Will Bury’s Price Elasticity Scenario

The economic concepts founded in Will Bury’s Price Elasticity Scenario are the following: 1. Supply and Demand One of the most fundamental concepts of economics and the backbone of a market economy is the concept of supply and demand. Demand shows the various amounts of a product that consumers are willing and able to purchase at each of a series of possible prices during a specified period of time. (McConnell & Brue, 2004) The law of demand states that, if all other factors remain equal, the higher the price of a good, the less people will demand that good. Therefore, there is a negative relationship between price and quantity demanded. The basic determinants of demand which affect purchases are: †¢Consumers’ preferences †¢The number of consumers in the market †¢Consumers’ incomes †¢The price of related goods †¢Consumers’ expectations about future prices and incomes Supply shows the amount of a product that producers are willing and able to make available for sale at each of a series of possible prices during a specific period. (McConnell & Brue, 2004) The law of supply states that as price rises, the quantity supplied rises; as price falls, the quantity supplied falls. Therefore, there is a positive relationship between price and quantity supplied. The basic determinants of supply are: †¢Resource price †¢Technology †¢Taxes and subsides †¢Prices of other goods †¢Price expectation †¢The number of sellers in the market In order to understand the effect of price on volume demanded, Will Bury must understand the theory of supply and demand. When he will put these two concepts together, he will identify the market equilibrium with the price and quantity at the intersection of the demand and supply relations. That will be the price just high enough that quantity demanded is equal to quantity supplied, and the quantity corresponding to that price. 2. Elasticity of Demand and Supply The degree to which a demand or supply reacts to a price change is measured by a product’s price elasticity. There are different types of elasticity. Price elasticity of demand measures how sensitive is the quantity demanded to a change in the price of the good. Price elasticity of supply measures how sensitive is the quantity supplied to a change in the price of the good. When elasticity is small (less than 1 in absolute value) the relation is inelastic. Inelastic demand (supply) means that the quantity demanded (supplied) is not very sensitive to the price. When elasticity is large (greater than 1 in absolute value) the relation is elastic. Elastic demand (supply) means that the quantity demanded (supplied) is sensitive to the price. General formula for price elasticity is: Elasticity = (Percentage Change in Quantity) / (Percentage Change in Price) As a general rule, the more substitutes a good has, the more elastic is its supply and demand. 3. Substitute Goods Substitute goods are goods that can be used to satisfy the same needs, one in the place of another. That means that demand for the two kinds of goods will be bounded together by the fact that consumers can trade of one good for the other if it becomes advantageous to do so. In Will Bury’s Price Elasticity Scenario the 500-page book on CD is a substitute for Bury’s audio files of a book, therefore Will Bury must stay current on marketing research and stay current on other potential competitors who may offer substitute products because an increase in price for one kind of goods will result in an increase in demand for its substitute goods, and a decrease in price will result in a decrease in demand for its substitute. 4. Cross Elasticity of Demand The cross elasticity of demand measures how sensitive consumer purchases of one product are to a change in the price of some other product. The general formula for cross elasticity of demand is: Exy = (Percentage Change in Quantity Demanded of Product X) / (Percentage Change in Price of Product Y) The cross elasticity of demand for substitute goods will always be positive, because the demand for one good will increase if the price for the other good increases. References: McConnell, C. R. , & Brue, S. L. (2004). Economics: Principles, Problems, and Policies (16th ed. ). New York: McGraw Hill/Irwin University of Phoenix Material: Will Bury’s Price Elasticity Scenario. Retrieved June 6, 2009 from: https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/classroom/ic/classroom. aspx

PRICE and NON PRICE COMPETITION markets

An agreement made by where purchasers and Sellerss coming close contact with each other for the intent of purchasing and merchandising of goods and services straight or indirectly is described as market. Perfective Competition Monopolistic Competition Monopoly CompetitionMarketOligopoly Competition Duopoly CompetitionMonopoly MarketSingle house No replacement Monetary value shaper Downward inclining supply curve Entry barriers No competitionPerfect MarketMonetary value Homogeneous merchandises Large figure of purchasers and Sellerss Free entry and free issue Perfect cognition Perfect mobility of factors of production Absence of conveyance costDUOPLOY Market2 Sellerss Restricted entry Sellers have some market power Close replacement might be differentiated Demand curve downward sloping Equilibrium point is MR =MCOligopoly MarketFew Sellerss Homogeneous and differentiated merchandises Restricted entry Imperfect information Mutuality and changeless battle Very high monetary value snap High merchandising cost Lack of uncertainnessMONOPOLISTIC MarketLarge figure of purchasers an Sellerss Merchandise distinction Free entry High merchandising cost Two dimensions of competition Monetary value Non monetary valueDIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRICE AND NON PRICE COMPETITIONFooting NON PRICE Monetary valueMeaningMarketing scheme in which one house tries to separate its merchandise or service from viing merchandises on the footing of properties like design and craft † Selling scheme where a company tries to separate its merchandise or service from viing merchandises on the footing of low monetary value.FocusThe focal point is on quality, deign, bringing methods, locations, particular services The focal point is on lone monetary value of the merchandise.Net incomeIt is normally more profitable than selling for a lower monetary value, and avoids the hazard of a monetary value war. The company may take to stand in normal net income or normal net income.Selling CostSelling cost is high as the company pass a batch on promotional activities Selling cost is low as company focuses on monetary value factor more than promotional activities.MarketMost common among oligopolies and monopolistic competition, because houses can be highly competitory. Due to inordinate completion, a state of affairs of monetary value wars occurs in oligopolistic and monopolistic marketsExamplesShampoo Market Mobile service suppliersNON PRICE COMPETITIONApplicable to all markets except perfect & A ; monopoly market. Single purchaser in monopoly so no competition.PRICE COMPETITIONApplicable in all types of markets except monopoly market All are monetary value takers & A ; monopoly is monetary value shaper.NON PRICE COMPETITIONProduct distinction is the procedure of separating a merchandise from other merchandises in the market by adding alone characteristics like manner, quality, offers etc which makes it more attractive and superior to the mark market. The success of the merchandise distinction is more based on non monetary value factors non monetary value factors and successful distinction gives origin to monopolistic competition and sometimes to hone competition besides.There are three types of merchandise distinction:1. Simple: based on a assortment of features 2. Horizontal: based on a individual feature but consumers are non clear on quality 3. Vertical: based on a individual feature and consumers are clear on its quality3 Elementss of monetary value distinction1. Convenience- as the altering scenario client wants the merchandise every bit shortly as possible. So the house should seek to present the merchandise available on clip. 2. Customization- harmonizing to the demands of the clients the merchandise must alter in footings of sizes, colour, design, engineering etc 3. Cost recovery- this is the cost that is deserving bear downing. It doesnaa‚ ¬a„?t average really high or really low but should be sensible harmonizing to the merchandise.Non monetary value determiners of demandIncome of the consumer There is direct relation between the income of the consumer and demand for it. By and large, higher the income, higher the measure demanded and lower the income lower the measure demanded. Monetary value of the related good In instance of replacement goods, demand for a trade good falls with the autumn in the monetary value of other trade goods In instance of complementary goods, monetary value demand of a trade good rises with the autumn in the monetary value of other trade goods. Taste and penchant If the client has developed a gustatory sensation for a trade good, the demand will increase If he has no gustatory sensation and penchant for the merchandise, the demand will diminish. Seasonal factors The demand keeps on altering harmonizing to the conditions conditions. Summers will increase the demand of soft drinks whereas winter will increase the demand og woollens. Number of purchasers The demand of any merchandise depends on the figure of purchasers of the merchandise. More the purchasers demand will be high, less the figure of purchaser demand will be less. , Future outlooks If the monetary value of any trade good is expected to lift in future, clients starts purchasing prior to that and if the crowbars are expected to come down in future the client postpone his purchasing to acquire the benefit.NON PRICE DETERMINANTS OF SUPPLYInput signal monetary values As the input monetary values increases, the supply will be affected and will fall down. Technology Measure of the stuff required depends upon the engineering. Cost salvaging engineering consequences in autumn in input monetary values and therefore addition in the supply. Number of Sellerss With the addition in the figure of Sellerss, the supply besides increases with the curve switching to its right side. Expectations If the monetary values are expected to lift in future, the marketer will do unreal deficit and therefore the supply decreases.ADVANTAGES OF NON PRICE COMPETITIONThe consumers get low monetary values as the accent is non on monetary value itaa‚ ¬a„?s fundamentally on the other factors of the merchandise other than monetary value. To convey fluctuations houses keep on conveying new engineerings which result in more smoothing of the maps and add fluctuation in the merchandise. The accent is non on monetary value and hence the chief focal point is on bettering the quality and the services of the merchandise. Large figure of discrepancies leads to many picks and options for the clients in the market. There is no monetary value war in the market hence it keeps and creates a proper subject in the market which leads to smooth state of affairs. Consumers get more and more fringe benefits in footings of offers and price reductions which attract people and therefore take to competition in the market. A typical characteristic of non-price tools is that they may modify the grade of replaceability among goods.PRICE CONPETITIONPRICE EALSTICITY OF DEMANDThis step the reactivity of measure demanded of a merchandise to alterations in its ain monetary value. It allows comparing of measure demanded with pecuniary alterations It measures the alterationMarketPRICE ELASTICITYPerfect marketMonopoly marketMonopolistic marketOligopoly marketDuopoly marketIn this market the demand is elastic as the merchandises are indistinguishable in nature and are perfect replacement of each other. This market is extremely inelastic as there is 1 marketer who can do alterations in the monetary value and measure demanded consequently. Demand is comparatively elastic, with little alteration in monetary value leads to big alteration in measure demanded as all the merchandises are close replacement of each other. Demand is comparatively elastic as the merchandises are close replacement of each other. Demand is comparatively elastic as there are merely 2 Sellerss in the market and the merchandises are close replacement. For example- If the monetary value of steel and Fe additions what happens to its measure demanded.CROSS ELASTICITY OF DEMANDThe reactivity of demand for one good to a alteration in the monetary value of another ; the proportionate alteration in demand for one good divided by the proportionate alteration in the monetary value of the other.MarketCROSS ELASTICITYPerfect market Monopolistic market Duopoly market Oligopoly market Monopoly market As the merchandises are homogeneous there is a high monetary value cross snap demand. Cross piece snap is comparatively high due to competition and the figure of manufacturers in this market is high Fewer manufacturers in the market so the cross monetary value snap is low. Merchandises are close replacement, so alteration in monetary value will increase the demand of another merchandise. It has high cross snap. Merely 1 marketer in the market and therefore no replacement is available so transverse monetary value snap is non applicableADVANTAGES OF PRICE COMPETITIONPricing policy has a direct impact on the clients as pricing of any merchandise is the first observation of clients. Puting monetary values is relatively a simple undertaking as it does non necessitate fiscal and accounting records to find monetary values No market research is required which involves a high cost. So it saves cost on promotional activities as compared to non monetary value competition. Pricing straight indicates the quality and criterion of the merchandise and therefore the value of the merchandise can be estimated. Price competition divides the sections decently as it clearly points the premium and economic system category. Pricing scheme helps a batch to new participants come ining in the market to derive market portion.DecisionMonetary value and non monetary value, both have different impact on the markets. As observed in the above assignment it is seen that monopolistic market is the market state of affairs which is most influenced by both the schemes i.e. monetary value and non monetary value.This assignment is all my ain work and has non been copied in portion or in whole from any other beginning, except for any clearly marked up citation. It complies with the Instituteaa‚ ¬a„?s ordinances on Plagiarism which I have read and understood.

A History of the Guillotine in Europe

A History of the Guillotine in Europe The guillotine is one of European historys most bloody icons. Although designed with the best of intentions, this hugely recognizable machine soon became associated with events that have overshadowed both its heritage and its development: the French Revolution. Yet, despite such a high profile and chilling reputation, histories of la guillotine remain muddled, often differing on quite basic details. Learn about the events that brought the guillotine to prominence, and also the machines place in a broader history of decapitation which, as far as France is concerned, finished only recently. Pre-Guillotine Machines - the Halifax Gibbet Although older narratives may tell you that the guillotine was invented in the late 18th century, most recent accounts recognize that similar decapitation machines have a long history. The most famous, and possibly one of the earliest, was the Halifax Gibbet, a monolithic wooden structure which was supposedly created from two fifteen foot high uprights capped by a horizontal beam. The blade was an axe head, attached to the bottom of a four and a half foot wooden block that slid up and down via grooves in the uprights. This device was mounted on a large, square, platform which was itself four foot high. The Halifax Gibbet was certainly substantial, and may date from as early as 1066, although the first definite reference is from the 1280s. Executions took place in the towns Market Place on Saturdays, and the machine remained in use until April 30th, 1650. Pre-Guillotine Machines in Ireland Another early example is immortalized in the picture The execution of Murcod Ballagh near to Merton in Ireland 1307. As the title suggests, the victim was called Murcod Ballagh, and he was decapitated by equipment which looks remarkably similar to the later French guillotines. Another, unrelated, picture depicts the combination of a guillotine style machine and a traditional beheading. The victim is lying on a bench, with an axe head held above his neck by some sort of mechanism. The difference lies in the executioner, who is shown wielding a large hammer, ready to strike the mechanism and drive the blade down. If this device existed, it may have been an attempt to improve the accuracy of the impact. Use of Early Machines There were many other machines, including the Scottish Maiden - a wooden construction based directly on the Halifax Gibbet, dating from the mid 16th century - and the Italian Mannaia, which was famously used to execute Beatrice Cenci, a woman whose life is obscured by clouds of myth. Beheading was usually reserved for the wealthy or powerful as it was considered to be nobler, and certainly less painful, than other methods; the machines were similarly restricted. However, the Halifax Gibbet is an important, and often overlooked, exception, because it was used to execute anyone breaking the relevant laws, including the poor. Although these decapitation machines certainly existed - the Halifax Gibbet was alleged to have been only one out of a hundred similar devices in Yorkshire - they were generally localized, with a design and use unique to their region; the French guillotine was to be very different. Pre-Revolutionary Methods of French Execution Many methods of execution were used across France in the early 18th century, ranging from the painful, to the grotesque, bloody and painful. Hanging and burning were common, as were more imaginative methods, such as tying the victim to four horses and forcing these to gallop in different directions, a process that tore the individual apart. The rich or powerful could be beheaded with axe or sword, while many suffered the compilation of death and torture that comprised hanging, drawing and quartering. These methods had a twofold purpose: to punish the criminal  and to act as a warning for others; accordingly, the majority of executions took place in public. Opposition to these punishments was slowly growing, due mainly to the ideas and philosophies of the Enlightenment thinkers - people such as Voltaire and Locke - who argued for humanitarian methods of execution. One of these was Dr. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin; however, it is unclear whether the doctor was an advocate of capital punishment, or someone who wanted it to be, ultimately, abolished. Dr. Guillotins Proposals The  French Revolution  began in 1789, when an attempt to relieve a financial crisis exploded very much in the faces of the monarchy. A meeting called an Estates General transformed into a National Assembly which seized control of the moral and practical power at the heart of France, a process which convulsed the country, re-shaping the countrys social, cultural and political makeup. The legal system was reviewed immediately. On October 10th 1789 - the second day of the debate about Frances penal code - Dr. Guillotin proposed six articles to the  new Legislative Assembly, one of which called for decapitation to become the sole method of execution in France. This was to be carried out by a simple machine, and involve no torture. Guillotin presented an etching that illustrated one possible device, resembling an ornate, but hollow, stone column with a falling blade, operated by an effete executioner cutting the suspension rope. The machine was also hidden from the view of large crowds, according with Guillotins view that execution should be private and dignified. This suggestion was rejected; some accounts describe the Doctor being laughed, albeit nervously, out of the Assembly. Narratives often ignore the other five reforms: one asked for a nationwide standardisation in punishment, while others concerned the treatment of the criminals family, who were not to be harmed or discredited; property, which was not to be confiscated; and corpses, which were to be returned to the families. When Guillotin proposed his articles again on December 1st 1789, these five recommendations were accepted, but the beheading machine was, again, rejected. Growing Public Support The situation developed in 1791, when the Assembly agreed - after weeks of discussion - to retain the death penalty; they then began to discuss a more humane and egalitarian method of execution, as many of the previous techniques were felt to be too barbaric and unsuitable. Beheading was the preferred option, and the Assembly accepted a new, albeit repetitive, proposal by the Marquis Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau, decreeing that Every person condemned to the death penalty shall have his head severed. Guillotins notion of a decapitation machine began to grow in popularity, even if the Doctor himself had abandoned it. Traditional methods like the sword or axe could prove messy and difficult, especially if the executioner missed or the prisoner struggled; a machine would not only be fast and reliable, but it would never tire. Frances main executioner, Charles-Henri Sanson, championed these final points. The First Guillotine Is Built The Assembly - working through Pierre-Louis Roederer, the Procureur gà ©nà ©ral - sought advice from Doctor Antoine Louis, the Secretary of the Academy of Surgery in France, and his design for a quick, painless, decapitation machine was given to Tobias Schmidt, a German Engineer. It is unclear whether Louis drew his inspiration from existing devices, or whether he designed from afresh. Schmidt built the  first guillotine  and tested it, initially on animals, but later on human corpses. It comprised two fourteen-foot uprights joined by a crossbar, whose internal edges were grooved and greased with tallow; the weighted blade was either straight, or curved like an axe. The system was operated via a rope and pulley, while the whole construction was mounted on a high platform. The final testing took place at a hospital in Bicà ªtre, where three carefully chosen corpses - those of strong, stocky men - were successfully beheaded. The first execution took place on April 25th, 1792, when a highwayman called Nicholas-Jacques Pelletier was killed. Further improvements were made, and an independent report to Roederer recommended a number of changes, including metal trays to collect blood; at some stage the famous angled blade was introduced and the high platform abandoned, replaced by a basic scaffold. The Guillotine Spreads Throughout France This improved machine was accepted by the Assembly, and copies were sent to each of the new territorial regions, named Departments. Pariss own was initially based at the place de  Carroussel, but the device was frequently moved. In the aftermath of Pelletiers execution the contraption became known as the Louisette or Louison, after Dr. Louis; however, this name was soon lost, and other titles emerged. At some stage, the machine became known as the  Guillotin, after Dr. Guillotin - whose main contribution had been a set of legal articles - and then finally la guillotine. It is also unclear precisely why, and when, the final e was added, but it probably developed out of attempts to rhyme Guillotin in poems and chants. Dr Guillotin himself wasnt very happy at being adopted as the name. The Machine Open to All The guillotine may have been similar in form and function to other, older, devices, but it broke new ground: an entire country officially, and unilaterally, adopted this decapitation machine for all of its executions. The same design was shipped out to all the regions, and each was operated in the same manner, under the same laws; there was supposed to be no local variation. Equally, the guillotine was designed to administer a fast and painless death to anyone, regardless of age, sex or wealth, an embodiment of such concepts as equality and humanity. Before the French Assemblys 1791 decree beheading was usually reserved for the rich or powerful, and it continued to be in other parts of Europe; however, Frances guillotine was available to all. The Guillotine Is Quickly Adopted Perhaps the most unusual aspect of the guillotines history is the sheer speed and scale of its adoption and use. Born out of a discussion in 1789 that had actually considered banning the death penalty, the machine had been used to kill over 15,000 people by the Revolutions close in 1799, despite not being fully invented until the middle of 1792. Indeed, by 1795, only a year and a half after its first use, the guillotine had decapitated over a thousand people in Paris alone. Timing certainly played a part, because the machine was introduced across France only months before a bloody new period in the revolution: The Terror. The Terror In 1793, political events caused a new governmental body to be introduced: The  Committee of Public Safety. This was supposed to work quickly and effectively, protecting the Republic from enemies and solving problems with the necessary force; in practice, it became a dictatorship run by Robespierre. The committee demanded the arrest and execution of anyone who either by their conduct, their contacts, their words or their writings, showed themselves to be supporters of tyranny, of federalism, or to be enemies of liberty (Doyle, The  Oxford History of the French Revolution, Oxford, 1989 p.251). This loose definition could cover almost everyone, and during the years 1793-4 thousands were sent to the guillotine. It is important to remember that, of the many who perished during the terror, most were not guillotined. Some were shot, others drowned, while in Lyon, on the 4 to the 8th of December 1793, people were lined up in front of open graves and shredded by grape-shot from cannons. Despite this, the guillotine became synonymous with the period, transforming into a social and political symbol of equality, death and the Revolution. The Guillotine Passes Into Culture It is easy to see why the quick, methodical, movement of the machine should have transfixed both France and Europe. Every execution involved a fountain of blood from the victims neck, and the sheer number of people being beheaded could create red pools, if not actual flowing streams. Where executioners once prided themselves on their skill, speed now became the focus; 53 people were executed by the Halifax Gibbet between 1541 and 1650, but some guillotines exceeded that total in a single day. The gruesome images coupled easily with morbid humour, and the machine became a cultural icon affecting fashion, literature, and even childrens toys. After the Terror, the Victims Ball became fashionable: only relatives of the executed could attend, and these guests dressed with their hair up and their necks exposed, mimicking the condemned. For all the fear and bloodshed of the Revolution, the guillotine doesnt appear to have been hated or reviled, indeed, the contemporary nicknames, things like the national razor, the widow, and Madame Guillotine seem to be more accepting than hostile. Some sections of society even referred, although probably largely in jest, to a  Saint Guillotine  who would save them from tyranny. It is, perhaps, crucial that the device was never associated wholly with any one single group, and that Robespierre himself was guillotined, enabling the machine to rise above petty party politics, and establish itself as an arbiter of some higher justice. Had the guillotine been seen as the tool of a group who became hated, then the guillotine might have been rejected, but by staying almost neutral it lasted, and became its own thing. Was the Guillotine to Blame? Historians have debated whether The Terror would have been possible without the guillotine, and its widespread reputation as a humane, advanced, and altogether revolutionary piece of equipment. Although water and gunpowder laid behind much of the slaughter, the guillotine was a focal point: did the population accept this new, clinical, and merciless machine as their own, welcoming its common standards when they might have balked at mass hangings and separate, weapon based, beheadings? Given the size and death toll of other European incidents within the same decade, this might be unlikely; but whatever the situation, la guillotine had become known across Europe within only a few years of its invention. Post-Revolutionary Use The history of the guillotine does not end with the French Revolution. Many other countries adopted the machine, including Belgium, Greece, Switzerland, Sweden and some German states; French colonialism also helped to export the device abroad. Indeed, France continued to use, and improve upon, the guillotine for at least another century. Leon Berger, a carpenter and executioners assistant, made a number of refinements in the early 1870s. These included springs to cushion the falling parts (presumably repeated use of the earlier design could damage the infrastructure), as well as a new release mechanism. The Berger design became the new standard for all French guillotines. A further, but very  short lived,  change  occurred under the executioner Nicolas Roch in the late 19th century; he included a board at the top to cover the blade, hiding it from an approaching victim. Rochs successor had the screen swiftly removed. Public executions continued in France until 1939, when Eugene Weidmann became the last open-air victim. It had thus taken nearly one hundred and fifty years for the practice to comply with Guillotins original wishes, and be hidden from the public eye. Although the machines use had gradually fallen after the revolution, executions in Hitlers Europe rose to a level that neared, if not exceeded, that of The Terror. The last State use of the guillotine in France occurred on September 10th  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹1977,  when Hamida Djandoubi was executed; there should have been another in 1981, but the intended victim, Philippe Maurice, was granted clemency. The death penalty was abolished in France that same year. The  Infamy of the Guillotine There have been many methods of execution used in Europe, including the mainstay of hanging and the more recent firing squad, but none have quite the lasting reputation or imagery as the guillotine, a machine which continues to provoke fascination. The guillotines creation is often blurred into the, almost immediate, period of its most famous use and the machine has become the most characteristic element of the French Revolution. Indeed, although the history of decapitation machines stretches back at least eight hundred years, often involving constructions that were almost identical to the guillotine, it is this later device which dominates. The guillotine is certainly evocative, presenting a chilling image entirely at odds with the original intention of a painless death. Dr. Guillotin Finally, and contrary to legend, Doctor Joseph Ignace Guillotin was not executed by his own machine; he lived until  1814,  and died of biological causes.

Free Essays on Solving Medicaid

How to Solve the Medicaid Crisis Medicaid is a joint federal-state program that covers more than 47 million people, including 24 million children, 11 million adults and 13 million elderly and disabled people. In fiscal year 2003, combined federal and state payments totaled $247 billion; the program is the largest source of federal funds to the states. Most programs are struggling to find ways to keep providers and beneficiaries in the program. It seems every year states announce the need for reform while providers and enrollees continue to complain about problems that never seem close to being solved. The question remains: How can we save Medicaid? States are employing a wide variety of tactics to improve their Medicaid programs. On the provider side, many states are doing what they can to raise reimbursement rates despite significant budget shortfalls and declining revenue. On the beneficiary side, many programs are developing or enhancing patient education materials and services to help reduce cancelled appointments and late arrivals. To address appointment cancellations, several programs are stepping up their efforts in the area of patient education and provider support. They will also help provide transportation to those who have no way of getting to the office. Many states have focused on streamlining and simplifying administration. This means more programs are eliminating prior authorization for many procedures, adopting ADA billing codes, simplifying enrollment and speeding up the reimbursement process. In some states, providers use a swipe card to receive information verifying patient eligibility and describing program restrictions, private insurance coverage and other data. Personally, I think that swipe card is a great way of letting you know what the exact bill is going to be when you leave the office. Congress is taking steps to allow imports of prescription drugs from Canada, in the hope of giving American consumers... Free Essays on Solving Medicaid Free Essays on Solving Medicaid How to Solve the Medicaid Crisis Medicaid is a joint federal-state program that covers more than 47 million people, including 24 million children, 11 million adults and 13 million elderly and disabled people. In fiscal year 2003, combined federal and state payments totaled $247 billion; the program is the largest source of federal funds to the states. Most programs are struggling to find ways to keep providers and beneficiaries in the program. It seems every year states announce the need for reform while providers and enrollees continue to complain about problems that never seem close to being solved. The question remains: How can we save Medicaid? States are employing a wide variety of tactics to improve their Medicaid programs. On the provider side, many states are doing what they can to raise reimbursement rates despite significant budget shortfalls and declining revenue. On the beneficiary side, many programs are developing or enhancing patient education materials and services to help reduce cancelled appointments and late arrivals. To address appointment cancellations, several programs are stepping up their efforts in the area of patient education and provider support. They will also help provide transportation to those who have no way of getting to the office. Many states have focused on streamlining and simplifying administration. This means more programs are eliminating prior authorization for many procedures, adopting ADA billing codes, simplifying enrollment and speeding up the reimbursement process. In some states, providers use a swipe card to receive information verifying patient eligibility and describing program restrictions, private insurance coverage and other data. Personally, I think that swipe card is a great way of letting you know what the exact bill is going to be when you leave the office. Congress is taking steps to allow imports of prescription drugs from Canada, in the hope of giving American consumers...

Platos Atlantis as Told in His Socratic Dialogues

Plato's Atlantis as Told in His Socratic Dialogues The original story of the lost island of Atlantis comes to us from two Socratic dialogues called Timaeus and Critias, both written about 360 BCE by the Greek philosopher Plato. Together the dialogues are a festival speech, prepared by Plato to be told on the day of the Panathenaea, in honor of the goddess Athena. They describe a meeting of men who had met the previous day to hear Socrates describe the ideal state. A Socratic Dialogue According to the dialogues, Socrates asked three men to meet him on this day: Timaeus of Locri, Hermocrates of Syracuse, and Critias of Athens. Socrates asked the men to tell him stories about how ancient Athens interacted with other states. The first to report was Critias, who told how his grandfather had met with the Athenian poet and lawgiver  Solon, one of the Seven Sages. Solon had been to Egypt where priests had compared Egypt and Athens and talked about the gods and legends of both lands. One such Egyptian story was about Atlantis. The Atlantis tale is part of a  Socratic dialogue, not a historical treatise. The story is preceded by an account of Helios the sun gods son Phaethon yoking horses to his fathers chariot and then driving them through the sky and scorching the earth. Rather than exact reporting of past events, the Atlantis story describes an impossible set of circumstances which were designed by Plato to represent how a miniature utopia failed and became a lesson to us defining the proper behavior of a state. The Tale According to the Egyptians, or rather what Plato described Critias reporting what his grandfather was told by Solon who heard it from the Egyptians, once upon a time, there was a mighty power based on an island in the Atlantic Ocean. This empire was called Atlantis, and it ruled over several other islands and parts of the continents of Africa and Europe. Atlantis was arranged in concentric rings of alternating water and land. The soil was rich, said Critias, the engineers technically accomplished, the architecture extravagant with baths, harbor installations, and barracks. The central plain outside the city had canals and a magnificent irrigation system. Atlantis had kings and a civil administration, as well as an organized military. Their rituals matched Athens for bull-baiting, sacrifice, and prayer. But then it waged an unprovoked imperialistic war on the remainder of Asia and Europe. When Atlantis attacked, Athens showed its excellence as the leader of the Greeks, the much smaller city-state the only power to stand against Atlantis. Alone, Athens triumphed over the invading Atlantean forces, defeating the enemy, preventing the free from being enslaved, and freeing those who had been enslaved. After the battle, there were violent earthquakes and floods, and Atlantis sank into the sea, and all the Athenian warriors were swallowed up by the earth. Is Atlantis Based on a Real Island? The Atlantis story is clearly a parable: Platos myth is of two cities which compete with each other, not on legal grounds but rather cultural and political confrontation and ultimately war. A small but just city (an Ur-Athens) triumphs over a mighty aggressor (Atlantis). The story also features a cultural war between wealth and modesty, between a maritime and an agrarian society, and between an engineering science and a spiritual force. Atlantis as a concentric-ringed island in the Atlantic which sank under the sea is almost certainly a fiction based on some ancient political realities. Scholars have suggested that the idea of Atlantis as an aggressive barbarian civilization is a reference to either Persia or Carthage, both of them military powers who had imperialistic notions. The explosive disappearance of an island might have been a reference to the eruption of Minoan Santorini. Atlantis as a tale really should be considered a myth, and one that closely correlates with Platos notions of The Republic examining the deteriorating cycle of life in a state. Sources DuÃ… ¡anic S. 1982. Platos Atlantis. LAntiquità © Classique 51:25-52.Morgan KA. 1998. Designer History: Platos Atlantis Story and Fourth-Century Ideology. The Journal of Hellenic Studies 118:101-118.Rosenmeyer TG. 1956. Platos Atlantis Myth: Timaeus or Critias? Phoenix 10(4):163-172.

The Impact of the New Technology and Social Isolation Assignment

The Impact of the New Technology and Social Isolation - Assignment Example However, I disagree with this position because I believe that these technologies promote isolation among individuals, promote de-socialization among the youth and promote the development of cyber friends with little or no social ties and bonds. In this paper, I will explore some of the research literature available in providing evidence for the existing controversial debates surrounding the new technological developments and my position regarding their impacts. Promoters of the new technology argue that it has immense benefits to the growth and development of the society in terms of promoting socialization and human connectedness. Amichai-Hamburgera & Hayat (2011) explores the impact of the new technology on the social lives its users. Through an analysis of a representative sample of 22,002 internet users across 13 countries, they were able to analyze the social implication of the internet and its related information communication technologies. Their study indicates that the internet has a strong impact on the users and their relationships. The study established a positive correlation between the internet use and social interactions implying that the internet significantly enhances the social lives of its users. Another key benefit commonly cited by promoters of the new technology is that it promotes the cognitive development and socialization skills among the youth and adolescents. According to Shapiro(2013), the new technology, especiall y video gaming played in the cooperative multiplayer mode encourages children and youth to play in groups. He argues that through this interaction, children are able to develop strong bonds and teams with their partners both within and outside the gaming context thus leading to improved socialization and interaction. Although many argue that the advent of the new technology is beneficial to the society, I believe that it has serious negative impacts on the children, youth and adolescents in  terms of socialization and personal development. According to Fallahi(2011), the growth of the internet and its related information technologies have negative effects on the attitudes and behaviors of children and adolescents.  

Leadership Styles and Conflict Resolution Assignment

Leadership Styles and Conflict Resolution - Assignment Example re not honest when performing their roles as leaders as they tend to misuse the resources and tend to misuse their powers to misuse other people in the group. A leader must be honest in everything they handle, and this creates comfort and confidence with the leadership especially to employees. The second leadership quality is focus. A leader who is focused on his job tends to work better and relate well with his/her employees. For example, if a leader is not sure with what he/she is doing, how can people be sure of him/her and what he is doing? This makes the employees lose respect for the leader and tend to withdraw existing respect they had for the leader. The third leadership quality is respect. Respect is always applicable in all fields. A good leader must pay respect to his/her employees or group members. If a leader respects his/her members, the members of the group will also respect him. It will start by treating people with equal perspectives with no ranks or class (Bass and Ruth 201). The leadership is participative or democratic leadership. This type of leadership calls for participation from group members in helping the leader run errands of the group. This type of leadership is used when the errands of the group are at a standstill. A collective or participative type of decision making is used during this type of leadership. This means that members help the leader to make decisions for the group, and thus, everyone contributes to the decision making (Bass and Ruth 241). At some point in high school, I was captain of the basketball team. It reached a time when there was one student who was a drug addict, but he was the best player in the team. The team patron announced that we should do away with him or else the team would not participate in the competitions that were due in one week. I called for a meeting with the team, and I laid down the topic for discussion. I used participative leadership to arrive at a decision. The team resolved to do away