Financial Statement Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial Statement Analysis - Research Paper Example It provides awareness to the investors in that guide them in making important investment decisions. The analysis of the firm will reveal its financial background, operating efficiency, liquidity position, and profitability, going concern, and capital structure and gearing position. Industry analysis facilitates the understanding of the operating environment, identification of external threats and opportunities for investment, analysis of trends within the industry and the general performance of the industry. The Yum! Brands Inc. is a fast food restaurant incorporated in 1927. The company establishes, operates, franchises and licenses a global system of restaurants, which make, pack and sell a menu of priced food commodities. The company has three powerful brands, TACO Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut, which has continuously sustained its profitability over the years. Over the years, the company has reported increase in turnover, profits and returns to shareholders. The earnings per share of the company has an upwards trend for the past eight years with the exception of 2013 when the earnings dropped significantly (Morningstar Inc., 2014). The company’s growth is driven by its powerful brands, superior marketing strategies, breakthrough innovations and competing values, and venturing into new markets (Yum! Brands Inc., 2014). The restaurant business in the U.S is highly competitive with major multinational companies such as Yum! Brands, Starbucks, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Chipotle. Personal income, demographics and consumer tastes and preferences drive demand in this industry. Individual entities in the industry have varied profitability levels. Whereas the quick-service restaurants rely on high-volume turnover and efficient operations, the full-service restaurants rely on effective marketing and high-margin items. This industry is experiencing an upward growth trend in sales, profitability and shareholders returns over the years

Intellectual Property Law Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Intellectual Property Law - Research Paper Example Intellectual Property Law In Two Pesos, the trade dress in contention was the â€Å"look and feel† that Taco Cabana, a successful chain of Mexican restaurants, had established over the years and which was allegedly copied by Two Pesos, a Mexican restaurant chain owned by a person who once approached the owners of Taco Cabana offering to take the restaurant’s concept nationwide, but was rejected. The â€Å"look and feel† allegedly copied includes the 24-hour patio cafà © concept, building and other features architecture, open kitchens and menu boards, among others. Taco Cabana brought an action for trade dress infringement and was granted relief by the trial court, a decision upheld by the Court of Appeals. On appeal, the SC harmonize the requirements between registered and unregistered marks stating that the requirements for the registrability of trademarks are also the same requirements in determining whether unregistered marks are entitled to protection. More significantly, the SC ruled that acquisition of secondary meaning of a trade dress is not necessary in cases where the trade dress is inherently distinctive. Accordingly, the Court ruled that it is inappropriate to impose upon inherently distinctive trade dress the requirement of secondary meaning on the following grounds: there is no rationale for enforcing additional requirements on trade dress because protection for both trademark and trade dress under the Lanham Act serves the same purpose of preventing both unfair competition and fraudulence.; the provision on trade dress in the Lanham Act, viz. s 43(a), does not justify a departure from traditional and established trademark test, and; imposing upon a trade dress the additi onal requirement of secondary meaning even if the trade dress is found to be inherently distinctive is contrary to the underlying objective of the Lanham Law which is the protection of both consumers and trademark holders. In Qualitex, the trade dress in issue was the green-gold color, which was plaintiff Qualitex’s color of its dry cleaning pads, a product it had been selling for more than thirty years. The defendant company began manufacturing and selling dry cleaning pads with the same color as that of Qualitex, a move that prompted the latter to bring an action for unfair competition against Jacobson before the courts and subsequently added trademark infringement after it successfully registered its dry pad color with the Patent and Trademark Office during the pendency of the case. The trial court decided in favor of Qualitex; the Court of Appeal reversed that decision on the ground that color per se is not registrable as trademark. This decision was not upheld by the SC on the ground that trademark is a broad term that comprises anything capable of giving meaning, according to the s 1127 of the USC Code, such as color. Section 45 of the Lanham Act requires the elements of ability to identify and distinctiveness as to the source of goods as requirements to registrability. Although color is not inherently distinctive, the SC asserted that it could acquire secondary meaning from frequent use over a long period of time that such color could represent, in the public mind, the identity

Dangers of Escalation of Commitment in Accounting

Dangers of Escalation of Commitment in Accounting This report analyses the issue of escalation of commitment to a course of action from the perspective of the pharmaceutical industry. Escalation can be defined as a situation where a failing venture is supplied with additional resources beyond the point of feasibility. As such, escalation carries substantial dangers for organisations by generating avoidable economic losses. The report inquiries into the generic causes of escalation by examining subject literature. Accordingly psychological, social, organisational and project-specific factors are identified as common escalation activators. Exploration into the particulars of the said industry categorises profitability issues, market performance concerns, maturing products portfolio alongside development pipeline conditions as features amplifying pharma companies vulnerability to escalation. The point is supported by real-life case examples located in the appendix. Appreciation of escalation causes allows for development of effective prevention policies. The report suggests preventive measures aimed at reducing the occurrence of escalation triggers, such as challenging the individual and social causes. Approaches for reducing other factors impact on decision-making are outlined in the form of strategy alteration as well as process management policies. The report finalises with suggestions on escalating situations management. Statement of Reference The aim of this 2000-word report is to inquiry the causes and dangers of escalation of commitment to a course of action from the perspective of pharmaceutical companies. This report is to assess the dangers of escalation of commitment to a chosen course of action through the perspective of pharmaceutical companies. In order to achieve the aim set, the paper first analyses the definition and threats arising from the phenomenon of escalation. Next, following the framework proposed by Ross Staw (1993) generic causes of escalation are summarised. Subsequently, the report looks at industry- and drug development-specific escalation triggers in an attempt to identify why the pharmaceutical companies are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of escalation of commitment. Then, escalation prevention provisions organised around tackling previously identified triggers are outlined. The report concludes with suggestions concerning the issue of escalating situation management. Escalation of commitment: Definition and dangers Escalation can be defined as a situation where an individual over-commits resources to a failing venture after receiving negative feedback on its performance. Having an option to discontinue, the decision-maker forgoes rational behaviour and devotes more money, time or effort in a false belief that greater involvement will bring the project to successful completion (Staw, 1981). Some examination suggests that escalation as such should not be automatically assigned negative connotation. Low level of employee commitment is also damaging to organisational performance; background factors might justify over-commitment (Heath, 1995). Another view assumes escalation to be a natural feature of the business decision-making that should be treated as an unavoidable expense (Bowen, 1987). The dominant notion supported by extensive research suggests that escalation of commitment should be acted against (Brockner, 1992) because of carrying dangers of: Ultimately leading to multiplication of avoidable losses; Introducing irrational decision-making; Undermining the basic premise of business activity: to maximise gains with minimal costs; Generating substantial opportunity costs Consuming unrecoverable resources, such as time. Appreciation of escalation triggers allows for development of efficient prevention methods aimed at reducing the occurrence of such factors, subsequently protecting the company from the aforementioned detriments. Generic causes of escalation Psychological Initial research suggested that escalation arises primarily from the natural incline of the human being to self-justify behaviour. Supplying the course of action with additional resources serves as unconscious defence technique: the individual reassures him/herself that the original decision made was rational (Staw, 1976). Self-justification need is heightened if the decision-maker holds responsibility for the resource allocation (Staw, 1981), which is typical for investment decision setting. Prospect theory applied to escalation suggests that self-justification is not vital prerequisite for its occurrence. Escalation is induced by the decision-maker using a frame to make decisions under conditions of uncertainty of results. The decision-maker views subsequent decisions in reference to outcomes of initial judgements in order to produce a coherent frame. The negative feedback on the initial resource allocation results in the subsequent distribution being viewed as a choice between definite and possible loss, or a negative frame. Subsequently individuals are prone to escalation by becoming risk-seeking: failing to accept a definite loss even at the cost of incurring greater in the future (Whyte, 1986). How the decision-maker perceives incurred costs, constitutes another escalation trigger (Garland Newport, 1991). Following prospects theory, the sunk costs effect suggests that costs incurred viewed in relation to the total expenditure induce a negative frame, leading to escalating behaviour. Linked with that, the dislike of waste provides another motivation to supply the course of action further, rather than face a definite loss (Arkes Blumer, 1985). Interestingly, excitement about the project outcomes (Schmidt Calantone, 2002), and sunk-time effect ­ (Navarro Fantino, 2009) aid escalation occurrence. Social Importantly, the aforementioned need to justify the correctness of behaviour is not limited to the individual and applies to the wider social context (Staw, 1976). Maintaining an image of a consistent decision-maker among peers proves equally, or more, important to meeting self-justification needs. The desire to obtain social approval is exacerbated under insecurity of the social status in the group, or in a presence of an adverse crowd (Staw, 1976). In such instances the individual is likely to model his/her behaviour to reproduce the model endorsed by the audience (Brockner, 1992). As the group replicates leader stereotypes that emphasize the need for decision-makers to be consistent in actions in order to be perceived as competent (Staw Ross, 1980), the individual aspiring to achieve consistency with the stereotypical image will over-commit not to distort others belief in their leadership potential, and to reaffirm position in the group structure. Intra- or inter- group competition can indicate escalation. The focus is shifted away from objective assessment of the possible outcomes of a chosen decision onto the motivation to win. The need to do whatever it takes to get a step ahead of the competitors introduces scope for irrationality and escalation as such irrational behaviour is common to both of the parties involved (Bazerman, 2006). Organisational Projects receiving strong organisational support are prone to escalation (Pfeffer, 1981 in Ross Staw, 1993), as the decision-makers identify them with the existence of organisation itself. Furthermore, the centrality of the project to organisational values and its entrenchment in the organisational structure account for the projects being continued despite reservations (Goodman et al., 1980 in Ross Staw, 1993). Unwinding the supporting infrastructure might threaten the very basis of working organisational structure; induce change that is often associated with risks and dangers. The costs of acceptance of status quo are perceived as minor to the potential dangers of modified environment. Maintaining reputation and consistency between values and actions prove to constitute forces inducing over-commitment from organisational perspective (Ross Staw, 1993). Companies having publicly announced success might be more hesitant to admit failure and discontinue with the course of action. Project-specific High development costs and risky market performance of the finished product, the acceptance of failures and losses as a feature of the RD process, and reluctance of decision-makers to emotionally detach from the prolonged projects account for greater escalation exposure of RD projects (Schmidt Calantone, 2002). Low potential reusability (Staw Ross, 1993) of the generated output results in reluctance to discontinue the venture in order to avoid waste. Negative framing induces the perception of exit costs, such as compensation packages as definite waste, leading to escalation. The advancement of the project on a timeline constitutes another threat due to sunk-cost effect (Navarro Fantino, 2009). Projects reaching advanced stages of development would be discontinued reluctantly because of accumulation of used resources, including time, and the perception of imminent availability of the anticipated gains. Industry-specific Escalation Triggers Profitability issues Recent data suggests that pharmaceutical companies are to face decline in profit figures in forthcoming years (Datamonitor, 2010). This can be attributed to steadily increasing drug development costs: the costs producing the final product exceed $1 billion, with as few as 20% of successful product entries achieving the break-even point (Innovation.org, 2010). Estimates suggest that pharmaceutical companies should launch two to four drugs annually to maintain steady profit margins (Gassmann Reepmeyer, 2005). However, due to high attrition rates the overall success of organisations strategy is often reliant on the success of a single project (Kola Landis, 2004). These factors pressurise the companies to continue with projects and disregard arising reservations to maintain profitability. Maturing product portfolio The reduction in new component approvals can be partially attributed to strengthening drug registration requirements. Other explanation lies in the controversial innovation deficit experienced by the industry (Schmid Smith, 2004). Lower innovation figures account for pharmaceutical companies being faced with maturing product portfolio. Consequently, the companies engage in a variety of innovative projects overly-optimistically assessing their revenue potential, failing to discontinue when reservations arise. Eventually, the companies face greater losses as the projects fail to generate anticipated revenues, but incurring avoidable losses (Appendix: Dimebon case). Concerns for market performance The pressure to persist is further reinforced by the need to be consistent with companys vision (Ross Staw, 1993). Endorsing the projects demonstrates consistence with the mission statement; reaffirms the reputation as well as reassures the market and investors on following the profitable trail. However, forgoing ethical and safety aspects of drug delivery over concerns for market performance and cost-cutting proves detrimental (Appendix: GSK Puerto Rico Plant). Development pipeline conditions The specificity of the drug development pipeline further adds to the vulnerability to the dangers of escalation of commitment. The drug development time is estimated to surpass 10 years, with the costs amplifying as the project progresses (Accenture, 2007). This suggests heightened emotional attachment and excitement towards results, as well as existence of supporting infrastructure as powerful motivators of escalation. Attrition figures reveal that escalation is common in the industry as the most projects are withdrawn after reaching the most cost intensive stage of advanced clinical trials that precedes the registration process; or are recalled after reaching the patient due to safety concerns that have been ignored earlier on (Kola Landis, 2004) (Appendix: Avandia case). Escalation: how to prevent it? Tackling individual and social causes Perhaps introduce appraisal procedures emphasizing ones ability to build on past actions, rather than progression of the project. This will reduce managers fear of negative consequences if the project fails. Confidential treatment of sensitive matters, such as personal failures, will reduce the reputation retention motivation for escalation (Simonson Staw, 1992). Consider developing positive leader stereotypes supported by convergent organisational values emphasizing the rationality of decision-making. Furthermore, introducing panel decision-making procedures contribute to preventing escalation by reducing individual responsibility for the decision taken (Simonson Staw, 1992; Schmidt Calantone, 2002). Inviting members of relevant departments allows for assessing the projects success potential from a variety of angles limiting scope for escalation to arise. Ponder developing neutral decision frames by rotating managers in charge of the project so that different individuals held responsibility for initial and subsequent resources allocations (Simonson Staw, 1992). Additionally, foster for emotional detachment from sunk costs by introducing training in mental budgeting (Heath, 1995). Project evaluation and management Clear and achievable targets should be set out at the project initiation alongside exit points at various stages of progression (Schmid Smith, 2004). Measuring projects performance against set aims; assessing the efficiency with which resources yield results at the selected points allows for early estimation whether the project is following the anticipated pathway, thus allowing to avoid greater losses. Consider adopting attrite early strategy (Schmid Smith, 2004) as companys motto. Consider participation in multi-stakeholder analysis projects evaluating the potential value of innovative drug projects at early stages of development such as the consultations conducted within the European Healthcare Innovation Leadership Network (AstraZeneca, 2010). Ponder involving external parties in the project (Schmidt Calantone, 2002). Perhaps engage auditors to assess the success projects success potential at its outset or to devise effective contingency planning. This will ensure objectivity and independence of organisational politics. Consider outsourcing the project to subcontractors to avoid its institutionalisation in the organisational structure. Alternating middle-to-long-term strategy Consider renewing existing product portfolio and engagement in me-too drug developments. This ensures steady revenue generation from inelastic demand segments (Ganuza et al., 2009) and carries less risk comparing to reliance on anticipated gains from innovative compounds. Estimations suggest that involvement in drug-related sectors or focusing on advancement in licensed compounds constitute a potentially profitable alternative (Schmid Smith, 2004). Consider GSKs involvement in healthcare brands as an example. Managing Escalation Suppose the escalating situation arises, consider replacing the project manager or establishing panel assessment in order to remove the negative thinking frame, rid off the potential self-justification needs and assess realistically projects success potential (Simonson Staw, 1992). Consequently, ponder engaging external consultants to develop plausible solutions and introduce other point of view independent of the political and organisational influence. Otherwise, evaluate potential salvage value of the project towards establishing uses other than the initial one anticipated (Appendix: Viagra case). Furthermore, consider whether external financial support for advanced research is available; and if is feasible to use towards accomplishment of the projects aims. Otherwise, ponder engaging in partnership with a company undertaking research in similar compound in order to combine knowhow and reduce costs. Appendix Avandia case Recent withdrawal of GSKs highly innovative and best-selling diabetes drug, Avandia, in EU was caused by the linkages with deaths by heart failures among the patients on the medication (FT.com, 2010b). Allegedly, the company was aware of the severity of adverse effects, however launched the drug to the market (Avandia Recall News, 2010). Estimations suggest that GSK could face between $1.1bn and $6bn in compensation costs (FT.com, 2010a) that could have been avoided had the company ceased the project when safety concerns were brought to light. Additionally, bad publicity incurred after the allegations surfaced resulted in fall of GSK share prices, and the company facing negative profit accounts (FT.com, 2010c). Dimebon case Pfizer has recently withdrawn from advanced clinical trials (undertaken in partnership with Medivation) of highly anticipated Alzheimers disease cure, Dimebon, after the drug exhibited no promising therapeutic results (MedScape Medical News, 2010). The reservations about the curative properties of the compound have been raised at early stages of the process. It is assumed that the logic behind Dimebons miraculous effects was never properly investigated. Furthermore, similar compounds failed in previous trials (ABC News online, 2010). Escalating behaviour in such case could be linked to Pfizer losing patent rights the currently marketed Alzheimers treatment, Aricept and was in need of a profitable replacement. As a result of failure to investigate and evaluate promptly, Pfizer has incurred $725 million in RD costs (the Economist.com, 2010). GSK Puerto Rico Plant case GSK is reported to pay $750m in penalty payment to US government and other claimants following allegations on manufacturing malpractice and failure to adhere to safety standards in production plant in Puerto Rico. The allegations regarding mal-adjusted doses of active ingredients and ineffectiveness of drugs submitted to government programmes were revealed by a former employee and resulted in the company being charged with a criminal offence (Wall Street Journal Law Blog, 2010). Viagra case Initially Viagra was developed as a cordial drug aimed at decreasing blood pressure and preventing cardiac arrests. Clinical trials unexpectedly revealed potentially exploitable and marketable properties of the drug: high effectiveness in fighting erectile dysfunction in men. In the six months following its launch as a revolutionary treatment, in 1998 Viagra worldwide sales have exceeded  £300 million (BBCnews.com, 1999).

Explore proposals of marriage and the representation of married women in Pride and Prejudice :: essays research papers

Explore proposals of marriage and the representation of married women in Pride and Prejudice   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marriage is the ultimate goal in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. The book begins with the quote 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife', and this sets the tone for all the events that are to follow. It manages to present a miniature version of all that happens over the course of the novel, the entire plot of which is basically concerned with the pursuit of advantageous marriage by both male and female characters. The obsession with socially beneficial marriage in nineteenth-century English society manifests itself here, for although she points out that a single man 'must be in want of a wife,' Austen reveals that the reverse might be more accurate, as almost all of the unmarried female characters are virtually desperate for marriage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Married women are represented as foolish, for example Mrs Bennet and Charlotte Lucas/Collins. Mrs Bennet is very much a one-dimensional character, and this might be because she is already married, and her story is therefore of no real interest to Austen, so she does not spend time developing Mrs Bennet as a fully rounded character. However, she does manage to show Mrs. Bennet as a frustratingly irritating character, as she is both noisy and absurd, and her single-minded obsession with seeing her daughters married to rich and eligible bachelors becomes tiresome early on in the novel. More irritatingly, her pursuit of her daughters' well being is usually her undoing, as her attempts tend to fail, due to her lack of social graces, which separate her from the class of men she wishes for her daughters. She shows how utterly preoccupied with marrying her daughters off, regardless of their happiness, in the way that she is pleased with Lydia's marriage to Wickham. It is painfully obvious that Lydia will soon become disillusioned with her hasty marriage, but Mrs Bennet still sees it as 'delightful indeed' 9169). It is very likely that Austen's use of Mrs Bennet's character is only a deliberate device to highlight the necessity of marriage for young women to avoid scandal or scorn and to ensure that they are provided for, and this explains why her character is never developed any more than necessary. Charlotte, however, is still given as much attention after her marriage as she was before, and this is probably because Austen wants to let us as the reader see how her marriage of convenience affects her.

How useful are the sources A to G for explaining why there was an anti-war movement in the United States during the late 1960s and early 1970s?

The movement against the Vietnam War in 1960s America was one of the largest of its kind, in both national and international comparisons; the movement was heavily linked with other reform groups which were pressurising the American government during that time period. Due to this, opposition to the war came from a diverse number of groups who each had their own reasoning for their anti-militaristic stance – ranging from veteran's opposing based upon their experience or Civil Rights demonstrators who felt they were trying to uphold the rights of the Vietnamese people, whilst not necessarily having the same themselves, domestically. What facilitated the exacerbation of the anti-war movement was the greater access to uncensored information in the extensive television coverage from Vietnam; not forgetting that the right to freedom of speech was also capitalised on by those in education who sought to bolster the importance of student activism, and their pressure group status. Others viewed the conflict as a war against Vietnamese independence, or as intervention in a foreign civil war; others opposed it because they felt it lacked direction and appeared to be potentially unsuccessful – devastation for a nation that was, and possibly still is, the largest international influence. Source A Source A, an extract from the book ‘Four hours in My Lai' by Michael Bilton (published in 1992), is a piece that mainly focuses towards the military aspect of the war and the effects of the involvement had on real life soldiers – this would be the case, given that this secondary source is based upon an influential telling of events by some individuals who were involved in the My Lai incident on 16 March, 1968. The U. S. soldiers who had been interviewed for this process – a T. V. ocumentary had been produced prior to the publication of the book, in the late 1980s – may have been asked the questions quite a few years after their involvement in the war, but this bears not much significance on what they say – the vivid memories they would hold of that event would not leave for a long time and so, by and large, would be true to an extent beyond doubt. The source itself mentions that the â€Å"increasing† number of recruits scored â€Å"so low† on intelligence rankings that they wouldn't normally have been given a place in the regular U. S. Army during a peace-time period. It then goes on to mention how the tours of duty affected each soldier, with some dying in the first month of duty as this was â€Å"highly likely†. Due to the soldier rotation and their differing lengths of duty (some of the soldiers were wounded, so would not serve the same length as those they had arrived with, for instance) the inexperienced recruits were often polarised by the conditions they faced – they were quite different to those they had probably been trained in, in the United States. The result of this continuing spiral of poor strategy and younger and younger recruits et al. meant many of the objectives which had been planned, ultimately failed in response to the effort which was being put in; low morale in existing, serving soldiers also played its part. A consequence of lack of planning and poor skill within soldiers trained, spontaneously affected those back home who saw lack of progress, especially at a time when the taxes were being increased by Johnson. With regards to the question, how useful is it for demonstrating why there was an anti-war movement – it isn't that useful, since it doesn't mention any of the direct causes itself, instead implying various reasons for one explanation (i. e. giving reasons for the lack of progress which frustrated those in America). However, it does also give an impression that with the large numbers of deaths came great anger within communities who had lost a relative, a friend or somebody else. This could be integrated into the logic behind the personal rationale that fell behind another reason why people demonstrated against the Vietnam War – they wanted to see an end to the ‘bloodshed' and ‘unnecessary killing' that engulfed the media reports throughout the U. S. Its advantages are also its downfall, ultimately – the limitations of the source are great, as it doesn't consider the financial burdening on tax payers (or any other economic aspect), the Civil Rights movements, the failure of the Great Society programme, the suffering of the Vietnamese people shown in the media, or the media influence itself. So, therefore, it is useful for explaining the problems faced by the troops on the ground in Vietnam, who will have encountered people who weren't responsible, nor mature enough, to make their own decisions and the horrific effects of the war on the Veterans – something they took back from their tour of duty, exacerbating the anti-war movement as people flocked to prevent their relatives from being seriously maimed or killed. Source B Source B, a photograph taken during a napalm attack on June 8, 1972, demonstrates the true extent to which the American bombings were taking their toll during the Vietnam War – the children running representing the apparent innocent victims that were being brutally murdered in raids that were deemed unacceptable by the majority of the American population. All of this contributed to the â€Å"Credibility Gap† which describes almost any â€Å"gap† between the reality of a situation and what politicians and government agencies make statements about. Once those who were reading the papers were shocked by the initial target of the bombing raids, anger would turn into questions as they would seek who lied about the reality, perhaps even wondering what else the administration may not be revealing the full facts about. The deeper the credibility gap, the larger the polarisation of people from the Vietnam War, who would now see it in a negative light and therefore would not be likely to support it, both financially and physically through public endorsements. As a primary source, it's hard to find fault with the photograph – it isn't likely to be redacted so it shows one side over another, and is also fairly neutral as it shows the after-effects of the American incursion, rather than something happening at that very moment. However, as the media was part of the continuing anti-war movement, this photo could in fact show only one incident that ever occurred but was highlighted for additional emphasis to their campaign – given the accounts of citizens and U. S. soldiers, however, that is unlikely to be true. As its overall purpose was intended to shock the readers in the U. S. A. , it is difficult not to find that this picture was as an asset to the movement given that it was taken by dedicated photographers, in this particular case, a Vietnamese one – Nick it – who would have wanted the war to be stopped, given it was his country that had been drawn into a long and bitter war. This isn't its only limitation however, as a photograph it only captures one event at one time, so by default it can't take into consideration other reasons for the anti-war movement. Saying that, it has a specific purpose to underline that the government was lying about certain aspects of the war that it wanted to keep hidden – this was released to make citizens aware of this fact. It is therefore useful for giving us some idea why there was a contra-militaristic viewpoint in the U. S. and why people were prepared to act upon that. Source C Source C, an extract from the publication of personal memoirs in 1982, gives us a personal perspective to an individual soldier's experience in the Vietnam War and McCarthy also reflects upon the intimacies of his encounter with the Vietcong. Whilst describing one event that occurred early on in his tenure as a rifleman, we see that – as with many other U. S. oldiers – he wanted to kill the Vietcong upon hearing and seeing the effects of their guerrilla warfare tactics which meant that damages could be incurred by the Americans but often, there could be no retaliation given that the enemy couldn't be seen. McCarthy makes note of this saying that even in daylight it was hard to distinguish between those who were part of the North's continuing campaign for the liberation of the South and those who were just normal peasants – this resulted in more deaths than had been initially projected. Due to the fact that often the enemy was not visible until it was too late, or in en masse confrontations, it was difficult to foresee a war that could be won by the Americans – too many losses were sustained, whilst relatively modest amounts of VC combatants were being killed in fighting locations. Not only that, the VC also had foreign backing with the aid of China and the USSR helping with the funding and the strategic logistical movements of weapons. McCarthy mentions that â€Å"[†¦ we knew guys' wives, mothers, fathers and kids† – suggesting that the impact of the deaths reached beyond the remit of the immediate family and affected other people, the soldiers' themselves even – who's stories of the deaths would return to their communities when they returned from their tour of duty – all of which would be passed on to the public who's view of the war would possibly change from supporting to opposing based on what they hear, and see on the te levision and in the newspapers. However, there are other omissions from the source; there is no particular relation to the failure of the Great Society programme or the struggle for Black Rights, for example. Nevertheless, that would hardly be needed in the personal memoirs of a soldier who has possibly died – commenting on the situation as he felt it would not need to include any information which was not relevant to the experiences he had had. Due to there being no information to suggest other reasons for the anti-war movement, it could be considered not as useful for the purpose of investigating why but it does give us a personal reflection and wouldn't be biased for the simple fact that nothing was to gained for the author by writing this piece. Source D Source D, an extract from a newspaper piece by American journalist Richard Hamer in 1970, is a primary source revealing an extent to which the conflict was affecting those who were militarily involved – the fact that often the Vietcong were ‘invisible' or ‘out of range' meant that often the troops became frustrated in their objectives and all too regularly lost sight of a war that could have been won if the South Vietnamese government convinced the peasants of the benefits of capitalism. Due to the complications with invisible attackers meant more and more lives were being lost and no retaliation could be given – this sentiment is also present in Source C. This source runs along a central theme, however, and is clearly against the war and the actions of some renegade soldiers who felt it necessary to commit atrocities like those at My Lai. At the time, this would have been a damaging piece of writing for its noticeable anti-American stance – despite the writer being an American citizen. This in itself shows the deep degree of pacifism within the United States at the time, but this could, nevertheless, be part of a wider-ranging media campaign to prevent any further actions in the war due to other factors, perhaps the increase of taxes – this would indicate that it is possible that Hamer wasn't anti-war based on the prospect, rather the inconvenience it caused him. The fact that this was released during the period of war means it is also linked to the credibility gap; its exposure of American counter-tactics would almost certainly ensure the exacerbation of the anti-war sentiment and give another reason for people already desperate for relatives to return, to not believe what their government was saying. What we need to know however, is whether the information presented in this source is what Hamer actually saw with his own eyes, or whether it was a brief summarisation of stories he had collected from soldiers; if the latter, its provenance could be affected, as soldiers influenced the reporter's personal views. This source was also published one year after the My Lai incident has irreversibly affected most people's views of the Vietnam War – thinking what damage could be done to the reputation of the U. S. A, a country that had protected democracy only 20 years earlier in the Second World War – this could then, be a piece catered towards their views, however, that is unlikely given the deep sense of conviction within the content of the source and the way in which he has written the piece. This sense of betrayal by American soldiers extended to within the hearts of the communities across the U. S. who saw individuals committing acts which could not be seen as ‘her oic' in any respect. However, it is important to remember that most of the Vietcong were invisible to an extent – they did use purposeful tactics that did have an effect; most of the time soldiers did not who they were engaging with within the dense forests and this did have devastating effects on those on the ground. Those injured in the attacks would return back to the U. S. sharing their stories and further affecting people's views on the war that wouldn't finish for (officially) 5 years after Source D was published. The use of the word ‘one' (in this context it is in reference to the collective American force) seems almost like a paradox – the righteousness of that word compared with the conditions that were faced on the ground in Vietnam. As it focuses towards these aspects more than the other possible reasons for the anti-war movement, it may be seen as not that useful; however, I would strongly discourage any sort of thinking along that line. It ascribes the particular tensions between the two rivalries on the ground as VC entered into guerrilla combat with the Americans, who hadn't been trained to a great level in that respect, and with the luck of hindsight suggests to us why there was an anti-war movement within the country – it's clear that the media used an en masse approach to their reporting of the Vietnam War, ensuring that the readers of their reports were to be influenced by their ideology on the subject; whether it was because the papers' were more left-leaning or were simply against the war because of the financial cost, for example, is of not much significance. Its main limitations are the fact that it doesn't mention some features of the war that turned people against it, such as the government's preference of that over the Great Society programme (being at a bad time, given that Black Rights had already suffered setbacks with the Martin Luther King assassination a few years earlier) and the drafting of poorer people from disadvantaged backgrounds, regardless of race. Source E Source E, a cartoon published by the satirical magazine ‘Punch' in 1967, demonstrates the international view of the American involvement in Vietnam. Although it uses the failure of the key Great Society programme of the Johnson administration in its depiction of â€Å"the costs of the Vietnam War†, it does not discuss the effects of that failure or suggest any possible reasons for that (increased spending elsewhere, aside from the military, for instance). Another point is the fact that as Punch is a British magazine, it would be assumed that they would favour the side that had helped them defeat the Nazi threat in the 1940s, but no, it could be interpreted that they instead believe that money is needlessly being wasted on something that they themselves weren't involved in – perhaps because of the recovery that was still ongoing in the UK. In the cartoon, we can see President Johnson dismantling the US economy ‘train' (perhaps with connotations as a gravy train – the sentiment prior to the war that was against the Communist threat, whereas now it wasn't) in favour or the war in Vietnam he had initiated with the conspiracy regarding the Gulf of Tonkin incident. The smoke billowing from the train's engine funnel reads ‘Vietnam', backing up the British thought that money was needlessly being wasted in a dirty war. The source itself was published in 1967, not that long into the actual fighting phase of the war, but still after key events practically highlighted the fact that the programme Johnson had promised during his presidential re-election campaign of 1964 was failing. The effects of the unsuccessful plan meant that many of the potential conscriptees were turned against the prospect of being involved in the war; their family would have already been affected by the change (as often those drafted were from impoverished backgrounds) but the deprivation would not only have an effect on them, it would also radically change those opinions held by the rest of their family. It would yet another reason to oppose the war, especially considering taxes had already risen enough to concern the financial well-being of most families. The limitations of the source are clear; it, as many others, doesn't consider many of the aspects that made up the significant anti-war movement in the early 1970s – the Civil Rights demonstrations (which is surprising given that those most affected by the collapse of the programme were mainly of an African-American ethnicity) or the media campaigns et al. Punch, as a satire magazine may not be the most reliable or sourcing though – as a magazine dedicated to cynicism and making mockeries of political blunders, means with that purpose and the fact that evidently Punch were against the war, means the provenance of the source could be affected. On the other hand, it could be useful for explaining the views held by those who weren't personally involved in the tragedies of death or affected by the charges made by the American government. Source F Source F, a partial transcript from a seminar conducted by Robin Day in 1970, although addressing a British conference reflects upon the explanation for the sizeable increase in the anti-war attitude that had overran the initial support in the late 1960s. Day, a highly revered individual within the British media at that time, would have been eagerly listened to in the RUSI (a government think-tank studying naval and military science) seminar that took place during the latter stages of the Vietnam War; Day gives what he thinks was the overwhelming reason that formed the basis for all the opposition against the war – the repeated and consistent images of Vietnamese (and American) brutality on the television. He believed that the repeated visualisation of what was really happening (given that during previous wars, colour television in real-time was not a reality) made images resonate within the minds of the communities across America, who, on top of various misgivings they already had for the war would now act upon that; it brought a sense of to reality â€Å"a situation 10,000 miles away from home†. Whilst saying that, he doesn't explicitly refer to this being the single factor – in fact, it was the media campaign in its most general form – it was the more â€Å"uninhibited [coverage]† as opposed to specific things that may have been seen. These images, as with the other sources that represent other media items released during the war, widened the credibility gap between the political establishment and those who it governed. Day had been reporting the Vietnam War since it had begun only a few years prior to this seminar and was knowledgeable on the topic of why and when the war really developed in the full-scale conflict it did. This in turn means that the provenance is supported because we can rely upon this fact as meaning he would understand the complex motivations for particular events. This could, however, be his downfall – as in that time he could have developed anti-war views based on what he had seen and been reporting, that is unlikely though, given the general neutral tone of the source. The limitations to the source are obvious as some other causes for opposition included the returning wounded (and the much publicised deaths of) soldiers amongst others. Source G Source G, a 1989 film adaptation from an autobiography of Ron Kovic, which contained extensive notes on his experiences in the Vietnam War – a war which left Kovic paralysed for the majority of his body. In the film, the key points are: * It is apparent that some of the authorities wanted to hide the veteran soldiers, due to the fact that they were a key component of the anti-war movement. * There were protests against the 1972 Miami Republican Convention, at which Nixon received his party's presidential nomination. * Some Republicans defended the war to an extent. * Often violent scenes when pro and anti war movements met. Some even mentioned that anti-war supporters were â€Å"communists†, because of their support for pacifism and, although largely incorrect, left -wing socialism. Although Kovic was the inspiration for the story, Oliver Stone, the producer of the movie adaptation, was also someone known for his vehement opposition to the conflict in Vietnam. Through this film, Stone almost tries to change people's perceptions of the war; the dramatic re-enactments of events that happened and the exact quotes used in history re-quoted giving it a sense of reality. Kovic mentioned all the reasons why he was anti-war in the film extract, with the delegates in the background all shouting â€Å"four more years† as Nixon promised to withdraw the soldiers. Although produced some years after the end of the war, Stone still lacks the critical evaluation of both sides of the story, instead tending to focus on the anti-war movement almost completely – but then, he would, he was an activist himself, trying to stop the deaths and serious maiming of further service personnel. The purpose of this film was to give the impression that the Americans were wrong to go to Vietnam in the first place (as Kovic's character clearly says in â€Å"the poor Vietnamese seeking freedom for hundreds of years†) and that despite the intermittence between the end of the war and the time of the production, Stone's views had not changed on the subject. In that context, and the fact that the film is much more dramatic than necessarily need be, it is easy to assume that this is a piece of biased film-making – despite that, it is useful for one thing; informing us of the thoughts of people who had experienced the full horrors of the conflict and the effect it had on them. It is also historically accurate as all the dates, places and people are all correct – only the story itself is elaborated – therefore it is reliable in some form. Referring back to the original question, â€Å"How useful are the sources A to G for explaining why there was an anti-war movement in the United States during the late 1960s and early 1970s? † – I would respond by saying that some are more accurate than others in terms of their respective historical context, their individual purposes (some are cartoons, some are memoirs), and the reality that some are more reliable than others as they represent individual events on film or simply people's thoughts on the war. In terms of usefulness, they have a collective worth as when combined they allow a fuller picture of the war to be completed – as opposed to thoughts garnered from one source. In some sources, the usefulness could be undermined by the purpose or the provenance of each source – authors all have different views on what they write, but this can also be played to our advantage as even this in itself can represent the effect the conflict had on individual writers. Primary sources are not necessarily more beneficial as those that are produced as secondary sources, as often even in these cases, bias is still present – often we forget that in secondary sources, the author has had the chance to evaluate many of the explanations for something of a long period of time before publishing their thoughts – this can give us a better view of what really happened.

Development of the Welfare State

What factors have led to the development of the British welfare state? The British welfare state has an impact on our lives on a daily basis and has been transformed since its initial developments in the early 19th century. I will be exploring the social, economic and political factors that led to the development of the British welfare state up to 1945, and I will assess the most dominate features at the time and those that are still prevalent within the current welfare system today. The historical origins of the British welfare state can be dated to Elizabethan times with the introduction of the Poor Law (1601) which dealt with welfare at a local level. This was the first instance where the government attempted to ensure that the poor had the means to live. This continued until the impacts of the Industrial Revolution called for changes in the provision for the poor. From the late 18th century British society was being transformed through economic and industrial growth. There was a revolution in the use of land in the production of raw goods, and technological advances in the use of machinery and the manufacture of goods. The state allowed markets to operate freely without regulation. There was also a mass migration of people moving from towns to the cities seeking employment. Many of these people were dependent on employment within the factories and on the assembly lines. Although there were many benefits from industrialisation on the economic front, urbanisation created a large concentration of people in many areas, his lead to major problems with health and housing. In addition, when jobs were no longer available, men were unable to support their families. The family unit was often broken with most fathers travelling many miles to their place of work. Many women and children were also forced to find employment as a result of being widowed and orphaned. Poverty, unemployment along with many other social issues became a recognised problem within the new urban communities. In line with these economical and social changes there were also changes taking place within the political sphere. The growth of political democracy and ‘the centralisation of governmental powers’ (Pierson. C 2006, p16) led to more competition between the British liberal and conservative political parties in of the time. It could therefore be suggested that political forces helped to shape the welfare state. It can be argued that developments in state welfare were a direct response to some of the problems generated by the changing nature for society through industrialisation and the social risks related to this. The Poor Law amendments (1834) meant that only those who were really in need, for example the poorest paid workers would receive support. These reforms differentiated between the ‘deserving’ and ‘undeserving’ poor. Individuals were expected to ‘submit to degrading and shameful procedures to receive any benefit.. thus only the completely destitute, would be prepared to come forward for help’(Blakemore. K 2003, p42). The workhouse was introduced to force people to work in order to receive their benefits. This transformed public attitudes to towards poverty, whereby being poor and dependant of benefits became shameful and those receiving support were increasingly stigmatized. Other laws were also passed such as the Factory Act (1883) which aimed to reform the working conditions of factory workers by ‘legally enforcing a ten-hour day and rules governing the employment of children’(Alcock. C 2006,p19). This Act especially focused on women and children, and also enforced health and safety regulations, in addition, employers had to comply with educational classes for employees during the working day. At this point, it is evident that although state involvement was limited because of the dominant liberal principals of the time. Yet, there were the beginnings of a new beauracratic approach in state intervention. The Boer Wars (1880-1881,1899-1902) were fought between Britain and Holland as part of Britain’s empire building mission. The economic and human cost was evident following the two wars. Britain was faced with a country that needed rebuilding and a population that needed comfort and confidence from their leaders. The wars also highlighted the extent of poverty and poor health within the unskilled labour classes which showed that there was a strong need for welfare reform. Following these wars, David Lloyd George and his Liberal Party enacted the National Insurance Act 1911 setting up a national insurance contribution for unemployment and health benefits such as sick pay and maternity pay. The government introduced limited unemployment benefits, with old age pensions, and job centres available to help people find jobs, paid for by national insurance contributions and income taxes. Although this scheme was limited, it offered greater social welfare provision than the previous Poor Laws. However, benefits were subject to a contribution basis, and those benefits would run out once the contributions were used. ‘The scheme was not designed to provide widespread relief in a period of mass unemployment’ (Hill. M 2006,p24). Although this act appeared to have some benefits, there were also many issues, and the majority of people were not able to could not cope financially without being able to work. Most of these policies remained in place throughout the first world war (1913-1918) and the Great Depression. However, during World War I, Britain experienced conscription for the first time and this lead to changes within the workforce as many women took up employment in a range of roles to support the war effort ‘the beneficial effects of regular employment, longer hours and rising wages was offset by rapidly rising prices of essential goods’ (Thane. P 1996,p120). It can be suggested here that the effects of the wars called for immediate changes in the welfare state especially in relation to unemployment, health, housing and disability benefits. The Labour Government of 1945, were determined to eliminate poverty, ill health, and social deprivation. Their social and economic policies were driven by the party’s own ideals and long-term objectives. William Beveridge was a government adviser to Winston Churchill. He filled his report and made recommendations about reforms to the provision of welfare. Beverigde based the principles of his report by seeking to ‘establish a unified universal social insurance social system’ (Thane. P 1996, p 232). This led to the introduction of many social security schemes including the National Insurance Act 1946 and the National Assistance Act 1948, which dealt with sickness and unemployment benefits and retirement pensions. These acts and reforms formed the basis for the welfare state that has been accomplished over time. From the early 18th century, there was a mixture of factors that lead to the development of the welfare state in Britain. These reforms and developments in welfare provision were a direct response to economic, political and social changes taking place at the time. Welfare reform persists to change today within its current framework, and continues to respond to these factors which are often interlinked and constantly shifting. References Blakemore,K. (2003) Social Policy: An Introduction (Open University Press) Burnett,J. 1994) Idle Hands: The Experience of Unemployment 1790-1990 (Routledge) Hill,M. (2000) Understanding Social Policy (Blackwell) Fraser,D. (1984) The Evolution of the British Welfare State: A History of Social Policy Since the Industrial Revolution (MacMillan) Goodin, R. E. , & Mitchell, D. (2000). The Foundations of the Welfare State, Part I, London: Edward Elgar Publish ers Pierson,C. (1998) Beyond the Welfare State: The New Political Economy of Welfare (Polity Press) Pierson,P. (2001). The New Politics of the Welfare State, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Thane, (1982) The Foundations of the Welfare State in Britain 1945-1960 (Longman)