Spring Syllabus free essay sample

At the conclusion of this course, students should be able to Name competitive strategies that organizations may pursue Identify and describe the major functions of a human resource management system Describe relationships among the major functions of an HRS system Explain how HRS supports other functional areas of an organization Stipulate HRS practices that support specific organizational strategies Business Department Objectives CABS objectives addressed in this course include oral and written communication skills, and critical and analytical thinking.Learnt Eng Assessment Achievement of the above objectives will be assessed using homework assignments, class participation, written and oral presentation of case analyses. How I See My Role Also known as my philosophy of teaching I assume that you are actively seeking new information and skills (Thats why youre in class, right? ) It is my job to create an environment where you can increase your understanding of ourselves and of the su bject matter. We will write a custom essay sample on Spring Syllabus or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I see my role as a teacher as a facilitator of your learning, not as a transmitter of content to you.I want you to develop confidence in your ability to think, and my goal is to help you by providing you with success experiences, not by overwhelming you with information. Learning can be viewed from the following two perspectives: Speed (Surface) Learning power (Deep) Learning Heavy workload Attention must be focused Excessive content Intrinsic involvement (more than just the grade) Little time for reflection Active involvement Little choice Interaction Stressful testingChoice Focus on the facts Big picture/connections Disconnected/episodic Well-structured Additional Contrasts to Expect: Absolutes of right wrong There are gray areas Opinions may be valid based on strength of argument Step by step procedures Messy, real-world examples Memorize the subject matter Learn materials/methods apply them Argue irrigate the notes Analyze data arrive at conclusion Objective tests Work judged for quality Criticism from person with expertise Lectures Discussions Learning from text teacher Learning from peers My goal is to move increasingly towards creating a power, deep learning experience for you. Classroom Environment This class will be a collaborative setting, where you can learn and participate by sharing your ideas and talents with each other. My goal is for us to create a safe, inclusive, respectful, caring learning environment. To help us toward that goal, I would like to suggest the following ground rules: No put downs Of others, even for comic relief. Respect the confidentiality of the group. Offer honest expressions and opinions. Speak from ones own experience. For example, use In my experience I have found rather than Everyone does it this way. No hogging of the footlight by pushing personal agendas or idiosyncrasies (individuals violating this rule should not be hurt, surprised, or offended when their discussion is cut off. ) Listen carefully and attentively when others are speaking and/or presenting. Treat each other with respect. No blaming of others (or ourselves); rather than worrying about who is right or wrong, see what can be learned and then move on. Take responsibility for ones own behavior and its consequences. Follow the golden rule do unto others as you would have them do unto you.Technology: A key to being respectful to the teacher and classmates is eying attention to what is going on in class and what others are saying. It is rude to play on your laptop, text, or listen to your pod during class. So, anyone who insists on using their cell phone, android, blackberry, pod, phone, pad, laptop, notebook, tablet, payable, notebook (and any other new electronic gadget which may be invented in the next 4 months or any other old tech oenology to which you may cling) will have their participation grade for that class period reduced.When you come into the classroom, turn these devices off and put them away. This will avoid any misinterpretation four behaviors during class. Your Course Content Resources Text: Human Resource Management: Linking Strategy to Practice by Greg Stewart Kenneth Brown, 3rd edition, Wiley, 2014. Harvard Business Cases including: 1 . Sonic Products Co. : Building a World-Class HRS Organization (A) abridged only 2. Recruitment of a Star 3. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. 4. Weave Tech: High Performance Change 5. Southfield Packaging 6.Performance Management at Vitality Health Enterprises, Inc. 7. Hurrahs Entertainment, Inc. : Rewarding Our People 8. Getable Airways: Starting from Scratch 9. People Express Airlines: Rise and Decline See Appendix A for information on purchasing these items directly from HOBS at a reduced student price (less than h what you could pay for a course pack through the bookstore). These instructions were also sent directly to your UP e-mail March 19, 2015. DEL site for the course: All assignments related to the course will be posted On DEL. In addition, all assignments will be submitted through DEL. Any announcements relative to the course will also be posted there. HTTPS://up. Courses. Wisconsin. Due/did/home/2822755 Professors course web site: Text material may be supplemented with trials handed out in class or made available as files through the course web site: http://homepages. up. Due/cooker/. For some of the assignments it may help if you have your LAWS e-mail account activated. For example, your e-mail login and password are required to access electronic library resources from off campus. Lust all official e-mail communication from the instructor about the course will go to your CAP e-mail account. COUrse Requirements genuine learning is active, not passive. It involves the use of mind, not just the memory. It is a process of discovery, in which the student is the main gent, not the teacher. M. J. Adler Individual Work There will be 3 types of work that you will complete individually: Agendas, Harvard Case Briefs, and Participation. #1 Agendas (aka assignments) (20% of your grade) What are we going to do in class each day?

Essay on Branding part 2Essay Writing Service

Essay on Branding part 2Essay Writing Service Essay on Branding part 2 Essay on Branding part 2Essay on Branding part  1Challenges and opportunitiesAt the moment, Natural Kitchen faces the problem of several design challenges. First of all, the company has to focus on the improvement of the consumer trust which is essential for the creation of a reliable and reputable brand. If customers do not trust with the brand, the company cannot gain any considerable success in the market and improve its competitive position (Brown, 2003). As the company can expand its business nationwide as well as internationally, it can use its brand to expand but still keep core identity. The core identity is essential for the maintenance of the brand that means that the company should not change its brand along with the expansion of its business. The creation of a stable, recognizable and popular brand should become priorities of the company. Finally, at the moment, the company faces the problem of the co-operation with other organisations (environmental, fair-trade, lifest yle, charities, etc.). Such cooperation can influence kids and shoppers to think about environmental and sustainable issues. The interaction with public organisations, wider involvement of the company into community activities and other forms of the cooperation of Natural Kitchen with other organisations contributes to the improvement of the public image of its brand and the overall formation of the positive attitude of the public to the company’s brand.The process for selecting a suitable branding agencyThe selection of a suitable branding agency is very responsible and important process. In this regard, Natural Kitchen should elaborate key criteria for the selection of the branding agency (Peters, 2007). At this point, the selection of the branding agency should match the marketing goals of the company and its marketing strategy. Taking into consideration the opportunity of the development of the company’s operations nationwide and internationally, Natural Kitchen sh ould select the agency that operates in the UK and takes one of the leading positions in the UK branding industry (Mohrman, 2009). At the same time, the company should not refer to the branding agency which has a large staff and multiple customers because, in such a case, the company may face the problem of the standard approach used by the branding company to the creation of Natural Kitchen brand. Instead, Natural Kitchen needs the branding agency that uses the personalized approach to each customer and is capable to meet specific needs of the company and understand its uniqueness. Therefore, a relatively small agency may be the right choice for Natural Kitchen. In this regard, Rareform is the right choice of the branding agency for Natural Kitchen because this is one of the most successful branding agencies in the UK, although its annual revenue does not exceed $1 million that means that the company does not involve a large number of serious projects that may distract the best hum an resources of the branding agency. Instead, Natural Kitchen may count on the involvement of the best professionals of the successful branding agency for the creation of the new brand of the company or the improvement of the existing one.Chosen branding agency and the approach to the briefThe chosen agency, Rareform, is the successful branding agency which main approach is based on the personalized, customer-centred approach to each customer (Gitlow, 2009). In such a way, Natural Kitchen can gain considerable benefits from the cooperation with Rareform because the agency will take into consideration specificities of the company and meet its branding needs and goals (Bamberg, 2000). Rarefrom can provide Natural Kitchen with an opportunity to create the unique brand that mirrors the vision and mission of the company and helps Natural Kitchen to implement successfully its marketing strategy oriented on the national and international market expansion.Plan  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The rollout of the new brand, phases and plan and budgetThe new brand of Natural Kitchen is the brand oriented on the delivery of healthy food products to its customers. The primary concern of the brand is the customer health. This is why the company is supplying organic food products that are healthy and safe for human health as well as natural environment. The first stage of the development of the new brand is the identification of the brand philosophy, which is the philosophy based on the healthy food for mass customers (Viardot, 2001). The next stage is the identification of the target customer group, which is customers in the UK and this customer group may expand steadily internationally. The next step is the elaboration of the methods of the brand promotion. In this regard, the company should identify tools and methods that may be applied successfully. In case of Natural Kitchen, the company should focus on the development of close company-community ties that means that the company can prom ote its brand within local communities throughout the UK. For instance, the company can sponsor health programs informing the public of the importance of the healthy food for their health. The company can sponsor meetings of health care professionals with local community members. In such a way, the company will create the image of the socially responsible company that takes care of customers’ health and offers products that may be useful for their health. The budget of the project (See App.) will need to raise funds for the implementation of the plan of the new branding policy of the company but the project will start brining return on investment during first years of the implementation of the project.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ROI and testingThe company can start receive return on investments during the second and third years of the implementation of the new branding policy. The first year will be the most difficult one since the company will need to invest in the creation and promoti on of its brand. The overall success of the project and its effectiveness can be measured with the help of the assessment of the recognition of the brand by customers in the UK. The assessment of the recognition of the brand of the company can be conducted with the help of surveys conducted online or via phones.ConclusionsThus, Natural Kitchen has extensive opportunities to develop its business successfully. However, the company needs to enhance its brand image because the brand of the company is very important for its marketing success. The brand influences the perception of the company by customers and influences its competitive position. Natural Kitchen should use the branding agency’s services to reach the target customer group and create a strong and attractive brand that is recognised nationwide.

U.K. Energy Sustainability Public Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

U.K. Energy Sustainability Public Policy - Essay Example The intention of this study is Public Policy as a set of rules, or guides promulgated by governments to ensure that the branches of government all deal with issues in a similar, consistent manner, according to the laws and constitution of the particular country. Inevitably, public policy is not simply decided by an elected government: it is influenced and changed by pressure, or lobby groups, by organisations within the society or community, and by the public at large and its perceptions. While public policy can be confined to domestic policy and thought, the increasingly globalising world means that it is not only internal pressure which is brought to bear on government and their policy formulation, but also international trends and necessities. Thus, although this essay will focus on the Energy Policy of the UK Government, some consideration must necessarily be given to the influence that international trends in energy policy have on the UK. The Department of Energy and Climate Cha nge formulates public policy in this area and relies on two pieces of legislation: the Energy White Paper of 2007, and the Low carbon Transition Plan of July 2009. Four key policy goals were tabled in the 2007 paper: †¢ The UK should be on a path to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 60%, and significant cuts should be evident by 2020; †¢ The UK should ensure reliable energy supplies; †¢ Competitive markets in the UK and internationally should be promoted, so that sustainable economic growth is possible, and productivity can improve;   and Every home in the UK should be adequately and affordably heated. Additional considerations are highlighted in the policy, among them the production, distribution and use of electricity, fuel used for transport, and heating. The longer-term intention is to contribute to the worldwide fight against climate change, and to ensure secure, clean and affordable energy for the UK itself. By 2008, the policy included emphasis on the energy ma rket, offshore gas and oil, and investment in nuclear power. Direct control of energy in the UK economy now does not lie with the government, after the liberalisation and nationalisation policies of the 1980s and 1990s, and while UK energy is recognised as being highly reliable in delivery to the population (Bowlby, 2011, website) there are a significant number of UK citizens in fuel poverty. Yet,

Achieving Effective Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Achieving Effective Communication - Essay Example I have a 53% score for judging, which translates to a high preference for judging to perceiving. I prefer careful planning activities to the belief of improving on a situation or going by the feelings that are current. The urge for adventure is an outstanding factor evident from my profile. I prefer finding a solution to problems through new and innovative approaches to applying familiar means. When making considerations in any situation, I deliberate on the possibilities of the sequence of events rather than on apparent circumstances. I prefer to explore a variety of options, through which the course of events may assume to following the normality in the development of events. In making judgment, I am interested in the details leading to the realization of ideas, contrary to basing them on mere generalization of thoughts. I give room for the avoidance of strict observance of set regulations to come up with independent and rational results. In taking actions, as a response to occurre nces, I speculate about a number of options that can bring the best outcome, instead of acting instantly. I put trust in reason and independence of thought as compared to actions taken based on feelings. I admit no ambiguity when acting on situations and any step geared towards success should be unequivocal, in my opinion and beliefs. I undertake clearly defined plans, with explicit instructions, well formulated for the best possible outcome. My profile can be helpful in amicable conflict management at the workplace. The belief in the exploration of a number of options to find the best possible solution is a massive boost to nurturing conflict management skills. My profile also allows me to take instructions with utmost intensity and devotion towards them. Tolerance to a number of personality traits is a key factor that my profile allows me to integrate. This enables me to have dedicated interest and cooperation in team works, at the work place. Perfected negotiation skills, given t he high tolerance to diversity of personality traits, are a boost towards desirable relations with colleagues at the work place. My preference for clearly defined plans to undertake activities helps in improving the quality of outcomes at the workplace. I, therefore, would prefer working with high potential and trained personnel to colleagues who tend to be unprincipled at executing their roles. Intolerance to ambiguity and vagueness in the execution of duty at the work place is a compliment to desirable supervisory traits. I, therefore, can effectively undertake supervisory roles at the work place. Innovativeness to finding solutions to problems, as opposed to normal solutions, makes an impressive and enormous contribution towards having a desirable peer-to-peer relationship at the work place. I am able to conduct an employee assessment and personality improvement at the workplace, given my deep instinct in making rational, informed and sane judgments. In the overall sense, my prof ile enables me to have an enviable behavior at the work place given the close relations with colleagues and senior personnel. A complete contrast to my profile would be the introverted sensing feeling perceiving. Contrary to my profile, such a person is quick to make decisions based on premises that are not well thought-out. These premises lead to irrational conclusions that cannot serve the purpose for their formulation to the fullness of satisfaction.

Hills Like White Elephants, Ernest Hemingway Essay

Hills Like White Elephants, Ernest Hemingway Essay This story consists of two main characters who are the girl and the American man. The waitress and people in the bar are the other characters who have superficial roles in the story. In my opinion the girl is the most important character and she has salient role in this story because the operation is going to happen for her and her decision is important in this case. The man said, its not really an operation at all (Hemingway: 2) .She is a protagonist who worries a lot about the future of her relationship. For instance she asks the man whether he will be happy and things will be like the past and he will love her again, if she did it (Hemingway: 1). Consequently, She has a round character because we get a lot of information about her and there are lots of gaps to fill (Abbott: 133). She is the person who cares a lot about keeping this relationship and being loved by the man. For example it can be traced in the following sentence in the story: Then Ill do it because I dont care about me (Hemingway: 2). She is also a type, She is dependent and emotional character. Whatever she wants to do she asks the mans idea. What should we drink? or could we try it? (Hemingway: 1). She is also very emotional because we see that she changes her mind constantly not according to logical principles and she makes decision by her heart not her mind. For example she says then Ill do it because I dont care about me (Hemingway: 2). Another round character is the man who seems to be selfish in forcing the girl to do abortion because he likes his current life style. The tags on the bags show that he enjoys travelling and seeing the world and he thinks having a baby doesnt let him follow his dreams. For instance he says that is the only thing that bothers us (Hemingway: 2). He tries to persuade the girl by repeatedly saying that its perfectly simple (Hemingway: 2, 3). He seems so worried and he wants to get to the conversation about abortion so when the woman talks about the other things he just gives short responses to show that he is not interested but when he starts to convince the girl to do the abortion he talks a lot and he becomes more active in the conversation. Unlike Jig who wants to be intimate, the man doesnt care about that and only worries about the unborn baby. He can also be a type because he is dominant and he wants to control the girl by telling her what to do. Its an awfully simple operation, J ig (Hemingway: 2). He wants to force the girl to do the operation. The woman and people in the bar are flat characters because we dont get much information about them and they dont play an important role in story. As Porter Abbott mentions that in flat characters there is not any complexity and depth feeling in their behaviors (Abbott: 133). They just give us a sense of setting in which the story happens. The most visible influence that the woman has in the story is when she comes and says about the time of next trains arrival. Hemingway tries to draw the readers attention towards the theme of the story which is abstract and can be extracted from the conflict of the main characters action. The technique applied in the story is conflict regarding values, ideas, feelings and ways of seeing the world in a society. (Abbott: 55). In the dialogue between the girl and the man, I got the impression that they had an ongoing conflict with each other, the man tries to persuade the girl that having a baby will make them unhappy and bother them but the girl thinks that if they lose the baby they will lose everything and they will never get it back (Hemingway: 2). By considering this issue, the theme focuses on different views towards the different worlds of the girl and the man. Escaping of responsibility and grasping the passing pleasure are the main issues that the readers have construed from the mans behavior through the narration. The main characters of this story who have controversial debate about getting rid of t he carrying baby. The man knows baby as a major obstacle to reaching long term happiness, also he insists on the choice of abortion to make him free from the responsibility. Its just to let the air in (Hemingway: 2). the fallowing example shows that the man disagrees with the birth of the baby. On the other hand, the girl shows uncertainty about abortion. She wants to keep this baby because she thinks this issue is an element for reaching stability in her love and life. If I do it youll be happy and things will be like they were and youll be happy and things will be like they were and youll love me? (Hemingway: 2). She thinks by losing the baby she may miss the fortune for having a family that can save her from rootlessness. By figuring out the motif in the story, the technique offered by Porter Abbott was used; looking at the subjects that repeatedly said throughout the story (Abbott: 95). Regarding this definition, it can be mentioned that drinking alcohol is as a motif which is repeated through the story, by hoping to get out of trouble and changing the atmosphere of conversation. Should we have another drink? All right (Hemingway: 1). They order beer again and they drink, they feel better and change atmosphere and the man starts to take the dialogue forward. The curtain that we mentioned above as a symbol is another motif which is a subject for communication between the couple with waitress and the way of passing. He went out through the bead curtain or The woman came out through the curtains (Hemingway: 3). Two is another motif, stopping of the train for two minutes, the station was between two lines of rail, carrying two bags (Hemingway: 1, 2, 3).In other words, it refers to existence of different desires and opinions between two characters of the story which, in a way, has caused the conflict through the story. There are a number of symbols which reader can realize the theme of the story by means of these symbols. At the beginning of story the girl looks at the line of hills and said: They look like white elephants. (Hemingway: 1). Hills symbolize the problem that the couple are involved in; the white color represents the innocence of unborn baby, elephant is a symbol of the belly of a pregnant woman. When the girl looks at the hills, she hopes to find the solution; meanwhile the American man looks at the hills and doesnt find any solution. Ive never seen one (Hemingway: 1). The lines of rails is another symbol which can show two choices of the decision by the different point of view of the couple. On one hand she sees fields of grains along the banks of the Ebro. Far away, beyond the river, were mountains. (Hemingway: 2). This part symbolizes fruitfulness and fertility and making hope in Jig by keeping the baby because after seeing this scene she says we could have all things. (Hemingway: 2). On the other hand there is lack of passion in life and everything is brown and dry by losing the baby there is no shade and no trees. (Hemingway: 1). The girl should choose an option by selecting the track of train during the limited time. When talking about forms of narration, it is important to stress out that narrator of this story is an omniscient , the direct and indirect styles are applied to the representation with shifts from direct to indirect style and, finally into the free indirect style (Porter Abbott : 71,77). The impressive feature of the story, is narrated almost by dialogue, also narrator uses quotation marks and then shifts from direct to indirect style: Ill scream, the girl said. The woman came out through the curtains (Hemingway: 3). We can observe third person narrator obviously narrates the story by means of free indirect style. In conclusion, the story posses with characters, themes, motifs and the conflict between the couple who are main characters in dialogue. As mentioned above the girl (Jig) and the American man have different types of characters. Narrator by repeating some symbols and describing the landscape of place draws attention of reader to the theme of the story. Hemingway illustrates different ways of thinking between the girl and American man on abortion; it also shows miscommunication between them. Regardless of the theme in this story the couple in the rail station should decide about their future whether leading to a new life, fertility and making family, or ending up to death and losing the opportunity in future. I suppose at the end, the girl found herself satisfied and joyous based upon the decision that they made. It brought her comfort in mind and happiness in soul as she said: I feel fine (Hemingway: 3). In my idea Hemingway has left some space in this story for the reader to think ab out different aspects of modern life in a consumer society and the conflicts that modern people experience in their lives in their ways to reach happiness.

Examining for Aphasia Essay -- Language

Introduction Examining For Aphasia was created in 1954 by John Eisenson in New York (Eisenson, 1954). It was one of the first tests for assessing language impairment (Benson & Ardila, 1996) and provides a guided approach for evaluating language disturbances and other disturbances closely related to language function (Eisenson, 1954). The materials and procedures were developed originally for use with a group of patients in an army hospital who had aphasia and related disturbances (Eisenson, 1954, p. 32). Continued use of the original inventory resulted in refinements and improvement and testing of civilian patients has ‘shown the applicability of various parts of the test as well as of the examination as a whole’ (Eisenson, 1954, p. 32) Purpose The purpose of Examining for Aphasia (EFA) is to examine adolescents and adults whose language abilities have become impaired after normal language functioning had been established, with its main purpose being to ascertain the type and level of the language dysfunction (Eisenson, 1954). It aims to help the clinician discover what abilities remain, and to form the basis of a program of retraining. Eisenson (1954) states that results of the examination 'enable the clinician to obtain an overall view of the patient's strengths and weaknesses, as well as determine the 'level of ability within a given area of language function' (Browndyke, 2002). Construction The examination is divided into two main parts. The first includes items to test abilities and to reveal disturbances in the patient’s capacity to deal with concrete materials, visual representation, and symbols which are presented to the patient for simple recognition or for evaluations (Benson & Ardila, 1996); that is their ability ... ...yke, J. (2002). Aphasia Assessment Retrieved 9 May 2012, from http://www.neuropsychologycentral.com/interface/content/resources/page_material/resources_general_materials_pages/resources_document_pages/aphasia_assessment.pdf Eisenson, J. (1954). Examining for aphasia : a manual for the examination of aphasia and related disturbances. New York: Psychological Corporation. Kagan, A., Simmons-Mackie, N., Victor, J. C., & Aphasia Institute. (2010). Assessment for living with aphasia (pp. 1 instructional manual (26 p.), 25 record booklets (24 p.), 21 pictographic booklet (43 p. on easel), 21 rating scale card, 21 probe question card, 25 score sheets, and 21 instructional DVD). Toronto: Aphasia Institute. Skenes, L. L., & McCauley, R. J. (1985). Psychometric review of nine aphasia tests. Journal of Communication Disorders, 18(6), 461-474. doi: 10.1016/0021-9924(85)90033-4

Limit Pricing and Oligopolies

Limit pricing is the type of pricing wherein firms discourage entrants to the market by choosing a low price that is below short-run profit maximizing price but above the competitive level. Firms who engage in limit pricing are forfeiting current profits to earn future profits. The output is being maintained despite the presence of entrants. However, there are still issues whether the application of limit pricing models is profitable for firms (2002). A firm engages in limit pricing by choosing its price and output while an entrant cannot sufficiently cover the average total cost of the remaining market demand. An established firm that is threatened by an entry in a single-period could use limit price as the highest price. This will block the entry. As first explained by Modigliani in 1958, it was assumed that entrants would expect that incumbent firm will continue production at an entry-limiting output with an entry present. It is the same as the Cournot Competition wherein firms believe that its competitors will continue production at the current levels (McAuliffe, 1997). On the other hand, â€Å"classic limit pricing† is another pricing policy where limit pricing allows established firms to earn economic profits while they are preventing the occurrence of entry. It happens if there are economies of sale in production even if the entrants and the incumbent firms have the same costs (McAuliffe, 1997). Another model is explained by Gaskin in 1971, called the dynamic limit pricing. It happens if there are threats from potential competition to a firm for current and future periods. The firms would now depend the rate of entry from the difference between the current price and their marginal costs. If a firm would want to earn high profits at current period, it will set a high price. However, the number of entry will also increase while the price and profit are likely to decrease in the future. On the other hand, if an established firm decided for a lower price, both the entry and the profits will decrease. Moreover, if the firms do not have any cost over the entrants, it will lose its position then the market will be competitive. The competitive outcome of the market however is not astonishing at all since only the price is used by the firm (McAuliffe, 1997). Both in the classic and dynamic limit pricing, the market power of the established firms are restricted due to the potential competition. In the end, they have no choice but to set the price under monopoly level. However, the expectation from an entrant that a firm would always maintain its output is not always true. After the entry period, both firms would earn high profits through high prices and restricted output. An established firm therefore with maintained output after the existence of an entry is not always a threat for an entrant. Otherwise, the established firm should bind for the current period   in order to obtain high profits with high output for the next periods (McAuliffe, 1997). Successful limit pricing could affect the market structure however few firms do set prices equal to or below the monopoly level to discourage entry. Major American companies use different strategies such as advertising and product proliferation  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   to discourage entry (McAuliffe, 1997). Competition is important in the American economy system but what if there is only a small number of competing companies? This condition falls under the oligopoly market. Unlike the monopoly where there is only one seller and many buyers, in oligopoly there is more than one seller (Schenk). In oligopoly, there may be homogenous or heterogeneous products; however entry is deterred by legal restrictions such as banking, minimum efficient scale such as overnight mail service , or strategic behavior (2008). Oligopoly has different models such as the Cournot-Nash Equilibrium of Duopoly and the Collusive Oligopoly. Cournot focused only on duopoly where there are only two firms competing assuming that both sell the same products produced at zero marginal cost. Both firm engage in output that is profit-maximizing expecting that the output of the other firms is maintained or held constant (Lipsey and Crystal, 2007). Under Cournot-Nash equilibrium, duopolists are competing for the quantities where each produces less than a monopoly. However, the sum of the production of both duopolists is more than the monopoly but their economic profits are less than the monopoly. The price is always less than monopoly level but not more than the competitive price (2008). Under Cournot equilibrium, firms would earn less than a monopoly because the duopolists’ outputs are more then the monopoly output. They would earn however more than the perfectly competitive firms since they could decrease the price upon increasing output (Lipsey and Crystal, 2007). Each competing firm is expected to adjust their outputs. However, if they cannot make any more adjustments then equilibrium is reached (Hobbs, 2001). Unlike Cournot-Nash equilibrium with doupolists as competing firms, in collusive oligopoly the firms cooperate in order to have a monopoly power. They may agree in setting price and dividing the output therefore gaining the quantity a monopoly produces and earning the economic profits a monopoly can. The firms are now earning more than doupoly profits (2008). There are many factors for collusion such as the number of sellers, personalities, equality of shares, costs of each firm, and others. There is a possibly that a collusion might disintegrate especially if the firm begin competing and cheating with the other firms (Schenk). Monopolies in the U.S. are most likely to be regulated by the government unlike the oligopolies. Price-fixing by the collusive oligopolies however is not allowed unless for agricultural cooperatives and professional sports league (2006). Collusion oligopolies, just like the doupoly, could turn into competition as well. Firms begin violating the production limits and producing more than they have to. Besides, the price tends to be lower. In the end, the collusion becomes unsuccessful. Bibliography OECD 2002, Limit Pricing, viewed 6 May 2007, . NC State University 2006, Collusive Oligopolies, viewed 6 May 2008, . 2008 Oligopoly, viewed 6 May 2008, . Hobb, B.K. 2001, Cournot Equilibrium, viewed 6 may 2008, . Lipsey, R. G. & Crystal, A. 2007, Doupoly. Oxford University Press, viewed 6 May 2008, . McAuliffe, R. E. 1997, Encyclopedic Dcitionary of Managerial Economics, Blackwell Punlishing, viewed 6 May 2008, . Schenk, R. The Theory of Few Sellers, viewed 6 May 2008, .