What Are the Phases of the Business Cycle

Parkin and Bades text Economics gives the following definition of the business cycle:   The business cycle is the periodic but irregular up-and-down movements in economic activity, measured by fluctuations in real GDP and other macroeconomic variables. To put it simply, the business cycle is defined as the real fluctuations in economic activity and gross domestic product (GDP) over a period of time. The fact that the economy experiences these ups-and-downs in activity should be no surprise. In fact, all modern industrial economies like that of the United States endure considerable swings in economic activity over time. The ups may be marked by indicators like high growth and low unemployment while the downs are generally defined by low or stagnant growth and high unemployment. Given its relationship to the phases of the business cycle, unemployment is but one of the  various economic indicators used to measure economic activity. A lot of information can be gleaned from the various economic indicators and their relationship to the business cycle. Parkin and Bade go on to explain that despite the name, the business cycle is not a regular, predictable, or repeating the cycle. Though its phases can be defined, its timing is random and, to a large degree, unpredictable. The Phases of the Business Cycle While no two business cycles are exactly the same, they can be identified as a sequence of four phases that were classified and studied in their most modern sense by American economists Arthur Burns and Wesley Mitchell in their text Measuring Business Cycles.  The four primary phases of the business cycle include: Expansion: A speedup in the pace of economic activity defined by high growth, low unemployment, and increasing prices. The period marked from trough to peak.Peak:  The upper turning point of a business cycle and the point at which expansion turns into contraction.Contraction: A slowdown in the pace of economic activity defined by low or stagnant growth, high unemployment, and declining prices. It is the period from peak to trough.Trough: The lowest turning point of a business cycle in which a contraction turns into an expansion. This turning point is also called Recovery.   These four phases also make up what is known as the boom-and-bust cycles, which are characterized as business cycles in which the periods of expansion are swift and the subsequent contraction is steep and severe. But What About Recessions? A recession occurs if a contraction is severe enough. The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) identifies a recession as a contraction or significant decline in economic activity lasting more than a few months, normally visible in real GDP, real income, employment, industrial production. Along the same vein, a  deep trough is called a slump or a depression. The difference between a recession and a depression is critical, though it is not always well-understood by non-economists.

Essay on Materialism in the Great Gatsby - 905 Words

â€Å"Money Changes Everything† by Cyndi Lauper illustrates the way people center their desires on material things such as money. The speaker in the song leaves the poor man, solely because he does not have money, for the affluent one: â€Å"I’m leaving you tonight†¦There was one thing we weren’t really thinking of and that’s money† (Lauper 1, 6-7). Like Cyndi Lauper, F. Scott Fitzgerald demonstrates the way people often center their desires on material things such as money in The Great Gatsby. Daisy falls in love with Gatsby, who is a poor man at the time, and when Gatsby leaves for the war, Daisy marries Tom Buchanan, who is a rich man, because he is â€Å"old money,† meaning he will always have the money and status to support Daisy. When Gatsby returns†¦show more content†¦Daisy’s materialism is revealed when she allows money to influence her decisions, and her life becomes a mess because of it, which is what Fitzgeral d tries to teach to his audience. Gatsby’s love for Daisy propels his materialism, which leads to his ultimate downfall. Gatsby uses his words and specious actions to prove to Daisy that he is rich so she will love him by giving Daisy a tour of his house. Exploring Gatsby’s house is when Gatsby is careful to point out to Daisy his lavish possessions that are present in his many extravagant rooms: â€Å"We went upstairs, through period bedrooms swathed in rose and lavender silk and vivid with new flowers, through dressing-rooms and poolrooms, and bathrooms, with sunken baths† (91). After strolling through Gatsby’s house, Gatsby takes Daisy up to his closet and begins to boast about his expensive clothes so that Daisy realizes that Gatsby is rich, and, â€Å"He took out a pile of shirts, and began throwing them, one by one, before us, shirts of sheer linen and thick silk and fine flannel, which lost their folds as they fell and covered the table in many-colored disarray† (92). Daisyâ €™s desire and obsession with materialistic things is also evident because after she sees all of these shirts, she begins crying because ofShow MoreRelatedMaterialism - the Great Gatsby1732 Words   |  7 PagesMaterialism America has been labeled The land of opportunity, a place where it is possible to accomplish anything and everything. This state of mind is known as The American Dream. The American Dream provides a sense of hope and faith that looks forward to the fulfillment of human wishes and desires. This dream, however, originates from a desire for spiritual and material improvement. Unfortunately, the acquisition of material has been tied together with happiness in America. AlthoughRead More Materialism in The Great Gatsby Essay1075 Words   |  5 PagesMaterialism may be defined as attention to or emphasis on material objects, needs or considerations, with a disinterest in or rejection of spiritual values. The acquisition of material wealth is often equated with happiness in this country. This is true today, and it was true during the 1920s, the setting of F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby. That the majority of Americans believe that wealth and happiness are the same is a result of our market economy that encourages consumption and conditionsRead More Materialism - The Great Gatsby Essay1687 Words   |  7 Pages Materialism nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;America has been labeled quot;The land of opportunity,quot; a place where it is possible to accomplish anything and everything. This state of mind is known as quot;The American Dream.quot; The American Dream provides a sense of hope and faith that looks forward to the fulfillment of human wishes and desires. This dream, however, originates from a desire for spiritual and material improvement. Unfortunately, the acquisitionRead MoreMaterialism In The Great Gatsby Analysis824 Words   |  4 PagesMaterialism The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, illustrates the different lifestyles in regards to the upper and lower classes. The upper class is represented by â€Å"Old Money†, the people who inherited their wealth. Another part of the upper class is represented by â€Å"New Money†, the people who obtained wealth over time. Old money is more fancy and elegant, whereas new money is more showy and extravagant. Because of this, old money is considered superior to new money. The lower class isRead MoreThe Madness Of Materialism In The Great Gatsby996 Words   |  4 Pagesarticle â€Å"The Madness of Materialism† by Steve Taylor discusses psychological discord and talks about people always wanting certain objects, that they might not be a necessity (Taylor). This article is similar to the novel, The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald because both discuss the idea of wants versus needs. Gatsby is the main character, however Nick Carraway is the narrator througho ut the entire story. They have been neighbors ever since Nick moved to West Egg. Nick and Gatsby become close friendsRead MoreMaterialism in The Great Gatsby Essay515 Words   |  3 Pagessay that you are happy. Daisy Buchanans case in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald proves this to its entirety. When having to decide between an empty marriage with her husband Tom and Jay Gatsby, her love interest, she chooses Tom even though he doesnt make her truly happy. It is then evident all throughout the novel that materialistic properties of wealth and status triumphs over love. In 1917, Daisy became acquainted with Jay Gatsby from Louisiana. Though they seemed very close with eachRead MoreEssay On Greed And Materialism In The Great Gatsby1014 Words   |  5 Pagesgrowth in an economic forum. This caused many Americans to move into the uncharted territory of the city, and make the transition into a prosperous and foreign â€Å"consumer society† (History.com). In addition, the traits of greed and materialism are ubiquitous in The Great Gatsby, as well as in the flashy 1920’s. These two characteristics give one confidence, but as demonstrated in the novel, it brings nothing but short-term satisfaction. After that, feelings of desperation to childish behaviors can accompanyRead MoreGreed And Materialism In The Great Gatsby Analysis1311 Words   |  6 Pagesprosperous and previously foreign â€Å"consumer society† (History.com). The traits of greed and materialism are ubiquitous in The Great Gatsby, as well as in the Art Deco era of the 19 20’s. These two characteristics can give one confidence, but as demonstrated in the novel, they bring nothing but short-term satisfaction. After which, feelings can run the gamut from desperation to childish behaviors. While greed and materialism have the power to seem favorable, bringing an amplification of social status, theyRead MoreEssay On Money And Materialism In The Great Gatsby1994 Words   |  8 Pages Money and materialism play a large role in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book, The Great Gatsby, which takes place on Long Island in the summer of 1922. The book follows a man by the name of Jay Gatsby who centers his life around one goal, winning back the girl of his dreams, Daisy Buchanan, who he lost five years earlier. His quest leads him from rags-to-riches into the arms of the one he loves, and ultimately, to death. This book is written from a Marxist point of view based on the fact that the bookRead MoreEssay on Love vs. Materialism in the Great Gatsby1131 Wo rds   |  5 PagesVs. Materialism The Great Gatsby does not offer a definition of love, or a contrast between love and romance. Rather it suggests that what people believe to be love is normally only a dream. America in the 1920s was a country where moral values were slowly crumbling and Americans soon only had one dream and objective to achieve, success. Distorted love is one theme in the novel The Great Gatsby, present among all of the characters relationships; Daisy and Tom, Tom and Myrtle, Daisy and Gatsby, and

Reading and watching are totally different Free Essays

Reading and watching are totally different: one describes things by words, while the other uses visual actions. To some people who enjoy reading, they can find interest in books with imagination. Personally, I like movies more than books, because I can understand more by visualization. We will write a custom essay sample on Reading and watching are totally different or any similar topic only for you Order Now When I read â€Å"A Rose for Emily,† I couldn’t understand the story at first. Then when I watched the movie, it helped me to understand more about what’s going on around Emily, with more details and chronological events. The story told in Faulkner’s order is not chronological which is harder for reader to understand. I found out some differences of the story in the book compared with the movie. In the book, the author mentions about the taxes more than in the movie. The mayors send to Emily a tax notice but there is no reply. They write her formal letter, and even come to her house to talk about it. The only sentence Emily can say to them is that â€Å"I have no taxes in Jefferson.† The movie only shows a scene that Emily received a lot of tax notice letters which she has never replied once. After her father’s death, Emily becomes poor and has no income since she has been only depending on her farther. I guess in the movie, it focuses more on her relationship with Homer which the book doesn’t show much. I didn’t know Emily sleep with Homer until I saw the movie. As I read the title of the book, I expected something must be related to rose in the story, but I couldn’t find it after I finished the story. I were surprised by the end of the movie, when Emily died, people put a rose in her tomb which made more sense to me due to the title. One more different thing is the strand of gray hair is found in Homer’s hand but not on the pillow as it is in the book. At the end, the story remains a mystery about Emily and Homer. Why does Emily kill Homer? And when is it in the story? Does she sleep with him everyday or just the last day of her life? Does Tobe fall in love with Emily? These questions were neither answered in the movie nor in the book. The author left us something to think about, something to criticize on our own. In my opinion, I think that Emily kills Homer because she loves him and she wants him to be with her for the rest of her life. We all know that Emily falls in love with Homer, but what about Homer? Does he love her? All the people in town are saying that Homer is not a marrying man. So, even though they are dating and sleeping together, Emily knows that he will not marry her, and one day he will leave her just like her father. This makes her think about a way to keep Homer with her forever. I guess this is the reason she wants to kill him. There is a scene where they meet at the door of a drug store, in which Homer doesn’t show any respect or kindness to her. That makes Emily more determined about her plan of poison Homer. At the end, her cousins find Homer’s body on the bed and a strand of gray hair on his hand. This indicates that Emily does sleep with the death body but we don’t know when Emily has been doing that. So, I still wonder that how come she doesn’t kill herself after him since she has nothing left. How to cite Reading and watching are totally different, Papers

Analysis Product Decision and Price Decision

Question: Write about theAnalysisfor Product Decision and Price Decision. Answer: Introduction The breakthrough of a new product in to the market requires so many efforts through analysis and strategies. Understanding market dynamics, dos and donts of the market is a crucial element that may help in creating a pathway for the companys new product. Price factors, the nature of the product itself, promotional activities and the place the product is sold are the main determining points in launching a new product in to the market (Singh 2012). Product Decision Creating a brand name that appeals to the prospective customers requires just more than the product itself. There are a lot of deciding factors that are influential in creating a breakthrough of the new product in to the market (Goi 2009). Therefore before launching a new product, it is fundamental to identify its three main levels and determine whether the product will fulfill the customers expectation and satisfaction. According to the (Marketing Teacher.com 2017), a product has three levels within which the customer satisfaction is fully met. These levels or layers include the Core Product, Actual Product and the Augmented Product. Core Product The core product is not tangible or visible product, but it the benefit that a consumer obtains from the product. The customers main motive behind buying a product majorly depends on the benefits available in the product, that is, the value of the product, be it medicinal or nutritional. Creating a product with numerous potential benefits that a customer yearns for creates a desire and potential trust in the product. The clients are mostly attracted with what fulfills what they desire. For instance, the nutritional value in the energy drink is what is of benefit to the buying customer from the actual product. The Actual Product This is the real physical product customers obtain when they pay the money in exchange. The nature of the real product should satisfy the customers. For the energy drink, proper ingredients, delicious taste and satisfactory texture of the drink is fundamental for the customers. The Augmented Product This is also non-physical part of the product and includes additional benefits a customer may obtain from buying the product. They include proper services and instructions on the use of the product, or the customer priority and full attention accorded to the customer from the products company. The Brand Name A brand is the identifying factor that represents a product to the customers (Kotler Armstrong 2007). Having a proper, appealing and a popular brand name is all that is required to lure new customers into buying your product. Therefore, the appropriate name for the XYZs company would best be Calm Lifter as it provides the customers with the calming benefit and lifts their mood after drinking the beverage. Design Packaging Product packaging plays a very important role in attracting the customers; therefore, it is necessary for the company to have properly designed packages for their products (Vyas 2015). In this case, the appropriate package design for the Calm Lifter energy drink would best be glass bottles, tinted with the corporate colours probably green and the brand name around its waist near the top. Another alternative for the easy takeaways would be recyclable metallic cans, branded in green colours with the brand name along either side the can. Price Decisions Pricing has huge financial impact on the performance of a company and can determine the success of the business or its failure as well (Hinterhuber 2003). Therefore, the XYZs Calm Lifter energy drink would do best with the following pricing considerations: Pricing Objective The best pricing objective for the Calm Lifter energy drink would be Sales-oriented pricing objective. The main reason is, the product is still in its primary stages of trying to break in to the market and earning the market share in a market that already exists with competitors hence the sales-oriented pricing is a wise idea. Secondly, the sales-oriented pricing would ensure the breakthrough of the product in to the market, that is, the large amount of sales would mean the continuous increase in the product awareness and popularity. The Pricing Point and Price Strategies Given the fact that Calm Lifter is a new product in to the market, the best pricing point for the energy drink would be best determined by the demand of the new product after initial promotion activities. Hence, in this case, penetration pricing is the most appropriate pricing strategy for the drink, so as to reach the mass market in the price sensitive market. Special Pricing Tactics Pricing tactics may work wonders when best utilized. Therefore, for the new Calm Lifter energy drink, Odd-even pricing tactic is an appropriate tactic, since it does not risk the credibility of the company brand, and secondly, given that the energy drink is new in the market, playing around with customers psychology is a safer option than the ambitious but dangerous pricing tactics which may backfire to taint the brand name of the energy drink. References Goi, CL 2009, 'A Review of Marketing Mix: 4Ps or More? ', International Journal of Marketing Studies, vol I, no. I, pp. 2-15. Hinterhuber, A 2003, 'Towards Value-Based Pricing- An Integrative Framework For Decision Making', Industrial Marketing Management , pp. 765778. Kotler, P Armstrong, G 2007, Principles of Marketing, Pearson International Edition. Marketing Teacher.com 2017, 'Three Levels of a Product'. Singh, M 2012, 'Marketing Mix of 4PS for Competitive Advantage ', Journal of Business and Management , vol III, no. 6, pp. 40-45. Vyas, H 2015, 'Packaging Design Elements and Users Perception: A Context in Fashion Branding and Communication ', Journal of Applied Packaging Research, vol VII, no. 2, pp. 95-107.