acidity of lakes (aquatic animals hence), damage to forests (such as pine forests in parts of Europe and North America), erosion of the marble and limestone of building surfaces and decorations and severe damage to vegetation especially around mine and smelter sites. Even though this has happened very slowly over a long period of time, it is greatly concerning as these releases of gases will only increase as industries and mining in particular grows for the future. In the long term, these effects will become even more evident and greater and may be very difficult to restore or even slow down. As mentioned before, the main contributor to high sulfur dioxide levels comes from the combustion of fossil fuels in power plants and motor vehicles. Coal and petroleum products contain sulfur, which combines with oxygen in air to form sulfur dioxide. S(s) + O2(g) > SO2(g) Smelting of metal sulfides, eg copper sulphide, also produces sulfur dioxide. CuS(s) + O2(g) > SO2(g) + Cu(s) Nitrogen undergoes combustion to form nitrogen monoxide and dinitrogen monoxide. Fossil fuels and biomass contain nitrogen (in proteins), so they also burn to produce these oxides. N2(g) + O2(g) > 2NO(g) 2N2(g) + O2(g) > 2N2O(g) N2(g) + 2O2(g) > 2NO2(g) Nitrogen monoxide burns to produce nitrogen dioxide. 2NO(g) + O2(g) > 2NO2(g) Although we may hear a lot about the effects of sulfur dioxides and oxides of nitrogen when reacted with water (acid rain), it is difficult to quantitatively state that oxides of sulfur and nitrogen have been increasing in the atmosphere because these oxides occur in relatively low concentrations, such as 0.01ppm, and the instruments used to measure these very low concentrations such as for SO2 have only been commercially available since the 1970s, so there is no reliable date for these gases before this time. However, analysis of gases found in Antarctic ice core samples by the CSIRO and the Australian Antarctic Division showed that levels of N2O in the atmosphere has increased by about 10%. Also, the increased burning of fossil fuels after the Industrial Revolution lead to a rise in oxides of sulfur, and evidence for this is the air quality of major industrial cities that deteriorated greatly. Increase in acid rain, which is mainly caused by acidic oxides of nitrogen and sulfur dissolved in water, eg SO2(g) + H2O(l) > H2SO3(aq) which is acidic and 2NO2(g) + H2O(l) > HNO2(aq) + HNO3(aq), of which both are acidic. This lead to the increasing damage to buildings, forests and aquatic organisms. Also, it was found that higher atmospheric concentrations of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides in industrial areas than in non-industrial areas. Although we do not have accurate measures of atmospheric oxides of sulfur and nitrogen taken over a long period of time, there is enough indirect evidence to conclude that significant increases in atmospheric concentrations of oxides of sulfur and nitrogen have indeed taken place, especially since industrial revolution With the aforementioned much dangerous particulates, sulfur dioxides and oxides of nitrogen especially when reacted with water forming acid rain, it is very important to use indicators to determine if levels of pH in the environment are at damaging levels for organisms and growth of nature. A few of many every day uses of indicators include testing the pH (acidity/basicity) of water in aquariums and swimming pools, chemical wastes and soils. The testing of pH in the water of aquariums is extremely important as marine life are sensitive to changes in their water. If the water becomes too acidic or alkaline/basic, organisms including fish and plants may not be able to survive. A few drops of indicator can be placed in a sample of the water, or a pH paper already soaked in indicator can be used to measure the pH of the water. As swimming pools are widely used by the public, the pH of the water also needs to be monitored regularly as it needs to be kept at almost neutral to avoid skin and eye irritations. Adding chlorine (hypochlorite ion) is one way to control acidity and stop algae from growing. The testing of pH will be similar to that of the testing of pH of water in aquarium. Other than the public interactive environments, there are also chemical wastes which are produced industrially. The waste solutions from industries are tested before they are pumped into rivers or seas as they tend to be highly acidic. The pH of the wastes must be neutralised or they can be very harmful to the environment. The pH of chemical wastes is also measured by indicators, and substances are added to neutralise it. Many plants only tolerate a narrow pH range, so the soil has to be tested regularly to ensure its survival. A way of testing the pH is to place a neutral white powder (such as barium sulfate or calcium sulfate) on top of moist soil, and then place a few drops of universal indicator on it. The powder then absorbs the moisture from the soil allowing the colour of the indicator to be clearly seen. Other than sulfur dioxides and oxides of nitrogen when reacted with water which produces acid rain eg SO2(g) + H2O(l) > H2SO3(aq) and 2NO2(g) + H2O(l) > HNO2(aq) + HNO3(aq) and hence affecting society and environment, there are many other naturally occurring acids and bases. Some commonly known naturally occurring acids include hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, citric acid and ascorbic acid. Hydrochloric acid HCl is produced by the glands in the lining of our stomachs to form an acidic environment for the breaking of complex food molecules by the enzymes. Acetic acid CH3-COOH such that vinegar is about 4% solution of acetic acid and helps to preserve food. It is produced naturally by the bacterial action on alcohol in air. Citric acid C6H8O7 is widespread in plant and animal tissue, especially in citrus fruit. It is also formed in our bodies during cellular respiration. Ascorbic acid C6H8O6 also known as vitamin C is present in fresh fruits and vegetables. It is involved in many metabolic pathways and has an important role in healing, blood cell formation and tissue growth. There are also many naturally occurring bases which may include ammonia, metallic oxides and carbonates. Ammonia NH3 is present in the stale urine of humans and other animals. It is also formed through the anaerobic decay of organic matter. Metallic Oxides such as iron(III) oxide, copper oxide and titanium (IV) oxides are insoluble and are solid bases found in minerals. Carbonates such as calcium carbonate CaCO3 is found naturally as limestones. As shown, there are many naturally occurring acids and this has been used to our advantage in homes such as using them as food additives. Acids are used as food additives to improve the taste and/or to preserve them. This is because many bacteria cannot survive in acidic conditions and if the acid used is weak enough and not harmful for human consumption, this will allow food to last over a period of time. Common acids for this use include acetic acid, citric acid and phosphoric acid. Acetic acid(vinegar), phosphoric acid and citric acid is used to improve taste. Propanoic acid is used as a preservative in bread. Another advantage of having many acids is the use of them to make esters, which are â€Å"compounds formed when alkanoic acids react with alkanols, or more generally, when carboxylic acids combine with alcohols.† â€Å"Esters have pleasant, fruity odours and occur widely in nature as perfumes and flavouring agents†, hence its use as food additives, artificial fruit essences and in the manufacture of perfumes and cosmetics. As flavours, it is a combination of crude taste (sweet, salt, bitter) and odour, and it is these odours which contribute to flavours. It is easier to mass-produce these synthetic esters for use as flavours and perfumes in processed foods and cosmetics than to use naturally occurring ones and they represent little health hazards as â€Å"they contain only substances that occur in natural flavours†. Overall, our environment is acidic as shown through the need to test the pH in our waters and soils, which was caused by sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen and particulates released into the atmosphere where it reacts with water releasing hydronium ions through acid rain. These acids are very damaging to our society and environment in the long term as discussed through their lowering pH levels in waters, soils and corrosion of buildings. However, advantages of having acids were also discussed; being used to preserve foods, improve their tastes and using them as esters. The negative effects of acids may seem to outweigh the positive effects on a much wider scale but there are nonetheless both many advantages alongside the disadvantages which benefit our society and are essential to our everyday lives. Bibliography Excel HSC Chemistry – Jim Stamell – Reprinted 2012; P69-70 Conquering Chemistry HSC Course Fourth Edition – Roland Smith; P121-126,131-133. Module 3: The Acidic Environment Theory Notes HSC Chemistry – Johnson for Irwin’s Atoms 2003

Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown †Poverty in the Tale and Author’s Lif

â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† – Poverty in the Tale and Author’s Life  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Roy Harvey Pearce in â€Å"Twice-Told Tales: A Blend of Stories† makes reference to the widely-known poverty of the aspiring writer,Nathaniel Hawthorne: â€Å"True enough, Hawthorne planned more than once to write groups of tales and sketches somehow linked into a whole; but he could not get a publisher for them. When he did get a publisher in 1837, it had to be through the help of the hack-editor, Samuel Goodrich. . . .† (107) Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† includes traits of the modest lifestyle which the author was forced to endure in his personal life. Besides this, there was also an artisitc-resources impoverishment because of the tiny town in which he lived.    Henry Seidel Canby in â€Å"A Skeptic Incompatible with His Time and His Past† mentions of Hawthorne that â€Å"human failures and their causes were more interesting to him than prophecies of success, one might truly say than success itself. †¦He was not, I think, really interested in escape, except in moods of financial discouragement. . . . (57). Such moods of financial discouragement were to plague the author for nearly his entire lifetime.    Hawthorne’s financial impoverishment probably began with the untimely death of his father, and continued for most of his life. Gloria C. Erlich in â€Å"The Divided Artist and His Uncles† states that â€Å"Robert Manning made the essential decisions in the lives of the Hawthorne children and is well known as the uncle who sent Hawthorne to college† (35). After graduation from Bowdoin College, Hawthorne spent twelve years in his room at home in an intense effort to make something of himself literarily. The Norton Anthology: American Literature state... ...6.    Hawthorne, Nathaniel. â€Å"Young Goodman Brown.† 1835. http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~daniel/amlit/goodman/goodmantext.html    James, Henry. Hawthorne. http://eldred.ne.mediaone.net/nh/nhhj1.html    Lewis, R. W. B. â€Å"The Return into Time: Hawthorne.† In Hawthorne – A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by A.N. Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.      Ã¢â‚¬Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne.† The Norton Anthology: American Literature, edited by Baym et al.   New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1995.    Pearce, Roy Harvey. â€Å"Twice-Told Tales: A Blend of Stories.† In Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne, edited by Clarice Swisher. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1996.    Swisher, Clarice. â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne: a Biography.† In Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne, edited by Clarice Swisher. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1996.         

Econ 100a Midterm

Econ 100A–Midterm 2 solutions. Thursday, March 22, 2012. True/False (2 questions, 10 points total) Answer true or false and explain your answer. Your answer must ? t in the space provided. T/F 1. (5 points) Suppose the government wants to place a tax on one of two goods, and suppose that supply is perfectly elastic for both goods. If the government wants to minimize the deadweight loss from a tax of a given size, it should put the tax on whichever good has worse substitutes. False: If the supply curves are identical, the only factor that determines the amount of deadweight loss is the elasticity of demand.Placing the tax on the good that has the lower elasticity of demand will minimize the deadweight loss of the tax. It is true that, holding all else equal, a good without good substitutes will have more inelastic demand than a good with good substitutes. However, this is not the only factor that determines the elasticity of demand. The goods could also di? er in terms of the i ncome e? ect. If the good with worse substitutes happened to be strongly normal while the good with better substitutes was strongly inferior, then the income e? ects might overwhelm the substitution e? cts, causing the good with better substitutes to be more inelastic. T/F 2. (5 points) In a perfectly competitive market with no taxes, if the price consumers are willing to pay for the marginal unit is the same as the price at which producers are willing to produce the marginal unit, then there will be no way to make anyone in the market better o? without making someone else worse o?. True. The price consumers are willing to pay for the marginal unit is the height of the inverse demand curve, and the price at which producers are willing to produce the marginal unit is the height of the inverse supply curve.Thus, when these prices are equal, it must be the case that supply is equal to demand, which is to say, the market is in equilibrium. If the quantity ? rms produce, and consumers co nsume, is more than the equilibrium quantity, then the ? rms’ cost of production will be greater than the consumers’ willingness to pay, and either consumers will have to pay more than the units are worth to them, making them worse o? , or ? rms will have to receive less than the units cost them, making them worse o? , or both.If the quantity is less than equilibrium, then there will be units not produced or consumed for which the cost of production would have been less than consumers’ willingness to pay, meaning that either ? rms have given up pro? table units, or consumers have given up units that generated consumer surplus, or both. In any case, at least one side of the market will have been made worse o?. Thus, from equilibrium there is no way that either ? rms or consumers can be made better o? without someone being made worse o?. 1 Short Answer (2 questions, 20 points total) Your answer must ? t in the space provided. SA 2. 10 points) Explain what we mean when we say that ? rms in long-run equilibrium are earning zero pro? t even though their owners and investors are making an adequate return on their labor and investments. The statement refers to â€Å"economic pro? t†, which is the di? erence between revenue and opportunity cost. The opportunity cost of the labor of the owner of a ? rm is the wage the owner could have earned if he or she chose not to run the ? rm, but to get a job instead. The opportunity cost of the capital investors invest in a ? rm is the rate of return they could have earned by investing their capital in some other ? m in some other industry. Thus, if the owner of the ? rm receives an amount just equal to the opportunity cost of their labor, and the investors receive an amount just equal to the opportunity cost of their capital, we do not include those amounts in economic pro? t, and the ? rm will be said to be earning zero economic pro? t, even though an accountant would say that both the owner and the investors are making an â€Å"accounting pro? t†. The accounting pro? t earned by the owner and the investors is the amount of money that is just adequate to make them choose to put their labor and capital into the ? m. 2 Problem Solving (2 problems, 50 points total) Problem 1. (26 points total) Consider a perfectly competitive ? rm with a production technology 1 1 represented by the production function, y = 10 K 2 + L 2 . Let p, r, and w be the price of the ? rm’s output, the rental rate of capital, and the wage, respectively. (a) (8 points) First let’s consider long-run pro? t maximization. (i) Set up the ? rm’s long-run pro? t maximization problem and compute the ? rm’s pro? tmaximizing demand for labor and capital, and pro? t-maximizing output, as functions of p, r, and w. ii) Is labor a gross complement or a gross substitute for capital, or neither. Prove your answer mathematically and explain what it means. The long-run pro? t maximization pr oblem is, max p  · 10 K,L v K+ v L The ? rst-order conditions are, 5p 5p for L: vL ? w = 0 for K: vK ? r = 0 Solving these for L and K respectively we get L? (p, r, w) = (f rac5pw)2 and K ? (p, r, w) = (f rac5pr)2 . Plugging these pro? t-maximizing levels of capital and labor into the production function we get the pro? t-maximizing output of the ? rm, y ? (p, w, r) = y(K ? , L? ) = 10 5p r 2 , 5p w 2 = 50p r+w rw .To determine whether labor is a gross complement or gross substitute for capital we take the partial derivative of the labor demand function with respect to the rental ? rate of capital, ? L = 0. Since this is zero, labor is neither a gross complement ? r nor a gross substitute for capital. What this means is that when the price of capital changes, the amount of labor the ? rm uses will not change. (b) (8 points) Set up the ? rm’s cost-minimization problem and compute the ? rm’s conditional demand for labor and capital, as functions of y, r, and w. The ? r m’s cost minimization problem is, v min rK + wL K,L K+ L =y ? s. t. 10 Setting up the LaGrangian function, this minimization problem becomes, min rK + wL ? ? 10 v K+ v L ? y ? v K,L,? The ? rst-order conditions are, 5 for L: w ? ? vL = 0 for K: r ? ? v5 = 0 for ? : 10 K the production constraint. v K+ L = y , which is just ? w 2 L. r Taking the ratio of the ? rst two conditions we get this into the production constraint we get, 10 3 v vK = w ? r L v v w r L+ L K= Plugging = y ? L? (y; r, w) = ? y2 r 10(r+w) 2 . Plugging this back into the expression for K that we derived earlier 2 w we get, K ? (y; r, w) = y 2 10(r+w) labor and capital respectively. These are the ? rm’s conditional demand for (c) (10 points) Now let’s consider scale and substitution e? ects. Assume that initially the price of the ? rm’s output, p, the rental rate of capital, r, and the wage, w, are all equal to 10. (i) How much labor will the ? rm use at these prices, and how much output will it produce? (ii) Using only the mathematical results you got in parts (a) and (b), compute e? ect of an increase in the rental rate to r = 20. Plugging the given prices into the pro? t-maximizing labor demand and output supply 2 functions from part (a) we get, L? (p, w, r) = 5 ·10 = 25, and y ? p, w, r) = 50  · 10 10 (f rac10 + 1010  · 10) = 100. ? ? you might have plugged the new prices into the ? rm’s supply function to get y ? (10, 10, 20) = 50 ·10 10+20 = 75. If you then plugged this into the 10 ·20 ? rm’s conditional factor demand at the new prices you would get L? (75; 10, 20) = 75 20 10 10+20 2 = 25. 4 Problem 2. (24 points total) Consider a perfectly competitive industry with 10 identical ? rms, each of which has variable costs of 10y 2 and ? xed costs of 1000. We will de? ne the short run as the time scale in which ? rms cannot enter or exit the industry, and cannot avoid their ? xed costs. In other words, in the short run ? rms must continue to pay their ? xed costs even if they produce zero output. ) In the long run, ? rms can enter or exit the industry, and can avoid their ? xed costs by shutting down. (a) (8 points) Compute the short-run inverse supply curve of the ? rm, and the short-run inverse supply curve of the industry, and graph them on the same graph. [Hint: it matters a lot that ? rms can’t avoid their ? xed costs in the short run. ] Each ? rm’s cost function is C(y) = 10y 2 + 1000, and the marginal cost curve is M C = 20y. Normally we say that the inverse supply curve of the ? m is the upward sloping part of the marginal cost curve, above the minimum of the average cost curve, because if the price is below the minimum of the average cost curve, the ? rm will make negative pro? t and will shut down. However, in this case, in the short run, if a ? rm shuts down it will still have to pay its ? xed cost of $1000. As a result, it will continue to produce output even if it is losing money, as long as it does not lose more than $1000. So we need to ? nd the price below which the ? rm will have lose more than $1000. Pro? t is py ? 10y 2 ? 1000 and we want the price below which this is less than ? 1000.To do this we have to plug in the ? rm’s pro? t-maximizing quantity as a function of price, which we get by solving the ? rm’s marginal cost curve p p p 2 to get y ? = 20 , which gives us p 20 ? 10 20 ? 1000 = ? 1000 ? p2 19 = 0 ? p = 0. 40 The ? rm will continue to produce at any positive price rather than shut down and 5 pay its ? xed cost without any revenue. Thus, the ? rm’s inverse supply curve is simply the entire marginal cost curve, p(y) = 20y. To compute the short-run inverse supply curve of the industry we ? rst have to aggregate ? rm supply to industry supply, and to do that we have to have the direct supply curve of the ? m, which we get by solving the inverse supply curve for y to p p get y(p) = 20 . Short-run industry supply is Y (p) = N yj (p) = 10 20 = f racp2. j=1 Solving for p we get the short-run inverse supply curve of the industry, p(Y ) = 2Y . Your graph should look like this: (b) (6 points) Suppose the demand for the industry’s product is de? ned by pd (Y ) = 700 ? 5Y . (i) What will be the short-run equilibrium price and quantity for the industry? Illustrate this equilibrium on a graph. (ii) Explain why this market outcome is an equilibrium in the short run. [Be sure to make reference to the general de? ition of equilibrium in your answer. ] (iii) Is this industry in long-run equilibrium? Explain why or why not. [Again, be sure to make reference to the general de? nition of equilibrium in your answer. ] The short-run market equilibrium is where the quantity demanded at the price paid by consumers is equal to the quantity supplied at the price received by producers, and since, in the absence of a tax, the price paid by consumers is the same as the price paid by producers, we just solve for the intersection of t he supply curve and the demand curve: 700 ? 5Y = 2Y ? Y ? = 100.Plugging that into either the demand or the supply curve we get p(Y ) = 200. Your graph should look like this: In general, equilibrium means that no individual agent has an incentive to do anything other than what they are currently doing, which means that the system will 6 not move from the point it is at. In the case of short-run market equilibrium this means that at the market price consumers cannot be made better o? by increasing or decreasing consumption, and ? rms cannot be made better o? by increasing or decreasing production. This is clearly the case at the market equilibrium we have solved for.If consumers increase consumption they will have to pay more for the additional units of the good than the value of those units, and if they consume less they will be giving up units that are worth more to them than they are required to pay for them. In either case, they are made worse o? , and thus have no incentive to c hange. For ? rms, roughly the same argument applies. If they produce more, the maximum they will be able to charge will be less than the cost of production, and if they produce less they will be giving up units that they were able to sell at a pro? t. In either case, ? ms are worse o? , so they have no incentive to change what they were doing. The industry is in long-run equilibrium. To see this we need to know whether ? rms are earning zero pro? t, and to determine that we need to know something about the ? rm’s average cost curve, which is AC = 10y + 1000 . If we minimize this we ? nd y that the ? rms’ minimum average cost is minAC = 200. And since this is equal to the price in the current equilibrium, ? rms’ pro? t is (p ? AC)y = 0y = 0. Long-run equilibrium is de? ned as the point at which ? rms will have no incentive to enter or exit the industry. The reason ? ms enter or exit is in response to pro? ts being either positive or negative, so if pro? ts are ze ro in the industry there will be no incentive to enter or exit, which is to say, no ? rm will have any incentive to do anything di? erent from what they are currently doing. (c) (10 points) Suppose the government imposes a tax of $50 per unit on the ? rms in the industry. (i) Compute the short-run after-tax equlibrium quantity, price paid by consumers, and price received by ? rms, and graph them. (ii) Calculate the change in producer surplus caused by the tax in the short-run. Add it to your graph. iii) Compute the long-run after-tax equilibrium quanitity, price paid by consumers, and price received by ? rms. Add this equilibrium to your graph. How many ? rms will exit the industry? (iv) Calculate the change in producer surplus caused by the tax in the long-run. Why is this the same or di? erent from your answer to ii above? To compute the short-run after tax equilibrium we need to ? nd the point at which the quantity demanded by consumers, at the price they pay, is equal to the qua ntity supplied by ? rms at the price they receive. This is the quantity that solves the equation, pd = ps + t, which is to say, 700 ? Y = 2Y + 50 ? YtSR = 92. 9. Plugging this quantity back into the inverse supply curve we get ps = 2  · YtSR = 185. 8, which means the price paid by consumers is pd = ps + t = 185. 8 + 50 = 135. 8. The change in producer surplus is the area to the left of the supply curve between the pre-tax price and the after-tax price received by ? rms. It includes the ? rms’ share of the tax revenue as well as the part of deadweight loss that comes from ? rms. In the case of linear supply it is the area of a parallelagram with height equal to the di? erence between the pre-tax price and the after-tax price received by ? rms, and bases of Y ? nd YtSR , which is ? P SS R = (200 ? 185. 7) 100? 92. 9 = 1379. 2. 2 7 By now your graph should look like this: In an industry with identical ? rms the long-run supply curve is horizontal, which is to say, in long-run equilibrium ? rms will be earning zero pro? t because entry and exit will always drive the price down (or in this case up) to the point where the price is equal to the minimum average cost. Thus, the after-tax price received by ? rms will be ps = 200. Otherwise ? rms would be losing money and would have an incentive to leave the industry, and the industry would not be in long-run equilibrium.Thus, we know that the tax will be passed on entirely to consumers, which means that the price paid by consumers will be pd = ps + t = 200 + 50 = 250. Setting the inverse demand curve equal to that price, we can compute the long-run after-tax equilibrium quantity, 250 = 700 ? 5Y ? YtLR = 90. To determine the number of ? rms in the industry we have to know how much output each ? rm will produce when they are operating at their minimum average cost. We computed the direct supply curve of p the ? rm in part (a), y(p) = 20 , which means that at the minimum of their average cost, minAC = 200, each ? rm will produce 200 = 10 units of output.Since the 20 industry as a whole is producing 90 units, there must be 9 ? rms in the industry. One has exited the industry. Your graph should look like this: In an industry with identical ? rms, by de? nition, the long-run producer surplus is zero. There are two ways to see this. The ? rst is that the long-run supply curve is horizontal, which means that in long-run equilibrium the price is the same as the height of the supply curve, and since producer surplus is the area between the price line and the supply curve, there clearly can be no producer surplus. The other way to see it is to refer to the de? ition of long-run equilibrium in an industry with identical ? rms, which is that all ? rms are earning zero pro? t. The reason this is di? erent from the answer to ii, above, is that in the long-run ? rms can escape the burden of the tax by leaving the industry and going into some other industry that is not taxed. We know that the burden of a tax always falls most heavily on the side of the market that is less able to change it’s behavior to escape the tax, which is to say, the side of the market that is most inelastic. In the long-run, the supply side of the industry is perfectly elastic, and thus bears none of the burden of the tax. 8

Group Communications Essay

Three videos of different group and team interaction will be reviewed for this paper. After they have been viewed they will be discussed on matters of the relationship between group members, member diversity and communication style. The first case study to be reviewed is: Helping Annie. In this video a school nurse has called a meeting with a psychiatrist and a social worker to discuss the case of a High school student, Annie, who possibly suffers from depression and an eating disorder. Right off the bat the school nurse is interrupted by the psychiatrist before she can finish giving the background information on Annie. He wants facts immediately not â€Å"impressions.† He makes a quick decision as to her problem and her treatment within minutes of their meeting and seems to believe that they are done, no more needs to be said. The Social worker does not agree with his decision and offers a counter solution but is again interrupted by the psychiatrist. The psychiatrist wants to use medication and the Social workers wants to first talk to Annie and see if they can understand what the teenager is going through. The psychiatrist sees this as a total waste of time. There does not seem to be any real facilitator of these meeting, and no one points out the psychiatrist’s constant interruptions of the social worker but the social worker herself. The school nurse is totally intimidated into silence by both of their behaviors. The psychologist seems to have the communication traits of what the test calls thinkers, and the Social worker has the traits of a feeler. According to the text, Thinks are task-oriented. They take pride in their ability to think objectively and logically, regardless of if those thoughts are correct. (Reeve, 2007, Ch. 3, pg.69, para.2) Feelers are people-oriented. The psychologist is very direct and analytical. He seems to want to remove any feelings or humanity from Annie’s case while the social worker is taking a more subjective, humane approach to Annie’s problems and is obviously more concerned with the girl’s well-being than a quick fix. The diversity that exists in this group is both gender and class. The group consist of two women and one older man, the older man, the psychiatrist,  seems to believe that the social worker and school nurse are not in the same class as he, his age, experience and profession making him superior to them on all levels, therefore, their opinions are not worth considering. This diversity is a hindrance in their communication because the psychologist is not listening to the two women and continues to interrupt them because â€Å"he doesn’t have much time here.† If using a high context perspective the viewer could draw the conclusion that the psychologist does not agree with the social worker by watching his nonverbal behavior such as his gestures and facial expressions. In a high-context culture little meaning is expressed through words. Meaning can be conveyed through status such as age, gender, education or title. (Reeve, 2007) One method that could have been used to improve communications would have been to have a facilitator present to ensure that each party had the same amount of time to express his or her opinions. Another improvement would have been a change of setting from the informal setting to a more professional seating arrangement that may have helped foster communication between all parties present, such as a round table or face to face seating. The second video reviewed is: Planning the Playground. The group consists of three males and two females; three Caucasians and two minorities. The video case opens with two new members, one a younger male, Ray and one older woman, Betty, meeting the team for the first time. There seems to be two slightly awkward moments when Ray first only offers to shake the hands of the men at the table and when he has trouble pronouncing the name of the minority female Iesha. The moment was defused quickly when Iesha decided to make a small joke about her name to ease the tension and held out her own hand in greeting. Betty seemed uncertain about speaking and said she only joined the team to make friends. Communications between the team started out stiff and slow but by using â€Å"team talk,† (the nature of the language that group members use as they work together. Not only does team talk enable group members to share information and express opinions, but analysis of team talk also â€Å"reveals where the team is coming from and where the team is headed.) (Reeve, 2007, Ch. 5 pg. 124, Para. 2), team leader David kept the discussion flowing and moved it to the reason they were there. The role the diversity of the group played in their communication was the different  experiences each had to bring to the discussion. Iesha obviously liked research and set numbers and offered not only a sound dollar amount to strive for but reasoning behind it. Ray countered that he thinks the amount should be higher but offered no real reason as did Phil who wanted the amount lower. After deciding to compromise they moved to fundraising. The immediate response to Betty’s suggestion of having a Bake sale was obvious. They did not take her input seriously at all but again the team leader chimed in before their dismissive attitude could be considered rude an d insulting. Diversity was also not a strong hindrance to the group even though the potential was there. Conflict management techniques were used by the group by expressing interest in solving the problem and keeping their tone and language non-threatening, using phrases like â€Å"well, yes but let’s look at it from a different angle† or â€Å"that’s a good idea but may not be exactly what we need now.†The use of team speak was a very effective communication tool that kept the team focused and on track. Another important tool that was used was nonverbal. The seating arrangement at the table permitted members to have their personal space but still be able to have direct eye contact. According to Reeve, each person’s choice of seating position in groups has a direct effect on interaction and influence. A number of studies have demonstrated that group members prefercorner-to-corner or side-by-side seating for cooperative activities. Such an arrangement allows them to be close enough to share materials. (Reeve, 2007, CH. 5 pg. 138, Para 1) The team in thi s case study did show good communication skills on the whole but the one improvement would have been to ensure that before the meeting took place, that each member understood what the reason for the meeting was. The last video reviewed is Virtual Communication. This video is a presentation of three people meeting as a team via conference call. The third unseen member is not listening to what is being said by the manager or his coworker. This is obvious because when they ask him a question he pauses or stutters, then repeats something that neither of the other participants actually said. Listening is important in any group so that you can be sure to get all the available information as well as know exactly what is  expected of you. This is even more so in the virtual business work when team members are not actually sitting face to face. Charlie is neither listening to what is being said or to the messages that were contained in Ellen’s email or voice mails to him. According to the text, Effective listening in virtual groups requires adapting to a different medium of expression Your only adaptation is making sure that your microphone is on or off at appropriate times. In an email disc ussion, however, you can neither see nor hear participants, but you still must â€Å"listen† to their messages. (Reeve, 2007, Ch.6, Pg,.168)The disadvantage of group meetings using a virtual medium is that you can fake listening by answering â€Å"I agree† or a non-committal sound. You can also pretend you didn’t hear something that you don’t want to address as Ellen does in this video when Charlie tries to place the blame on her. Charlie did not effectively use any of his listening skills while on this call. It was apparent by his distracted â€Å"non-answers† that he was not listening. The entire fault is not necessarily Charlie’s; it is not known if he ever fully understood what was expected of him from the first meeting. If he had at any time used one listening skill such as paraphrasing he might have had enough clarification to get his assignment done in time. Paraphrasing is a form of feedback that one lets the speaker know you are listening and gives them the opportunity to clarify their statement. Paraphrasing can be used for multiple purposes such as: To ensure comprehension before evaluation; to reassure others that you want to understand them; to clear up confusion and ask for clarification; and to help other’s reach their own conclusions. (Reeve, 2007) References Engleberg, I. Wynn,D. 2007. Working in Groups: Communication Principles and Strategies (4th ed.) Allyn & Bacon Publishers. The Collaboration Tool Box. 2002-2003. MIT. Online resource. Retreived online January 12, 2009 from http://web.mit.e