Plate tectonics Essay

Ever since the beginning on time, Humans believed the ground is solid and immobile. But this is not true whatsoever. The Earth is every-changing and continually in motion. The stability of the Earth is not at all what we think it is. Thinking about the rotational axis of the Earth, and possibly of what the Earth may become at a certain point in time, has a great influence on understanding all aspects of living things, either in the past, present, or future. The study of Plate tectonics is accredited to most of the creations of Mountain Ranges, the drifting of continents, earthquakes, and volcanic activity. Plate tectonics and mountains also play a big part in the geological features of our planet or any planet for that matter. Geophysics, which studies the physics of the Earth, has led to many important findings about the Earth and how it is made. Seismologic studies of planet Earth have revealed new information about the inside of the Earth that has helped to give new openings in understanding plate tectonics. The Earth is made of several significant layers. Each one of these layers has its own properties. The crust is the outermost layer of the Earth. The crust is made up of the oceans and continents. The crust has a fluctuating thickness, being thirty to seventy-five kilometres thick in the continents and ten to fifteen kilometres thick in the ocean basins. The crust is made up mainly of alumino-silicates (Fowler p472). The layer underneath the crust is the mantle, which is made up mainly of ferro-magnesium silicates. The mantle is approximately two thousand, nine hundred kilometres thick, and is separated in to the upper and lower mantle. It is in the mantle where most of the centralized heat of the Earth is located. Big convective cells in the mantle disperse heat and produce the plate tectonic processes. The core is the last layer of the Earth, which is broken down into the liquid outer core and the solid inner core. The inner core is about thirteen hundred kilometres thick and the outer core is about twenty-three hundred kilometers thick. A nickel-iron alloy mixture makes up the outer core, and the inner is almost all composed of iron. The Earth is separated in layers based on composition and mechanical properties. The top layer is the lithosphere, which is comprised of the solid upper mantle and the crust. It is divided into plates that move due to tectonic forces. The lithosphere floats on top of a semi-liquid layer that is called the asthenosphere. The asthenosphere allows the lithosphere to move around since it is much weaker (Tarbuck p605). Early scientist believed that one huge supercontinent existed over two hundred million years ago. The name for this supercontinent is Pangaea. Pangaea was broken in to several pieces, and each piece was a part of the lithosphere. They believed that the pieces of Pangaea formed the continents that we know of in present day geology. When Pangaea existed, the rest of the Earth was covered by an ocean called Panthalassa. Eventually, Pangaea split into two land masses, Laurasia to the north and Gondwanaland to the south. The theory of plate tectonics does in fact have an explanation for the movement of the Earth’s crust. The fact that Pangaea did exist could be quite plausible. Scientist also believes that as the Pacific Ocean is closing, a supercontinent may form in millions of years to come. In present day geology, we can consider Eurasia as a supercontinent because the Ural Mountains separate Europe from Asia and make a line of compression and change where the two continents smashed in to each other (Tarbuck p606). In 1620, Sir Francis Bacon wrote in his book Novan Organum and noted that the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean seemed to be parallel to one another. However, the plate tectonic theory really started to begin in 1915 when Alfred Wegener proposed the theory of continental drift. Alfred Wegener believed that the continents bulldozed through crust on the ocean basins, which would explain why most of the coastlines look like they could fit together. Wegener was not the first one to realize that the continents looked like they could fit together because Magellan and other early explorers noticed this also. However, he was the first person to realize that the Earth’s surface has changed over time, and that continents that are not together now could have possibly been joined together at some point in the past (Twiss p532). Many people were against Wegener’s theory because he did not really have an explanation for why the continents moved. During that time, geologist believed the Earth possessed these features because the planet went through periods of cooling and heating. Anti-mobilists were people that were against Wegener’s theory. People who were in favor of Wegener were known as mobilists because they had seen proof of continental movement in the Alps (Fowler p475). In a few short years, Wegener’s theory was denied. However, his theory was the first time the idea of continental movement was announced to the science community. His theory laid the foundation for the advancement in twenty-first century plate tectonics. Years would pass and more evidence became available to support the idea that plates were in fact in motion and changed over a period of time (Fowler p476). After the Second World War, more information was discovered which supported the theory of plate tectonics. In the sixties, a bunch of seismometers were installed to collect data on nuclear bombs, and these instruments sparked curiosity among geologists. It showed that volcanoes, earthquakes, and other features were along the Pacific Ocean and ran along the continents edges for the most part. It turned out that all of these edges became known as tectonic plates (Kearey 2009). Further studies showed a pattern of magnetic fields in the ocean basins. The rock basalt contains a lot of magnetic minerals called magnetite. The lava forms and cools and the magnetic minerals align with the North Pole. This proves that the Earth has gone through several magnetic reversals; this would not be possible if the lithosphere was not in motion. Since all of this has been discovered, plate tectonics has gained acceptance as the Earth processes (Kearey 2009). Plate tectonics is made up of the study the motion and change in the Earth’s crust. This is based on the theory that the lithosphere is divided into seven major plates and several minor plates, and they all move in accordance with each other. They also move in relation to hot spots, which is where mantle material comes up. The plate tectonic theory tries to tell us that the Earth’s crust moves over a period of time. The crust moves in a rigid way, which explains the change that we see. The theory is based on a few beliefs. New material is made by the spreading of the ocean floor and eventually become part of a plate, and motion of plates occurs only at plate boundaries. Plates are rocks that pretty much float on top of the asthenosphere. The crust has two types, the oceanic and continental; they both differ because of composition. The continental crust is made up of mostly granite. This brings us to the conclusion that the rocks have a lot of quartz and feldspars. However, most of the oceanic crust is made up of basalt. Basalt usually has other minerals like olivine and mafic minerals (Fowler p477). There are three types of plates, divergent, convergent, and conservative. Wide places of change are usually around plate boundaries because of the two plates colliding. We know that these boundaries exist because of their motions. One sort of plate is the divergent boundary. At this boundary two plates move apart. As they move apart it creates a crack in the crust and magma comes in to the ocean and cools. When the plates move, more and more crust is formed. Divergent boundaries are believed to be the reason for the plates moving. The formation of the new crust pushes the two plates apart, this is apparent in the mid-ocean ridge, which helps to move Europe and North America further and further apart. Mid-ocean ridges are mountains under water. They can even be as tall as mountains that are on land, this process is known as convection. Magma is pushed up by convection currents. Some magma erupts through the crust and some moves under the crust away from the ridge crest. The magma flows and helps move the plates away from each other to allow more crust to be created and to grow; this is called convection cells. We know this to be sea-floor spreading. The mid-ocean ridge plays a big part in the plate tectonic theory because of the minerals uniqueness within the basalt. It contains a lot of magnetic minerals that align with the Earth’s magnetic field when it crystallizes. In the past, scientist has known the Earth’s magnetic field to change. When the magnetic minerals align scientist can use it to date the crust. This plays an important role in the theory because it is first proof that plates were in fact moving and have been for almost Earth’s existence. We can use the magnetic information to prove that the plates are moving, and we can also determine that new crust is being formed and that the old crust was erased in a continuous process that has been going on for all of Earth’s past. The oldest crust ever dated is approximately one hundred million years old, which is quite recent in geologic time. This may lead you to question, where did all of the old crust go (Fowler p478). This brings me to my next discussion which is convergent boundary. A convergent boundary is when another plate overrides another plate, causing one plate to go underneath it. Most of the boundaries can be found in island systems and trenches. Most of the old crust goes in to these systems as new crust is formed at spreading centers. This explains why scientist cannot find any crust that date past the Cretaceous period. The old crust was destroyed by the process of subduction. Earthquakes are very active in subduction zones. The earthquakes occur because one plate slides under another. Although this movement is not visible, it has very strong effects on the Earth. The outer edges of the Pacific Ocean are referred to as the â€Å"Ring of Fire† because the subduction zones go all around the Pacific Ocean. Volcanic activity is also caused by subduction zones because when one plate goes under another it gets hotter. The reason it gets hotter is because it is closer to the mantle. When the old crust gets close to the mantle, it melts and forms in to magma. The magma eventually runs up through the crust and forms volcanoes. One good example of a subduction zone surfacing is the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska (Twiss p536). When two plates collide, subduction zones do not always occur. Continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust, and when they collide, they do not run over each other. Instead, they kind of plow in to each other and create mountains. This type of boundary is called a collisional boundary. An example of two plates colliding is the Himalayas in India. The third type of boundary is the transform boundary. It is called this because plates are not destroyed or created, but they slide past each other. A good example of a transform boundary would be the San Andreas Fault in California. In California, the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate are sliding past each other. This is why many earthquakes occur in that region. The earthquakes occur because of the strain that the two plates exert as they slide past each other (â€Å"Historical perspective). The Earth changes in many ways, however there are three forces the cause change within the Earth. When these forces act, they create stress and they change the volume and shape of a material. The three main types of stress are shear, compressional, and tensional. Stress puts a lot of strain on the Earth which causes the change in rocks and the Earth’s crust. Compressional forces may cause a rock to compress or shorten. Tensional forces may cause a rock to become longer and pull apart. Shear forces can cause rocks to slip past each other (â€Å"Historical perspective). Faults are places where rocks have been broken and have been changed. There are three big types of faults. These are strike-slip, normal, and reverse. The stresses caused by motion of the plates build up over a course of time and ultimately cause the Earth’s crust to break when the rocks rub past each other. Usually when a fault happens, an earthquake occurs. Every plate boundary has some characteristic of a type of fault. Normal faulting can be affiliated with crustal extension. Normal faults can usually be found at divergent boundaries. Crustal shortening can be affiliated with reverse faulting. Reverse faults can usually be found at convergent boundaries. Strike-slip faulting is affiliated with sideways movement of the crust. These faults usually form at transform boundaries (Twiss p538). Even today, we are constantly reminded that the plates are in motion. One recent catastrophe caused by plate tectonics was the earthquake that happened in Haiti. Studies suggest that the earthquake occurred due to a strike-slip fault. The Caribbean sits on its own little plate and is surrounded on three sides by the bigger North and South American plates. Scientists believe that the North and South American plates are moving westward at approximately two to three centimeters per year. Based on the recordings of the earthquake, the Haitian quake seems to have occurred close to the Enriquillo Fault. The Enriquillo Fault is a big strike slip fault that runs across the southern border of Haiti. Scientists presume this is the fault that most likely ruptured because it is closest to the epicenter of the rupture. Although this was a big catastrophe for human life on the island of Haiti, it was not really unusual given the plate tectonic activity in that area. Unfortunately for Haiti, it is one of the most poorest and underdeveloped countries in the world. Its government was not really in the position to have any preparations in line for such a huge earthquake, and this caused thousands of people lost their lives (Kearey 2009).

Fly Away Peter Summary Essay

This chapter as the beginning of the book sets the scene and begins to develop the characters of the novel. The story begins with Jim in the swampland watching birds calmly, looking at how they live their lives, remembering that these small birds have seen more of the world than most people, â€Å"has been further and higher than even that clumsy plane† (p.3). As a respectful intruder into the birds’ territories, Jim feels that nature is in balance before he notices a biplane begins making circles above the swampland. The biplane belongs to Ashley Crowther, Jim’s employer who owns the swampland and is giving his guests flights over the area. Ashley is something like a local squire after returning from England, where he had his education. This distinguishes the lives between Jim and Ashley, although we later learn that Ashley in fact provided the job for Jim, it has liberated Jim, and has â€Å"made free of his own life† (p.5) the basic, boring life that Jim’s father had declared â€Å"for the likes of us† (p.5) Jim and Ashley have a strong bond between them, despite their difference in class. Ashley recognises that Jim has an affinity with the land, and proclaims that in fact the land partially belongs to Jim, although Ashley owns it. Later we meet Jim’s father, a traditional man, with many contrasts between Jim and himself. Jim’s father resented the English, against their â€Å"fancy accents and their new fangled ideas. And their machines!† (p.6) Jim’s father believes that Jim would be better off just going to Brisbane and getting a job there, so as not to rely on the English for employment. But Jim will stay and rely on Ashley because â€Å"Something in the silence that existed between them, †¦ made Jim believe that there could be a common ground between them, whatever the difference.† My Thoughts and Feelings about Chapter 1: When reading this chapter I felt that there was a very strong affinity between Jim and nature, that he was so intensely fascinated with the birds that he wanted to be one, to fly off to another part of the world. It seemed as though Jim would be quite content to sit or stand in the swampland all day and just watch the birds. The disturbance of the plane disturbed Jim because it was an intrusion into the normal goings-on and was harmful to the wellbeing of the natural processes that occur. This in my mind is imagery for the way war inflicts upon the world, and how no one likes it. When we meet Ashley I sense something of a respect toward Jim, despite his â€Å"higher class† Ashley respected Jim as much as any other man. Jim is also unintimidated by Ashley, although it is Ashley who is his employer. The two young men can just sit there and both be very content in that their relationship can support that and that they enjoy each others company and all times. The relationship that Ashley has with Jim is in strong contrast to the relationship that Jim has with his father, which is in a rather poor condition. The differences between Jim’s father and himself are strong. Jim’s father is a very traditional man and I felt as though he wanted Jim to continue the Australian tradition of hard work, to follow in his footsteps, but instead Jim wanted to work for Ashley and learn about nature by experiencing it first hand. When I was reading this part of the chap ter I almost felt sorry for Jim’s father because he seemed quite upset at the fact that Jim was not following the inevitable life â€Å"for the likes of us†. Within Chapter Two of ‘Fly Away Peter’, Ashley Crowther, being Cambridge educated, a musician and much like an English gentleman, has returned to his childhood home to find that he is still in touch with it and not al all a stranger as would be expected. Ashley rides around his property, reestablishing his connection with it, reminiscing. The house is given new life- filled with weekend guests who have come to share and enjoy the landscape and nature with Ashley. One day, while riding by the swamp, Ashley discovers Jim observing the Dollar bird. Despite differences in their backgrounds, Jim and Ashley discover that they share a mutual interest and respect for nature. After sharing a cigarette, Ashley excitedly offers Jim a job in this bird sanctuary, an idea that had only just presented itself to him. They shake on it and it is confirmed. Explain the thoughts and feelings you had, as you read this chapter. The way that Ashley Crowther is introduced at the beginning of Chapter Two gives the reader the impression that he is a nice and generous person as it is mentioned that he had a good sense of humour and a love for wide spaces and distant horizons that he felt was too good not to share. The descriptions provided by Malouf of the property stimulate us to picture a very beautiful place with the music of nature (birds and insects) all around and with a ragged appearance filled with pastel blues and greens. The fact that they are so excited by the Dollar bird sitting in the ironbark makes us realise just how much Jim and Ashley love nature and want to be a part of it all. The reason why Jim doesn’t jump at the job opportunity immediately but remains silent for a while is unclear. After all, it was mentioned that he had been waiting for so long for something like this to present itself. So why didn’t he jump at the opportunity? Overall, the chapter wasn’t very exciting or anything like that but it was significant because it was in this chapter that the idea of a bird sanctuary occurs to Ashley Crowther. Jim Saddler and Imogen Harcourt meet: Armed with a new pair of binoculars provided by Ashley, Jim was busy admiring a sandpiper and reflecting on how amazing it is that such a tiny bird had seen so much of the world. That although it may have a small eye, it retains â€Å"some image of the larger world† that no mere man has seen. Then suddenly he realized that he wasn’t the only one watching this tiny sandpiper – a woman was taking a photograph of it. Although this coincidence was uncanny, he thought it â€Å"seemed much less extraordinary than that this few ounces of feather and bone should have found its way here from Siberia or Norway†. Curious about this â€Å"old girl† who shared his affinity for birds, he discovered her name and where she lived, and decided to go and introduce himself. Miss Imogen Harcourt is a middle-aged English woman who lives in a run-down weatherboard cottage. To Jim’s surprise, Imogen also noticed him watching the sandpiper. She shares with Jim her life story, how she came to live in Australia, and that taking nature photographs for a London magazine was how she supplements her small income, and deals with homesickness at the same time. Jim â€Å"found he understood almost everything she said straight off†, which was â€Å"unusual†. Jim, impressed by her professional competence, is â€Å"oddly moved† by her photograph, recognizing her skill as an intuition or gift she has – deeming the photograph of the sandpiper â€Å"perfect†. So Ashley, Jim and Imogen â€Å"became partners, all three†. Jim told her of the â€Å"sanctuary†, using the word for the first and last time, forever after speaking only of â€Å"the birds†. Thoughts and feelings: Throughout this chapter I felt that that the meeting of Imogen and Jim was no coincidence. Although their relationship was purely platonic, their mutual appreciation of bird life transcended any formalities that may have otherwise been called for. In life they were kindred spirits, fixed on the same goal – just like when they first saw each other, out of all the birds in the entire sanctuary they were each fixing their attention from different sides on the same sandpiper. This perfect moment shared with the sandpiper forever linked them together. The main event in this chapter is the guide Jim takes Ashley’s upper class visitors. We learn that Jim considers England to be a mad place after he over heard a upper class person talking about the beauty of animated birds. It is at this point that we first hear about the up coming war. The most important reference in this chapter is about Jim and Ashley relationships. Jim sees Ashley as his employer and as a good friend. We also see the similarities and differences between these two characters. Jim the one with the knowledge of birds from his years of observing, and Ashley the businessman with a nature loving side. Explain the thoughts and feelings you had, as you read this chapter. As I read this chapter I thought about all the contrasts that were made. The first is between Jim, a casual person, compared to the upper class visitors who were preoccupied at first with not getting their expensive clothes dirty. The second contrast is the relaxing boat trip where the beautiful birds were observed, and then the gossip the visitors were saying about the imitated birds. The last contrast, but most important is the mention of the future war and the peaceful birds. These contrasts affected my feelings towards the characters and the changing setting of the novel. This chapter charts Jim’s visit to Brisbane and the effects that reality of war played on him and the rest of the community as a whole. During his stay, Jim came into contact with many individuals who had contrasting personalities. Jim’s encounters were as follows:  · Swedish shop keeper – who expressed his disgust at the war that was about to begin, ‘A bad business†¦ a catastrophe. Madness.†  · Patriotic young girl – who seemed overly eager about the idea of war and going to fight for one’s country, ‘If I was a man I’d want to be in it [War].  · Group of excited youths – Who seemed to want to celebrate the onset of war.  · A woman – who held passionate views against aboriginals, but was willing to have a ‘good time’ with other young men, including Jim. Explain the thoughts and feelings you had, as you read this chapter This chapter is largely about how other people can influence a Persons life. Initially the girl’s statement to Jim, which read as: â€Å"I reckon you’ll be joining up†, is what plants ‘ the seed of excitement’ generated by the war in him. Given that it was accepted within the Brisbane that all capable young men should fight for their nation, it may prompt a reader to think: If Jim was not in Brisbane whether he would still have gone to fight in the war? The chapter also plays an important role in asserting the type of character Jim is. Through his nervous reaction to the gathering of the crowd, when he questions â€Å"is this what it will be like from now on? †¦ Will I ever get used to it? – Readers should be able to gauge that Jim’s personality fits that of one who likes to observe rather than communicate. He is an individualist. The apparent eagerness by the majority of people to go to war may be somewhat misleading. Although it may seem as if those in favour of fighting did so because they felt it was their duty to represent their country, a more cynical view may be that individuals viewed it as an opportunity to explore the world. This chapter takes place at the coming of Spring, during the time of the â€Å"big migrations†. With all the birds arriving into the area, Jim is busy observing and recording the new â€Å"refugees†. After recording each breed, Jim carefully and with much precision, enters all the birds into â€Å"The Book†. As a mark of the occasion, Jim presents The Book to Ashley and his wife, Julia, on their wedding day. Explain the thoughts and feelings you had, as you read this chapter Through this chapter, I realised the great significance of why Jim records each breed of birds. The recording of the birds gives each of them an existence in the world. Having a name for each breed allows the birds to be identified. I also felt the dedication and joy Jim has for his job: â€Å"The greater excitement was inscribing what he had seen into The Book.† Another example: â€Å"Chose a good pen and the best ink; bringing to the occasion his fullest attention; concentratingâ₠¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  In this chapter, Jim discovers a new bird, which he seemed to recognize but then at the same time was unable to identify. The features of this bird were very different to what he thought this bird could have been. He was very puzzled for he knew every bird, but this one was one that he had never laid eyes on. In this chapter Jim’s excitable response to the concealed and loveliness of birds is emphasized again. The following day in the company of Miss. Harcourt, he sees the bird again, he is informed that the bird is a Dunlin by Miss Harcourt. Jim is quite fascinated by â€Å"this common rare creature he had never laid eyes on till yesterday that was as common as a starling†. For Jim it was one of the most engaging for Jim, but was not so interesting for Miss. Harcourt. She was used to the â€Å"thousands that used to come in back home, along the shore and in the marshes†. Miss Harcourt was quite surprised by Jim’s determination to study the bird. â€Å"At last, after a long time, he didn’t know how long, he laid the glasses regretfully aside and found Miss Harcourt regarding him with a smile†. It seemed bizarre that Jim should be so fascinated in something that visited the shores of her childhood, his determination and intensity amazed her as it was a side of Jim that she had never seen before. Ashley’s friend Bert takes Jim up for a ride in his aeroplane. Jim is reluctant to go as he feels that the earth is for humans and the air is for birds. He also disapproves because flying machines have changed from â€Å"toys† to weapons of war. However he does in the end accept the invitation to see the country from a bird’s eye view that he so well knows from the ground. Jim does not come away any admiration for the plane or pilot but he wonders how birds can take the same map that he just witnessed and use it to fly around the World. It is also in this chapter that Jim feels â€Å"the ground tilting† towards â€Å"the pit† and it is this pressure along with the pressure of his father that causes Jim to enlist in the army. Ashley accepts the news of Jim joining the army calmly while Imogen becomes angry. Jim’s father is sentimental and envious of Jim referring to him as â€Å"the lucky one†. The fact that Jim’s father was envi ous of his son being able to enlist in the army is puzzling and it shows how naà ¯ve individuals can be, and also how easy it is to be caught up in what the majority believes even if it is life threatening. Jim has arrived at the war, along with many other Australian soldiers. Jim befriends Clancy Parkett. Jim and Bobby Cleese spend a day trapped in a shell hole just in front of enemy lines. Bobby describes fishing off Peel Island, whiting, and Deception Bay – images of home. On his journey to the front, Jim had seen thousands of birds. He had eagerly noted down a description of a flock of dunlin, the same bird he and Imogen Harcourt had seen at the sanctuary. Jim is involved in a scuffle with Wizzer Green. For a moment the two men appear ready to kill each other. Then Clancy steps in and fights Wizzer, defusing the dangerous situation. Chapter 10 begins to deal with the hardships suffered by the soldiers through dreadful times, and the beauty and fun of snow. The soldiers are taken to the front (Bailleul) in cattle trucks, forty to a car. The trucks used previously were used to take cattle upto the slaughter houses, and the smell of the animals still existed. Despite this, the men are very cheerful through their singing and joking, anxious for battle. Clancy leads Jim in a chase to arrive at the engine for hot water, an adventure in which Jim enjoys. As the soldiers view the trenches for the first time, Jim views in amazement at the organization that has gone into it. He relates the organization aspect of the trenches to the building of the pyramids in ancient times by the pharaoh’s. The chapter is set in the town of Armentià ¨res, a quiet section of the front. It is the last night (December 22nd) before they have to go into the line, and Clancy persuades Jim to break the rules and go to a village – two miles out of town. On the way, Jim and Clancy are joined by Eric Sawney. Arriving at the village, Clancy takes them to a bar owned by Monique. They have a couple of drinks, and get drunk, where we find out about a Margaret Clancy knew. In this chapter Jim has entered the war, the chapter describes the harsh conditions that the soldiers had to go through in the trenches, the rats, the smell and the dead bodies and sickness that were always around them. It describes water as being an enemy for the soldiers as the trenches were often flooded by it and the soldiers feet began to rot standing in it for days on end. The chapter talks about the Australian soldiers having more enemies than the German’s on the other side of the trenches. These enemies were not only the water that filled the trenches but the rats that occupied them as well. Dead bodies and the diseases that came from them were also a big problem for the soldiers. In this chapter the trench that Jim is in gets bombed, a young boy Eric Sawney gets both of his legs blown off and Jim’s friend Clancy was killed by the incident. This event is very traumatizing for Jim who was unhurt by the incident. Jim later visits Eric in hospital, feeling guilty about the young boy having no one to look after him.

African Literature Essay Example for Free (#2)

African Literature Essay ? Despite the ignorance of most so called â€Å"literati† to the domain of African literature, African literature in fact is one of the main currents of world literature, stretching continuously and directly back to ancient history. Achebe did not â€Å"invent† African Literature, because he himself was inundated with it as an African. He simply made more people aware of it. The Beginnings of African Literature The first African literature is circa 2300-2100, when ancient Egyptians begin using burial texts to accompany their dead. These include the first written accounts of creation – the Memphite Declaration of Deities. Not only that, but ‘papyrus’, from which we originate our word for paper, was invented by the Egyptians, and writing flourished. In contrast, Sub-Saharan Africa feature a vibrant and varied oral culture. To take into account written literary culture without considering literary culture is definitely a mistake, because they two interplay heavily with each other. African oral arts are â€Å"art’s for life’s sake† (Mukere) not European â€Å"art’s for art’s sake†, and so may be considered foreign and strange by European readers. However, they provide useful knowledge, historical knowledge, ethical wisdom, and creative stimuli in a direct fashion. Oral culture takes many forms: proverbs and riddles, epic narratives, oration and personal testimony, praise poetry and songs, chants and rituals, stories, legends and folk tales. This is present in the many proverbs told in Things Fall Apart, and the rich cultural emphasis of that book also is typically African. The earliest written Sub-Saharan Literature (1520) is heavily influenced by Islamic literature. The earliest example of this is the anonymous history of the city-state of Kilwa Kisiwani. The first African history, History of the Sudan, is written by Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi in Arabic style. Traveling performers, called griots, kept the oral tradition alive, especially the legends of the Empire of Mali. In 1728 the earliest written Swahili work,Utendi wa Tambuka borrows heavily from Muslim tradition. However, there are little to no Islamic presence in Things Fall Apart. The Period of Colonization With the period of Colonization, African oral traditions and written works came under a serious outside threat. Europeans, justifying themselves with the Christian ethics, tried to destroy the â€Å"pagan† and â€Å"primitive† culture of the Africans, to make them more pliable slaves. However, African Literature survived this concerted attack. In 1789, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustava Vassa was the first slave narrative to be published. Kidnapped from Nigeria, this Ibo man wrote his autobiography in Great Britain in English, and like Achebe used his narrative as a platform to attack the injustices of slavery and cultural destruction. Back in Africa, Swahili poetry threw off the dominating influence of Islam and reverted back to native Bantu forms. One exemplar of this was Utendi wa Inkishafi (Soul’s Awakening), a poem detailing the vanity of earthly life. The Europeans, by bringing journalism and government schools to Africa, helped further the development of literature. Local newspapers abounded, and often they featured sections of local African poetry and short stories. While originally these fell close to the European form, slowly they broke away and became more and more African in nature. One of these writers was Oliver Schreiner, whose novel Story of an African Farm (1883) is considered the first African classic analysis of racial and sexual issues. Other notable writers, such as Samuel Mqhayi and Thomas Mofolo begin portraying Africans as complex and human characters. Achebe was highly influenced by these writers in their human portrayal of both sides of colonization. Emerging from Paris in the 1920s and 1930s, the negritude movement established itself as one of the premiere literary movements of its time. It was a French-speaking African search for identity, which ofcourse took them back to their roots in Africa. Africa was made into a metaphorical antipode to Europe, a golden age utopia, and was often represented allegorically as a woman. In a 1967 interview, Cesaire explained: â€Å"We lived in an atmosphere of rejection, and we developed an inferiority complex. † The desire to establish an identity begins with â€Å"a concrete consciousness of what we are–†¦that we are black . . . and have a history. . . [that] there have been beautiful and important black civilizations†¦that its values were values that could still make an important contribution to the world. † Leopold Sedar Senghor, one of the prime thinkers of this movement, eventually became president of the country of Senegal, creating a tradition of African writers becoming active political figures. Achebe was doubtless familiar with the negritude movement, although he preferred to less surrealistic and more realistic writing. In 1948, African literature came to the forefront of the world stage with Alan Paton’s publishing of Cry the Beloved Country. However, this book was a somewhat paternalistic and sentimental portrayal of Africa. Another African writer, Fraz Fanon, also a psychiatrist, becomes famous in 1967 through a powerful analysis of racism from the African viewpoint – Black Skin, White Masks. Camara Laye explored the deep psychological ramification of being African in his masterpiece, The Dark Child (1953), and African satire is popularized by Mongo Beti and Ferdinand Oyono. Respected African literary critic Kofi Awoonor systematically collects and translates into English much of African oral culture and art forms, preserving native African culture. Chinua Achebe then presents this native African culture in his stunning work, Things Fall Apart. This is probably the most read work of African Literature ever written, and provides a level of deep cultural detail rarely found in European literature. Achebe’s psychological insight combined with his stark realism make his novel a classic. Post-Achebe African Literature Achebe simply opened the door for many other African literati to attain international recognition. East Africans produce important autobiographical works, such as Kenyans Josiah Kariuki’s Mau Mau Detainee (1963), and R. Mugo Gatheru’s Child of Two Worlds (1964). African women begin to let their voice be heard. Writers such as Flora Nwapa give the feminine African perspective on colonization and other African issues. Wole Soyinka writes her satire of the conflict between modern Nigeria and its traditional culture in her book The Interpreters (1965). A prolific writer, she later produces famous plays such as Death and The King’s Horseman. Later, in 1986, she is awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. African Literature gains more and more momentum, and Professor James Ngugi even calls for the abolition of the English Department in the University of Nairobi, to be replaced by a Department of African Literature and Languages. African writers J. M. Coetzee, in his Life and Times of Michael K. written in both Afrikaans and English for his South African audience, confronts in literature the oppressive regime of apartheid. Chinua Achebe helps reunite African Literature as a whole by publishing in 1985 African Short Stories, a collection of African short stories from all over the continent. Another African writer, Naguib Mahfouz, wins the Nobel Prize in literature in 1988. In 1990 African poetry experiences a vital comeback through the work I is a Long-Memoried Woman by Frances Anne Soloman. African Literature is only gaining momentum as time marches onwards. African Literature. (2016, Dec 01).

The Antitrust Battle Ahead Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Antitrust Battle Ahead - Essay Example It may so happen that the merged organizations gains at the expense of the consumer. This is where the government chips in, through its antitrust regulations. The government reserves the right, and rightly so, to intervene and block any merger deal which it feels would reduce competition in the industry and thereby adversely affect the consumers, either by way of high prices or by way of low quality. In some cases, these mergers may lead to less innovation thus indirectly putting consumers at a loss. Section 7 of the Clayton Act disallows mergers and acquisitions when such transactions may significantly lower competition, or may create a monopoly, or may lead to formation of cartels (Federal Trade Commission 2011). Simply put, the purpose of antitrust legislations is to enforce laws that promote competitive markets. These laws thus ensure efficient allocation of resources in a free market and prevent market failures. The focal point of antitrust economics is competition (Scheffman 2002). It is competition that is at the heart of many important business decisions and to a large extent determines the firms pricing strategies and tactics. The Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition, along with the Bureau of Economics is entrusted with the enforcement of such antitrust laws in the United States. The FTC and Department of Justice review scores of merger filings every year of which 95 percent have no competitive issues (Federal Trade Commission 2011). The first category consists of merger proposals wherein the competitive concerns can be resolved by mutual consent of the parties concerned. The revised merger proposal, so arrived after negotiations, retains the beneficial aspects of the deal and discards the threat. The federal regulators negotiated a settlement in the proposed merger deal of Comcast and NBC Universal. As a part of the revised deal, Comcast agreed to give up

Organizational Development in HRD Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organizational Development in HRD - Assignment Example Kindred is assigned the task by the president though she felt inadequate after meeting the gas company’s management and understanding their issues. However, despite her excuse to Larry not to be assigned the task, Larry fails to listen and she has no alternative than to do the work. Though challenging, she manages to provide successful long-term intervention to the client as intended through thorough preparation as well as with help from consulting ‘shadow’ friends after which she resigns from Larry’s organization. i. Kindred faces strategic dilemmas in the course of her placement with Larry are consulting organization. The interaction between Kindred and Larry when she feels insufficient to tackle the assignment leaves her in a position of either doing the assignment or quitting the job. The dilemma of coercion is depicted by the fact that Larry is not ready to have Kindred decide by herself on undertaking the assignment and she is left with no option but to do the assignment and fail or otherwise succeed. Technical ineptness dilemma occurs in this excerpt by having kindred, an OD practitioner present long-range intervention solution for a problem she has no skills in. This in fact forces her to invest higher in research as well as hire the expertise of a shadow practitioner in the intervention. Moreover, she faced the dilemma of value and goal conflict in that though the client (the gas company) thought that CQI was the ultimate effective tool to be employed for finding the long-range soluti on to the cost problems the company faced, Kindred was not conversant with the tool. It therefore emerged that Larry had ‘sold’ her out to the client as an expert in the use of the tool. Besides, Kindred actually ponders over a number of issues in regard to her suitability for the client and she actually quotes her dilemmas as being the dilemma of self, the dilemma of confidence as well as

Biodiversity Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Biodiversity - Assignment Example He continues to observe that introduction of science to manage the environment may be futile. The cases of genetically modified food and nuclear energy may bring us more harm than what the world believes (Mark ppp. 23). Marks believe that to save the environment, it is a choice we have to make. It all depends on us to save the environment. These are different environmental systems that do exist and functions interdependently. For instance, there is ozone layer boundary, aerosol boundary, climate change, biodiversity, land use and fresh water boundary among others (Mark pp. 56). The current global environmental degradation has been caused by wanton natural resources use particularly by developed countries. It makes sense to believe that the developed economies use more natural resources as compared to less developed countries. In case of Mother Nature strike like the Katrina Hurricanes, the poor are always at receiving end. They suffer more than those who have used these resources. On top of that, the rich countries and state will try to solve the devastating problem milking the poor to

Duress Is Not a Defence to Murder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Duress Is Not a Defence to Murder - Essay Example The word ‘duress’ can be explained as a compulsion on an accused by a third party to carry out a murder, or else , he might have witnessed a cruel harm, including death from such a third party.This research essay will analyse how duress cannot be claimed as a defence to murder as held in R v Howe with decided other case laws on the subject.Analysis In Attorney-General v Whelan, 2 it was held that duress is a threat with an instant death or grave body injury to the defendant, and if he refuses to carry out the order of a third party and it should be acknowledged as a validation for action, which would else be regarded as a criminal offense.3 In the earlier times, if duress is claimed as a defence, then the prosecution has the duty to prove beyond doubt that the defendant was not indulged in a crime under duress. However, now, the onus to prove the duress defence claims rests with an accused. Duress cannot be successful in case where there is a claim of peril of lesser har m such as damage to assets or false imprisonment. As held in R v Howe, if there is an instant threat of a serious body injury or death, then defence under duress can be claimed for crimes other than murder and treason.4 Under English law, duress as a defence is not available to attempted murder, murder, or any kind of treason. Hence, the crucial issue was whether duress was a valid defence in murder cases. A defendant may claim duress as an excuse that connotes the defendant had been compelled to act under such a harsh danger that precluding from the crime could not rationally be expected.6 Duress by circumstances and duress by threat are differentiated as to the basis of the threat. Duress per minas (by a threat) starts from a human peril while duress by circumstances involves a peril of natural origin. Both threats can qualify as a valid excuse. In DPP for Northern Ireland v Lynch, 7 Lord Simon observed that duress is just a specific usage of the canon of necessity. In this case, it was held by the Lords that defence of duress was available to a collaborator. In this case, the lords observed that where a defendant is left with two alternatives, which are between the peril of death or grave injury, and if he wantonly put an end to life of an innocent, an ordinary individual should think that one naive human life is as precious as that of his family members and in such event, the defendant cannot argue that he is preferring the least significant of the two evils. Likewise, in R v Gotts,8 it was held that duress is not a justification to an attempted slaughter.9 In normal parlance, the courts would not acknowledge a defence of duress when an abnormal injury is made by the defendant .This is known as a test of proportionality as held in R v Howe.10 Likewise, the duress shield can fail if the prosecution is able to demonstrate that the defendant had a chance to avert the threat from the third party by taking timely help from the police, and if the defendant negle cted to do so, the defence of duress would not be successful as held in R v Hasan.11 Lord Bingham in the R v Hasan case viewed that the peril may be to the defendant or to his family or to a known person of the defendant. Hence, peril against the welfare of the defendant’s family, or to his life or to the life of the person known to the defendant, will be an adequate proof of duress.12 In R v Fitzpatrick,13 it was held that a gang member who had been compelled to indulge in murder could not raise a defence of dur

Financial Analysis Exercises and Questions Essay

Financial Analysis Exercises and Questions - Essay Example Practice 2-14 Expanded Accounting Equation Assets Liabilities Capital Stock Retained Earnings Case A $20,000 $ 8,000 $ 8,500 $ 3,500 Case B $16,000 $ 9,000 $ 5,000 2,000 Case C $57,000 11,000 14,000 32,000 Case D 46,000 30,000 20,000 ($4000) Exercise 2-6 Balance Sheet Preparation Simon Company Balance Sheet as on December 31, 2006 Assets Liabilities and Owners' Equity Cash $ 179,750 Liabilities Accounts receivable 123,000 Accounts payable $62,500 Supplies 3,750 Mortgage payable 479,500 Land 130,000 Building 418,500 Owners’ equity* 313,000 Total assets $855,000 Total liabilities and owners' equity $855,000 *Owners’ equity (01/01/06) $210,000 Less: Distributions to owners during 2006 $(21,750) Add: Net Income $124,750 Owners’ equity (12/31/06) $313,000 Exercise 2-8 Income Statement Preparation Beckstrom Corporation Income Statement For the Year Ended December 31, 2006 Revenues $ 384,000 Less: Expenses Advertising expense 15,000 Supplies expense 46,000 Rent expense 10,000 Utilities expense 3,000 Salaries expense 61,000 Miscellaneous expenses 4,400 Income before tax 244,600 Less: Tax (30%) 73,380 Net income $171,220 Exercise 2-9 Cash Flow Computations 1. Net cash flow provided (used) by operating activities Cash receipts from: Customers $270,000 Less: Cash payments for Wages Utilities Advertising Rent Taxes 82,000 3,000 4,000 36,000 67,000 Net cash flow provided (used) by operating activities $78,000

Comparative Analysis of Poetry Gwendolyn Brooks WE REAL COOL & Maya Essay

Comparative Analysis of Poetry Gwendolyn Brooks WE REAL COOL & Maya Angelou Phenomenal Women - Essay Example Gwendolyn Brooks and Maya Angelou are African-American women with strong personalities. The most dominant theme in Brooks works are the impact of ethnicity and life experiences on one's view of life. Angelou's, on the other hand, usually center on the themes of courage, perseverance, self-acceptance, and realization of one's full potential. "We Real Cool" depicts the climactic end of the battle of seven school dropouts and their struggles with personal identity. In this poem, Brooks speaks and feels for the seven school drop outs and sees the world through their eyes. The unfettered young men, though seemingly not concerned of their situation, as described in the first seven lines eventually turned out to have known the consequence of their actions. "At first, it seems like it is inadvertent, even an unguarded revelation but I think that both the poet and her hooligan narrator realize that the threat of death in the streets is an ever-present part of what makes life on the streets worthwhile. It's what gives that life vitality."1 There is no separation in the part of the writer and the characters. The writer speaks on behalf of the seven school drop outs. Perhaps, even feeling the uncertainties in their actions camouflaged by being "cool." Emphasizing it's tragic effect in the last line, "Die Soon." "Phenomenal Woman," on the other hand, describes a self-assured woman who has fully realized her self-worth that both sexes: "pretty women and men" did not fail to notice her existence. The words Maya Angelou uses show that the character is conscious of her actions and is in total control of the situation. There are no hesitancies on the part portrayed by the "phenomenal woman" in the poem. Only a self-assured "person". Notice the emphasis on the word "person." The character becomes phenomenal not because she IS a woman but simply because she has a full grasp of what she is and what she is not. A person created with equal importance with man. Not of lesser quality that she should worship him nor above him that she should lord over him, but a person that would complete the all of creation. For what is a woman, without a man and a man without a woman.. In conclusion, these works present the following: 1) male-female differences through the eyes of a woman; 2) employed rhythmic rhyming scheme with 3) pleasant tone ( lyrical: a feeling of dancing: Angelou's smooth, brooks' short but strong) in the use of 4) informal language (simple, crisp and powerful) which 5) appeals to the emotion (both are written based on what the writers feel) portraying the characters linked with a woman. The camouflage that a first

Race to the Top Strategy Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Race to the Top Strategy - Coursework Example In his time in office, President Obama has provided unparalleled support for the education system in America. The Race to the Top Strategy was enacted through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (2009) formulated to sustain job creation, stimulate economic growth and invest in important sectors such as education. The ARRA acts as a foundation for education reforms by supporting strategies which lead to better results for students, long-term benefits for schools and increased effectiveness. The â€Å"Race to the Top† education program provides funds to K-12 public school systems to improve the education system in general (White). The ARRA allocated $91 billion to the program whose main objective was to act as an incentive to encourage states to make positive developments in education (White). These developments include improving high school graduation rates, making significant student achievement and ensuring that students are well prepared for accomplishments in college and in their careers. The following criterion is followed when awarding funds to schools in all states: Formulating and employing high standards and quality assessments The administration encourages states to work together towards a system of conventional academic principles that prepares students towards a college education and careers (White). These are used to assess the students’ thinking skills and critical knowledge. Hiring and retaining good teachers and leaders in schools The program emphasizes on teacher assessment, retention, and compensation to promote and reward efficiency (White). This means that public schools are being pressed to relate teacher compensation to student examination scores. Maintaining data systems that improve instruction and informed decisions The objective of the program is to make data easily accessible to all stakeholders. A data-based approach to assessing the curriculum is effective and minimizes teacher and school district discretion in a ddition to local preferences and state differences (White). Demonstrating and maintaining education reforms The administration aims at advancing collaboration among all stakeholders in the education sector to close achievement gaps and improve students’ performance. The Race to the Top Strategy is in two phases. The first phase started in October 2009 and 10% of the funds were allocated to an initial group of states in 2010 (Colorado the Official State Web Portal). The second phase award proposal for 90% of the funds was in spring in the year 2010 (Colorado The Official State Web Portal). The implementation will take place over a four year period and is expected to improve the overall education system in America. Differences between the Race to the Top Strategy and previous strategies by past Presidents: Bill Clinton and Bush school reform strategy The main difference between Obama’s and Bush’s educational reforms lies in the strategies adopted by the two presid ents. President Obama’s signature education strategy is Race to the Top that is based on the allocation of funds using the test scores of students.

The Tremendous Benefit of Using Hypnosis Essay Example for Free

The Tremendous Benefit of Using Hypnosis Essay Hypnosis is a condition in which a person under a trance-like state (more likely compared to being half-asleep) responds to suggestions given by another person with the exemption of self-hypnosis when no second person is needed for the experience. Accordingly, hypnosis does not depend on the power of the second person or the hypnotist; rather, it depends on the ability of the person to experience hypnosis. Hypnosis is sometimes used for medical purposes and its effect is greatly demonstrated especially in the field of pain relief. Another important and basic use of hypnosis is for improving behavior such as social interaction with others, self-confidence and self-esteem. When a person is under hypnosis, he is in a state of increased suggestibility and focused attention. With these factors at hand, a person is made to believe or feel what is needed to improve behavior. In the case of a person with low self-esteem, hypnosis helps in a way that it makes the person overcome his social and emotional insecurity by auto suggesting positive reinforcements. The person is made to focus on the idea that he can do whatever others can and that he is someone very special. Given the right focus, the person receives the idea and thought that eventually translates to better conduct and performance. Hypnosis has many practical benefits aside from what is commonly depicted by the media. Although the founding concept of hypnosis is heightened suggestibility, it is not something as exaggerated as what’s shown on tv or movies. Hypnosis can bring a lot of advantages to a person’s physical, emotional and social skills through its idea of concentrating or focusing towards a certain subject (whatever is needed in the instance).

Three Fundamental Concepts of Economics Essay Example for Free

Three Fundamental Concepts of Economics Essay 1. Human wants. —Two characteristics of human wants possess great importance in their bearing upon the production and consumption of wealth. First, there seems to be no limit to the number of wants of which a human being is capable. This is one reason why most people find saving so difcult; any growth of income is speedily outdistanced by the growth of wants. This characteristic also ex-plains why a general overproduction of wealth is impossible; there may be too much of one thing but not too much of all things. It also accounts for the al-most infinite variety of goods found in the markets of any modern city. Second, the continued gratification of any single want finally leads to satiety and may become even tedious and irksome. It is a well-known fact of everyday life that any pleasure loses its zest if indulged in too long. 2. Law of diminishing utility. —The fact that we get less and less satisfaction out of the continued gratification of any single want is so important that it is laid down as a fundamental proposition and is known as the law of diminishing utility. It may be stated as follows: The intensity of any utility, or of a mans desire for any good, tends to decline as he consumes successive units of it. This law doubtless has both a physiological and a psychological basis. Sports weary certain muscles and finally cease to give pleasure. The hungry man gets great satisfaction out of the first few minutes of his dinner, but his enjoyment of the meal soon begins to decline. A man who is already the owner of a silk hat, is not profusely grateful if a friend sends him a second silk hat as a Christmas gift, and if he gets a third on his next birthday he will probably look at it gloomily and wonder if he has some friend or relative whose head it will fit, for to him it is only a nuisance. This principle of diminishing utility applies with varying force in the case of different articles and different men. In the case of the silk hat, the utility declines very rapidly as the supply is increased. In the case of shirts the decline will be much less rapid. To the man who has only one shirt it will possess very great utility; he will prize it much more than he would any one shirt if he had twelve in his bureau drawer. It may be said that up to a certain point there is possible an increase in the supply of any commodity in our possession without any appreciable decline in its utility. We want a certain number of suits of clothes and a house with a certain number of rooms. Additional clothing and additional space in our house would be only a burden, something to be cared for but not wanted. Bread, potatoes and beans are nourishing. Potatoes and beans in ordinary times are cheap. If the human race would be satisfied with such food, the population of the earth might be doubled and yet all be well fed; but we demand variety in food and would protest vigorously if the same rations were placed before us day after day. . The law of demand and supply. —Every business man knows that the value or price of any article depends upon the demand for and supply of it. The law of demand and supply may be briefly stated as follows: The price or value of any article tends to vary directly with the demand and inversely with the supply; increasing or declining as the demand increases or declines, but tending to rise as the sup-ply declines and to fall as the supply increases. T he reader must not think of this law as a complete explanation of value. It is not in any sense a theory of value. It merely states in general terms a truth well known to all men familiar with the operations of trade and industry. If we analyze this law we run up against some difficult questions. What is meant by demand? Why does the value rise when the demand increases? Why does the value tend to fall when the supply increases? We find also that there is a curious interaction between value on the one hand and demand and supply on the other. If the price of an article is lowered, we discover that the demand for it tends to increase and that at the same time the supply tends to decrease. We will not undertake to discuss all these problems in this chapter, but will be satisfied with an examination of the terms demand and supply. 4. Analysis of demand. —The desire for a commodity is not in itself an economic demand for it. No matter how much a man may want an automobile, his desire can have no effect upon the prices or value of automobiles unless be has the necessary means of payment. Desire must be accompanied by the necessary purchasing power before it can become economic or effective demand, or have any influence in the market. The second point to notice in connection with demand is that it varies with the price. For example, if the price of automobiles and. the cost of operation could be cut one-half, there would undoubtedly be a great increase in the demand for automobiles and many more cars would, be made and sold. On the other hand, if any conditions cause the prices of automobiles and gasolene to be advanced, the tendency will be toward a weaker demand and smaller sales. Hence when we speak of the demand for any article, manifestly we must always have in mind a certain price, for the demand varies with the price. There is only one way of measuring the demand for an article at any given price, and that is by the quantity of it which is sold at that price. That shows how many people are willing to buy at such a price. Hence it is possible for us to define demand as being the amount of goods which people are willing to take at a given price. 5. Analysis of supply. The word supply as commonly used includes the entire stock of goods within reach of the market, but economists use it in a stricter sense, meaning by it only that portion of the entire stock which is actually offered for sale at a given price. The entire stock of wheat, for example, in a country might be 500,000 bushels and the price $2. If only 100,000 bushels were offered for sale, that would be the economic or effective supply at that price, and if 100,000 bushels were sold at that price, t hat would constitute also the economic demand. Thus in our analysis of demand and supply, we find that at any particular time and price they are measured by the same quantity of goods. This conclusion is not remarkable, for a mans purchasing power depends upon the goods he possesses, plus his credit or borrowing power which in turn depends on his power to produce in the future. How he shall use it is determined by his wants. A farmer going to market with 10 bushels of potatoes, intending to sell them and purchase groceries with the proceeds, is increasing the supply of potatoes in the market and the demand for certain groceries. To the buyers of potatoes his load constitutes an addition to the sup-ply, but to the grocer it represents a demand for certain groceries. Money is merely the medium by which the exchanges are effected; the economic demand for goods is the goods that are in the buyers possession. In modern business the buyer always goes to market equipped with money or credit, and this he has obtained either by the production of goods or by the performance of valuable services. 6. Potential demand and supply. —That part of the stock of an article which is not offered for sale at a given price is sometimes called the potential sup-ply. When would-be buyers of an article are not quite satisfied with the present price and hold back for a lower price, this is referred to as the potential demand. Dealers in any article when determining what price they may hope for naturally take into account,, so far as possible, the intensity of the potential demand and the amount of the potential supply. The great enlargement of cold storage and ware-housing facilities in recent years has made the potential supply of many commodities exceedingly important. The thrifty farmer is no longer compelled to market all his eggs. in the spring and summer, nor all his potatoes and grain crops in the fall. In normal times this withholding of foodstuffs from the market, so that they are not part of the effective supply, tends, first toward the steadying of prices and, second toward the lowering of prices, for the farmer, his profits being larger and more secure, is stimulated to an increase of production. In this book we shall use,the words demand and supply in the sense given them rdinarily by business men, meaning by supply the goods in the market seeking a purchaser, and by demand the quantity of goods which people will buy at or near any given price. 7. The value equation. —Any business man knows that the price or value of an article tends to rise when-ever the demand for it at the existing price is in excess of the supply offered for sale at that price; and conversely that the price of an article is likely to decline whenever the suppl y offered at the existing price is greater than the demand. It is conditions of this sort which account for the zigzagging of prices in the speculative markets. In the worlds great exchanges, where the prices of certain basic commodities are fixed, the traders give consideration to all possible circumstances that may affect the present or future demand or supply of the article in which they are trading. A drought in Argentina may fore-shadow a lessened supply of wheat and cause traders to bid a higher price for it, or storms in Kansas and Nebraska may threaten the corn crop and bring on a rise in the price both of corn and of pork. At any given time there are in any market a number of men more or less anxious to buy a certain commodity and others who wish to sell. If the sellers are asking too high a price, certain buyers hold off and all the stock cannot be sold. On the other hand, if they should offer their goods at too low a price, the demand would exceed the supply, certain buyers would get all they wanted and others would be disappointed.

Strategic interactions of players in Oligopoly Markets

Strategic interactions of players in Oligopoly Markets The strategic interaction between players in the oligopoly markets gives its study a tint of dynamism. This interdependence nature of oligopolies brings about the concept of conjectural behaviour, a situation whereby the actions and decisions of firms in the markets depends on the actions and decisions of the others. This brings about many of the theoretical problems in modelling oligopolistic behaviour (Waterson 1984, pg 17). An extension of such problem is borne on the willingness of firms to gain market power, and most cases; it is done through integration into lines of business that are related. Literature varies with respect to the theoretical aspect of integrating related firms with unrelated ones, as there has been mixed results in the area of profitability. Rumelt found out that firms that are not vertically integrated are more profitable (Rumelt 1976). Whereas, the situation was different with Luffman and Reed, who argued that vertically integrated firms are more profitable (Luffman and Reed 1984). Policy actions is said to cause a loss in social welfare rather than the actions of the firms themselves, and that integration is used strategically to achieve anticompetitive effects (Cowling and Mueller 1978). This study assesses the measurement of monopoly profit in a collusive oligopolistic market and also deals with the estimation of welfare loss in the distribution aspect of the British film industry. It will also deal with whether vertical integration contributes adversely to consumers welfare or not. The analysis is carried out using the gross profit, general selling administrative expenses and after tax profits of the distributors in the British film industry for the past 20 years, ranging from 1990 2009. As is in the treatment of oligopolies, there are different ways of measuring the game theory. It is either the use of Bertrand equilibrium (which focuses on the manipulation of price to gain market power) is employed, or the Cournot model (which talks about the adjustment of quantity) is used. In other cases, there is the use of intermediate models which deals with the combination of price and quantity adjustment to achieve competitive edge over other players in the industry. In t his analysis, Cowling and Muellers (1978) model will be employed. Their method is based on the Cournot-Nash equilibrium model. The distributors involved in this analysis will be divided into two categories as is the industrial structure. There will be a set that is involved in integration of the production and or exhibition aspect into the business of distribution, while the other set is basically the independent distributors, that is, those involved only in the business of distribution without recourse to other aspect of the industry. The next section will deal with a discussion into the industry. This will involve the history of the industry, the basic structure, size of the industry, how concentrated the industry is and a look into the recent development in the industry. A descriptive statistics into the distribution aspect of the industry will also be discussed. Chapter 3 (i.e. literature review) will deal with the approaches used in the analysis of the behaviour of oligopolies that collude in other to gain monopoly profits. The section will start with a brief review of the oligopoly theories as it affects the industry. The main model in this work, the Cournot-Nash model, will be reviewed before the discussion of the complications in the work of Cowling and Mueller (1978). The assumption that welfare loss is enhanced through vertically integration will then be reviewed. The methodology chapter (i.e. chapter 4) will be based on how the analysis is to be carried out. There will be the description of data, the met hods used and the problems encountered during the analysis. Chapter 5 will be based on the findings of the work. It will involve the presentation and discussion in the findings. The final section, chapter 6, will be a conclusion on the work and policy recommendation, if any. Chapter 2 The Industry The British film industry, over several years, can be classified as undulating, with its high and low peaks. The industry is characterised by volatility and persistent instability, and due to such inconsistencies, has attracted government intervention. There are catastrophic cycles in the history of British film. Fluctuations in cinema attendance and the degree of American dominance in the industry were major factors that influenced the industry. Despite these cycles, the industry is said to be the second largest in the world, next to that of US. This section would look at the history of the industry, the industrial structure (i.e. the key distinct but related sectors in the industry; production, distribution and exhibition), size and concentration. This would involve focusing on the pertinent issues that have contributed to the development of the industry over the years. After this, a discussion into recent developments of the industry would be done. History The emergence of the film industry can be attributed to the series of innovations encountered in the nineteenth century in the US, France and UK. Shortly after the UK dominance in the American market (accounting for about 15% share of the market), there was a slum in their dominance as a result of Americas expensive and heavily marketed productions, which resulted into the loss of indigenous followership to less than 10% (Bakker 2005). Despite this, the home audience increased prompting the government to introduce the Entertainment Tax in 1916. This is based on the premises that the industry is a sleeping giant, thereby including other forms of entertainment, like music hall and theatre in the tax. However, the tax was abolished in 1960 (Murphy 2004). The dominance of the American film market was unprecedented in the 1920s that the government had to intervene by the establishment of the Cinematograph Films Act in 1927. The act was to encourage the production of films indigenously and also set the criteria for the distribution and exhibition of films in the home industry. It was believed that the industry could help stimulate the exports of other goods and services in the British economy, and that it would help wade off American dominance in the industry. This act recorded significant success, as more production companies sprang up, among which are Warners, Fox and British International Pictures. The production of films in the UK doubled as a result. However, the criticism faced by the act has to do with the production of low quality films and low cost of the films, in order to meet the quota requirement set out by the Act. In 1936, the act was reviewed and it allocated quotas to both the distribution and exhibition sector of the i ndustry. Also, quality test was also included in the act. This was to encourage competitiveness in the international market for the industry. Financial institutions were also encouraged to participate in the industry through the provision financial assistance to firms in the industry. At the end of World War II, the industry experienced a boom, which saw cinema attendance soar. Of worthy mention is the existence of the Rank Organisation, a vertically integrated firm, involved in the production, distribution and exhibition of films in the industry. The firm dominated the industry in the 1940s, and was the largest film distributor at the time (UK Film Council Research and Statistics Unit 2009). The British government enhanced their role in the administration of the industry when it was realised the American film industry is taking over the home market, through the establishment of the National Film Finance Corporation (NFFC) and the Eady Levy in 1950. The Eady levy was a law enforcing the ploughing back of a percentage of the film profits back into the development of the industry (UK Film Council, 2009). In the early 1980s when Margaret Thatcher came into power, there was an attempt to create a free market in all industries, with the use of a deregulation policy. This was in view of breaking up monopolies, thereby, enhancing competitiveness in the economy. However, there was criticism that there would be a preference for profit maximisation of firms rather than the welfare of people (BFI Institute 2005, pg 1). In line with this deregulation policy, the Eady Levy was abolished in 1985 and the 25% tax break for film investors was removed. The withdrawal of government support in these areas made getting involved in the film business more risky. At the time, the only hope from the state was also privatised thereby curtailing financial assistance. The Rank Organisation failed at this time. Despite this, the industry still witnessed unprecedented growth. In the words of Leonard Quart, in his work The religion of the market cited in Friedman (1993), despite the Thatcher governments unwillin gness to aid the film industry, it did establish a general mood that encouraged economic risk-taking and experimentation with new and more innovative business practices (Friedman 1993, pg 25). Cannon Group became the dominant player in the industry and was involved not only in the financing of films, but was also engaged in the production, distribution and exhibition. But due to over expansion, the group became bankrupt. Structure, Size and Concentration The industry is characterised basically by activities in three areas, which include the production, the distribution and the exhibition of films. These activities are unique but are related in that the films produced are given to distributors, who market to the exhibitors that show it to the final audience. Thus from the process of production till the final stage where the films are screened, there is distributors who serve as middle men, who helps realise the potential of the film. Production The industry is production led. By production expenditure, the market is the fifth largest and is the eleventh largest with respected to the number of films produced as at 2008. The production sector is heavily dependent of inward investments, basically from the United States. This was attributed to the availability of tax relief, the high quality of workforce and the strength of the exchange rate. The fall of the UK pound contributed significantly to the rebound in the production of films. The total expenditure appreciated to about 20 per cent in 2009 when compared to that of the preceding year. Based on the UK Film Council Statistics in 2008, the sector has about 202 active production companies, with few large ones making films of substantial budgets and others producing mainly low budget films (UK Film Council 2009). Distribution Distribution has to do with the management of the release of films produced in order to earn revenue. The main function of the distributor is to convince the exhibitor in renting or booking each film after production. This is a value chain and it involves negotiation with exhibitors, sequencing of the various windows at which to screen the films, advertisement of the films produced and printing production of the films. However, there is also a weakness in this arm as most of the firms are dominated by the UK subsidiaries of American studios. As at 2008, these subsidiaries accounted for 78 per cent of the market power and the top distributors, numbering up to ten, were responsible for 95 per cent of the market share. The largest indigenous distributor in the industry in terms of gross box office is Entertainment Plc. It was responsible for 8 per cent of the market share in 2008. However, the distribution arm of the industry is taunted by audiovisual piracy, which contributed largely t o most of the losses experienced by firms involved. The marginal profit encountered are as a result of retail sale of DVDs and showing on television, with the Video on demand (VOD) market relatively underdeveloped, contributing marginally to the total revenue. The focus of this analysis is on the distribution aspect of the industry. Based on the characteristics of the sector, it is highly concentrated with few firms assuming a greater control of the market share. Unfortunately, this aspect of the British film industry has been given less attention in the past by state regulations, with more emphasis being given to production rather than distribution. However, the bulk of the profit generated in the industry is greatly enhanced by the activities of distributors as they are involved in the promotion and distribution of the work of the producers, helping achieve the full potential of the films. As stated earlier, this is because they act as intermediaries between film makers, exhibition outlets and the final audience. Due to their indispensable role, there absence in the industry would create a situation where there is neither reinvestment in film production nor the display of viable movies to the final consumers. Also, in their absence, the industry would be open to exploitation from external market, such as the domination in existence in the production aspect of the industry. There are several independent distributors who are UK-based operating in the sector and are basically divided into small and large independent distributors. Even though the large distributors are involved in the release of fewer titles in comparison with smaller ones, they still have control of the market share. Exhibition Exhibition has to do with the display of films to the final audience through theatre screening. The market is dominated by few large numbers, as is the case of the distributors, of firms. But these firms are not predominantly owned by foreign firms. In 2008, majority of the screens were controlled by firms; Odeon, Cineworld and Vue, two of which were owned by private equity firms. Recent Development Insert The industry contributed a total of GBP2.5bn to the economy in 2007, with production cropping up a large chunk of 48 per cent, distribution responsible 36 per cent and exhibition taking up the remaining 16 per cent. The industry also contributed to other aspects of the economy like exports and employment. In 2007, the balance of payment surplus accruing to the industry was estimated to about GBP232m. According to the Labour Force Survey conducted by the Office of National Statistics, there were over 35,000 jobs in the industry. There were over 7000 firms in the industry as at 2008 and these were mainly concentrated in the production arm of the industry. However, the concentration of activities in the distribution arm of the industry is concentrated in the hand of few. The contribution of distributors to the industry, and ultimately to the economy, makes it interesting for a study into how they contribute to welfare loss and how vertical integration affects the accumulation of monopoly profits/losses. Chapter 3 Literature Review From previous studies carried out by researchers, there were mixed results as regards the loss in social welfare by firms trying to gain the bulk of the market share in various industries. In the case of Harberger, he found out that the loss of welfare in the United States is at 0.1 of 1 per cent of the Gross National Product (GNP) (Harberger 1954). This finding confirmed that the loss of social welfare as a result of monopolistic tendencies is insignificant. This idea was also backed by others, even with the use of varying assumptions. However, this was under attack by Bergson (1973) who criticised the partial equilibrium framework employed. Bergson employed the general equilibrium approach, which assumed that social welfare can be captured through a social indifference curve. According to Cowling and Mueller (1978), it was argued that such assumptions brings about discrepancy between the variations in the price cost margins and the supposed constant elasticities of demand (Cowling and Mueller 1978). Thus, this analysis will employ the use of the partial equilibrium approach, following the work of Cowling and Mueller, which was based on the Cournot-Nash equilibrium approach. The next section deals with the brief review of oligopoly theories, the review of the model used, discussion of the complications of the Cowling-Mueller model, and how it affects the industry. Review of oligopoly theories The main feature of an oligopoly is the reliance of firms on the actions of the others, which makes it difficult to assume the simple solutions of a monopoly or perfect competition. There are two main forms clearly distinguished under the classical oligopoly theory, both being majorly determined by either price or quantity (Tasnadi 2006). In order to study the oligopoly markets, economists make use of the game theory in modelling their behaviours. There is the Bertrand competition, which relies on the manipulation of prices as a way of competition. On the other hand is the Cournot Nash competition, which describes the industry with oligopolistic tendency, as one in which companies compete on the amount of goods produced, with the assumptions of homogenous goods, no collusion, existence of market power, and rationality. There is no single model describing the workings of an oligopolistic market. This is because companies compete on varying platforms such as price, quantity, marketing , reputation, technological innovations, etc (Colander 2008). The Bertrand model of oligopolies focuses on price. The model illustrates the interactions between the firm (one who sets the price) and the customer (one who chooses the quantity to buy at the price given by the firm). The working of the model is based on the assumptions that goods are undifferentiated, no collusion and prices are set at the same time. Given the rationality of consumers, they buy from the firm who offers the lowest prices and if all the firms give the same price, they choose the firms to buy from at random. Assuming there is no capacity restriction, if a firm raises the price of its goods, it becomes likely that such firm would lose most or all its customers. In the same light, if the firm reduces prices below its marginal cost, it would lose money on every unit sold (Binger and Hoffman 1998). Thus, under the Bertrand model, the equilibrium is where the price is equals to marginal cost, resulting in zero-profit for the participating firms. However, relaxing the assu mption of capacity restrictions results in a situation where equilibrium is not achieved. The Cournot-Nash Model While the Bertrand model focuses on price, Cournot-Nash model emphasises the importance of quantity adjustment. The model assumes the existence of Cournot conjecture; that firms compete based on quantity rather than prices and that the behaviour of firms are stable. Equilibrium is reached at a point where neither firm desires to change what it produces based on its knowledge on what other firms produces. This is regarded as the Cournot-Nash equilibrium (Kreps 1990). Traditionally, the model considers two firms with the assumption that their marginal costs are linear but not necessarily identical. Each firm is believed to have the ability to decide on the level to produce in other to maximize profit, given the output level of the other firm and this is called the reaction function. In the case of N-number of firms, overall industry production curve is based on the reaction functions of other firms with respect to what the market leader produces. As in the game theory, each firm decide s on the best response function that helps maximize their profit, and if followed at all times results into the Nash equilibrium (Fulton 1997). In general, the Cournot theorem states that as the number of firms in the industry grows to infinity, it brings about competitive tendencies and pushes price towards marginal cost. In perfect competition, allocative efficiency requires that prices to be set equal to the marginal costs of production throughout the economy. If firms are able to restrict output in order to maintain price above the marginal costs this leads to a misallocation of resources and loss of economic welfare. The monopolist is able to raise his price above the level of marginal cost, as he is a price maker. This situation can be compared with the benchmark case of perfect competition where firms are price takers and cannot sell any unit of goods produced at a price higher than the marginal cost and cannot earn supernormal/abnormal profits. Fig 1: Welfare effect of Competition and Monopoly profits Figure 1 compares the welfare effects or performance of perfect competition and monopoly. It depicts the neoclassical case against monopoly. Theorists have formulated the welfare loss concept which measures the potential gain of a movement away from monopoly to perfect competition. The analysis shows the basic deadweight loss model used by Harberger (1954). In order to simplify the analysis, the assumption that costs are constant is used. If the industry is competitive, the firms cannot set price above MC (P=MC), thus the quantity produced is Qc. In figure 1, under perfect competition price would be at Pc and output Qc. Marshall stated that consumer surplus is the difference between what a consumer is willing to pay for a good and the amount actually paid for it. It is a measure of the benefits to a consumer of trading in a market. It is shown by the triangle between price and demand. Market demand is refered to as D (the amount consumers are willing to pay for an additional unit of the product). Thus, consumers pay a price Pc for all units purchased. Any marginal increase in output below Qc generates a difference between the price actually paid and the price consumers are willing to pay. This is the consumer surplus, represented by the larger triangle above marginal cost, depicting an absence of abnormal profit. Given a monopoly facing an equivalent demand and costs conditions, the maximisation of profit may be achieved through output reduction, which is at a point where MC=MR. Here, the price shifts to Pm, thereby setting price above MC, and quantity produced falls to Qm. The triangle above Pm is referred to as the surplus due to consumers in a monopolistic setting. The shaded portion A in the diagram is the supernormal profit due for a monopoly, which signifies the redistribution of wealth from consumers to firms. Thus, the decrease in consumer surplus, as a result of a competitive entity moving to monopoly is represented by the addition of the two shaded portions A and B. However, the net social loss accruing as a result of the existence of monopoly power is represented by the shaded part B (Sawyer 1981). In the work of Harberger, he argued that this triangle is really tiny and is nothing to worry about. Posner, in describing the net social loss, stated that: When market price rises above the competitive level, consumers who continue to purchase the sellers product at the new, higher price suffer a loss exactly offset by the additional revenue that the sellers obtain at the higher price. Those who stop buying the product suffer a loss not offset by any gain to the sellers. This is the deadweight loss from supracompetitive pricing and in traditional analysis its only social cost, being regarded merely as a transfer from consumers to producers (Posner 1975, pg. 807). Complications of the Cowling Mueller Model Observing the mark-up of price on marginal cost helps define the implied price elasticity of demand with the assumption of a profit maximizing behaviour, which also applies to a colluding oligopoly or pure monopoly. Following the work of Cowling and Mueller (1978), in defining a firms implied elasticity of demand, assumed that welfare loss will be estimated from their cost margins. (1) where we have as the price elasticity of demand for the industry; as the price given by firm i; and as the marginal cost of firm i. The estimates derived would help explain the amount of welfare loss (the single firms decision to set price above marginal cost) realised from the reaction functions of firms. The assumption that each firm in the industry possesses some degree of monopoly power is employed and will be applied on a firm by firm basis. This enables them to charge prices higher than the marginal cost of production, given there is perfect competition. This is to help in estimating the relative importance of the variations in each firms outputs. This draws more light on the interdependence of observed price distortions (dp) and changes in output (dq), as seen in the work of Cowling and Mueller (1978). Based on this assumption, the welfare loss of the firms can be derived from the partial equilibrium formula for welfare loss; Â ½dpdq. In a situation where the firms expectatio ns about the behaviour of other competing firms are borne out, it is assumed that = and = =1. Hence the equations; (2) (3) Following the assumption of constant marginal costs, monopoly profit term can be incorporated into the equation, thereby, resulting into (4) Harberger (1954) equated the elasticity of demand to be unitary, i.e. ÃŽÂ · = 1. This depicts that if dpi/pi is small, the social cost of monopoly would be insignificant. He argued that representing the elasticity of demand with a value of 1 was an attempt at compensating for the demerits of using a partial equilibrium measure of welfare loss to examine a structural change in the general equilibrium, and that this would not be so if individual firms cannot act as monopoly in terms of price manipulation. However Cowling and Mueller (1978) refuted this assumption by referring to it as a very awkward way of handling the problem which answers the criticisms raised by Bergson (1973) against the partial equilibrium approach as regards the interdependence of price distortions and change in output (pg. 730), even though their analysis was based on the so criticised partial equilibrium approach. Wenders (1967), as cited in Cowling and Mueller (1978), questioned Harbergers position, but wer e erroneous in their calculations due to ignorance in assuming that the degree of collusion is a variable. Thus, the assumption of joint profit maximization need not be used. Based on this, there is need for proper definition of the methodology involving the partial equilibrium approach, so as to derive plausible estimates from it (to be done later on in this discussion). In measuring the monopoly profits, the excess of actual profits over the long run competitive returns (which are the profits that are compatible with the long run survival in an equilibrium economy) is determined, after adjustment is made for the accommodation of risk, as in the case of Worcester (1973). He used a median profit rate of 90% in allowing for biasness: a rather ad hoc adjustment. The divergence of actual rates of profits and the mean rates was the root of monopoly profits in earlier studies, following that of Harberger. These studies treated industries whose profit is in the range of 5% above or below the mean profit as those that have created welfare loss. However, this will result in a downward biasness of the monopoly welfare estimate as it underestimates the level of monopoly returns. It is not feasible to lean ones analysis on the premises of equal effects on welfare loss by monopolists and firms in perfect competition. Even if the assumption holds, the problem of how to handle firms experiencing loss would arise. Rather, it is plausible to argue that these firms are in disequilibrium and as such, have costs above the competitive levels. Hence, in deriving the social cost of monopoly, the firms experiencing loss will be dropped. This is in line with the work of Cowling and Mueller, who assumed that the firms would return to their normal profits or would disappear, thereby, creating no long run loss to the economy. The role of vertical integration The effect of the firms trying to gain market power is also a contributory factor into the loss of social welfare. Vertical integration carves out niches for monopolistic possibilities in product and geographical areas. Vertical integration is divided into upstream (backward, deals with the production of basic inputs) and downstream (forward, deals with the production of finished or nearly finished products). When two or more operations are vertically integrated, there is a natural bias towards internal procurement of components even in the presence of inefficiency. Bounded rationality also has its role in the diseconomies effect of vertical integration. It would basically take place where it is mutually beneficial to do so and not necessarily when it is cheaper. According to Greenhut and Ohta (1976), vertical integration does not increase integrators monopoly power, but rather, eliminates transitional twist caused by increasing mark-ups. Not only does it eliminate such distortions, it improves the provision of differentiated goods. Carlton (1979) assumes the prevalence of downstream over upstream in an integrated world. Hence, integration is socially undesirable since the downstream firms cannot absorb risk as efficiently as the upstream. The market is less to be contestable if integration is embarked upon by established firms. This is because the possibility of a potential entrant having the know-how and the economies of scale in the successive stages of production is very slim. There is likely to be sunk costs, which may be too expensive for the new entrant, thereby raising entry barrier. However, the ability to discriminate hinges on being able to identify groups of customers having different demand elasticities, then being able to preven t them from price discrimination. This firm structure helps to prevent leakages between markets if the collusive oligopoly, engaging in the upstream successive stage of production, integrates into one or more downstream markets, while still possibly allowing sales of the upstream product to unintegrated firms for specific uses (Waterson 1984). In general, the vertical integration accrues to the firm benefits, which would not have been possible if independently functioning. Among the benefits are lower transaction costs, capturing upstream and downstream profit margins, reduction in uncertainty (i.e. there is always supply assurance), expansion of core competence and the ability to gain a considerable part of the market share. These benefits are supported by the existence of taxes and regulations of market transactions, economies of scale, and similarities between the integrated activities (Greaver 1999). According to Buzzel (1983), he argued that operating in an integrated basis results in the benefits being offset by costs and risks, among which he noted capital requirement, reduced flexibility, and loss of specialization. Firms enjoying monopoly power would act to defend their market through entry barriers, which is a potential free rider problem. Unless, the barriers to entry can be effectively coordinated, it would be difficult to derive a means of calculating above competitive profits. Given the unlikelihood associated with gaining monopoly profit without the expense of extra resource, it would be profitable to utilise extra resources to deter entry. Tullock (1967) and Posner (1975), as cited in Cowling and Waterson (2003), maintained that if the existence of competition for market power is granted by some authority and that the practice acquire real resource costs, it is possible that all the gains due on monopolistic tendencies may be frittered away in the struggle to obtain it. These resource costs may be in the form of excessive generation of advertising goodwill stock; involvement is excess production capacity and excessive costs on Research and Development by engaging in product differentiat ion. It was also believed that the efforts to acquire patent protection, tariff protection and other forms of unwarranted state treatment contribute significantly to welfare loss meted out by monopolies. So, Cowling and Muell