Consumer behavior about the target-based internet market in China Literature review

Consumer behavior about the target-based internet market in China - Literature review Example Aside from this, data shall be collected through the use of survey questionnaires developed by the researcher based on the literature reviewed. In addition, 100 respondents will likewise participate, selecting the same through the use of purposive sampling. To better understand the said research methodologies, this chapter shall be divided into the following sections to discuss each topic presented; these are: (1) Introduction, (2) Research Design, (3) Research Approach, (4) Data Collection, (5) Sampling, (6) Data Analysis and (7) Summary. In each of the said sections, various studies shall be cited, taking into consideration the fact that the same have made use of similar methodologies. Research Design In general, the main research design of this study follows the quantitative design. Hopkins (2000) defines the quantitative approach to research as that which focuses on the determination of the relationship between one independent variable and an independent variable. It is usually e ither descriptive or experimental, based on the different goals that the study aims to attain (Hopkins 2000; Creswell 2009). Aside from the abovementioned, various researchers have mentioned the importance of the quantitative research design in finalizing results as well as in proving and disproving various hypotheses. The researcher deems it necessary to make use of the quantitative design in order to help in the determination of the general perceptions of the consumers with respect to target-based internet marketing. Taking the abovementioned advantages in consideration, the researcher believes that it is through the use of the quantitative method that the former will be able to determine the relationship between the features of target-based internet marketing and the behaviors of the consumers with respect to the same. Hamid (2008) conducted a study in relation to the behavior of the customer’s behavior towards internet technology and internet marketing tools. In this stud y, the quantitative approach to research was used in order to prove or disprove five hypotheses. Aside from Hamid (2008), Shaver (2007) also made use of the quantitative approach to research in order to investigate twenty-six variables related to demographics in his study entitled â€Å"The Impact of the Internet on Consumer Information Search Behavior in the United States†. Research Approach This section has been devoted by the researcher to discuss the research approach that shall be employed in this study. It was previously mentioned that this research takes the descriptive approach in order to complement its quantitative design. Hopkins (2000) mentioned that there are two types of a quantitative research: experimental and descriptive. The experimental method is generally characterized by three elements: (1) Manipulation, (2) Control and (3) Randomization. These three elements signify that the researcher control the situation of the research so as to obtain the data needed (Hopkins 2000; â€Å"Ways of Approaching Research: Quantitative Design n.d.). On other hand, the descriptive approach is more concerned with regard to gaining information with respect to the characteristics of the different aspects of the study. According to the article entitled â€Å"Ways of Approaching Research: Quantitative Designs† (n.d.), the descriptive study is used in order to achieve the following: (1) the development of a theory, (2) identify various problems associated with practice, (3) justify

Political Psychology Essay Example for Free

Political Psychology Essay Rape victims, survivors of plane crashes, combat veterans, and others who have experienced extremely traumatic events may react emotionally with a posttraumatic stress disorder. This reaction is characterized by involuntary reexperiencing of the traumatic events, especially the original feelings of shock, horror, and fear, in dreams or flashbacks. In addition, victims experience an emotional numbing in relation to everyday events, associated with feelings of alienation from other people. Finally, the emotional pain of this reaction can result in an increase of various symptoms, such as sleep problems, guilt about surviving, difficulty in concentrating, and an exaggerated startle response (Calkins, 1996). The Situation: 9/11   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A more recent example was the 9/11 incident. The safety and protection that was a seal of American social order was devastated by the 9/11 aftermath. The American people who have gone through the bereavement of either of their parents, brothers, sisters, next of kin, or friends may well be putting up now with overpowering anguish. They will want all the emotional assistance they can obtain and they will need an extended recovery period. Life will never look the same again for any oblivious or sentient American people, but the young people who have upheld personal fatalities may need considerable support from qualified, compassionate specialists (Skene, 2001).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The world is not in the slightest peaceful, but at present, there is no security issue taking center stage and the situation in the 9/11 assault is no exception. The 9/11 event had impressed upon America a greater sense of threat at the advent of the new millennium. The 9/11 terrorist attacks incited terror, fury, grief, revulsion, fear, empathy, bewilderment, melancholy, retribution sundry reactions in a nation that was everlastingly changed. To translate the mixed reaction of a private individual in a more politically relevant sense, it is wise to recall how then Senator Edward Livingston could be more important at these times with his words in a debate on the Alien and Sedition Acts: â€Å"†¦we are absurd enough to call ourselves free and enlightened while we advocate principles that would have disgraced the age of Gothic barbarity† (Skene, 2001).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   They may well not entirely come to terms with the intangible theories thrashed out by counselors or on the television newscast but are prone to be directed in their thoughts by a distinct discernment of validity. They may have dealings with a diversity of sentiments and impressions, and their articulation may subsume mimicking or self-deleterious actions as a way of dealing with their retaliation, fury, and despondency. A number of children at this phase may demonstrate a reluctance to speak of their sentiments and thoughts (Dunn, 2001). The Psychology of Situation: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The emotional responses of posttraumatic stress can occur immediately following the disaster in an acute form and subside over a period of several months or can persist, becoming a chronic syndrome often called the residual stress pattern. In other cases, people may show no immediate reaction but may experience a full-blown posttraumatic stress disorder after a delay of months or even years. Clinicians are still discovering veterans of World War II and the Korean War who are displaying residual or delayed posttraumatic stress disorders (Hinkle, 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This delayed posttraumatic stress syndrome has been a special problem in the case of Vietnam veterans. The problems of many seemed to be made worse by feelings that they had been rejected by an unsympathetic American public and that they had been betrayed by their government and had spent important years of their lives in a wasted effort (Bornstein, 1994). In a study of Vietnam veterans with combat experience, called the â€Å"Forgotten Warrior Project,† John Wilson, a psychologist at Cleveland State University found that (Kagan, 2004): Their suicide rate was 23 to 33 percent higher than the national average. Of those who had been married when they left the United States, 38 percent were divorced within six months after returning. The rate of hospitalization for alcoholism or drinking problems was high and increasing. About half of them still had some emotional problems related to adjustment of civilian life. Brian Seaward is one of the authors that delved into the realm of stress and its health consequences. Seaward notes that aside from the special life events that may be experienced by almost everyone, the most appreciable part of the list is the concept of change.   This implies that change may be in tandem with stress as being a natural part of modern-day living.   That change is the ultimate source of stress.   â€Å"Change becomes a powerful stressor agent because it necessitates adaptation whether it is perceived as a negative or positive experience† (Calkins, 1996). The important features of posttraumatic stress disorder, according to Seaward, are cognition and stress.   Stress affects cognition as anxiety intrudes on one’s consciousness as demonstrated by his unstoppable pangs of emotion, excessive preoccupation with the threatening situation or person, startling reactions, and other unwanted sensations.   It may also impair memory and attention during cognitive tasks.   It may also enhance attention, principally regarding memories of the stressor but repetitive thoughts can perpetuate stress and make it chronic (Calkins, 1996). Seaward also enumerates the emotional signs of health hassle, which are among others, anxiety, irritability, increased aggression, lack of enthusiasm, depression, alienation, and low self-esteem. Indecision, impaired judgments, lack of concentration, lapses in memory, and absentmindedness are some cases of mental drawbacks caused by health troubles. Seaward also shows that there are individuals who are more prone to health troubles than others.   As a result, the ability to cope with poor health is not the same with everyone. For instance, effective coping with stress depends upon how people go about their day-to-day lives. Lifestyle is a key factor in determining the likelihood of an improved posttraumatic stress disorder (Calkins, 1996). Posttraumatic stress disorder is usually coupled with feelings of sadness, discouragement, and dissatisfaction and usually occurs with other symptoms, such as feelings of worthlessness or guilt, decreased energy, and suicidal thoughts. Just as one can have the flu and bladder infection at the same time, it is quite possible, especially in the milder forms of bipolar disorder, to be both abnormally depressed and anxious at the same time (Dunn, 2001). Survivors of extremely traumatic experiences such as 9/11 are sometimes left with special anxiety problems. Some act as if they have been by the shock of their ordeal. Their interest in life is diminished, and they feel alienated from the people around them. Others develop a tendency to remain constantly on the alert, as if disaster is sure to strike again at any moment. They tend also to startle easily. People who have lived through auto crashes may panic at the sound if cars in the night. Those who have endured a mugging or rape may respond with a start whenever they hear strange sounds, and some former prisoners o war and hostages report similar reactions whenever they hear approaching footsteps (Skene, 2001). Survivors of psychological trauma are likely also to keep reliving their experience. They suffer from nightmares in which the shattering episode is reenacted in all its terrifying detail, and by day they find themselves suddenly overwhelmed by harrowing memories whenever they are exposed to situations that even remotely resemble the original event (Garcà ­a, 2005). There is evidence also that mood disorders are related to disturbances in the brain, to such an extent that the symptoms sometimes appear without any provocation. Neither the depressed individual nor the close family and friends can point to any unusually stressful event that might have caused a depression (Dunn, 2001). The Responsive Behavior of the Young and the Old Posttraumatic stress reactions can occur at any age.   Some people get over the traumatic experience of 9/11 soon enough, but others are troubled by symptoms for years on end. A number of elderly concentration camp survivors broke down completely decades after their ordeal was over when they had to be hospitalized for medical reasons. The experience was sufficiently similar to imprisonment to reopen fully the old psychological wounds (Garcà ­a, 2005). Children endure with bereavement a lot in the vein of adults, but with still not as much of discernment (Garcà ­a, 2005). When taking children in hand, it is imperative to recognize that they almost certainly discern more than what parents grant them credit for. Despite the fact that parents inherently desire to safeguard their children from pain, even the youngest kid understands that something is dreadfully wrong and yearns to grasp why the every adult distraught and in tears. This protective attitude merely serves to deprive the child of a chance to learn more about grief management and coping skills, which are indispensable throughout a person’s life, especially when he or she continues live in the absence of any parent who is supposed to shield them from deep sorrow since it is the parent or any close relative who has passed away (Garcà ­a, 2005). It is essential to acknowledge that every child is inimitable in his or her comprehension of the entire process of death. This discernment hinge on their developmental phase, intellectual skills, teachings by parents, teachers, and significant others, personality attributes, imagery in the media, spiritual convictions, and prior incidents of death induced by 9/11 (Hinkle, 2004). Nevertheless, there are a number of consequential factors that will be useful in comprehending how young people live through and cope with death and its aftermath (Dunn, 2001). Coping strategy of an individual’s behavioral and psychological efforts to buffer or minimize environmental and internal demands of posttraumatic stress disorder. Coping means that the person is â€Å"taking charge of his or her own life and is seeking the resources needed to solve current problems† (Garcà ­a, 2005). Seaward furthers that although the coping strategies used by individuals are often distinct, coping temperaments are to a large extent acquired from the social environment. The manner in which people attempt to resolve stressful situations, the cognitive strategies that they use to downsize threat, and the techniques for handling tensions are largely gained from the groups to which they belong.   A person tries to contain the threat and beat stress in two ways, namely focusing on the problem and on the emotions (Bornstein, 1994).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Other grown-ups are overly wrapped up in their anguish to make an effort to comprehend how the firsthand witnesses of the 9/11 attacks fathom. Other people usually misconstrue the bystander’s demonstration of sentiments, characteristically hold themselves responsible for their fellowmen’s lamentation or rage. Therefore, even though it is likely for the entire people to express their sorrow in the presence of the world, it is essential to impart an elucidation to the terrorist that they can face the future more stalwartly. Discovering how to communicate their anguish, resentment, and apprehension will help Americans to contend with comparable disasters if truly inevitable in the future (Skene, 2001). Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   No question about it; the 9/11 incident was the commencement of enlarged hostilities and vigilance as well. The imagery being broadcast was far too excruciating to behold. Mass terrorism is not a regular crime; it is an enormously terrible crime. Tens of thousands, more or less, are the terrorists’ target to inflict fatality or fear upon, and they are more than determined to rule the world. With continued weak will, no wonder how more people would struggle to stay untreated with posttraumatic stress disorder (Skene, 2001). Attitudes toward those with posttraumatic stress disorder have improved over time. Today, individuals with PTSD are fortunate enough to be treated in hospitals and clinics instead of being out away in prisons or asylums. But they are still far from universally accepted either within the family or community. How they are viewed by others can be critical. It can help determine whether they will recover sufficiently to function in society, or to continue to be overwhelmed by their symptoms and even get worse (Calkins, 1996). For a person with posttraumatic stress disorder, there is no clear-cut organic problem, no violation of basic social norms, and no loss of orientation to reality, but the individual shows a lifelong pattern of self-defeating and inadequate coping strategies aimed more at reducing anxiety than at solving life problems. By mental aberrations or psychological scars, the PTSD patient proves to others that he or she is impotent in the face of a threatening world (Dunn, 2001). Our growing understanding of posttraumatic stress disorder does more than enable society to reclaim its familiar stranger. In making sense of posttraumatic stress disorder, we are forced to come to grips with basic conceptions of normality, reality, and social values. And mind loosed from its stable moorings does not just go on its solitary way; it bumps into other minds, sometimes changing their stability (Kagan, 2004). Many PSTD patients are privately treated at home, while others have learned to conceal their disturbances and not act crazy in public. Still others act out their mental problems in ways that society does not judge as mentally disordered; perhaps joining the hate groups, or engaging in socially acceptable forms of violence. Just as unemployment statistics do not include all those who are chronically unemployed and have stopped looking for work, so, too, statistics on posttraumatic stress disorder omit those who suffer in silence, living a marginal existence on the fringes of society (Hinkle, 2004). Indeed, victims of posttraumatic stress disorder caused by 9/11 are usually beset by extremely difficult psychological and social problems. They are likely to be financially strapped, not only because the therapy can be expensive, but also it interferes with productive work. They tend to be outcasts from both the family and society at large. Often the only persons willing to give them serious attention are their fellow PTSD patients, which do not really help as negativity enlarges (Bornstein, 1994). Under such depressive, circumstance, they need considerable help to break free from prejudiced society and get a fresh start in life. References Calkins, Mary Whiton. (1996). An Introduction to Psychology. The Macmillan Company. Bornstein, Marc H. (1994). Psychology and Its Allied Disciplines. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Dunn, Edgar S. (2001). Abnormal Psychology. Resources for the Future. Garcà ­a, Cynthia. (2005). â€Å"Developmental Psychology.† Merrill-Palmer Quarterly. Hinkle, Gisela J. (2004). The Development of Modern Sociology: Its Nature and Growth in the United States. Random House. Kagan, Jerome. (2004). â€Å"The Limitations of Concepts in Developmental Psychology.† Developmental Psychology. Skene, Neil. (2001). â€Å"Sacrificing Freedoms in the Name of Saving Them.† Atlanta: Creative Loafing.

There are no Truly Victimless Crimes Essay -- essays research papers

A man chooses to take cocaine. He understands the risks he is taking, and he believes that taking the cocaine is worth the risk. Should he be allowed to take the drug? Or should the government force him to abstain from it, in his own interest? He is not hurting anyone but himself, so why should there be a law against it? This debate has raged since the beginning of civilization. J. S. Mill, in his Essay on Liberty, takes the position that is commonly accepted: the government should not interfere with matters that do not involve more than one person. These matters are often called "victimless crimes." Mill - along with the majority of people in today's world - claims that if a person commits a crime against his or herself, such as harming the body by taking certain drugs or suicide, the person should not be prosecuted. The argument is that no other person is affected. All involved parties consent to the arrangement, so they should be responsible for whatever happens. A few com mon victimless crimes are prostitution, taking harmful drugs, and suicide. These are perceived as having no negative effect on anyone but the people who agreed to accept the negative effects. In reality, all victimless crimes cause problems for other members of society. J. S. Mill did not understand that "victimless" crimes do not actually exist. Prostitution is one of the most debated of the victimless crimes, because the US has been "slow" in adopting it legally. Only ten Nevadian counties out of the entirety of the 50 United States have passed laws that legalize prostitution, while in Holland prostitution is a recognized occupation. Holland even has a union for prostitutes. It is argued by proponents of legalized prostitution that the business is ... ... cases, this can go so far as to cause suicide by a survivor, repeating the cycle. Besides those negative psychological effects, survivors of suicide usually experience some need to place blame. This can either be manifested in anger towards the suicidal person, to a third party that may have the blame placed on him, or on the survivor himself. It is very common for a survivor to feel self-loathing and to entertain the idea that there was something that could have been done to save the lost loved one. Suicide is not a victimless crime. These are only three of the "victimless crimes" that have been postulated by people such as J. S. Mill. While he may have had strong urges for social liberty, he never understood the fact that there is no such thing as a victimless crime. All crimes have a victim, and no amount of philosophy or political theory can change that.

Deceptive Commercial Speech and Advertising

Deceptive Commercial Speech and Advertising According to the commercial speech doctrine, only deceptive speech that is considered commercial may be regulated. General deceptive speech is not commercial, may not be regulated. When deciding what may and may not be regulated, it is important to understand the subtle differences in what is considered commercial and non commercial speech. An analyzation of false advertising would give further understanding to the notion of commercial speech and how it may be degenerative to a society when untruthful. Commercial Speech According to the Supreme Court, the definition of commercial speech is a â€Å"combination of a core notion surrounded by a penumbral boundary defined on the basis of three characteristics† (Howard, 1991). This â€Å"core notion† of commercial speech is â€Å"speech which does ‘no more than propose a commercial transaction’† [1] Beyond this notion exists a body of commercial speech identified in the Bolger v. Youngs Drug Prods. Corp. 1983 case by whether the speech is as an advertisement, whether the speech refers to a specific product, or whether the speaker is economically motivated. 2] Although individually these characteristics are insufficient to establish speech as commercial, the combination of all three offers a strong argument for describing commercial speech. Advertising The Merriam-Webster dictionary lists an advertisement as something that is shown of presented to the public to help sell a product or to make an announcement. In short adve rtising may be described as a public notice published in the press or broadcast over the air. Many societies receive a bulk of their daily information from advertisements selling physical products, attempting to sway opinions, and introducing new ideas. The increase in media technology has opened a doorway to deliver a constant stream of information including advertisements that may be biased or altogether misleading. Current social network sites allow users to â€Å"like† or â€Å"check-in† to retailers and offer their own perception of goods and services. These social networks allow for the â€Å"word of mouth† method of advertising to increase in effectiveness due to the widespread availability of technology. Development Commercial speech is typically given limited First Amendment protections; however, there exists two types of commercial speech that are exempt from any protection whatsoever. Advertising that is false, misleading, or deceptive is given no protection by the government. Advertising that show cases unlawful goods or services will also receive zero protection from the government (Pember & Calvert, 2011). Doctrine The Commercial Speech Doctrine was developed to outline which protected commercial speech may be regulated. While little to no rights are granted to misleading ads or unlawful goods and services, protected commercial speech may also be subject to regulation if: there is substantial state interest to justify regulation, there is evidence that the regulation directly advances this interest, or there is reasonable fit between the state interest and the government regulation (Pember & Calvert, 2011). Before a state decides to regulate commercial speech that has presumed protection under the First Amendment, that state must assert a reasonable cause for wanting to regulate the speech. For example: a billboard that is blocking the view of drivers on the street nearby would be reasonable cause for regulating that speech. The state must next prove that this regulation of speech has directly effected the interest at which it was aimed. For example: the removal of the billboard must show a decrease in traffic violations in the area. Finally, the state must show that the regulation of commercial speech has been narrowly tailored to fit a specific interest. For example: the regulation involving the removal of a billboard must be specific to that particular billboard. Following these guidelines allows for a state to regulate commercial speech that is not misleading or unlawful in goods or services. Fraud, Falsity, and Misleadingness In 1981, J. Edward Russo, Barbara L. Metcalf, and Debra Stephens identified three approaches to unjust advertising. Each view parallels the three components of advertising communication. â€Å"Fraud focuses on the advertiser and assumes a deliberate intent to create false beliefs about the product. Falsity in advertising refers to the existence of a claim-fact discrepancy. Misleadingness focuses exclusively on consumer beliefs† (Russo, Metcalf, & Stephens, 1981). Advertisers who display low ethics and advertise deliberate misinformation are guilty of fraud; however, it remains an impractical approach. Proving a â€Å"deliberate intent† to mislead through an advertisement is difficult and may be irrelevant to the harm caused to consumers. Although, major industry regulator, the National Advertising Division (NAD) of the Better Business Bureau, does not generally require proof of fraud to remove an ad from publication, this does not apply in all situations (Russo, Metcalf, & Stephens, 1981). Falsity in advertising occurs when a claim is made that is not documented with fact. For example: a company advertises that a product with fly, but the product does not fly. Falsity is easily verified by proving that a discrepancy exists between advertisement and reality. Insufficiency of falsity occurs when an ad generates a consumer belief of falsity, even though one has not been directly stated. Misleadingness, the third view, focuses entirely on what consumers believe. â€Å"A demonstration of misleadingness requires the observation of false consumer beliefs in conjunction with exposure to the ad† (Russo, Metcalf, & Stephens, 1981). If an ad is believed to be in violation of this, it must prove that there is a direct relation between the release of the ad and change in societal belief. The Federal Trade Commission refocused its approach to misleadingness by focusing little on the actual message and more on the resulting consumer beliefs. References 1. Virginia State Bd. of Pharmacy v. Virginia Citizens Consumer Council, Inc. , 425 U. S. 748, 762 (1976) (quoting Pittsburgh Press Co. v. Pittsburgh Comm'n on Human Relations, 413 U. S. 376, 385 (1973)). Bolger v. Youngs Drug Prods. Corp. 463 U. S. 60, 66-67 (1983). Howard, A. (1991). The constitutionality of deceptive speech regulations: Replacing the commercial speech doctrine. Case Western Reserve Law Review, 41(4), 1093. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary:http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/advertisements Pember, D. R. , and Calvert, C. (2011). Mass media law. 17th ed. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill. Russo, J. , Metcalf, B. L. , & Stephe ns, D. (1981). Identifying Misleading Advertising. Journal of Consumer Research, 8(2), 119-131. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Free Enterprise in United States

â€Å"Work hard, save your money, and you can become wealthy – or, at least, â€Å"independent! † This is the motto of old-fashioned, â€Å"free enterprise. † It expresses the idea that everybody in a capitalist society can participate and compete on the same terms with similar chances of success. It implies that the working class is just a collection of individuals who have not yet established their independence (worked their way up) through â€Å"individual initiative,† rather than a being permanent class. In the early 19th Century, most Americans (including Abraham Lincoln, for instance) believed this. They thought opportunities under capitalism would keep expanding forever. But what is the reality behind this capitalist thinking? In the past, working people in America have had more opportunity to go into business or to get land for farming than anywhere else in the developed world. At the time the U. S. Constitution was written, it was generally assumed that only property owners should have the right to vote and participate in government. The â€Å"Free Labor† thinking of the Republican Party before the Civil War was basically a form of the capitalist work ethic. It meant that if 1) you were free yourself; 2) your country was â€Å"free†; and, 3) there was no slave labor to take your livelihood, you could â€Å"make something of yourself,† and become a capitalist or, at least, an independent producer, professional or artist. Americans in the North at that time were influenced by this capitalist â€Å"work-ethic† to under-estimate the energy of the South. They thought (as the capitalist â€Å"work-ethic† would lead them to believe) that the poverty and economic decline of the South were probably due to laziness and that this indicated that the North should be able to easily defeat the South. But the Civil War proved that Southerners were not â€Å"lazy;† it was the slave system (lacking science and industry) that caused many of the economic problems there. The capitalist â€Å"work-ethic† also caused Northerners to overlook the only chance for real progress in the South during the â€Å"Reconstruction† — taking of the lands of former slave-owners, and their distribution to Blacks and poor Whites. They assumed, as did Abraham Lincoln, that anyone with ambition would simply work his way up. They could not understand that capitalism naturally limited opportunities, because the majority would have to be workers, not capitalists. With no land or other economic basis to start from, most workers in the South would have no way of lifting themselves from poverty. Strong competition with other capitalists, who are constantly trying to gain a larger market by offering a cheaper product, forces the beginner to keep putting everything back into his business. He must invest in more modern equipment in order to be able to produce more cheaply with higher quality, and on a larger scale. He must do this in order to improve his product or services, and also capture a larger share of the market, until he has reached a level where there is no immediate threat of being put out of business by his competition. This means having the most modern machinery and getting the most productivity out of his workers. This huge need for capital also forces the capitalist to rely more and more on third parties. Making the capitalist borrow from banks to keep his capitol at a safe amount. They simply hire employees to make all the management decisions, design and develop the product, etc. Free enterprise† thinking forgets that a worker has only his labor-power to sell in order to earn his living. He competes with other workers to sell his labor-power at the cheapest price. The average price of labor-power (the worker's wages) is the amount that it takes to â€Å"make ends meet† under the given social settings in a country. The laws of economics determine that if the worker works faster, he creates a cheaper product. But this eventually cheapens the amount which the capitalist must pay him in wages because there are always unemployed workers somewhere willing to work for the bare necessities. Working faster increases competition without increasing their earnings. Because of these realities, workers learn to â€Å"work smart† according to their own understanding. Working smart for the worker means withholding his labor power, working more slowly and learning the tricks of the trade, better known as bargaining. These things raise the price of his labor-power. This in turn forces the capitalist to concentrate more on improving productivity through better machinery and production processes in order to increase his profits.