Freakonomics by Stephen Dubner and Stephen Levitt

This book is filled with completely polarizing chapters in which the two things discussed seemingly have nothing to do with each other, but the authors find a way to connect them. In this summary, I will take you through some of the highlights of my favorite chapters and some of the more important chapters as well. The interesting thing about the book as a whole is that it does not even seem like you are reading a book that is trying to teach you economics through some outrageous situations. Another intriguing thing about this book is that these authors have such an extensive knowledge of studies that they can pull from any study, even if it has nothing to do with what they are talking about, and they can make it relevant. The first chapter starts the book off strong comparing sumo wrestlers and teachers. The connection between them, according to the authors, is that both groups of people will sometimes cheat in order to get more money because they are being scored on how well they d o in their specific field. For example, teachers get graded, so to speak, on how well their students do on standardized tests, so they change certain answers on students’ tests so that they are correct. Some of these cheating teachers were caught when a retake test was given out to certain classrooms where teachers were thought to be cheating and some that were not (for control). With sumo wrestlers, it was more difficult to completely catch them cheating because the two wrestlers going againstShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Steven Levitt And Stephen Dubner And Freakonomics1436 Words   |  6 Pagessuch as how to best format an online dating profile or finding the reasoning behind why employees in large corporations tend to steal bagels, authors Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner in their book Freakonomics claim to explore â€Å"the hidden side of everything.† The previous examples provided, including the various other topics that Levitt and Dubner touch upon in their book, are likely unimportant to the average reader and as a whole are without any obvious similarities. The authors even mention the lackRead More Freakonomics A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner1032 Words   |  5 PagesFreakonomics A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner Freakonomics brings together many combinations of thoughts that one wouldn’t find relevant in companionship. The two authors discuss comparisons that are so off the wall, that you almost question reading the book; however, that is the reason many read the book in the first place. The authors Levitt and Dubner compare in one chapter of Freakonomics the reason why drug dealers live withRead MoreFreakonomics by Steven D. Levitt Stephen J. Dubner  Is Based  on These Fundamental Ideas: Incentives, Conventional Wisdom, â€Å"Experts†-Use Their Informational Advantage897 Words   |  4 PagesFreakonomics By Steven D. Levitt Stephen J. Dubner  is based  on these fundamental ideas: Incentives, conventional wisdom, â€Å"Experts†-use their informational advantage Incentives are the cornerstone of modern life. And understanding them or, often, ferreting them out—is the key to solving just about any riddle, from violent crime to sports cheating to online dating.There are three basic incentives economic, moral and social. How do we profit and what incentives drive us to act unethical? TheRead MoreChapter 3 : Conventional Wisdom1091 Words   |  5 PagesChapter 3: Conventional Wisdom Freakonomics was one of the best novels that I have ever read! I am truly amazed at how Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner compared their study and research to the economy that we live in today. Out of all of the chapters in Freakonomics, Chapter 3: Conventional Wisdom, is the one that stood out the most. This particular topic relates to the world in many different ways. Conventional wisdom is often wrong. Conventional wisdom can be described as the ideas or beliefsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Freakonomics 1027 Words   |  5 PagesLanguage and Composition 3 August 2016 Freakonomics 1. Give the title, author, genre, and date of original publication. Freakonomics is the title of this nonfiction book; it was written by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. On April 12, 2005, by HarperCollins. 2. What is author’s purpose for writing the book? Write a paragraph summarizing the main argument or purpose. In this unique book, economist Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, an award-winning author and journalist teamRead MoreFreakonomics Essay737 Words   |  3 PagesThe Hidden Side of Everything Steven D. Levitt is an award winning economist. Stephen J. Dubner is an award winning writer. The two met in Chicago, and the result was Freakonomics, a book that claims to explore the hidden side of everything, using real-life examples such as studies and polls conducted by Levitt to explain how economics is everywhere, that economics is how the world really functions. Through everything from analyzing the inner thought processes of real-estate agents and crack dealersRead MoreA Rogue Economist Explores The Hidden Side Of Everything By Steven Levitt Essay1537 Words   |  7 PagesAfter reading Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, it opened my eyes to the most interesting approach to the world. The book name in itself is an odd and unique title. It defines Steven Levitt’s irregular approach to the world of economics and makes you â€Å"forget your image of an economist as a crusty professor worried about fluctuating interest rates†, says Publishers Weekly. Steven Levitt focuses his attention on relevantRead MoreFreakonomics and Misconceptions of Economy Essay1244 Words   |  5 Pagesamazement: Freakonomics is said to unravel the untold stories of life. Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner break common misconceptions of economics by revealing its true science. Freakonomics shatters the view of economics being an arid study of finance and markets. They pull in information to make inferences on past occurrences subtly influence on the present. Freakonomics packs punches with its countless number of tables and figures, serving as concrete data to make their assumptions. Levitt DubnerRead MoreA Critique on Freakonomics, A Nobel by Levitt and Dubner765 Words   |  3 PagesIn Levitt and Dubner’s novel, Freakonomics, they deal with the sensitive subject of abortions in chapter four. During this section, Levitt and Dubner are purposing that the drop of crime is no t because of the many popular ideas they address but instead because of abortions becoming legalized. Providing proof to their argument, they list out all the popular ideas that many people believe to be the cause of the drop in crime and then one by one explain why these ideas could not fit into the massiveRead MoreFreakonomics Chapter11068 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Incentives are the cornerstone of modern life†(Levitt and Dubner 12). Levitt and Dubner once mentioned in their book â€Å"Freakonomics†. According to Oxford dictionary, incentives are something tends to incite to action or greater effort, as a reward offered for increased productivity (â€Å"incentives†). In business field, incentives are something given by bosses to encourage their employees to endeavour in bringing benefits to their business. For a simple example, the employee who hits the monthly or year

Louis Wright Free Essays

The United States of America is still seen by many other nationalities as a prime place to immigrate to as can be noticed by the current influx of new immigrants.   Although American ways have often been perceived by other people as distinct, Louis Wright’s article, The British Tradition in America in Retrospect, clearly shows that many of the attractive aspects of American culture are actually rooted in British tradition. These aspects such as cultural conservatism, the practical view of religion, moral justifications even of unethical issues, individualism, the business culture, good academic education, fashionability of the English language and the beautiful laws in the United States are all rooted in British culture. We will write a custom essay sample on Louis Wright or any similar topic only for you Order Now One of the most attractive aspects of American culture is the way it seems to break away from traditions.   Many immigrants, especially those from developing countries, find novelty in the creative ways that Americans have been able to remodel British traditions to make it look new or non-conformist. US culture seems to encourage the freedom of expression that many artists desire.   This freedom to create is usually limited in other countries because of its own traditions. Another very prominent aspect of American culture that generates interest among interested immigrants is its perspectives on how to practice religion based on logic and what is profitable instead of theoretical.   Although Americans believe themselves to have broken away from British conservative religious practice, the religion is still inherited from Britain. The implementation of religion in the U.S. is merely loose compared to the very strict and binding religion of the British because of the new found freedom that the early settlers realized they had. Although Puritanism has made moral justifications on unethical issues before, Puritanism’s origins are traceable to Britain.   The origins of this belief are rooted in the British culture and merely implemented on American soil. One very basic attitude that Americans and British have in common is individualism.   The â€Å"mind your own business† attitude is very attractive to other nationalities with many cultural family traditions that hinder individuals from completely achieving financial success. Developing countries mostly lack the business mind-set and are usually focused on familial ties and traditions.   The American emphasis on commerce and trade (which are also rooted in British character) shows interested immigrants that success is easier to achieve in the United States if one is willing to work hard for it. Another attractive aspect of the United States that is deeply rooted in its British heritage is education.   Many foreigners seek to educate themselves within the universities of the U.S. because the academic curricula are based on classical knowledge translated within the bounds of ethical and moral principles.   There are many Christian foreigners who fancy being educated in Harvard, Princeton, etc. because of the way these universities have been espousing great knowledge without totally going against spiritual beliefs. Another very powerful attraction to the American continent is its language.   American English, even if it is already very different from British language due to the influences of other nationalities is still fashionable almost all over the world. The American English language is a great communication tool among international students because of the many books written in this language.   The media has been able to popularize the American culture and with it, the language.   Many nationalities look up to their brothers who can master the American English tongue. Above all, the American laws that espouse freedom and human rights are very attractive to cultures that are troubled by political problems.   American laws, which have been derived from the British legal system, seem to encourage individual freedom and able to protect even the smallest individual from abuse.   Gay’s rights, right to choice and other laws show how liberal but protecting the American legal system can be and this can be very attractive to immigrants. American traditions and fashionable life is very popular because it always seems modern and novel to conservative cultures and developing countries.   However, if one would really take away the hype and understand things the way Louis Wright does, it will become obvious that American have simply developed British systems and made some improvements before they called it their own.    How to cite Louis Wright, Essay examples

The Browning Version a play about changing national identity in England Essay Example

The Browning Version a play about changing national identity in England Paper The Browning Version is a play written by Terence Rattigan. It is built around a public school, and one of the main themes in the play is how Englishness and national identity in England change over time. To show this change in Englishness Rattigan builds the play around Andrew Crocker-Harris, he represents the old pre-war Englishness that was fading away during the time when the play was written. In contrast to Andrew, the younger, Frank Hunter stands for what is to come, and what can be seen as the new post-war Englishness. The play was written in 1948 and as scholars have argued the change in Englishness was as fierce as ever during this period. One factor that influenced the change in national identity was the change in political power, from The Conservatives to The Labour Party. The fact that England lost its position as the worlds most powerful empire after the Second World War also influenced the rapid change in Englishness. The unpopular Mr Crocker-Harris is a Latin and Greek master, both Latin and Greek were languages with decreased importance during this period. Emerging languages whit higher status were for instance French and Spanish. The author gives the reader the feeling that Mr Crocker-Harris is conservative and unchangeable by giving him these old fashion features. Something that might be traced back to the Englishness that dominated in the pre-war era, a stubborn person that was unwilling to see the new things coming. In contrast, Hunter stands for the new, he is a science teacher and everyone seems to like him. He is an open-minded person and Taplows, a pupil at the school, highest wish is to start science instead of language class. This might be seen a metaphor for the old, Latin and Greek, to give way for the new, science and other languages. We will write a custom essay sample on The Browning Version a play about changing national identity in England specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Browning Version a play about changing national identity in England specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Browning Version a play about changing national identity in England specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It seems like no one really likes Andrew, he is called The Crock and Himmler of the Lower Fifth by his pupils, he is also considered not to have any heart or feelings. He is even forced out of the school by the headmaster to give way for a new language teacher that is supposed to teach new languages instead of Latin and Greek. Neither his wife seems to like him, she has an affair with the younger Frank Hunter, a metaphor which might show a shift from the old to the new, a shift in the importance from language to science. In conclusion, Rattigans play The Browning Version tackles the change in Englishness and Englands national identity. He does so by giving Mr Crocker-Harris features that were interrelated with the Englishness before the Second World War and before The Labour Party won the election and laid the ground for the welfare state. The most prominent of all these features are the shift in importance of the Latin and Greek language. Other features that Andrew possesses that are connected with the old Englishness are his way of being strict and authoritarian and his reluctance to accept new things coming. In contrast Hunter stands for what is new and gives a picture of what is to come.

Why Oppose Healthy Living essays

Why Oppose Healthy Living essays The United States is known worldwide for many reasons; one of which is our focus on health, and everything related. Our nations mindset has developed us into addicts focused on everything healthy. Diets and techniques for the best workout flood the airwaves and stream into our homes like a raging river. We the fanatics feel that everything affects our health. Aches and pains are never overlooked, if we get a headache a hospital visit may be necessary. This may be extreme however, it is not detrimental; many lives every day are saved because these small manageable things are looked into with vigor by the general population. Many people are so interested with health and the need for it in America for this simple reason. America is nearly the unhealthiest country on the face of the earth. We have good reason to be worried about all the obscene problems. America is obviously not unhealthy because of poor doctors or health care. However, most of America is unhealthy because of the demand for fast food, cheap cigarettes, and bars down every side street. America is unhealthy because we over indulge in the luxuries given to us because of our global strength and strong economy. One of these luxuries may be our strong health care system but we have reasons to be worried. When dealing with the one object we cannot replace, should we be careless with it. Every day checking into those small aches and pains that appear to be nothing, these actions save lives. Sometimes those small pains could have been the beginning to cancer, hepatitis or many other terminal illnesses. However these illnesses can be treated with their early detection. We as a nation are so involved with our health because of all the problems that are related with it. People would rather have a worry free life than be constantly plagued with the idea that they may be dying for whatever reason. This is because sickness affects everyone at some time or an...

Learn the Basics About Rocky, Dusty Planet Mars

Learn the Basics About Rocky, Dusty Planet Mars Mars is one of the most fascinating planets in the solar system. Its the subject of a much exploration, and scientists have sent dozens of spacecraft there. Human missions to this world are currently in planning and might happen in the next decade or so. It may be that the first generation of Mars explorers are already in high school, or perhaps in college. If so, its high time we learn more about this future target! The current missions to Mars include the Mars Curiosity Lander, the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, the Mars Express orbiter, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the Mars Orbiter Mission, and Mars MAVEN, and the ExoMars orbiter.   Basic Information about Mars So, what are the basics about this dusty desert planet?   Its about 2/3 the size of Earth, with a gravitational pull just over a third of Earths. Its day is about 40 minutes longer than ours, and its 687-day-long year is 1.8 times longer than  Earths.   Mars is a rocky, terrestrial-type planet. Its density is about 30 percent less than that of Earth (3.94 g/cm3 vs. 5.52 g/cm3). Its core is probably similar to Earths, mostly iron, with small amounts of nickel, but spacecraft mapping of its gravity field seem to indicate that its iron-rich core and mantle are a smaller portion of its volume than on Earth. Also, its smaller magnetic field than Earth, indicates a solid, rather than liquid core. Mars has evidence of past volcanic activity on its surface, making it a sleeping volcano world. It has the largest volcanic caldera in the solar system, called Olympus Mons.   Mars atmosphere is 95 percent carbon dioxide, nearly 3 percent nitrogen, and nearly 2 percent argon with trace quantities of oxygen, carbon monoxide, water vapor, ozone, and other trace gases. Future explorers will need to bring oxygen along, and then find ways to manufacture it from surface materials.   The average temperature on Mars is about -55 C or -67 F. It can range from -133 C or -207 F at the winter pole to almost 27 C or 80 F on the day side during summer. A Once-wet and Warm World The Mars we know today is largely a desert, with suspected stores of water and carbon dioxide ice under its surface. In the past it may have been a wet, warm planet, with liquid water flowing across its surface. Something happened early in its history, however, and Mars lost most of its water (and atmosphere). What wasnt lost to space froze underground. Evidence of  dried ancient lakebeds  have  been found by the  Mars Curiosity  mission, as well as other missions.  The apparently history of water on ancient Mars gives astrobiologists some idea that life might have gotten a toehold on the Red Planet, but has since died out or is holed up beneath the surface.   The first human missions to Mars will likely occur in the next two decades, depending on how the technology and planning progresses. NASA has a long-range plan to put people on Mars, and other organizations are looking into creating Martian colonies and science outposts as well. Current missions in low-Earth orbit are aimed at learning how humans will live and survive in space and on long-term missions. Mars has two tiny satellites which orbit very close to the surface, Phobos and Deimos. They could well come in for some exploration of their own as people begin their in-situ studies of the Red Planet.   Mars in the Human Mind Mars is named for the Roman god of War. It probably got this name due to its red color. The name of the month March derives from Mars. Known since prehistoric times, Mars has also been seen as a god of fertility, and in science fiction, it is a favorite site for authors to stage stories of the far future.   Edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide - Essay Example The company owns and runs the Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc, which provides premier world class vacation experiences through villa-style resorts and access to Starwood brands(NHS para 10). Answer to question1 The Middle East hospitality and tourism industry is one of the more robust in the world. Data released by the world travel and tourism council indicates that visitor numbers are expected to soar high in the coming five years since the Middle East region projected to grow in international visitor arrivals by 6.5%. Starwood is well placed to exploit this market especially Dubai which is gearing up to attract new sectors such as conferencing with its world class infrastructure and competitively priced hotels (NHS para 3). Starwood should leverage on the number of business visitors in the Middle East. The company should offer value added hospitality services such as conference facilities, dining facilities and tourist villas. In some instances, international brands can be introdu ced to foreign markets without much consideration for local tastes and preferences. In this case, the company can introduce its standardized product in the foreign market and exploit economies of scale in its operations, this way; it can maintain a price advantage over its competition. However, a standardized product strategy should be flexible enough to respond to local markets, the products should be designed with a more balanced strategic focus giving weight to local and global concerns. There should be an emphasis on  the global market coordination to avoid duplication of activities and to capitalize on the scope and economies of scale (NHS para 3). The company should utilize economies of scale in order to reduce the operating costs and threat of new entrants in the market. If necessary, the Starwood subsidiaries in the Middle East should be given more autonomy to tailor their products to the needs of the market. The subsidiaries can design products specifically for the Middle East market or adopt existing Starwood brands and customize them depending on local preferences. Adopting existing brands is especially important for the franchised system of management adopted by Starwood where the owner of the hotel is not the brand owner. Thus adopting an international brand gives the subsidiaries worldwide exposure and recognition associated with an established brand (NHS para 7). The company should pursue both a global strategy, but also emphasize on the customization of the hospitality services to the needs of the local market. The company should differentiate its services in order to attain competitive edge in the hospitality industry. Where global brands are adopted, teams of experienced staff should be established on the ground to modify the global campaign locally and serve as the public face of the brand. Their activities are then coordinated by a matrix structure reporting to the global brand manager or a local marketing manager. A separate team should be established, and it is responsible for new product development to fit the local market or to adopt global brands that fit into the existing Starwood portfolio. Brand strength is the life-blood of a franchising company like Starwood, and it is important that the staff develop and promote a brand culture (NHS para 5). The company has attained brand recognition and efforts should be shifted to retaining the customer loyalty through new and innovative hospitality products and loyalty

Customer Satisfaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6750 words

Customer Satisfaction - Essay Example The product development cycle starts with the assessment of the customer's needs and ends when the design is finally released. In this highly competitive environment world class organizations are supposed to implement the TQM strategy in order to continually seek better performance. In the world we live today, it must be amply clear that; In fact these guiding principles are inextricably linked to each other and development of this thought along with the development of other business processes can lead to some form of a competitive advantage in the market. The modern view of quality is that products should totally satisfy the customer's needs and expectations in every respect on a continuous basis. This new concept calls for a well designed product with functional perfection, providing satisfaction beyond customer's expectation, excellence in service and absolute empathy with customer. TQM therefore encompasses a set of critical factors (Powell, 1995; Li et al., 2003; Arawati, 2005). In general, some of these critical factors can be identified as; Top management commitment: The top management of a company must be convinced enough to adopting quality control programmes. This will help in conditioning the attitude of other departmental heads to regularly monitor the quality aspect. StrategicStrategic planning: Strategic planning is a process which, through an examination of external and internal factors for an organisation, results in a set of mission, purpose, objectives, policies, plans and programmes for implementation. Customer focus: A progressive organisation is supposed to have a strategy for quality which is based on customer perceptions of quality. Customer service after the sale of a product is considered as important as the quality of the product itself. Benchmarking: It is the process of following the best in the industry. Human resource management: Human resources form the crucial part of any organisation. They are the key players in producing and delivering quality. Supplier relationship: Suppliers too have a role in quality assurances as their role encompasses the identification, acquisition, access, positioning, and management of the resources required for the product and the company. Continuous improvement: Improvement is a never ending cyclic process. Product Quality requires to be continually improved to remain in the competition. Quality information system: How the quality principles are being implemented in the company and if required the management can decide to take a corrective course of action midway, is determined by the Quality Information System (QIS). It was in early 90s that the concept of Total Quality Management started being promoted as a way for business to wring out inefficiencies and boost productivity. TQM was considered the only way to effectively compete with the Japanese dominance in the manufacturing sector. It is a description of the culture, attitude and organization of a company that strives to provide customers with products and services satisfying their needs. KLEEMANN's activities1 concern both the manufacturing and