Environmental protection and the social responsibility of firms: perspectives from law, economics, and business Essay

Responsible businessIntroductionResponsible business concerns itself with allowing and ensuring the application of social and moral principles in business decision making. Through the definitions, the following principles of responsible business can be drawn: Business for profit: When people engage in business, they are expecting to receive profit. The first principle of responsible business lies in the fact that it is just and in fact expected to make profit and for such profits to increase as more experience is gained in business. As such in the pursuit for responsible business, profits should not be left behind or side stepped, strategies employed by business managers, and even mechanisms used in the business need to be directed towards generating profits. The reward for doing business properly lies in the excess returns received from investments on the business. Business ethics: the business operates within the concept of society, plays a part in accentuating the lives of the community. Responsible business calls for businesses to be subjected to a code of conduct. Businessmen are not exempted from being moral even as they pursue the profit. As ethics apply to all areas of life, so the same applies in business. Business needs to be done in as much honesty as is possible. If the business environment is to improve then behavior in business also needs to change and improve. Professional ethics: a responsible business is run under corporate codes. As a business continues to change and the environment within which it operates transforms, it is only responsible for such codes to continually change. Therefore, a business is defined as responsible not just within the code of business ethics but also when it operates through the professional code of ethics governing it. While ethics are general in business, professional ethics are specific and designed for that particular business. Business almost seems to operate under no particular ethics, rules and responsibilities. In many cases business persons are only concerned with the monetary value and nothing else. Responsible business on the other hand adheres to a code of conduct, set forth not just by law and moral values but also by the profession and industry within which the business operates, (Sanford 2011). Scholars agree that businesses can no longer operate as independent entities, existing separately by society. They need to uphold and be held responsible by the society. They exist as part of and in partnership with society and can therefore not ignore the societal responsibilities. Drivers of responsible businessThe natural/ ecological environmentResponsibility to the environment consists of the concern for the interaction between human beings and the natural environment as it exists. The responsibility of businesses to the environment developed as a separate factor in responsible business from the 1960’s. At the time, pictures taken from space showed vulnerability in the existence of earth and its ecosystem. Environmentalists began lobbying that animals, plants and the general ecosystem in itself had value in and of itself. As such demands on various businesses to treat these entities responsible began. The general notion of responsibility to the environment is that if businesses continue exploiting and fail to be responsible towards the environment, it will be completely destroyed and in the process the human race will also be destroyed. In the year 2009, the summit on sustainable development, brought focus to the fact that in another 50 years more than 10 billion people will be existing in the world. This is in addition to the problems currently facing the existence of earth such as rescinding existence of energy, excess carbon and a declining ozone layer (Smith 2010). The summit concluded that there is need for a green revolution to improve the status of the environment. The industrial world, at least a large percentage has failed to uphold its own responsibility towards ensuring a change in the strategies about the use of natural resources, and also the technology used to make use and exploit the natural environment. Sustainable development as responsible businessToday’s businesses are expected and in fact it is demanded of them that sustainability becomes a part of their strategy. The government and even the clients coming to business are looking for more and more evidence that the business is acting responsibly in the environment. According to smith (2010), Customers want to live in a pollution free environment, so businesses whether manufacturing or even service providing have to change the way they operate. In order to maintain a clean environment, businesses require operating with technologies that are clean and also sources of clean energy such as solar rather than coal and oil. Sustainability can be simply defined the ability of the environment to replenish itself and remain healthy for the next generations. Surprisingly by opting to use more environmentally friendly and energy efficient technologies, businesses are able to save on their overhead costs. Recycling: this refers to the ability to re-use raw materials over and over again. The advantage of recycling is that it cuts the amount of raw materials required for products and as such allows the environment to replenish itself. Normally businesses produce a lot of waste some which is very difficult to manage such as plastics. Recycling encourages the businesses to come up with processes that make use of their waste. Newton (2005) states that The concern is mainly for ever filling landfill, and therefore responsible businesses calls for either new and better ways to deposit the wastes or better yet new ways to make use of the waste. Landfills are responsible for methane production which is responsible for climate changes and damage to the ozone layer. In many western countries, recycling is not just a business responsibility but in fact a law that could attract stiff penalties. Competitive advantage: in the past, businesses have made use of Ricardo’s principle which simply encourages cost cutting measures such as cheaper raw materials, labor and even investment of capital. The cost effectiveness produces greater profits for the business. However, Gibson (2005) indicates that recent research and benchmarking with large companies such as Coca Cola and General Motors shows sustainability provides greater advantage. Organizations committed to taking advantage of best practices are also gaining a larger market share. New opportunities for product differentiation: product differentiation offers a chance for businesses to excel beyond their competitors even in the same industry. A product based on sustainability is not only considered a product of high quality but also one that is environmentally friendly and therefore more responsible even for the consumer. The market is gradually shifting from traditional products towards more energy efficient, fuel saving and alternative energy products. Testimony of this lies in the recent increase of interest and growth of the market share for products such as solar panels and energy saving bulbs. Zott (2014) shows that Responsible business in this era therefore translates to product differentiation through: †¢Use of raw materials that have been proven to have less damage to the environment †¢Companies that are setting benchmarks in terms of going beyond what is environmentally compliant. †¢Less and less wastage from the business and more recycling of the same. †¢Reduced emission of toxic wastes from the business. As many environmentalists have shown nature in itself shows the best system of sustainability. Plants for example prosper in sunlight and with sufficient moisture. They are consumed by animals and insects. Through this consumption, the animals produce waste which in turn is used to ensure fertile soils on which more plants are grown. In this same way, human beings and especially businesses are tasked with the responsibility of being eco-friendly that is use, produce, consume and transform waste into something else through recycling. Role of the government in responsible businessThe World Bank report in 2003 on sustainability emphasized the need for more structured and responsible governments to ensure sustainability. The governments are tasked with the responsibility of creating better policies and institutions through which businesses small and large alike can be held responsible. In the past, weak governments and poorly maintained social institutions have turned out to be quite costly to nature and the environment. Weak governance has brought about income inequality, political unrests and environmental disasters, (Hay et al 2005). Governments provide the legal framework through which businesses can be held responsible. Constitutions and laws of a country are often used as the back drop to determine the concern and interest of the government in securing its own environment for example. The legal framework provides laws within which every business should operate. The legal frameworks set forth by each country have been changing constantly, becoming more focused to immediate and more tragic causes of environmental degradation. Through the legal framework for example, majority of the mines and timber yards have been closed and shut down for causing damage to the environment. Governments also put in focus environmental conservation so that the activity is not just being carried out haphazardly. They provide a platform for integrating environmental concerns and responsibility into the economic and social development of the country. Through environmental policies also, there is conservation of critical natural resources. Businesses endangering such resources can face severe penalties through these policies. Governments often partner with businesses to ensure sanctuary of forests, animals that are going extinct among others. Businesses often ignore the importance of contributing to the community within which they operate. The governments of such countries ensure that majority of the profits generated from the business go back to the community. The foremost principle for all governments is increased economic growth, poverty eradication and bridging the social class gap. All businesses operating within the country need to uphold this principle. . In addition, according to Moon (2001), the government ensures that even as businesses operate they do not meddle with the rights of the nation’s citizens. The government gives power and strength to citizens who may feel powerless to fight the businesses and especially the large entities. This is not to mean that the government only has responsibility to consumers, it also ensures that businesses operate in an environment which allows them to flourish and therefore generate profits. ConclusionIt is now obvious that companies that are socially responsible and businesses that adhere to a particular code of doing business have better reputations and therefore a larger market share. The bulk of responsibility lies in the business owners ensuring that they have developed moral responsibility as the back bone on which their decision making is based. Managers and employees then have the duty of protecting the welfare of their consumers and other stakeholders which include the communities they operate within. While the main concern for business is an increase in the profit margin, those that have shown an inclination towards more responsible business strategies have attracted not just a large number of consumers but also investors. People are more interested in ensuring the growth and success of a responsible business especially with more and more of the media focusing on errors and embarrassment news featuring businesses that have failed in their responsibility. Businesses are held up to societal standards and failure to uphold them is frowned upon. Whereas there was a time when businesses could attempt to cut corners in their responsibility, today this is not an option. The government and even citizens are aware that companies and businesses operate with certain expectations and values. Employees and other stakeholders require business to be conducted responsibly. Failure to do so encourages massive labor turnouts as employees seek more sustainable businesses. Responsible business therefore cuts into all corners of conducting business from governing the contracts with clients, to those with suppliers and even the community upholding the business. Responsible business is not just a mirage of expected rules and regulations. Indeed it operates within a justice system through which governments obtain and have the power of demanding responsible business. Responsible business is part and parcel of strategic management. Each decision in the business must reflect the true responsibility and code of ethics of the business. In some cases this may require special attention being paid to particular areas of responsibility. Today, companies are going far and beyond what is expected of them in running business because they understand the importance of taking responsibility to ensure their survival. References Gibson, K. (2007).  Ethics and business: an introduction. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Hay, B. L., Stavins, R. N., & Vietor, R. H. K. (2005).  Environmental protection and the social responsibility of firms: perspectives from law, economics, and business. Washington, DC, Resources for the Future Newton, L. H. (2005).  Business ethics and the natural environment. Malden, MA, Blackwell.Sanford, C. (2011).  The responsible business reimagining sustainability and success. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass Smith, N. C. (2010).  Global challenges in responsible business. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Zott, L. M. (2014).  The environment. Detroit, Greenhaven Press Source document

Water Pollution Levels Turning Deadly in Punjab

Punjab, which is one of the richest states in India, is battling acute water pollution, particularly attributed to chemical toxicity. There has been an increase in the number of deaths due to cancer in the Malwa region, which has sent shock waves throughout the state. Remember, Erin Brockovich? This is a classic real life case in Punjab for us to delve into. Water Pollution: Harmful Contribution from Factories. A known environment law activist Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, the man who brought to life so many rivers in the Majha area, stated that anti-pollution laws stay in the newspapers only and very little efforts are taken to prevent water and air pollution. According to Seechewal, there are many harmful chemicals, such as cyanide, that are flowing into the rivers, mostly from factories situated in Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Phagwara. Due to this, drinking water sources have become polluted and resulted in widespread prevalence of diseases like cancer in the Malwa region and the adjoining areas in Rajasthan. Read this â€Å"The Secrets of Haiti’s Living Dead† In Muktsar, you can just find the depressing statistics in the home district of the Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal. There were 1,074 deaths due to cancer between 2001 and November 2009. In Lambi, Badal’s home constituency, there were 211 cancer deaths during the same period. Water Pollution: Shocking Levels of Uranium Content in Water in Punjab Don’t be shocked by the information given on water pollution in Punjab as there is much more. In March 2009, Dr Carin Smit, a South African toxicologist, sent hair samples of mentally-ill children from Malwa region to Germany’s Microtrace Mineral Lab. On June 13, 2010, the lab reported high levels of uranium in these samples. Dr Carin Smit stated, â€Å"The hair results are surprising. We expected an arsenic exposure. Instead, over 80% of adult and children, many of which are suffering from cerebral palsy and mental retardation, showed pathological levels for uranium. † The report is surprising as there is no apparent source of uranium in the state. Executive director, Kheti Virasat Mission (KVM), Umendra Dutt stated, â€Å"with studies indicating high levels of uranium in hair samples, the situation is indeed alarming. Water Pollution: Uranium Content Exceeds Safe Limit Suggested by WHO In 2009, V D Puranik, who is heading the environmental assessment division of Bhaba Atomic Research Center, filed a report stating 2. 2-244. 2 micro grams of uranium content in one litre water sample that was brought from the Malwa region. Let’s not forget, the safe limit suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO) is 15 microg ram per litre. The person in charge of Baba Farid Center for Special Children in Faridkot Pritpal, Singh said that three samples surpassed the limit of 60 micrograms uranium per litre set by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). Final Legal Take Away Tip: Punjab, a state that ushered in the Green Revolution and has been nourishing most parts of the country, is now suffering the ill effects of water pollution. Toxic material in water can migrate to hundreds of farms, homes, schools and places where people can die or suffer due to its exposure. Remember, Erin Brockovich? What we need is legal awareness and initiatives to be taken on priority so that the state government can save lives it is too late.

Bush V. Gore

Josh Hanlon January 11th, 2013 CLN4U-01 Mr. Currie Law Research Essay Bush vs. Gore: Why The Votes Should Have Been Counted Bush vs. Gore was described as a controversial election to say the least. The votes in several Florida counties were put up into question as to whether they should be counted or not. In a Democratic Election all legal votes must be counted. The main arguments around this issue were Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution, the interpretation of the Equal Protection Clause and confusion around voting deadlines during the Recount. This process was exacerbated by the lack of impartial justices and secretary of state.The initial argument surrounding this issue is Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution. Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution states, â€Å"In presidential elections, each State shall appoint, in such manner as the legislature thereof may direct, the electors to which the State is entitled. † That being said 3 justices, Rehnquist, Scalia, and Thomas all argued that Florida violated this; there argument placed a lot of emphasis on the word â€Å"legislature†. Meaning to say that there is a difference between the State, who is empowered to appoint its own electors and that own State’s legislature.Furthermore, this Article of the Constitution is completely out of the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction in the circumstances. The Supreme Court should have nothing to do with matters of state law in between the State and their own Legislature. Also, the Florida Supreme Court held that â€Å"a legal vote may include any ballot from which it is reasonably possible to determine the clear intent of the voter, whether or not the ‘chad’ had been completely punched through, which is consistent with the law of the clear majority of the States†.Chief Justice Rehnquist in his opinion argued that this interpretation was so ridiculous and not mirrored with Florida legislation, that it violated Article 2. He claimed that because most counties use punch cards that tell you to clearly punch your ballot no reasonable person could count a vote that wasn’t clearly punched all the way through. (Geoffrey R. Stone, Equal Protection? )The Florida Election Code states that â€Å"no vote shall be declared invalid if there is a clear indication of the intent of the voter†, also a 60 year old Florida Law precedent states that â€Å"must give statutes relating to elections a construction in favor of the citizen’s right to vote, and the intention of the voters should prevail when counting ballots† (Constitution of the State of Florida, As Revised in 1968) After hearing this, the other 6 Justices concluded that the Florida Supreme Court decision was in long established precedent and said it didn’t even raise a question under Article 2 of the Constitution.In simpler terms, stating that all of those votes were legal and that the standards set were sufficient to deter mine which votes should and should not be counted. Onto the Equal Protection Clause, the Supreme Court basically contradicts themselves on this matter. After stating the voting standards set by the Florida Supreme Court didn’t violate Article 2, they continued on to state that it violates the Equal Protection clause because â€Å"the standards for accepting or rejecting contested ballots might vary not only from county to county but even within a single county† (Geoffrey R.Stone, Equal Protection? ). What is startling is that the Florida Constitution states, â€Å"The intention of the voters should prevail when counting ballots† meaning that if there is any intention the vote should be counted, and if this wasn’t precise enough for the Supreme Court why did they vote to uphold it on the Article 2, Section 1 vote? If the Supreme Court required a uniform standard for counting and recounting votes in Florida, why does it not need a uniform standard for votin g?Is the fact that punch card voting has a sufficiently higher chance of having your vote not counted compared to computer voting where there is a bare minimum chance of your votes not being counted violating the Equal Protection Clause as well? Or is it the fact that punch card counties are more commonly in low income counties, who tend to vote Republican (Al Gore)? All of these things ould be seen as discriminatory or â€Å"not equal† as well as the non-uniform standard for counting, but if the Supreme Court has decided that the recount standard is in violation then in thought the whole Election should be rendered â€Å"Unconstitutional† and put to an end, correct? To continue, no it should not be put to an end. The Supreme Court should have ordered a stay on the Recount until a uniform standard was put in place for all of the Florida Counties and they should have ordered that every state have a uniform standard for Recounts for future elections.The Supreme Court mad e a Pragmatic but Unlawful decision in voting for the violation of the Equal Protection Clause which led to the stoppage of the 2000 Florida Recount. (Bo Li, Perspectives, Vol. 2, No. 3). This goes without mentioning the fact that Bush’s state of Texas had a uniform voting standard which allowed anything to be counted in the scenario of a recount including a dimpled chad. This means that Governor Bush signed in a bill that let any vote with slight intent be counted in the process of a Recount, yet is arguing that intent of a voter is an unconstitutional argument.This is hypocritical and shows a lack of character, if Bush truly believes in the Constitution he should be letting all the legal votes be counted to see if he actually won the Presidency of the United States. If Bush truly cared about the simple uniform standards for Recounting, he should have ordered for a stay until uniform standards were set in place. Instead he argued the entire Recount unconstitutional and the 5 -4 majority (5 Republican Judges-4 Democratic Judges) decided that there was no reason to Recount possibly legal votes when it had a chance of harming Bush’s chance to become Prime Minister.Legal analysts from all over the Country explained it as the Justices trying to make a pragmatic decision by putting an end to this controversy, turns out it backfired on them. (Geoffrey R. Stone, Equal Protection? ) The third point to be explained in this case is the ongoing controversy over voting deadlines and how the ever so bright Secretary of State in Florida Katherine Harris’ thoughts were constantly being controlled by Bush advisors. Katherine Harris (and Friends) made it very clear that they would ot be accepting votes after a certain deadline, which left no time for the original recount. All these votes had to be stamped and signed to be considered legal votes. This left the Democratic Party frantically trying to recount votes and get them stamped and in on time. When she ruled that if votes were not stamped and signed they could not be accepted, the Democratic Party argued that tons of Military votes could not be counted because they were very rarely stamped and signed. In the US there is no voting law that states Military Votes can be accepted with no signature or stamp.This obviously led to an uproar from Republicans (Who most military votes get casted for) because it was just unethical for the Democrats to take away illegal votes for the Republicans. What the Republicans fail to realize is that taking away Florida citizens legal votes because you are scared of losing is also unethical. The Democrats later changed their minds and told the Secretary to reconsider the Military votes and give them special consideration. (Joseph I. Lieberman, Military Ballots Merit a Review)There are a few other factors I would like to add to perspective before closing my argument, in Florida the Republican swayed Secretary of State Katherine Harris put 20 Thousand pe ople on the Voter Purge list. A Large group of these people had never done anything wrong, in particular an African-American Pastor could not vote because his name was similar to that of a hardened criminal in Florida (HBO Documentary, Recount). The most interesting fact of all was that the 3 Judges who voted for Bush in both instances (Rehnquist, Scalia, Thomas) were all considered Republican judges.In the last 30 years at the Supreme Court the 19 Cases involving the Equal Protection Clause concerning laws against race, elderly, and other minorities they voted a perfect 19 for 19 to uphold the Equal Protection Clause. Yet, the one case involving Politics and the party they are associated with they for some strange reason voted against it with very little reasoning. (Geoffrey R. Stone, Equal Protection? ) If that’s not Politics in Black Robes, what is. In Conclusion, Legal votes in Florida were not counted when they should have een. The various ideas such as the proper vote i n Article 2, Section 1, the contradiction and unlawful voting on the Equal Protection Clause and the confusing deadlines regarding votes were all examples of how things can be exacerbated by impartial Judges and Secretary of States. The votes in Florida should have been recounted after a uniform standard was put in place similar to the one in Texas and the real results of the 2000 Election should have been deciphered.All else aside, the whole United States should have a uniform voting, counting and recounting standard to eliminate all this confusion in the future. Bibliography http://www. leg. state. fl. us/statutes/index. cfm? mode=constitution&submenu=3 http://www. nytimes. com/2000/11/20/us/counting-vote-absentee-ballots-military-ballots-merit-review-lieberman-says. html? pagewanted=all&src=pm http://fathom. lib. uchicago. edu/1/777777122240/ http://www. oycf. org/Perspectives2/9_123100/bush_v1. htm HBO Documentary, Recount

Hospitality strategic marketing midterm exam Term Paper

Hospitality strategic marketing midterm exam - Term Paper Example More importantly, she has to show the uniqueness of the product such that they would appeal to all the age groups living within the surrounding residential area. Dessert can be seen as something that is minor but the way it is presented to the potential customers will make a big change if properly marketed. The positioning of the bakery is very strategic it will be located in Thayer Street which is mainly comprised of pedestrians who live in the trendy neighbourhood on the East side of Providence where the residents are generally wealthy. Given that the other competitors do not specialise in this product, she can capitalise on this advantage given that there are likely chances of getting buyers from the overally wealthy residents who live nearby. The residents in the neighbourhood are predominantly wealthy year round residents as well as students from Brown University and Rhode Island School of design. Indeed, dessert can be seen as luxury but in most cases, wealthy people are fascinated by flashy and unique things that can also be used to serve the purpose of asserting their status in society. When launching a product, the most important thing to consider is that the new item in the market has to be unique and it also has to appeal to a wide number of people. Since this is a new produ ct in the market, it is likely to appeal to a number of potential customers if the image and message are clear to the customers. She has to communicate the benefits that can be derived from consumption of the product. 3. Strydom (2004), defines segmentation as the division of a heterogeneous market into fairly homogeneous subsets or segments of customers who normally have similar needs and likely to respond in a similar way to the market offering. Basically, geo-demographic segmentation converges geography and demographics of a particular group

Investments, Corp. Finance and Financial Markets Essay - 1

Investments, Corp. Finance and Financial Markets - Essay Example This has adverse effects on the financial institution such as insolvency and therefore banks employ the 5 C’s of Credit Scoring to evaluate whether or not a person should be entitled to a loan. The 5 C’s are based on the characteristics of the borrower and are explained in detail as follows. Character- The bank seeks basic information from the borrower such as his trustworthiness, integrity, work, reputation based on previous history with lenders, any defaults. Some of this information could be accessed easily through credit reports. A credit report is a report generated by the Credit Reference Bureau detailing information on a person’s credit history including identifying information, credit accounts and loans, bankruptcies, late payments and enquiries. Because credit history shall make up the biggest percentage of a borrower’s eventual credit score, it makes sense that he focuses his attention on that factor. This helps evaluate whether he is credit worthy. Capital- The borrower’s equity or net worth is checked in comparison to the amount he so wishes to borrow. If the capital invested is way below the amount borrowed, then that could raise red flags in his ability to repay the loan. Capacity- The borrower is gauged on his sufficiency of yielding positive cash flows during the loan repayment period and the amount is pre-calculated using different analysis criteria such as the Net Present Value, Profitability Index. If he passes this stage, he has to provide a credible plan on his willingness to repay his loan when it’s due. Conditions- Economic conditions dictate whether a loan should be granted to a borrower. For instance, in periods of economic recovery or boom, it is safe for a borrower to be granted a loan because chances of him defaulting are minimal. However, in the recession period, it’s most likely that the borrower will not be in a position to fully settle his obligations and therefore banks

Personal statement of UC application Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Of UC application - Personal Statement Example Although I still consider myself a young person, I have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to spend an entire summer interning for my father’s real estate firm in mainland China; performing the job responsibilities of an accountant. While in China, I was able to learn the rudimentary elements of basic business accounting while at the same time becoming accustomed to the Chinese laws that governed its implementation. There is no doubt that I have a great deal of further knowledge to be gained in this field by pursuing a major in accounting; furthermore, I am intrigued by the ways in which the lessons I learn from my education will be amenable to better performing accounting with relation to Chinese firms or American firms. Likewise, what intrigued me about this particular line of work was the precision that it involved. As opposed to many career choices I could make, accounting provides me with the rare opportunity to leverage my superior skills and intuition with mathematics alongside my interest in the law and how it governs financial regulation and actions within a firm or organization. Additionally, while working during my internship I noticed that I had the unique ability to concentrate and focus in a way that allowed me to handle complex levels of information. Additionally, once back within the United States, I began to work in my father’s Tea Shop managing the accounts and keeping the books for the business. Although this is the epitome of a small business and not nearly as complex as the skills that I will learn with relation to the degree I am pursuing, this experience has also taught me the overall importance of precision and certainty when dealing with the financial aspects of management as they relate to accounting. Although I have been fortunate to have a father that has entrusted me with such important tasks, I would very much like to grow beyond this and master the skills

Financing Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Financing Terrorism - Essay Example Terrorism comprises an insensate assault on humankind's most elemental ideals and principles -- the prerogative to a life lived in amity, independence and self-respect. The terrorists' premeditated and arbitrary carnage of innocent civilians is a disparaging refutation of the deference for the inviolability of human life. Ideally, everyone has the right to life, emancipation and security of person, as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights explicitly declares. Hence, feats of terrorism are on no account valid and reasonable by considerations of a religious, political, philosophical, or other reason of like nature. Principal objective of this treatise is to address the dilemma on terrorist financing, likewise probe and assess the issues related to the economics of terrorism. And based on the investigation, it attempts to advocate ways that will lead to the curtailment of these nefarious activities and possibly for their total eradication. The subject matter proved to be an appealing issue since this writer strongly believes that by adhering to the "follow the money" philosophy, terrorist finances can be spotted, identified, located and eventually its flow can be interrupted thereby disrupting terrorist activities and ultimately preventing further success of terrorist acts and all other forms of global terrorism. Preceding researchers and writers have explicitly tackled the problem of terrorism. However, many of them have focused only on the events themselves and the ramifications on the commission of such crimes, or who are the perpetrators and the possible retaliation of the aggrieved parties and its effects on the global economy. Ignored and overlooked are some highly significant issues and one of them is the financing of such activities which is dealt with in this work. This paper then begins with brief references to the manifold definitions of the term and proceeds to address issues like: 1) Where and how terrorist organizations secure their funds; 2) How these radicals/fanatics transfer money; 3) What steps have been taken by governments to stop terrorist financing; 4) The difficulties in tracking down terrorist financiers; and the important question of 5) how regimes and governmental agencies combat terrorist financing. Literature Review Definition Crisis Providing for an explicit definition of the term "terrorism" and giving it accurate characterization has become a problematic task. It has grown to be so subjective that according to one author, the effort to define it has been likened to an art rather than a science (Burgess, 2003). Reporting of terrorist activities in media over the years has further contributed to the confusion of trying to define the word, which is diversely depicted as the work of, among others, "extremists," "guerillas," "commandos," and "fundamentalists." In addition, the adverse undertones associated with the word 'terrorism' have complicated

What do You Understand by Economic Protectionism Essay

What do You Understand by Economic Protectionism - Essay Example Free trade is known to be more favorable to consumers and hence such protectionism hurts the consumers more (Lee, 2001). The reason for this is mostly consumers have to buy low quality goods at a higher price. The quality of goods obtained at this is far more inferior. They even have to pay higher taxes in order to help the government bear the burden of subsidies. They are of left with little choices since foreign products are lowered or eliminated by imposing restrictions. The case is worst when it comes to essential commodities like food grains, salt, and sugar. The political argument offered for such protection is to have a ‘fair’ trade. This means either the government is trying to make the domestic industries more competitive in international market or it wants to strike a balance between importing goods and maintaining domestic production. Although it is argued that producers are favored with this policy of protection but at the same time they are losing consumers on account of this. Not all industries and firms are receiving protection and subsidies. The ones deprived of such facilities are again diversely hit as they try to increase productivity (Lee, 2001). Economists have also favored free trade than such protection because trade carries the advantages of increased productivity and employment. However real life case examples will help to point out the implications of such protection. Japanese protection for rice production can be cited as an example. Japanese people had been worshipping rice as god and had been fighting to protect rice production. Japanese government has offered subsidies to rice farmers (Barlett, 2006). This and prevention of foreign rice imports has been adopted as strategies for protection. Previously heavy snowing has distorted rice...These policies are adopted when the country is giving more importance to development of domestic industries rather than engaging in free trade. Economic Protectionism has tremendous infl uence on consumption as well as production. But the impact is more on the production side. Sometimes protection is offered to some scale industries who hardly show any incentive to grow and just wasting the opportunities and facilities offered by the government. Neither they have any incentive to innovate and produce better quality products. The country suffers a loss of revenue that it could have earned from trade. This is because other countries retaliate in a similar manner by imposing restrictions on the country’s exports. Government is worse off by losing revenue from trade. In some cases the government also offers subsidies to the industries for growth which is helpful only if the industry has the potential to compete with its foreign counterparts. Moreover urban development demands more landscapes for which they are concentrating on acquisition of rice fields. This will make farmers lose their livelihood. So the government has stepped forward to protect rice farming. It restricts cheap imported rice from entering Japan and at the same time helps the farmers with a support price. Hence rice farming protection can be considered justified here.

Coney Island Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Coney Island Questions - Essay Example He contends that, amusement parks provided relief and respite at the turn of the century for the socio-economic groups striving for ethical and societal status in America. During the nineteenth century, Victorian public order and conventions governed the American society. Kasson quotes, â€Å"Nineteenth-century American was governed by a strikingly coherent set of values, a culture in many respects more thoroughly Victorian than the England over which Victoria reigned† (Kasson, 1978, p. 1). New York presented a sharp contrast due to the socio-economic disparities between the affluent, Park-Ave mansion owners, and poor working families in the slums. Coney Island was the first platform, which brought the economically disparate segments together by providing entertainment for all. Hence, it helped the culture to evolve at the turn of the century. This cultural transition move assisted people in forming their own unique identity. This book enlightens the readers about the emergenc e of a novel culture by portraying the clash between the genteel values and the emerging identities that ensued from industrialization. â€Å"Moral, integrity, self-control, sober earnestness, industriousness- among the citizenry at large† (Kasson, 1978, p. 1) characterized the pre-Coney Island as Kasson wrote. Unfortunately, the vast majority of New Yorkers found it impossible to attain these virtues and consequently, lived in sub-human circumstances. Leisure time was a privilege enjoyed by only the affluent and elite; even though, Victorian values advocated that this time was integral for edifying and informative activities. Such genteel cultural norms encouraged the establishment of parks like the Central Park in New York to provide a retreat to both, the industrial class and elites. Unfortunately, the working class lacked the time or financial resources to benefit from the Central Park; hence, the genteel class primarily benefited from it. However, unlike the Central Park , Coney Island aimed at providing entertainment. Coney Island that constituted of three inter-connected parks, namely, Steeplechase Park, Luna Park, and Dreamland ended up offering categorically different form of entertainment than ever witnessed before as Kasson terms it â€Å"architecture of pleasure† (Kasson, 1978, p. 63). Built on the ideas of Chicago’s Midway, Coney Island provided an opportunity to see the unusual, unheard characters as Kasson writes, â€Å"Midgets, giants, fat ladies and ape-men were both stigmatized and honored as freaks† (Kasson, 1978, p. 50). The illustration of the Streets of Cairo demonstrates that people had the extraordinary opportunity to see a glimpse of the lives of people around the world. Additionally, novel amusement rides like the Ferris wheel provided thrill and adventure; hence, they added color to the mundane working lives of the industrial class. For the first time, men and women were relieved of societal pressure and ha d the opportunity to come together. Not astoundingly, the novel emerging culture was dramatically opposed to the genteel cultural values as Kasson quotes, â€Å"Coney Island in effect declared a moral holiday for all who entered its gates† (Kasson, 1978, p. 50). Thus, Coney Island depicted the cultural transition in the masses from the Victorian values towards the emerging culture. Consumption formed the cornerstone of this novel mass culture. No longer were the working class limited to working and sleeping. Instead, they now had time and money at

Nurses in Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Nurses in Politics - Essay Example Public health care institutions are funded by the government that also formulate policies to govern them. Lois Capps plays a crucial role in policy setting and determination of budget in the health care sector. She understands the sector and can convince her colleagues on issues pertaining health to care. Having adequate knowledge in the health sector allows her to give a strong opinion in communities that require a professional in the field. Her experience in the field also allows her to give specific encounters that will help the other legislators understand the challenges patients and healthcare providers face in the facilities (Feldman, & Lewenson, 2000). Her contribution to successful Acts can be summed up into two major bills. The Nurse-managed Health Clinic Investment Act of 2009 and The School-Based Health Clinic Establishment Act of 2009. The two bills were cosponsored by Lois Capps and are meant to ensure that clinics run by advance practice nurses and school-based clinics to get funding from the government. Lois Capps was also a vocal supporter of the health care reform bill, which ensured Americans get access yet affordable health care (Mason, Leavitt, & Chaffee,

Shark tank review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Shark tank review - Essay Example The second entrepreneur is Dave Greco who was asking for 90,000 for a 40% stake in his company. He claims he is a successful sales man and he claims he has a solution for companies through boosting their sales through packaging the sales strategies in a mobile application. The sharks quit on the deal after finding his pitch to have many inconsistent. Mark was the only shark that had made an offer but later withdrew his offer therefore Dave was not successful. The third entrepreneur in this episode was rick smith who was offering his Vegas magic show to the sharks at 1.5m for a 20% of the company. Rick was offering a family friendly magic field show in Las Vegas. The sharks did not get convinced as they claimed his business was not unique and its market is very competitive. Based on the reasons all the sharks quit on the deal and rick walks away without a deal. The final entrepreneur is Donny McCall whose business, known as invest a rack, involved the transformation of a pickup truck in about 30 minutes to a larger cargo carrying vehicle. He was asking for $100,000 for a 10% stake in his company. Sharks claim that he should get into distribution and go oversees to cut cost therefore all sharks quit on the deal. On season 3 episode 3 the first entrepreneur is Travis Perry business was a two month program that allowed people to learn how to play the guitar through the a chord cuddy. The sharks are very impressed with idea. Travis asking price was 10% stake for a $125k in the company.

Dichotomies in the Workplace Privacy Issues Essay Example for Free

Dichotomies in the Workplace Privacy Issues Essay There is a genuine divergence of ideas from both the management and employees view on privacy issues. Companies often times say and act differently with regards to workplace policies, and employees also have opposing perspective on privacy expectations and their own actions. Employees should have a reasonable expectation of privacy, and the management should be clear and considerate of those expectations. In context with privacy concerns, there is the difference in stating the policy and acting out the policy, and the expectations of employee’s privacy and how they act. The Thin Line There is no such specification of having â€Å"no expectation of privacy† in the workplace. (Rasch, 2006) If a company intends to provide the technology and services to its employees granting that it should be of and for corporate transactions only, then employees must abide to it. But if there are no policies stated as such, â€Å"personal† transaction or communications must also be respected by companies. The extent of expected privacy differs in purpose. For example, if personal transaction of an employee involves any suspicion on violation of laws, then the management can not protect the privacy of the employee because it can not resist any mandate of the law to perform investigation on the employee. It is also related by the US Supreme Court that employers have the obligation to â€Å"enter offices and desks of employees for legitimate work-related reasons wholly unrelated to illegal conduct†. Lessons on Workplace Privacy Issues It all concludes to proper address of the corporate rules and policies and the implementation of such. Both management and employees must state their expectation on privacy and defy the line on privacy issues as much as possible to avoid the great debate on workplace issues. If policies are made and implemented, then actions should reflect the extent the understanding of the situation.

SWOT Analysis of HSBC Bank

SWOT Analysis of HSBC Bank Task 1 HSBC is known as one of the largest banking and financial services organization in the world. . It has established businesses in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. In 1991, HSBC holdings were incorporated in England, with its head office based in London. In 1999, the company established its international brand name, which ensured that the Groups corporate symbol became a familiar sight all across the world. HSBC differentiates its brand name from those of its competitors by describing the unique characteristics which distinguish HSBC, namely being, The worlds local bank. As at 31st December 2004, its total asset was valued at 660 billion. It has over 9,500 offices worldwide. It employs over 253, 000 people, across different countries and territories. Its shares are held by around 200,000 people in some 100 countries and territories. The companys shares are also traded on most of the worlds renowned stock exchanges, namely, London, Paris, New Yo rk, and Bermuda stock exchanges respectively. The HSBC group provides a comprehensive range of financial services namely: Personal Financial Services: It has over 100 million personal consumers worldwide (including Consumer Finance customers). It provides a full range of personal finance services, including current and savings accounts, mortgages, insurance, loans, credit cards, pensions, and investment services. It is one of the worlds top ten issuers of credit cards. Consumer Finance: The Companys Finance Corporations consumer finance business ensures point of sale credit to consumers, and lends money and provides related services to meet the financial needs of everyday people. In 2004, it completed the integration of its former household businesses. Commercial Banking: HSBC is a leading provider of financial services to small, medium-sized and middle market enterprises. The group has over two million such customers, including sole proprietors, partnerships, clubs, and associations, incorporated businesses and publicly quoted companies. In the UK, 209 Commercial Centre were launched to provide improved relationship management for higher value small-medium-sized enterprise customers, while in Hong Kong, Business Banking Centres, were expanded to provide a one-stop service. Corporate Investment Banking and Markets: Tailored financial services are provided to corporate and financial clients. Business lines include Global Markets, Corporate and Institutional Banking, Global Transaction Banking, and Global Investment Banking. Global Markets includes foreign exchange, fixed income, derivatives, equities, metals trade, and other trading businesses. Corporate and Institutional Banking covers relationship management and lending activities. Global Transaction Banking includes payment and cash management, trade services, supply chain, securities services, and wholesale banknotes businesses. Global Investment Banking involves investment banking advisory, and investment banking financing activities. Private Banking: HSBC is one of the worlds top private banking businesses, providing financial services to high net worth individual and families in 70 different locations. Task 2 While a business plan describes what your business is and intends to be, a marketing plan focuses onchange.A marketing plan is essential to every business because itdescribes how you plan to attract and retain customers. SWOT Analysis (S)trengths: HSBC group offers a comprehensive range of financial services in Bangladesh. Personal Financial Services:It has over 100 million personal consumers worldwide (including Consumer Finance customers). It provides a full range of personal finance services, including current and savings accounts, mortgages, insurance, loans, credit cards, pensions, and investment services. It is one of the worlds top ten issuers of credit cards. Commercial Banking: HSBC is a leading provider of financial services to small, medium-sized and middle market enterprises. The group has over two million such customers, including sole proprietors, partnerships, clubs, and associations, incorporated businesses and publicly quoted companies. In the UK, 209 Commercial Centre were launched to provide improved relationship management for higher value small-medium-sized enterprise customers, while in Hong Kong, Business Banking Centres, were expanded to provide a one-stop service. Corporate Investment Banking and Markets: Tailored financial services are provided to corporate and financial clients. Business lines include Global Markets, Corporate and Institutional Banking, Global Transaction Banking, and Global Investment Banking. Global Markets includes foreign exchange, fixed income, derivatives, equities, metals trade, and other trading businesses. Corporate and Institutional Banking covers relationship management and lending activities. Global Transaction Banking includes payment and cash management, trade services, supply chain, securities services, and wholesale banknotes businesses. Global Investment Banking involves investment banking advisory, and investment banking financing activities. Private Banking: HSBC is one of the worlds top private banking businesses, providing financial services to high net worth individual and families in 70 different locations. (W)eaknesses: HSBC in Bangladesh has been affected by the world-wide financial uncertainty and instability. Equally customers both private and business of all financial institutions now have serious concerns and doubts about the security of their own monies and investments. Trust in HSBC and its management is at an all time low and it needs to address this, in order to alleviate customer concerns, build trust again and re-establish banks own brands and market positions. (O)pportunities: HSBC could build renewed customer confidence and this will rebuild and retain their current customers trust. It will also gain customers from other banks and financial organizations who do not target and address these customer concerns. Objectives The aim of HSBC is to rebuild and retain customer trust and re-establish its brand and market position for the future. Marketing Strategy: Towards the end of 2003, HSBC launched Managing for Growth, a strategic plan that provides HSBC with a blueprint for growth and development during the next five years. The strategy is evolutionary, not revolutionary. It builds on HSBCs strengths and it addresses the areas where further improvement is considered both desirable and attainable. HSBC concentrates on growing earnings over the long term at a rate which will place it favourably when compared with its peer group. Also it focuses on investing in its delivery platforms, its technology, its people and its brand to support the future value of HSBC as reflected in its comparative stock market rating and total shareholder return (TSR). HSBC remains committed to benchmarking its performance by comparison with a peer group. Budget: HSBC has to ensure that it has sufficient finance available to rebuild and retain customer trust and re-establish its brand and market position for the future. Task 3 Based on the marketing plan, we can communicate to our target audience in Bangladesh the rebuilding and retaining of customer trust and re-establishment of the HSBC brand and its market position for the future in many ways. We can do advertisement in many ways. Those ways are as follows: Advertisement: We can include the advertisement on the newspaper as the advertisement is relatively long lasting. It is also cheaper that way. We can distribute leaflets to peoples homes through the post. Leaflets are long lasting and it can be distributed to specific customers. We can use the internet as a medium for advertising. We can have our own website, on which we can advertise and tell potential customers about us and our offer. Promotion: We can give discount to the customers. We can reduce the interest rates. We can distribute free samples either nationally or in a local area. In this way prospective customers may be interested. We can produce brochures and catalogues describing our business. This will give the impression of our quality organization. Direct Response Programs: We can introduce the option of credit card that is customers can do shopping by the use of their credit card. We can allow people their bills in our organization that is HSBC. Sponsorship: We can sponsor a cricket tournament like the World Cup in Bangladesh. We can sponsor the cultural events like Pohela Baishakh. We can sponsor the events like Book Fair. Task 4 HSBC is known as one of the largest banking and financial services organization in the world. . It has established businesses in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. In 1991, HSBC holdings were incorporated in England, with its head office based in London. In 1999, the company established its international brand name, which ensured that the Groups corporate symbol became a familiar sight all across the world. HSBC differentiates its brand name from those of its competitors by describing the unique characteristics which distinguish HSBC, namely being, The worlds local bank. As at 31st December 2004, its total asset was valued at ?660 billion. It has over 9,500 offices worldwide. It employs over 253, 000 people, across different countries and territories. Its shares are held by around 200,000 people in some 100 countries and territories. The companys shares are also traded on most of the worlds renowned stock exchanges, namely, London, Paris, New Y ork, and Bermuda stock exchanges respectively. The HSBC group provides a comprehensive range of financial services namely: Personal Financial Services: It has over 100 million personal consumers worldwide (including Consumer Finance customers). It provides a full range of personal finance services, including current and savings accounts, mortgages, insurance, loans, credit cards, pensions, and investment services. It is one of the worlds top ten issuers of credit cards. Consumer Finance: The Companys Finance Corporations consumer finance business ensures point of sale credit to consumers, and lends money and provides related services to meet the financial needs of everyday people. In 2004, it completed the integration of its former household businesses. Commercial Banking: HSBC is a leading provider of financial services to small, medium-sized and middle market enterprises. The group has over two million such customers, including sole proprietors, partnerships, clubs, and associations, incorporated businesses and publicly quoted companies. In the UK, 209 Commercial Centre were launched to provide improved relationship management for higher value small-medium-sized enterprise customers, while in Hong Kong, Business Banking Centres, were expanded to provide a one-stop service. Corporate Investment Banking and Markets: Tailored financial services are provided to corporate and financial clients. Business lines include Global Markets, Corporate and Institutional Banking, Global Transaction Banking, and Global Investment Banking. Global Markets includes foreign exchange, fixed income, derivatives, equities, metals trade, and other trading businesses. Corporate and Institutional Banking covers relationship management and lending activities. Global Transaction Banking includes payment and cash management, trade services, supply chain, securities services, and wholesale banknotes businesses. Global Investment Banking involves investment banking advisory, and investment banking financing activities. Private Banking: HSBC is one of the worlds top private banking businesses, providing financial services to high net worth individual and families in 70 different locations. While a business plan describes what your business is and intends to be, a marketing plan focuses onchange.A marketing plan is essential to every business because itdescribes how you plan to attract and retain customers. SWOT Analysis (S)trengths: HSBC group offers a comprehensive range of financial services in Bangladesh. Personal Financial Services: It has over 100 million personal consumers worldwide (including Consumer Finance customers). It provides a full range of personal finance services, including current and savings accounts, mortgages, insurance, loans, credit cards, pensions, and investment services. It is one of the worlds top ten issuers of credit cards. Commercial Banking: HSBC is a leading provider of financial services to small, medium-sized and middle market enterprises. The group has over two million such customers, including sole proprietors, partnerships, clubs, and associations, incorporated businesses and publicly quoted companies. In the UK, 209 Commercial Centre were launched to provide improved relationship management for higher value small-medium-sized enterprise customers, while in Hong Kong, Business Banking Centres, were expanded to provide a one-stop service. Corporate Investment Banking and Markets: Tailored financial services are provided to corporate and financial clients. Business lines include Global Markets, Corporate and Institutional Banking, Global Transaction Banking, and Global Investment Banking. Global Markets includes foreign exchange, fixed income, derivatives, equities, metals trade, and other trading businesses. Corporate and Institutional Banking covers relationship management and lending activities. Global Transaction Banking includes payment and cash management, trade services, supply chain, securities services, and wholesale banknotes businesses. Global Investment Banking involves investment banking advisory, and investment banking financing activities. Private Banking: HSBC is one of the worlds top private banking businesses, providing financial services to high net worth individual and families in 70 different locations. (W)eaknesses: HSBC in Bangladesh has been affected by the world-wide financial uncertainty and instability. Equally customers both private and business of all financial institutions now have serious concerns and doubts about the security of their own monies and investments. Trust in HSBC and its management is at an all time low and it needs to address this, in order to alleviate customer concerns, build trust again and re-establish banks own brands and market positions. (O)pportunities: HSBC could build renewed customer confidence and this will rebuild and retain their current customers trust. It will also gain customers from other banks and financial organizations who do not target and address these customer concerns. Objectives The aim of HSBC is to rebuild and retain customer trust and re-establish its brand and market position for the future. Marketing Strategy: Towards the end of 2003, HSBC launched Managing for Growth, a strategic plan that provides HSBC with a blueprint for growth and development during the next five years. The strategy is evolutionary, not revolutionary. It builds on HSBCs strengths and it addresses the areas where further improvement is considered both desirable and attainable. HSBC concentrates on growing earnings over the long term at a rate which will place it favourably when compared with its peer group. Also it focuses on investing in its delivery platforms, its technology, its people and its brand to support the future value of HSBC as reflected in its comparative stock market rating and total shareholder return (TSR). HSBC remains committed to benchmarking its performance by comparison with a peer group. Budget: HSBC has to ensure that it has sufficient finance available to rebuild and retain customer trust and re-establish its brand and market position for the future. Based on the marketing plan, we can communicate to our target audience in Bangladesh the rebuilding and retaining of customer trust and re-establishment of the HSBC brand and its market position for the future in many ways. We can do advertisement in many ways. Those ways are as follows: Promotion We can include the advertisement on the newspaper as the advertisement is relatively long lasting. It is also cheaper that way. We can distribute leaflets to peoples homes through the post. Leaflets are long lasting and it can be distributed to specific customers. We can use the internet as a medium for advertising. We can have our own website, on which we can advertise and tell potential customers about us and our offer. Advertisement: We can include the advertisement on the newspaper as the advertisement is relatively long lasting. It is also cheaper that way. We can distribute leaflets to peoples homes through the post. Leaflets are long lasting and it can be distributed to specific customers. We can use the internet as a medium for advertising. We can have our own website, on which we can advertise and tell potential customers about us and our offer. Promotion: We can give discount to the customers. We can reduce the interest rates. We can distribute free samples either nationally or in a local area. In this way prospective customers may be interested. We can produce brochures and catalogues describing our business. This will give the impression of our quality organization. Direct Response Programs: We can introduce the option of credit card that is customers can do shopping by the use of their credit card. We can allow people their bills in our organization that is HSBC. Sponsorship: We can sponsor a cricket tournament like the World Cup in Bangladesh. We can sponsor the cultural events like Pohela Baishakh. We can sponsor the events like Book Fair. References Website http//www.google.com/ Book: Marketing

Examples Of Some Best Leaders And Managers Commerce Essay

Examples Of Some Best Leaders And Managers Commerce Essay Leadership and management are one of the most discussed topics in business corporates and organizations. It is highly unlikely to switch on any media (radio, internet, etc.) and not run into a number of topics that do not link back to leaders and managers. By definition, the two systems are not the same; however, they need to be utilized complementarily to achieve one common goal and any effort to separate the two will cause more problematic issues than it will solve. In attempt to point out the difference, this report will address different areas of both leadership and management, such as; different characteristics of a leader, theories of leadership, management and its skills, and some examples of effective managers. There may be some intersections, but the essential difference between the two systems is that leaders are born and managers are made. Though leadership comes as a natural talent this is not enough to make a fully qualified leader as there must be a constant improvement at every step of their career by investing tons of efforts and energy into their work to truly accomplish the definitions of leadership qualities. On the other hand, in a nutshell managers are problem solvers depending on the reasonableness and control and they administer what has been innovated by leaders. Leadership and Management It has become quite a common practice to differentiate between leadership and management. The most significant part off all these differentiations is that they are all orientated towards change. This idea is well outlined by John Kotter in his book who came to a conclusion that management is about coping with complexity whilst leadership, by contrast, is about coping with change (John Kotter, 1990, p104). He stated that good management brings about a degree of order and consistency to organizational processes and goals, whilst leadership is required for rapid change. The differentiation of leadership from management as outlined by Kotter evidently inspires a change in emphasis from the moderately inflexible, administrative processes characterized as management to the more rapid and strategic processes categorized as leadership, yet even he concludes that both are of equal importance for the effective running of an organization:, Leadership is different from management, but not for the reason most people think. Leadership isnt mystical and mysterious. It has nothing to do with having charisma or other exotic personality traits. Its not the province of a chosen few. Nor is leadership necessarily better than management or a replacement for it: rather, leadership and management are two distinctive and complementary activities. Both are necessary for success in an increasingly complex and volatile business environment. (Kotter, 1990, p103). Even though there are a quite number of business writers such as John Kotter and his contemporaries who argue that there is a difference between leadership and management, however, these arguments cannot prove beyond reasonable doubt, especially when we put practice into consideration, therefore some people doubt as to whether they are really quite as separate as this in practice. Firstly, there has been an increment in the rejection to the way in which studies tend to disparage management as a system that is tedious and uninspiring. Gosling and Murphy (2004) propose that upholding a sense of steadiness during times of rapid change is a key to successful leadership. Thus the leader must safeguard that systems and structures remain in place whose purpose is to give workers a sense of security and a sense of balance, without which it would be hard to maintain levels of motivation, commitment, trust and psychological wellbeing. Secondly, research has shown that the two systems are far from being separate thus the practices labeled as management and leadership are an essential fragment of the same task. From the exhaustive interpretations of what managers really do, Mintzberg (1973, 1975) identified 10 key roles, and among the roles leadership is one of them. He further came to a conclusion that far from being separate and different from management, leadership is just one dimension of a multidimensional management role. The most difficult thing and which causes confusion that are derived from comparing leadership and management is the method in which they are often charted to different individuals. Therefore, we often refer to managers and leaders as if they were different and incompatible people we look at leaders as individuals who respond to rapid changes quite easily thus dynamic, charismatic individuals with the capacity to inspire others, whilst managers are seen as administrators who just focus on th e current task. Such an interpretation, however, does not concur well with an individual who is experienced as a manager. People are generally employed into management, instead of leadership positions, and are expected to complete a pile of tasks extending from everyday planning and implementation, to longer-term strategic planning. None of these are done in isolation, and throughout, it is essential to work alongside other people to motivate and inspire them, but also to know when to relinquish the lead and take a back seat. Most of us have become so enamored of leadership that management has been pushed into the background. Nobody aspires to being a good manager anymore; everybody wants to be a great leader. But the separation of management from leadership is dangerous. Just as management without leadership encourages an uninspired style, which deadens activities, leadership without management encourages a disconnected style, which promotes hubris. And we all know the destructive power of hubris in organizations. (Gosling and Mintzberg, 2003). Leadership Theories Even though individuals who are practically involved hands-on within the leadership field, they see practice being different from theories, but they are inseparably related. Traditional leadership theories were more fixated on what qualities differentiate between leaders and followers, while contemporary theories looked at other variables such as situational factors and skill levels.  Both of these types of theories of leadership have an impact the current practice, education and policy and offer a useful guideline for the selection and development of leaders in other words: theories are too good to be practical. I will discuss some of the most prominent leadership theories, which offer a valuable context for the consideration of wider issues about defining leadership capabilities and development approaches. Leadership Traits For a long time it was presumed that it would be feasible to recognize and separate a limited set of traits, which can then be used to employ individuals in the positions of leadership. These qualities include but not limited to; -strong drive for responsibility, -focus on completing the task, -vigor and persistence in pursuit of goals, -originality in problem-solving, -drive to exercise initiative in social settings, -self-confidence, -sense of personal identity, -willingness to accept consequences of decisions and actions, -readiness to adsorb interpersonal stress, -willingness to tolerate frustration and delay, -ability to influence the behavior of others, and -capacity to structure social systems to the purpose in hand. This method was strongly based on the great man theory that concentrated on how many records occupy and maintained positions where they have the capacity to influence. The hypothesis was that these individuals were born to be leaders and would grow by quality of t heir personality alone. Ralph Stogdill (1974) carried out a study to extensively revise the traits, and concluded that some qualities appeared more often than others. Other studies were carried out as well (e.g. Bird, 1940; Stewart, 1963) but did not identify the same set of traits. Since then the list has been growing, therefore it is now widely accepted that no such decisive set of traits will ever be identified. Leadership styles and behavior An approach which is an alternative to the traits approach was to look at what leaders actually do instead of just looking at their fundamental characteristics. Attention in this approach came about by the work of Douglas McGregor (1960), who suggested that leadership and management style is affected by the each individuals views about human nature. He briefly contrasted two theories of managers which he called Theory X and Theory Y. Theory X managers fairly look at human nature negatively, thus trusting that the average employee has an in-born dislike of and will not do the job at hand if it is possible. Managers who perceive in this view believe that employees need to be closely supervised and controlled to make sure that tasks are successfully completed. Theory Y managers assumes employees may be striving and self-motivated and exercise self-control. Expenditure of physical and mental effort in work is as natural as play or rest, and that the average human being, under proper cond itions, learns not only to accept but to seek responsibility. Such leaders will endeavor to enhance their employees capacity to exercise a high level of imagination, cleverness, and creativity in the answer to organizational problems. It can be understood that leaders holding diverse assumptions will show different methods to leadership: Theory X leaders preferring an autocratic style and Theory Y leaders preferring a participative style. Contingency Theories These theories concentrates on particular factors associated to a specific environment that might govern which particular leadership style will most suitably be fit for a particular situation. The theory states that there is no one leadership style that is suitable in all situations, thus making success to be dependent on a number of factors including the style of leadership chosen, qualities of the followers and features that defines that particular situation. Situational Theories At the same time as behavioral theories presented the idea of different leadership styles, they provided little direction as to what is needed for effective leadership behaviors in diverse situations. Researchers have proven that there is no one leadership style is best suited for every manager under all situations. Therefore, the concept of situational theories was developed to give direction that the style to be used is dependent upon such environmental variables factor. Fiedler (1964, 1967) suggested that there is no single best way to lead; instead the leaders style should be selected according to the situation. He differentiated between managers who are task or relationship oriented. Task oriented managers concentrate on the task at hand have a tendency to do better in situations that have good leader-member relationships, organized tasks, and either weak or strong position power. Such leaders have a tendency to show a more indicative leadership style. Managers who are relations hip oriented do better in all other situations and show a more participative style of leadership. Transformational Leadership This concept of transforming leadership was first developed by James MacGregor Burns. According to him, transforming leadership is a process by which leaders and followers help each other elevate to higher morality and motivation (Burns, 1978). At the center point of this concept is the importance of the leaders ability to motivate and empower his/her followers and also the moral dimension of leadership. Burns notions were then developed into the idea of transformational leadership where the leader transforms followers: The goal of transformational leadership is to transform people and organizations in a literal sense to change them in mind and heart; enlarge vision, insight, and understanding; clarify purposes; make behavior congruent with beliefs, principles, or values; and bring about changes that are permanent, self-perpetuating, and momentum building. (Bass and Avolio, 1994). In closing, leadership styles depend on the situation of the business or organization, there is no single style that is suitable. Also, blending leadership with team building, a leader can create an ideal team thus team members may become more involved and ask questions like; who does this? Who did that? How am I helping to achieve a common goal? Characteristics of a Leader Every individual is inspired or motivated in a different way; it is for this reason that being a leader will require a cautious combination of different leadership characteristics and skills. Personality traits and characteristics will determine the kind of leader one is. These characteristics that make up a leader are vast and they are all influenced by the followers, meaning depending on who he/she is leading, a leader will have different characteristics; ranging from being self-confident to being initiative. The United States Marine Corps teaches more than ten leadership traits, such as being dependable and enthusiastic. Below is a full list that is taught by the US Marine Corps: Justice Judgment Dependability Initiative Decisiveness Tact Integrity Enthusiasm Bearing Unselfishness Courage Knowledge Loyalty Endurance Retired General Colin Powell believes a good leader has the quality to make decisions that everyone can understand. In his own words, lesson number 14 teaches that Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt, to offer a solution everybody can understand. Effective leaders understand the KISS principle, Keep It Simple, Stupid. They articulate vivid, over-arching goals and values, which they use to drive daily behaviors and choices among competing alternatives. Their visions and priorities are lean and compelling, not cluttered and buzzword-laden. Their decisions are crisp and clear, not tentative and ambiguous. They convey an unwavering firmness and consistency in their actions, aligned with the picture of the future they paint. The result: clarity of purpose, credibility of leadership, and integrity in organization. Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart, marks another great leadership quote and amongst those quotes is Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, its amazing what they can accomplish. In the following paragraphs I am going to bold some of the key skills a leader is required to have. Emotional Intelligence is another concept that serves as a quality a leader should possess and was introduced by Daniel Goleman. Its the ability to perceive, control and then evaluate emotions (Daniel Gloeman, 1998). The people who have researched about emotional intelligence say that it can be learnt and some say that it can be produced also. In 1990, Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer defined emotional intelligence as the subset of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor ones own and others feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide ones thinking and actions. There are four branches of emotional intelligence: Perceiving Emotions, Reasoning with emotions, Understanding Emotions, and Managing Emotions. According to Nitin Nohria, a professor at Harvard Business School, communication is really what a leader does most of the time. He proposes that great leaders follow or should follow oratory communication fundamentals. He believes that a leader can communicate any type of message no matter how complex it is. Aristotle said that people can be reached in by means of different methods; people can be treated in a way that it will charm their emotions and we can make arguments on their sense of value but the great leaders spend a lot of their time communicating. According to Joe Badaracco, another professor at HBS, Simplicity is very essential at every step of communication, that no matter how complex the message, a great leader can convey a message as simple as possible and in fewer words. Communication can however be more efficiently and effectively be conveyed if the correspondent knows the audience. Great leaders always understand the worth and position of their audience. They know th eir audience well and in this way they can communicate with their audience in a far better way. He further states that being a good communicator is not enough to be a good leader; since it will be a two way communication the leader must also be a good listener to avoid misinterpretation from the audience. Jeff Bezos, the CEO and founder of Amazon.com says that one of the key elements of being a good leader is the ability to tell the hard truths and realities. All these examples come under better communication. As I have mentioned before, organizations are rapidly changing, thus making them dynamic. Great leaders are those who can manage and cope with these organizational rapid changes and all its employees or members. They know and comprehend the value of change and accept the common vision of desired results. Empowerment is also important in managing the change process. Managing the change successfully makes ordinary humans the great and effective leaders. People often resist change for reasons that make good sense to them, even if those reasons dont correspond to organizational goals. So it is crucial to recognize, reward, and celebrate accomplishments. (Kanter). In this current age, technology is one of the things travelling on the fast lane. It is reported that a technological of most things such as information systems evolve every six months. It is for this reason that a great leader must keep him informed and aware of such evolutions. Knowledge is the key to success and they key element of effective leadership. Great and effective leader must have knowledge about everything that he is interacting with. Joe Badaracco says that in the previous days, the leaders had to rely on their subordinates for collecting and implementing the knowledge but now a days, the leaders must be good enough in knowledge so that they can cope with different situations well. Another consequence of fast changing technology is that managers are required to be creative. Creativity is becoming one of the key elements and quality of a great and effective leader. This is one quality that can distinct a leader from a great and effective leader. Examples of some best leaders and managers It is not easy to find a great leader, especially when the organization plays great game of blaming each other on anything that goes wrong within itself. Few companies have good, solid leadership from people who are willing to stick to their word. Glen Stansberry a writer, in his online article he has identified the following 5 of 10 leaders considered to be good examples in our society. James Parker Southwest Airlines Southwest is recognized for their great customer service in an industry considered to be bad at customer service. Southwest stands out from other airlines by putting the customer first, regardless of the situation at hand. After 9/11 terrorist attack, airlines were not operational for number of days. As a result, all airline passengers, flight attendants and pilots were stuck with the planes across the country unable to travel to their destinations. Instead of merely sitting and waiting, Southwest employees were encouraged to take passengers bowling or to the movies to pass the time. Also, other airlines were retrenching their employees by 20%, but James Parker decided to keep all the employees and even announced a profit sharing payment of US$179.8 million. Jim Lentz Toyota In the year 2009, circa Toyotas 2.3 million vehicles were recalled for faulty brakes. Outrage ran rampant across the media and public. Instead of letting a Public Relations team deal with the problem with only press statements and interviews, Toyota offered a live conversation on one of the most aggressive and popular communities on the web known as Digg. They were all caught by a surprise when the Toyota CEO Jim Lentz appeared on Digg Dialog to be questioned all sorts of queries about the company and the recall. Over a thousand hard questions were submitted from consumers and even past employees, and Mr Lentz answered as many as possible in the given time. The questions were asked in order of votes, and none were filtered therefore making it a totally transparent interview. Even though the number of recalled vehicles skyrocketed, Toyotas honesty and transparency will help with lessening the damage to the companys reputation. Glenn Kelman Redfin Redfin is an online real estate brokerage firm that gives back two-thirds of the commission that traditional agents charge. Real estate agents hated it, and started blacklisting anyone who used the service. So, instead of keeping the problem quiet, Kelman started a company blog that focused on many of the awful aspects of the real estate business. He also posted about internal struggles within the company, and even criticized himself on many occasions. The blog was raw and authentic. Customers loved the transparency. They appreciated the fact that a CEO could make fun of himself and the dirty parts of his industry. Since starting the Redfin blog in 2006, business has grown dramatically. (Glen Stansberry, 2010). Costco Jim Sinegal Costco net worth value is ranked at U$2 billion, but the CEO Jim Sinegal only gets US$350,000.00 per annum. In general, most employees tend to get de-motivated by the fact that their bosses earn a lot of money and do not really care about them. It even gets worse when an employee does not see the head of the company. In Jims case, he has a simple office, on the same floor with his employees and without any walls and decorations, and answers his own telephone. His employee turnover rate is the lowest in the retail industry, over five times less than rival Wal-Mart. In an age where CEOs are paid in the millions and would never be seen in the trenches, Jim Sinegal is an anomaly. And his workers love him for it. Howard Schultz Starbucks Starbucks is known for its exceptional treatment of employees, offering things like insurance to even part-time workers. In 1997 three employees were killed in a bumbled robbery of one of their Washington D.C. stores. Instead of issuing a press release or calling legal counsel, CEO Howard Schultz flew straight to D.C. and spent the entire week with the employees and their families in the area. Schultzs compassion and incredible leadership helped heal those closest to the tragedy. Conclusion Regardless of the extensive research about the importance of management and leadership in terms of individuals, organizational performance, and national performance there is still a lack of realistic evidence. According to the economic analyses, even though management and leadership are the integral part in influencing national competitiveness, their influence is just another factor of many others. Strictly at organizational levels, it may seem like leadership and management are the only factors that have a direct influence on results, however they are just part of Human Resource Management activities. The influence of Management and Leadership development (MLD) at an individual level, it seems to be affected by the type of intervention and the wish and the chance of individuals to take on leadership responsibilities. These however may not reflect positively on the influences of management and leadership with regard to performance. This report may show how important it is to consider leadership in the broader context of any organization. Separately, there is no assurance that leadership development will improve the individuals performance, however, if we look at leadership development as the main thing within and organization and human resource management (HRM) processes its influence becomes obvious. Similarly, the availability of effective leadership and management processes inside an organization raises the probability of additional training and development becoming a success. Regardless of the lack of conclusive evidence indicating the relationship between management, leadership and performance it has been widely accepted that this are the key elements of effective performance of groups, individuals, organizations, etc. The fact that this relationship cannot be linearly measured indicates that there is a need for more research to be done. The way in which enhanced management and leadership leads to improved performance is complex and thus when looking at the benefits that are raised from the interventions a much wider idea of performance needs to included instead of just looking at improved productivity/profit.

Gatsbys Pursuit Of The American Dream :: essays research papers

Gatsby's Pursuit of the American Dream The Great Gatsby, a novel by Scott Fitzgerald, is about the American Dream, and the downfall of those who attempt to reach its impossible goals. The attempt to capture the American Dream is used in many novels. This dream is different for different people; but, in The Great Gatsby, for Jay, the dream is that through wealth and power, one can acquire happiness. To get this happiness Jay must reach into the past and relive an old dream; and, in order to do this, he must have wealth and power. The American Dream had always been based on the idea that each person no matter who he or she is can become successful in life by his or her hard work. The dream also brought about the idea of a self-reliant man, a hard worker, making a successful living for him or herself. The Great Gatsby is about what happened to the American Dream in the 1920s, a time period when the many people with newfound wealth and the need to flaunt it had corrupted the dream. The pursuit of the American Dream is the one motivation for accomplishing one's goals, however when combined with wealth the dream becomes nothing more than selfishness. Jay Gatsby, the main character of the story, is one character that longs for the past. Surprisingly, he spends most of his adult life trying to recapture it and, finally, dies in this pursuit. In the past, Gatsby had a love affair with the attractive young Daisy. Knowing he could not marry her because of the difference in their social status, he leaves her to gain wealth to reach her standards. Once he acquires wealth, he moves near to Daisy, "Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay (p83)," and throws extravagant parties, hoping by chance she might show up at one of them. He, himself, does not attend his parties but watches them from a distance. When this dream doesn't fall into place like he planned, he asks around if anyone knows her. Soon, he meets Nick Carraway, a cousin of Daisy, who agrees to set up a meeting, "He wants to know†¦if you'll invite Daisy to your house some afternoon and then let him come over (p83)." Gatsby's personal dream symbolizes the larger American Dream where all have the opportunity to get what they want.

Value of Biodiversity and the Preservation of Species Essay -- Nature

Value of Biodiversity and the Preservation of Species As a result of the increasing environmental awareness of scientists and laymen, new issues have evolved around pressing ecological problems. Ecologists have discovered how important retaining biodiversity really is to humanity. While politicians often have other economic agendas, environmentalists are working hard to push this relatively new knowledge through political institutions using economic arguments. The preservation of our surroundings can create new jobs and promote economic efficiency, more so than the jobs which are currently destroying our ecosystem. For example, in a few years, workers in the fishing industry may be out of jobs due to over-consumption of certain species of fish and the lack of management to preserve these animals. For Christians, biblical reasons also apply to this desire to preserve what remains of our biodiversity. Holistic human life depends on the relationship between humankind and species found in nature; thus humankind must develop respect and crit ical understanding of the interaction of human and non-human species, and realize the necessity of preserving the earth's great biodiversity. Biodiversity Conservation biology became a formal discipline in the 1980s. Its aim was to connect ecology and evolutionary biology, as well as conserve biodiversity (Takacs, 1996). The mission of this new field was to document the earth's deterioration and to promote ways of reversing this situation. In 1986 the National Research Council held a National Forum on biodiversity (Takacs, 1996), and from this conscience-raising event, scientists publicly agreed on the importance of saving the different species of the world (Takacs, 1996). Preservation... ... fires says the aim was to help lynx. CNN Interactive . Accessed Oct. 30, 1998. URL: http://cnn.com/TECH/science/9810/22/vail.fire.02/ Rohlf, Daniel J. (1994). Six biological reasons why the endangered species act doesn't work and what to do about it . In Environmental Policy and Biodiversity ed. R. Edward Grumbine. Washington D. C.: Island Press. Sebastian, Matt. (1998, Oct. 23). Arson in vail fires confirmed . Boulder News . Accessed Oct. 30, 1998. URL: http://www.bouldernews.com/news/local/23morvai.html. Takacs, David. (1996). The Idea of Biodiversity: Philosophies of Paradise. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press. Tuxill, John. (1998). Losing Strands in the Web of Life . Washington D. C.: Worldwatch Institute. Walters, Mark Jerome. (1997). Sanctuary . In Wildlife Conservation . ed. Hillary D. Claggett. New York: H.W. Wilson Company.

Country Side

Country Side Freedom surrounds those who aspire to achieve lonesome from the rest of the world. The perfect getaway is something that most people deserve once in a while. Complete solitary from everything and everyone nothing but fields for miles and miles away. The country side has a lot to offer the spectacular view and stunning landscape. It doesn’t matter whether it is winter, spring, fall or summer because either of these seasons changes the fact of how admiring the view is from a far. I am a victim of this ignorance. I never realize how precious and beautiful the country side is until I saw Harvey George W. ainting, New England Landscape, at the Andersons Gallery in Beverly Hills that opens my eyes into larger sense of beauty and strength. Harvey George W. was known for his Techniques of Fly Tying Fishing. Harvey was born on November 14, 1911, in Dubois, Pennsylvania. His father Archibald accepted a job as a stock farmer in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. That’s where he got inspired by painting the New England from his childhood memories. While Harvey was in the farm he had learned so many things and to appreciate what was handed to him, he did not come from a wealthy income family and all he could have done is go by what his expectation were.His Father Archibald teaches him how fish by the stream right off the stream. Even more he was being afflatus by the nature that surrounded him. Harvey is not a well-known artist but more for his achievements at Penn State University. At Penn State he teaches Fishing Tying for the first Time in history and that class was accredited in 1947. Also he got offered to run in the Olympics but then he was diagnosed with pneumonia and did not get to compete. In my perspective view, seeing this painting of the country side makes me want to forget about life and go there to escape from the everyday basis.The scenery is breath taking. The tree that is located on the center left hand is perfected it reflects how privacy i s supposed to be like. The stack of hay behind the giant tree is a symbol of freedom. The hay represents how everyone who would like to be stress free can just hide behind a tree and forget about their existence. The farm town is far away like it’s supposed to be and endless fields. This portrait reminds me of my own family ranch in Mexico; it made me realize that I am taking that part of my life for granted. Country Side Country Side Freedom surrounds those who aspire to achieve lonesome from the rest of the world. The perfect getaway is something that most people deserve once in a while. Complete solitary from everything and everyone nothing but fields for miles and miles away. The country side has a lot to offer the spectacular view and stunning landscape. It doesn’t matter whether it is winter, spring, fall or summer because either of these seasons changes the fact of how admiring the view is from a far. I am a victim of this ignorance. I never realize how precious and beautiful the country side is until I saw Harvey George W. ainting, New England Landscape, at the Andersons Gallery in Beverly Hills that opens my eyes into larger sense of beauty and strength. Harvey George W. was known for his Techniques of Fly Tying Fishing. Harvey was born on November 14, 1911, in Dubois, Pennsylvania. His father Archibald accepted a job as a stock farmer in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. That’s where he got inspired by painting the New England from his childhood memories. While Harvey was in the farm he had learned so many things and to appreciate what was handed to him, he did not come from a wealthy income family and all he could have done is go by what his expectation were.His Father Archibald teaches him how fish by the stream right off the stream. Even more he was being afflatus by the nature that surrounded him. Harvey is not a well-known artist but more for his achievements at Penn State University. At Penn State he teaches Fishing Tying for the first Time in history and that class was accredited in 1947. Also he got offered to run in the Olympics but then he was diagnosed with pneumonia and did not get to compete. In my perspective view, seeing this painting of the country side makes me want to forget about life and go there to escape from the everyday basis.The scenery is breath taking. The tree that is located on the center left hand is perfected it reflects how privacy i s supposed to be like. The stack of hay behind the giant tree is a symbol of freedom. The hay represents how everyone who would like to be stress free can just hide behind a tree and forget about their existence. The farm town is far away like it’s supposed to be and endless fields. This portrait reminds me of my own family ranch in Mexico; it made me realize that I am taking that part of my life for granted.