Ishmael in Herman Melvilles Moby-Dick - Free Essay Example

In Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick, Ishmael asserts himself as both the narrator and the central consciousness of the novel by chronicling his account of the Pequod’s final voyage. As he recounts the struggles of his physical journey, Ishmael shows that he has also survived a spiritual journey to find his sense of self. By retelling and analyzing his time as a crewmember of the Pequod, Ishmael continues to try to understand the purpose behind his solitary existence and eventually embraces it as a part of God’s mysterious Providence. Ishmael sees himself as an exile of the world who is doomed to drift without a home to return to. He begins his narration by naming himself after a Biblical figure: â€Å"Call me Ishmael† (Melville 18). The lack of last name suggests that like Abraham’s first and lesser loved son, Ishmael has been un-rooted and thrown out of his family. He considers himself to be an orphan, although he uses the word only at the conclusion of his journey when he is left as the sole survivor: â€Å"It was the devious-cruising Rachel†¦ only found another orphan† (427). This sentiment demonstrates the loss he has experienced through the Pequod’s shipwreck and the affinity he felt for its crew. In contrast, the only family member who describes in his narration is his â€Å"stepmother who, somehow or other, was all the time whipping me, or sending me to bed supperless,† and who isolates Ishmael even within his house (37). This forced physical separation is what preve nts him from regarding the house he grew up in as home and which keeps him drifting without a sense of belonging. This loneliness develops into isolation, which causes Ishmael to separate himself from others and observe them from a distance. This allows him to see beyond conventional beliefs and question societal norms, but also deepens his isolation. This isolation continues to trouble Ishmael throughout the years, to the extent that he considers it deadly. When his stepmother punishes him by sending him to bed, he describes that he â€Å"lay there dismally†¦before I could hope for resurrection,† comparing the isolation to death (37). He emphasizes how much he hates this solitary confinement by begging for any other punishment but burial in bed, because the maddening boredom that comes from isolation causes him to feel like dying a painful, spiritual death. This lonely boredom causes him to view his life as being so meaningless that he feels himself driven to the breaking point, even to the point of considering suicide, â€Å"involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral† he encounters (18). But instead of giving in to this impulse, he chooses to go to sea as a â€Å"substitute for pistol and ball† (18). This voyage onto the water symbolizes his desire to reviv e himself and to get back in touch with himself and humanity. He seeks an end to his perceived isolation and believes that he may do so on the water, where â€Å"here they all unite† (19). To Ishmael, the attraction to water is one of the universal characteristics of men, representing their common desire to see meaning and purpose in the reflections they cast, and to catch the â€Å"ungraspable phantom of life† that eludes us all (20). As he observes that these â€Å"water-gazers† spiritually unite, he realizes that the sea unites people even in their most isolated moments (43). This idea is further emphasized when he sees people looking at the gravestones in the chapel unite through the â€Å"silent grief† that â€Å"were insular and incommunicable,† caused by the sense of vulnerability and mortality of the sailors at sea (43). Once he joins the Pequod, he proclaims â€Å"I, Ishmael, was one of that crew; my shouts had gone up with the rest; my oath had been welded with theirs† (152). Unlike on land, where Ishmael drifts without aligning himself to anyone or any cause, he becomes committed to Ahab’s quest, and this becomes his purpose for the duration of the voyage. Captain Ahab’s greatest influence over Ishmael does not result from direct interaction, but rather from Ishmael’s observations of Ahab’s struggles against himself and against the world. Ishmael clearly sees that Ahab’s obsession with Moby Dick has driven him to madness, and that he believes that control over this madness is beyond the boundaries of his free will. When Ahab questions â€Å"Is Ahab, Arab? Is it I, God, or who, that lifts this arm?† Ishmael sees Ahab’s confusion in his identity, between the Ahab who desires to return to his family and the Ahab who is destined to spend his life chasing Moby Dick (406). This concept of free will against fate becomes an important theme in Ishmael’s narrative. As Ahab gets closer to Moby Dick, he becomes completely consumed by the idea of destroying all evil through Moby Dick, allowing Fate to take over his free will, as Ahab concludes that his identity is the â€Å"Fates’ lieutenantà ¢â‚¬  who â€Å"act under orders,† and not his free will (418). Ishmael, who observes the tangling of free will and fate through Ahab, begins to understand that God’s will comes in the form of â€Å"springs and motives which being cunningly presented to me induced me to set about performing the part I did, besides cajoling me into the delusion that it was a choice resulting from my own unbiased freewill and discriminating judgment† (22). In short, while people may believe they act on their own accord, these actions are actually predetermined by God. Ahab’s comparison of life to a play also resonates with Ishmael. When he recalls that Ahab said, â€Å"This whole act’s immutably decreed. ‘Twas rehearsed by thee and me a billion years before this ocean rolled† Ishmael sees that Ahab believes that his endless quest for revenge against Moby Dick was preordained (418). This causes Ishmael to consider his own role in the voyage, perceiving that â€Å"my going on this whaling voyage, formed part of the grand programme of Providence that was drawn up a long time ago† and â€Å"those stage managers, the Fates, put me down for this shabby part of a whaling voyage† (22, 418). Although he sees his own role as a â€Å"shabby† one and compares himself to others who were cast for â€Å"magnificent roles in high tragedies† and â€Å"short and easy parts in genteel comedies†, he accepts his fate, and in doing so, he shows that he understands that is life is not without meaning. Even th e boredom and loneliness that has constantly plagued him now take the form as catalysts for his joining the Pequod. As Ishmael begins considering the role of God’s Providence in his life, he is still unable to grasp its true significance. However, by looking back at the series of decisions it took for him to join the Pequod, Ishmael begins to understand â€Å"the springs and motives which†¦ induced me to set about performing the part I did,† that even his loneliness and isolation has a greater end as a part of the God’s plan (22). In fact, fate, destiny, and Providence go beyond the boundaries of Christianity for Ishmael and allows him to eventually see and treat Queequeg without prejudice. Although he, like most of his compatriots, was initially terrified of Queequeg, the friendly affection that he shows to Ishmael wins him over. After observing Queequeg’s character and noting that this supposed savage seemed to â€Å"have an innate sense of delicacy† and proved â€Å"essentially polite†, Ishmael compares him with the Christians he has known (38). He remarks that â€Å"Christian kindness has proved but hollow courtesy† and questions who is truly the more civilized (56). Eventually, he concludes that religious worship comes in the form of obeying the will of God, and that what God essentially requires of men is â€Å"to do to my fellow man what I would have my fellow man do to me† (57). This allows him to realize that like Ishmael, Queequeg craves understanding and acceptance which Ishmael decides to give. In this way, it is Ishmael’s loneliness and his craving for human connection that allow him to be open minded about living so closely with a cannibalistic heathen. Without any special attachments to Western religion, culture, or societal norms, Ishmael sees beyond Queequeg’s fierce appearance and appreciate his humanity and compassion. Queequeg reciprocates these feelings, and it is the coffin he builds that eventually saves Ishmael’s life. Ishmael suggests that God facilitated his intimacy with Queequeg so that he could emerge as the sole survivor of the Pequod. In hindsight, Ishmael believes he was â€Å"mysteriously drawn towards† Queequeg and that the bond between them goes beyond human comprehension (56). He frequently alludes to marriage, describing their relationship as one that â€Å"naught but death should part us twain† and marveling that â€Å"he would gladly die for me† (38, 56). The strength of their bond surprises even Ishmael, and in Queequeg, he finally find the closest thing to familial love that he has ever experienced. Furthermore, Ishmael describes how Queequeg’s coffin â€Å"liberated by reason of its cunning spring†¦the coffin life-buoy†¦floated by my side† it transforms from a container of death to a chance at resurrection ? the same sort of resurrection that Ishmael desired from his cruel exile to bed during his childhood (427). To Ishmael, Queequegâ⠂¬â„¢s death allowed Ishmael to live, and this sacrifice gives his lonely existence value and significance. By the time he finishes retelling his account, Ishmael has grown from a lonely and restless young man to a mature man who now understands that he has a place in God’s Providence. He sees that his isolation has shaped him into an individual capable of observing and assessing situations objectively, and it has prepared him to fulfill God’s plan that he live to retell his narrative. However, just as Ahab fell to his demise without fulfilling his quest to master Moby Dick, Ishmael cannot fully understand the mysteries of his existence while he remains alive (20). Although Ishmael now recognizes that, this reflection of self in the water that â€Å"is the key to it all† (20) still compels him to continue searching for further meaning, leading to the retelling and revisiting of his journey.

Gender Inequality Of Women And Women Essay - 1440 Words

We live in a society where men and women are not see the same nor are treated equally. Gender inequalities have always been an issue in our society. Women have always gain less respect than men based on their sex. The society has developed certain images and roles for males and females. Men are seen to have masculine traits such stability, independence, and confidence; whereas, women have more feminine traits such as nurturing, affection, and patience. As well, the society has developed the division of occupations for genders. Females are expected to work in caring professions such as: a nurse, sectary, or teacher. While men are expected to be: doctors, lawyers, and construction workers. These stereotypes of gender should not state what a woman can do. A woman should have the same opportunities as men when is come to issues such as paying rate and job positions. This paper will address gender inequalities that women face in their occupations. Researchers Stier and Yaish (2014) have stated, â€Å"men’s employment is more stable, their salaries are higher and they have more opportunities for advancement and access to lucrative jobs† (p. 1). Indeed, men have more advantages in the society to gain power than women. Therefore, men are still dominating over women in occupations. Furthermore, â€Å"women are denied access to good and rewarding labor market positions by employers and because of their inferior power position in society their work is devalued and they are often ‘pushed’Show MoreRelatedGender Inequality : Women And Women1103 Words   |  5 Pagesthe main problem in the athlete world is gender inequality, women are not shown equal as men. 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However many linguists now believe that gender doesn’t play that big of a role In the way we speak because both men and women have grown socially to be accepted in mostRead MoreGender Inequality For Women s Sports982 Words   |  4 Pages Running head: INEQUALITIES FOR WOMEN IN SPORTS Inequalities for Women in Sports T’Keyah Thomas Georgia Southern University Sociology 1101 October 18, 2015 Sociology 1101: Reasearch Proposal Inequalities for Women in Sports Introduction: As an adolescent, I was very interested in sports. In fact, sports were all around me. I was usually the tallest of my friends, therefore I was faced with more opportunities concerning sports. The main sports I played were basketball and softballRead MoreGender Inequality Between Men And Women1094 Words   |  5 PagesWomen always have to face the gender equality, in any country. There will always be some problem regarding the topic gender inequality between men and women was socially constructed and has existed for only about 6000 years (page no.293). From thousand years ago, the society characterised by patriarchy. A system in which power is in the hands of men and many aspects of women’s life controlled by men. However, 20th century started to change everything and we saw lots of change even now. Society beganRead MoreUnequal Rights For Women And Gender Inequality1732 Words   |  7 PagesUnequal rights for women and gender inequality have been a plague across European s ociety since the dawn of time. It was not until the late eighteenth century that women’s rights activists, such as Mary Wollstonecraft, began to take action against this inequality. Through the perseverance of these activists, major reforms for equality began to arise during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, both being time periods that marked a profound era for women and the progression of women’s rights. During

The Secret to Oprah Winfreys Success free essay sample

Haneefah Muhammad Manning English-10/Period: 1 16 May 2011 The Secret to One Of America’s Biggest Icons Success Everyone knows Oprah Winfrey, and there might be a lot of controversy about how Oprah became who she is today, and what all it took for her to become a billionaire. Oprah, one of America’s top icons went through many obstacles and struggles to become what she is today. Although, Oprah is very famous, and on the T. V. screen it appears like her life is easy, this essay can give you a look behind the scenes to see what she really had to overcome to get where she is today. Do you think that Oprah just luckily became one of America’s Icons, or that she had to work hard for it? There are probably many questions that can be asked about how Oprah became who she is. But, I’ll just say that Oprah’s childhood, social class, and her career aspirations are key to her success. When Oprah was born, the voyage to her success started which was January 29th, 1954. Oprah Gail Winfrey was born to Vernita Lee at age eighteen, and Vernon Winfrey who was the age of twenty. After Oprah’s birth, Vernita, Oprah’s mother had to find a job, so she moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Oprah then had to live with her grandmother, Hattie Mae Lee on her farm in Mississippi (Elizabeth). Vernita had the intentions of moving Oprah with her when she got a stable job. Meanwhile, Oprah’s grandmother encouraged her love for books and learning, and taught her how to read at the age of 3 and write by the age of 5. Oprah then began to preach at the church that she attended and read the Bible. Oprah lived her whole childhood in poverty, and did not have much of anything, but she always got the best of it. At one point Oprah even had pet roaces named Melinda and Sandy. One thing that Oprah says that probably made her stong and contributes to who she is today is to â€Å"Be thankful for what you have; youll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you dont have, you will never, ever have enough. † Later on, at age 6, Oprah moved with her mother, Vernita to Milwaukee, because her grandmother became ill. In the midst of Oprah living with her grandmother, Vernita had another girl named Patricia, which was Oprah’s half-sister. Oprah’s mother would spend most of her time with Patricia and didn’t really pay much attention to Oprah. A year later, Oprah moved with her father, Vernon, and her step-mother, Zelma in Nashville Tennessee. Vernon and Zelma were unable to have children, and loved for Oprah to stay with them. Oprah then went to Wharton Elementary School, and skipped a grade for the second time and was placed in third grade. She then began to preach again, and started speaking at the church that she currently attended in Nashville. After Oprah completed third grade she went back to Milwaukee to visit her mother, and her mother had another child, a boy named Jeffrey. In the fall, Vernon came to take Oprah back to Nashville, but she decided that she would stay with Vernita, and start the fourth grade there. Oprah was forced to share a room with her siblings, and did not care for her mother’s living. In Vernita’s absence, Oprah would resort to watching the television for companionship, and had her first thought to becoming well-known one day. This then marked the idea of Oprah becoming great, like she is today. At age 9, Oprah experienced sexual abuse, while her and her siblings were being watched by their older cousin, who was nineteen. She was molested, and then taken to go get ice-cream, so that she wouldn’t tell, which she didn’t. Later on Oprah was raped at her house by a family friend. Two years later, Oprah was molested again by her Uncle. Knowing, that sexual abuse really has an effect on people’s lives, and can traumatize them for life, Oprah kept her experiences with sexual abuse as an untold secret. Ms. Winfrey then attended Lincoln Middle School in downtown Milwaukee, and a teacher named Gene Abrams realized Oprah’s compassion and interest in books. Ms. Abrams then assisted Oprah in getting her into Nicolet High School, which was an all white school, in Glendale, Wisconsin. At Nicolet High School, Ms. Winfrey was the only African-American student, and Oprah is quoted saying, â€Å"In 1968 it was real hip to know a black person, so I was very popular. † Oprah was then getting a good education, and was on the road to being successful. Unfortunately, Vernita’s house Oprah was not receiving much guidance and aid, and was not able to talk to her mother about being sexually abused. So, Oprah resorted to acting out and not behaving well. Ms. Winfrey then began to start dating, skipping school, running away, being sexually active, and stealing from her mother. Vernita did not know how to cope and deal with this bad behavior, so she sent her back to Nashville to live with her father, and step-mother. At age 14, Oprah found out that she was pregnant, and would wear big clothes so that her parents would not find out about her pregnancy (Oprah Winfrey). She was able to hide the fact that she was pregnant until the seventh month. On the day that she told her father that she was pregnant, she went into labor, and delivered the baby (The Oprah Winfrey Biography). Oprah Winfrey gave girth to a baby boy, who was born early, and died two weeks after his birth. At age 16, Oprah started reading the autobiography of Maya Angelou, called I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Oprah said, and I quote, â€Å"I read it over and over, I had never read a book that validated my own existence. † Maya Angelou’s autobiography really related to Oprah Winfrey, and she started looking up to Maya Angelou, whom she got to meet later on in life, and became one of Oprah’s close friends (Metcalf). Ms. Winfrey then started to get her life back on track, and began concentrating on her education, and started to speak publicly again. In 1970, she won a college scholarship, from the Elk’s Club speaking competition, that would send her to school for four years for her hard work and talent. In 1971, Oprah was selected to be present at The White House Conference on Youth in Colorado, so that she and one other student could represent Tennessee and its education. When she returned to Nashville, she was interviewed by WVOL Radio Station. The radio station later asked Oprah to represent their station, and participate in a beauty pageant, called the Miss Fire Prevention. She then won the competition, and was the first African American to ever win this contest (Cassandra). After winning this contest, WVOL presented her with a chance to hear her voice on tape. Oprah’s talent then got her a part-time position in being a newsreader. At the age of 17, Oprah completed her senior year, and continued speaking on the radio. In 1988, Oprah established her own talk show called the Oprah Winfrey Show, and has her own magazine (Vernita). In conclusion, today, Oprah continues to work diligently in her work. Ms. Winfrey is a talk show host, producer, narrator, and one of the few African American billionaires. Ms. Winfrey is also a very charitable person. Oprah has starred in movies, donated to the community, and even established a girl’s school in South Africa. On January 1, 2011, Oprah aired her first shows on the OWN network, Oprah’s own cable channel. Oprah Winfrey’s last show will be aired on May 25th, 2011. Oprah Gail Winfrey is truly a shining example of someone who can become so great and accomplished so many goals, not to have anything as a child, and to go through so much. As we can see, Oprah’s childhood, social class, and career aspirations are key to her success today. Works Cited â€Å"Oprah Winfrey Biography†, 2011. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. â€Å"Oprah Winfrey. † Academy of Achievement, 21 Oct. 2010. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. Fry, Elizabeth. â€Å"A Childhood Biography of Oprah Winfrey. † About. com, 2011. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. Lane, Vernetta. â€Å"Oprah Winfrey†, 2010. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. Metcalf, Stephen. â€Å"Oprah’s Biography. † Slate Magazines, 20 May 2010. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. Nelson, Cassandra. â€Å"Oprah Winfrey’s official biography†, Jan. 2011. Web. 14 Apr. 2011.

Seriousness of Global Warming

Global warming is considered to be one of the most significant problems. The problem touches upon the rise of temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere as well as the influence of gaseous emissions and combustion gases, which are the reasons for the ecologists and scientists’ concern. Therefore, the anthropogenic factor comes into effect.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Seriousness of Global Warming specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are a lot of scientific articles as well as books and other sources which are devoted to the ecological problem. Generally, global warming is described as a rise of temperature. One of the authors who studied this ecological problem carefully, the author Cline (1992) states that â€Å"the most serious general problem is that the reports—especially their policy aspects—focus too much on climate change up to a fixed date, 2030, instead of giving equal empha sis to the longer-term changes that will result from human actions between now and 2030.† (p. 44) The consequences of global warming which influence the future must be taken into consideration, but if one thinks about the present, there will be no need to anticipate things. The question which the ecologists ask themselves is what is to be done next? The actions of those who give consideration to this global ecological problem are not coordinated, as their quantity is not enough to affect others. Of course, it is easier to think about negative consequences which will take place in future, but not to take measures now. There are many factors which are related to the origin of the ecological problem. However, global warming depends mostly upon the so-called greenhouse effect which is re-radiated towards the lower atmosphere. (NOAA Satellite and Information Service, 2007) The above-mentioned effect is the most important factor of the Earth’s temperature regulating. In most cases it is the anthropogenic factor which is considered to be the principal reason of global warming. A carbon dioxide which is the main element of the greenhouse effect exceeds its norms by numerous times. For instance, various combustion gases influence the increasing of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Earlier, people thought that the climate changes depend upon the solar influence; however, today this point of view is recognized to be outdated. On the one hand, the statement makes sense; on the other one, the impact of solar effect is recognized to be rather small in comparison with greenhouse influence, so, the earlier statement is negligible. Today, it is possible to predict the results of climate changes. Thus, computer technologies allowed to create the so-called climatic system to determine the interaction between global warming and greenhouse effect. The strange thing is that it is not the concentration of greenhouse gases which causes the climate changes, but their inte raction with various physical processes does.Advertising Looking for essay on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One may say that there are no visible results of the ecological problem. It is a wrong opinion. The negative consequences of global warming are noticeable on small islands. The problem touched the human health as well, so there is a strong necessity to find the solution to the problem. The global ecological problem is related to every person who lives on the Earth. Thinking about global warming and its possible consequences, is the first step of the problem solution. Underestimating the global warming is a mistake. Reference List Cline. W.R. The Economics of Global Warming. Washington, DC: Institute for International Economics. Retrieved from https://www.questia.com/read/99472197/the-economics-of-global-warming NOAA Satellite and Information Service. (2007). Global Warming. Web. This essay on Seriousness of Global Warming was written and submitted by user Rumiko Fujikawa to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

History of the Theory of Demographic Transition

History of the Theory of Demographic Transition Introduction The theory of demographic transition was first realized in the ostensible developed nations in the early 1950s. During that period, the nations underwent a process in which the death rate was reduced, and birth rate regulated (Kirk, 1996, p.361). Before the demographic transition, the developed countries experienced high death rates and birth rates, which stabilized the size of population.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on History of the Theory of Demographic Transition specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, after an improvement in the living standards, there was a decrease in the death rate and a subsequent reduction in the birth rate. Demographic transition can be defined as the shift from a situation where nations experienced high levels of birth and death rates to a situation where the two (birth and death rates) are low so balancing out (Montgomery, 2010, p.1). The four phases of demographic trans ition Pre-transition phase This phase is characterized by cases of high birth and death rates. The birth and death rate during this stage is depicted to fluctuate with natural events such as floods, disease outbreaks, and droughts among others. In this stage, the size of the population is stagnant and not increasing at a fast rate. Early transition phase During this stage, the death rates are minimized, and as such, the population is noted to increase in size (Rueter, 2003, p.1). This is because of improved healthcare and food supply thus reducing mortality especially in childhood. Middle transition phase During this stage, the population size is driven towards a stable position. This is achieved by a reduction in the birth rate, which is due to several factors such as contraception, urbanization, and improving literacy and employment among the women. Late transition phase This stage is characterized by low birth and death rates, during which, the population is high but stable such that the population growth rate is almost zero (Rueter, 2003, p.1). Factors leading to a decline in the crude birth rate and crude death rate The values of crude birth rate and crude death rates are arrived at by taking the number of births and deaths respectively and dividing them by a thousand. The values are termed as crude because their computation does not take into account differences in ages or sex (Rosenberg, 2011, p.1).Advertising Looking for report on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Factors such as food insecurity, poor living conditions, poor medical services, and use of contraceptives could lead to a decline in the rate of crude birth of a country. On the other hand, improved medical services, food security, and improved living standards will lead to a decline in the crude death rate. Impacts in developed countries Phase four of demographic transition is characterized by a stable po pulation as evidenced in the developed nations. This is normally because of the improved living conditions experienced in those nations. An example is the quality healthcare services provided in the developed nations like the America, which is remarkably different to the kind of healthcare services provided in the developing nations. Secondly, the developed nations experience low cases of unemployment thus better living standards contrary to the developing nations where unemployment is widespread hence poor living conditions. The same case applies to food security whereby the developed nations use modern technology to ensure that they have high food security. On the other hand, the developing nations experience food insecurity, which causes an increase in mortality rates. Suggested programs or initiatives to assist in demographic transition phase four Some of the suggested programs include initiating campaigns on contraceptives and enhancing female literacy to regulate the birth rat e. The developing nations should also improve the quality of healthcare services provision to reduce the death rate. Conclusion From the above discussion, it is clear that demographic transition is of substantial importance to every nation. This is because it has a significant impact on the social and economic developments of the country. All nations, especially the developing ones should ensure that they have attained the fourth phase of demographic transition. Reference List Kirk, D. (1996). The Demographic Transition. Population Studies, 50 (3), 361–387. Montgomery, K. (2010). The Demographic Transition. Web.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on History of the Theory of Demographic Transition specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Rosenberg, M. (2011). Crude Birth Rate. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/crude-birth-rate-1435459 Rueter, J. (2003). Demographic Transition. Retrieved from http://web.pdx.edu/~ruet erj/courses/casestudies/demographic_transition/index.html

MREmpanada Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

MREmpanada - Research Paper Example I. Fragmentation and/or Concentration As a player in the United States restaurant industry, Mr. Empanada is a fast casual industry and not a fast food company as most people take it. The U.S restaurant industry is characterized by countless actors. The industry has already entered the mature stage of the industry life cycle, as growth of the industry slows own. The united states restaurant industry is fragmented into various subsets, the most popular being the fast food, full service restaurants and the fast casual segments. In a fast food setting, food is prepared before being ordered while in a casual setting, food is prepared after the customer has ordered it. There are hundreds of fast food and fast casual joints in United States that offer products that are intractably similar in almost all aspects. Panera Bread Company is the renowned leader in the casual food subset while McDonald’s is the overall industry leader operating in the fast food segment. The yearly anticipate d growth for the restaurant industry is 1.9% from 2013 through 2018 (The University of Tampa, 2). The slow growth rate is attributable to reduction in consumer disposable income due to prolonged recession period in United States. Consumers opt to consume home cooked means or consumer lower priced items when eating out. This is hurting the growth in the various fragments of the restaurant industry. United States restaurant industry sales ($ billions) (Source: The University of Tampa, 1) II. Switching costs Switching costs are the negative costs that buyers incur due to changing products, brands or suppliers. Switching costs are mostly evaluated in terms of money value, but they may also be time-based, effort based and psychological switching costs. Switching costs may be associated to learning, finding alternatives, ambiguity costs, contractual costs and transaction costs. Switching costs is a control mechanism that exists in most markets (Sundelin, para 1). In the case of Mr. Empana da, there are little or no switching costs as substitutes are readily available. Providers of casual foods are such as the chipotle Mexican grill, Panera bread, Skyline Chili, Donatos Pizza, Freebirds among others, which are easy to locate. Customers who wish to change from Mr. Empanada products and consumer rival products do not incur significant costs. For illustration, learning and compatibility cost is almost zero since the Mr. Empanada and its rival’s products are undifferentiated. Therefore, customers do not have to look and learn new information with regard to rival products. As such, consumers easily change from one Mr. Empanada products to its rivals due to insignificant switching costs or no cost at all. III. Buyer inclination to substitute In the United States restaurant industry, competition is so rife and fierce. As stated earlier, most of the industry’s products are undifferentiated. Customers hardly notice the difference between competitors’ produ cts and this extremely heightens buyers’ inclination to substitute (Porter, 28). In regard to Mr. Empanada, buyer inclination to substitutes is indispensably high. The reason is that Mr. Empanada is not known to many people outside its headquarters in Tampa, Florida. In addition to limited popularity, Mr. Empanada offers few types of salads, beverages, sandwiches that

Self-Reliance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Self-Reliance - Essay Example Conformity, consistency, and regret are three of the barriers to self-reliance (â€Å"Self-Reliance†). People tend to conform to societal expectations and in an attempt of doing so, lose track of their personal goals and desires. Consistency is stated as a barrier to self-reliance because it deprives an individual of the opportunity to experience new things in life, challenge the beliefs inculcated into him/her by others which is required to make informed decisions, and develop more skills. Consistency is repetition and it is a barrier to creativity and innovation, hence also a barrier to self-reliance. Regret is a barrier to self-reliance because it is regressive in effect and does not make any valuable contribution to an individual’s life. It is good to regret but only to the extent that the individual realizes where he/she has done the mistake so that it can be corrected in the future. Regretting about things that the individual cannot do anything about is not produc tive. I can relate to Emerson’s viewpoint on the barriers to self-reliance. I love meat but in an attempt to conform to the expectations of most members of my family who are true vegetarians and consider it ethically unjustified to eat meat, I have remained a vegetarian going against my nature for a long time. I do physical workout quite often. I have noticed that I need to keep changing the ways I do physical workout in order to maintain my interest in the exercise. The same kind of exercise done repeatedly becomes boring. Likewise, consistency in anything creates the room for boredom. My grandfather died a few years ago. I often regret not having spent much time talking to him while he was alive. This regret and realization has made me more caring and loving toward the elderly. I have used my regret in a constructive way to achieve self-reliance rather than letting it become a barrier to that. Steps I can take to achieve self-reliance include taking measures to remove the barriers to