Early Childhood Education and Children Essay

Are there any benefits for children stay one of parent with them at home? Mothers who stay at home are helpful for their family. Many mothers prefer to give their children to their mothers, but if there is not grandmother to care child, that will be problem especially if the child is still baby or infant. Mothers are compelled to find a place to put their child there. Many kinds of places that may mothers join their child to stay there and to have education, such as to educational settings which consist of early child education, pre-school, nursery school, and pre-kindergarten. Also, there are many places to get care and education for children nanny, governess, babysitting, au pair, and extended family, for example. In fact, mother’s decision; that choosing stay with her children at home or going to work and joining her children in convenient place, is important critical for her. A mother who stays at house are more probable to have time to be involved with their children. Those mothers who stay home is able to become more completely involved their children activities. For example, mother will give carful and interest for her children. Moreover, many people mention to needs childhood such as feeding, sustenance, and nurturing. Most women have been housewife to be breadwinners, and to be caretakers. â€Å"Child care can cost up to $15,000 for one year in the United States. Approximately six out of every ten children, or almost 12 million children, age five and younger, are being jointly cared for by parents and early childhood educators, relatives, or other child-care providers† (Lynn, 2002). Indeed, many societies have been assumed that women will stay home and take care of their children while their spouses go out and work. In addition, woman pregnancy suffers to go out and doing hard work many hours without rest times, but when she stay home will get time to have rest and lying. Many mothers work to be ready for unexpected situations like a husband’s unemployment, husband’s death, a divorce, or sickness. In fact, nobody wants to be working more than eight hours a day and missing his or her family life. In encouragement of mothers who want to work, Dr. Phil says that many mothers optimism to be a parent and pursue an occupation and they often become miserable when they are stuck just in a parenting capacity. â€Å"If the child is mothered by a parent who is feeling frustrated and depressed and empty, that is not a good thing,† he says. Even though some parents are now separated, father continues in the role of primary caregiver to his children, while mother continue to support her family. A man is not hard to give up the traditional role as breadwinner. However, A woman can be more responsibility to earn money and take care for her family. A lot of women have been socialized to be service workers for their societies, not solely to be housewife. Some time a man feels difficult to abdicate some things like giving up self-worth, feelings of masculinity and personal power. It can be tough on men, especially in the beginning. In conclusion, it’s these deeper issues. Making the decision to stay home with your children or join the workforce can be a difficult process. It appears approximating employed moms just can’t success. Every woman has dream to be effective in her society and earn money, but she will face challenges with her care children. Sources 1. Dr. Phil: http://drphil. com/articles/article/284 2. Olson, Lynn (2002). [According to the 2002 Quality Counts survey conducted by Education Week, approximately six out of every ten children, or almost 12 million children, age five and younger, are being jointly cared for by parents and early childhood educators, relatives, or other child-care providers. â€Å"Starting Early†]. Education Week 21 (17): 10–11. Retrieved 24 November 2012.

Questions: International Trade Theory

Chapter 05 International Trade Theory True / False Questions 1. (p. 161) Propagated in the 16th and 17th centuries, mercantilism advocated that countries should discourage both imports and exports. FALSE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-1 Topic: An Overview of Trade Theory 2. (p. 161) Free trade refers to a situation where a government attempts to influence through quotas or duties what its citizens can buy from another country, or what they can produce and sell to another country. FALSE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-1 Topic: An Overview of Trade Theory 3. (p. 61) Proposed in 1776, David Ricardo's theory was the first to explain why unrestricted free trade is beneficial to a country. FALSE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-1 Topic: An Overview of Trade Theory 4. (p. 161) According to Adam Smith, the invisible hand of the market mechanism, rather than government policy, should determine what a country imports and what it exports. TRUE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-1 Topic: An Overview of Trade Theory 5. (p. 161) Nineteenth century English economist David Ricardo popularized a laissez-fair stance of government towards trade.FALSE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-1 Topic: An Overview of Trade Theory 6. (p. 162) The great strength of the theories of Smith, Ricardo, and Heckscher-Ohlin is that they identify the specific benefits of international trade. TRUE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-1 Topic: An Overview of Trade Theory 7. (p. 162) A country's economy would gain only if its citizens buy products that are made in that country. FALSE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-1 Topic: An Overview of Trade Theory 8. p. 163) During the 1980s, economist such as Paul Krugman developed what has come to be known as the new tr ade theory. TRUE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-1 Topic: An Overview of Trade Theory 9. (p. 164) The first theory of international trade emerged in England in the mid-16th century. Referred to as the theory of comparative advantage, its principle assertion was that gold and silver were the mainstays of national wealth and essential to vigorous commerce. FALSE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Mercantilism 0. (p. 164) The main tenet of mercantilism was that it was in a country's best interests to maintain a trade surplus. TRUE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Mercantilism 11. (p. 165) Zero-sum game refers to a situation in which an economic gain by one country results in an economic loss by another. TRUE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Mercantilism 12. (p. 165) A positive-sum game refers to a situation in which ma jor industrial nations can benefit even if some of them are able to benefit more than others.FALSE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Mercantilism 13. (p. 165) If a country is more efficient than any other country in the production of a product, it has what is known as definitive advantage in the production of that product. FALSE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Absolute Advantage 14. (p. 165) In his 1776 landmark book, â€Å"The Wealth of Nations,† Adam Smith supported the mercantilist assumption that trade is a zero-sum game. FALSE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2Topic: Absolute Advantage 15. (p. 165) According to Adam Smith, countries should specialize in the production of goods for which they have an absolute advantage and then trade these for goods produced by other countries. TRUE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Absolute Advantage 16. (p. 167-168) Ricardo's theory of competitive advantage says that it is logical for a country to specialize in the production of goods that it produces most efficiently and to export goods that it produces less efficiently. FALSE AACSB: Analytic BT: KnowledgeDifficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Mercantilism 17. (p. 170) The basic message of the theory of comparative advantage is that potential world production is greater with unrestricted free trade than it is with restricted trade. TRUE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: Comparative Advantage 18. (p. 170) Smith's theory suggests that consumers in all nations can consume more if there are no restrictions on trade. FALSE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: Comparative Advantage 19. (p. 70) Ricardo's theory is so powerful that it remains a major intellectual weapon for advocates of free trade. TRUE AACSB: A nalytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: Comparative Advantage 20. (p. 170-171) Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Samuelson argued that contrary to the standard interpretation, in certain circumstances the theory of comparative advantage predicts that a rich country might actually be worse off by switching to a free trade regime with a poor country. TRUE AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-3Topic: Comparative Advantage 21. (p. 171) Embracing a free trade regime for an advanced economy often implies that the country will produce less of some labor-intensive goods and more of some knowledge-intensive goods, TRUE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: Comparative Advantage 22. (p. 172) The comparative advantage model assumed that trade does not change a country's stock of resources or the efficiency with which it utilizes those resources. TRUE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge D ifficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: Comparative Advantage 23. (p. 74) A study over the 1950-1998 period revealed that countries that liberalized their trade regimes experienced, on average, increases in their annual growth rates of 15 percent compared to preliberalization times. FALSE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: Comparative Advantage 24. (p. 175) Despite the short-term adjustment costs associated with adopting a free trade regime, trade would seem to produce a greater economic growth and higher living standards in the long run, just as Ricardo's theory leads us to expect. TRUE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: EasyLearning Objective: 5-3 Topic: Comparative Advantage 25. (p. 176) Factor endowments refer to the extent to which a country is endowed with such factors as land, labor, and capital. TRUE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Heckscher-Ohlin Theory 26. (p. 176) The He ckscher-Ohlin theory would predict that the United States should be a primary importer of capital goods. FALSE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Heckscher-Ohlin Theory 27. (p. 176) The Heckscher-Ohlin theory has been one of the least influential in international economics.FALSE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Heckscher-Ohlin Theory 28. (p. 176) Most economists prefer the Heckscher-Ohlin theory to Ricardo's theory because it makes fewer simplifying assumptions and it has been subjected to many empirical tests. TRUE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Heckscher-Ohlin Theory 29. (p. 177) Wassily Leontief's theory of the product life-cycle was based on the observation that for most of the 20th century, a very large proportion of the world's new products were developed by foreign nations and sold in he U. S. market. FALSE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Diffic ulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: The Product Life-Cycle Theory 30. (p. 177) Vernon argued that early in the life cycle of a typical new product, while demand is starting to grow rapidly in the United States, demand in other advanced countries is available to all income groups. FALSE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: The Product Life-Cycle Theory 31. (p. 178) Historically, the product life-cycle theory seems not to be an accurate explanation of international trade patterns. FALSE AACSB: Analytic BT: KnowledgeDifficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: The Product Life-Cycle Theory 32. (p. 178) Viewed from an Asian or European perspective, Vernon's argument that most new products are developed and introduced in the United States is ethnocentric. TRUE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: The Product Life-Cycle Theory 33. (p. 180) The new trade theory began to emerge in the 1970s when a num ber of economists pointed out that the ability of firms to attain economies of scale might have important implications for international trade. TRUE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: EasyLearning Objective: 5-2 Topic: New Trade Theory 34. (p. 180) In industries where economies of scale are important, both the variety of goods that a country can produce and the scale of production are limited by the size of the market. TRUE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: New Trade Theory 35. (p. 184) In sum, Porter's argument is that the degree to which a nation is likely to achieve international success in a certain industry is a function of the combined impact of factor endowments, domestic demand conditions, related and supporting industries, and lack of domestic rivalry.FALSE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-4 Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 36. (p. 185) According to Porter, advanced factors are the most significant for competitive advantage. TRUE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 37. (p. 188) According to Michael Porter, factor endowments can be affected by subsidies, policies toward capital markets, and policies toward education. TRUE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-4Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 38. (p. 189) The individual firm should invest substantial financial resources in trying to build a first-mover, even if that means several years of losses before a new venture becomes profitable. TRUE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-5 Topic: Focus on Managerial Implications 39. (p. 189) Because of their pivotal role in international trade, businesses are at the mercy of government trade policy. FALSE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-5 Topic: Focus on Managerial Implications 40. (p. 90) According to Porter's theory of national competitive advantage, a firm should invest in upgrading advanced factors of production because it is in the best interest of business for a firm to do so. TRUE AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-5 Topic: Focus on Managerial Implications Multiple Choice Questions 41. (p. 161) Which of the following is best identified by saying it is the absence of government-imposed barriers to the free flow of goods and services between countries? A. Free trade B. Mercantilism C. Socialism D. Market system AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: EasyLearning Objective: 5-1 Topic: An Overview of Trade Theory 42. (p. 161) _____ refers to a situation where a government does not attempt to influence through quotas or duties what its citizens can buy from another country or what they can produce and sell to another country. A. Mercantile trade B. Free trade C. Clear commerce D. Unen cumbered commerce AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-1 Topic: An Overview of Trade Theory 43. (p. 161) David Ricardo advanced the: A. new trade theory. B. product life-cycle theory. C. comparative advantage theory. D. factor endowment theory. AACSB: AnalyticBT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-1 Topic: An Overview of Trade Theory 44. (p. 161) The theory of comparative advantage, advanced by _____, is the intellectual basis of the modern argument for unrestricted free trade. A. Michael Porter B. David Ricardo C. Bertil Ohlin D. Adam Smith AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-1 Topic: An Overview of Trade Theory 45. (p. 162) How do countries' economies gain from international trade? A. Country can specialize in the manufacturing of products that are produced most efficiently in other countries. B. Citizens should buy only those roducts that are produced domestically. C. Since it is of interest to domesti c producers, countries benefit from international trade. D. Countries can import products that can be produced more efficiently in other countries. AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-1 Topic: An Overview of Trade Theory 46. (p. 162) With their future threatened by imports, _____ textile companies and their employees have tried hard to persuade the government to limit the importation of textiles by demanding quotas and tariffs. A. Chinese B. Indian C. Japanese D. U. S. AACSB: Analytic BT: KnowledgeDifficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-1 Topic: An Overview of Trade Theory 47. (p. 162-163) Climate and natural resource endowments explain why all of the following happen EXCEPT: A. Brazil exports coffee. B. Iceland exports oranges. C. China exports crawfish. D. Saudi Arabia exports oil. AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-1 Topic: An Overview of Trade Theory 48. (p. 164) Propagated in the 16th and 17th centuries, _____ advocated that countries should simultaneously encourage exports and discourage imports. A. ethnocentrism B. capitalism C. collectivism D. mercantilismAACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Mercantilism 49. (p. 164) Which of the following statements most accurately captures the main tenet of mercantilism? A. It is in a country's best interests to not export products to less developed countries. B. It is in a country's best interests to import products that are most efficiently produced at home. C. It is in a country's best interests to import less specialized goods than to attempt to make them at home. D. It is in a country's best interests to maintain a trade surplus, to export more than it imports. AACSB: Reflective thinkingBT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Mercantilism 50. (p. 164) Considered to be the first theory of international trade, _____ principal assertion was that gold and silver were the mainstays of national wealth and essential to vigorous commerce. A. collectivism's B. mercantilism's C. capitalism's D. economic conservatism's AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Mercantilism 51. (p. 164) Which of the following is NOT consistent with the central beliefs of mercantilism? A. Government should intervene to achieve a surplus in the balance of trade.B. Policies should be put in place to minimize exports and maximize imports. C. Imports should be limited by tariffs and quotas. D. Exports should be subsidized. AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Mercantilism 52. (p. 165) The flaw with mercantilism was that it viewed trade as a: A. zero-sum game. B. mutually beneficial activity. C. nonessential economic activity. D. threat to a government's independence. AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Mercantilism 53. (p. 165) A situation in which a gain by one party r esults in a loss by nother is called: A. economic independence. B. an unrestricted trade. C. a zero-sum game. D. trade surplus. AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Mercantilism 54. (p. 165) The theory of _____ was advanced by Adam Smith. A. absolute advantage B. comparative advantage C. new trade D. mercantilism AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Absolute Advantage 55. (p. 165) A country is noted as having a(n) _____ in the production of a product when it is more efficient than any other country in producing that product. A. comparative advantage B. onsumer advantage C. competitive advantage D. absolute advantage AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Absolute Advantage 56. (p. 165) According to Smith, countries should specialize in the production of goods for which they have an absolute advantage and then: A. retain these goods for strictly domestic sales. B. trade these goods for the goods produced by other countries. C. sell these goods to the highest domestic or international bidder. D. prohibit the import of these goods from other countries. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-2Topic: Absolute Advantage 57. (p. 167) In his 1817 book entitled â€Å"The Principles of Political Economy,† _____ introduced the theory of comparative advantage. A. Adam Smith B. David Ricardo C. Raymond Vernon D. Max Weber AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Comparative Advantage 58. (p. 167-168) A situation in which a country specializes in producing the goods it produces most efficiently and buys the products it produces less efficiently from other countries, even if it could produce the good more efficiently itself is referred to as: A. comprehensive advantage. B. pertinent advantage.C. comparative advantage. D. absolute advantage. AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowle dge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Comparative Advantage 59. (p. 170) To an even greater degree than the theory of absolute advantage, the theory of _____ suggests that trade is a positive-sum game in which all gain. A. total advantage B. mercantilism C. comparative advantage D. paradoxical advantage AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: Comparative Advantage 60. (p. 170) _____ theory suggests that consumers in all nations can consume more if there are no restrictions on trade.A. Porter's B. Vernon's C. Samuelson's D. Ricardo's AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: Comparative Advantage 61. (p. 170) Comparative advantage is based on assuming away: A. the effects of trade on income distribution within a country. B. constant returns to scale. C. that the resources can move freely from the production of one good to another. D. that free trade does not change the efficiency with which the co untries use their resources. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: Comparative Advantage 2. (p. 170-171) _____ argued that contrary to the standard interpretation, in certain circumstances the theory of comparative advantage predicts that a rich country might actually be worse off by switching to a free trade regime with a poor nation. A. Raymond Vernon B. Andrew Warner C. Paul Samuelson D. Jeffery Sachs AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: Comparative Advantage 63. (p. 171) Which of the following is an issue with the ‘constant returns to specialization' assumption? A. Constant returns to specialization imply a concave PPF. B.Constant returns to specialization suggest that the gains from specialization are likely to be exhausted before specialization is complete. C. It is feasible for a country to specialize to a point where the resulting gains from trade are outweighed by diminis hing returns. D. Resources are of different quality and hence more units are required to produce each additional unit. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: Comparative Advantage 64. (p. 171) In comparative advantage, the assumption is that resources can move freely from production of one good to another.Why is this assumption unrealistic? A. The process of shifting resources from one good to another eliminates human suffering. B. The benefit of free trade is much lesser compared to the cost of shifting resources. C. The process of moving resources causes friction and human suffering. D. Resources move easily from one economic activity to the other. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: Comparative Advantage 65. (p. 171) The gains from trade once the transition toward free trade has been made: A. eliminates human suffering. B. auses resources to easily shift between econ omic activities. C. is lesser than the cost of shifting resources. D. are both significant and enduring. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: Comparative Advantage 66. (p. 173) What would be the consequences of dynamic gains in both the stock of a country's resources and the efficiency with which resources are utilized? A. It will cause the country's PPF to be in a bell-shaped curve. B. The country can produce more goods than it did before free trade. C. Dynamic gains would lead to an outcome that is beneficial under all circumstances.D. The country will achieve constant returns to specialization. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: Comparative Advantage 67. (p. 173) What was Samuelson's criticism of free trade? A. He argued that in some circumstances, dynamic gains can lead to an outcome that is beneficial for the country. B. He argued that offshoring service jobs th at were traditionally mobile will increase the market clearing wage rate. C. He favored introducing protectionist measures to guard against the theoretical harmful effects of free trade. D.He argued that being able to purchase groceries 20 percent cheaper at Wal-Mart does not necessarily make up for the wage losses. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: Comparative Advantage 68. (p. 174) _____ and _____ created a measure of how open to international trade an economy was and then looked at the relationship between openness and economic growth for a sample of more than 100 countries from 1970 to 1990. A. Ricardo; Smith B. Warner; Sachs C. Porter; Vernon D. Samuelson; Ohlin AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: EasyLearning Objective: 5-3 Topic: Comparative Advantage 69. (p. 176) According to the Heckscher-Ohlin theory, the pattern of international trade is determined by differences in: A. productivity. B. political interests . C. factor endowments. D. national priorities. AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Heckscher-Ohlin Theory 70. (p. 176) The Heckscher-Ohlin theory: A. argued that comparative advantage arises from differences in national factor endowments. B. argues that differences in labor productivity between nations underlie the notion of comparative advantage. C. redicts that countries will import goods that make intensive use of factors that are locally abundant. D. is less favored than Ricardo's theory because it makes many simplifying assumptions. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Heckscher-Ohlin Theory 71. (p. 176) Which theory predicts that countries will export those goods that make intensive use of those factors that are locally abundant, while importing goods that make intensive use of factors that are locally scarce? A. Smith-Ricardo B. Vernon-Samuelson C. Heckscher-Ohlin D. Carrier-R oller AACSB: AnalyticBT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Heckscher-Ohlin Theory 72. (p. 176) Which of the following statements is a fair comparison of the Heckscher-Ohlin theory and the Ricardo theory of free trade? A. Both theories argue that the pattern of international trade is determined by currency exchange rates. B. Unlike Ricardo's theory, the Heckscher-Ohlin theory argues that the pattern of international trade is determined by differences in factor endowments, rather than differences in productivity. C. Both theories argue that the pattern of international trade is determined by constant returns to specialization.D. Unlike the Heckscher-Ohlin theory, Ricardo's theory makes fewer simplifying assumptions. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Heckscher-Ohlin Theory 73. (p. 176) According to the text, most economists prefer the Heckscher-Ohlin theory to Ricardo's theory because: A. it makes fewe r simplifying assumptions. B. it predicts trade patterns with greater accuracy. C. Ricardo's theory is less accurate due to the Leontief paradox. D. many of the empirical tests have raised questions about the validity of Ricardo's theory. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: ComprehensionDifficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Heckscher-Ohlin Theory 74. (p. 176) The Heckscher-Ohlin theory has a(n) _____ appeal. A. political B. commonsense C. economic D. cost efficiency AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Heckscher-Ohlin Theory 75. (p. 176) Contrary to what the Heckscher-Ohlin theory would predict, the United States has been a primary importer rather than an exporter of capital goods. This phenomenon is referred to as the _____ paradox. A. Theler B. Leontief C. Cormier D. Ricardo AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2Topic: Heckscher-Ohlin Theory 76. (p. 176) What is a possible explanation for observing the Leontief paradox? A. The U. S. imports goods that heavily use skilled labor and innovative entrepreneurship. B. The U. S. has a special advantage in producing new products made with innovative technologies. C. The U. S. exports heavy manufacturing products that use large amounts of capital. D. The U. S. has a strong absolute advantage over all other foreign nations because of its resource capabilities. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Heckscher-Ohlin Theory 77. (p. 76) Of the following, whose theory predicted that countries would export goods that make intensive use of factors that are locally abundant while importing goods that make intensive use of factors that are locally scarce? A. Ricardo B. Porter C. Leontief D. Heckscher-Ohlin AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Heckscher-Ohlin Theory 78. (p. 176) The _____ occurred due to the findings that U. S. exports were less capital- intensive than U. S. imports. A. theory of rising costs B. Leontief paradox C. theory of comparative advantage D. diminishing returns to specialization AACSB: AnalyticBT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Heckscher-Ohlin Theory 79. (p. 177) David Ricardo's theory of comparative advantage attempts to rationalize why some countries export automobiles, consumer electronics, and machine tools, while other countries export chemicals, watches, and jewelry. This rationalization is best explained in terms of: A. absolute advantage in terms of resources. B. international differences in labor productivity. C. the proportions in which the factors of production are available. D. the cultural histories of the exporting nations. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: ComprehensionDifficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Heckscher-Ohlin Theory 80. (p. 177) Raymond Vernon proposed the product life cycle in the mid-1960s. Vernon argued that two factors gave the U. S. firms a strong incentive to develop new consumer products. These two factors were _____ and: A. low cost; number of industries. B. market size; types of competitors. C. wealth; size of the U. S. market. D. low income groups; low cost of U. S. labor. AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: The Product Life-Cycle Theory 81. (p. 177) Vernon's product life-cycle theory was based on the observation hat for most of the 20th century, a very large proportion of the world's new products had been developed by U. S. firms and sold first in the _____ market. A. Japanese B. Western European C. U. S. D. Canadian AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: The Product Life-Cycle Theory 82. (p. 177) Vernon argues that early in the life cycle of a typical new product, while demand is starting to grow rapidly in the United States, demand in other advanced countries: A. remains limited to high income groups. B. necessitates imports to th e U. S. C. attracts manufacturing possibilities.D. limits exports from U. S. AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: The Product Life-Cycle Theory 83. (p. 178) As the market in the U. S. and other advanced nations matures, the product becomes more standardized and price becomes: A. governmentally regulated. B. greater. C. unimportant. D. the main competitive weapon. AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: The Product Life-Cycle Theory 84. (p. 178) Which of the following has historically been noted as being an accurate explanation for international trade patterns?A. Product life-cycle theory B. Absolute advantage theory C. Competitive advantage theory D. Heckscher-Ohlin theory AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: The Product Life-Cycle Theory 85. (p. 178) According to the text, historically the product-life-cycle theory is a(n): A. relevant theory in the modern world . B. accurate explanation of international trade patterns. C. example of culturally relative theories. D. without any weakness. AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: The Product Life-Cycle Theory 86. (p. 78) Which of the following theories might better explain why certain components are produced in certain locations and why the final product is assembled elsewhere? A. New trade B. Comparative advantage C. Heckscher-Ohlin D. Product life-cycle AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: The Product Life-Cycle Theory 87. (p. 180) The _____ theory began to emerge in the 1970s when some economists pointed out the ability of firms to attain economies of scale might have important implications for international trade. A. balanced trade B. Heckscher-Ohlin C. new trade D. product life-cycleAACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: New Trade Theory 88. (p. 180) _____ are unit cost re ductions associated with a large scale of output. A. Comparative advantages B. Factor endowments C. Economies of scale D. Diminishing returns AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: New Trade Theory 89. (p. 180) Because of substantial economies of scale, the _____ theory argues that trade can increase the variety of goods available to consumers. A. comparative advantage B. product life-cycle C. new trade D. Heckscher-Ohlin AACSB: Analytic BT: KnowledgeDifficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: New Trade Theory 90. (p. 180) Which of the following theories argues that due to the presence of substantial scale economies, world demand will support only a few firms in many industries? A. Heckscher-Ohlin B. Leontief's paradox C. Product life-cycle D. New trade AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: New Trade Theory 91. (p. 180) The new trade theory points out that through its impact on economies of scale, tra de can increase the variety of goods available to consumers and: A. reduce the volume of the goods produced. B. eliminate competition.C. lower the costs of the goods. D. reduce the quality of the goods produced. AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: New Trade Theory 92. (p. 180) If a national market is small, there may not be enough demand to enable producers to realize _____ for certain products. A. high volumes B. economies of scale C. low unit costs D. competitive pricing AACSB: Analytic BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: New Trade Theory 93. (p. 181) Which of the following is NOT an indicator of why trade is considered to be mutually beneficial to those involved in it?A. It allows for specialization. B. It allows for production of products at higher prices. C. It affords realization of scale economies. D. It affords production of a larger variety of products. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Dif ficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: New Trade Theory 94. (p. 181) The economic and strategic advantages that accrue to early entrants in an industry are called: A. first-mover advantages. B. comparative advantages. C. factor endowment advantages. D. first-stage benefits. AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-3Topic: New Trade Theory 95. (p. 181) What of the following is an advantage that first-movers enjoy? A. Benefit from a high cost structure. B. A zero-sum game due to lack of competition. C. Capture scale economies ahead of later entrants. D. Increase trade barriers. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: New Trade Theory 96. (p. 181) According to the new trade theory, firms that establish a(n) _____ advantage with regard to the production of a particular new product may subsequently dominate global trade in that product. A. omparative B. late entrant C. first-mover D. constant retur n AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: New Trade Theory 97. (p. 182) The new trade theory is at variance with the _____ theory, which suggests that a country will predominate in the export of a product when it is particularly well endowed with those factors used intensively in its manufacture. A. Heckscher-Ohlin B. product life-cycle C. comparative advantage D. Ricardo-Smith AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: New Trade Theory 98. (p. 83) In terms of first-mover advantages and international trade, who conducted a study suggestive of the existence of first-mover advantages as an important factor in explaining the dominance of firms from certain nations in specific industries? A. Alfred Chandler B. Michael Porter C. Adam Smith D. Hawker Siddley AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-4 Topic: New Trade Theory 99. (p. 183) Considered by some to be the most contentious implica tion of the new trade theory is that it generates an argument for _____ and ______. A. high cost production; high import tariffs. B. igh volume production; low variety of goods. C. weak export; entrepreneurship. D. government intervention; strategic trade policy. AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-4 Topic: New Trade Theory 100. (p. 183) The theory of _____, developed by Michael Porter, focuses on determining why some nations succeed and others fail in international competition. A. new trade B. absolute advantage C. comparative advantage D. national competitive advantage AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 01. (p. 183) What was the essential task of Michael Porter's national competitive advantage? A. How do nations use their resources efficiently? B. Why does a nation achieve international success in a particular industry? C. How do countries gain first-mover a dvantages? D. Why has a large proportion of the world's new products been developed by U. S. firms and sold first in the U. S. market? AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 102. (p. 184) Porter's suggested four attributes making up the diamond† consist of factor endowments, relating and supporting industries, firm strategy and structure, and: A. competitive advantage. B. mercantilism. C. constant returns to specialization. D. demand conditions. AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 103. (p. 184) Which of the following indicate the presence or absence of supplier industries and related industries that are internationally competitive? A. Factor endowments B. Firm's structure and rivalry C. Relating and supporting industriesD. Demand conditions AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Ea sy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 104. (p. 184) According to Porter's diamond, a nation's position in factors of production such as skilled labor or the infrastructure necessary to compete in a given industry is best referred to as: A. capitalization. B. diminishing returns. C. factor endowments. D. relating industries. AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 105. (p. 84) Porter's thesis was that four broad attributes of a nation shape the environment in which local firms compete, and that these attributes promote or impede the creation of competitive advantage. All of the following are attributes EXCEPT: A. factor endowments. B. first-mover advantages. C. firm strategy, structure, and rivalry. D. relating and supporting industries. AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 106. (p. 184) Porter maintains that two additional variables can influence the national diamond in important ways.These two variables are _____ and ______. A. entrepreneurship, strategic trade policies. B. trade shortage, high import tariffs. C. absolute advantage; PPF. D. chance; government. AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 107. (p. 185) In the context of factor endowments, which of the following are considered to be classed as advanced factors? A. Demographics B. Climate and location C. Natural resources D. Skilled labor AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 08. (p. 185) Porter argued that in terms of factor endowments, _____ factors are the most significant for competitive advantage in his study dealing with the competitive advantage of nations. A. constant B. basic C. advanced D. complement ary AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 109. (p. 185) Porter argues that a nation's firms gain competitive advantage if their domestic consumers are _____ and _______. A. sophisticated; demanding. B. ethnocentric; rich. C. accommodating; uneducated. D. low skilled; nationalist. AACSB: AnalyticBT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 110. (p. 185) Michael Porter emphasizes the role home demand plays in upgrading: A. competitive advantage. B. factor endowment. C. constant returns to specialization. D. production possibility frontier. AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 111. (p. 185) Unlike the naturally endowed basic factors, advanced factors are a product of investment by all of the following EXCEPT: A. companies. B. governments. C. dem ographics.D. individuals. AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 112. (p. 187) In Porter's model of competitive advantage, the fourth broad attribute is the strategy, structure, and rivalry of firms within a nation. Porter suggested that there is a strong association between _____ and the creation and persistence of competitive advantage in an industry. A. inflation B. vigorous domestic rivalry C. new government regulations and higher taxes D. new product development AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 113. (p. 187) Who argued that successful industries within a country tend to be grouped into â€Å"clusters† of related industries? A. Porter B. Vernon C. Ricardo D. Heckscher AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 1 14. (p. 187-188) Porter argues that the presence of all components is usually required for the â€Å"diamond† to boost: A. international recognition. B. competitive performance. C. corporate social responsibility. D. employee morale. AACSB: Analytic BT: KnowledgeDifficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-4 Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 115. (p. 188) We would expect Porter's model to predict _____, if he is correct. A. currency exchange rates B. membership in the WTO C. the pattern of international trade D. factor endowments AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-4 Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 116. (p. 189) According to the new trade theory, firms that establish a(n) _____ advantage in terms of the production of a particular new product may subsequently dominate global trade in that product.A. competitive B. comparative C. absolute D. first-mover AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learni ng Objective: 5-5 Topic: Focus on Managerial Implications 117. (p. 189) The manufacture of standard electronic components is a _____ process requiring semi-skilled labor. A. low cost B. capital-intensive C. labor-intensive D. first-mover advantage AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-5 Topic: Focus on Managerial Implications 118. (p. 189) Because of their pivotal role in international trade, _____ can exert a strong influence on government trade policies.A. individual citizens B. voluntary organizations C. unions D. businesses AACSB: Analytic BT: Knowledge Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-5 Topic: Focus on Managerial Implications 119. (p. 190) Porter's theory of national competitive advantage suggests that it is in the best interest of business for a firm to invest in upgrading advanced factors of production. The means for accomplishing this include all of the following EXCEPT: A. increase research and development activities. B. provide better t raining for employees. C. adopt policies that eliminate competition.D. develop methods to improve the skill levels of workers. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-5 Topic: Focus on Managerial Implications 120. (p. 190) According to Porter's theory, governments should be urged to _____ that will have a favorable impact on each component of the national diamond. A. increase trade barriers B. favor unionization C. adopt policies D. restrict import AACSB: Analytic BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-5 Topic: Focus on Managerial Implications Essay Questions 121. p. 161, 164) What is meant by the term â€Å"free trade†? Was Adam Smith an advocate or critic of free trade? Is free trade compatible with the concept of mercantilism? Free trade refers to a situation where a government does not attempt to influence through quotas or duties what its citizens can buy from another country or what they can produce and s ell to another country. This concept was supported by Adam Smith, who argued that the â€Å"invisible hand† of the market mechanism, rather than government policy, should determine what a country imports and what it exports.The concept of mercantilism is not compatible with the concept of free trade. The main tenet of mercantilism is that it is in a country's best interests to maintain a trade surplus by exporting more than it imports. Consistent with this belief, the mercantilist doctrine advocated government intervention to achieve a surplus in the balance of trade. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-1 Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: An Overview of Trade Theory, Mercantilism 122. (p. 161) When does free trade occur?Free trade occurs when a government does not attempt to influence through quotas or duties what its citizens can buy from another country or what they can produce and sell to another country. AACSB: Reflective thi nking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 5-1 Topic: An Overview of Trade Theory 123. (p. 165) Describe Adam Smith's concept of absolute advantage. According to Smith, countries should specialize in the production of goods for which they have an absolute advantage and then trade those goods for the goods produced by other countries.For instance, during Smith's time, England had an absolute advantage in the production of textiles, and France had an absolute advantage in the production of wine. According to the concept of absolute advantage, it then only makes sense for England to produce textiles (and export them to France), and France to produce wine (and export it to England). Smith's basic argument, therefore, was that a country should never produce goods at home that it can buy at a lower cost from other countries.Moreover, Smith argued that by specializing in the production of goods in which each has an absolute advantage, both countries benefit by engaging in trade. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Absolute Advantage 124. (p. 176) Describe the Heckscher-Ohlin theory of international trade. The Heckscher-Ohlin theory predicts that countries will export those goods that make intensive use of those factors that are locally abundant, while importing goods that make intensive use of factors that are locally scarce.Thus, the Heckscher-Ohlin theory attempts to explain the pattern of international trade that we see in the world economy. The Heckscher-Ohlin theory is consistent with the notion of free trade. It also has commonsense appeal, and there are many examples of international commerce that are supportive of the theory. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: Heckscher-Ohlin Theory 125. (p. 177) Describe the central tenant of the product life-cycle theory. Raymond Vernon initially proposed the product life-cycle theory in t he mid-1960s.Vernon's theory was based on the observation that for most of the 20th century a very large proportion of the world's new products had been developed by U. S. firms and sold first in the U. S. market. It could be produced abroad at some low-cost location and then exported back into the United States. Vernon went on to argue that early in the life cycle of a typical new product, while demand is starting to grow rapidly in the United States, demand in other advanced countries is limited to high-income groups.The limited initial demand in other advanced countries does not make it worthwhile for firms in those countries to start producing the new product, but it does necessitate some exports from the United States to those countries. Over time, demand for the new product grows in other advanced countries (e. g. , Great Britain, France, Germany, and Japan). As it does, it becomes worthwhile for foreign producers to begin producing for their home markets. AACSB: Reflective th inking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: The Product Life-Cycle Theory 126. (p. 80, 182) Describe the new trade theory. How does the new trade theory help us understand why the United States is dominant in the world market for commercial aircraft exports? New trade theory makes two important points: First, through its impact on economies of scale, trade can increase the variety of goods available to consumers and decrease the average costs of those goods. Second, in those industries when the output required to attain economies of scale represents a significant proportion of total world demand, the global market may be able to support only a small number of enterprises.Thus, world trade in certain products may be dominated by countries whose firms were first movers in their production. In such industries, firms that enter the market first build a competitive advantage that is difficult to challenge. Thus, the observed pattern of trade between nations may in part be due to the ability of firms to capture first-mover advantages. New trade theorists argue that the United States is a major exporter of commercial jet aircraft not because it is better endowed with the factors of production required to manufacture aircraft, but because one of the first movers in the industry, Boeing, was a U. S. firm.This dominance is further reinforced because global demand may not be sufficient to profitably support another producer of midsized and large jet aircraft in the industry. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-2 Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: New Trade Theory 127. (p. 181) Describe what is meant by first-mover advantages. First-mover advantages are the economic and strategic advantages that accrue to early entrants into an industry. The ability to capture scale economies ahead of later entrants, and thus benefit from a lower cost structure, is an important first-mover advantage.New trade the ory argues that for those products where economies of scale are significant and represent a substantial proportion of world demand, the first movers in an industry can gain a scale-based cost advantage that later entrants find almost impossible to match. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-3 Topic: New Trade Theory 128. (p. 184) Identify and describe the four attributes advanced by Porter. What did Porter conclude from his analysis? The four attributes identified by Porter are as follows:Factor Endowments: A nation's position in factors of production such as skilled labor or the infrastructure necessary to compete in a given industry. Demand Conditions: The nature of home demand for the industry's product or service. Relating and Supporting Industries: The presence or absence in a nation of supplier industries and related industries that are internationally competitive. Firm Strategy, Structure, and Rivalry: The conditions in the nat ion governing how companies are created, organized, and managed and the nature of domestic rivalry.Porter speaks of these four attributes as constituting the diamond. He argues that firms are most likely to succeed in industries or industry segments where the diamond is most favorable. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-2 Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 129. (p. 188) How does Porter's theory predict patterns in international trade? If Porter is correct, we would expect his model to predict the pattern of international trade that we observe in the real world.Countries should be exporting products from those industries where all four components of the diamond are favorable, while importing in those areas where the components are not favorable. Is he correct? We simply do not know. Porter's theory has not been subjected to detailed empirical testing. Much about the theory rings true, but the same can be said for the new trade theory, the theory of comparative advantage, and the Heckscher-Ohlin theory. It may be that each of these theories, which complement each other, explains something about the pattern of international trade.AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-4 Topic: National Competitive Advantage: Porter's Diamond 130. (p. 190) What does Porter's theory mention about policy implications? Porter's theory of national competitive advantage also contains policy implications. Porter's theory suggests that it is in the best interest of business for a firm to invest in upgrading advanced factors of production; for example, to invest in better training for its employees and to increase its commitment to research and development.It is also in the best interests of business to lobby the government to adopt policies that have a favorable impact on each component of the national diamond. Thus, according to Porter, businesses should urge government to increase investment in education, infrastructure, and basic research and to adopt policies that promote strong competition within domestic markets. AACSB: Reflective thinking BT: Comprehension Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 5-5 Topic: Focus on Managerial Implications

Needs Assessment

The Merchants of Cool is a documentary about researchers and marketers exploring out into the society to see what is popular or cool in the latest trends within teenagers. These people would spend days going around the streets, malls, and even schools to find out what is the next big thing that will give them the attention from people. They would have the teenagers participate in surveys and studies while analyzing them thoroughly to portray the founded characteristics into the media. These marketers realized that teenagers are actually portraying themselves to the media so the media would then reveal it back to the teenagers, which teenagers then sees it and portrays them that way. The only disadvantage of that was once the marketer reveals what is cool to the world, they would have to go on the radar and find out what is the next thing that is cool. We live in a culture, a consumer culture to be specific where we are driven to buy things, especially teenagers, which is fueled by corporate motivation to annual grow profits. There was a teenager in the video and she stated that no matter where she goes, she must always get ready to look nice before she leaves the house. As mentioned earlier, sometimes the media depicts things that will cause teenagers to feel like they are not good enough, thin enough, or pretty enough and the negative thoughts build up. Although this video was made about twelve years ago, teenagers are still the same as today. Teenagers should not have look into the media or advertisement to find out what they want or how are they supposed to be. Each individual is different with a unique mind so every teenager should act and be like however they want. Teenagers just needs to understand that the cool hunters are just being paid to find people who they think are cool to ask questions and find answers, which advertisers and producers will then use this cool information to sell more products. Needs Assessment In the needs assessment process, the broadest possible set of people who are affected should be included. The list will include students, professors, and school personnel from academic institutions from those who are implementing semesters and trimesters. The views of these people will then be used to assess the debate between these two schedules of academic year and also assess the feasibility of this study. Just like the story of the six blind men and the elephant, different people recognize different pieces of the puzzle but when taken together, these views will contribute to a holistic understanding of this debate.The breadth of experiences and viewpoints will enrich the understanding of the problems that exist in the organization. Likewise, the ideas that will be generated will shed light about other dimensions of this debate that might not have been highlighted before.A combination of research tools and strategies will be utilized in order to get the views of these people as ef fectively as possible. A preliminary understanding of the problems facing the organization is called for. As such, content analysis of what have been written before may be undertaken to arrive at a summary of discussions and arguments. This will aid in the creation of a questionnaire and writing of interview questions.Using questionnaire is more time efficient since more people will be reached and if closed questions are utilized, then the analysis will be easier. However, open-ended questions yield more varied insights and responses although they are more difficult to quantify and analyze (Gall, Borg & Gall, 2002). Interviews, on the other hand, yield what Stringer (2003) called epiphanies and illuminative experiences. Interviews are also very personal and will dig the personal views and attitudes of the respondents regarding their preference in the debate and the various reasons behind these preferences. ReferenceGall, M., Borg, W., and Gall, J. (2002). Educational Research: An In troduction (7th ed.). Pearson, Allyn, & Bacon.Stringer, E. (2003). Action Research in Education (1st ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Needs Assessment The Merchants of Cool is a documentary about researchers and marketers exploring out into the society to see what is popular or cool in the latest trends within teenagers. These people would spend days going around the streets, malls, and even schools to find out what is the next big thing that will give them the attention from people. They would have the teenagers participate in surveys and studies while analyzing them thoroughly to portray the founded characteristics into the media. These marketers realized that teenagers are actually portraying themselves to the media so the media would then reveal it back to the teenagers, which teenagers then sees it and portrays them that way. The only disadvantage of that was once the marketer reveals what is cool to the world, they would have to go on the radar and find out what is the next thing that is cool. We live in a culture, a consumer culture to be specific where we are driven to buy things, especially teenagers, which is fueled by corporate motivation to annual grow profits. There was a teenager in the video and she stated that no matter where she goes, she must always get ready to look nice before she leaves the house. As mentioned earlier, sometimes the media depicts things that will cause teenagers to feel like they are not good enough, thin enough, or pretty enough and the negative thoughts build up. Although this video was made about twelve years ago, teenagers are still the same as today. Teenagers should not have look into the media or advertisement to find out what they want or how are they supposed to be. Each individual is different with a unique mind so every teenager should act and be like however they want. Teenagers just needs to understand that the cool hunters are just being paid to find people who they think are cool to ask questions and find answers, which advertisers and producers will then use this cool information to sell more products.

Entreprenurship in America Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Entreprenurship in America - Research Paper Example In terms of definition, Harold Welsch (3) emphasized that â€Å"THE FIELD OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP was described in 1983 as ‘an intellectual onion. You peel it back layer by layer and when you get to the center, there is nothing there, but you are crying.’ This description of the field by a senior faculty member at Harvard Business School was given to a young person being recruited into the field.† The advice indicated management had to resolve all types of customer complaints. Even though there was lack of earlier academic attention, researches have indicated that the vital importance of new ventures and small businesses that incorporated creation of jobs for the community. For example, some of the global entrepreneurial powerhouses included Silicon Valley, Silicon Alley, Route 128, Austin, and Research Triangle. The sociological concept of the global entrepreneurship spirit continues to evolve. More and more individuals have joined the bandwagon called entrepreneursh ip. More and more people have funneled their hard earned cash and other assets into the entrepreneurship market segment during the last 100 years. In addition, Harold Welsch (3) mentioned Harvard described entrepreneurship as the pursuit of opportunity beyond the resources the investor can presently manage. The definition adeptly incorporates the benefits of maximizing the individual and society to bring out the best of the entrepreneurial spirit. The entrepreneurial spirit includes finding opportunities that will increase one’s current investments. The entrepreneur must find the needed resources to fill the needs of current and prospective clients. Further, David Landes (401) insists â€Å"THE SPECIAL GENIUS OF THE twentieth-century U.S. economy has typically been characterized as the harnessing of technology by entrepreneurs working within the large vertically integrated American corporation, at first wholly a private sector phenomenon, and then in cooperation with an incr easingly interventionist federal government. By the 1970s no sector of the U.S. economy, whether public or private, for-profit, or not-for-profit, was unaffected by this regime.† Focusing on the nonmanufacturing sectors such as entertainment and transfer of information have the marks of the scientifically improved, and controlled, type of industrial growth the incorporated the gains of the second industrial revolution. A better scrutiny of the 20th Century experience in the United States, on the other hand, proposes a much more complex image than simple rules espoused by many multinational corporations. Likewise, the seemingly normalization of innovative changes, that include the implementation of perpetual motion machine in a network of large corporations, with the financial aid of many entities, had been part of the more complicated entrepreneurial story. In addition, the business activities of some small and medium scale entrepreneurial entities as well as individual entrep reneurs, working under the management of multinational corporations. In addition, Gerald Hills (5) opined â€Å"There is growing evidence that entrepreneurship should be treated as a major conceptual dimension within the marketing discipline. Marketing journals, programs, and associations are structured around: (1) different marketing functions such as product development and advertising; and (2) types of markets and firms such as consumer and industrial, services, health care

Nutrition address in Legislation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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Advanced and Clinical Immunology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Advanced and Clinical Immunology - Essay Example Consequently, IgE immunoblotting was mainly required for determination of the foods to evade in trying to help the patient feel better ((Phipatanakul et al, 2004). 4. Th-2 like cells can be identified in the peripheral blood and lesions of atopic-dermatitis patients producing IL-4, 5, 13 and also IL-17 from Th17 cells. Explain the role(s) of these cytokines in allergy (10 Marks). Â  IL-4, 5, 13 are important for allergic responses and elimination of parasites. Th17 cells are the newest members of the Th cell family and produce the IL-17. The Th17 cells are involved in host defense with a role of protection against extracellular bacteria through activity on both the immune and non-immune cells, they have also begun to be associated with the pathophysiology development of allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis (Cox, et al, 2008). Â  Mast cells PGDs, Basophil histamine and Eosinophil Cationic Protein (ECP) are essential constituents of allergic inflammation. Succeeding fixation of IgE to FceRI receptors on mast cells and basophil histamine is vital to the initiation and proliferation of immediate hypersensitivity reactions. Mast cells, basophils, and the eosinophils are major effector cells in the allergic inflammation (Yazdanbakhsh et al, 2002). Mast cells indirectly contribute to asthmatic reactions. Its presence causes A when the activation by multivalent Ag and the IgE, mast cells produces many inflammatory mediators, which includes histamines, eicosanoids, and proteases with PGD2 in high quantity.

Corporate Leadership Strategy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

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Building Competencies in Comminity Youth Worker Essay

Building Competencies in Comminity Youth Worker - Essay Example Growing realization among the public at large about the need to delve deep into the lives of our young adults, finding the cause of the growing frustration, led them to believe the lack of sufficient support system in the form of positive relationships and lack of proper opportunities for self enhancement were at the root cause of the present scenario. Moreover, as in the language of Pittman K & Ferber T in Unfinished business: Future Reflections on a Decade of Promoting Youth Development "problem-free is not fully prepared", an effective Program for Youth Development requires opportunities and environment to be given to young adolescents to build and develop their personal and social assets that will prepare them for a healthy and productive adulthood. In spite of the presence of a number of talented youth workers, the agencies working in this field face the obstacle of the unmet need of a stable and well-trained work force that has knowledge and competence of addressing the myriad challenges facing both urban and rural youth. Moreover, their working climate is not tempting enough to attract more and more youth workers in this field. Being comparatively younger, it has yet to attain the status of a recognized and professional field. Lack of funds provided for these programs deter the organizations to make long term recruitments required for the success of these programs. In this background, it is important to know as to which skills are required by a youth worker working in such organizations that help them develop and maintain effective relationships with youth and their families and thus reducing problems in their lives and ensuring an environment congenial to their healthy development. Building caring relationships with children and youth requires active listening and a variety of communication strategies. As public educators and practitioners of youth development, the community youth worker must possess several internal and external competencies and skill in order to deliver an effective program capable of reducing problems in the life of our young adolescents and give them an environment congenial to their thriving. As a strong family support system is the most important requirement for a child to thrive, an ideal community youth worker is expected to bring it into the life of young adolescent by working as a bridge to bring the families together. He can interact with the parents and can make them realize the type of problems an adolescent has to undergo trying to find his identity in the outside world, which are further augmented if he belongs to a migrated community and at the same time can make the adolescent realize what their parents have to undergo with their beliefs in traditions of the community. Thus, on the one hand, he has to be human and sensitive to the needs of diverse people and on the other hand should be conversant with the various stages of the development of a child. Changing demographics of the American society requires its community youth w

Management decisions & control Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Management decisions & control - Research Paper Example The quest for growth which is majorly motivated by the company’s marketing design of maintaining retail stores as well its good business environment has come with a number of challenges. The company has in the recent years grappled the control problems ranging from quality control to management control and these issues have come with significant image considerations. Another very important problem the company has to and continues to face revolves around the supply chain owing to its vast network of stores which are located in very different locations. The company’s business proposition identified it as a home of solutions for athletic and sport apparel increasing sales considerably as well as growth but this may have misguided the growth strategy. The company recorded a very fast movement of products in some cases merchandise getting out of stock in stores within just three days. The rapid expansion also placed significant amounts of pressure on the supply chain; many stores were opened rapidly to increase presence and brand visibility and some of the stores were in total very bad locations with little sales are no demand for merchandise at all. Managing the inventory continued to be the most pressing problem that the company had to fix in a time when its stock price had started declining, sales had significantly gone down and competition was it its peak. Those stores located in the coastal regions for example frequently ran out of stock for smaller sizes of merchandise and this negatively impacted on sales, image and customer trust. At the same time those retail stores in other places for instance in Midwest recorded high sales in terms of large sizes of merchandise which also was fast going out of stock. This meant the company had a constant challenge with the management of its inventory and this inventory related had negative image on

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Security and democracy. Can you have both Hows does popular culture and Star Wars tell us that you cannot - Research Paper Example However, we have countless cases around the world whereby democratic countries tend to be unstable, beset by cycles of conflicts while those that are led by despots seems to be enjoying relative peace. For instance, drug lords are virtually taking over some Southern American countries such as Guatemala and Mexico, making parts of those countries insecure even though free elections, a key demand for democracy, are held regularly. Clearly, the democratic governments in most of these countries have failed to enhance security in their states. On the other hand, countries lambasted for having failed the democratic test such as Cuba and swathes of nations in the Arab world, never known to hold elections to choose leaders, are relatively calm with very low levels of crime. Different stories and experiences of popular culture, with the backup from various academic and non academic sources will be analyzed to determine whether it is possible for a country to have stability and democracy at the same time. Democracy will undoubtedly cause tensions as the minorities cry foul over lack of opportunities. These tensions can be a major source of instability. Is it therefore possible to have both stability and democracy if the minorities are unhappy? Popular culture can be broadly defined as the aggregate of cultural products such as music, art, literature, fashion, dance, television and film that is primarily consumed by the non-elite portion of the society (Crossman; Osborn 3). Non-elitist group of the society are mainly the downtrodden or the masses that does not control both the political as well as the economic power. These are the laborers, the middle class and the lower class of the society. According to Crossman, popular culture can be viewed from two dimensions. First, popular culture is a tool used by the elites to control the masses. This is because the elites tend to control media outlets and the culture itself. For

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Ethical Dilemma - Research Paper Example Thus Margaret should choose which is the most important thing for her either her gender roe or own personality. The point of any story, including all the stories depicted in films, is in description of human choice, which eventually leads to either good or bad consequences. However, unlike some common conceptualizations of choice that claim that choice deals with picking between good and bad, real choice (a complicated one) is always about choosing between equally either bad or good possible consequence. This means that each really crucial choice is an exclusion of something crucial. Ethical dilemma requires an exclusion of some morally valuable thing in behalf of another, probably more important value. So the two important values that the leading character Margaret Keane should choose between are her identity (personal interests) and social status (her social identity). On the very beginning of the film Margaret is described as an obedient wife and a good decent mother. She lives an ordinary life of an American housewife of 1950es, when women’s rights weren’t so developed and society didn’t take them seriously. Thus she identifies herself with the gender role of a typical woman she is used to playing. She believes that being a good mother is a part of the gender role, which cannot be separated from being a wife and being an obedient woman. So as far as her maternity is an important moral value for her, the only way she believes she can implement it best for her child is by playing the complete gender role parked on her by society. Although Margaret manages to get divorced with her husband who she cannot live with, she realizes that society doesn’t accept a single mother who has no professional skills in anything. She meets a man who seems to be a nice one, however eventually it turns out that he is a fraud who cashes in on sailing her genius artworks under his own name, keeping Margaret in shadow. Thus opposite value Margaret has is

Gallaudet University Essay Example for Free

Gallaudet University Essay Gallaudet is a premier and the only university dedicated to educating and broadening the career choices of deaf, hard-of-hearing and a minority of hearing students as well. Duly accredited, it currently offers 40 Bachelor of Arts or Science degrees in its undergraduate program as well as certificates, masteral, specialist and doctoral degrees in its graduate program (Gallaudet, 2008). Gallaudet’s strong commitment to the education of the deaf is also evident in its accomplishment of high-quality research on various aspects of the lives of deaf people. It also maintains the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center catering to deaf and hard-of-hearing children. It is through this center that the university fulfills its federal mandate to pioneer the development, implementation and dissemination of educational strategies for the deaf (Gallaudet, 2008). Gallaudet began as the Columbia Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf, Dumb and Blind, incorporated by Congress in 1857 (Gallaudet, 2008). The original school building was situated on two acres of land in Northeastern Washington, D. C. which was donated by the businessman Amos Kendall the year before. The first set of students was composed of six blind and twelve deaf individuals. The first school superintendent, and later president of the corporation, was Edward Miner Gallaudet whose father, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, founded the first institution for the deaf in the country (Gallaudet, 2008). In 1864, Congress permitted the school to grant college degrees through a law enacted by President Abraham Lincoln and the first commencement happened in June, 1869 where three young men received their diplomas signed by President Ulysses S. Grant (Berke, 2007). Up to the present, the incumbent U. S. President signs the diplomas of Gallaudet graduates. From then on up to the 1950’s, the college underwent many developments as enrollment steadily rose which necessitated the expansion of its physical structure as well as enhancement of the capacity of its faculty and other personnel. Through another act of Congress, the college was renamed Gallaudet College in 1954, in honor of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and in 1969, the two schools that today make up the Laurent Clerc Center were established with the support of the U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare and President Richard Nixon (Berke, 2007). The evolution and expansion of Gallaudet as an institution continued on to the following decades. Finally, in October 1986, Congress conferred to the 122 year-old college its university status so that in the succeeding semester, the total number of students enrolled in all programs reached a peak of nearly 2,000 (Gallaudet, 2008). Two years later, students launched the Deaf President Now (DPN) to persuade the Board of Trustees to appoint a deaf president, a position that has always been held by hearing people. The DPN campaign’s major impact on the community, the country and even beyond was the greater consciousness it created with regards to deaf people. The pressure that the protest created led to the appointment of I. King Jordan as Gallaudet’s first deaf president while the appointment of Philip Bravin as the first deaf chair of the Board followed fueling changes that today allowed 51 percent of the members of the Board to be deaf (Jordan, 2007). Gallaudet is also renowned for organizing and hosting international gatherings the Deaf Way I in 1989 followed by Deaf Way II in 2002, to â€Å"honor the history, language, art, culture, and empowerment of deaf people† (Gallaudet, 2008). Further, it has pledged its commitment to promoting environmental protection as well as respect for diversity (greenreportcard. org, 2008). Finally, the university also employs and adapts modern technology to the needs of the deaf as can be witnessed at the James Lee Sorenson Language and Communication Center and the Student Academic Center (Gallaudet, 2008). List of References Berke, J. (2007). Deaf History – History of Gallaudet University. Retrieved 14 October 2008 from http://deafness. about. com/cs/featurearticles/a/gallyhistory. htm. Gallaudet University (2008). History, Diversity, Fast Facts. Retrieved 14 October, 2008 from http://www. gallaudet. edu/Diversity. xml. Greenreportcard. org (2008). College Sustainability Report Card: Gallaudet University. Retrieved 14 October 2008 from http://www. greenreportcard. org/report-card- 2009/schools/gallaudet-university. Jordan, I. K. (2007). Deaf Culture and Gallaudet. Retrieved 14 October 2008 from http://www. washingtonpost. com/wp- dyn/content/article/2007/01/21/AR2007012101118. html? sub=AR.

Critical Review Determination Of Accounting Standards Accounting Essay

Critical Review Determination Of Accounting Standards Accounting Essay Ross L. Watts and Jerold L. Zimmerman explore factors that motivate companies in lobbying on accounting standards and examine whether their opinion on certain standards are associated with their size. They use data from the companies which submit comments to the FASBs Discussion Memorandum on General Price Level Adjustment. The empirical evidence supports the argument that the firms tend to choose accounting standards which report lower earnings due to political and regulatory considerations. Their findings also confirm that big firms are more likely to be subjected to governmental interference. However, the paper might not be based on strong theoretical foundations. Moreover, some assumptions used in the paper could decrease the external validity of the research. I. Introduction Ross L. Watts and Jerold L. Zimmerman have written a remarkable paper in accounting research which attempt to provide positive theory about factors influencing companies in lobbying on accounting standards. The paper also discuss the question whether the size of the companies affect their opinion on certain standards. This paper is important because it makes contribution to the positive accounting theory development. It might be the first paper which attempt to provide empirical evidence on positive accounting theory about factors influencing management attitude on certain accounting standards. The data and the issues discussed were new in that period. It contributes to a literature that has uncovered empirical regularities in accounting practice (Holthausen and Leftwich, 1983 and Watts and Zimmerman, 1986 as discussed in Watts and Zimmerman, 1990 p 131). The literature has been developing since the publication of this paper in 1978 (Watts and Zimmerman, 1990 p 132). Though, the pape r also brought considerable debate among researchers. This essay intends provide critical review and highlights some important points from the paper by reviewing in four main areas: (i) research paradigm, (ii) theoretical framework, (iii) methodology, and (iv) research findings. The following section discusses about research paradigm used in the paper. The next section explores criticisms on the theoretical framework of the research. Section four reviews the methodology used in the research. Section five examines important finding from this paper. Finally, the last section presents some conclusion about the paper. II. Research Paradigm The researchers discussed an interesting topic in accounting theory. They use positivism paradigm in the research. This paradigm gets many criticisms when it is used in the social science research. According to Collis and Hussey (2009), positivism is criticized based on five main arguments. First, it is impossible to separate people from the social context in which they exist. Second, people cannot be understood without examining the perceptions they have of their own activities. Third, a highly structured research design imposes constrains on the results and may ignore other relevant findings. Fourth, researchers are not subjective, but part of what they observe. They bring their own interests and values to the research. Fifth, capturing complex phenomena in a single measure is misleading(Collis and Hussey, 2009, p. 56). Furthermore, Sterling (1990, p. 98) argued that Instead of trying to determine how to improve the present state of accounting we are told to try to determine the pr esent state of accounting. However, Watts and Zimmerman argued that they adopted the label positive from economics where it was used to distinguish research aimed at explanation and prediction from research whose objective was prescription (Watts and Zimmerman, 1990, p.148). Therefore, the evidence generated from researches using this paradigm will improve the development of accounting theory by providing explanations and predictions for normative research. Moreover, positivism as one of paradigm in research is used for many researches in social science today (Collis and Hussy, 2009). This paradigm is underpinned by the belief that reality is independent of us and the goal is the discovery of theories, based on empirical research (Collis and Hussy, 2009). III. Theoretical Framework The paper starts with the discussion about factors determining management attitudes toward financial accounting standards. The discussion based on two assumptions. First, individuals act to maximize their own utility(Watts and Zimmerman, 1978, p.113). This assumption means that management attitudes on certain accounting standards are based on its interest to maximize its own utility. Second, managements utility is a positive function of the expected compensation in the future periods (or wealth) and a negative function of the dispersion of future compensation (or wealth) (Watts and Zimmerman, 1978, p.114). The expected forms of compensation for management that are used in this research are incentive compensation and share price increase. The discussion then continues with the description of factors affecting management wealth. Those factors are taxes, regulation, political costs, information production costs, and management compensation plans. Each factor gives different impact on the way management chooses accounting standards. The researchers argue that management tend to choose accounting standards which report lower earnings (thereby increasing cashflows, firm value and their welfare) due to tax, political, and regulatory considerations than to choose accounting standard which report higher earnings and, thereby, increase their incentive compensation(Watts and Zimmerman, 1978, p.118). They also argue that this prediction depend on the political pressure on the firms and whether they are regulated or not. Another consideration that management should consider is the cost of information production as a consequence of the implementation of new standards. Based on the combination of factors affecting management wealth, they created two models that describe two possible conditions. The first model depicts the condition when the change in accounting standards will decrease the earnings of the firms and the second model depicts the condition when the earnings are increase. In short, the theory pronounces that there are three possible attitudes of the companies when the change in accounting standards decreases their earnings: submit favorable opinion, submit unfavorable opinion, or do no submit opinion. On the other hand, only two possible attitudes of the companies if the change in accounting standards increases their earnings: submit unfavorable opinion or do no submit opinion. The choice taken by the companies depends on the size of the companies. One of the important points explained in the paper is that the researchers omit some variables in developing the theory. Two of them are described in their paper. First, they realized that, generally, the factors influencing the regulation cost of utility companies is not only net income but also operating earnings. Second, they omit political sensitivity of the firms industry because there is no underlying theory to discuss this factor at that time. The theories used on this research got many criticisms. It needs verification and replication (Holthausen and Leftwitch, 1983 p. 100). The researchers should be able to understand and explained it well before conducting their research (Christenson, 1983 p. 20). Hines (1988 p. 661) suggested clarifying whether their theories were universal or probabilistic, and if the latter, explained on what conceptual grounds they should be held to be so. Therefore, it is better to test the theories first using another hypothesis before analyzing data using the theories (Hines. 1988 p. 661). However, Watts and Zimmerman argue that although the criticisms are relevant, those criticisms placed unreasonable demand on study (Watts and Zimmerman, 1990, p.149). In addition, their theories provide theoretical basis for other researches in accounting. For instance, Milne (2002, p.371) argued the theories provide the stated theoretical basis for a number of social disclosure studies. Moreover, this paper was probably the only paper which predicts corporate lobbying behavior as a function of firm-specific factors' (Holthausen and Leftwitch, 1983 p. 95). Another important point in the paper is that the researchers only focus on shareholders, creditors, and government in explaining some factors influencing management accounting choice. In fact, there are many users of financial statements have not discussed thoroughly in the paper. Those are employee, analyst-adviser, supplier and trade creditor, customer, competitors, and the public. The public includes taxpayers, consumers and other community and special interest groups, such as political parties, consumer and environmental protection societies and regional pressure groups. Each user has different interest on the firms. Therefore, they might influence the accounting choice. For instance, the accounting choice taken by the firm which has a significant impact on increasing its earnings will stimulate employees to ask for bonuses or even increase in their salaries. Conversely, if the accounting choice taken by firm has a significant impact on decreasing its earnings, it will make emplo yees worry about their job security. Then, it might increase employee the turnover in the firm. Finally, it would be interesting if the paper also discuss cultural differences between companies. It could be one important factor influencing management accounting choice. Each firm consists of groups of people who share their culture based on their top managements policies. This culture will also determine the firm accounting choice. The link between accounting value and cultural value (Alexander et all. (2009) discussed research by Gray (1988) based on Hofstede (1984) classification scheme) could be used to analyze the accounting choice of the firm. For instance, some firms might choose a more conservative accounting choice because their cultural characteristic is uncertainty avoidance. It might also explain why some big size companies did not submit their opinion on the discussion memorandum. IV. Methodology The researchers used voluntary disclosure regarding GPLA Statements for some companies that published such disclosure to predict the position of the companies on the new standard. For the others companies, they used the studies from Davidson and Weil (1975) and Davidson, Stickney, and Weil (1976) who develop an adjusting procedure which relies solely on published financial statements and GNP deflators. Furthermore, they also constructed proxy variables based on unadjusted depreciation and net monetary assets. They argue that these proxy variables can serve as a surrogate for the effect of GPLA earnings. One of main the problems is the dependent variable used by the researchers. They divided the responses into two categories, the companies which agree and disagree with the memorandum. This dichotomy does not represent the actual condition since some responses might consist of agreement on certain points in the memorandum but disagreement on other points (Holthausen and Leftwitch, 1983 p. 104). Another problem is the assumption that the companies which did not mention the compensation or reply the questioner assumed no compensation plans. This assumption may lead to the conclusion bias. The next important point is the use of firms size to proxy for political cost. The decision to use this method might be affected by condition at the time the paper was written. During the 1970s, oil companies dominated the largest of the US companies, and they were also subject to much public outrage and political scrutiny during and immediately following the oil crisis of 1973 (Milne, 2002, p.374). However, Hilnes suggested to avoid the use of crude proxies such as the use of firm size to operationalize the concept of political cost' (Hines. 1988 p. 661). Watts and Zimmerman (1990) as discussed by Milne (2002, p.377) finally realized that the size is too noisy as a proxy. Subsequent to their research, empirical studies have tended to use or suggest a wider range of measures to proxy for political costs (Milne, 2002, p.377). They may needs to elaborate the effect of firms stage of growth in accounting choice. The nature of managements solution (including the accounting choice) to each revolutionary period determines whether a company will move forward into its next stage of evolutionary growth (Greiner, 1972). The firm should choose the right solution (including accounting choice) in order to survive. Companies which are in the earlier stage of development will tend to maximize their profit while more mature companies will focus on sustainability issues. The focus on sustainability issues might stimulate companies to respond differently in order to survive in their environment. This argument could be an explanation why companies with different size have different respond to certain standards (Watts and Zimmerman, 1978). In terms of analysis, the focuses of the research on political cost especially on the effect of government intervention might reduce its external validity. The analyses conducted in isolation of other factors are inappropriate because accounting is used for many purposes (Fields et all. 2001, p. 300). The proposition that corporations will do anything to support the decision of accounting procedures that minimize reported earnings might not suitable for the companies with accounting-based debt covenants. The empirical evidence shows that those companies are more likely to choose income-increasing accounting methods (Begley, 1990 p. 138). Another research by Sweeney (1994) on the companies which violated debt covenants found that managers tend to do accounting change to increase the income figure in the years surrounding technical defaults. In summary, the researchers should be careful in using assumptions. They have to realize that their focus on political cost especially on the effect of government intervention might reduce external validity of the research. V. Research Findings Finally, the research provides important findings generated from this research. First, the empirical evidence supports the argument that the firms tend to choose accounting standards which report lower earnings due to political and regulatory considerations. Those firms are the firms that have contact with the government directly through regulation or indirectly through possible government intervention. Their findings also confirm that big firms are more likely to be subjected to governmental interference. The existence of costs generated by government intervention may have more fundamental and important effects on its investment-production decision if the potential costs of government interference become large. Based on this research, McKee et all. (1984. P. 658) then replicate the research using a larger sample. Unfortunately, the results from this research are not satisfactory. The evidences do not support the theories provided by this research. McKee et all. (1984. P. 647) argued that there are some problems regarding the test procedures and its underlying theories. However, the findings generated from this research are now become important consideration in conducting researches in accounting especially regarding earnings management. Research in this topic usually aims to find companies that tend to choose accounting standards which will affect their earnings. Therefore, most of researchers in this topic eliminate companies in regulated industries (utilities and financial companies) from their sample to minimize the effects of political and regulatory considerations (For example: Madhogarhia et all., 2009; Roychowdhury, 2006). Conclusion In summary, this paper is a remarkable paper in accounting research. It gives starting point in the development of positive theory in accounting. It might be the first research that investigates factors influencing management accounting choice. Though, there are some important points need to be improved in this research. The most important point is the improvement in theoretical framework. Based on the discussion on the paper, it could be concluded that accounting choice is a function of internal and external influences. Internal influences comprise some factors such as culture and stages of growth of the companies while external influences comprise changes in tax, regulation, information production cost, and management compensation costs. Combination of those influences affects the attitude of the company to certain changes, including the attitude toward the change of certain accounting standards. Iin order to improve the development of the theory in this topic, Fields et all. (2001, p. 299-300) made three recommendations. First, researchers should give more efforts to investigate the nature of the implications of alternative accounting methods rather than just testing the implications. Then, the research should not focus only to one accounting issue or one goal. Even though the tasks become more complex, they will give a better contribution to the development of theoretical framework in accounting. Finally, the researchers should develop more powerful statistical techniques and improve research design (Fields et all. 2001, p. 300). References: Alexander, D., Anne B., and A. Jorissen (2009) International Financial Reporting and Analysis, Cengage Learning, Hampshire, UK. Begley, J., (1990) Debt Covenant and Accounting Choice, Journal of Accounting and Economics 12, 125-139. Christenson, C., (1983) The methodology of positive accounting, The Accounting Review, Vol.58, N0.1, pp 1-22. Collis. J., and Roger H., (2009) Business Research: A Practical Guide for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students, Palgrave Macmillan, UK. Fields, T., Lys, T., and Vincent, L., (2001) Empirical Research on Accounting Choice, Journal of Accounting and Economics, Vol. 31, pp. 255-307. Greiner, L. E., (1972) Evolution and Revolution as Organization Grow, Harvard Business Review (July-August): 37 -46. Madhogarhia, P., Ninon K. S., and Theodor K., (2009) Earnings Management Practices Among Growth and Value Firms, Applied Financial Economics, 19, 1767-1778. Hines. R. D. (1988) Poppers methodology of falsificationism and accounting research, The Accounting Review, (October): 657-662. Holthausen. R. W. and R. W. Leftwich. 1983 The economic consequences of accounting choice: Implications of costly contracting and monitoring, Journal of Accounting Economics, (August): 77-117. McKee. A. J., Jr., T. B. Bell, and J. R. Boatsman (1984) Management preferences over accounting standards: A replication and additional tests, The Accounting Review, (October):647-659. Roychowdhury, S. (2006) Earnings Management Through Real Activities Manipulation, Journal of Accounting and Economics 42, 335-370. Sterling, R., (1990), Positive accounting: An assessment, Abacus, Vol.26, pp. 97-135. Sweeney, A. P. (1994), Debt-covenant violations and managers accounting responses, Journal of Accounting and Economics, 17, 281-308. Watts, R. L. and J. L. Zimmerman, (1978), Towards a positive theory of the determination of accounting standards, The Accounting Review, (January): 112-134. Watts, R., Zimmerman, J., (1990), Positive accounting theory: A ten year perspective, The Accounting Review 65, 131-156.