The era of the plutocrats Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The era of the plutocrats - Essay Example He was not merely a financier and a banker but a philanthropist and an art collector. He gained his education in both US and Germany. He was trained as an accountant at Sherman and Company and in 1867, was transferred to his father's banking company Drexel, Morgan and Company where he became a partner in 10 years. In 1895, the company was renamed as J. P. Morgan and became a world renowned banking house. He was responsible for arranging the merger between Edison General Electric and Thompson-Houson Electric Company. The new company formed, General Electric came on to become the main electrical equipment manufacturing company in the country. He financed Federal Steel Company and merged it with Carnegie Steel Company which came on to become United States Steel Corporation. With the help of his network in London, he was able to attract British investment for growing industrial corporations in the U.S. as he played a major role in attaining capital for companies. He became a member of th e board of directors of many of these companies, most of which were rail road companies. This meant that by 1902, Morgan had control over 8,000 km of railroads in America. To gain control over major corporations, he concentrated his efforts on acquiring control of several banks and insurance companies. He was at times criticized for his hunger for power and his urge for gaining control (Simkin, JP Morgan) Andrew Carnegie was born on November 25th, 1835, in Dunfermline, Scotland to a handloom weaver. The Carnegie family had to immigrate to the United States in 1848 because of the economic depression. In America, Andrew began to work at the age of 12 at a local cotton factory while pursuing his education by attending night school. At 14, Andrew Carnegie took the job of messenger boy where his talent was duly noticed by the superintendent of the western division of the company, Thomas A. Scott. When during the Civil War Scott was made secretary, he took Carnegie along with him to Washi ngton to work as his right-hand man. Organizing the military telegraph system was part of Carnegie’s job. On becoming superintendent, Carnegie wisely invested in many promising ventures, one of which was Woodruff Sleeping Car Company and many other small iron mills and factories, the most important of which was the company which he owned a one-fifth share in: Keystone Bridge. Some of the major milestones he achieved include the opening of his steel furnace at Braddock, writing a series of books and articles through which he voiced his opinions that the rich should help the poor and a man that dies rich is disgraced. He also set up a fund which finances 3,000 public libraries (380 in Britain), the Carnegie Institute of Pittsburgh, the Carnegie Institute of Technology and the Carnegie Institution of Washington. By the time of his death, he had donated $350,000,000 (Simkin, Andrew Carnegie). Born in New York in 1839, John Davidson Rockefeller at the young age of 16 became a cler k in a commission house. He wanted to work for himself and in 1850 by saving every penny he earned, he with an Englishman, Maurice Clark, opened his own company, Clark & Rockefeller Produce and Commission which sold farm implements, fertilizers and household goods. He sold his successful business for the more lucrative business of refining crude oil and started a company called Standard Oil. He was able to minimize costs by setting up an exclusive deal

Applying MBTI to understand and resolve conflict Essay

Applying MBTI to understand and resolve conflict - Essay Example At the beginning of the project there were people who believed that we should have started the project then analysed it later depending on the outcome of our first trial. They proposed that if anything turned out wrong after the first trial, we could come up with ways to improve it in a second trial. There were others who wanted to brainstorm about the best way to go about the project before attempting to carry on with it. The project needed to be done in two shifts: night and day shift. Work was always being assigned randomly without due regard to the workers’ preferences, personalities and abilities. It was assumed by management that those who had lower abilities would catch up with their peers with time and had to be pushed towards greater performance and under tight supervision. The employees were not comfortable with the way duties and shifts were being assigned by the management. As a result of this many of the employees were arriving late or even completely failing to show up for work. On the other hand, others were performing their duties poorly due to lack of interest, low morale taking its toll on most workers. Instead of analyzing the situation as it was and listening to the employees, the management opted to fire some employees believing that this would be an example to other employees. The situation improved slightly owing to the fact that many employees did not want to lose their jobs. However, productivity remained low as the employees only exerted effort in the presence of their supervisors. In their absence, work was performed sluggishly unless it was going to earn the employee more cash during overtime. This presented a situation that demanded critical thinking. As the group leader I had to come up with a solution that everyone in the team was comfortable with. However, this was not a simple task especially after taking into account the fact that people had varying problems, sometimes

The General Environment Consists Of Six Segments Marketing Essay

The General Environment Consists Of Six Segments Marketing Essay Telecom Corporation of New Zealand Limited Telecom is a  company based on media and telecommunications industry offering telecommunications and information, communication and technology (ICT) services in New Zealand and Australia. The company has a headcount of about 8297 employees as of 2011 (Annual report of Telecom New Zealand, 2011).Telecom Corporation of New Zealand Limited is the largest telecommunications service provider in New Zealand providing consumers and business people with a wide range of products and services. Telecom operates under the following business units: Telecom Retail , Gen-i, AAPT, Telecom New Zealand International, Chorus and Technology shared services (Annual report of Telecom New Zealand, 2011). Today, Telecom plays a significant marketing leader role by owning more than one million fixed line customers and over two million mobile connections in the New Zealand telecommunications market (Annual report of Telecom New Zealand, 2011). However, the companys total operating revenues and total gains for the financial year 2011 (ending June 2011) is about NZ$ 5122 million, a decrease of 2.8% over the financial year 2010 (Annual report of Telecom New Zealand, 2011). Environmental factors General Environment Analysis According to Hanson, Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson (2011), the general environment consists of six segments: Demographic segment Telecoms major operations are carried out in New Zealand and Australia which contributes to very less population globally. The region consists of people from different ethnic groups like Maoris, Europeans, Asians and Pacific Islanders with lots of immigrants from different parts of the world. The major source of income is through salaries and wages; others include interests, investments and self-employment. Economic segment The New Zealand economy is suffering a quite slow recovery with the GDP result growing by 0.3 % in December 2011 quarter (New Zealand Statistics, 2012). Furthermore, the companys revenue decreased in the year 2011 which is not a good thing in the industry. It also depends on the nations economic condition in the World Market. Sometimes recessions may also affect the companys performance. Political/legal segment Telecom has its own governance objectives, policies, taxation laws and regulations for its employees. It should also be following the Telecommunication Act set by the Government. Furthermore, the Telecommunication Amendment Act in New Zealand will simplify telecommunications regulation and increase the marketing competition within the telecommunication service industry in New Zealand (Telecom New Zealand, 2012). The firm should also be following the Human Rights Act and Employment law for the firms employees. Legal proceedings are carried out for violation of laws and regulations. Socio-cultural segment Telecom consists of diverse set of people in the workplace who helps in the companys success in the Global Market. The employees face a lot of challenges in order to meet the Companys goals and objectives. It has a wide range of diversity programs such as Leadership programmes, Global Women programmes and flexible working policies (Annual report of Telecom New Zealand, 2011). Telecom foundation was recently started to do charity and community works. The firm also have concerns about New Zealands environment (Telecom New Zealand, 2012). Technological segment Since Telecom being a part of the telecommunications Industry, there are a lot of new technologies and innovations being created at a very fact pace. So the company must learn the new technology very fast so as to adopt the new technology ahead of its competitors. The company has also shown interest in the new technology called the Ultra Fast Broadband initiative which is a new technology for faster broadband connections (Telecom New Zealand, 2012). There is also a more focus of globalisation of technology and internet enabled services. Global segment Telecom is company that is based in New Zealand and Australia. So the company is not globally attracted. It should expand the organisation globally so that it can gain a competitive advantage over its competitors when they have a global presence in the industry. Globalisation always helps in creating opportunities and challenges for the firm which makes them more successful in the industry. Industry Environment Analysis According to Hanson et al (2011), the five forces of Industry environment consists of : Threat of new entrants Entry into the telecommunication industry requires a huge capital because they need to build a great infrastructure within New Zealand. The threat of new entrants will be lower in the industry because they have to compete with its well-established competitors. However due to lower switching costs between service providers, the new entrant may have an opportunity in the existing market share when their services are cheaper than the existing competitors. The government policies are also liberalized for entry in the telecommunication industry which is an added advantage. Overall, the threat of new entrants in the telecommunication industry is medium. Planning Process and Strategies From the above General Environment we can find factors that influence and also affect the industry in the form of opportunities and threats. These factors mainly depend on the competitiveness, market share, substitute products, supply and demand. Opportunities can be listed as: Growing broadband market with the introduction of ultra-fast broadband initiative in New Zealand which helps the company to gain more customers. Mobile data services are being used more these days as people tend to use mobile for browsing the internet. Increasing growth of mobile payment service which is an easy and a convenient way to do transactions due to more use of Smartphones. Threats can be listed as: Globalisation of the company is important to survive in the industry Legal proceedings of the company involves more legal costs Intense competition among the competitors acts as a threat in the industry Team Structure And Dynamics The industry consists of only a few potential competitors which is an advantage for the company. But there are also new competitors and also the threat of new entrants which lowers the companys market share in the industry. The company has its own substitute products due to advancements in technology and thus when people want to switch from fixed to mobile connection; the company eventually retains its new customers. When the company is updated in the technological world, it will eventually gain new customers and also retain its own customers as well. Thus the bargaining power of suppliers is relatively high. Bargaining power of buyers The industry is characterised by large number of potential buyers who are independent in choosing their own service provider. Customers tend to choose their service provider based on the companys customer service and price range. So the customers gain an advantage to switch to other service providers when required which decreases the suppliers power. However when the buyers are in a contract period, the switching costs are relatively high which is an advantage to the suppliers. Thus the bargaining power of buyers is medium. Threat of substitute products Telecom is a part of the telecommunication industry and it has its own substitute products as the company has both fixed and wireless connections. Since the substitute products are there within the own company it is not found to be a key issue for the company. Thus overall the level of threat of substitute products is relatively low. Rivalry among competing firms The New Zealand Telecommunication Industry has its major competitors like Vodafone, Telecom, Telstra clear and 2degrees. The rivalry among these competitors is relatively high because of their different approaches in the industry. Vodafone is said to be the major competitor of telecom because of its global presence in the industry. 2degrees has also set a mark in the industry due to its cheaper prices and quality plans. Thus the rivalry among the competing firms is said to be high. Competitor The key competitors of Telecom across various business units are Telstraclear, Vodafone Group PLC, Hutchison Telecommunications (Australia) Limited, AirNet Systems, Inc, Woosh Wireless, CallPlus Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Company, IBM Corporation, Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel), Two Degrees Mobile Limited, Orcon Internet Limited. Though Telecom is one of the largest communication industries in New Zealand, there are also potential threats because of its competitors. Vodafone is the largest mobile phone operator in New Zealand which is mainly because of its global presence in over 30 countries. 2degrees is also gaining advantage with low call rates and innovative plans. So Telecom should gain competitive advantage by expanding the organisation globally by providing quality service and cheap products. Leadership: Telecom following the democratic leadership. Democratic leaders make the final decisions, but they include team members in the decision-making process. They encourage creativity, and team members are often highly engaged in projects and decisions. There are many benefits of democratic leadership. Team members tend to have high job satisfaction and are productive because theyre more involved in decisions. This style also helps develop peoples skills. Team members feel in control of their destiny, so theyre motivated to work hard by more than just a financial reward. Because participation takes time, this approach can slow decision-making, but the result is often good. The approach can be most suitable when working as a team is essential, and when quality is more important than efficiency or productivity. The downside of democratic leadership is that it can often hinder situations where speed or efficiency is essential. For instance, during a crisis, a team can waste valuable time gathering peoples input. Another downside is that some team members might not have the knowledge or expertise to provide high quality input. Conclusion: Telecom has a leading marketing position within the highly competitive marketplace. Currently the management of Telecom is facing some strategic issues in telecommunication industry. Some of the key issues are the Ultra Band Broadband initiative introduced by the New Zealand Government which is said to be the future of broadband connections in New Zealand. So Telecom should be very keen in providing better service to the customers with the new broadband initiative so as to gain a competitive advantage over other competitors. The companys profitability and revenue has also decreased in the financial year 2011 which is considered to be an issue in the market value of the company, so the company should try to gain more profits and revenues in the future. The company should also change its marketing strategies so that it can attract more customers in the future. With lots of new technologies being innovated the company can use these technologies to market their products and services so as to create positive market position in the industry.

Leonardo Da Vinci :: essays research papers

1452-1519, Italian painter, sculptor, architect, musician, engineer, and scientist, probably the supreme example of Renaissance genius. Born in Vinci, Tuscany, he was the illegitimate son of a Florentine notary and a peasant girl. His precocious artistic talent brought him to Verrocchio's workshop in 1466, where he met Botticelli and Ghirlandaio. The cul mination of his art in this first period in Florence is seen in the magnificent, unfinished Adoration of the Magi (Uffizi), with its characteristic dramatic movement and chiaroscuro. In c.1482 Leonardo went to the court of Ludovico Sforza in Milan and there composed most of his Trattato della pittura and the notebooks that demonstrate his versa tile genius. The severe plagues in 1484 and 1485 drew his attention to town planning, and his drawings and plans for domed churches reflect his concern with architectural problems. In 1483, Leonardo and his pupil Ambrogio de Predis were commissioned to execute the famous Madonna of the Rocks (two versions: 1483-c.1486, Louvre; 1483-1508, National Gall., London). The now badly damaged Last Supper (c.1495-1498; Milan) was executed during the period when he was experimenting with the Fresco medium, and this partly accounts for its damage. Despite this, a sublime spiritual content and power of invention mark it as one of the world's masterpieces. Leonardo's model for an equestrian monument to Francesco Sforza was never cast, and in 1500 he returned to Florence, where he did much theoretical work in mathematics and pursued his anatomical studies in the hospital of Santa Maria Nuova. As a military engineer for Cesare Borgia he studied swamp reclamation and met Niccolà ² Machiavelli. In c.1503 he executed the celebrated Mona Lisa (Louvre). Then, as architect and engineer in Milan to the French king Louis Xii, he continued his scientific investigations into geology, botany, hydraulics, and mechanics. In 1510-11 he painted St. Anne, Mary, and the Child (Louvre), a work that exemplifies his handling of sfumato-misty, subtle transitions in tone.

Dress code

Have you ever found yourself walking through the halls of a school and stretched out far beyond the sight of your eyes, you notice nothing but masses of students conformed into a single color or uniform? School dress codes have long since been a subject of debate amongst both students and faculty alike. In one school district after another, school uniforms are proposed as the solution. The real question is whether or not they actually serve a functional purpose, and the cost/extent of having those rules in place. School dress codes impose on freedom of expression, is time consuming, can be very costly and serve no functional purpose outside of school. Having a dress code (such as a uniform) is expensive and has no use outside of school. Poor families may not have the money to pay uniforms and having that as a dress code may be more of a hassle for them. They may depend on hand me downs or may buy clothes from second hand stores that do not provide uniforms. Buying clothes that follow a dress code may also be more expensive because children may still want clothes that they can wear outside of school. Uniforms have no use out of school. It is not a casual outfit for going to the mall or park. It is not a business suit that could be used for interviews and other occasions. Having a dress code causes the school to misuse its time. Dress codes are not enforced very well. Some teachers enforce following the dress code and others do not which presents miscommunication with students. Some students can get away with not following the dress code and others do not. When the dress code is enforced it wastes class time. It takes time away from the teacher and instructing the class. It takes away from the child’s learning experience and the rest of the child peer’s learning experience. Dress codes have not been proving to help students academically, behaviorally, or socially which means there is no valid reason to have one. Having a dress code infringes on an individual’s personal right. The first amendment states that â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Implementing a dress code on someone violates their right of the first amendment. Clothing is a way of expressing yourself. It allows people to experiment with their identities and a way to discover your inner self. Self expression is very important to a child’s development emotionally. In an effort to allow students their rights of expression, avoid costly and wasteful time spending the use of school dress codes should be avoided. Dress codes are simply a way to give schools more power over students and to infringe on their creativity and freedom of expression. Dress code Have you ever found yourself walking through the halls of a school and stretched out far beyond the sight of your eyes, you notice nothing but masses of students conformed into a single color or uniform? School dress codes have long since been a subject of debate amongst both students and faculty alike. In one school district after another, school uniforms are proposed as the solution. The real question is whether or not they actually serve a functional purpose, and the cost/extent of having those rules in place. School dress codes impose on freedom of expression, is time consuming, can be very costly and serve no functional purpose outside of school. Having a dress code (such as a uniform) is expensive and has no use outside of school. Poor families may not have the money to pay uniforms and having that as a dress code may be more of a hassle for them. They may depend on hand me downs or may buy clothes from second hand stores that do not provide uniforms. Buying clothes that follow a dress code may also be more expensive because children may still want clothes that they can wear outside of school. Uniforms have no use out of school. It is not a casual outfit for going to the mall or park. It is not a business suit that could be used for interviews and other occasions. Having a dress code causes the school to misuse its time. Dress codes are not enforced very well. Some teachers enforce following the dress code and others do not which presents miscommunication with students. Some students can get away with not following the dress code and others do not. When the dress code is enforced it wastes class time. It takes time away from the teacher and instructing the class. It takes away from the child’s learning experience and the rest of the child peer’s learning experience. Dress codes have not been proving to help students academically, behaviorally, or socially which means there is no valid reason to have one. Having a dress code infringes on an individual’s personal right. The first amendment states that â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Implementing a dress code on someone violates their right of the first amendment. Clothing is a way of expressing yourself. It allows people to experiment with their identities and a way to discover your inner self. Self expression is very important to a child’s development emotionally. In an effort to allow students their rights of expression, avoid costly and wasteful time spending the use of school dress codes should be avoided. Dress codes are simply a way to give schools more power over students and to infringe on their creativity and freedom of expression.

Objectives of Firms Essay

Standard theory assumes that businesses have sufficient information, market power and (importantly) motivation to set prices for their products that maximise profits This assumption is now heavily criticised by economists who have studied the organisation and objectives of modern-day corporations. Not only do most businesses frequently move away from pure profit-seeking behaviour, many are organised and operated in a way where profit is not the only objective. Key Point: There will always be a range of business objectives: 1. Profit maximisation (where MR=MC) 2. Revenue maximisation (sales revenue) – where MR=zero 3. Increasing and protecting market share 4. Surviving an economic downturn / recession 5. Pursuing ethical business objectives (corporate social responsibility) 6. Providing a public service – see later sections on nationalised (state-owned) industries Why might a business depart from profit maximisation? Some explanations relate to the lack of accurate information required to set profit maximising prices. Others concentrate on the alternative objectives of businesses. Imperfect information: It might be hard for a business to pinpoint their profit maximising output, as they cannot accurately calculate marginal revenue & cost. Day-to-day pricing decisions are taken on the basis of â€Å"estimated demand† or â€Å"rules of thumb†. A business might look to add a profit margin on top of average cost – â€Å"cost-plus pricing†. Multi-product businesses: Most businesses are multi-product firms operating in a range of markets across countries and continents – the volume of information that they have to handle can be vast. And they must keep track of the ever-changing preferences of consumers. The idea that there is a neat, single profit maximising price is redundant. Behavioural Theories of the Firm Behavioural economists believe that large-scale businesses are complex organizations made up of various stakeholders – i.e. groups who have a vested interest in the activity of a business. Examples include: Managers employed by a business and other employees Shareholders – people who have an equity stake in a business Customers The government and it’s agencies including local government Each group is likely to have different objectives or goals at points in time. The dominant group at any moment can give greater emphasis to their own objectives – for example price and output decisions may be taken at a local level by managers – with shareholders taking only a distant and imperfectly informed view of the company’s performance and strategy. If firms are likely to move away from pure profit maximising behaviour, what are the alternatives? 1. Satisficing behaviour is a term first coined by economist Hugo Simon – when faced with a decision where the cost of identifying and pursuing the optimal choice is high. For business owners this might mean moving away from pure profit maximisation and choosing instead to aim for minimum acceptable levels of achievement in terms of revenue and profit. 2. Sales Revenue Maximisation The objective of maximising sales revenue rather than profits was developed by William Baumol whose work focused on the behaviour of manager-controlled businesses. Baumol argued that annual salaries and perks are linked to total sales revenue rather than profits. Companies geared towards maximising revenue are likely to make extensive use of price discrimination to extract extra revenue and profit from consumers. A firm might also aim to maximise sales revenue rather than profits because it wishes to deter the entry of new firms. If a firm decides to aim to maximise sales revenue rather than profits, one of the consequences might be a reduction in the price of the firm’s shares 3. Managerial Satisfaction model An alternative view was put forward by Oliver Williamson (1981), who developed the concept of managerial satisfaction (or managerial utility). This can be enhanced by raising sales revenue. Assuming that the firm’s costs remain the same, a firm will choose a lower price and supply a higher output when sales revenue maximisation is the main objective. The profit maximising price is P1 at output Q1, the revenue maximising price is P2 at output Q2 Consumer surplus is higher with sales revenue maximisation because output is higher and price is lower. Producer surplus is greater when profits are maximised. Social Entrepreneurs Michael Porter – Shared Value and the Limitations of CSR Narrow views about how to create profit has created disconnect between businesses and society and needs to change according to Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter. â€Å"A growing number of companies known for their hard-nosed approach to business—such as GE, Google, IBM, Intel, Johnson & Johnson, Nestlà ©, Unilever, and Wal-Mart—have already embarked on efforts to create shared value by looking again at the intersection between society and corporate performance.† Shared value is creating economic value by creating social value In recent times, creating value has tended to focus on short-termist thinking – Businesses have been long on driving huge sales and output volumes, downsize and de-layering inefficient management and generally responding to pressure from financial markets to deliver immediate results through cost-cutting, dynamic pricing and increasingly tough marketing that can often persuade people to buy things that are not good for them. This involves a recalibration and a rethinking about what a product really is and what needs a business is meeting, for example in the food industry, products that are nutritious and healthy rather than focus on volume, lower unit costs and higher profits. He notes to increasing prominence of social entrepreneurs with revenue generating business models. Consumers looking at the world differently and expressing their preferences in strong ways – this is already having a direct effect on supermarket behaviour. A social enterprise is a business that has social objectives whose profits are reinvested for that purpose in the business or the community, rather than being driven by the need to seek profit to satisfy investors. Social entrepreneurs are looking to achieve social and environmental aims Not for Profit Businesses These are charities, community organisations that are run on commercial lines e.g. Network Rail: Network Rail: Their stated purpose is to deliver a safe, reliable and efficient railway for Britain They employ over 35,000 people with annual staff costs in excess of  £1.6bn It is a company limited by guarantee – whose debts are secured by the government Network Rail operates as a commercial business and regulated by the Office of Rail Regulation Network Rail is a â€Å"not-for-dividend† company – profits are invested in the railway network. Train operating companies (TOCs) pay Network Rail for use of the rail infrastructure They are given targets for punctuality and safety In 2011 Network Rail made profits of  £750 million. It receives an annual subsidy from the UK government in excess of  £5 billion. Businesses required to main a loss-making service A good example here is the Royal Mail which is required to maintain a universal national postal delivery service throughout the UK for a uniform price. Household mail makes a loss, cross-subsidised by business mail – although this market is shrinking for the Royal Mail because of the introduction of fresh competition from 2006. The Post Office Ltd is a subsidiary of the Royal Mail Group plc – it runs substantial losses on the network or rural post offices and has been under great pressure to close hundreds of offices to stem losses.

Kent State University Essays - An Edible History Of Humanity, Books

Kent State University Essays - An Edible History Of Humanity, Books Kent State University "Agriculture, the Game Changer" by Jada Garrison "An Edible History of Humanity" by Tom Standage Jada Garrison World History Ancient and Medieval Hist-11050-002-201780 Professor Shane Strate 7 November 2017 "An Edible History of Humanity" made it clear that the impact of agriculture on humanity plays a role in many aspects. The author is making the point that the importance of agriculture is a major employer, even of today's society. This text also brings to the table the aspect of the solution to feeding the world who, at times, were starving. The outstanding gains in technology that contributed to the advances in agriculture that made these things possible. Who would have thought corn, wheat, potatoes, and rice would have been the starting blocks of the wide, wide variety that agriculture offers today. The agriculture revolution is arguably the most important turning point in human history, from simple transactions in trade to establishing entire empires who took in these newly found techniques to benefit their rise in society. Agriculture brought about many advantages, as long as some disadvantages. Human society may have never formed into what it is today. At the beginning of time the little civilizations that stuck together were based off of a hunter-gatherer food supply. Members of these communities would spend hours hunting and whatever they brought back to be prepared would be shared with the peoples of the civilization. A hunter-gatherer's structure of society was mostly one-leveled or equal. Everyone in the community worked towards the same thing, providing food. This did not leave for much of a multi-tiered society, everyone had the same social standings for the most part. When the hunter-gatherers would settle into permanent spots they would sometimes settle near a farm. On occasion the hunter-gatherer would pick up on the techniques and then decided to farm as well. "Alternatively, hunter-gatherers on the fringes of farming areas might have decided to follow suit and become farmers themselves, adopting the methods [] of their farming neighbors." (Standage, pg 23). According to Standage this may have been due to "cultural diffusion", this is when the spread of cultural beliefs and social activities occur. Though the hunter-gatherers diet was thought to be healthier and more beneficial because they ate more meats, "rather than relying on a few stable crops." (Standage, pg 30), unlike farmers. The conversion of the hunter-gatherer society to an agriculture society brought many changes. The need for a larger food supply, social order, and organizational skills. In the agricultural civilizations there was a need to keep things in order, the "Big Men" or farmers who gained control over food supply became more powerful. The debt that was owed to them is what made them most powerful, though. The more debt owed to him the more food he would take as payment, when he obtained more food it would "legitimize the leaders position" (Standage, pg 50). Another strategy of gaining the most storage of the communities agricultural surplus could lead to a leadership positon. "Elaborate public-works projects then legitimize the leader's position..." (Standage, pg 42). Standage makes the statement of "Food was wealth, and control or food was power" (Standage, pg 13) this is proven true with how the civilizations created their social rankings. Each civilization had their own set of social classes, but for the most part they contained; the ruler, the appointed, military class, craftsmen, farmers, peasants and slaves. Some classes Many set these classes apart, finical status, training, and the simple fact of what class you were born into. In some societies you could work to make your way up the rankings, but in most what you were born into is what you stayed in. Social classes were being more of an necessity as the population grew and new advancements came about. Rulers had to know how to gain trust or legitimize himself. They could often do this by showing leadership characteristics in big projects being conducted throughout the civilization. A major project that was needed to be organized in their times were the irrigation systems. "One theory contends that a big man or leader can become more powerful by coordinating activities, particularly irrigation. [] control of the irrigation system would confer power on the leader" (tandage, pg 41).