The economic effects of intellectual property laws Research Paper

The economic effects of intellectual property laws - Research Paper Example It is worth mentioning that property rights can be owned by a person under the US Intellectual Property Law in three major forms in terms of Patents, Copyrights, and Trademarks. Patents are defined as the exclusive rights which are granted for a specific period of time to a particular invention in any kind of technology related fields having the potential of industrial application. In case the technology based inventions have been conducted under the supervision and with the funds of a corporate entity, the patent for such inventions is to be entitled to the corporate entity/entities engaged with the invention process through a contract or agreement where the breach of agreement to sell the patent with the consent of other parties (when there are more than one entity engaged) shall also be termed as infringement of the rights (VoiceFill v. West Interactive Corporation et. al.). Similarly, copyrights are also a kind of exclusive rights which are issued to authorships related to the fi elds of art or literature for a specific period of time. Trademarks deal with the exclusive rights for any kind of specific sign or a particular combination of multiple signs which can distinguish the identity of one good and/or service from the other such as in the case of company logo. Unlike other exclusive IP rights, the trademarks are not effective for only a specified time period, but can be held by the creator(s) (i.e. mostly a corporate entity) until they wish to sell the property right to someone else (Valmont Industries, Inc. v. Lindsay Corporation et. al.). It is in this context that the infringement of either of these rights in order to use the properties without permission is called piracy which is strictly prohibited under the US Intellectual... This paper critically evaluates the American government policy in the sphere of protection of the intellectual property, which directly influence not only the growth of domestic economy, but the economic state of most developing economies, as well. Intellectual property (IP) is often defined as the personalized ideas, inventions, as well as gathered information by an entity that can either be a corporate, a person or even a group of people. These intellectual properties are considered to possess significant commercial value in the local, national as well as global market. It can be stated that the enforcement of intellectual property laws have a considerable impact on the economic structure of a country. For instance, by restricting the unwanted and unpermitted use of the IPs, the law tends to raise the value of the patents, trademarks and encourage innovation. On the contrary, enforcing Intellectual Property Laws can also result in decreased employment, especially in the developing economies where a considerable proportion of the entire labor population is engaged in manufacturing and selling the ideas without permission It is worth mentioning that FDIs and international trade relationships are considered to be quite vital , as major drivers of growth and development along with innovation. It is necessary to identify what implications Intellectual Property Rights have on the international trade relations and the generation of FDIs so as to have a better insight to the economic growth and development

Using Humor to Survive Tragedy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Using Humor to Survive Tragedy - Essay Example Not a single character in the play profits from propriety. The not so serious characters are the ones who  benefit  in the end; and it is because of their  frivolous  behavior all through the play. This indicates that there is little, if any,  benefit  to being modest. In bill Cosby’s words, when one finds laughter, they can survive some of the worst moments in life.  By using humor, one can  stand  up to the challenges that life brings, no matter tragic they may be.  Situations in life are always changing; once one finds an  intriguing  way to survive a  dark  session, they will make it to the happy parts. In The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar puts the conventions in the Victorian times aside and presents us the absurdity of such an  ardent  attachment  to seriousness. The  play  presents two young men, Algernon and Jack. Algernon is the symbol of un-earnestness, and Jack is his  ward  in jocularity and deceit. Marriage is of utmost significance in The Importance of Being Earnest. This is because it is what drives the  plot  and is the  primary  subject  for  philosophical  debate and speculation. We  are introduced  to the nature of marriage for the first time when Algernon is talking to his butler, Lane. The subject of marriage stays on for the most part of the  play  as it develops. Jack and Algernon talk about the important things in marriage, and what matters in it. They  talk  of it as either a matter of â€Å"pleasure† or â€Å"business†. During Victorian times, there were conventions on marriage; with  regard  to its  purpose  and  nature. These include such things as the social position of a person, the  income  the person had as well as the person’s  character. Algernon and jack are remarkably in the know of these assumptions, as well. Society expects them to follow these conventions, but they do not. They ridicule th ese customs, and, in situations where they cannot, they assume the

How conservative was Hogarth's view of London Essay

How conservative was Hogarth's view of London - Essay Example Hogarth’s important works: Hogarth’s paintings portray a view of London streets that is bustling and chaotic, such that a viewer looking at the paintings gets a feeling almost of claustrophobia because they appear to be so packed and close. The angle and view which the artist presents make the view feel as if s/he is walking through crowded streets in London, as opposed to neat and well ordered ones. This feeling of being crowded and congested may be noted especially in his work titled â€Å"Southwark Fair (the humours of a fair) which is dated January 1733. This particular painting is centred around the church of St. George in Southwark. This particular painting may be a follow on of the series of eight paintings which comprised the series known as the â€Å"rake’s progress†. These were first presented by Hogarth as canvases and depicted the life of Tom Rakewell , the son of a rich merchant, who comes to London and spends away all his money on prostituti on and gambling, so that he is finally sent off to prison and on to bedlam. The last painting in the series shows an insane and violent Tom consigned to a mental hospital and the painting titled â€Å"Southwark fair† might represent Tom’s descent into bedlam.. ... As Brennan (2009) has pointed out, one out of every five women in London during that time period were prostitutes. There was a high demand for virgins and the noblemen paid a high price for the privilege of deflowering virgins. Hogarth’s portrayal of these prostitutes in his works, as also further detailed below, points out that monetary considerations took precedence over morality and virtue. Young women could earn much higher sums of money by selling out their bodies to high paying men, as opposed to plying an honest trade and working as maids or in similar professions. Hence, greed was the sole motive for the eschewing of virtue and Hogarth’s portrayal of these prostitutes is such that a fall is inevitably associated with the lives of these harlots, after years of fattening of their wallets through their earnings. Hogarth’s works of art question the existing moral standards in the London of his day. In an exhaustive discussion of black slaves and the moral and social connotations that were associated with the training of the former slaves into docile houseboys, Molineaux has noted that owning a black houseboy had become equivalent to owning a pet or a dog, so that the sight of white ladies with their black slaves had become fairly common in London. In his series of works titled â€Å" A harlot’s progress† that consist of six different plates, Hogarth details the story of a young woman who arrives in London and descends into prostitution. The second print shows the harlot in luxurious surroundings, ensconced in a parlor owned by a rich Jewish merchant, where the harlot is also attended by a monkey and a black slave, thereby signifying in a satirical manner, the so called â€Å"high standing† that this woman has attained by virtue of being the rich Jewish

Smart Grid Resolution, London Waste Dump Site and Maladroits Cosmetics Essay Example for Free

Smart Grid Resolution, London Waste Dump Site and Maladroits Cosmetics Essay One of the benefits of investing in this $100 million project includes rerouting power around bottlenecked lines. This allows Xcel Energy to deliver electricity to areas in Boulder that have a very high demand that the previous conventional electrical grid was unable to service effectively. This smart-grid system also enables Xcel Energy to detect and reduce power outages, identify false alarms more quickly and read customer meters remotely. This in return will lead to a reduction in the number of times the service crews are sent out to those locations, thus making the service crews more productive. Combining the efficiency of the smart-grid electrical system and the reduction of outages will allow Xcel Energy to capture cost-savings more appropriately. Additionally, this electrical smart-grid allows customers to monitor their individual power use reducing household usage by up to 30% in some cases, thereby enhancing customer satisfaction. Although this may lead to a decrease in revenue for Xcel Energy, the smart-grid system enables integration of renewable generation, an increase in overall system efficiency, a more robust electrical system and an ability to recover under-utilized and wasted energy. We can’t say for sure, but this may actually benefit Xcel Energy in the long-run as they will recover lost revenue through their decreased operational costs using the smart-grid electrical system. What conflicts do you suspect might have occurred between all the different stakeholders in this project? In any project there are four main stakeholders. This includes Client, Parent Organization, Project Team and the Public. In the case of Xcel Energy’s smart-grid project, both the client and public would be the population of Boulder, CO. The Parent Organization is Xcel Energy and the project team includes representatives from Accenture consulting for engineering, energy industry consultants, leading technologists, business leaders and IT experts. Accenture provides consulting solutions in many major industrial sectors. According to the text, Accenture consulting for engineering was hired. Additionally, IT experts were also brought onto the team. Accenture provides IT solutions as part of their consulting portfolio so there may be some conflict between the two parties due to their different backgrounds and methods of doing business. Also security and privacy were of utmost importance to protect intellectual property, so it is in the best interests of the project team and the parent organization to control how much information they gave to the public and local media. However, the latter of the two recipients may have wanted more information, specifically, how this affects their electricity costs and demands in the long run causing another source of conflict. Internally, members of the project team will experience conflict caused by belonging to two different teams – their project team and functional team. Often, the head of the teams are two different people with different motives and goals, and the members have the responsibility to report to both and are therefore pulled in two different directions. The members of the project team experience almost total conflict as they compete for project resources and leadership roles. This is caused in part by the different backgrounds, attitudes and biases of each member. This would be especially apparent in the Xcel project where members from many different companies and departments are brought together, each with a unique way of accomplishing the tasks and work packages of the project. Turning London’s Waste Dump into the 2012 Olympics Stadium Which of the â€Å"triple constraints† seems to be the uppermost here? Which constraints was Crockford trading between? The text says Crockford â€Å"quickly† assembled a project team of over 1000 individuals in order to meet the mid-2011 completion date. A constant referral to time is also observed. The start date of construction was noted as May 2008 and although there was a delay due to re-designing the roof, the text ends by stating that the project was still on track to be completed by mid-2011. Therefore, Schedule is the triple constraint uppermost here. The design team for the 2012 Olympics Stadium planned a highly-compact field of play requiring a steel-beamed roof and on discovering that the steel-beamed roof as designed would create turbulence on the compact field, a lighter, more flexible roof was redesigned, which was made in part from recycled materials. This roof required less steel and cost less than the initial steel-beamed roof designed. Thus, Crockford traded between the Scope (Required Deliverables) and the Cost (Budget limit). Was the life cycle for this project S-shaped, J-shaped, or something else? Considering just the purpose of the river dredging as a project itself, what was the shape of its life cycle? The completion of London’s 2012 Olympic Stadium consisted of selecting the project team (consisting of over 1000 members), cleaning up the chosen site, design of the stadium, construction, delays and finally construction until completion. Therefore, the project life-cycle most likely followed a stretched S-shape curve similar to housing construction projects. The S-shaped curve is categorized by a slow start, followed by a quick build-up and a slow finish. This is a result of the changing levels of resources used during the successive stages of the life-cycle. The slow start in this case would be the clearing of the site and design of the stadium. Construction would also begin slowly but would quickly ramp up once all the raw materials are shipped to the location and base infrastructure completed. There is a delay (not uncommon – almost expected) when the team realizes the steel-beamed roof would create turbulence on the compact field. Finally, construction will slow down as specialized parts are ordered for the final touches (luxury spectator rooms, confectionary stands etc). The river dredging project followed a J-shaped curve. This is characterized by a slow start followed by an exponential increase in project completion over time. Moreover, the expenditure of resources has little correlation with overall progress. The team removed 30,000 tons of silt, gravel and garbage from the river. Getting the cranes and other heavy machinery used to remove garbage from the river would take time, but once there, they can quickly and effectively remove the waste from the river. Were there any ancillary goals for this project? What might they have been? The Olympic Delivery Authority’s goal to use recycled materials in the building of the 2012 Olympic Stadium can be considered as an ancillary goal. The use of recycled materials to build a lighter, more flexible roof creates opportunities whereby a stadium can be completely built from recycled materials in the future. An ancillary goal of making 55,000 of the 80,000 seats temporary would create a profitable stadium in the future because the cost of maintaining the area containing the seats is grossly reduced. Furthermore, a successful stadium results in a successful 2012 Olympics and ultimately increases tourism in England. Finally, Ian Crockford has greatly increased his reputation and experience as a project manager (as well as his subordinates and parent company too) which drastically increases his chances of managing future projects on this scale and beyond. Which of the project-defining factors in Section 1. 1 were active here. The project was identified as important by the Olympic Delivery Authority composed of politicians and other high-ranking members of society. The scope was clearly defined from the beginning of the project and was divided into sub-tasks to achieve the project goals. The due date of the project is also clearly defined as Mid-2011. Many interdependencies were at play such as the recycled metal from the police department and dredging of the river. The project was unique in that it had a temporary seating design, a lighter more flexible roof and designed specifically for the 2012 London Olympics. The budget was limited to ? 32 million and not unlike the Xcel Energy case detailed above; conflicts existed between the different stakeholders of the project. Therefore, all 7 of the project defining factors were active in the construction of the 2012 Olympics stadium. Maladroit Cosmetics Company Which of the three choices do you recommend and why? The third choice, that is, the company that manufactures the machines can handle the installation project for a fee close to what the installation would cost Maladroit is recommended for a number of reasons. The first being hat Maladroit becomes the customer in this transaction, and the company installing the machines would be performing the job and would have to do it according Maladroit’s specifications including any unseen delays not identified in the scope. We are also unsure of the qualifications of the members of her staff and if they capable of undertaking such a high risk project worth $4 million. Finally, she cannot handle the project informally out of office because the project is very important and she would not be able to devote as much time to the project as well as her current duties. If the project was one small machine at a total cost of $4,000, would your answer be different? Yes, we would recommend that she assigns the project to a member of her staff that could potentially be suited for a managerial role in the future. This low risk project would be an excellent test to see how well he or she is able to complete the project deliverables in a cost-effective and timely manner. Discuss the relative importance of the capital investment required versus the role of the investment in machinery. Capital investment can be defined as a commitment of the owner’s money to land, buildings or machinery. In this example, it is the commitment of the owner’s money to the installation of 6 machines worth $4million (note: the plant manager does not necessarily own the machines, rather, the shareholders or owners of the actual company do). The role of the investment in machinery is to replace the filling machines that have become obsolete within 6 months so that the company can continue to produce cosmetic products and generate revenue.

The Elephant Vanishes Haruki Murakami Analysis

The Elephant Vanishes Haruki Murakami Analysis One of the major themes in this story is the idea of things being out of balance. This theme is established when the narrator tells the editor about the importance of unison in kitchen design, as he explains that, Even the most beautifully designed item dies if it is out of balance with its surroundings. The narrator goes on to put emphasis on balance between the environment and the creature that calls it home when he talks about witnessing the change in size of the elephant compared to its keeper. He explains that their size became equal, whether it was the keeper who grew or the elephant that shrank, or perhaps a bit of both. The narrator once again puts across the idea that things around me have lost their proper balance after the disappearance of the two. He is no longer able to take action on his own behalf, as he is haunted by a sense that the urban world is out of balance, and he feels that a kind of natural balance has broken down inside him. Linked to the theme of imbalance is the comparison between reality and appearances. The reporter that is covering the strange occurrence tries very hard to maintain the false impression that the elephant simply escaped, when the facts surrounding the whole thing points to none other than a supernatural vanishing. The narrator points out that this is indeed strange and continues to observe that all of the townspeople try to hide behind a similar guise of normality. This inconsistency between appearances and reality comes up again in the narrators job. He goes about his day as usual and maintains a no-nonsense professional approach even though he himself does not agree that a kitchen must have unity, or any of the other principles his company cites in order to sell the products. The narrator discovers that he cannot decide on the differences between reality and appearance, and while he questions his own perception, he suffers, once again, a sense of disorientation and confusion. Another concern of the story is how modern development has displaced the older, more traditional ways of life. The setting is a prosperous Tokyo suburb in the 1980s, when an economic boom was occurring in Japan. The construction of high-rise condominiums sets the events of the story in motion. These condos replace the old zoo, forcing the elephant to be relocating to a new elephant house. Thus, the keeper and his elephant become a symbol of former ways of life and sensitive relationships, which are being pushed aside by accommodation endeavors. Murakami lightly mocks the absurdity of modern life throughout the story, particularly when the narrator describes the towns reaction to the elephants disappearance. The reactions of various townspeople such as the mayor, a worried-looking mother, the police, Self-Defense Force troops, an anchor, and the reporter show how useless and illogical conventional urban responses can be. As the narrator puts it, the newspaper articles were all either pointless or off the mark. Police response is ridiculous and futile. In all, the absurd public response to the bizarre situation of a misplaced elephant shows, in almost a comic way, how urban mindset fails to imagine, much less comprehend, the implausible or intuitive. Throughout this story, the author reveals subtly that the removal of the old ways of life leaves the people feeling mixed-up. Murakami also puts emphasis on how the new ways create detachment and discomfort. For example, the narrator goes about his job as a public relations executive by abiding to the motto that things you cant sell dont count for much. In reality, he really does not believe this statement, he says it and uses it and it seems to confuse him, making him question his purpose in life. Just like some of the authors other characters, the narrator is single, a loner, and lives by himself with no obvious connections with friends or family. Due to this, he marvels at the connection between the elephant and its keeper, their closeness to one another. Subsequent to the elephants disappearance, the narrator feels low, more isolated, and alone than ever. Murakami uses the motif of water to reinforce readers awareness of disappearance or a sense of dissolution. The narrator, when discussing how the interest factor in the elephants disappearance faded after a few months had passed, states, Amid the endless surge and ebb of everyday life, interest in a missing elephant could not last forever, thus likening daily life to the eroding action of ocean tides. The water motif occurs again several paragraphs later, when the narrator compares summer memories to water flowing into the sewers and rivers, to be carried to the deep, dark ocean. Here too the water motif conveys a sense of things disappearing inevitably into a vast ocean. Since water can evaporate into air and is inherently unstable, this motif mirrors the vanishing, parallels the idea of impermanence, and suggests the narrators sense of being unsettled by a world out of balance. Murakami instills the image of rain into the reader in order to express a sense of gloom and/or sadness. The narrator exemplifies this as he describes the now empty elephant house, A few short months without its elephant had given the place an air of doom and desolation that hung there like a huge, oppressive rain cloud. Afterward, when he is talking to the editor, he mentions the presence of a quiet, dam rain, once again putting forth the existence of an unrelenting, corroding, and perturbing force. Their conversation starts to take a strange course at the mention of the elephant and afterwards the narrator makes a comparison with the melting ice in the editors drink to a tiny ocean current. With this image, it is possible that Murakami again creates an ambience of things dissolving in some sinister, enveloping force. In my opinion, Murakami did an amazing job embedding themes throughout his short story The Elephant Vanishes. He used his abstract writing to convey important societal messages like imbalance, perception, and the views of modern living. Murakami also made the story more personal by incorporating a first person stance. This single view enhanced the confusion. By using dialogue, his motifs, and his similes, Haruki Murakami kept the story enjoyable and readable, although it is sometimes hard to follow along. At the end of the story, it is difficult not to ask questions about the society portrayed in the book. I believe this is what the author was aiming for and I believe he succeeded. By asking questions about the story, the reader, in actuality, is asking questions about their own world.

Beowulf Prepares for Battle Once Again :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

Beowulf Prepares for Battle Once Again The section in which Beowulf gets ready for another monster begins with Hrothgar informing him of Aeschere's death. The murder has been committed by Grendel's mother who comes to avenge her son's death. This is the proper thing for her to do in this society. Revenge was of great importance in Pagan society. It was the norm to avenge a murder, especially if no wergild was paid. Hrothgar offers Beowulf additional wealth if he can find and kill the female monster. This arrangement Hrothgar makes with Beowulf, for a second time, is referred to as comitatus. Beowulf tells Hrothgar not to worry, that Aeschere's killer will be found. He reminds Hrothgar that time must not be wasted on sorrow when revenge must be taken immediately. He promises Hrothgar that the woman will "not be lost." Beowulf will seek her out at the bottom of the lake, where her home is located, and kill her. This promise that Beowulf makes is called a boast. Hrothgar thanks God that Beowulf has said this because his frie nd's murder must be avenged and the murderer stopped before she kills again. Hrothgar and his thanes gather and go with Beowulf to search for the woman's home. They know it is in a pool not far from the hall. By following the monster's tracks through a narrow, difficult path, they soon find the lake. The Danes are then horrified to see Aeschere's head on the "sea-cliff" above the water. Through all this action, the horn that continually plays the war song is mentioned. The pool is described as hot and bloody in the passage. This may be a reference to the Christian element of hell. The lake may allude to hell, not only because of the bloody appearance of the water, but also because of the grotesque serpents swimming in it. Serpents have been associated with evil in Christianity. In the Biblical story of Adam and Eve, Eve was tempted by an evil serpent. The snakes in the lake are probably there to enhance the atmosphere of evil in the region. A third reason why the home of the monsters may be likened to hell has to do with who Grendel is. Hell, in Christianity, is a place where people who have sinned must go to suffer. Grendel is a descendant of Cain, who committed fratricide, (killing of one's own brother or a brother-slayer), probably the most horrible act one could be guilty of, especially in this warrior society.

Personal Narrative: My First Day at School Essay -- essays research p

My first day at school My first day at school was a new adventure for me. I had to wear a school uniform: a blue dress and handmade leather sandals. Having run around all but naked for the first eight years of my life, it was very exciting. At school we learnt about Australian culture and its social classes as well as social classes worldwide. Throughout my studies I learnt that Australia wasn't a classless society. The class to which a person belonged determined how they were treated and we learnt through two particular films:' Educating Rita' (Willy Russell, 1983) and 'My Fair Lady' (Bernard Shaw, 1964) that it is indeed possible to break the mould and change where you end up in life. Rita is a twenty-six year old hairdresser from Liverpool who wants an education. Not the sort of education that would get her a better job or higher wages, but an education that would give her more choices and freedom. Rita wants to be a different person and lead a different sort of lifestyle she has led previously. ?Educating Rita? describes the tests and alterations that the young hairdresser has to go through to develop from a person with very little education to someone who passes her exams with distinctions. Frank Bryant teaches comparative literature and it is his job to teach Rita. Frank has lost all enthusiasm for his job. He loathes most of his students, and the main purpose of the rows of classical literature in the bookshelves in his office is to hide the whiskey bottles. Rita is seen as a lower class citizen. She has very little education and describes a religious painting as ?pornography of its days?, she drops the end consonants of her words and swears often. As she?s walking down towards her house it?s raining and looks ve... ...hange in confidence. Just like Rita, she has developed a sense of worth and no longer endures all of the insults like she use to and this is easily seen when she exclaims , ?I won?t be passed over?I want a little kindness?.am not the dirt under you feet?I stand alone without you? In both of the films we are swayed to side with Rita and Eliza because they are battling against impossible odds by trying to attain education. We are led to disprove of Frank?s and Henry?s attitudes towards their students and social class because they have everything that most people dream of, yet they don?t seem as thankful. Both of these films are displaying a uniform message to its audience. Education, in another word, is emancipation. It is the liberation of a person from a member of a stereotypical society to an active agent who can choose and change where he or she ends up in life.