Sunday, January 26, 2020

The Karl Marx book Wage labour and capital

The Karl Marx book Wage labour and capital Written in 1847 by Karl Marx, the German philosopher, political economist and communist revolutionary,  Wage Labour and Capital is an in-depth text centered around the idea that labour power is sold to capitalists. The book was republished by Engels in 1891 as he believed specific changes needed to be made, specifically the distinction between labour and labour power' (1). Marx who was born in Trier Germany in 1818 (2), had a significant impact in developing ideas based around communism and socialism and published these ideas in various works. This specific piece focuses primarily on how a particular economy (capitalist) works, how those in a capitalist economy are exploited and ultimately how the relationship between capital and labour is dialectically self-destructive (Marx-Engels, pg. 203). In this essay, I will discuss exactly what Marx is trying to explain to us with regard to wage labour and capital, as well as demonstrate why he believes the capital system is flawed. Further more, I will provide my own personal view on the subject by explaining which ideas of Marx I agree and perhaps disagree with.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Marx immediately jumps into the discussion of wage labour by posing two basic questions, What are wages? and How are they determined? (Marx-Engels, pg 204). According to Marx, any worker(s) in a capitalist economy are ultimately selling their labour power to the capitalist for a specific sum of money. Marx uses the example of weaving a yard of linen or type-setting a printed sheet. The capitalist is in theory buying the labour power with money, while workers are selling labour power for money. It is clear, however, that the money that is given to the worker(s) by the capitalist could have been spent on any other available commodity, thus the labour power a worker offers is equivalent to any other commodity. As Marx explains in his example, the two marks, with which he bought two pounds of sugar, are the price of the two pounds of sugar. The two marks, with which he bought twelve hours use of labour power, are the price of twelve hours of labour (Marx-Engels, pg 204). In other wor ds, the workers labour power has been exchanged for an amount of commodities measured by money (1). Why is labour power sold by the worker(s) to the capitalist? It is simple, to be able to live! What Marx explains is the fact that the labour which workers engage in is basically the way in which they live their life. Thus, his life-activity is for him only a means to enable him to exist (Marx-Engels, pg 204). A worker must sell this labour in order to be able to live. Their work is what lets them live. The worker also does not reckon labor as a part of his life, it is rather a sacrifice of his life (Marx-Engels, pg 204). It is evident that Marx is trying to expose the fact that labour was not always wage labour, and that a slave did not sell his labour power to a slave owner ((Marx-Engels, pg 205). The concept of wage labour is the result of capitalism, where workers are free to choose whether or not they want to sell this labour power they posses to any willing capitalists who might be interested in buying. Likewise, capitalists have the free choice to fire workers when they believe profits are not being made. When one worker is worn out he can be replaced by another. I found this section extremely intriguing as Marx exposed me to new ideas that I had never considered prior to reading this piece. At first it was hard to comprehend, but I soon understood what he was trying to say. Originally, when I thought of someone working, thats all it was to me, someone working.   Now, however, I see the relationship between labour power and capital. I can see how Marx tries to show us that man is in essence capital and that the labour workers provide is essentially a commodity like all others. The goal of capitalists is to make the most profit possible while maintaining the lowest costs of production. They dont care about the workers, because they mean nothing. It is easy to mistake the fact that we think we need the capitalist when in reality, we are the ones who posse ss the skill and labour power, so ultimately it is he/she who needs us. Though it was somewhat challenging, I felt that Marx made this section extremely rewarding when understood.   Ã‚  Ã‚  In the proceeding section Marx goes into further depth with regard to capital. He explains that it consists of raw materials, instruments of labour and means of subsistence of all kinds, which are utilized in order to produce new raw materials, new instruments of labour and new means of subsistence. However, these components are merely creations of labour, product of labour, [and] accumulated labour. Accumulated labour which serves as a means of new production is capital (Marx-Engels, pg 207). Additionally, we learn that during production, men must interact between one another, exchanging their activities in order to produce something. Only once a definite connection and relation (Marx-Engels pg 207) has been established can their action of production actually occur.  Ã‚  We also learn that these social relations which are created between men constantly change over time with new innovations and developments to means of production. It is as if all components are intertwi ned, whereby social relations of production make up the social relations, society, and, specifically a society at definitive stage of historical development (Marx-Engels, pg 207). Therefore, any society at any specific point in time is displaying the stage of development by mankind. For example, the bourgeois society is responsible for the production relation that is capital. But what exactly is capital? Capital in itself must be the sum of all material products, commodities, exchange values, or social magnitudes.  Ã‚  So what exactly is happening when this capital grows? In other words, capital thrives solely on exchanging itself with wage labour. When capital goes up so does wage labour, and more wage workers are required, resulting in the capitalist to gaining more power over the worker(s).Growth of productive capital, therefore, means that the capitalists is gaining more power over the workers. Marx then goes on to question what will occur to wages when there is a growth of pr oduction capital. What he tells us here is that when productive capital increases, so does the accumulation of labour. As a result the number of capitals in enabled to increase creating more competition amongst them. This increased competition creates tension amongst to capitalists where one wants to be better then the other. One thing thats clear is when the power of labour armies increases, the capitalists has the ability to try and ruin his competitors. How can he do this? Its obvious, sell cheaper than your competitors. You must however find the balance where you can sell cheap enough without harming yourself, and Marx says this can be done by boosting the productive power of labour. Marx also makes it evident that by improving machinery one can create greater division of labour, which would result in increase productive power of labour. This is because there is more division amongst a larger labour force and more improved machinery, which causes the cost of production for the c apitalist to decrease. Thus, as Marx points out, a general rivalry arises among the capitalist to increase the division of labour and machinery and to exploit them on the greatest scale possible (Marx-Engels, pg 212). The question is what will happen according to Marx if this continues? We can conclude by saying that if capital continues to grow, then the competition between the worker(s) will also grow. However, the growth in competition experienced by the working class will be even larger than the rate of growth experienced by capital. After reading the next few sections, I soon realized that they were even more challenging and testing than the previous ones. Marx goes into such depth with regard to the relations between labour power and capital as well as all the components that make up capital. After reading it several times I soon understood how production was ultimately the relations built between men, whereby men had to come to terms by cooperating with one another in a certa in way and mutually exchanging their activities (Marxs-Engels, pg 207). Marx makes it clear that the capitalist goal is to try and increase their productive power as much as possible at whatever cost possible and figure they can do this by lowering all costs of production. This is something experienced every day. Companys attempting to gain market power by improving machinery to lower costs of production, so that they can sell what is being produced at the lowest possible price. It is also clear that workers have to compete with one another more and more. The capitalist doesnt care about the worker at all. We can see how Marx tries to explain how the capitalists are solely concerned with extending markets, but in doing so are contracting the world market as fewer and fewer new markets remain available for exploitation (Marx-Engels, pg 217). As a result he feels the whole system will come down and cave in on itself. To conclude, I felt this piece on wage labour and capital was extremely insightful. I was able to penetrate into the mind of Karl Marx and uncover his personal views on the capitalistic economy and the way in which he feels it is flawed. As he is a strong believer in the communistic ways, it is clear Marx is determined to expose why we mustnt follow the ways of other economies. Though I felt the work was somewhat demanding to understand, after reading it several times I slowly began to make the connections to what he was trying to say. Personally, I enjoyed learning how a strict communist views capitalism and why he thinks its a bad system.

Saturday, January 18, 2020

American Revolution – Essay 12

Carly Zeravica American Revolution Essay Period 3 9/20/11 When did the American Revolution start? Some historians say that it began after the French and Indian War ended in 1763 and others say that it began when the colonists first came to North America in 1607. Regardless, the colonists achieved separation from the changeless ways in Britain and created new ideas for the â€Å"new world. † After years of ignorance from Britain, the colonies began to form their own identity as a whole. They now had a vision of their future, but were restrained in numerous ways by the British. However, the colonists refused to tolerate British limitations. The American Revolution was a product of colonial rejection to Britain’s attempts at taxation, legislation, and economic control. Britain’s triumph in the Seven Years’ War came with a price. Britain acquired a large amount of land from the defeated empires of France and Spain, accompanied by a large amount of debt. About half of this debt was a result of defending the American colonies. Therefore, the British government began taxing the colonies in order to pay off their substantial monetary obligation. Americans became infuriated, especially with officials such as Prime Minister George Grenville, who imposed The Sugar Act. This placed a tax on foreign sugar imported from the West Indies. The British viewed taxation as colonial compensation for protection. The Sugar Act excitement settled after the duty was lowered, but it was soon followed by more taxing. Charles Townshend, a British politician, influenced Parliament to pass the Townshend Acts. These acts placed an import tax on items such as glass, paper, and tea. Colonists rebelled once again, creating nonimportation agreements against the Townshend Acts. Although colonists were primarily angry with the tax on tea, they ignored the duties and began smuggling. Ultimately, taxation was a British effort to abuse the rights of the Americans. Taxes, along with Parliamentary legislations and economy, eventually built up, intensified, and led to the American Revolution. Throughout the seventeenth century, the American colonies argued with Britain about the level of freedom they deserved. Britain believed that the colonists had too much freedom, while they claimed there wasn’t enough. Britain took action by passing a series of laws and acts, restricting the thirteen colonies further. London government started their restrictions by issuing the Proclamation of 1763. This document stated that the colonists could not settle land beyond the Appalachian Mountains. The Proclamation was viewed as an â€Å"oppression† by Americans, particularly land speculators. They felt that their right to progress west was being taken from them, and were thoroughly angered at this. However, British government wouldn’t stop here. Until 1763, Navigation Laws were faintly enforced, allowing products to be shipped to the colonies without going through British vessels or the country itself. Then, Prime Minister George Grenville demanded that the British navy strictly impose the laws. The Americans wanted to have control of their â€Å"new world†, and saw no logic in confinement to British rule. Nonetheless, more policies were issued, including the infamous Intolerable Acts. These rules were placed on Massachusetts, Boston specifically, taking away the rights of the colonists living there. As a part of the Intolerable Acts, the Quebec Act was passed, expanding the Quebec borders to the Ohio River and granting French Canadians exclusive rights. Bitterness continued to brew in the colonies because these acts proved inequality within America. There was no colonial government whatsoever, and the British policies were strongly enforced. All that was left in the hands of the colonists was the growth of their economy, or so they thought. Wealth was power in the eyes of mercantilists, and wealth was determined by the amount of gold or silver a country possessed. The thirteen colonies were used essentially as a factory by London government, producing what was necessary to fulfill their mercantilist goals. They were solely meant to generate goods for Britain, who saw their aspiration to have an independent economy as a unrealistic. All gold and silver was going straight to Britain, and the Americans soon ran out of funds. Consequently, they were required to print and utilize paper currency. Parliament banned this, shutting down this step towards economic self-sufficiency. Colonial production was only beneficial to the mother country and when Americans grasped this, it was the inal straw of toleration. Upon departure from Britain in 1607, settlers were guaranteed the â€Å"rights of Englishmen†. Following their arrival, these promised rights were rapidly being taken away from Americans. As the colonies tried to stand on their own, Britain strived to maintain power. Restrictions and regulations began to infest the colonies, and quickly be came unbearable to the liberated Americans. Taking action against British smothering, the colonists revolted. The American Revolution was a product of colonial rejection to Britain’s attempts at taxation, legislation, and economic control.

Friday, January 10, 2020

Introduction of the Corporate Law Economic Reform Program

Recent corporate failures have raised concerns about the unity of accounting information provided to investors and the independency of hearers ( Cohen et al. , 2007 ) . The major corporate prostrations such as Enron, WorldCom and HIH Insurance have sparked important force per unit area on direction, hearers, managers, the accounting profession and authoritiess ‘ inadvertence function to reexamine the issue of concern moralss and hearer independency ( Ahmed et al. , 2006 ) . These failures have led to regulative reforms in Australia with the debut of the Corporate Law Economic Reform Program ( Audit Reform and Corporate Disclosure ) Act known as CLERP 9 to advance transparence, answerability and hearer independency ( Cooper & A ; Deo, 2005 ) . The literature has shown that net incomes direction is consistently related to the strength of the corporate administration environment and terrible use of net incomes are by and large associated with loose administration ( Bhat et al. , 2006 ) . Reforms by CLERP 9 have changed corporate administration enforcement through compulsory independency demands for hearers, the strengthening of the uninterrupted revelation government and a alteration in enforcement powers of ASIC through the extension of the civil punishment government to persons who are ‘involved ‘ in the breach of uninterrupted revelation proviso with an increased mulct from $ 200,000 to $ 1million. The execution of increased independency demands for hearers and strengthening of the uninterrupted revelation government will motivate direction of houses to move more diligently and with due attention in regard to stockholders ‘ involvements when describing fiscal affairs ( Robinson, 2003 ) . This research reappraisal investigates the association between increasing hearer independency proposed by CLERP 9 and net incomes direction by houses in Australia. It investigates this association by analyzing two groups of listed entities, utilizing a pre/post research design covering the fiscal old ages 2003-2006. The first group of listed entities comprises of houses in the ASX 100, which are referred to in this research reappraisal as ‘compliant ‘ houses, while the 2nd group consists of houses in the ASX Small Ordinaries Index referred to as 'emerging ‘ houses. The two groups are selected as they are likely to act in different ways based on their features including size, media coverage, analyst followers, size of retentions by institutional investors and grade of examination by regulative organic structures.1.1 Research QuestionThe chief research inquiry is: â€Å" Has hearer independency imposed by CLERP 9 reduced net incomes direction of Australian houses? â €  This will be tested analyzing the difference in accumulations behaviour of Australian houses during the pre-CLERP 9 and post-CLERP 9 periods. The research inquiry is to be tested utilizing year-by-year cross-sectional and pooled arrested developments of the theoretical account developed based on anterior literature and theory. The modified Jones ( 1991 ) theoretical account steps net incomes direction as the theoretical account has a high grade of credence within the net incomes direction literature. The cross-sectional and pooled arrested development theoretical accounts are designed jointly to prove the association between net incomes direction and corporate administration enforced by CLERP 9, measured by hearer independency. The arrested development theoretical account besides controls for factors that might hold an impact in the trials such as house size, CEO alterations, Big-4 hearers and big shareholding.1.2 MotivationIn a recent commentary, Justice Owen emphasized the i mportance of the audit map for the capital market as a whole and the trust placed on the audit map by users of fiscal statements ( Robinson, 2003 ) . Justice Owen made several recommendations aimed at heightening the audit map, including the appropriate criterion of independency, the proviso of non-audit services and the relationship between hearers and their clients. The series of corporate dirts in 2000-2002 scoured trust in fiscal studies and in hearers. One of the aims of CLERP 9 is to beef up independency in hearers and to reconstruct unity of fiscal studies by controling net incomes direction and accounting fraud. Therefore, the extent of net incomes direction prior to CLERP 9 and the consequence of the CLERP 9 â€Å" event † on net incomes direction is an of import research subject. Therefore, the primary motive of this research study is to analyze the alteration in net incomes direction in the period taking to CLERP 9 compared to after CLERP 9. This research is motiva ted by the desire to understand the consequence of corporate administration enforcement by CLERP 9 on net incomes direction in Australian houses. The secondary motive is to analyze whether reforms by CLERP 9 to turn to hearer independency have weakened the hearer ‘s economic bond with the client, therefore take downing net incomes direction. There are significant sums of research in the audit literature that suggest that audit efficiencies are gained from cognition spillovers when non-audit services are jointly provided with an audit and therefore, it becomes in the best involvements of audit companies to supply both audit and non-audit services to their clients ( Solomon, 1990 ) . CLERP 9 has been introduced to command the proviso of non-audit services and heighten the unity of fiscal studies. Consequently, this research examines the relation between hearer independency and net incomes direction in the period integrating the debut of CLERP 9 in an event survey attack.1.3 ContributionThe most important part of this research is in look intoing the effects of CLERP 9 reforms on net incomes direction in â€Å" compliant â €  and â€Å" emerging † houses. The impact of CLERP 9 on emerging houses is of import to analyze every bit good since in a recent article published in Alan Kohler ‘s Eureka Report, fiscal instruction adviser, Scott Francis analyzed the recent public presentation of the little cap section of the Australian portion market and stated that the recent returns have been strong with the ASX Small Ordinaries Index surpassing the ASX 100 by 18 % in 2009. However, the Small Ordinaries Index underperformed the ASX 100 by 16 % in 2008 ( Francis, 2009 ) . This shows the intense competition between the two indices and besides shows the possible growing of the emerging houses in the Small Caps Index. In order to keep strong growing rates and get more capital in the market, these houses are besides likely to prosecute in net incomes direction. Therefore, this research will supply grounds associating to the efficaciousness of CLERP 9 reforms in turn toing hearer independency and whether increasing hearer independency constrains net incomes direction in these houses. By analyzing two different groups of houses, this survey will supply an penetration into net incomes direction of these houses in the period prior to CLERP 9 and the period after CLERP 9. This survey besides contributes to bing literature on hearer independency, by supplying grounds in whether hearer independency constrains net incomes direction patterns in compliant and emerging Australian houses. The survey besides provides an penetration into whether emerging houses react otherwise to compliant houses in footings of net incomes direction, during the survey periods before and after the passage of CLERP 9. Regulatory reforms from CLERP 9 have different deductions for different types of houses and through comparing of emerging houses with ailment houses, it is expected that net incomes direction has declined significantly for some group of houses, whilst others have continued in pull offing net incomes. As mentioned earlier, both the groups have different external factors impacting them, hence it will be interesting to analyze the reaction of both groups after the passage of CLERP 9.2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW2.1 Net incomes ManagementNet incomes direction has assorted definitions normally classified as white, grey, or black. â€Å" Beneficial † ( white ) net incomes direction enhances the information value of studies by conveying private information ; the â€Å" baneful â₠¬  ( black ) involves straight-out deceit and fraud ; the â€Å" impersonal † grey is use of studies within the boundaries of conformity with bright-line criterions, which could be either timeserving or efficiency enhancing ( Yonen & A ; Yaari, 2007 ) . The footings â€Å" private addition † ( Schipper, 1989 ) , â€Å" mislead † ( Healy & A ; Wahlen, 1999 ) stress the timeserving feature of net incomes direction and prevent the possibility that net incomes direction can heighten the information content of reported net incomes. Scott ( 1997 ) and Mulford & A ; Comiskey ( 2002 ) suggest the possibility that net incomes direction can happen for signaling intents every bit good. The deduction of their definition is that reported net incomes can be enlightening for users if the direction pick of accounting policies or estimations is perceived to be believable signals of a house ‘s implicit in public presentation. To understand net incomes direction better, the difference between net incomes direction and accounting fraud needs to be distinguished. Academic literature normally defines direction discretions which fall within Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ( GAAP ) as net incomes direction, whereas the Security Exchange Commission ( SEC ) extends its analyzing standards of net incomes direction to outright deceitful accounting ( Yonen & A ; Yaari, 2007 ) . The reading that net incomes direction can happen within the GAAP is consistent between academe and regulator, but whether fraud constitutes net incomes direction is equivocal in academic definitions. Brown ( 1999 ) argues that the difference between net incomes direction and deceitful coverage is frequently really narrow and ill-defined. Net incomes direction incorporates a prejudice and use of just value of reported net incomes, hence regulators frequently view it as bad and therefore be given to sort it as fraud. However, there is a clear differentiation between fraud and net incomes direction depending on the managerial purpose to deceive investors. Any presentation of reported net incomes which deviates from the just net incomes of the house but falls into the boundary of fraud can be defined as net incomes direction.2.2 Two cardinal conditions of Earnings ManagementThere is no substantial function for fiscal revelations within perfect and efficient markets since fiscal statements are wholly relevant and dependable and hence, directors and users of fiscal statements would hold no struggle over accounting judgements excluding the range for accounting use ( Watts & A ; Zimmerma n, 1979 ) . Unfortunately, in our universe of progressive and uncomplete markets, the ideal status does non ever prevail. Two types of market imperfectnesss exist as a consequence:2.2.1 Information AsymmetryThe two rules of fiscal describing – relevancy and dependability, straight reflects the function of accounting information and are aimed to decide the cardinal job of information dissymmetry. The released information is relevant information with regard to the house ‘s future chances, and is dependable information free of managerial use. Where fiscal revelation and judgements ab initio are aimed to cut down the information dissymmetry between directors and foreigners, it has been progressively argued that director ‘s ability in exerting discretion is likely to enforce costs on the users of accounting information. Dye ( 1988 ) and Trueman & A ; Titman ( 1988 ) point out that the being of information dissymmetry between directors and stockholders is a necessary status for net incomes direction. Schipper ( 1989 ) besides highlights the status for net incomes direction being the continuity of asymmetric information, but she unwinds the status by reasoning that the out of use communicating can be eliminated through the enforcement of contractual agreement. From the position of a positive association between the conservativism of accounting estimations and corporate revelation, Imhoff & A ; Thomas ( 1994 ) supply empirical grounds in back uping this line of statement. They conclude that houses who unwrap more information are more likely to hold conservative accounting estimations ( prosecuting in less net incomes direction ) . Richardson ( 1998 ) uses the bid-ask spread and the scattering in analysts ‘ prognosiss as a step of information dissymmetry and finds a positive association between ne t incomes direction and the degree of information dissymmetry.2.2.2 Agency CostssThe 2nd cardinal status for the being of net incomes direction is bureau costs which is based around the theoretical model of the bureau theory. Jensen and Meckling ( 1976 ) developed the bureau theory to explicate the link between principals ( stockholders ) and agents ( directors ) . Principals use contracts to actuate agents who would otherwise hold struggles of involvement with principals. Although the primary map of catching is designed to aline the inducements between principals and agents ( Deegan, 1996 ) , the rawness and the rigidnesss in binding of contracts create bureau concerns, which lead to use of the coverage procedure. Watts & A ; Zimmerman ( 1986 ) suggest that the ex-post managerial discretions are made to increase compensation or to avoid debt compact misdemeanors. They use Positive Accounting Theory to exemplify how directors choose accounting methods to accomplish coveted accountin g Numberss and therefore act upon the house ‘s contractual agreements. In fact, grounds of net incomes direction pattern to bring forth higher direction compensation suggest that the design of contracts to aline the inducements of the agents with those of the principal might non be the optimum solution in extenuating bureau costs ( Hart & A ; Holmstrom, 1987 ) . Watts & A ; Zimmerman ( 1978 ) take the position that directors ‘ pick of accounting methods is to maximise their ain public-service corporation, where the public-service corporation is a map of the direction compensation and the house ‘s stock monetary value. Therefore, undertaking which is designed to work out bureau struggles non merely raise room for managerial self-interested behaviour, but besides imposes extra costs on stockholders if it is used in advancing directors ‘ ego involvements instead than that of stockholders.2.3 Two viing positions of Net incomes ManagementNet incomes direction arises from information dissymmetry job and bureau struggles that occur when equit y ownership is separated from the daily operation of the corporation and directors have a comparative information advantage over stockholders. On one manus, these market imperfectnesss create an environment for directors to prosecute in accounting discretion to advance their opportunism at the disbursal of stockholders. On the other manus, they besides create an chance for directors to utilize accounting discretion to pass on their company ‘s performance-related information in an appropriate mode with investors ( Trueman & A ; Titman, 1988 ; Dye, 1988 ; Schipper, 1989 ) . Net incomes direction literature reflects these two viing positions as timeserving behaviour and signaling mechanism.2.3.1 Opportunist behaviourThe position of timeserving behaviour takes the position that directors use information dissymmetry between foreigners and insiders to maximise their public-service corporation in covering with compensation, debt contracts and ordinances. Investors are thereby misled by the undependable information reported. Watts & A ; Zimmerman ( 1978 ) used self-interest attack in explicating directors ‘ discretional behaviour over reported net incomes to act upon contractual results. Opportunist net incomes direction illustrates directors ‘ desire to impact wealth transportation between related undertaking parties and themselves. Positive Accounting Theory states that proprietors expect directors to exert discretion towards their personal addition and take this into consideration when they offer directors with compensation programs. The value of direction compensation contracts drive up managerial outlook and therefore increases the degree of discretions itself. Scott ( 1997 ) refers to this as â€Å" unexpected † managerial discretion which consequences in a net loss in the aggregative stockholder wealth. In a catching relationship, nevertheless, directors are more risk averse compared with other undertaking parties. Capable to restraints of these contracts, they will try to maximise their personal wealth. Dye ( 1988 ) and Fudenberg & A ; Tirole ( 1995 ) demonstrate that risk-averse directors without entree to capital markets will hold an inducement to prosecute in net incomes direction.2.3.2 Signing mechanismThe advocates of the signaling perspective argue that directors manage net incomes to convey their inside information about houses ‘ chances and therefore it serves as a signaling mechanism. Directors may be able to impact the stock monetary value by prosecuting in net incomes direction making a smooth and turning net incomes threading over clip. As such, net incomes direction can be a signal mechanism through which inside information about the house can be communicated from the direction to investors. A figure of surveies have modeled some signifier of information dissymmetry and depicted net incomes direction as rational equilibrium behaviour ( Hunt et al. , 1997 ; Bartov et al. , 2002 ; Lev, 2003 ; Dye, 1988 ) . These surveies document signaling grounds of net incomes direction to ease efficient communicating between directors and information users to better the value relevancy of fiscal coverage and enhance investors ‘ ability in foretelling house ‘s public presentation. Further, the signaling position besides implies that net incomes direction is sometimes demanded by stockholders. Beidleman ( 1973 ) and Dye ( 1988 ) argue that stockholders will demand for net incomes direction for two grounds. First, directors can cut down the cost of capital through a drum sander, more predictable income watercourse. Second, Dye ( 1988 ) states that a more stable income watercourse influences prospective investors ‘ perceptual experience of house value. Since current stockholders will sell their portions to the following coevals of future stockholders, directors will move on behalf of the current stockholders and have an inducement to pull off net incomes to maximise the merchandising monetary value received by the current stockholders ( Easton & A ; Zmijewski, 1989 ; Chaney & A ; Lewis, 1995 ) .2.4 Motivations to prosecute in Earnings Management2.4.1 Contracting IncentivesFiscal information and studies of a house drama an of import function in set uping and supervising contracts between a house and its stakeholders ( Sweeney, 1994 ) . Debt suppliers and creditors of houses commonly include contracts that are linked with fiscal statement information in order to protect their involvements. Watts and Zimmerman ( 1978 ) indicate that such contracts encourage houses to pull strings net incomes for the fiscal statements to look attractive to creditors. Under footings of the debt contract houses are required to show their fiscal information in a mode that is consistent with the understanding in order to avoid punishments under the contract. DeFond & A ; Jiambalvo ( 1994 ) found grounds that houses apply income-increasing accumulations as a agency of avoiding the effects of debt contract misdemeanor. There are besides other contractual inducements for directors to pull off net incomes, for illustration in a direction buyout contract ; directors have an inducement to understate net incomes in an effort to get a house at a lower monetary value ( Wu, 1997 ) . In coup d'etat or amalgamation contractual scenes, Easterwood ( 1997 ) found grounds that mark companies of hostile coup d'etats attempt to blow up net incomes in the period prior to a hostile coup d'etat effort to deter their stockholders from back uping the coup d'etat.2.4.2 Capital Market ExpectationsCapital markets use fiscal information to put security monetary values. Investors use fiscal information to make up one's mind whether to purchase, sell or keep securities. Market efficiency is based upon the information flow to capital markets. When the information is wrong, it may non be possible for the markets to value securities right ( Xie et al. 2003 ) . To this extent, net incomes direction obscures existent public prese ntation and lessens the ability of stockholders to do informed determinations. Prior surveies have examined the inducements of directors to pull strings net incomes in an effort to act upon assorted capital market participants. Dechow et Al. ( 1996 ) and Teoh et Al. ( 1998 ) supply grounds that directors inflate net incomes prior to seasoned equity offerings. These findings are consistent with the contention that directors seek to pull off pre-issue net incomes in an effort to better investors ‘ outlooks about future public presentation ( Xie et al. 2003 ) . Directors besides engage in net incomes direction to run into and crush net incomes benchmark as failure to run into net incomes benchmarks are believed to increase uncertainness about the company ‘s future chances and a perceptual experience among foreigners that there are deep, antecedently unknown jobs at the company ( Graham, 2006 ) . The importance of these concerns increases with the grade of net incomes counsel that the company provides. There is a common belief that everyone plays the net incomes game, losing net incomes marks indicate that a company has no available slack to present net incomes. Therefore, the market assumes that losing the mark means the company is potentially confronting serious jobs and must hold already used up its ‘cushions ‘ ( Graham, 2006 ) .2.5 Net incomes Management and CEO Compensation IncentivesAn built-in constituent of houses ‘ net incomes direction is the proportion of CEO compensation that is attached to company ‘ s stocks and options. Bergstresser & A ; Philippon ( 2006 ) supply grounds that net incomes direction is more marked at houses where CEO ‘s entire compensation is closely tied with houses ‘ stocks and options. Evidence from Bergstresser et Al. ( 2006 ) indicate that companies with more incentivized CEOs have higher degrees of net incomes direction as these CEOs appear to be more aggressive in their usage of discretional constituents of net incomes to impact their house ‘s reported public presentation. They argue that CEOs whose entire compensation consists chiefly of stock and options have an inducement to pull strings net incomes so that the house can describe a net income and supply favourable intelligence to investors ; taking to an addition in portion monetary value. Tiing CEO compensation to company stocks may hold the consequence of promoting CEOs to work their discretion in describing net incomes, with an oculus to pull strings the portion monetary value of the company ( Bergstresser & A ; Philippon, 2006 ) .2.6 Net incomes Management and Corporate GovernanceLeuz et Al. ( 2003 ) found empirical grounds that net incomes direction occurs less often where outside investors are provided more rigorous protection by the state ‘s legal administration system and occurs more often in states where the legal administration system provided to outsider investors is weak. Leuz et Al. ( 2003 ) argues that the presence of a administration environment that provides strong, well-enforced protection of the rights of corporate foreigners serves to restrict the ability of inside direction to get private control benefits through net incomes direction. Wells ( 2002 ) provides empirical support that incoming CEO ‘s take an ‘earnings bath ‘ in the twelvemonth of the CEO alteration. DeAngelo ( 1988 ) provides direct grounds of net incomes direction subsequent to CEO alteration and notes that the period subsequent to CEO alteration, incoming directors take an ‘earnings bath ‘ from both non-cash write-downs and unexpected accumulations and that they attribute this to the former direction. Incoming CEO ‘s may hold considerable inducements to minimise reported income in the initial phase of their term of office. This arises as a effect of accounting income being mostly irrelevant to managerial public assistance during the first fiscal twelvemonth of term of office, which is typically a partial twelvemonth ( Wells, 2002 ) . Incoming CEO ‘s are non held responsible for past public presentation and may explicitly impute past public presentation to prior direction. Consequently, income may be deferred to subsequent periods when it will more probably have a positive impact on compensation either through expressed contracts or inexplicit wagess. In this scene, the entrance CEO is typically associated with past determinations, inexplicit unfavorable judgment of which may be embodied in downwards net incomes direction ( Wells, 2002 ) . Furthermore, the surpassing CEO is unable to restrain such behaviour and this high spots an of import corporate administration issue ( Godfrey et al. , 2003 ) . Klein ( 2002 ) found grounds of a negative relation between board independency and unnatural accumulations, proposing that decrease in board independency is accompanied by big addition in unnatural accumulations. In add-on to Klein ( 2002 ) , Xie et Al. ( 2003 ) found consequences that suggest lower degrees of net incomes direction is associated with greater independency on the board of managers. These findings indicate that independency of the board of managers is of import in restraining the leaning of directors to prosecute in net incomes direction. Based on the literature on board independency, this research will use a variable to command for board independency in the cross-sectional and pooled arrested development theoretical accounts.2.7 Net incomes Management and Auditor IndependenceHearers are appointed as an independent party to supply an sentiment as to whether fiscal statements supply a ‘true and just ‘ position ( Chapple & A ; Koh, 2007 ) . Independence is by and large understood to mention to a mental province of objectiveness, deficiency of prejudice, personal involvement, prior committedness to an involvement, or susceptibleness to undue influence or force per unit area. Independence is important in the auditing profession and this has come into light through the failures of Enron and WorldCom. Without independency, investors and stakeholder will lose assurance in audit studies, the hearer ‘s sentiment will non be believable, and besides fiscal statements will lose credibleness, therefore lead to future corporate failures as was the instance of Enron ( Chapple & A ; Koh, 2007 ) . It is in direction ‘s involvements to hold an external audit to cut down bureau costs: deficiency of a believable independent audit will increase cost of capital, restrict entree to capital and enforce terrible limitations on direction ‘s actions. The demand of hearer independency is critical and any damage or perceived damage of independenc y will increase bureau costs ( Firth, 1997 ) . Literature has expressed concerns about the effects of hearers ‘ proviso of non-audit services on the independency of hearers. For illustration, Beeler & A ; Hunton ( 2001 ) reference that the proviso of non audit services arguably strengthens the hearer ‘s economic bond with the client, thereby cut downing hearer independency and increases hearer ‘s inducement to assent to client force per unit area, including force per unit area to let net incomes direction. Firth ( 1997 ) suggests that any existent or sensed damage of hearer independency will earnestly impact the credibleness of fiscal statements. One possible signal of hearer independency jobs is the grade to which the audit house is economically bonded to a client. Supplying joint services leads the hearer to agree with direction ‘s positions on questionable accounting patterns because challenging these patterns will probably ensue in the loss of non merely the audit fee, but besides consultancy assignments ( Firth, 1997 ) . DeFond et Al. ( 2002 ) besides suggests that although hearers have market-based inducements to stay independent, auditor independency may be threatened when hearers provide non audit services to their clients. Increased economic bonding between hearer and its client ensuing from non audit services induces the hearer to decide differences in the client ‘s favor in order to keep tenure ( Simunic, 1984 ) . The issue of mensurating the economic bond and economic importance of a client to the hearer is further addressed by Ashbaugh et Al. ( 2003 ) , who argue that the amount of audit and non audit fees, i.e. entire fees best captures the expressed economic bond between hearer and client. Motivated by turning public and regulative concerns over possible hurtful effects of non-audit services, new ordinances control the proviso of non-audit services and heighten the unity of fiscal studies ( Ferguson et al. , 2004 ) . A host of empirical surveies have examined the relationship between hearer independency, non-audit services and net incomes direction. Empirical grounds from Frankel et Al. ( 2002 ) indicated that non audit fees are positively related with the magnitude of discretional accumulations, while audit fees are negatively associated with net incomes direction. Ferguson et Al. ( 2004 ) examined the association between non audit services and net incomes direction activity and found grounds coverage net incomes direction to be significantly and positively related to non audit services. This is consistent with their statement that higher degree of economic bonding between hearer and client ensuing from non audit services may cut down hearers ‘ willingness to re strain net incomes direction activity.2.8 Corporate Law Economic Reform Program ( CLERP 9 )Severe use and fraud have been associated with loose corporate administration, deficiency of hearer independency and executive inducements construction conducive to timeserving behaviour ( Leuz et al. , 2003 ) . Recent planetary corporate failures have sparked important force per unit area on direction, hearers, managers, the accounting profession and authoritiess ‘ inadvertence function to reexamine the issue of concern moralss and hearer independency. These corporate failures have led to formal authorities questions to look into the grounds behind these unexpected corporate prostrations. In Australia, the failure of HIH Insurance led to the enquiry into the fortunes environing its failure. The study of the HIH Royal Commission indentified a figure of possible breaches of the Crimes Act and the Corporations Act. It was besides found that there was grounds on deficiency of audit inadvertence, transparence, answerability and hearer independency ( Robinson, 2003 ) . The study ‘s policy recommendations on corporate administration, fiscal coverage and confidence were considered into the CLERP 9 amendments for the Corporations Act as these amendments changed the manner the jurisprudence recognized the direction and administration of companies and corporate groups. On 25th June 2004, the CLERP 9 Bill gained blessing of Parliament and came into consequence as the Corporate Law Economic Reform Program ( Audit Reform and Corporate Disclosure ) Act 2004 ( Cth ) on 1 July, 2004. The CLERP 9 Act contains a figure of agendas covering with: audit reform, fiscal coverage, wage of managers and executives, uninterrupted revelation, hearer independency, write offing of options, conformity controls and encouragement of greater stockholder engagement at meetings ( Robinson, 2003 ) . Since the debut of CLERP 9, scrutinizing criterions have become statutory and non simply professional duties. CLERP 9 embodies recommendations associating to auditor independency and audit quality. One of the most of import alterations CLERP 9 made was set uping the Auditing and Assurance Standards Board ( AUASB ) as a statutory organic structure and making the Financial Reporting Council ( FRC ) which is responsible for the inadvertence of the AUASB and for O.K.ing its strategic determinations. Under the CLERP 9 Act, hearers are now required to supply to their clients a written declaration that the hearer has complied with the hearer independency demands and any applicable codifications of professional behavior ( Chapple & A ; Koh, 2007 ) . Section 324CA of CLERP 9 enforces rigorous demands of the proviso of both audit and non audit services to the same client and house every bit good as to the fortunes that will amount to a struggle of involvement. The new liability model is designed to promote a ‘culture of conformity ‘ by doing it an offense to transgress the independency demands and puting liability on all members of an audit house and all managers of audit companies. The debut of CLERP 9 has brought many reforms in a manner of beef uping the independency of hearers so investors, stakeholders and the populace in general can hold higher assurance in audit studies and in the long-term public presentation of companies. Enhancing auditor independency came through the signifier of subjecting Australian public companies and their external hearers to detailed commissariats regulating hearer independency, and beef uping bing hearer independency through ( Robinson, 2003 ; Federal Treasury, 2003 ; Cooper & A ; Deo, 2005 ) : A new general criterion of hearer independency Auditor rotary motion Restrictions on employment relationships between hearers and audit clients A compulsory chilling off period before members of an audit house can go a manager or officer of the audit client Self-review menace was addressed by CLERP 9 necessitating two things: compulsory revelation of fees paid for non audit services in certain classs and a statement from the audit commission to be included in the one-year study that it is satisfied that the proviso of those services is compatible with auditor independency. In drumhead, the literature reappraisal presented a treatment on net incomes direction and assorted topics in relation to net incomes direction such as hearer independency, CEO compensation inducements, corporate administration, etc. From net incomes direction literature, it is apparent that capital market outlooks and undertaking inducements are the few of the chief motives driving directors to prosecute in net incomes direction.3.0 HYPOTHESIS DEVELOPMENT3.1 Net incomes Management 2003-2006The debut of increased regulative reforms to heighten the corporate administration environment will supply strong, well-enforced protection of the rights of corporate foreigners and will function to restrict the ability of inside direction to get private control benefits through net incomes direction ( Wright et al. , 2006 ) . Anterior literature has suggested that the deficiency of corporate administration enforcement could enable directors to more easy run into analysts ‘ prognosiss, misus e the company ‘s financess and run into net incomes marks through net incomes use ( Hope, 2003 ) . Australian houses are expected to follow CLERP 9 reforms rather exhaustively as any non-compliance will ensue in important punishments and bad image. Conformity with demands of hearer independency introduced by CLERP 9 will cut down the economic bond companies have with their hearers, and this is expected to ensue in hearers supplying nonsubjective audit studies free from any prejudice and direction force per unit area. With the debut of CLERP 9, it is interesting to analyze the consequence CLERP 9 has on the net incomes direction patterns of these houses. It is expected that the compliant group of houses ( ASX 100 ) will react faster to CLERP 9 reforms than emerging houses ( Small Ordinaries Index ) . First, it is expected that compliant houses have an equal internal administration construction in topographic point to better transparence and to guarantee the market that these houses are one measure in front of the remainder of the houses. Compliant houses would hold prepared for CLERP 9 prior to its debut, and therefore the consequence of CLERP 9 as an ‘event ‘ in these houses will be less as compared to the consequence on emerging houses. Compliant houses are besides under heavy examination from regulators than the rising houses, while the houses in the compliant group are all audited by the Big-4 hearers. Therefore, it is expected that CLERP 9 will hold an consequence on net incomes d irection in the station CLERP 9 period for the compliant houses. Compliant houses have less to derive and are risk averse, whilst rising houses would desire to turn and raise capital and in order to make so, direction will be inclined to ‘play ‘ with accounting Numberss to pull possible investors. It is expected that CLERP 9 will heighten transparence, better hearer independency and these are expected to act upon the net incomes direction patterns of emerging houses. As indicated by Wright et Al. ( 2006 ) , the debut of increased regulative reforms to heighten the corporate administration environment will function to restrict the ability of inside direction to get private control benefits through net incomes direction. These treatments hence lead to the undermentioned hypotheses: Hypothesis 1: Net incomes direction is expected to diminish in the station CLERP 9 period for the ASX 100 â€Å" compliant † houses. Hypothesis 2: Net incomes direction is expected to diminish in the station CLERP 9 period for the ASX Small Ordinaries Index â€Å" emerging † houses. Hypothesis 3: Net incomes direction is expected to be low ( high ) when hearer independency is high ( low ) in ASX 100 â€Å" compliant † houses and ASX Small Ordinaries Index â€Å" emerging † houses. Hypothesis 4: Net incomes direction is positively associated with CEO equity based compensation.4.0 RESEARCH METHOD4.1 Sample DescriptionThe sample for this survey consists of Australian houses selected indiscriminately from the ASX 100 and ASX Small Ordinaries Index. This will guarantee that the sample from each index will be relative to the population. The survey period is between 2003 to 2006, covering four fiscal old ages. The houses will be classified in the two classs ( ASX 100 and ASX Small Ordinaries Index ) for each twelvemonth of the survey identified from the Standard & A ; Poor peoples ( S & A ; P ) database and information from the Australian Stock Exchange ( ASX ) . The first group of houses includes the ASX 100 index, which are the 100 largest stocks listed on the ASX and 50 houses will be picked indiscriminately for this sample. The index is float-adjusted, with securities that are extremely liquid and hence, institutionally investable ( Standard & A ; Poor peoples, 2 007 ) . The 2nd group includes 50 houses besides picked indiscriminately based on the ASX Small Ordinaries which is used as an institutional benchmark for little cap Australian equity portfolios ( Standard & A ; Poor peoples, 2007 ) . The sample from both the indices will be grouped together in a pooled arrested development and a silent person variable for emerging and compliant houses will be used to find size. Datas for the independent and control variables will besides be obtained from the undermentioned beginnings: Connect 4 on-line database, Fin Analysis on-line database and through company one-year studies. The sample choice standards are as follows: ( i ) houses continuously listed on their relevant constitutional list and ( two ) all necessary informations available for the research method adopted in this survey.4.2 Measuring Net incomes ManagementAnterior net incomes direction surveies have developed several trials for observing net incomes direction. Healy ( 1985 ) tested net incomes direction through the appraisal of accounting policy alterations, McNichols & A ; Wilson ( 1988 ) tested the discretional accrual constituent of a individual history and Jones ( 1991 ) used the estimation of the discretional constituent of entire accumulations to prove for net incomes direction. Net incomes direction can be achieved by assorted agencies such as the usage of accumulations and alteration s in accounting methods. However, net incomes direction through the use of accumulations is believed to be the favoured instrument because accumulations have no direct hard currency flow effects and hence, are less likely to be ‘undone ‘ by the market ( Trueman & A ; Titman, 1988 ) . Accrual net incomes is considered superior to hard currency flows because it overcomes the timing and mismatching jobs built-in in mensurating hard currency flows ( Dechow, 1995 ) . In add-on, accumulations let directors pass on their private, inside information and hence, better the ability of net incomes to reflect the implicit in economic value. At the same clip, directors could mistreat the flexibleness permitted by GAAP by prosecuting in aggressive coverage of accumulations that can sabotage the informativeness of reported net incomes. The usual starting point for the measuring of net incomes direction is entire accumulations ( Dechow et al. , 1995 ) . Entire accumulations are so divided into a discretional ( DA ) and non-discretionary ( NA ) constituent. The discretional part of entire accumulations is used in this survey to mensurate net incomes direction, as the premise underlying the net incomes direction model is that the higher the composing of discretional accumulations within entire accumulations, the higher the likeliness that a house is utilizing discretion within accrual accounting to prosecute in net incomes direction. Non-discretionary accumulations are portion of entire accumulations caused by house ‘s gross revenues growing and are ‘viewed as independent of managerial control ‘ or beyond the control of the CEO ( Frankel et al. , 2002 ) . The part of entire accumulations unexplained by normal operating activities is labeled discretional accumulations. A time-series attack based on the Jones ( 1991 ) theoretical account allows a comparing of net incomes direction activities of houses. The Jones ( 1991 ) theoretical account regresses entire accumulations against the alteration in grosss and the degree of gross fixed assets. Entire accumulations include alterations in working capital histories that, in portion, depend on alterations in gross. Changes in gross are used to command for the economic environment and the gross belongings, works and equipment ( PPE ) is included to command for the non-discretionary depreciation disbursals. However, factors such as growing and rising prices can do the time-series of a house ‘s economic variables to expose unequal discrepancies over clip. To get the better of this job the Jones ( 1991 ) theoretical account uses lagged assets to scale the independent and dependent variables to cut down the possibility of heteroscedasticity ( Lim et al. , 1999 ) . Dechow et Al. ( 1995 ) refined the Jones ( 1991 ) theoretical account by deducting the alteration in receivables from the alteration in grosss and hence, the invention leads to the modified Jones ( 1991 ) theoretical account as demonstrated in equation 1.0 below. The modified Jones ( 1991 ) theoretical account provides the most powerful trial for observing net incomes direction as it corrects the inclination of the Jones theoretical account to mensurate discretional accumulations with mistake when discretion is applied over grosss ( Dechow et al, 1995 ) . While this attack is capable to unfavorable judgment from Kothari et Al. ( 2005 ) , which has suggested that public presentation matched discretional accrual steps enhances the dependability of illations from net incomes direction when the hypothesis being tested does non connote that net incomes direction will change with steadfast public presentation. Kothari et Al. ( 2005 ) suggest that public presentation fiting on return on assets controls for the consequence of public presentation on measured discretional accumulations. However, due to the prevalence of the modified Jones ( 1991 ) theoretical account in net incomes direction literature, gauging discretional accumulations is to be conducted utilizing the modified Jones ( 1991 ) theoretical account.Non-discretionary Accumulations: Modified Jones ( 1991 ) ModelOriginal Jones ( 1991 ) ModelWhere: = entire non-discretionary accumulations in twelvemonth T for house I = entire accumulations in twelvemonth T for house I = entire assets in twelvemonth t-1 for house I = grosss in twelvemonth T less grosss in twelvemonth t-1 for house I = gross belongings, works & A ; equipment in twelvemonth T for house I The traditional method of calculating entire accumulations ( TA ) follows the lines of anterior research such as Healy ( 1985 ) , Jones ( 1991 ) and Dechow et Al. ( 1995 ) which have used the balance sheet attack to cipher TA. Hribar and Collins ( 2002 ) argue that utilizing the balance sheet attack to calculate entire accumulations is inferior in certain fortunes to a hard currency flow statement based attack. Austin and Bradbury ( 1995 ) concluded from their survey that anterior research which compares different hard currency flow steps is likely to be robust against mistakes contained in the hard currency flow estimations. They besides mention that it is preferred to utilize reported hard currency flows from operations instead than gauging hard currency flows from alterations in balance sheet histories and income statement points since these contain significant mistakes and therefore is a lacking placeholder of reported hard currency flow from operations ( Austin & A ; Bradbury, 1 995 ) . Hribar and Collins ( 2002 ) point out that utilizing successive-year balance sheet variables to mensurate net incomes direction creates possible jobs around ‘non-articulation ‘ day of the months such as amalgamations and acquisitions. Due to the unfavorable judgments of the balance sheet attack, the hard currency flow attack is to be used for mensurating entire accumulations ( TA ) .Entire AccumulationsWhere: = Net income in twelvemonth T = Cash flow from operations in twelvemonth T = lagged entire assetsDiscretionary AccumulationsThe usage of natural accrual sums as a placeholder for net incomes direction is a simple method to measure net incomes quality because houses can hold high accumulations for legitimate concern grounds, such as gross revenues growing. A more complicated placeholder can be created by trying to categorise entire accumulations into non-discretionary and discretional accumulations. The non-discretionary constituent reflects concern conditions such as growing and he length of the operating rhythm that of course create and destroy accumulations, while the discretional constituent identifies the direction picks. Therefore, the consequence of drawing discretional accrual sums from the entire accrual sum is a metric that to a certain extent reflects accumulations that are due to direction ‘s pick since they are non obligatory disbursals that are yet to be realized and recorded in the histories. Hence, discretional accumulations is a better placeholder for net incomes direction.5.0 DecisionThe research reappraisal aims to look into whether the debut of the Corporate Law Economic Reform Program Act ( CLERP 9 ) has influenced net incomes direction patterns of Australian listed companies in the ASX 100 and ASX Small Ordinaries sample groups. The research inquiries are to be examined beyond the context of anterior literature mentioned in the reappraisal. As with all accruals-based testing of net incomes direction, the ability to

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Differences between Beatrice and Hero in Much Ado about...

Differences between Beatrice and Hero in the early scenes of Shakespeare’s play ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ Shakespeare’s play ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ has two main female characters, Beatrice and Hero, who are cousins. Both appear to be completely different in the beginning of the play but, as things progress and their characters develop, there are also some very obvious similarities between them. Hero and Beatrice have a very close relationship; they are best friends. Leonato is Hero’s father but Beatrice has no parents, which gives her greater freedom. Where Hero is polite, quiet, respectful and gentle, Beatrice is feisty, cynical, witty, and sharp. Shakespeare uses quite a lot of literary devices and techniques to present the†¦show more content†¦Beatrice’s vulnerability is an important point of comparison with Hero, as she is also vulnerable, as we see later in the play. In contrast to her talkative cousin, Hero speaks only once in Act 1 – in the presence of Beatrice, her father and the messenger, â€Å"My cousin means Signor Benedick of Padua† she says, to explain Beatrice’s jibe. Similarly, in comparing wooing, wedding and repenting to three types of dancing Beatrice describes them as a â€Å"Scotch jig, a measure, and a cinquepace.† This dance image is an inventive one and dance, music, and song are key themes in this play. Here Shakespeare is using an extended metaphor to portray Beatrice’s anti-matrimonial feelings. Of course, these feelings are not genuine. As we see throughout, disguise is one of the key themes in the play and Shakespeare makes it clear that Beatrice is disguising her true feelings, for she admits to Don Pedro that Benedick once â€Å"lent her his heart awhile but won her heart with false dice†. She and Benedick obviously have had a relationship in the past – one that they would both like to resume. In Act 3, in the absence of men, Shakespeare develops Hero’s character. She is decisive in Scene One and commanding, â€Å"Good Margaret, run thee to the parlour† she orders. We witness a development in Hero’s character; she is dominant and authoritative; she initiates and organises the plot to gull Beatrice, the second benevolent plot in the play. For theShow MoreRelatedDifferences Of Shakespeare And Much Ado About Nothing By William Shakespeare1668 Words   |  7 Pageswriter who was known for the many plays and sonnets he wrote. This 16th century writer wrote a play called Much Ado About Nothing in the year 1598 (Alchin). This play consists of many characters meddling into each others lives, causing chaos, lots of drama, and even romance making for some very comedic entertainment. The title gives away a lot about the plot that it really is a lot about nothing. 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