Saturday, October 5, 2019
Installation of Video Surveillance Systems in Public Areas Essay
Installation of Video Surveillance Systems in Public Areas - Essay Example Video Surveillance in Public Places: The technique of video surveillance involves the use of a number of video cameras that are connected through closed circuit television (CCTV), where the videos get recorded and can be viewed later on. A central system monitors the entire process and keeps all records of the videos. However since recordings are conducted on public places, the rights of individuals are also considered. It can be realized in this context that an individual moving or performing any activity in a public area would not expect privacy since it is an open place and the activity can be viewed by any other individual present in the area, even if video recording does not take place. The surveillance measure is thus not meant to impact the privacy of individuals (Opinion on Video Surveillance in Public Places by Public Authorities and the Protection of Human Rights, 5-6). Video Surveillance: Views in Support: The present study reflects the views in support of the system of vi deo surveillance in public areas. In this regard the most important issue that can be discussed is the ability of the system to prevent crimes or get hold of criminals once a criminal act occurs. With the presence of CCTV cameras at different locations within a city, it can be understood that every individual would be aware of the surveillance that can be expected to create certain level of fear in the minds of any criminal of getting caught (Ratcliffe, 8). Thus this fear might stop the person or the group of persons from performing any negative act. If this can be realized, the importance of such video surveillance can be well understood can supported by the citizens of every country and individual states. In the present times, where the rates of terrorist attacks and criminal activities have largely increased, several countries have issued laws in their states allowing the roles of video surveillance. Few of such countries include the Great Britain, Spain, France and others. In th ese countries, not only the video cameras are used for recording the activities in public areas but utmost use of the video surveillance is made in these countries intended towards prevention of crimes and getting hold of criminals (Bernan, 119). The increasing use of the video surveillance measure in different countries and support from the respective governments and legal systems tend to signify the need and importance of the system in the prevention of crimes. The video surveillance system not only contributes in the reduction of criminal activities, but at the same time it has certain other benefits as well. The presence of such systems can be expected to lessen the fear of crimes in the minds of the citizens, assist with proven information the police and other investigation departments in case of any crime, reflect any emergency need that viewed through the central monitor can lead to immediate actions, for example any medical emergency on road, and help in a complete managemen t of gathered information (Ratcliffe, 11). The central monitoring system viewing and controlling the recordings of the different associated cameras are in constant watch of all the activities covered by the cameras. Thus in case of any criminal act, or any emergency, as recorded through the
Friday, October 4, 2019
Idealistic vs. Naturalistic Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Idealistic vs. Naturalistic Art - Essay Example In contrast, some artwork focuses more on depicting the naturalistic qualities of the subject. Artists do this in order to capture the raw emotion of the scene and give the viewer an accurate, unbiased image that reflects the reality of their time. People viewing the artwork can determine which type of art it is, idealistic or naturalistic, based on specific elements seen within the painting. During my visit to the Utah Museum of Fine arts, I chose two pieces of art that I believe show the difference between naturalistic and idealistic qualities. By examining the Equestrian Statue of Louis XIV by Jacques-Phillippe Bouchardon as an example of idealistic art and the painting "Preparation for Dinner" by James Taylor Harwood as an example of naturalistic art, it becomes easier to discuss the differences between these two painting styles. The Equestrian Statue of Louis XIV by Bouchardon now on display at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts is a reduction model of a seven-meter statue built by Fr ancois Girardon and installed in 1699 at the Place Louis-le-Grand in France, what is today the Place Vendome (Louvre). Converting that into American measurements, the original statue was almost 23 feet tall not counting its pedestal, which added another 10 meters or almost 33 feet. The original statue was built in 1685 when Louis XIVââ¬â¢s war minister created a new square in Paris and chose Girardon to sculpt a full-scale statue of the king. His choice of artist and his intentions for the square were mostly influenced by his desire to create a more magnificent square than that created to celebrate the king's earlier victories in the Dutch War of 1679 (Louvre). The large square in Paris was the perfect setting for such a marvelous statue of the king to stand. King Louis XIV holds the merit for being the longest reigning king in European history, governing for seventy-two years. Unfortunately, the original statue, which took two years to create, was destroyed in 1792 with the firs t wave of the French Revolutionary wars (Art Tribune), but several smaller models had been made. The sculpture has many idealistic qualities to it that aid in celebrating the royal image of king. For example, the piece shows Louis XIV as a Roman emperor, calling on the authority of the ancients to equate him with the heroes of the ages. He is shown wearing a contemporary curly wig and sitting atop a strong steed, further demonstrating his ties to authority and nobility. The quality of the horse is also intended to reflect on the quality of the man as the head of a wealthy and prosperous nation. Louis sits the horse without saddle or stirrups. This can have a few interpretations. First, it shows that the rider has enough grace and agility to be able to remain on the back of such a powerful horse without having to be buckled in place or hold on to some kind of strap. Second, it proves his mastery over all things in that he can presumably convince the horse to do what he wants with ver y little effort. The horse itself stands majestically in a walking position with one leg raised and one leg standing on the shield and sword of a defeated enemy. As a result, the artist has captured the king as an active participant in the wars he has led, shows the horse to be a warhorse (adding yet more prestige to the idea that the king is controlling him without stirrups), and demonstrates the king
Thursday, October 3, 2019
Forgivenesses of sins Essay Example for Free
Forgivenesses of sins Essay Pardoners were supposed to issue papal indulgences (forgivenesses of sins) in exchange for alms money, which was to be given to the sick, poor, or another worthy cause. But many pardoners were out-and-out frauds, selling worthless pieces of paper, and even legitimate ones often kept more than their share of the proceeds. This Pardoner is from Rouncivalle, a London hospital well known for the number of illegal pardons connected with it. Most pardoners, like this one, claimed to have come straight from the court of Rome, with a bagful of pardons al hoot off the presses, though of course our Pardoner hasnt set foot outside England. NOTE: Fake pardoners claimed they could do almost anything for the right sum of money, even remove an excommunication. Despite widespread abuses, though, there still were plenty of people gullible enough to believe in a pardoners powers. Theres something suspect in the fact that the Pardoner sings Come hither, love, to me, to the Summoner, who accompanies him in a strong bass voice. Some see more than a hint of sexual perversion in this young man who has thin locks of yellow hair that he wears without a hood because he thinks its the latest style. His small voice and the fact that he has no beard, ne never sholde [would] have, leads Chaucer to suspect he were a gelding or a marea eunuch or effeminate man. NOTE: Scientific opinion of the day believed that thin hair represented poor blood, effeminacy, and deception, while glaring eyes like the Pardoners indicated folly, gluttony, and drunkenness. Chaucers audience would catch the references just as we would instantly see the significance of a villain in a black cape and with a black moustache. As if the description werent bad enough, the Pardoner tricks people into buying phony relics of saints, such as a pillowcase that he says was Our Ladys veil, or a piece of sail allegedly belonging to St. Peter. No wonder he makes more money in a day than the poor Parson does in two months. Ironically, Chaucer calls him a noble eccesiaste, since he can sing a church lesson beautifullyfor money, of course. His tale is right in character: he tells what the pilgrims say they want to hear. He says he bases his sermons on money being the root of all evil (he ought to know). But he admits hes not a moral man, although he can tell a moral tale. In his tale about three rowdies, he ironically delivers a sermon against gluttony and other sins. Afterwards, the Host lights into the Pardoners hypocrisy with such force that the Pardoner is speechless with anger. Chaucer is probably the earliest English poet youre likely to read. A first glance at the original Middle English of the Canterbury Tales, with all those strange-looking words, might be enough to tempt you to slam the book shut, either in disgust or in terror at having to learn it all. But take a closer look and examine some of the words. Youll see that many arent any harder to understand than when some people, trying to be olde-fashioned, write shoppe instead of shop. (Chaucers English is in fact where this idea originated. ) Try to get a dual-language edition of the Canterbury Tales, in which the Middle English original is printed on one side of the page and modern English on the other. When youve gotten some practice reading the original words and checking against the modern English, youll find that the rhythm of Chaucers poetry gets easier to understand. Why is it called Middle English? Simply because its at the midpoint between the ancient language spoken by the Anglo-Saxons of England and the English we speak today. In fact, you might feel grateful that youre reading Chaucer instead of the poetry of some of his fellow fourteenth-century poets, because Chaucers dialectthe Middle English spoken in Londonis the language that evolved into our English, while the dialects the other poets used died out. Imagine trying to read something written in a hillbilly drawl or in a Scottish brogue; standard English, even if its not what we speak all the time, is easier to read. Even if Chaucer had never written a word, it makes sense that the speech of London, the hub of English society, should develop into the standard English that eventually came over on the Mayflower. But Chaucer gave a great boost to the prestige of English, as Shakespeare did later on. Its partly because of Chaucers terrific (though unintentional) public relations job that the poet John Dryden, three hundred years later, called him the father of English literature. There is a robust flavor to Chaucers language that we cant get in a translation, no matter how good it is. You wont be able to get the nuances of all the old words. But after a while youll almost be able to hear the pilgrims chatting away. The opening of the General Prologue bursts with spring, with new life, and shows that Chaucer is both similar to and different from his poetic predecessors. He uses many images of spring that would be familiar to a medievel audience: the April showers (familiar to us too) piercing Marchs dryness, the licour in each plants vein, the breezes inspiring the crops. Its short, but enough of a description to give us a sense of waking up to new and exciting events. Even the birds sleep with open eyes because of the rising sap. Then, instead of moving from the conventional spring setting to a description of courtly romantic or heroic deeds, as his audience might expect, he draws us into a very down-to-earth world. Spring isnt romance; its the time of year when people long to go on pilgrimages. We can all identify with the feeling of spring fever, when we want to travel and shake off the winter doldrums. Whats more, in case we or Chaucers listeners are expecting a conventional medieval description of moral allegorical typesGreed, Love, Fortune, etc. or battles, were in for a shock. Other poets presented characters for moral purposes or to embody ideals such as courtly love. But Chaucer doesnt deal in types, whether religious or courtly, but in portraits of real people. He even ignores the unwritten rule of the time that, if youre describing someone, you start at the top, very orderly, and work down. Chaucer will start with someones beard, then hat, boots, tone of voice, and finally his political opinions! (Thats just a partial description of the Merchant. ) Hes not reporting for a moral purpose, but out of love of life and the people around him. Imagine that youre minding your own business in a wayside tavern and in burst 29 people representing every facet of society. For Chaucer, that meant the nobility, embodied in the Knight and Squire; the church, in the form of the Prioress, Monk, and others; agriculture (the Plowman); and the emerging middle class (the Merchant, Franklin and tradesmen). Rather than shy away from this motley crew, Chaucer the narrator (who is not the same, remember, as Chaucer the poet) befriends and describes them, inserting his own opinions freely.
Biological Anthropological Analysis of Gorilla
Biological Anthropological Analysis of Gorilla Gorilla Biological anthropology is also known as physical anthropology, it is an interesting mixture of social studies and biology of people. This study concerned with the biological and behavioural aspects of human beings, and their related non-human primates and their extinct ancestors. To grasp how human evolution, occur from earlier life forms (primates). Primates include (Homo sapiens), the apes, the monkeys and gorillas. we can know about primate behaviour by studying them. If I would like to talk about gorilla. the largest of the living primates, it is ground dwelling herbivore animal that inhabits the forest of Africa. They are also known for their gentle human like behaviour and emotions such as laughter and sadness. They even make their own tools to assist them survive in the forest. Gorillas are stocky animals with broad chests and shoulders. Some of the body parts seem to be same as humans like hands and their small eyes set with hairless faces. They play a very important role in local biodiversity, roaming through large territories assist humans for example to spread the seeds of fruits they consume. Studies have shown gorilla blood is not reactive to anti-A and anti-B which would in humans indicate type O blood. Moreover, like humans, gorillas have different finger prints. Classification of Gorillas based on their species: Gorillas are our closest living relative after chimpanzees and bonobos. they are divided into two species; the eastern gorilla (G. g. diehli) and the western gorilla (G. g. gorilla). The eastern gorilla consists of two more sub-species. These species are the eastern lowland (G. B Graueri) and the mountain gorilla. (G. B. Beringei). Physical description: Gorillas are the largest living primates. They are stocky animals with broad chests and shoulders. Some of the body parts seem to be same as humans like larger hands, eyes, face.Ãâà There DNA is 97% 98% identical to that of a human. There forearms are much shorter than the upper arm. The face is black and hairless with small eyes that are close together and prominent nostrils. Adults males are identified by sagittal crest along the midline of the skull and a small are of white hairs on the black that is why they also known as silverbacks. Moreover, eastern gorillas have darker and longer fur on their arms whereas western gorillas have shorter hairs which grey or brown in colour. Size: adult males weigh up to 200kg whereas females have around half the size. They can reach the height of 1.2 to 1.7 meters when standing on two feet. Social structure of gorillas: They have a well-developed social structure. They forming stable family groups in which dominant male keep the position for years. Usually they are 5 to 10 individuals in one group or vary from 2 to over 50 members. Furthermore, if any male gorilla leaves the group, he wanders alone for many years. whereas female gorillas leave their group at maturity to join other group or single males. But it is very rare in female gorillas and they reproducing in their original groups. Life cycle of gorillas: Female gorillas become sexually mature at age of 7-8 years old. but they start breeding several years later. Whereas males are mature later than females. But some of the gorillas starts breeding before the age of 15 years. They have high infant mortality. There is long gestation to single births (8.5) months. Females generally give birth to three or four babies during their reproductive life. the mortality rate for gorillas is less than one year old is high, but for the adults the rate is only 5 %. In the wild they might live for 40 years old. in the united states, a captive gorilla was reported to have lived to the age of 54. Reproduction: Female will purse their lips and slowly approach a male while making eye contact. This serves to urge the male to mount her. If the male does not respond, then she will try to attract his attention by reaching towards him or slapping the ground. Males incite copulation by approaching a female and displaying at her or touching her. Male gorillas are not active in a caring for the young. But they do play a role in socialising them to other youngsters. the silverback has a largely supportive relationship with infants in his troop and shields them from aggression within the group infants remain in contact with their mothers for the first five months and mothers stay near the silverback for protection. Infants began to break their contact with their mothers after five months.by 12 months old infants move up to five meters from their mothers when they enter juvenile period at the third year and this last until their sixth year. Intelligence: Gorillas are considered highly intelligent. A few individuals in captivity such as koko, have been taught a subset of sign language like other apes, gorillas can laugh grieve have rich emotional lives, develop strong family bonds, make tools and think about past and future. Diet: Gorillas are mainly herbivorous(vegetation)and they spend almost half of the day in feeding on stems, bamboo shoots and a variety of fruits. How do gorilla communicate? As we know gorillas live in the dense rain forests where it is very difficult to see the group members. So, they use mainly vocalisation for communication in accordance with their role as group leader. For newly born babies of gorillas. Vocalisations (screaming)are the most way to attracting their mothers attention to their needs. However, body parts and facial expression also indicate the gorillas mood. Postures signalling mood or intention to the partner are sometimes even used for communication over greater areas. http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=communication+videos+of+gorillasqpvt=communication+videos+of+gorillasview=detailmid=5DAF26CADB7EC10E05E75DAF26CADB7EC10E05E7FORM=VRDGAR Moreover, gorillas senses resemble those to humans. They also use the senses in their communication not only hearing and seeing, but also touching and smelling. Silverback males have a characteristic smell. In dangerous situations, they emit very specific scent that can smell from many metres that can help to alert the group without producing any noise. This is very rare that gorillas using tools in the wild. Western lowland gorillas have been observed using sticks to apparently measure the depth of water and as walking sticks to support their posture when crossing deeper water.an adult female used a detached trunk from a small shrub as a stabilizer during food gathering. Nesting : Gorillas construct nests for daytime and night use. Their nests are a simple aggregation of branches and leaves about 2 to 5ft and constructed by individuals. Molecular ecology of gorillas: Microsatellite analysis can reveal unexpected patterns of behaviour for example the high frequency of extra pair mating in socially monogamous birds [reviewed in griffin et al.,2002]. In animal groups, neither mating behaviour nor social dominance rank always predict paternity, and genetic analysis have revealed the presence of alternative, unobserved male mating strategies that produce a significant proportion of offspring e.g.., in grey scales. [Worthington Wilmer et, al., 1999]and free living sheep [colt man et al., 1999]. One of the earliest attempts to use a molecular approach to assess the genetic mating system in wild apes was made in a study of mountain gorillas however the conclusions were limited while most gorillas social groups appear to be composed of a single mature silverback male along with adult females and offspring, some 40%mountain gorillas group contained two or more silverback males [Robbins, 1999; Schaller, 1963; Webber and vedder,1983]. Reasons why gorillas are endangered? Habitat Loss, Reduction, and degradation. Poaching Poaching is the illegal hunting that can be used for commercial purposes. Poachers can kill gorillas to sell their meat and various body parts or some time they capture gorillas and keep them alive and use gorillas as private collection of animals. Diseases:à due to the genetic similarity between humans and gorillas, they are also victims of outbreaks that can affect people.one of the major virus is known as Ebola virus and poaching are the threats of the western lowland gorillas By 2003, one-third wild gorillas had died due to this virus. Other diseases affecting gorillas are polio, hepatitis A, tuberculosis and intestinal parasites References: http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/gorilla http://www.bing.com/videos https://www.defenders.org/gorilla/basic-facts Coltman DW, Bancroft DR, Robertson A, Smith JA, Clutton-Brock TH, Pemberto JM. 1999. Male reproductive success in promiscuous mammal: behavioural esti-mates compared with genetic paternity. Mol Ecole 8:1199-1209.
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Arthurian Romances Essay -- essays research papers
Arthurian Romances à à à à à The Middle Ages of Europe were governed by a system which is referred to as feudalist. The people of this system flow together well; society in these times require noble people to set the example for the younger. The ranks of the noble include counts, lords, knights, kings,queens,etc. These noblemen can be compared to as dueling politicians; they watch over their communities, keeping everything orderly, and they fend off any attackers trying to besiege land. The peace keeper of the society is the knight. The knight has been appointed the position of knight by a king because his traits and characteristic best fit the standards of a good warrior and protector of the civilization. A knight is truthful, honest, capable, educated, physically fit, noble, sincere, and subservient to the king. à à à à à In ââ¬Å"Arthurian Romancesâ⬠the knight has a duty to protect his country. When he approaches a situation he does not attack the other party until he has warned them. His place in the feudalist system involves other workers (vassals) to do his bidding. They suit him up in his armor and ready his horse and weapons. The knight in the first story is named Erec, son of the King Lac. He marries a girl named Enide, who is at his side throughout the story. Together they adventure through the countryside and Erec fights his battles as they go on. The knight will give up on nothing ever, it is his duty to serve his King and God...
Puritan Depravity and Distrust in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essay
Puritan Depravity and Distrust in Young Goodman Brown à à à à à à à Puritan doctrine taught that all men are totally depraved and require constant self-examination to see that they are sinners and unworthy of God's Grace. Because man had broken the Covenant of Works when Adam had eaten from the Tree of Knowledge, God offered a new covenant to Abraham's people which held that election to Heaven was merely a possibility.à In the Puritan religion, believers dutifully recognized the negative aspects of their humanity rather than the gifts they possessed. This shadow of distrust would have a direct influence on early American New England and on many of its historians and writers, one of which was Nathaniel Hawthorne. The influence of Puritan religion, culture and education along with the setting of his hometown of Salem, Massachusetts, is a common topic in Nathaniel Hawthorne's works.à In particular, Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown" allows the writer to examine and perhaps provide commentary on not only the Salem of his own time but also the Salem of his ancestors.à Growing up, Hawthorne could not escape the influence of Puritan society, not only from residing with his father's devout Puritan family as a child but also due to Hawthorne's study of his own family history.à The first of his ancestors, William Hathorne, is described in Hawthorne's "The Custom House" as arriving with the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630 "with his Bible and his sword" (26). A further connection can also be seen in his more notable ancestor John Hathorne, who exemplified the level of zealousness in Puritanism with his role as persecutor in the Salem Witch Trials.à à The study of his own family from the es tablishment of the Bay Colony to the Second Gre... ... 40 (First Quarter 1994):à 67-88. Grayson, Robert C.à "Curdled Milk for Babes: The Role of the Catechism in 'Young Goodman Brown.'"à The Nathaniel Hawthorne Review 16 (Spring 1990): 1-5. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "Young Goodman Brown." 1835. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter et al. 2nd ed. Vol. 1. Lexington: Heath, 1944. 2129-38. Levin, David.à What happened in Salem?à 2nd ed.à New York: Harcourt, Brace and World Inc, 1967. Mather, Cotton.à "A Discourse on Witchcraft."à Levin 96-105. Murfin, Ross C.à "Introduction: The Biographical and Historical Background."à Case Studies in Contemporary Criticism: Nathaniel Hawthorne, "The Scarlet Letter."à Boston: St. Martin's Press, 1991.à 3-18. Shuffelton, Frank.à "Nathaniel Hawthorne and the Revival Movement."à The American Transcendental Quarterly 44 (Fall 1979):à 311-321.
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Implications of the Bertrand Model
In 1893 French economist Joseph Bertrand developed his Bertrand model of competition from his review of Antoine Cournots study of a Spring Water duopoly. His criticism lay with how firms in oligopolies compete. In his model firms compete with prices rather than Cornots quantities. (REFERENCE TO SPANISH JOURNAL) The model consists of two firms who set prices simultaneously and independently (HUGH GRAVIELLE AND AY REES, MICROECONOMICES), jean tiral explains this as when one firm sets its price it is ignorant to its rivalââ¬â¢s price, rather it ââ¬Å"anticipatesâ⬠what they will charge. It is assumed products are homogeneous and perfect substitutes (ECCSTRAT) and due to the nature of the product the firm supplying output at the lowest price will gain the entire market demand. (GB! ) This firm will have to supply all the forthcoming demand at the price they have set; gb1 from this an important assumption of the model is that there are no capacity constraints, that both firms have the same marginal cost, which remains constant, and that demand is liner. GB2 As stated, the entire market demand for homogeneous products will go to the firm offering the lowest price, although if both firms were to sell at the same price ââ¬Å"a sharing rule must be assumedâ⬠GB2. Using an example from the ((((((( lets suppose the market demand for a homogeneous product is given by, Q = 120-p (where Q is quantity demanded and p is price charged). The marginal cost (MC) for both producers is, C=$30, and both producers sell output at p=c=$30. The demand for each producer is Q=0. 5*120-p=45. Lets say producer A increased their price to c=$31, the entire market demand would transfer to producer B who would now have a demand function of Qb=120-c=90, while producer A would have zero demand. However if producer A had reduced their price to c=$29, they would capture the entire market demand through charging the lowest cost, however they would make a $1 loss in each product sold. From this, the Nash equilibrium for the Bertrand model lies where P=MC, with demand so heavily influenced by price producers do not want to be undercut by rivals. With P=MC no rival will undercut as zero profits are preferable to negative profits, and any firm trying to charge above the MC and make positive profits will receive no sales. The suggestion is the addition of one firm restores perfect market competition (Jean Tirole, 1998), moving the market form monopoly power and profits (maximum inefficiency) to perfectly competitive (maximum efficiency). It had been deemed a paradox as it is difficult to believe that two firms in a duopolistic market can make zero profits. We are able to resolve Bertrandââ¬â¢s paradox through relaxing and of the three integral assumptions of the model (intro to industrial org l. M. B Cabrail). In order to analyse its practical relevance and its implications, this essay will now give examples of where the paradox can be deconstructed. The first example of a solution comes from a combination of two assumptions, the first is the absence of capacity constraints, and the second firms make decisions independently. In the model whichever firm firm is charging the lowest price will receive the entire market demand, and is ââ¬Å"expected to supply all forthcoming demand at the price it has setâ⬠(old xavior). There are few situations in the real world where one firm could satisfy the demand of the whole market. Using the previous example, producer B gained the entire market demand (Q=120-$30=90). Letââ¬â¢s assume producer B has a capacity constraint below 90 units. There is now a proportion of the market that can only be satisfied by producer A, who can use monopoly power and make positive profits as the only producer. (managerial Economics a strategic approach). This example shows how with the inclusion of a common real world problem, Bertrandââ¬â¢s proposed equilibrium of price equal to marginal cost is deconstructed. A second implication of capacity constraints is their effect on collision between firms. Collusion reduces market competiveness, firms tactically agree to set prices above particular levels and to not to engage in price wars,(REF). A positive relationship between excess capacity and collusion was identified by David and Deneckere, who found excess capacity is a ââ¬Å"prerequisite for stable collusionâ⬠while it provides a ââ¬Å"stronger bargaining position within cartelsâ⬠(QUOTE TO JOURNALS THAT ARE ON JUIBILEE AND WOLF). These effects have been see in oil cartel OPEC, which has existed since the second world war and where the largest producer, Saudi Arabia can flood the market if small producers ââ¬Å"cheatâ⬠on their quotas. (paul Pijush). Through years of controlling supply and therefore price the carte will receive one trillion dollars in revenues this year, (Wall street post). The prisoners dilemma is ââ¬Å"a particular game between two captured prisoners that illustrates why cooperation is difficult to maintain even when mutually beneficialâ⬠(REF). It helps to demonstrate the logic behind Bertrandââ¬â¢s Paradox. Both firms would benefit from charging a price higher than marginal cost, however at this level both firms have an incentive to undercut one another. (managerial economics). If the rules of the game can be changed each agent would receive a higher revenue payoff. (Global Business Mike W peng). Two companies who saw this were General Electric (GE) and Westinghouse. In the early 1960s these two companies controlled over 98% of the US market for large turbine generators. Prior to purchase, electric utilities would negotiate with GE and Westinghouse who, as in Bertrand competition, competed on price. Government owned utilities accounted for twenty five percent of the market share and by law had to purchase from the cheapest provider and publish the price. The two firms generated low profit, as Bertrand competition predicts, until GE ââ¬Ëchanged the rules of the gameââ¬â¢ by introducing a price book. The process effectively set a higher market price and guaranteed higher profits, the price publishing behaviour continued successfully until 1975 when the US Department of Justice investigated the industry. Price books were ruled to breach anti-competition laws and the firms were fined. The book, Technology and Transformation in the American Electric Utility Industry by Richard F. Hirsh goes into this example in much greater depth. This is an important example as it demonstrates that Bertrand competition can exist in the real world. However the assumption of zero profits, or in the example, low profits encourages companies to collude to set higher prices and make positive profits. The Bertrand model also assumes that with the entrant of a second firm into the market, and the subsequent Nash equilibrium, price equal to marginal cost, removes the need for policy makers to intervene. However form the previous example this is obviously false as policy makers did have to intervene and sanctions were made. To stress this point, another example; Pakistanââ¬â¢s Federal Cabinet moved powers of oil price fixation to the Oil Companies Advisory Committee in 2001, through flawed polices profits of the duopolists Pakistan State Oil and Shell Pakistan increased by 232% between 2001 to 2005. which lead to further state involvement to enforce price restrictions and encourage competition. (competition reporter. 25,05,2009). In the Bertrand model we assumed that both firms had the same costs of production which remain constant. It is an extreme assumption that two firms would incur exactly the same costs when producing their products, let us now assume that one firm had a cost advantage, i. e. firm A can produce marginally less expensively that firm B (cA
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