Didions on Morality Essay Example for Free

Didions on Morality Essay What is it that forms and drives our â€Å"moral behaviors†? Are we born with a basic sense of morality or do we develop a set of moral â€Å"social codes† to keep society from falling into chaos and anarchy? In her essay â€Å"On Morality,† Joan Didion dissects what lies beneath the surface of humanity’s morality. By recounting several stories and historical events, she shows that morality at its basic â€Å"most primitive level† is nothing more than â€Å"our loyalties to the ones we love,† everything else is subjective. Didion’s first story points out our loyalty to family. She is in Death Valley writing an article about â€Å"morality,† â€Å"a word [she] distrust more every day. † She relates a story about a young man who was drunk, had a car accident, and died while driving to Death Valley. â€Å"His girl was found alive but bleeding internally, deep in shock,† Didion states. She talked to the nurse who had driven his girl 185 miles to the nearest doctor. The nurse’s husband had stayed with the body until the coroner could get there. The nurse said, â€Å"You just can’t leave a body on the highway, it’s immoral. † According to Didion this â€Å"was one instance in which [she] did not distrust the word, because [the nurse] meant something quite specific. † She argues we don’t desert a body for even a few minutes lest it be desecrated. Didion claims this is more than â€Å"only a sentimental consideration. † She claims that we promise each other to try and retrieve our casualties and not abandon our dead; it is more than a sentimental consideration. She stresses this point by saying that â€Å"if, in the simplest terms, our upbringing is good enough – we stay with the body, or have bad dreams. † Her point is that morality at its most â€Å"primary† level is a sense of â€Å"loyalty† to one another that we learned from our loved ones. She is saying that we stick with our loved ones no matter what, in sickness, in health, in bad times and good times; we don’t abandon our dead because we don’t want someone to abandon us. She is professing that morality is to do what we think is right; whatever is necessary to meet our â€Å"primary loyalties† to care for our loved ones, even if it means sacrificing ourselves. Didion emphatically states she is talking about a â€Å"wagon-train morality,† and â€Å"For better or for worse, we are what we learned as children. † She talks about her childhood and hearing â€Å"graphic litanies about the Donner-Reed party and the Jayhawkers. She maintains they â€Å"failed in their loyalties to each other,† and â€Å"deserted one another. † She says they â€Å"breached their primary loyalties,† or they would not have been in those situations. If we go against our â€Å"primary loyalties† we have failed, we regret it, and thus â€Å"have bad dreams. † Didion insist that â€Å"we have no way of knowing†¦what is ‘right’ and what is ‘wrong,’ what is ‘good and what is ‘evil’. † She sees politics, and public policy falsely assigned â€Å"aspects of morality. † She warns us not to delude ourselves into thinking that because we want or need something â€Å"that it is a moral imperative that we have it, then is when we join the fashionable madmen. † She is saying this will be our demise, and she may well be correct. Hitler’s idea that he had â€Å"a moral imperative† to â€Å"purify the Aryan race† serves as a poignant reminder of such a delusion. In 1939 Hitler’s Nazi army invaded Poland and started World War II. World War II came to an end in large part due to the United States dropping two atomic bombs. If the war had continued and escalated to the point of Hitler’s Nazis and the United States dropping more atomic bombs we could have destroyed most, if not all, of humanity, the ultimate act of â€Å"fashionable madmen. † We may believe our behaviors are just and righteous, but Didion’s essay makes us closely examine our motives and morals. She contends that madmen, murders, war criminals and religious icons throughout history have said â€Å"I followed my own conscience. † â€Å"I did what I thought was right. † â€Å"Maybe we have all said it and maybe we have been wrong. † She shows us that our â€Å"moral codes† are often subjective and fallacious, that we rationalize and justify our actions to suit our ulterior motives, and our only true morality is â€Å"our loyalty to those we love. † It is this â€Å"loyalty to those we love† that forms our families, then our cities, our states, our countries and ultimately our global community. Without these â€Å"moral codes,† social order would break down into chaos and anarchy.

Legalizing Euthanasia for Terminally Ill Patients is Neccesary Essay e

On average, 151, 600 people die per day (Ross). Countless people live in fear of death, due to the massive uncertainties. They fear the pain and suffering that often precedes death, so they do everything they can to stay alive, even if it means staying connected to life support for months, completely immobile and unresponsive. Because medical technology has advanced substantially in recent years, scientists have created ways to achieve an easy and simple death, now known as euthanasia. In Greek, euthanasia translates to â€Å"easy or painless death† (Barnard). However, in modern times the question of legalizing euthanasia has become majorly controversial. Legalizing euthanasia for terminally ill patients is necessary because it will allow patients to die with dignity, it will prevent patients from having to live a low quality life full of suffering, and it will allow patients to have a choice of life or death rather than be required to by the government. Many people say that euthanasia is wrong because it is murder. However, when patients are terminally ill, they are no longer truly living. Terminal illness is defined as being hopelessly ill with no chance of recovery (Jussim). Legalizing euthanasia will allow terminally ill patients the option to die with dignity. According to the Savannah Morning News, â€Å"There is something to be said for dying with dignity. And ‘heroic measures’ that prolong a person’s physical existence when there is no meaningful hope for recovery can rob patients of that dignity† (Murphy). Many family members want to keep their family member alive for as long as possible, but in the case of terminal illnesses, they are simply prolonging something that is inevitable. Contrary to what many people believe about death... ...e calm after a storm. Death is only the beginning. Works Cited Barnard, Christiaan. Good Life, Good Death: A Doctor’s Case for Euthanasia and Suicide. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall Inc, 1980. Print. Bonin, Angela. â€Å"Human Euthanasia, The Debate: The Arguments for Both Sides.† Examiner.com. Examiner.com. 20 Feb 2012. Web. 27 April 2014. Jussim, Daniel. Euthanasia: The â€Å"Right to Die Issue.† Hillside: Enslow Publishers Inc, 1993. Print. Murphy, Mark. â€Å"There’s Something to be Said for Dying With Dignity.† SavannahNow.Com. Savannah Morning News. 2 Feb. 2014. Web. 20 April 2014. Paris, John J. Euthanasia. San Diego: Greenhaven Press Inc, 2002. Print. Ross, Stephen. â€Å"Worldwide Missions.† Wholesome Worlds. Wholesome Worlds. n.d. Web. 20 April 2014. Tyson, Peter. â€Å"The Hippocratic Oath Today.† Nova beta. Nova. 27 March 2001. Web. 20 April 2014.

Chipolte External Factor Evaluation Essay

Analysis of the External Environment Within the fast casual segment, there are certain external trends and forces that Chipolte must address. Some of these trends and forces can lend themselves to being opportunistic in nature; however there are some that can threaten the well-being of the restaurant. The success of a company ultimately depends upon how well it can use its strengths to take advantage of external trends. By utilizing an External Factor Evaluation Matrix (EFE) a company’s chief strategist can analyze and determine crucial external opportunities and threats important to the future of their organization. Another growing trend that the fast casual industry can capitalize on is the growing health trends among consumers. More and more people are becoming aware of the foods that they consume and are making strides to eat healthier. In fact, according to a recent survey by the National Restaurant Association, 19% of all customers are actively seeking out healthy alternatives when dining out (franchisedire ct.com, 2011). This is a direct result of obesity rates constantly rising in the United States. Furthermore, several restaurants competing in the fast casual sector have made conscious efforts to offer rather healthy meals to their customers. Certainly, realizing that customers are seeking out healthy options when dining out will prompt the industry to enjoy much success in the coming years. A third trend is the expanding interest in, and availability of, organic food ingredients. Several restaurant chains have dedicated their mission and vision statements to seek out the finest ingredients. It is no secret that many fast food chains use cheap ingredients that even compromise the nutritional value of the food it serves. However, several fast casual chains refuse to compromise the integrity of the ingredients used in its menu options. The use of produce that comes from sustainable practices is becoming more and more important to customers after so much light has been shed on how animals are treated before being used for food. This has even  prompted many chains to purchase pro duce from locally-owned organic food producers. In fact, according to the National Restaurant Association, 70% of adults say they are more likely to visit a restaurant that offers locally produced food items (franchisedirect.com, 2011). The recent advances in technology have also enabled various restaurants to offer customers a more customizable way to order food. There are currently applications that allow customers to order food via their smartphone. Capitalizing on an idea from pizza parlors, fast casual restaurants also allow customers to order food online and specify a particular time for pick up. As these restaurants offer its customers more ways to place an order, the business can maintain a larger propensity for growth as ordering food becomes more convenient. The fast casual segment has also begun to enter into the construction of sustainable restaurant designs. Currently, there are numerous initiatives for developing LEED and other sustainable buildings. These buildings are very environmentally friendly, and offer advant ages to the communities that they are erected within. At the head of this curve is Chipotle, which has received the first certifications for LEED-designed restaurants (fastcasual.com, 2008). Using sustainable buildings to house its restaurants is not only advantageous because it would appeal to customers, but there are also other governmental incentives in the form of tax credits and deductions (irs.gov, 2011). Thus, not only are sustainable buildings great for attracting and maintaining new customers, but it also makes great business sense too. Diversification of food concepts is a tremendous way to attract a wider audience with a differentiated taste. As the fast casual segment continues to grow and prosper, the companies competing can afford to implement spinoffs much in the same way as the giants of the fast food industry have done through the years. Many of the key players within the industry attract a customer with a specific taste profile. As these restaurants continue to expand and grow, they too can spinoff another brand of restaurant with a differentiated menu. Accompanying the numerous opportunities to the segment, there are also several existing threats that must be navigated in order to remain successful. The first of these potential threats pertains to rising food prices. The fast casual segment must especially take note of this because it already uses the highest quality ingredients which lead to higher costs. However, if food prices  continue to rise, the industry would be forced to either cut costs or raise the prices on its menu. This is a very touchy subject as the restaurants within the segment cannot afford to raise prices too high without facing adverse effects to its normal business operations. The ease of entry into the market is also another threat that the organization must combat. Although fast casual restaurants offer a distinct experience for consumers, its products are not necessarily revolutionary by any means. This leaves them somewhat vulnerable to competitors to enter the market and attack the brand; especially given the low startup costs for restaurants. However, with adequate marketing and utmost customer satisfaction, these restaurants can maintain their customer base and thwart any potential competitors. Increasingly inclement weather and the apparent increasing threat of natural disasters always remains a possible hardship. This would cause food shortages and a st eep rise on the price of ingredients. This makes it absolutely necessary for organizations to diversify their distributors to different parts of the U.S. in order to prevent catastrophic shortages. This way, if a flood destroys the supply of one supplier in an area, the restaurant can use another supplier elsewhere in order to maintain adequate distribution to its restaurants. The threat of recessions also can be a harmful blight to the segment’s success. Economic downturns often affect most businesses in negative ways and the fast casual segment is not protected from such an event. Although it did enjoy moderate growth and prosperity through the most recent recession, the segments growth was stunted a bit, as was the case for a majority of industries. However, restaurants were steadfast in maintaining prices and a quality experience and customers continued to support the food segment. The threat of consumers’ taste preferences changing is always of concern. Although most people are creatures of habit, diff erentiation of taste preferences can change, leaving the restaurant vulnerable. Knowing this, it is crucial that restaurants constantly improve upon food quality and the dining experience. Doing so will keep the entire experience â€Å"fresh† and entice the customer to come back. One of the obstacles in restaurants expanding into different areas that most do not realize, is the fact that there are often difficulties in acquiring the necessary agreements to open new stores (Chipotle 10-k, 2011). These consist of building permits if the company is  looking to build a brand new fixture for the new restaurant, to lease agreements for current buildings. Different cities have different zoning and ordinance codes, making the decision to rent a preexisting space a plausible alternative. However, the restaurant management typically has a target number of what it wants to pay on a monthly basis. Often, there can be a discrepancy between what management feels is fair and what the lessor feels is fair. This can hinder the expansion rate of a restaurant until both parties come to grips on fair terms of a lease agreement. It is important that fast casual organizations constantly analyze opportunities and threats that are presented outside of the organization. If companies do not exploit its advantages within the market, it cannot grow at a pace that it should be. On the other hand, if it does not properly navigate and combat the external threats presented, it will surely not be in business for the long term capacity which is often hoped. Thus, an EFE is extremely important in developing and maintaining a successful business. Works Cited David, Fred R. Strategic Management Concepts: A Competitive Advantage Approach. Boston: Pearson, 2013. Print.

Essay about Valuing Coca Cola Stock - 1214 Words

Valuing of Coca Cola Stock and Analysis Andrew Burgoyne, James Desimone, Bailey Fowble, Hewei Huang, Ryan Leist, Maria Sandoval University of South Florida FIN 4414 Abstract Taking the role as Jessie Jones, we will analyze whether to recommend the Coca Cola stock to potential clients or current clients that do not have it in their portfolio. By using the Capital Asset Price Model (CAPM), Dividends Discount Model (DDM) and the Price/Earnings (P/E) ratio we will come to a conclusion. Background The Coca Cola Company, which is based out of Atlanta, Georgia, is a leader in the global soft drink market. It owns subsidiaries in over 195 countries around the world but has always remained local. According to the most recent†¦show more content†¦The market rate of return for 1996 was 22.96%, however we averaged the previous 5 years to get a better picture of the market rate of return. This averaging put the rate of return 15.91% which is more manageable than 22.96%. We also assumed that the dividend growth rate was 12% and that the shares of Coca-Cola were trading at $58 per share at the time. Capital Asset Pricing Model The Capital Asset Pricing Model or CAPM is one of the most popular methods for estimating an equity investor’s required return by finding the discount rate. From the information provided in the case, we were informed that the current government bond yields were 5.09% on 90-day treasury bills, 5.79% on 5-year bonds, 5.91% on 10-year bonds and 6.22% on 30-year bonds. We were also given that by definition the market had a ÃŽ ² of 1.0, less risky stocks have ÃŽ ² lt; 1.0 and more risky stocks have ÃŽ ² gt; 1.0. Lastly, we were told that Jessie noted that the historical market risk premium (Rm – Rf) was in the 6% range. The equation used to approximate the investors required rate of return is: r = Rf+ ÃŽ ² (Rm-Rf) Rf represents the risk-free return, which U.S Treasury bills are usually the proxy used. ÃŽ ² represents the beta, which is used to measure risk associated with stocks: The adjusted ÃŽ ² of 1.24 was used because it takes into consideration an estimation of future ÃŽ ²Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s rather than just historical which is what the raw ÃŽ ² is based on. Rm representsShow MoreRelatedThe Price Of A Coca Cola1414 Words   |  6 PagesThe graph below represents the price of a Coca-Cola stock from 1988 onwards (the availability of the data is from 1988). Over the past three or four years from 2012 onwards, the price of the stock has fallen from around $14 to around $9. A reasonable growth rate for the company in the future would be around 1 to 2%, taking into account of macroeconomic conditions and changes in consumer preferences. However, since Coca-Cola is a global brand with relatively large market share, the duration of declineRead MoreComparative Human Resource Analysis : Coca Cola And Pepsico1465 Words   |  6 PagesAnalysis: Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. Abhiram Satyadev Goldey Beacom College Course Name 02/16/2017 Table of Contents 1. Competition for Employees†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.3 2. Compensation of Employees†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..4 3. Legislation Concerning Employees.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...5 4. Human Relations Discussion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..6 5. Conclusions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 6. References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦8 Comparative Human Resource Analysis: Coca-Cola v/sRead MoreFinancial Ratio Analysis : Coca Cola Company1608 Words   |  7 Pagescase â€Å"numerical† obtained from a firm’s financial statement. They are basis of valuing a company hence it’s a complex task that requires a critical analysis of various components of financial ratio such as profitability ratio, debt ratio, investment valuation ratio, operating performance ratio, cash flow indicator ratio and liquidity measurement ratio. Therefore, the following financial ratio analysis shall value Coca-Cola consolidated company and PepsiCo Inc. (PEP) through a critical comparison basedRead MoreCase Study PepsiCo1737 Words   |  7 Pagesin which Pepsi operates in is quite competitive and has global brands such as Coca-Cola Inc. Pepsi has however managed to cut a niche for itself through targeting specific demographic groups and advertising directly to them. The two American companies have been rivals for quite a while now, with each trying to exert dominance over the other in varied markets. In the US, Pepsi controls 30% market share while Coca-cola holds about 42%. Pepsi is heavily involved in sponsorship activities for sportsRead MoreEconomic Theory Suggests That Markets Are Efficient and Security Prices Are Determined on the Basis of Fundamental Value2720 Words   |  11 PagesDetermined on the Basis of Fundamental Value ¡Ã‚ ¨ Market efficiency requires that security prices react immediately in an unbiased way to the receipt of new information (Robert Shiller S1998). In other words, an efficient capital market is one in which stock prices fully reflect available information. In addition, there are three conditions for market efficiency; information flows freely, market is composed of rational investors where all competing against each other with the objective of maximizing wealthRead MoreCapital Structure Policies1538 Words   |  7 Pagesmodel results for PepsiCo Inc. and Coca-Cola Co., over the past three year period the company with the higher amount of leverage, which indicates a higher amount of debt, the ROE is consistently higher. In 2013, for example, PepsiCo had a leverage of 3.19 and ROE of 27.76%, compared with Coca Cola’s leverage of 2.71 and ROE of 25.88%. Going back to 2012 results, the value of the DuPont analysis is evidenced as both companies had similar ROE returns, however; Coc a-Cola’s leverage was only 2.63 comparedRead MoreJob Cost Of Job Costing1267 Words   |  6 Pagesguide to short-run decision making, provided that the unit costs are analysed into fixed and variable elements. 3. As a guide to price determination, in firms which use cost-plus pricing (probably a majority – see Skinner [13]). 4. As a basis for valuing stocks of finished units† (Skinner 1978) Process costing takes into consideration the items which are currently in the process of being manufactured by calculating what is known as conversion costs. Conversion costs are values assigned to the itemsRead MoreEssay about Analysis of the Coca Cola Company4607 Words   |  19 PagesAnalysis of the Coca Cola Company History Coca-Cola enterprises Incorporated, employees 66,199 operates, 444 facilities, 47,235 vehicles, 1.9 million pieces of cold drink equipment and sold 3.8billion unit cases in 46 states in the united states, all 10 provinces of Canada and portions of Europe including Belgium, France, Great Britain, Luxembourg and the Netherlands (Coca-Cola facts 99). An, Atlanta Pharmacist Dr. John Slyth Pemberton founded Coca-Cola on May 8, 1886. The carmel colored ingredientsRead MorePepsico vs. Coca-Cola Essay3692 Words   |  15 PagesPepsiCo vs. Coca-Cola – A Financial Comparison June 13, 2007 AC550 May 2007 Executive Summary The purpose of this comparative analysis is to provide a summary of financial and accounting information to a potential investor who is looking to invest in either Coca-Cola or PepsiCo. This research will cover some facts from the financial statements of both companies for the year of 2004. There are many factors to review when comparing these two companies. They are two of the top manufacturersRead MoreEssay Case Study 13539 Words   |  15 Pagesequity can be thought of any assets after all its debts associated with that asset have been paid off. For example, a car or house with no outstanding debt is considered the owner’s equity because he or she can readily sell the items for cash. Even stocks are equity because they represent ownership in a company (Walther et al, 2012). So in conclusion, if we show equity under asset in the balance sheet, it will not only be unbalanced but because equity is what forms the assets along with its liabilities