Luxury Car Market in India Essay Example for Free

Luxury Car Market in India Essay The Luxury goods industry is a very wide industry comprising of products from watches, jewellery, perfumes, expensive wines to yachts, expensive pens, and clothes. Goods for which demand increases more proportionally as compared to income, are known as ‘Luxury goods’, in contrast to a necessity goods, for which demand increases less proportionally to income. Some luxurious goods are bought due to the tag implied of a status symbol, such goods tend to signify the purchasing power of those who buy them. These goods are not always better in quality or appearance than their less expensive substitutes. The main purpose of purchasing these goods is to display the wealth of their owners. The industry is said to be highly cyclical and the driving force behind the growth of this industry is wealth worldwide, while the economic growth and conditions of various regions affect this industry. Jewellery has been part of the Indian civilization since ancient history. They were in fashion since ancient civilizations as Harappa and Mohanjodaro. Made out of almost any material, jewelry is basically adorned to highlight nearly any body part. Be it the traditional jewelry or the latest ones which are increasingly in demand, i. e. the costume imitation jewelery. There is no dearth when it comes to accentuating the beauty with varied imaginative stunningly designed jewelry items. This report has focused on luxury product categories jewellery. The report provides an overview on the size of the market, importance of luxury goods, target market, problems faced and the various driving factors as well as the latest trends. The major global luxury market players have been profiled. STATEMENT OF RESEARCH QUESTION? The Indian gems and jewellery sector is also largely unorganized at present. There are more than 15,000 players across the country in the gold processing industry, of which only about 80 players have a turnover of over $4. 15 million. I want to evaluate the problems faced by the jewellery sector and come up with measures to help make the sector more organized. ?The rise of the middle class population in India is estimated to be around 120-150 million. Keeping this in mind I want to potray the market potential of luxury goods in India. ?India as a Manufacturing Hub for Global Luxury Brands. I want to study and evaluate methods adopted by major countries and conclude the possibility of India being the manufacturing hub for global luxury brands. THEORETICAL RATIONAL The advent of foreign luxury brands is in a way an indicator of the promising India growth story. Looking to reap early mover advantages, these brands have set up shop in our country. The Indian luxury market, currently in its growth stage needs to address key concerns like the lack of adequate retail infrastructure and limited availability of trained workforce for the trade if it wishes to promote luxury retail in the country. The world today is looking at India, and the products coming out of it. Our skills pool speaks of the highest level of craftsmanship and creativity as it has evolved and been refined by many generations that carry on the trade. India is also well poised to be an outsourcing destination for foreign luxury brands. The obvious benefits that India has to offer such as low labour costs, superiority of fabrics and customization, gives it an advantage over other mass producing countries. To achieve the objective of promoting indigenous brands and positioning India as a future manufacturing hub for luxury goods, consolidation in the industry is imperative. The need of the hour is for the industry players to create a sophisticated business model supported by financial and legal footings, and for the government to develop the requisite infrastructure. Indias luxury sector has gained significant speed. It has the potential and resources, to outshine other developing economies. Thus the route is chalked out and the objective is known. If the road can be cleared of challenges and impediments, luxury retailing in India will have a smooth drive ahead. THE EXPECTED IMPLICATIONS OF THE RESEARCH PROJECT FOR ORGANIZATIONS My research on luxury goods and jewellery is innovative because it brings together analysis of national discourses about Indian market with a study of the practices and choices of the Indian government and the luxury goods and jewellery sector. I believe this research can be helpful to the nation, development agencies, and indigenous organizations. I am particularly committed to sharing the results of my analysis with the Jewellers Association in India and hope that my work will not just be an extraction of truths, but will give them information with which they can help make the sector more organized. PRELIMINARY LITERATURE REVIEW Attempting to break into markets overseas is generally more challenging than trying to expand into new domestic markets. Globalization is the process of social, political, economic, cultural and technological integration among countries around the world. (Hodgetts / Luthans / Doh, 2006:pg. 7). Evidence of growth is seen by increased levels of trade, capital flows and migrations; a lot of changes in the environment have taken place. India is the world’s second most populous country; it has traditionally had more than its share of political and economic problems. The per capita GDP remains low, but the recent environmental trends have boosted thus helping to bolster a large middle and upper- class market for goods in the luxury and jwellery industry. The industry is dominated by family jewellers, who constitute nearly 96% of the market. Organised players such as Tata with its Tanishq brand, have, however, been growing steadily carving a 4% market share. As India’s jewellery market matures, it is expected to get more organised and the share of family jewellers is expected to decline. There are more than 6,000 players in domestic diamond processing industry. The average gestation period for setting up a diamond cutting and polishing unit is 15 months. The low gestation period, coupled with low capital cost allows easy entry into the sector. This has led to the industry being largely characterised by a large number of small scale players. However, just as in the case of jewellery, the share of the organised sector has increased significantly in recent years due to an increase in demand for better and finer quality of finished goods. India Gems and Jewellery Industry – Highlights Jewellery market size – $13 billion Diamond jewellery – $1. 2 billion Gold jewellery market growth year on year – 15% Diamond jewellery market growth – 27% (By bharatbook. com Dated: Jul 24, 2008). According to market reports, around 6- 7 million Indians can afford to buy luxury goods but hesitate to do so since they are unfamiliar with brands and products. With a growing millionaire base in India, the luxury market is growing annually at around 35% CAGR (The Economic Times: August 10, 2008) If India keeps the last three years average growth at 9%, the income levels of consumers is expected to almost triple by 2025. By 2025, it is estimated that India will become the fifth largest consumer market, rising from 12th largest today. High disposable income and a largely young population will drive consumption patterns upwards. With a huge youth populace below 25 years and having a 17% share of the world working population, India presents a huge market for brands across the spectrum. It is estimated that 52% of luxury customers are in the age bracket of 25-34years old. By 2033, the active age group 25-45 years is expected to be around one third of the population. With the average age of potential luxury consumers decreasing, the country is a goldmine waiting to be tapped. Given the core strengths of the manufacturing sector, India can well become a manufacturing hub for global luxury brands. Already brands like Louis Vuitton and Frette are looking at India as a manufacturing base for their products, but there are others who simply source their requirements from India. It is estimated that the manufacturing of luxury items in India can grow to US $500 million13. This manufacturing capability if harnessed properly can propel India as one of the leading destinations for manufacture. The cost advantages, particularly in labour intensive sectors like leather and accessories add to the advantage of the country. Luxury in India To be successful in India, it is both necessary to gauge the financial potential as well as the mindset of the Indian luxury consumer. This will help in bringing forth the right product offerings to the Indian consumer as well as targeting them better. Qualitative Insights 1. According to a study by American Express, ‘Inside the Affluent Space’, the mindset of the Indian consumer is a desire to prove that â€Å"I’ve Made It†. This can be related to the luxury categorization which is based on the fact that luxury is seen as a reward, both for achievements in life as well as showcasing these achievements to others. 2. The Luxury Marketing Council Worldwide has established a chapter in India, with the aim of promoting luxury in India. Their task will also be to build synergy between various luxury brands interested in India by way of sharing of consumer insights as well as best practices. 3. Even the Asian region is not uniform in its preference for luxury in terms of need fulfilment. Therefore, it becomes important to delineate the needs of the Indian consumer from the other Asian regions to target them better. This agenda gains importance because many Indians look at acquiring luxury from places such as Hong Kong, Tokya, China etc. Eg. It is interesting to note that Singapore consumers are more of connoisseurs compared to Hong Kong consumers who want Talk-Value from their luxury goods. 4. Hindustan Times has been at the forefront of driving the luxury revolution in India by organizing two Indian Luxury Conferences in the last 4 years. To add to it, it also brings out a monthly supplement of luxury goods available in India, thereby creating awareness for the luxury brands. Quantitative Insights. 1. As far as quantitative estimates are concerned, there will be 135,000 millionaires (in US dollar terms) in India by 2009. 2. The affluent market is set to grow at a rate of 13% in India, and by 2009, there will be approximately 1. 1 million affluents here. 3. The wealth potential of India’s affluents was to the tune of US$ 203 billion as of 2005. HYPOTHESES Keeping my literature review in mind my hypotheses would contain: Aim †¢The aim of this research is to study the different entry strategies and analyse which strategy is the most appropriate for luxury goods and jewellery in India. Objectives †¢Develop a case study on Indias luxury goods and jewellery industry and its progress to date and to seek secondary information that relates to entry strategies in the luxury goods and jewellery business. †¢Study the luxury goods and jewellery industry environment and Indias modifications. DATA SOURCES AND THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THE CHOICE Secondary Data Source The secondary data source would be documentary data: books, electronic media, and articles published in journals and newspapers which would help to answer the research question. Primary Data Source. To validate the finding of the research, interviews will be taken from the people who are in the jewelry and luxury goods industry. Semi structured interviews will help in putting across our research question and also listening on the topic area which interest the interviewee. Questionnaires data under this would help me to evaluate the general perceptions. Sample Size of primary Data Large qualitative methodology will be adopted for primary data collection. A survey conducted by e-mail questionnaire. A sample size of a few questions will be analyzed and interpreted with an approval from the supervisor. Method of Data Collection The literature search will aim to be comprehensive, but restricted access to primary literature. The collection of primary data will be based on a survey; the number would be restricted due to the restrictions of time to complete the project and resources to support it. I intend to collect data from luxury goods and jewellry industrialists who include manufacturers, exporters, traders, agents, lecturers, and students through questionnaire. Surveys and questionnaires will be administered on paper, in different formats. All may take place in person, or by mail, over the phone or via Internet/ Email. Data Analysis Both qualitative and quantitative techniques will be used in this research. The data obtained from the questionnaire will be analysed using quantitative technique. An interview and data which is collect from secondary source will be analysed qualitatively.. Interview data will be transcribed and then analysed qualitatively. Here, qualitative research would be used explore and understand peoples beliefs, experiences and attitudes. And quantitative research would be all the numerical data which would be from the surveys and questionnaires. RESEARCH DESIGN Dissertation Time Plan. MonthActivity December 3rd/4th weekStart thinking about the research ideas and data collection January1st/ 2nd weekLiterature searching and define objectives. January 3rd/4th weekLiterature searching/ writing. Submission of proposal Febuary1st/2nd weekDrafting of literature review/ working on Research Methodology/Conduction Interviews/ Meeting the tutor and taking a feedback February3rd/4th weekChecking literature review/ Analysis of the data collected and linking theories to the case study. July 1st/2nd weekMeeting tutor and check for final revision. July 4th weekSubmission of final draft. METHODOLOGY TO BE EMPLOYED The research for this dissertation would be done using multi-methods this is because different methods can be used for different purposes in this study. The research would have an inductive approach as I would collect data from companies and bring out responses to the research questions. The time horizon would be cross- sectional because this study is of particular trend, and not longitudinal analysis as they are made on observations over a period of time. The data collected would be by multi-methods i. e. qualitative and quantitative. These methods would be used to study the changes in environments. There would be secondary data to analyze the changes within the context of the organization. Details of any ethical considerations and steps taken to meet potential ethical concerns. Luxury goods should not be confused with the moral legitimation of their consumption. Especially if you are yourself a merchant who profits from the trade in luxury goods. Spending money on luxury goods, does good to the poor by inducing them to exert the industry, rather than keeping them idle. Hence creating employment for the poor. This kind of justification takes the issue of motivation for granted, that is, it assumes that people desire to consume luxury goods with a good conscience, thus keeping money in circulation. The following steps can be taken to meet potential ethical concerns: †¢Raising awareness of the code with subsidiarys. †¢Evaluation of the ethical monitoring programme. †¢Further monitoring of additional high risk suppliers from whom the company sources goods †¢ †¢Respect the use of banned substances/chemicals and provide an â€Å"alert service† to the retailers. References Books †¢ Charles W. L. Hill (2003), International Business †¢ Financial Times Management (1999), Mastering Global Business. †¢ George S. Yip (1992), Total Global Strategy. †¢ Gill, J. and Johnson, P. (1997) Research Methods for Managers (2nd edition), London, Paul Chapman. †¢ Harold chee, Rod Harris (1998), Global Market Strategy. †¢ Helen Deresky (2006), International Management, 5th edition: Managing across borders and cultures. †¢Hodgetts, Luthars, Doh (2006), International Mangement: culture, strategy and behaviour(6th edition), America, Mc-Graw-Hill/Irwin. †¢Isobel Doole, Robin Lowe (2004), International Marketing Strategy: analysis development and implementation. †¢GEMSTONES By Ronald F. Balazik †¢Fortune Magazine, 2007 †¢Mintel International Group, 2006 Websites †¢AmCham Shangai, http://www. amchamshanghai. org/AmchamPortal/MCMS/Presentation/Publication/Insig ht/InsightDetail. aspx? Guid=%7BFCCD3DCF-18BB-4705-9C8D-C677B764ACE1%7D †¢The Economist, August 2007 http://www. economist. com/business/displaystory. cfm? story_id=9005244 †¢Seeking Alpha http://seekingalpha. com/article/15478-growth-in-chinas-luxury-goods-market-to-be-fueled-by-2nd-tier-cities †¢http://www. just-style. com/store/product. aspx? ID=53193 †¢http://www. robbreport.com/News/Press-Releases/Robb-Report-Launches-Robb-Report-Global. asp †¢The Economist, August 2007 http://www. economist. com/business/displaystory. cfm? story_id=9005244 †¢International Herald Tribune, 2005 http://www. iht. com/articles/2005/12/04/opinion/rbuy. php †¢Forbes, 2005 http://www. forbes. com/2005/06/22/luxury-wealth-trends-cx_sr_0622luxury. html †¢Wikipedia http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Luxury_good †¢Harvard Business School, http://hbswk. hbs. edu/item/4321. html †¢Miami Herald 2007, http://www. miamiherald. com/business/story/271242. html †¢Boston Consulting Group, http://retailindustry.about. com/od/seg_luxury/a/bl_bcg071304_2. htm †¢International Herald Tribune, 2007 http://www. iht. com/articles/2007/01/15/bloomberg/sxlux. php †¢Alf Nucifora, http://www. nucifora. com †¢HNWIs Behaviors and Portfolios Globalize, 2006, Merrill Lynch-Capgemini †¢Harvard Business School, http://hbswk. hbs. edu/item/4321. html †¢The Economist, August 2007 http://www. economist. com/business/displaystory. cfm? story_id=9005244 .†¢The Economist, August 2007 http://www. economist. com/business/displaystory. cfm? story_id=9005244 †¢Cosmetics Design Europe, 2006 http://www. cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/news/ng. asp? id=65405-luxury-goods-experiences †¢Boston Consulting Group http://retailindustry. about. com/od/seg_luxury/a/bl_bcg071304_2. htm †¢WWD. The Magazine, The Luxury Institute http://www. luxuryinstitute. com/about/news. html †¢Forbes, 2005 http://www. forbes. com/2005/06/22/luxury-wealth-trends-cx_sr_0622luxury. html †¢Wikipedia, http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Concierge_medicine †¢Forbes, 2005 http://www. forbes. com/2005/06/22/luxury-wealth-trends-cx_sr_0622luxury. html †¢WWD The Magazine, The Luxury Institute http://www. luxuryinstitute. com/about/news. html †¢The Economist, August 2007. http://www. economist. com/business/displaystory. cfm? story_id=9005244 †¢US Chamber of Commerce, January 24, 2007 http://www. asiapacificms. com/articles/korea_counterfeits/ †¢http://www. iltm. net/en-gb/press/pressreleases680. cfm nation master. com Articles †¢Luxury goods market in India keep its cool 10 Aug 2008, †¢The Kirk Report Problems With Luxury Goods -TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23,2007 †¢Market for luxury goods: THE CASE OF THE COMIT? COLBERT By Giacalone, Joseph A Publication: Southern Business Review Date: Fall 2006 2006 †¢Why The Luxury Market Continues To Roar by Alf Nucifora.

Principles of Feng Shui

Principles of Feng Shui Feng shui is an ancient Chinese philosophy about how humans and their environments interact and have relationships. It encompasses the principle that everything has energy and is connected to everything else. It is stemmed in the belief that based on laws of nature, principles, theories and techniques we can understand how to create an environment that allows us to be in harmony and balance. It also can guide us to enhance certain areas of our lives. The basic principle of feng shui is chi or energy. It is a feng shui principle that is used through all of life. It links the energy of all things together. There can be chi or energy of earth, the atmosphere and people. We can see the quality of chi expressed through areas of color, form, shape, sound and the various cycles in nature. Feng shui principles work to ensure that the chi is allowed to keep flowing and not get stuck or depleted. In feng shui principles, there are two main types of feng shui that we need to consider. One of these is physical and contains the actual structures, surroundings, buildings, roads and design. The other involves directional influences that although are invisible, still have an influence on our lives and how we relate to space and time. We need to take both feng shui principles into consideration when evaluating the chi qualities of an environment. According to feng shui, if an area in the environment is not being conducive to providing good chi, there are cures or fixes that we can use to return the chi to a natural healthy state and continue to flow throughout the space. We can fix or correct the feng shui of an area by making small or big adjustments and applying feng shui techniques. These techniques incorporate the use of different elements to create balance and harmony.

The Labour Force And Unemployment Economics Essay

The Labour Force And Unemployment Economics Essay Every market has buyers and sellers, and the labour market is no exception: the buyers are employers, and the sellers are workers. Some of this participant may not be active at any given moment in the sense of seeking new employees or new jobs, but on any given day, thousands of firms and workers will be in the market trying to transact. The Labour Force and Unemployment The term labour force refers to all those over 16 years of age who are either employed, actively seeking work, or expecting recall from a layoff. Those in the labour force who are not employed for pay are the unemployed.  [1]   People who are not employed and are neither looking for work nor waiting to be recalled from layoff by their employers are not counted as part of the labour force. The total labour force thus consists of the employed and the unemployed. The number and identities of people in each labour market category are always changing; the flows of people from one category to another are considerable. There are four major flows between labour market states: employed workers become unemployed by quitting voluntarily or being laid off (being involuntarily separated from the firm, either temporarily or permanently), unemployed workers obtain employment by being newly hired or being recalled to a job from which they were temporarily laid off, those in the labour force, whether employed or unemployed, can leave the labour force by retiring or otherwise deciding against taking or seeking work for pay (dropping out), those who have never worked or looked for a job expand the labour force by entering it, while those who have dropped out do so by re-entering the labour force. The ratio of those unemployed to those in the labour force is the unemployment rate. While this rate is crude and has several imperfections, it is the most widely cited measure of labour market conditions. The relation among unemployment, employment, and labour force Analytically, to access the unemployment rate we can use the following equality: where , , and designate respectively the working-age population, the level of employment, the number of unemployed, and the participation rate at period t. Defining the unemployment as , we have Using this equation in logarithm terms at time t and t-1, we get: Assuming that u is a small number, this relation allows us to express the variation of unemployment rate as a function of the growth rates of working-age population, employment, and participation: This decomposition shows that the variation in the rate of unemployment come from variations in the employment rate, the size of the working-age population, and participation rate. Chapter 2 Some facts The different unemployment experience During the last 20 years, the industrialized countries have evolved in very different direction with respect to unemployment. In contradiction to Japan, or the United States, most of European countries showed a high proportion of unemployment. Table 1.1 Rates of unemployment, participation, and employment in 20 OECD countries in 2011 Country Unemployment Rate Participation Rate Employment Rate Australia 5,10 78,8 72,70 Austria 4,14 75,79 72,13 Belgium 7,14 68,88 61,93 Canada 7,45 80,25 71,98 Denmark 7,57 83,19 73,15 Finland 7,77 75,43 69,03 France 9,26 69,34 63,80 Germany 5,92 81,04 72,53 Greece 17,66 68,57 55,55 Ireland 14,39 70,96 59,20 Italy 8,40 63,01 56,98 Japan 4,57 80,61 71,20 Luxembourg 4,90 70,57 64,63 Netherlands 4,44 80,13 74,88 Norway 3,21 80,22 75,30 Portugal 12,74 77,42 64,20 Spain 21,64 75,28 57,68 Sweden 7,54 31,00 74,10 Switzerland 4,04 86,60 79,35 United Kingdom 8,01 76,75 69,48 United States 8,95 64,21 66,65 Euro area (17 countries) 10,07 26,20 64,25 EU (27 countries) 9,59 64,30 OECD Total 7,92 27,80 64,85 Source: OECD Data Table 1.1 summarises the unemployment, participation and employment rates in 20 OECD countries for 2011. We see that unemployment is a phenomenon that touches all the countries, but in different proportions. There are some countries such as Austria, Japan, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland, have an unemployment rate below 5 per cent. But other countries, such as Greece, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain, have an unemployment rate higher than 10 per cent. For the European Union as a whole (27 countries), the average unemployment rate is the neighbourhood of 10 per cent, 2 points greater than the overall OECD unemployment rate. The third column reports the employment rate, i.e. the ratio of the number of persons employed to the number of person in the population (working-age from 15 to 64 years old). This indicator is very important for the analysis since it can be used as a complement to the data of unemployment, given that the definition of unemployment is necessarily objective. As we can see from table 1.1 countries with high employment rate are also the ones who have low rates of unemployment. So there is a negative relationship among them. The second column also shows that participation rates are highly dispersed, since they vary from 63.01 per cent in Italy to 86.60 per cent in Switzerland. Moreover, countries that face high unemployment rate generally have relatively a weak participation rate. This rapid overview of the rates of unemployment, participation, and employment in different OECD countries suggest that certain countries face a relatively high unemployment rate because of insufficient job creation. Examination of changes over time since the beginning of 1950s in unemployment and employment rate in the United States and selected OECD countries will throw further lights on the origins of unemployment. The US unemployment experience in comparative perspective Table 1.2 summarises the unemployment experience of the United States, selected other countries, and the OECD as a whole from 1950 to 2011. The OECD unemployment rate averaged about 3 per cent during the 1950s and 1960s unemployment throughout the OECD increased sharply in the aftermath of the oil shocks of the 1970s and continued rising the worldwide recession of the early 1980s. The overall OECD unemployment rate more than doubled from 2.8 per cent in the 1960s to 7.0 per cent in the 1980s, and has remained at an even higher rate in the 1990s. Last year the overall OECD unemployment rate was 8.2 per cent. Table 1.2 Unemployment rates in selected OECD countries Country 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2011 Australia 1,50 2,00 3,90 7,50 9,10 6,28 5,20 Canada 3,80 4,70 6,60 9,30 9,90 6,82 7,50 France 1,50 1,70 3,80 9,00 11,10 9,4 9,30 Germany 4,90 0,60 1,90 5,70 6,50 7,76 6,00 Italy 7,20 3,80 4,70 7,50 10,20 10,59 8,50 Japan 2,10 1,30 1,70 2,50 2.7 4,72 4,80 Netherlands 1,50 0,90 4,00 9,60 6,90 2,95 4,40 Norway 1,70 1,70 1,60 2,80 5,30 3,33 3,30 New Zeland 0,90 0,90 1,50 4,10 8,10 9,00 6,70 Portugal 2,20 2,40 1,60 7,30 5,80 4,04 13,40 Spain 2,10 2,30 4,20 17,50 20,30 13,92 21,80 Sweden 1,70 1,50 1,80 2,20 7,00 5,4 7,60 United Kingdom 1,70 2,00 4,40 10,10 8,70 5,58 8,00 United States 4,40 4,70 6,10 7,20 6,00 4,00 9,10 OECD 3,50 2,80 4,30 7,00 7,30 6,1   8,2 Source: OECD Data Table 1.2 indicates that major OECD nations shared a pattern of rising unemployment from the 1960s to the 1970s to the 1980s, but the magnitude of the increases vary widely across countries, with the largest increase in Spain. In the 1990s the unemployment experience diverge somewhat, with continued increases from the 1980s in most European countries and Australia, but decline in the United States, United Kingdom, and Portugal. In the 2000s there is a general decrease of unemployment rate among all the countries, except in Italy and Japan. From 2000 to 2011 unemployment is a phenomenon that touches all the countries but in different proportion, with the largest increase in Spain and Portugal. The table highlights the distinctive aspects of the evolution of US unemployment. The United States has moved from having a consistently higher unemployment rate than the OECD as a whole in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s to having a much lower rate in the 1990s and 2000s, but again a higher unemployment in 2011. The United States is the only major OECD economy with a lower average unemployment rate in 2000s than in 1980s: 4.0 per cent in the 2000s versus 7.2 per cent in 1980s. But the current US unemployment rate of 9.1 per cent is the highest experienced since 1980. The composition of US unemployment also differs substantially from many other OECD nations. The United States has much larger month-to-month flows into and out of employment than most of OECD economies and a much lower incidence of long-term unemployment than any advanced OECD economy. Long-term unemployment (six months and less than one year) as a percentage of total unemployment in 2011 stood at 12.43 per cent in the United States as compared with 9.8 per cent in Canada, 13.48 per cent in Australia, 18.65 per cent in France, 14.71 in Germany, 15.03 in Italy, 17.68 in Greece and 18.66 in Spain. US unemployment rates for the working-age population are particularly low (and employment/population ratios are particularly high) for young workers (those aged to 15 to 24), women and older workers (those aged 55 to 64). Overall, the US labour market does a relatively good job of moving new entrants and women into employment. European labour market institutions (especially employment protect ion laws) seem geared to keeping married males in work, but appear to make it tougher for new entrants to gain steady employment. Cyclical versus Structural unemployment The analytical discussion of unemployment since Friedman (1968) and Phelps (1968) start with the hypothesis that at any given time, a national economy is characterized by a natural rate of unemployment. Aggregate demand expansions can (at least temporarily) push the economy below this rate of unemployment, but at the cost of accelerating inflation. Similarly, shocks that raise unemployment above the natural rate lead to deceleration inflation. As long as the policy-maker avoids explosive inflation or deflation, the economy cannot remain persistently above or below the natural rate of unemployment, but it may fluctuate around it. This hypothesis suggests separating changes in unemployment into cyclical fluctuation around the natural rate and structural movement in the natural rate itself. Figure 1 Unemployment in the US, Australia, Europe and OECD Figure 1 illustrates the time patterns of the unemployment rates for the United States, Australia, Europe, and OECD countries from 1970 to 2011. The figure suggests cyclical unemployment fluctuation around a relatively stable natural rate in the United States until 2008, and a possible upward drift in the natural rate in Europe and Australia. The acceleration in inflation in most European economies in late 1980s, despite much higher unemployment rate than in the 1960s and 1970s, indicates a large rise in natural rate of unemployment. The deceleration of inflation in the 1990s and early 2000s suggests that some cyclical component has played a role in recent high European unemployment. 2 Data and Descriptive statistics I next explore in a more depth, the extent to which a relatively stable natural rate of unemployment since 1970 or so is consistent with the experience of the flexible US labour market. The data for this analysis are taken from Bureau of Labour Statistics from 1970 to 2012 (monthly data). 3 Empirical Methodology and Results For estimating the natural rate of unemployment (un) I am going to use the expectations-augmented (or accelerationist) Phillips Curve (EAPC) in which the rate of growth of price inflation (or more generally the difference between current inflation and expected inflation) depends on the deviation of the unemployment rate from the natural rate: where p is the log of the price level, u is the unemployment rate, is a positive coefficient, equals, and is an error term. Expected inflation is assumed to equal the lagged inflation rate (). A regression of the change in the inflation rate on the unemployment rate yields estimates of the natural rate of unemployment ( = -. The basic idea behind this equation is that price inflation increases when unemployment is below the natural rate and decreases when it is above. Table 2.1 Price inflation and unemployment in the United States, Europe and OECD countries United States Europe OECD (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Constant 0.397562 0.519119 0.142052 11.87027 12.00131 [6.163198] [8.568430] [1.910330] [7.503319] [5.137325] D80 -0.348037 [0.929960] D90 -0.355382 [0.950040] D00 -0.369512 [0.986341] Unemployment rate (u) -0.006995 -0.026207 0.032498 -0.596646 -0.906432 [0.669781] [2.835975] [2.918381] [3.129660] [2.544017] Observations (n) 511 511 511 41 41 Durbin-Watson Statistic 0.798394 0.828986 0.833514 0.233627 0.304103 R2 0.006191 0.015555 0.016457 0.200734 0.142330 Notes: The US regressions cover 1970 to 2012. The dependent variable in all regressions is the inflation rate (Dp).The numbers in parenthesis are standard errors. p=100*log(CPI), using the Consumer Price Index for the United States and Europe; u is the unemployment rate measured in percentage, D80=1 for the 1980- and 0 otherwise; D90=1 for the 1990- and 0 otherwise; D00=1 for the 2000- and 0 otherwise. Estimation for US unemployment Dependent Variable: P Method: Least Squares Date: 10/04/12 Time: 17:04 Sample (adjusted): 1970M02 2012M08 Included observations: 511 after adjustments Variable Coefficient Std. Error t-Statistic Prob.  Ã‚   C 0.397562 0.064506 6.163198 0.0000 UNEMP -0.006995 0.010444 -0.669781 0.5033 D80 -0.348037 0.374250 -0.929960 0.3528 D90 -0.355382 0.374071 -0.950040 0.3425 D00 -0.369512 0.374629 -0.986341 0.3244 R-squared 0.006191   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mean dependent var 0.353720 Adjusted R-squared -0.001665   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  S.D. dependent var 0.373392 S.E. of regression 0.373702   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Akaike info criterion 0.879023 Sum squared resid 70.66469   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Schwarz criterion 0.920475 Log likelihood -219.5904   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  F-statistic 0.788056 Durbin-Watson stat 0.798394   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prob(F-statistic) 0.533265 Estimation for US male unemployment Dependent Variable: P Method: Least Squares Date: 10/04/12 Time: 17:05 Sample (adjusted): 1970M02 2012M08 Included observations: 511 after adjustments Variable Coefficient Std. Error t-Statistic Prob.  Ã‚   C 0.519119 0.060585 8.568430 0.0000 UNEMPMALE -0.026207 0.009241 -2.835975 0.0048 R-squared 0.015555   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mean dependent var 0.353720 Adjusted R-squared 0.013621   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  S.D. dependent var 0.373392 S.E. of regression 0.370840   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Akaike info criterion 0.857814 Sum squared resid 69.99885   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Schwarz criterion 0.874395 Log likelihood -217.1715   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  F-statistic 8.042753 Durbin-Watson stat 0.828986   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prob(F-statistic) 0.004751 Estimation for US female unemployment Dependent Variable: P Method: Least Squares Date: 10/04/12 Time: 17:07 Sample (adjusted): 1970M02 2012M08 Included observations: 511 after adjustments Variable Coefficient Std. Error t-Statistic Prob.  Ã‚   C 0.142052 0.074360 1.910330 0.0567 UNEMPFEMALE 0.032498 0.011136 2.918381 0.0037 R-squared 0.016457   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mean dependent var 0.353720 Adjusted R-squared 0.014525   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  S.D. dependent var 0.373392 S.E. of regression 0.370670   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Akaike info criterion 0.856897 Sum squared resid 69.93471   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Schwarz criterion 0.873478 Log likelihood -216.9373   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  F-statistic 8.516946 Durbin-Watson stat 0.833514   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prob(F-statistic) 0.003674 Estimation for Europe unemployment Dependent Variable: P2 Method: Least Squares Date: 10/04/12 Time: 17:08 Sample (adjusted): 1970M02 1973M06 Included observations: 41 after adjustments Variable Coefficient Std. Error t-Statistic Prob.  Ã‚   C 11.87027 1.582002 7.503319 0.0000 UNEMPEURO -0.596646 0.190642 -3.129660 0.0033 R-squared 0.200734   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mean dependent var 7.164938 Adjusted R-squared 0.180240   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  S.D. dependent var 3.481375 S.E. of regression 3.152057   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Akaike info criterion 5.181538 Sum squared resid 387.4831   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Schwarz criterion 5.265127 Log likelihood -104.2215   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  F-statistic 9.794774 Durbin-Watson stat 0.233627   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prob(F-statistic) 0.003308 Estimation for Europe unemployment Dependent Variable: P3 Method: Least Squares Date: 10/04/12 Time: 17:09 Sample (adjusted): 1970M02 1973M06 Included observations: 41 after adjustments Variable Coefficient Std. Error t-Statistic Prob.  Ã‚   C 12.00131 2.336102 5.137325 0.0000 UNEMPOECD -0.906432 0.356299 -2.544017 0.0150 R-squared 0.142330   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mean dependent var 6.186970 Adjusted R-squared 0.120338   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  S.D. dependent var 3.301618 S.E. of regression 3.096597   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Akaike info criterion 5.146035 Sum squared resid 373.9676   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Schwarz criterion 5.229624 Log likelihood -103.4937   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  F-statistic 6.472025 Durbin-Watson stat 0.304103   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prob(F-statistic) 0.015033 Conclusion References Literature Ronald G. Ehrenberg, Robert S. Smith Modern Labour Economics. Theory and Public Policy Pearson International Edition, 2009, Tenth Edition Internet Sources http://www.tradingeconomics.com http://www.indexmundi.com/ http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/120907/dq120907a-eng.htm Eurostat Website: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat I have a problem with the regression of this model: I have monthly data. But when I estimate it on Eviews, the results I get are not that expected: R-squared is very small (near to zero), the standard errors are all smaller than 1. In order to estimate the model first I have done this: P=100*log(CPI), but Im not sure if is right or not. I can send the data after if this description is not enough.

Sperm Selection After Mating :: Biology

A Bit of Background Information What is pre- and post-copulatory sexual selection? From the word copulatory, meaning to engage in sexual intercourse, pre-copulatory sexual selection refers to the female's choice in selecting a mate before sexual intercourse takes place. Post-copulatory sexual selection occurs within the female's reproductive track, and it describes the biological selection (whether due to sperm or the female's biology) that results in the fertilization her eggs. Why are guppies good subjects for research in this topic? The most significant reason for using guppies in sexual selection research is because they casually participate in polyandry. This means that in nature a female guppy will mate (willingly or unwillingly) with numerous males at a time, allowing for experiments to be conducted to see which male's sperm fertilizes the most eggs. Why use artificial insemination? Before the use of artificial insemination, the results of such experiments were obscure and varied greatly. There was no way of controlling the males' ejaculate sizes or thier specific sexual contact with the female guppies. By using artificial insemination techniques, these two variables can be controlled: equal quantities of sperm from each male guppy can be isolated, and no sexual contact need ever take place. The increased control over these variables makes it possible to attain reliable results that are directly related to postcopulatory processes. Introduction Sexual selection is a common facet of evolutionary biology that plays a key role in the mating choices of a variety of different species. Competition between the male’s sperm as well as the choice of mate by the female factor into a successful copulation.This experiment examines the precopulatory and postcopulatory behavior of Poecilia reticulata , the guppy. Artificial insemination was used to separate the factors of sexual selection before and after sexual intercourse. â€Å"Attractive† males in the guppy population—deemed attractive based on the female guppy’s affinity for them—were those with high levels of carotenoid coloration (orange, yellow, and red). Relative statures were also compared. The purpose of this experiment is to demonstrate, through artificial insemination, the role of postcopulatory sexual selection in a population of guppies. If guppy females are partial to specific traits, the propagation of those traits will be e vident. The Methods That Were Used Prior to insemination, the behavior of the guppies involved was analyzed and one adult, non-virgin female and two sexually immature fish were put in observation tanks.

Essay --

Introduction- Fashion is richly embedded in the history and culture in France. The country is the home of many famous designers, and is credited with creating the concepts haute couture and prà ªt-à  -porter; two core segments of the fashion industry. Today Paris, Milan, London, and New York are the â€Å"Big Four† fashion capitals in the world. While France is well known to be the oldest fashion empire in the world, with expansion of the industry, is it still considered the leader? 1) History of Fashion in France A quote by American poet, Allen Ginsberg says, â€Å"You can’t escape the past in Paris, and yet what’s so wonderful about it is that the past and present intermingle so intangibly that it doesn’t seem to burden.† In order to truly understand the large role that fashion plays in a culture where the past is such a large part of the present, one must learn about its deep history and evolution. The first time clothing was seen as more than a practicality, and closer to a status symbol was during the reign of King Louis XIV. King Louis XIV, also known as Louis the Great or the Sun King, was a monarch of the House of Bourbon and ruled as King of France and the Kingdom of Navarre from 1643 until his death in 1715. He was known for adorning himself in silk, diamonds, and artisanal shoes and jackets (Fashion and Power). He used these items of luxury to control and express his power to France, its residents, and the rest of Europe. Shortly after Louis XIV’s death, Louis XVI came into power. King Louis XVI’s wife, Marie Antoinette was also a pioneer in the French fashion culture. As the Queen of France from 1774-1792, her life was full of extravagance and luxury and she wanted her fashion to be representative of her lifestyle. In fact, she w... ...businesses reviewed annually to preserve the reputation of such a prestigious association. Chambre syndicale Du Prà ªt-à  -porter des Couturiers et des Crà ©ateurs de Mode is a group made up of haute couture houses and fashion designers who design women’s ready-to-wear fashion, and the Chambre syndicale de la Mode Masculine is a group exclusively for men’s fashion. Since 1935 the Fà ©dà ©ration’s headquarters have been located at 100 rue de Faubourg Saint Honorà © in Paris’s 8 arrondissement; in the heart of the city where it all began. Combined, the three trade organizations have over 100 corporate members. A unique quality of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture and the Chambre syndicale Du Prà ªt-à  -porter des Couturiers et des Crà ©ateurs de Mode, is that it accepts international members as well. This is said to reflect the quickly expanding globalization of the industry. Essay -- Introduction- Fashion is richly embedded in the history and culture in France. The country is the home of many famous designers, and is credited with creating the concepts haute couture and prà ªt-à  -porter; two core segments of the fashion industry. Today Paris, Milan, London, and New York are the â€Å"Big Four† fashion capitals in the world. While France is well known to be the oldest fashion empire in the world, with expansion of the industry, is it still considered the leader? 1) History of Fashion in France A quote by American poet, Allen Ginsberg says, â€Å"You can’t escape the past in Paris, and yet what’s so wonderful about it is that the past and present intermingle so intangibly that it doesn’t seem to burden.† In order to truly understand the large role that fashion plays in a culture where the past is such a large part of the present, one must learn about its deep history and evolution. The first time clothing was seen as more than a practicality, and closer to a status symbol was during the reign of King Louis XIV. King Louis XIV, also known as Louis the Great or the Sun King, was a monarch of the House of Bourbon and ruled as King of France and the Kingdom of Navarre from 1643 until his death in 1715. He was known for adorning himself in silk, diamonds, and artisanal shoes and jackets (Fashion and Power). He used these items of luxury to control and express his power to France, its residents, and the rest of Europe. Shortly after Louis XIV’s death, Louis XVI came into power. King Louis XVI’s wife, Marie Antoinette was also a pioneer in the French fashion culture. As the Queen of France from 1774-1792, her life was full of extravagance and luxury and she wanted her fashion to be representative of her lifestyle. In fact, she w... ...businesses reviewed annually to preserve the reputation of such a prestigious association. Chambre syndicale Du Prà ªt-à  -porter des Couturiers et des Crà ©ateurs de Mode is a group made up of haute couture houses and fashion designers who design women’s ready-to-wear fashion, and the Chambre syndicale de la Mode Masculine is a group exclusively for men’s fashion. Since 1935 the Fà ©dà ©ration’s headquarters have been located at 100 rue de Faubourg Saint Honorà © in Paris’s 8 arrondissement; in the heart of the city where it all began. Combined, the three trade organizations have over 100 corporate members. A unique quality of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture and the Chambre syndicale Du Prà ªt-à  -porter des Couturiers et des Crà ©ateurs de Mode, is that it accepts international members as well. This is said to reflect the quickly expanding globalization of the industry.

ID Personal statement for Dental School Essay

Since I was a little child, I always dreamed of being a medical doctor or a dentist. This is probably because my parents modelled the desire in me, for both of them were working in a hospital. Although none of my parents was a physician or a nurse, spending times in their offices and noticing the doctors who were working in the hospital was the first glimmer in my mind to become a doctor. What exacerbated the desire is the situation I went through at the age of fifteen. My father was diagnosed with kidney failure at that time. It was the start of the three hard and unforgettable years in my life. This is the time and the situation that greatly influenced my desire for working in a medical field. Before that time, I just saw physicians, and this was the first time that I was experiencing the living with a patient. My father’s disease was harsh, and for the first three or four months, different specialists to make him ready for haemodialysis visited him. Then, for the rest of his life, he had to go to the hospital three times a week and each time for three hours to be dialyzed. During the first months of my father’s disease, noticing different patients with different kind of diseases and all the pains that they were suffering from, made me to think more about being a doctor. I wondered if I could help those patients, or if I was good enough to become a doctor. During last three years of my father’s life, I was always with him. Leaving in a country with well equipped hospitals but poor patient hospitality services, my mother and I had to take care of everything ourselves. During those years, I had the opportunity to observe different departments of hospitals, different physicians, and patients with different disease. All these things made me more serious about my decision to work in a medical field. When my father died, I promised to myself to put all my effort to become a person who can help the patient like my father to have a better and less painful life. Being a dentist therefore offers me the opportunity to get in touch with a diversity of peoples and help them to ease the pain and suffering they get from one the worst pains in human body, which is toothache. I believe that dentistry is a kind of art and a dentist has to have skilled hands. It is just like an art of playing the guitar or making jewellery. Just as it took me time to learn the guitar and I ended up being a very good player, so is my determination in becoming a dentist. I picture it as a very precise art that needs a combination of expertise skills and enjoyment to serve a patient to make them finally happy. Just as the jewel artist is careful to go through a process of skill and expertise application, with the motivation of coming up with a beautiful ornament, so a dentist should in having his or her final product – a happy patient. In all this, I therefore look forward to joining the dental school to pursue this career. My education background is thus as follows: I graduated as an honor student, with high GPA from a high school in Iran. I there after graduated from Northern Virginia Community College as an honor student with GPA of 3. 957(Associate Degree in Biology). Arriving at USA in 2005, community college gave me the opportunity to study and work at the same time. Without my family, it was hard for me to afford to go directly to the university. I was therefore left with this only option. I proceeded to George Mason University where I am a senior student. My Current overall GPA is 3. 3; Program GPA is 3. 95 and I Major in Biology. I have enrolled to Biology honor program and I will be graduating as an honor student in this major. Vested with great responsibility for excellent performance, I am inquisitive and of an analytical mind. Moreover, I am ready and quick to learn, a team player, self-driven and result oriented. In that respect, I am a member of George Mason university pre-dental society and Tau Sigma national honor society. I have pursued the opportunities presented to me to advance my understanding of the subjects I have studied. For instance, I enrolled for the honors program at George Mason University. In the course of my honors program, which was general genetics, I have researched about cancer and telomerase activity. I believe, however, that the pursuit of deeper scientific understanding is not limited to the classroom. I have used my shadowing opportunities not only as practical learning experiences, but also as a chance to ask questions from the dentist I have shadowed. Whenever I heard a word or saw an unfamiliar procedure, I asked about it.

The opinions of Mill and Kant

Mill’s utilitarianism on Kant and Baxter’s argumentsIn John Stuart Mill’s arguments for utilitarianism, it can be observed that his concept of that which is â€Å"good† corresponds to the maximization of utility, or the promotion of the greatest happiness for the greatest number. Further, Mill maintains that right actions are those that primarily promote happiness while on the other hand actions that result to the reverse of happiness are wrong actions.At this point, it should be noted that Mill is arguing for the centrality of a form of consequentialism in his conception of actions and their resulting moral worth. That is, the moral worth or value of the actions of man can be assessed through the very consequences that they give rise to.As human conduct is essentially directed by the quest for happiness or utility, Mill elaborates further that the very directive of men to acquire happiness does not refer to individual happiness or the happiness of each pe rson taken singularly but rather to the collective happiness or the happiness for the greatest number of people. Among the numerous possible manifestations of such happiness that may be perceived, he further argues that the greatest happiness is to be sought after in connection to the greatest number of individuals. From this point, we are to analyze the arguments raised by Immanuel Kant and William Baxter on the aspect of rational agents juxtaposed with the issue of pollution.Both Kant and Baxter resort to the claim that men as rational agents should occupy the central role in ethical considerations. Prior to Baxter, Kant has already maintained that human beings, as agents imbued with and the capacity to reason, should not be treated as the means to possible or given ends. Rather what Kant strongly proposes is that human beings should be considered as the very ends themselves in the course of the actions of every individual. On the other hand, Baxter strongly argues in line with th e Kantian prescription for the acts of man. That is, man’s actions should be that which is what one ought to do.Mill will most likely tell us that Baxter’s conclusions do not eventually promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people in the immediate consequences of man’s actions towards the environment. Mill’s utilitarian principles will maintain that Baxter’s conclusions on the scope of environmental ethics merely prescribe what men ought to do.This prescription, when applied to several environmental issues such as man’s hunting for rare animals for the therapeutic values of their body parts, will most likely condemn the given example and other related instances. However, Mill will argue that, since the gathering of the body parts of such a rare animal will most likely contribute to the betterment and eventual happiness of the greatest number of human beings, the act in itself is a right act. The apparent consequences of s uch an action are deemed with the greatest amount of merit in classifying such action as morally right.For the most part, Mill might have instead argued for the claim that even if pollution becomes a result of the actions of man towards his environment, these same actions should be taken if it promotes the greatest degree of happiness for the greatest number of individuals as its consequence.Mill’s arguments cannot in any way directly support and uphold the ethical guidelines set forth by both Kant and Baxter in seeking the proper conduct for the status quo of the environment.Mill’s utilitarianism on Carr’s â€Å"Is Business Bluffing Ethical?†One essential feature of the utilitarian ethical doctrine is that its moral point of view rests firmly on the consequences of the actions made. That is, an action is then to be categorized as either good or bad depending on the consequence or result of the action intended. However, what differentiates the utilitarian principles from other ethical or moral tenet is that the former further qualifies the outcome of the actions as good in terms of maximum benefits conferred by the deed.In a sense, a good action, then, is one which has maximized benefits or advantages not to oneself but, more importantly, to the most number of individuals as well in the end. Thus, in essence, such doctrine of utilitarianism can be briefly summarized as one that seeks to establish â€Å"the greatest good for the greatest number.In adopting the principles being set forth by utilitarianism one is inclined to embrace the belief that the welfare of the majority is being taken with utmost concern and that, parallel to such aspect of utilitarianism, the greatest happiness or the benefit of the most number of people is seen as fitting enough to further accept the ethical theory of utilitarianism. The relative consequences in adopting these principles highlight a connection to the modern world inasmuch as the welfare of the majority rather than the individual is deemed to outweigh personal motives.Thus, the extent of Mill’s conception of the utilitarian doctrine will firmly hold that business bluffing is ethical so long as it promotes the good of the majority through the greatest good such an action is able to produce.For instance, when company executives are tasked to manage dealings or negotiations with fellow executives, customers, government authorities, labor groups, or the department heads of the same company the executives work in, they can resort to many forms of deception. The act of deceiving these â€Å"other† people in terms of its moral value can be analyzed through the apparent consequences such a conduct is able to make materialize.Especially in cases wherein the fate of the whole company or the status of the entire structure of the line of laborers is at stake, business bluffing is deemed right if and only if it is able to sustain the welfare of the general members of the company as its immediate consequence.Or even in the smallest of the departments in a business establishment, the relative gains of that small unit when taken as a whole should be reason enough, at least in Mill’s utilitarian approach, to pursue actions that will ensure the greatest gains for the greatest number in that department. These actions, in turn, are qualified as ethical and, hence, right under the utilitarian perspective as far as Carr’s notion on the extent of cases where the business â€Å"player† resorts to bluffing is concerned.On the other hand, the extent in which Mill will contradict Carr’s proposals for deception rests on the situation wherein bluffing does not promote the general welfare but instead advances the personal aims of the executive. In such cases, even if there are positive consequences for the businessman, the fact that the relative gains of the businessman for his own goes against the utilitarian principle of the maximizati on of the good. It ignores the crucial part of utilitarianism that prescribes actions which ensures the furtherance of the welfare of the majority.Thus, such an instance is essentially unethical inasmuch as it is not right as far as the tenets of utilitarianism are concerned.Kant’s ethical theory on DeJardins and Duska’s â€Å"Drug Testing in Employment†In order to analyze DeJardins and Duska’s claims in the article, an understanding of Kantian ethics should first be noted. Kantian ethics can be roughly started with the presumption that if we are to strictly follow the assertion that the goal of the lives of men is the attainment of happiness in general, then every individual will most likely be inclined to seek personal gratification so as to arrive at happiness.Nevertheless, the attainment of happiness is not entirely within the human capacity and that its actuality can be interpreted as a matter of chance that depends primarily on the varying capacitie s of man. No universal assurance on the attainment of happiness can then be seen. Consequently, by trying to remove cynicism and nihilism and by allowing the ethical norms of man to occupy the actions of all, it is necessary for these ethical doctrines to be unconditional such that there should be no exceptions and universal in the sense that these tenets should be applicable to every human being.Kant proceeds with his idea of the good will by defining it as a will that operates for the sake of duty and as a â€Å"good-in-itself†. For the most part, the concept of duty is central to the ethical precepts of Kant which he regards crucial by considering the difference that dwell between actions in accordance with duty and actions performed for the sake of duty. For Kant, the latter phrase is the only one that bears moral worth implying a greater moral worth in man’s actions that result from a person’s greater disinclination to act merely for the sake of duty. That is, if a person is motivated to do a certain act simply because one is entirely inclined to do such an act, then the act itself is considered to be bereft of moral worth.Duty for Kant is the inevitability or necessity of functioning out of a strict observation for laws that are universal. Consequently, the worth or value of the action done by the individual in terms of moral precepts is essentially drawn from the intention of the action thereby stressing the content of the actions in terms of intent as significant. This content can be further expressed in two manners. The first states that there are maxims or imperatives that stipulate that there are acts based on the desires of the individual. This is what Kant calls the hypothetical imperative. On the other hand, those which are based on reason and not merely dependent on one’s desires belong to the categorical imperative. The latter type deals with what ought to be done.All these can be roughly transposed and summarized in to Kant’s conception of the practical imperative that claims that one ought to act to treat human beings as ends in themselves and never merely as a means to any given end, whether the individual is the self or another person.Thus, in line with the arguments proposed by the authors of Drug testing in Employment, Kant will very well argue that drug testing among employees in companies is unethical for the reason that it treats the employees as mere objects or means in achieving the ends of set forth by the company. The delicate private information that are to be obtained from the drug tests, moreover, gives rise to the possibility that these information can be manipulated for sinister ploys even if the protection of these information is given due recognition.Moreover, as the authors of the article suggest, drug use is not always job relevant. If this is the case, then information concerning drug use is not relevant as well hence leading to the observation that drug tests are i rrelevant and that these only impair the centrality of man as the end for every action.The reason to these claims rests on two crucial aspects. First is that the practical imperative will not allow the treatment of the employees as schemes for the purpose of the upkeep of the employment status of the employer or of the company. Second is that drug testing undermines the rights of the employee thus, relegating our attention back to the first reason, undermining as well their existence as human beings and rational agents.ReferenceMill, J. S. (1863). What Utilitarianism Is. In Utilitarianism (pp. 4-16).