Women Entrepreneurs In Khulna

Women Entrepreneurs In Khulna Free Online Research Papers Existing sex ratio in demographic structure of Bangladesh indicates that women comprise almost 50% of the total population. They are essential part of nation’s human resources. Due to this demographic structure, the issue of the participation of women in the mainstream economy is imperative. Without a meaningful and active participation of women, half of the total population, in regular economic activities, a dynamic and sustainable economy is impossible. A sustainable economy is a precondition for national growth and prosperity including institutionalization of a democratic system. It is also impossible to achieve the target of a poverty-free society without incorporation of women in the mainstream economy. Considering the issue, a special emphasis has been given by the Government, donor agencies, NGOs, business community and all other relevant stakeholders through different interventions to ensure increased women’s participation in formal economic sector, especially in business and industry. The major initiatives undertaken by the Government so far included establishment of a separate ministry on women’s affairs, formulation of the National Policy for Advancement of Women-2008 and the National Action Plan. The Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), which is now the main document for national development in Bangladesh, also incorporated some noteworthy issues to ensure women’s participation in social and econom ic life. The industrial and SME policies 2005 of Bangladesh Government have emphasized women entrepreneurship development, particularly in SME sector. Despite various initiatives from different corner of the state, the level of participation of women in the mainstream economic activities, especially private sector, remains insufficient and the percentage of women in business and industry is still below than that of their male counterpart. Due to govt. budgetary limitations for Khulna city, the once-titled â€Å"Industrial City† has lost its good days and also the business environment is yet to be congenial for business enterprises. Likewise other parts of the country, women in Khulna city have also been engaged in small-scale enterprises for their survival and these enterprises have benefitted their family and life.But here has been too few research efforts carried out in Bangladesh on particularly the women entrepreneurship of Khulna City so far. In this paper an attempt is therefore made to evaluate the nature of the women entrepreneurial ventures and their impact on the socio-economic development of these women taking Kh ulna city as the study area. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW Women’s entrepreneurship needs to be studied separately for two main reasons. The first reason is that women’s entrepreneurship has been recognized during the last decade as an important untapped source of economic growth. Women entrepreneurs create new jobs for themselves and others and by being different also provide society with different solutions to management, organization and business problems as well as to the exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities. However, they still represent a minority of all entrepreneurs. Thus there exists a market failure discriminating against women’s possibility to become entrepreneurs and their possibility to become successful entrepreneurs. This market failure needs to be addressed by policy makers so that the economic potential of this group can be fully utilized. While without a doubt the economic impact of women is substantial, we still lack a reliable picture describing in detail that specific impact. Recent efforts initiated by the OECD (1997, 2000) are responses to this lack of knowledge and have focused the attention of policy makers and researchers on this important topic. The second reason is that the topic of women in entrepreneurship has been largely neglected both in society in general and in the social sciences. Not only have women lower participation rates in entrepreneurship than men but they also generally choose to start and manage firms in different industries than men tend to do. The industries (primarily retail, education and other service industries) chosen by women are often perceived as being less important to economic development and growth than high-technology and manufacturing. Furthermore, mainstream research, policies and programs tend to be â€Å"men streamed† and too often do not take into account the specific needs of women entrepreneurs and would-be women entrepreneurs. As a consequence, equal opportunity between men and women from the perspective of entrepreneurship is still not a reality. In order for policy makers to address the situation the report makes a number of recommendations. Many economists, sociologists, psychologists and behavioral scientists have made attempt to define entrepreneurship in their respective fields. The concept in the field of entrepreneurship could be classified into two disciplines: Economic concepts and behavioral concepts. Schumpeter, 1967 clarified entrepreneur as an innovator with potentialities of doing new things, as an economic leader, as a chief conducive function in the process of economic development. McClelland, 1965 views that the supply of entrepreneurship is highly dependent upon the intensity of overachievement motivation, called the â€Å"need for achievement† (n ACH motive). Rahman, 1997 said that, entrepreneurship is the function that is specific to the entrepreneurs’ ability to take the factors of production – land, labor and capital and use them to produce new goods or services. Entrepreneurship is defined as a kind of behavior of a person that includes perceiving economic opportunities, initiat ive taking, creativity and innovation, organizing social economic mechanism to turn resources and situation to practical account and is the acceptance of risk to failure. Women entrepreneurs: A woman entrepreneur is defined as a woman who has alone or with one or more partners, started, bought, or inherited a business, is assuming the related financial, administrative, and social risks and responsibilities, and is participating in the firm’s day-to-day management. Such women are also known as women business owners or women entrepreneurs or self-employed women (LFS, 1996) More recently, a new trend has emerged where women are venturing as entrepreneurs and are contributing to the economic development. Women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh represent a group of women who have broken away form the broken track and are exploring new vistas of economic participation. Their task has been full of challenges (Begum 2000). More recent American research examines in great depth both by motivation by female start-up and the problems faced by a woman when starting a business (Hisrish and Brush, 1984). Motivations for business start-up as Bangladeshi were identified as a desire for job satisfaction, independence and achievement (Begum, R 2000).The major problems, identified by the female respondents in this study, were under capitalization and a lack of knowledge and training in business skills. A majority of the respondents reported difficulties in â€Å"overcoming some of the social beliefs that women are not serious as men about business.† A later study (Hisr ish and Brush, 1996) focused on different types of female-owned business and confirmed the lack of support offered to female proprietors in non-traditional sectors. In a more recent study, Goffee and Scase (1999) use a sample of 54 female proprietors to identify a typology of female entrepreneurs. Four types of female entrepreneurs were identified: a) Conventional entrepreneurs; b) Innovative entrepreneurs, c) Domestic entrepreneurs and d) Radical entrepreneurs. Chowdhury (1988) classified ten types of women entrepreneurs in her study as follows: a) Self made women individual entrepreneurs, b) Trained women industrial entrepreneurs, c) Women entrepreneurs who as wives of business people are involved in production, d) Women are share-holder of commercial firms, e) Women as administrative executives of enterprises, f) Women as inheritor of parents or husbands firms, g) Women as partners in business, h) Researchers turned entrepreneurs, i) Rural women entrepreneurs and j) Industrialis ts cum traders. In spite of women taking entrepreneurship in many challenging fields, the present women entrepreneurial activities in Bangladesh is not very high. Women are participating in starting small-scale industries in the country, out of which only 8% of the industries are run exclusively by women entrepreneurs (LFS, 1996). Entrepreneurial Quality: Entrepreneurial qualities are same for men and women to succeed as entrepreneurs. The major entrepreneurial qualities seen in Bangladeshi women entrepreneurs are that they have confidence, commitment, innovative and creative knowledge, need for achievement, profit oriented, hard work driving energy and risk taking ability (Begum R.2000). 3. PROBLEM STATEMENT Our report paper was constructed with a view to analyzing the present entrepreneurial situation of women in Khulna city and how these entrepreneurial ventures have helped to make them self –reliant in their socio-economic life. In recent years, with the growing tendency to flourish businesses, women are not lagging behind in their contribution to their family and self existence. Although there have been researches in area of entrepreneurship, no specific research has been done on women entrepreneurial ventures on Khulna city. So for a detailed knowledge on women businesses and their motivation to be engaged in such ventures have a special concern for the NGOs, micro-credit institutions and for the policy holders. So this is a effort to have a detailed analysis of women entrepreneurial businesses. 4. OBJECTIVES OF THE REPORT As mentioned earlier, the main objective of the study was to evaluate the nature of women entrepreneurship in Khulna city, its socio-economic impact and also to identify problems and suggest guidelines. Following were the specific objectives of the study: i. To analyze the main entrepreneurial ventures run by women entrepreneurs in Khulna. ii. To show how these enterprises are creating an overall positive impact on their family status and for economic solvency. iii. To identify the major constraints for women entrepreneurship development and giving recommendations for the rapid flourishment of women entrepreneurial ventures. 5. SCOPE OF THE STUDY The study was undertaken in Khulna city which is located in the South-western region of Bangladesh. It is the third largest city in the country. Before proceeding to the formal study, a literature review has been covered on women entrepreneurship. For the convenience of time and resources, the main women entrepreneurial ventures in the metropolitan city have been interviewed and questioned. An emphasis was given on hearing the experience of the women entrepreneurs. The policy recommendations have been suggested with regard to the current scenario and also from the research and report papers of national NGOs.. 6. LIMITATIONS OF THE REPORT The study report faced the concrete statistic data regarding the women entrepreneurial activities of Khulna city. There are no updated numerical figures about the entrepreneurial ventures in the internet and in journals. To be authentic and representative, it has to survey a minimum number of women entrepreneurs from each sector, which was time consuming and demands more time and, the survey does not flow such objective, it aims to work out program for women entrepreneurs of the Khulna City. However, a good number of women entrepreneurs were distributed questionnaire for their uses. Being involved in women entrepreneurship development activities we recognize that there should be an all-covering broad-based survey in this regard to gain a concrete idea for supporting and integrating women entrepreneurs in Khulna city. 7. METHODOLOGY For the completion of the report, we used both primary data and secondary data from various sources. 1. Primary data: The main source of primary data was a number of interviews with women entrepreneurs from several entrepreneurial sectors and structured questionnaires which were answered by the entrepreneurs. For every sector, five entrepreneurs were interviewed. The questionnaires included questions regarding their educational background, family background, family support, initial capital, scope of businesses, services, profit margin and the probability of sustaining businesses amidst various problems. Then our second goal of assessing the impact of these ventures were achieved through giving the entrepreneurs questions regarding the monthly income, supporting family, decision-making skill and have more say in family matters. 2. Secondary data: The main source of secondary data was internet-based journals and research papers for covering literature review on women entrepreneurial situation in Bangladesh. For covering the solutions of the problems of women entrepreneurs, different proposals that have been made were also analyzed and included. 8. ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION In this section, results of data analysis is shown and interpreted. Collected data were analyzed and interpreted in line with the report objectives stated before. Hence, the discussions in this section are divided in main three parts: the first part will include the nature and current scenario of entrepreneurial ventures of women including the constraints of these ventures.. The second part will involve the impact of these entrepreneurial activities on their socio-economic life. The third part will suggest some solution proposal for removing the current barriers of women entrepreneurship development in Khulna city. Scopes and nature of women entrepreneurial venture of Khulna city Through detailed analysis of the answers of the questionnaires, some common women entrepreneurial ventures were identified. ENTREPRENEURIAL VENTURES OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS SL. No. Type of Businesses 1. Beauty parlors 2. Butique shops 3. Poultry farming 4. Tailoring 5. Dairy farming 6. Others 8.1 BEAUTY PARLORS In recent times beauty parlors have become the lucrative business for women entrepreneurs in Khulna. Starting with home-based services they are entering into this venture in a separate commercial basis. As it is mainly a home based entrepreneurship, women are very much interested about the prospect of this business. Actually beauty parlor is such a place where women care women; that means here service provider is women and the customer is also women. For that reason the women who are related with this business, can conduct their business conveniently. It is also a risk less business as women don’t need to invest a lot for their material of beautification. Along with that, a woman is very much interested to make her self stylist and fair in every circumstance for that this is very momentous for her to get help from a beauty parlor. It is found that the main locations of the beauty parlors are South Central Road and New Market. Around South Central Road, there are about 5 beauty parlors, and there are 4 beauty parlors in and around New Market. From the interview with some openers of beauty parlors of South Central Road, we found that the initial capital of starting a parlor few years back was much lower than the present modern well equipped parlors for the emergence of new beautification techniques. The first parlor of this area (Pleasure Beauty Parlor) started its business with only 80,000 taka. But newest parlor of this area (Nanking Beauty Parlor) has started its business with around 12,00,000 taka. And obviously it is very much modern and customers are very interested to go there. For the competition, the other parlors are also trying to give better service to their customers. The parlors of new market have begun their business almost at the same time and the market there is very much competitive. But the pa rlors of this area are not much more popular than those of South Central Road. Here is a table regarding the 10 parlors of Khulna City. For making our study more representative and credible, small medium as well as large parlors were taken as samples. The sample results are given below: Initial investments of the entrepreneurs Amount (in taka) No. Of entrepreneurs Percentage Below 20000 2 20 20001- 90000 2 20 90001- 200010 3 30 200011- 370000 2 20 Above 370000 1 10 total 10 The average monthly turnover of the entrepreneurs is also satisfactory. The average turnover of the studied parlors is Tk. 25000 ranging from Tk. 18000 to Tk. 45000. Profit margin is also very high (40%). The monthly income of the enterprises Amount (in taka) No. of entrepreneurs Percentage Average income Below 20000 1 10 35000 20001 26000 2 20 260001- 35000 3 30 35001- 40000 2 20 40001 45000 2 20 total 10 100 Percentage of profit Percentage of profit No of entreprenurs Percentage Average profit (%) Below 15% 1 10 40 16% 20% 3 30 21- 28% 2 20 29% 36% 2 20 37- 44% 2 20 total 10 100 With the starting of home-based and separate business-location based beauty parlors, women entrepreneurs are now able to supplement their family with handsome income and the women are supposed to have more decision making and participating skills in their family. One particular parlor-owner in South Central Road stated that she was having more confidence in maintaining her family through her steady income. With the flourishment of modern and highly instrument-based parlors, the employment opportunity has been created in those parlors. The parlors in south Central Road on an average have created employment for five women. So, this parlor business is creating a overall impact on their socio-economic lives. The role of BRAC Bank, EBL, and Eastern Bank is significant for financing this SME. BRAC bank is giving is providing low-interest short-term credit to women entrepreneurs in this sector. CARE, UNNAYAN and some few other NGOs are providing low-interest credit to parlor-owners. But st ill govt. banks are reluctant to provide financial support for SMEs. So there should be more proper govt. policies for the growth of beauty parlors and other women SMESs 8.2 BUTIQUE SHOPS Butique shops are the second largest business sector where we found more women entrepreneurs. There are many Butique shops situated in Khulna city. Lion’s shares of these shops are owned by women entrepreneurs. In Butique shops new designed and fashionable dresses are made and sold. They also take orders from the customers. Customers suggest their own design or select from their catalog. Embroidery, batic, applic, karchupi and different types of design are done in these Butique shops. These shops are mainly small business and very few workers work in these shops. We have found that not more than five workers work in a shop and average number of workers are three. These shops need not too much capital to start but the return is much more appreciable. We have found many Butique shops in New Market, Baitur Nur Shopping complex, Jalil Tower and Daulatpur Bazar in Khulna city. The following table shows some Butique shops in Khulna city. Initial investments of the entrepreneurs Amount (in taka) No. Of entrepreneurs percentage Below 20000 3 30 20001- 90000 2 20 90001- 200010 2 20 200011- 370000 1 10 Above 370000 2 20 Total 10 100 The monthly income of the enterprises Amount (in taka) No. of entrepreneurs Percentage Average income Below 20000 2 20 25000 20001 26000 1 10 260001- 35000 3 30 35001- 40000 2 20 40001 45000 2 20 Total 10 100 Percentage of profit Percentage of profit No of entrepreneurs Percentage Average profit (%) Below 15% 2 20 30 16% 20% 3 30 21- 28% 2 20 29% 36% 2 20 37- 44% 1 10 Total 10 100 Because of less capital needed and also for the demand this sector becomes much attractive to the women entrepreneurs. But the competition also becomes higher and higher in recent years. 8.3 POULTRY FARM Poultry is another thriving sector in which women entrepreneurs are getting the advantage of running it as home business. In an interview with five women entrepreneurs from different regions of Khulna we found a positive ground for being engaged in such business, although the fear of Bird-flu is causing some discouragement among women regarding the continuation of poultry. Five women entrepreneurs from Sonadanga, Boyra, and Daulatpur have been interviewed. The average initial capital for starting a firm having 500 chickens has been observed to be Tk. 2 lakhs. Women entrepreneurs reported that they calculate their income and profit margin in terms of sale of chickens and eggs at every term, One entrepreneur from Boyra has reported that for the sale of a 500 chicken package, on an average tk. 30000 is earned as profit margin. On another study from an entrepreneur from Sonadanga, this particular layer firm owner has stated that, from the selling of every piece of egg, 50 paisa is earned as profit margin. So, for the sale of 1000 eggs, Tk. 500 remains as profit margin. So, by selling 500 eggs daily, this women entrepreneur earns 250 tk. profit margin daily. So, considering this women entrepreneurs are being more encouraged to run such business, because they can run it with their household chores side by side. Generally, no employment opportunity is being created for other women except for the self-employment of the entrepreneur. But for the bigger socio-economic impact, women are adding income to their family matters and women are becoming self-reliant by being engaged in poultry. Estimate of expense and income margin Quantity of output Approximate expenses(tk) Approximate revenues(tk) 300 chickens 60,000 90,000 500 chickens 100,000 140,000 500 eggs 2,500 250 1000 eggs 5000 500 Considering the present scenario, women entrepreneurs have identified the following problems and obstacles in their running poultry firm : Increased price of poultry feed items Not rising the price of chickens in proportion to the production cost Lack of financial support from financial institutions Losing encouragement due to Bird-flu Profit margin not increasing much So, in removing the present barriers, most of the poultry owners have reported the following remedies for the smooth completion of their business : Govt. To take initiative for not spreading the fear of Bird-Flu Providing regulatory measures by the govt. not to increase the price of feed items Training facilities from govt. and NGOS. Low-interest rated credits 8.4 TAILORING Most of the women seeking for doing something prefer to start a tailoring shop. As they are normally introvert so they like to work in the environment dominated by her and the stakeholders will be women. It is tailoring shop which fulfills all the requirements. Mainly girls and women are customers here so tailors shop is a good choice for the women to start a business. With the initial capital like thirty to fifty thousands taka women start a tailoring shop. Before that women have to train for tailoring. And in the tailoring shop they act both as tailor and master. We have found that average workers work in a shop is about three to four. Business and demand of the service of a particular shop depends on the updated fashionable dress. Initial investments of the entrepreneurs Amount (in taka) No. Of entrepreneurs percentage Below 20000 2 20 20001- 90000 2 20 90001- 200010 3 30 200011- 370000 2 20 Above 370000 1 10 Total 10 100 The monthly income of the enterprises Amount (in taka) No. of entrepreneurs Percentage Average income Below 20000 2 10 25000 20001 26000 2 15 260001- 35000 3 25 35001- 40000 2 25 40001 45000 1 25 Total 10 100 Percentage of profit Percentage of profit No of entrepreneurs Percentage Average profit (%) Below 15% 2 10 25 16% 20% 2 20 21- 28% 3 20 29% 36% 2 25 37- 44% 1 25 Total 10 100 8.5 DAIRY FARMING Dairy Farming is another profitable venture in which poor and lower-income classes of women are being involved more. From interviews with five women entrepreneurs in this sector, we identified the following reasons for growing it more : Family business Capital is not too high compared to other home business Easy for maintenance and care of cattles Usage of cow dungs as the fuel for poor women Making of fertilizer through processing cow dungs Satisfactory profit through selling milk Considering the haphazard and irregular estimate of their buying and selling of cattles, women entrepreneurs could not give accurate estimate of their business. But, on an average, their whole cost of rearing and feeding cattles are compensated through the selling of milk. Occasional selling of cattles although dont help the women. So, 6 out of the five women said their dairy farming was unsatisfactory and they would rather give it up. The rest of the 4 women expressed their businesss is running well enough to support their family. The result of their monthly income is as follows. Monthly income of the entrepreneurs Amount (in tk) No.of entrepreneurs Percentage (%) Average monthly income Below 3000 3 30 3500 3001-4000 4 40 4001-5000 2 20 5001-5500 1 10 In an effort to analyze the positive impact of the dairy business in the life of women is their solo dependence of this family venture. Women have been able to support the education of their children and making savings in the local Samites and NGOs. Women have become more sensible in their family matters and their decision-making capability has been reported to be more extensive than ever before. On giving policy recommendations for the flourishment of such cattle business, the following measures have been suggested: More easy micro-credits from local NGOs. Expansion of govt. training programs in such fields Innovation of nutritious cow and goat feeds 8.6 OTHER SECTORS TEA-STALL Another sector of women entrepreneurship is tea-stall. Women are starting these shops to contribute in the family income. These shops need too little investment. So, lower middle class and poor women are usually found in this business. In this shop biri, cigarette, snacks, paan etc are also sold. We interviewed some of the entrepreneurs and found that average initial capital needed is approximately five thousands taka. No worker is usually needed because here the owner is the seller. Monthly income is about fifteen thousands taka and the profit is about approximately four thousands taka. Fish selling, vegetable cultivation, mat weaving are some other minor sectors in which women are doing better and bringing a minimal income to their family. In New Market, Nirala Bazar and Natun Bazar and in footpaths, women have been reported to be involved in fish and vegetable selling. Although no overall reliable data have been found, yet fish and vegetable selling are their major source of income. VENDORS women became involved in selling as vendors or hawkers, because they didnot have other sources of support. Majority of these women had to fend for their families as amale breadwinner was absent due to divorce, separation, death or disability of husband.Some said that their husbands left them or married again and they had to take care of thechildren. Some started work after they returned to their fathers home. Some women startedworking to support their families after their husband died. A couple of women said theirhusbands were disabled and they had to take the main responsibility to look after the family.In pursuing businesswomen received support from other women entrepreneurs and NGOs.Some male business persons also helped the women. In describing the advantages of being a vendor, women said they receive a greater return ontheir sales. They also felt that if more women vendors came to the market, then more womenbuyers would also come. Some women who go to the market as buyers said that if the pricewas right, they would prefer to buy from women. They feel more comfortable buying theirpersonal items from women.From the vulnerability matrix exercise, among potential women vendors and existing womenvendors, availability of and access to capital emerged as the main constraint for women. Men have more resources and social connections which provide them greater access to capital. That gives them a competitive edge. Moreover, women face gender bias when trying to get their space in the market. Vegetable vendors in Bagerhat described the harassment they faced, some times face hazards from the Izaradaar to sit on the vegetable platform. They have specific area but sometimes someone else occupies the spot by giving more sit ting charge. Capital constraint is an even bigger issue for women who operate fixed shops. The three fixedshops started by women without government assistance are shabby and very small.. Women had said that if they had the capital, they would decorate the shop to make it look more attractive. The barriers which have been found by women in this regard are as follows: Unavailability of suitable places in the sides of markets Dominance in business by male counterparts Lack of effort for cultivating vegetable through scientific process Lack of financial support for starting a large-scale business 9. OBSTACLES SPECIFIC TO STARTING NEW WOMEN BUSINESS VENTURES Firstly, women in general lack human and financial capital and that their opportunities are related to their idiosyncratic experiences it is difficult to separate out if they are discriminated against because of their sex, or because of lack of human and financial capital. If it is the latter, then the financial institution has not discriminated against a person based on his or her sex. The financial institution has just tried to optimise its loan portfolio based on those that probably have the highest chance to make a firm survive and prosper. Secondly, three areas have been identified as potential or real problems for women when it comes to financing: a) women may be disadvantaged in raising the initial capital to start a new firm; b) collateral needed for external financing may be above the wealth level of most women; c) finance for an existing firm may be less available, because women are less likely than men to penetrate informal financial networks. Thirdly, results indicate that women still perceive a negative attitude from financial institutions such as banks and other lending institutions. This negative attitude arises due to two possible reasons as discussed in the literature: a) women are not viewed as entrepreneurs due to the attitudes formed by traditional gender roles; b) women engage in industries that the financial institutions are not used to handle (as personal services, care, etc.). Also in the personal networks and the family it is harder for women to find financial resources to start a business. 10. KEY POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS Based on these findings, policy measures to support women’s entrepreneurship can be several types: Ensuring the availability of affordable child care and equal treatment in the work place. More generally, improving the position of women in society and promoting entrepreneurship generally will have benefits in terms of women’s entrepreneurship. Listen to the voice of women entrepreneurs. The creation of government offices of women’s business ownership is one way to facilitate this. Such offices could have programme responsibilities such as providing women’s business centres, organizing information seminars and meetings and/or providing web-based information to women. Incorporate a women’s entrepreneurial dimension in the formation of all SME-related policies. This can be done by ensuring that the impact on womens entrepreneurship is taken into account at the design stage. Govt. and NGOs providing loan at lower interest rates and creating opportunity for training and facilitating the environment of business More research work on women entrepreneurs and the strengthening of Women and Child Ministry. Knowledge about women’s entrepreneurship and valuable tools for its development and promotion. Co-operation and partnerships between national and international networks can facilitate entrepreneurial endeavors by women in a global economy. Periodically evaluate the impact of any SME-related policies on the success of women-owned businesses and the extent to which such businesses take advantage of them. The objective should be to identify ways to improve the effectiveness of those that should be retained. Good practices that are identified in this way should be disseminated and shared internationally. 11. CONCLUSION From the detailed analysis of the women entrepreneurial ventures, women are observed to be more willing to achieve self-employment and self-reliance. The selected women entrepreneurs of Khulna city have mainly started their business for their survival rather than meeting self-actualization needs. Some sectors like beauty parlors, boutique and tailoring are really doing a lucrative job for women entrepreneurs whereas the performance of other business like dairy farming and vendors are not satisfactory as to be more growth-oriented. But, still lots of possibilities are there and if govt. women policy gives more emphasis of women entrepreneurship, then women entrepreneurs will be more encouraged. Besides, Women Entrepreneurs Association (WEA) can arrange more financial capital and technical knowledge for women in Khulna. For one thing, low govt. budget for Khulna region has severely harmed the women entrepreneurship. So, for building up more varied women ventures and rapid growth of exi sting ventures, a clear cut SME and women entrepreneurship policy needs to be formulated and through this , women will be capable enough to bring a positive socio-economic impact in their life. 12. APPENDIX 12.1 QUESTIONNAIRE: 12.2 REFERENCES: 1. Islam, Nazrul: Entrepreneurship Development With special references to Bangladesh 2. Womens Access to Markets Vulnerabilities and Constraints: Project of care Bangladesh 3. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (2006). Statistical Year Book of Bangladesh 2006 4. Agnello and Moller (2006). Women Micro-entrepreneurs and their Business Needs, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Urban Sector group ILO 5. managementhelp.org/aboutfml/privacy.htm 6. erim.eur.nl/entrepreneurship 7. entrepreneurship-sme.eu/index.cfm/12,html?nxt=ctm_publikatiebestelnummer=R200809 8. http://ideas.repec.org/stepbystep.html Research Papers on Women Entrepreneurs In KhulnaInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesPETSTEL analysis of IndiaThe Fifth HorsemanMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductResearch Process Part One19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraDefinition of Export QuotasPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionTwilight of the UAW

The Chemical Composition of Rubbing Alcohol

The Chemical Composition of Rubbing Alcohol One of the types of alcohol you can buy over the counter is rubbing alcohol, which is used for disinfection and may be applied to the skin to produce a cooling effect. Do you know the chemical composition of rubbing alcohol? It is a mixture of denatured alcohol, water, and agents added to make the alcohol unpalatable to drink. It may also include colorants. There are two common types of rubbing alcohol. Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol Most rubbing alcohol is made from isopropyl alcohol or isopropanol in water. It is common to find isopropyl rubbing alcohol at concentrations from 68% alcohol in water up to 99% alcohol in water. The 70% rubbing alcohol is highly effective as a disinfectant. Additives make this alcohol bitter-tasting, to try to prevent people from drinking it. Isopropyl alcohol is toxic, in part because the body metabolizes it into acetone. Drinking this alcohol can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, central nervous system depression, organ damage, and potentially coma or death. Ethyl Alcohol Rubbing Alcohol The other type of rubbing alcohol consists of 97.5-100% denatured ethyl alcohol or ethanol with water. Ethyl alcohol is naturally less toxic than isopropyl alcohol. In fact, it is the alcohol that naturally occurs in wine, beer, and other alcoholic beverages. However, the alcohol is denatured or made undrinkable in rubbing alcohol, both to control its use as an intoxicant and because the alcohol has not been purified to make it safe to drink. In fact, in the US, additives make it as toxic as isopropyl alcohol. Rubbing Alcohol in the UK In the United Kingdom, rubbing alcohol goes by the name surgical spirit. The formulation consists of a mixture of ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol. Rubbing Alcohol in the US In the United States, rubbing alcohol made using ethanol must conform to Formula 23-H, which specifies it consists of 100 parts by volume of ethyl alcohol, 8 parts by volume of acetone, and 1.5 parts by volume of methyl isobutyl ketone (MSDS sheet). The remainder of the composition includes water and denaturants and may include colorants and perfume oils. Rubbing alcohol made using isopropanol is regulated to contains at least 355 mg of sucrose octaacetate (MSDS sheet) and 1.40 mg of denatonium benzoate per 100 ml volume. Isopropyl rubbing alcohol also contains water, stabilizer and may contain colorants. Rubbing Alcohol Toxicity All rubbing alcohol manufactured in the US is toxic to ingest or  inhale and can cause excessively dry skin if used often. In fact, if you read the product label, youll see there is a warning against most of the common uses of rubbing alcohol. All types of rubbing alcohol, regardless of their country of origin, are flammable. Formulations closer to 70% are less likely to catch fire than rubbing alcohol that contains a higher percentage of alcohol.

U.A.E - the Greatest Industrial Hubs Term Paper

U.A.E - the Greatest Industrial Hubs - Term Paper Example Huge amount of investment is going on in this industry all over the world. This situation is not only encouraging more innovations in the field but also creating great and positive competitions in the world between different telecommunication companies. Middle East known by its enriched oil resources all over the world and this region is also a part of economical, political and social changes taking place all over the world since the time being. Most of the Middle East is known by west as biased towards fundamentalism concepts of religion. U.A.E has played a vital role in developing healthier and positive relations between west and east effectively (Etihad). Etisalat is the major telecommunication company in United Arab Emirates U.A.E and it is also one of the main companies present in Arabian Peninsula and Africa. It was founded in 1976 and became leading telecommunication service provider in the region. Over the last few years it has became one of the greatest corporations in the w orld creating partnerships with different telecommunication companies that are present in the world. It not only enabled U.A.E to have basic telecommunication services. ...Etisalat is the first company of the region which used Geographical information systems (GIS). Network convergence which is a concept becoming reality now days GIS is used by the company to specify network operations, increasing of customer satisfaction and relations and providing a way for innovations and developments. Over the years Etisalat is the company which has done many in-house updates accommodation all the modern ideas happening in this field. Etisalat is the company which has focused itself delivering innovative services and speeding of social and economic growth (Etislat 2011, 2-9). Etisalat’s international acquisition started from 2004 by wining second mobile phone license and first 3G services license in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Etisalat is the company which has experienced a great innovation in the field and became one of the greatest expanding companies. The satellite network of company covers almost two-third of earth’s surface. For almost 40 years Etisalat has helped its mother nation U.A.E to sustain its image as one of the greatest business hub present in the region. It provides reliable and high quality services favoring foreign investments. It is the one of the companies which has put its mother nation in top 10 countries regarding telecommunication services. Etisalat is the pioneer regarding the practicing of new technologies for both fixed line and wireless networks. It has installed first fiber optic network making Abu-Dhabi first city to have fiber optic network (Etisalat 2011, pages 3 to10). Etisalat is a multinational company which has companies from all over the world as its partners.

Research on China's real estate housing price Paper

On China's real estate housing price - Research Paper Example Marketing research statistics that were taken in the past five years indicate that in the property market, role of pricing mechanism is to balance purchase and the rates of selling. In this study, we are attempting to examine the determinants of the housing prices in China, with a particular focus on the monetary variables. There are three main concerns, which motivate this study. These are the exploration of the general relationship that exists between the pricing of houses and the monetary policy, even though the Chinese experience might not be ideal. We also feel that it is important to use the non-linear modeling concept known as NARMAX that selects forms and lags structures in an automatic manner for the individual explanatory variables. Lastly, the study hopes to draw some essential policy implications for the housing prices management in China. BACKGROUND/HYPOTHESIS A fall in the housing prices that started in the year 2007 ultimately resulted to the worst economic recession a nd financial crisis in the world in nearly eight decades, or eighty years. However, underscoring this important debate is the more complex academic question regarding the relationship between asset price and monetary policy. The maintenance of price stability is largely considered to be the most fundamental monetary policy’s goal. In this framework, the price stability is usually defined as the consumer price index’s stability. In the years ensuing to the world financial crisis, the China experienced a period of fast growth in her Gross Domestic Product with modest consumer price index inflation. Thus, there was no need for the government to increase the rates of interest or even tightening the liquidity conditions. Since the global crisis, we find that there has been rising recognition among policymakers and economists that it is important that the central banks monitor asset prices together with the prices of goods. However, it is still not clear whether it is feasib le for the formal incorporation of asset prices into the objective function of monetary policy. Nevertheless, even if this is possible, it is quite difficult to control the asset prices as compared to the regulation of the prices of goods. In trying to establish real estate pricing in China, it is therefore important to consider answering the following question: What is the effect of monetary policy on asset prices? What are the determinants of real estate pricing in China? What are the trends in the house pricing in China? ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY/ LITERATURE REVIEW Hongli Z. 2011. The Relationship of House Price Rising Rate and GDP Growth Rate. Mason, OH, Cengage Learning. In this context it is well illustrated that the development of the real estate industry is very important to the people`s livelihood and the national economy. The real estate regulation is very significant content of the microeconomic regulation and it is also invariably controversial. The regulation of house pric e such as controlling the house price`s rising extent within the normal range is a Key to real estate regulation1. According to the calculations of the target range in house price regulation, the house price growth rate/GDP should be controlled within {- 0.31, 0.86} among the first-tier cities and [-0.42, 1.17] among the second inter-cities. China has made real estate regu

Madison vs Marshall :: essays papers

Madison vs Marshall Upon the Declaration of Independence, a â€Å"plan of confederation† was offered to be prepared for the colonies. This plan, known as The Articles of Confederation, established a â€Å"league of friendship† among the states rather than a national government. The most significant fact about the created government was it’s weakness, it could not enforce even the limited powers it had. In James Madison’s words, in his Federalist Paper #10 â€Å"complaints are everywhere heard†¦that our governments are too unstable†. The states had won their freedom but had been unable to form a nation. They fought among themselves, suffered from severe economic depression, and came close to losing the peace they had won in war. These political and economic factors generated pressure for the creation of a new national government and a constitution. In Madison’s view, politics was overrun by different â€Å"factions†, which were groups of people who shared the same interests, different from other people or the opinion of the whole. These factions, he thought, prevented the government from its most important task, which in his opinion was to protect the owner’s of the land and property. The ownership of the land was divided according to people’s different skills, faculties, and according to Madison, â€Å"the protection of these faculties is the first object of the government†. And since the majority of the people were farmers and poor, and since â€Å"those who hold and those who are without property have ever formed distinct interests in society†, Madison wanted a constitution that would give the government the power to control the majority. In his address to the American Bar Association, Thurgood Marshall criticizes the constitution by saying that â€Å" I do not believe that the meaning of the Constitution was forever â€Å"fixed† at the Philadelphia convention†. In his opinion â€Å" the government that they devised was defective from the beginning†, meaning that the Constitution required several amendments before it became what people today consider as â€Å"the basic structure of the American government†. The constitution is very different today than what the framers began to construct two centuries ago. Marshall thinks that there was much wrong with the original document, he finds many â€Å"inherent defects†, but is willing to admit that it was â€Å"a product of its times and embodied a compromise that, under other circumstances, would not have been made†. By this he means the contradiction between promising â€Å"liberty and justice for all† and denying both from blacks.

The Lost Symbol Chapter 98-101

CHAPTER 98 Robert Langdon regained consciousness with a crippling headache. Where am I? Wherever he was, it was dark. Deep-cave dark, and deathly silent. He was lying on his back with his arms at his side. Confused, he tried moving his fingers and toes, relieved to find they moved freely with no pain. What happened? With the exception of his headache and the profound darkness, everything seemed more or less normal. Almost everything. Langdon realized he was lying on a hard floor that felt unusually smooth, like a sheet of glass. Stranger still, he could feel that the slick surface was in direct contact with his bare flesh . . . shoulders, back, buttocks, thighs, calves. Am I naked? Puzzled, he ran his hands over his body. Jesus! Where the hell are my clothes? In the darkness, the cobwebs began to lift, and Langdon saw flashes of memory . . . frightening snapshots . . . a dead CIA agent . . . the face of a tattooed beast . . . Langdon's head smashing into the floor. The images came faster . . . and now he recalled the sickening image of Katherine Solomon bound and gagged on the dining-room floor. My God! Langdon sat bolt upright, and as he did, his forehead smashed into something suspended only inches above him. Pain exploded through his skull and he fell back, teetering near unconsciousness. Groggy, he reached up with his hands, groping in the darkness to find the obstacle. What he found made no sense to him. It seemed this room's ceiling was less than a foot above him. What in the world? As he spread his arms to his sides in an attempt to roll over, both of his hands hit sidewalls. The truth now dawned on him. Robert Langdon was not in a room at all. I'm in a box! In the darkness of his small, coffinlike container, Langdon began pounding wildly with his fist. He shouted over and over for help. The terror that gripped him deepened with each passing instant until it was intolerable. I have been buried alive. The lid of Langdon's strange coffin refused to budge, even with the full force of his arms and legs pushing upward in wild panic. The box, from all he could tell, was made of heavy fiberglass. Airtight. Soundproof. Lightproof. Escape-proof. I am going to suffocate alone in this box. He thought of the deep well into which he had fallen as a young boy, and of the terrifying night he spent treading water alone in the darkness of a bottomless pit. That trauma had scarred Langdon's psyche, burdening him with an overwhelming phobia of enclosed spaces. Tonight, buried alive, Robert Langdon was living his ultimate nightmare. Katherine Solomon trembled in silence on the floor of Mal'akh's dining room. The sharp wire around her wrists and ankles had already cut into her, and the slightest movements seemed only to tighten her bonds. The tattooed man had brutally knocked Langdon unconscious and dragged his limp body across the floor along with his leather bag and the stone pyramid. Where they had gone, Katherine had no idea. The agent who had accompanied them was dead. She had not heard a sound in many minutes, and she wondered if the tattooed man and Langdon were still inside the house. She had been trying to scream for help, but with each attempt, the rag in her mouth crept back dangerously closer to her windpipe. Now she felt approaching footsteps on the floor, and she turned her head, hoping against hope that someone was coming to help. The massive silhouette of her captor materialized in the hallway. Katherine recoiled as she flashed on the image of him standing in her family home ten years earlier. He killed my family. Now he strode toward her. Langdon was nowhere to be seen. The man crouched down and gripped her around the waist, hoisting her roughly onto his shoulder. The wire sliced into her wrists, and the rag muffled her muted cries of pain. He carried her down the hallway toward the living room, where, earlier today, the two of them had calmly sipped tea together. Where is he taking me?! He carried Katherine across the living room and stopped directly in front of the large oil painting of the Three Graces that she had admired this afternoon. â€Å"You mentioned you liked this painting,† the man whispered, his lips practically touching her ear. â€Å"I'm glad. It may be the last thing of beauty you see.† With that, he reached out and pressed his palm into the right side of the enormous frame. To Katherine's shock, the painting rotated into the wall, turning on a central pivot like a revolving door. A hidden doorway. Katherine tried to wriggle free, but the man held her firmly, carrying her through the opening behind the canvas. As the Three Graces pivoted shut behind them, she could see heavy insulation on the back of the canvas. Whatever sounds were made back here were apparently not meant to be heard by the outside world. The space behind the painting was cramped, more like a hallway than a room. The man carried her to the far side and opened a heavy door, carrying her through it onto a small landing. Katherine found herself looking down a narrow ramp into a deep basement. She drew a breath to scream, but the rag was choking her. The incline was steep and narrow. The walls on either side were made of cement, awash in a bluish light that seemed to emanate from below. The air that wafted up was warm and pungent, laden with an eerie blend of smells . . . the sharp bite of chemicals, the smooth calm of incense, the earthy musk of human sweat, and, pervading it all, a distinct aura of visceral, animal fear. â€Å"Your science impressed me,† the man whispered as they reached the bottom of the ramp. â€Å"I hope mine impresses you.† CHAPTER 99 CIA field agent Turner Simkins crouched in the darkness of Franklin Park and kept his steady gaze on Warren Bellamy. Nobody had taken the bait yet, but it was still early. Simkins's transceiver beeped, and he activated it, hoping one of his men had spotted something. But it was Sato. She had new information. Simkins listened and agreed with her concern. â€Å"Hold on,† he said. â€Å"I'll see if I can get a visual.† He crawled through the bushes in which he was hiding and peered back in the direction from which he had entered the square. After some maneuvering, he finally opened a sight line. Holy shit. He was staring at a building that looked like an Old World mosque. Nestled between two much larger buildings, the Moorish facade was made of gleaming terra-cotta tile laid in intricate multicolored designs. Above the three massive doors, two tiers of lancet windows looked as if Arabian archers might appear and open fire if anyone approached uninvited. â€Å"I see it,† Simkins said. â€Å"Any activity?† â€Å"Nothing.† â€Å"Good. I need you to reposition and watch it very carefully. It's called the Almas Shrine Temple, and it's the headquarters of a mystical order.† Simkins had worked in the D.C. area for a long time but was not familiar with this temple or any ancient mystical order headquartered on Franklin Square. â€Å"This building,† Sato said, â€Å"belongs to a group called the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.† â€Å"Never heard of them.† â€Å"I think you have,† Sato said. â€Å"They're an appendant body of the Masons, more commonly known as the Shriners.† Simkins shot a dubious glance at the ornate building. The Shriners? The guys who build hospitals for kids? He could imagine no â€Å"order† less ominous sounding than a fraternity of philanthropists who wore little red fezzes and marched in parades. Even so, Sato's concerns were valid. â€Å"Ma'am, if our target realizes that this building is in fact `The Order' on Franklin Square, he won't need the address. He'll simply bypass the rendezvous and go directly to the correct location.† â€Å"My thoughts exactly. Keep an eye on the entrance.† â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† â€Å"Any word from Agent Hartmann in Kalorama Heights?† â€Å"No, ma'am. You asked him to phone you directly.† â€Å"Well, he hasn't.† Odd, Simkins thought, checking his watch. He's overdue. CHAPTER 100 Robert Langdon lay shivering, naked and alone in total blackness. Paralyzed by fear, he was no longer pounding or shouting. Instead, he had closed his eyes and was doing his best to control his hammering heart and his panicked breathing. You are lying beneath a vast, nighttime sky, he tried to convince himself. There is nothing above you but miles of wide-open space. This calming visualization had been the only way he had managed to survive a recent stint in an enclosed MRI machine . . . that and a triple dose of Valium. Tonight, however, the visualization was having no effect whatsoever. The rag in Katherine Solomon's mouth had shifted backward and was all but choking her. Her captor had carried her down a narrow ramp and into a dark basement corridor. At the far end of the hall, she had glimpsed a room lit with an eerie reddish-purple light, but they'd never made it that far. The man had stopped instead at a small side room, carried her inside, and placed her on a wooden chair. He had set her down with her bound wrists behind the chair back so she could not move. Now Katherine could feel the wire on her wrists slicing deeper into her flesh. The pain barely registered next to the rising panic she was feeling over being unable to breathe. The cloth in her mouth was slipping deeper into her throat, and she felt herself gagging reflexively. Her vision started to tunnel. Behind her, the tattooed man closed the room's lone door and flipped on the light. Katherine's eyes were watering profusely now, and she could no longer differentiate objects in her immediate surroundings. Everything had become a blur. A distorted vision of colorful flesh appeared before her, and Katherine felt her eyes starting to flutter as she teetered on the brink of unconsciousness. A scale-covered arm reached out and yanked the rag from her mouth. Katherine gasped, inhaling deep breaths, coughing and choking as her lungs flooded with precious air. Slowly, her vision began to clear, and she found herself looking into the demon's face. The visage was barely human. Blanketing his neck, face, and shaved head was an astounding pattern of bizarre tattooed symbols. With the exception of a small circle on top of his head, every inch of his body appeared to be decorated. A massive double-headed phoenix on his chest glared at her through nipple eyes like some kind of ravenous vulture, patiently waiting for her death. â€Å"Open your mouth,† the man whispered. Katherine stared at the monster with total revulsion. What? â€Å"Open your mouth,† the man repeated. â€Å"Or the cloth goes back in.† Trembling, Katherine opened her mouth. The man extended his thick, tattooed index finger, inserting it between her lips. When he touched her tongue, Katherine thought she would vomit. He extracted his wet finger and raised it to the top of his shaved head. Closing his eyes, he massaged her saliva into his small circular patch of untattooed flesh. Repulsed, Katherine looked away. The room in which she was sitting appeared to be a boiler room of some sort–pipes on the walls, gurgling sounds, fluorescent lights. Before she could take in her surroundings, though, her gaze stopped dead on something beside her on the floor. A pile of clothing–turtleneck, tweed sport coat, loafers, Mickey Mouse watch. â€Å"My God!† She wheeled back to the tattooed animal before her. â€Å"What have you done with Robert?!† â€Å"Shh,† the man whispered. â€Å"Or he'll hear you.† He stepped to one side and motioned behind him. Langdon was not there. All Katherine saw was a huge black fiberglass box. Its shape bore an unsettling resemblance to the heavy crates in which corpses were shipped back from war. Two massive clasps firmly locked the box shut. â€Å"He's inside?!† Katherine blurted. â€Å"But . . . he'll suffocate!† â€Å"No, he won't,† the man said, pointing to a series of transparent pipes that ran along the wall into the bottom of the crate. â€Å"He'll only wish he could.† In total darkness, Langdon listened intently to the muffled vibrations he now heard from the outside world. Voices? He began pounding on the box and shouting at the top of his lungs. â€Å"Help! Can anyone hear me?!† Far off, a muted voice called out. â€Å"Robert! My God, no! NO!† He knew the voice. It was Katherine, and she sounded terrified. Even so, it was a welcome sound. Langdon drew a breath to call out to her, but he stopped short, feeling an unexpected sensation at the back of his neck. A faint breeze seemed to be emanating from the bottom of the box. How is that possible? He lay very still, taking stock. Yes, definitely. He could feel the tiny hairs on the back of his neck being tickled by air movement. Instinctively, Langdon began feeling along the floor of the box, searching for the source of the air. It took only a moment to locate. There's a tiny vent! The small perforated opening felt similar to a drain plate on a sink or tub, except that a soft, steady breeze was now coming up through it. He's pumping air in for me. He doesn't want me to suffocate. Langdon's relief was short-lived. A terrifying sound was now emanating up through the holes in the vent. It was the unmistakable gurgle of flowing liquid . . . coming his way. Katherine stared in disbelief at the clear shaft of liquid that was progressing down one of the pipes toward Langdon's crate. The scene looked like some kind of twisted stage magician's act. He's pumping water into the crate?! Katherine strained at her bonds, ignoring the deep bite of the wires around her wrists. All she could do was look on in panic. She could hear Langdon pounding in desperation, but as the water reached the underside of the container, the pounding stopped. There was a moment of terrified silence. Then the pounding started again with renewed desperation. â€Å"Let him out!† Katherine begged. â€Å"Please! You can't do this!† â€Å"Drowning is a terrible death, you know.† The man spoke calmly as he paced around her in circles. â€Å"Your assistant, Trish, could tell you that.† Katherine heard his words, but she could barely process them. â€Å"You may remember that I almost drowned once,† the man whispered. â€Å"It was on your family's estate in Potomac. Your brother shot me, and I fell through the ice, out at Zach's bridge.† Katherine glared at him, filled with loathing. The night you killed my mother. â€Å"The gods protected me that night,† he said. â€Å"And they showed me the way . . . to become one of them.† The water gurgling into the box behind Langdon's head felt warm . . . body temperature. The fluid was already several inches deep and had completely swallowed the back of his naked body. As it began creeping up his rib cage, Langdon felt a stark reality closing in fast. I'm going to die. With renewed panic, he raised his arms and began pounding wildly again. CHAPTER 101 â€Å"You've got to let him out!† Katherine begged, crying now. â€Å"We'll do whatever you want!† She could hear Langdon pounding more frantically as the water flowed into his container. The tattooed man just smiled. â€Å"You're easier than your brother. The things I had to do to get Peter to tell me his secrets . . .† â€Å"Where is he?!† she demanded. â€Å"Where is Peter?! Tell me! We did exactly what you wanted! We solved the pyramid and–â€Å" â€Å"No, you did not solve the pyramid. You played a game. You withheld information and brought a government agent to my home. Hardly behavior I intend to reward.† â€Å"We didn't have a choice,† she replied, choking back the tears. â€Å"The CIA is looking for you. They made us travel with an agent. I'll tell you everything. Just let Robert out!† Katherine could hear Langdon shouting and pounding in the crate, and she could see the water flowing through the pipe. She knew he didn't have a lot of time. In front of her, the tattooed man spoke calmly, stroking his chin. â€Å"I assume there are agents waiting for me at Franklin Square?† Katherine said nothing, and the man placed his massive palms on her shoulders, slowly pulling her forward. With her arms still wire-bound be hind the chair back, her shoulders strained, burning with pain, threatening to dislocate. â€Å"Yes!† Katherine said. â€Å"There are agents at Franklin Square!† He pulled harder. â€Å"What is the address on the capstone?† The pain in her wrists and shoulders grew unbearable, but Katherine said nothing. â€Å"You can tell me now, Katherine, or I'll break your arms and ask you again.† â€Å"Eight!† she gasped in pain. â€Å"The missing number is eight! The capstone says: `The secret hides within The Order–Eight Franklin Square!' I swear it. I don't know what else to tell you! It's Eight Franklin Square!† The man still did not release her shoulders. â€Å"That's all I know!† Katherine said. â€Å"That's the address! Let go of me! Let Robert out of that tank!† â€Å"I would . . .† the man said, â€Å"but there's one problem. I can't go to Eight Franklin Square without being caught. Tell me, what's at that address?† â€Å"I don't know!† â€Å"And the symbols on the base of the pyramid? On the underside? Do you know their meaning?† â€Å"What symbols on the base?† Katherine had no idea what he was talking about. â€Å"The bottom has no symbols. It's smooth, blank stone!† Apparently immune to the muffled cries for help emanating from the coffinlike crate, the tattooed man calmly padded over to Langdon's day-bag and retrieved the stone pyramid. Then he returned to Katherine and held it up before her eyes so she could see the base. When Katherine saw the engraved symbols, she gasped in bewilderment. But . . . that's impossible! The bottom of the pyramid was entirely covered with intricate carvings. There was nothing there before! I'm sure of it! She had no idea what these symbols could possibly mean. They seemed to span every mystical tradition, including many she could not even place. Total chaos. â€Å"I . . . have no idea what this means,† she said. â€Å"Nor do I,† her captor said. â€Å"Fortunately, we have a specialist at our disposal.† He glanced at the crate. â€Å"Let's ask him, shall we?† He carried the pyramid toward the crate. For a brief instant of hope, Katherine thought he was going to unclasp the lid. Instead, he sat calmly on top of the box, reached down, and slid a small panel to one side, revealing a Plexiglas window in the top of the tank. Light! Langdon covered his eyes, squinting into the ray of light that now streamed in from above. As his eyes adjusted, hope turned to confusion. He was looking up through what appeared to be a window in the top of his crate. Through the window, he saw a white ceiling and a fluorescent light. Without warning, the tattooed face appeared above him, peering down. â€Å"Where is Katherine?!† Langdon shouted. â€Å"Let me out!† The man smiled. â€Å"Your friend Katherine is here with me,† the man said. â€Å"I have the power to spare her life. Your life as well. But your time is short, so I suggest you listen carefully.† Langdon could barely hear him through the glass, and the water had risen higher, creeping across his chest. â€Å"Are you aware,† the man asked, â€Å"that there are symbols on the base of the pyramid?† â€Å"Yes!† Langdon shouted, having seen the extensive array of symbols when the pyramid had lain on the floor upstairs. â€Å"But I have no idea what they mean! You need to go to Eight Franklin Square! The answer is there! That's what the capstone–â€Å" â€Å"Professor, you and I both know the CIA is waiting for me there. I have no intention of walking into a trap. Besides, I didn't need the street number. There is only one building on that square that could possibly be relevant–the Almas Shrine Temple.† He paused, staring down at Langdon. â€Å"The Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.† Langdon was confused. He was familiar with the Almas Temple, but he had forgotten it was on Franklin Square. The Shriners are . . . â€Å"The Order†? Their temple sits atop a secret staircase? It made no historical sense whatsoever, but Langdon was in no position at the moment to debate history. â€Å"Yes!† he shouted. â€Å"That must be it! The secret hides within The Order!† â€Å"You're familiar with the building?† â€Å"Absolutely!† Langdon raised his throbbing head to keep his ears above the quickly rising liquid. â€Å"I can help you! Let me out!† â€Å"So you believe you can tell me what this temple has to do with the symbols on the base of the pyramid?† â€Å"Yes! Let me just look at the symbols!† â€Å"Very well, then. Let's see what you come up with.† Hurry! With the warm liquid rising around him, Langdon pushed up on the lid, willing the man to unclasp it. Please! Hurry! But the lid never opened. Instead, the base of the pyramid suddenly appeared, hovering above the Plexiglas window. Langdon stared up in panic. â€Å"I trust this view is close enough for you?†The man held the pyramid in his tattooed hands. â€Å"Think fast, Professor. I'm guessing you have less than sixty seconds.†

Kant And Hume On Morality Essay - 1952 Words

Introduction ‘The relationship between Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) and David Hume (1711-1776) is a source of wide spread fascination’ (Standard Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Kant and Hume on Morality). Purpose of this essay is to provide Immanuel Kant’s claims on sympathy and David Hume’s assessment on it, backed up by their reasoning’s. By doing so, strong argument will separately be provided from both sides and the task then is to present my personal opinion on whose argument seems more compelling. David Hume’s assessment and arguments appear more compelling than Immanuel Kant. Immanuel Kant Kant advocated, many human beings are sympathetically constructed that without any other motives they discover an inner satisfaction in dispersing joy around and take delight in the satisfaction of other people, as long as it is their own work. However, it may conform to duty and amiable it may appear, sympathy possess no true moral worth (Kant, 2012). Kant characterises actions that only possess true moral worth to be when an individual expresses a good will and acts out of duty in itself. In this universe it is difficult to perceive anything as good without limitations, except that of a good will. Many things seem to possess good attributes and qualities, but can be harmful and evil. Confidence contains both vice and virtue qualities. Good qualities of confidence are being happy and containing strong faith within themselves, but there are limitations in acting overconfident. ActingShow MoreRelatedComparing David Hume and Immanuel Kant Essay1356 Words   |  6 PagesComparing David Hume and Immanuel Kant David Hume and Immanuel Kant each made a significant break from other theorists in putting forward a morality that doesn’t require a higher being or god, for a man to recognize his moral duty. Although Hume and Kant shared some basic principals they differed on their view of morality. In comparing the different views on human will and the maxims established to determine moral worth by David Hume and Immanuel Kant, I find their theories on morality have some meritRead MoreEssay on Contrasting Kand and Hume on Morality1510 Words   |  7 PagesMorality is central to all rational beings, whereby a moral action is one determined by reason, rather than our personal desires as suggested by Kant (1785) in contrast to Hume. (1738). Furthermore, Kant suggests that an action is moral only on account of its being reasoned, therefore the moral worth of an action is determined by its motives and not by its consequences. Exploring the works of Hume (1738) and Kant(1785) on morality and et hics, we will ask the question whether we should do what isRead MoreIs David Hume Or Immanuel Kant?1428 Words   |  6 PagesWas David Hume or Immanuel Kant more virtuous in their ethical philosophy? First we must understand what these ethical writings were for each modern philosopher. Both Hume and Kant were very influential philosophers during their lifetime, they have also disagreed on many ideas they argue for. We will be focusing specifically on their ethical philosophies to determine which philosopher, if any, would be considered to be more virtuous. In order to answer this question, we must answer a few otherRead MoreImmanuel Kant And Kant On Morality1097 Words   |  5 Pagesdefinition of morality is the rules for right action and prohibitions against wrong acts. Sometimes morality is the single set of absolute rules and prohibitions that are valid for all men at all times and all societies. More loosely, a morality can be any set of ultimate principles, and there may be any number of moralities in different societies. Examples would be don’t cheat, don’t steal, and treat others as you would want to be treated. When dealing with the philosophers take on morality, there areRead MoreThe Effect Of Becoming Too Smart1043 Words   |  5 Pagessmart. David Hume from Edinburgh, Scotland in 1723 and died there in 1776, as a world famous philosopher of his time (n.p.). While, Immanuel Kant was born in Konigsberg, Prussia in 1724 and died in 1804, best known for his critique of Hume’s causality claim. In effect, Hume opened the door for other philosophers, or critics to expand on his view of causality and Kant took up the challenge, but their differences like: empiricist skepticism, transcendental idealism, and ethics and morality. Due to,Read MoreWealth Of Nations By Adam Smith1574 Words   |  7 Pagesorder to assess the morality of these arguments, David Hume’s definition of morality and Kant’s definition of morality can be used. These definitions, ultimately, serve as context for Smith’s arguments, so that there is a clearer idea of whether they are moral or not. From this, modern readers of Smith’s book can better determine the positive and negative qualities of Smith’s idea of free-trade. Kant’s definition of morality contrasts with Hume’s definition. For Kant, morality is split into threeRead MoreThe Origins Of Moral Judgment1433 Words   |  6 Pagesactions help to form a child’s morality. They begin to learn what is right and wrong. They test the limits of the society around them to see what they can get away with and what they cannot. One could argue that if there were a society that encouraged these behaviors, people would grow up much differently. Some philosophers like Kant say people are naturally good with a strong moral compass. Other philosophers like Hume argue that humans are taught their morals. Kant says that all moral judgmentsRead MoreHume Versus Kant Essay1491 Words   |  6 PagesHume and Kant offered two differing views on morality. Humes philosophy regarding moral theory came from the belief that reason alone can never cause action. Desire or thoughts cause action. Because reason alone can never cause action, morality is rooted in us and our perception of the world and what we want to gain from it. Virtue arises from acting on a desire to help others. Humes moral theory is therefore a virtue-centered morality rather than the natural-law morality, which saw morality asRead MoreBecoming a Philosphy Scholar Too!1457 Words   |  6 Pagessituations. Learning about the different philosophers theories on moral judgment allows you to question your own morals while looking at morality through a different lens. The philosophies on morality that truly made me rethink my moral judgment through presenting me with a different ethical perspective were the philosophers David Hume, Jeremy Bentham, and Immanuel Kant. The reading that resonated with me the most was David Hume’s, A Treatise of Human Nature. Before I began reading the text, I hadRead MoreKant on the Locus of the Moral Worth and Utility682 Words   |  3 PagesAccording to Atwell’s argument (13), Kant implied that nothing is good without a limitation except the good will. In an argument, Kant is claimed to admit that there are other good things that exist, yet all of them have limitations. The good things are grouped into three categories; the abilities of the mind, certain qualities of character and incidental gifts. Kant argues that when these good things are coated with evil will they never remain to be good. According to Kant, the goodwill can never be termed