Chinese Media & Culture Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Chinese Media & Culture - Term Paper Example Chinese media is commercial market and people are media addicted. Chinese people are highly media active and they socially interact more on internet than in person. Chinese people are creative and professionals and they use media effectively to benefit their lives. Chinese use media for education, information purpose, industry, art and entertainment. China is a producing country and many products and services are provided by them and use media creatively and they earn more benefits from it .China has more social media user than Face book has and it is very large. Chinese used Face book and Twitter for many purposed like educational, employment and entertainment but lately it is banned. The Chinese had been using radio and television for discussion matters of sensitive nature like politics and cultural issues. The media are advantageous in informing the Chinese people on crime, disaster and matters of human interests. The Chinese media activism is rigorous and hence been an integral part of their lives. The newspaper and radio had been the main media for the Chinese people to sell advertisement and compete in market place. Now internet and television has become a source for entrepreneurs to sell their products and services. The search engine Google is used by elite group of China and academics on a wide basis. Newspapers and radio had been a media extensively used by students and politicians. Now internet is a media which the Chinese use to learn local and international affairs. Online communication has become a vital part of Chinese society and people connect with world instantaneously with the use of media. The media in China is growing especially social media as it is the key way for individuals and businesses to communicate. They also use mobile internet because many people have smart phones and other wireless devices. The communication was Chinese have become much more open with internet and they have immediate

Children Education Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Children Education Psychology - Essay Example Different psychological principles that support the above concept will also be illustrated. This is meant to confirm that psychological principles can improve the quality of early childhood education. Other tactics that can boost the impact of application of psychological knowledge to deal with difficult children will also be recommended in the paper. They include staying in contact with the children’s parents, and applying proximity to control negative behaviours among others. Table of Contents Abstract 2 Table of Contents 3 Psychology and Education 4 Development 5 Child Development Theories 6 Adaptability and Sociability 12 This can be ensured through incorporation of learning methods that allows flexibility among learners. For instance, the teacher should apply methods that exemplify concepts in the easiest way possible. 12 Motivation 12 Recommendations 14 How can an understanding of psychology assist teachers in their everyday management of difficult children in the classr oom? Discuss specific psychological theories and research in your answer. Childhood Education Psychology Childhood education normally focuses on children education through play during preschool age to the actual learning in schools (Ailwood, 2003:291). ... The achievement of this quality is dependent on the understanding of how children learn and develop by education practitioners. Learning encompasses dealing with both responsive and unresponsive children. It is the responsibility of the teacher to study and classify these children depending on their behavioural tendencies and formulate ways of teaching them fairly without discrimination. This approach requires dealing with difficult children to amend their behaviour. Psychological knowledge is thus eminent in dealing with difficult children. Psychology and Education Children construct knowledge through learning and utilize it to adopt new skills. They learn efficiently when the basic necessities are provided and the environment is safe. Most of the early childhood learners acquire knowledge through their own activities and develop while acquiring more information from social interactions with adults and other children. Their speed is dependent on their interest towards an object or t heir urge to know. Application of psychology on childhood education is centred on cognition and affect aspects. Cognition is related to skills and processes such as thinking while affect describes emotional attributes of children such as attitudes and feelings. All these factors come into play when dealing with difficult children. Therefore, it is eminent for teachers to understand, identify and solve these aspects when catering for the welfare of difficult children. Although some behavioural traits children exhibits are genetic, failure to provide them with adequate environment for learning makes then difficult. Children should be provided with secure attachment and emotional comfort, feeling of

Sample Questions and Answers Essay Example for Free

Sample Questions and Answers Essay This is tricky not to waffle or give unrelated information. You need to aim to address your capability, commitment and cultural fit, here is a sample answer: ‘Good morning, my name is James Smith.* I am a qualified accountant with six years post qualified experience gained within the pharmaceutical industry. I worked with Glaxo Smith Klein* as an assistant accountant and I have spent the past 4 years working with Pfizer* where my most recent role was as project accountant. I managed the project finance team of 8 staff and I’m proud to say that I recently implemented a new financial management system saving the company over  £500,000 in year one. I have a reputation for my attention to detail and delivering within strict deadlines and enjoy working with financial data. Going forward I want to work in a challenging finance role within the same industry and your organization is one in which I believe I could settle down and make a real contribution.’ How long have you been looking for a job †¦. The interviewer may be concerned that there is something wrong with you that other employers have picked up on! Here is a sample answer: ‘After I was made redundant from my last job, I took the opportunity to take some time out to examine my career goals and where I was going with my life. I have just begun my search in the last few weeks. I have a definite goal in mind and have been selective about the positions I consider. Your company and this position are of great interest to me.’ How did you prepare for this job interview †¦. The interviewer is gauging if you are interested enough to do some research or are you going to wing it. Here is a sample answer: ‘When I was told about this position by Hamlin Knight I was immediately interested. I checked out the company website and mission statement, looked at the bios of company founders and executives and was impressed. Once I had the interview appointment I looked at some industry press and I’m sure I’ll find out a lot more in today’s meeting.’ What is your salary expectation for this job †¦. The interviewer is trying to find out if they can afford you, or if they can get you for less than budgeted. Here is a sample answer: ‘I’ll need more information about the job and the responsibilities involved before we can begin to discuss salary. Can you give me an idea of the range budgeted for this position?’ How do you keep current and informed about your job and the industries that you have worked in †¦.. The interviewer is trying to ascertain if once you get the job you will continue to learn and grow, stay challenged and motivated. Here is a sample answer: ‘I pride myself on my ability to stay on top of what is happening in my industry. I do a lot of reading – the business section of the newspapers and industry magazines. I belong to a couple of professional organizations and network with colleagues from these. I take seminars or training whenever they are of interest or offer new information or technology.’ Tell me about a time when you had to plan and coordinate a project from start to finish †¦. This is a behavioural questions, your interviewer is trying to seek an example of specific past behaviour. Here is a sample answer: ‘I headed up a project which involved customer service personnel and technicians. I organized a meeting to get everyone together to brainstorm and get their input. From this meeting I drew up a plan, taking the best of the ideas. I organized teams, balancing the mixture of technical and non-technical people. We had a deadline to meet, so I did periodic checks with the teams, After 3 weeks we were exceeding expectations and were able to begin implementation of the plan. It was a great team effort and a big success. I was commended by management for my leadership, but I was most proud of the team spirit and cooperation which it took to pull it off.’ What kinds of people do you have difficulties working with †¦. Your interviewer is trying to see if you are flexible and can work in a diverse environment. Here is a sample answer: ‘In my last 3 roles I have worked with men and women from very diverse backgrounds and cultures. The only time I had difficulty was with people who were dishonest about work issues. I worked with one woman who was taking credit for work that her team accomplished. I had an opportunity to talk with her one day and explained how she was affecting morale. She became very upset that others saw her that way and said she was unaware of her behaviour or the reactions of others. Her behaviour changed after our talk. What I learnt from that experience is that sometimes what we perceive about others is not always the case if we check it out.’ We expect managers to work more than 8 hours a day, do you have a problem with that †¦. The interviewer is trying to see if you are a ‘workaholic’ or a person that requires balance. Here is a sample answer: ‘I have no problem working long hours. I have worked 12 or 14 hour days. What I have found works for me is to work smarter, not necessarily longer. My goal is to get the job done, whatever it takes, in the most efficient manner.’ When have you been most satisfied in your career †¦. The interviewer is trying to ascertain what motivates/de-motivates you. Here is a sample answer: ‘The job before the one I am currently at was my most rewarding experience for me. I worked in a wonderful team environment. There was a lot of camaraderie. I worked with a team of four people and we did some really original thinking. It is that kind of environment that I want to be involved in again.’ Why do you want this job †¦. The interviewer is trying to see if you are using a shotgun approach to your job search or do you really know what you want. Here is a sample answer: ‘I’ve been very careful about the companies where I have applied. When Hamlin Knight told me about this position, I knew I had found what I was looking for. What I can bring to this job is my 7 years of experience and knowledge of the industry, plus my ability to communicate and build customer relationships. That, along with my flexibility and organizational skills makes me a perfect match for this position. I see some challenges ahead of me here and that’s what I thrive on. I have what you need, you have what I want.’ We are ready to make an offer, are you ready to accept today †¦. Your interviewer doesn’t want you to go away and change your mind. Here is a sample answer: ‘Based on my research and the information I have gathered during the interview process, I feel I am in a position to consider an offer. I do, however, have a personal policy that I give myself at least 24 hours to make major life decisions. I could let you know by tomorrow.’ There is no way to accurately predict the questions that you will be asked by an interviewer, but you can be ready and prepared by thinking about the factors that might concern an employer before the interview

The Background On Corporate Social Responsibility Management Essay

The Background On Corporate Social Responsibility Management Essay This study will argue against the neoclassical view of Milton Friedman on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). First of all it is essential to familiarise with the concept of CSR, this includes background information on the topic, than discuss the transformation of CSR over the years and the reasons for the changes. Than defining the concept as it is seen now. Additionally to familiarise with the literature used, two sources used in this study were evaluated under origins, values and limitations. Later the study will introduce the main argument of the study on the CSR, which will be separated into two parts. First part will analyse the traditional view of Milton Friedman and other economists and try to find out if the main responsibility of the company is to maximize profits. The second part will talk about the traditional view of the CSR which is opposing the neoclassical view. In conclusion I will try to argue Milton Friedmans case of neoliberal position on CSR. Background on Corporate Social Responsibility The concept of social responsibility was traced back to the ancient times. The first stage of the CSR development happened thousand years BC where authorities introduced different rules and regulations where the workers were severely punished for being careless and injured someone during their work. Or In Ancient Rome senators grumbled about the failure of businesses to contribute sufficient taxes to fund their military campaigns.(History of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability) During the industrial revolution the concept grew to a whole new level and the significance of business in society started to increase exponentially. By the 1920s the new stage began that social responsibility was not seen as an ethic but became a whole new concept, however the magnitude of the concept was undervalued. As Dean of Harvard Business School Wallace B. Donham: Business has not learned how to handle these changes, nor does it recognise the magnitude of its responsibilities for the fut ure of civilisation.(History of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability) The ideology of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has emerged as a response to pressure from the business side of growing leftist sentiment and the trade union movement in the last third of the XIX century. Incurred if the institutions of civil society demanded from businesses providing social guarantees to the workers and to ensure protection of their labour and the decline of trade unions in the mid XX century for business owners updated the task of preserving and maintaining the loyalty of motivation of subordinates, which again forced them to turn to CSR. It was then that the concept has become firmly established in the theory and practice of corporate governance in the U.S. However the effect of globalization cannot be under estimated as it played a significant role in CSR, which forced companies to look for more creative ways of positioning information in a crowded world. Thus, CSR was the result of deep transformation of relations of private business and society in a post-industrial economy. Definition Searching for the most precise definition in the least amount of text, the definition by Lord Holme and Richard Watts in The World Business Council for Sustainable Development in its publication Making Good Business Sense (Baker 2004) they defined Corporate Social Responsibility as: the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large (Baker 2004) In essence CSR is a concept that reflects the companys voluntary decision to participate in the improvement. An important remark to make before defining CSR is that it is a very broad topic with no clear-cut definition; this creates a lot of uncertainty. In order to reduce some uncertainty it is essential to divide CSR into two different parts and look at it in a more detailed manner. First part that will be looked at is the internal CSR, which is limited by the scope of the company, it deals with social policies of the employees. The second part is the external CSR, which is responsible for the outside framework and therefore deals with a much broader spectrum than the internal, as it takes into the account all the social and environmental factors, in some cases it helps eliminate the failures of the authorities in the social sphere, shifting a significant share of burden to the corporations. Additionally there are different principles of the CSR that will be mentioned later in the study including: Transparency this deals with publicity and the reliability of the company, significance deals with the scale and the effectiveness of the policies and prevention of conflicts among other parties. Evaluation of Sources In order to examine the two sides in more depth sources with different views and opinions were used. For a more critical evaluation two books have different perspectives on the case of CSR which helps the study answer the question from different viewpoints. First book, The Debate over Corporate Social Responsibility, by Steve May, George Cheney, and Juliet Roper answers the question in a theoretical and practical perspectives on Corporate Social Responsibility. The books value lies in the fact that this book is based primary on facts and is independent from views, which is perfect for this study. Another important aspect to mention is the relevance of the book to the current situation in business as it was published 5 years ago which is relatively recent. The Second book Corporate Responsibility and Financial Performance: The Paradox of Social Cost  by Moses L. Pava and Joshua Krausz. This book is very different from the first one as it focuses more on the performance of the company based on CSR. It contains empirical studies on the correlation between the CSR and performance that will be used further in the study. The limitation of this book is that it was published in the 1995 and the concept of CSR changed since then. Introduction Currently the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility is a subject of debate and criticism. Defenders argue that it has a solid business case, and corporations receive many benefits because they work for a broader and more long-term than their own short-term gain momentary. Critics argue that social responsibility moves away from the fundamental economic role of businesses, and distracts the company form its main goal. Thus, there are two main approaches to the study of corporate social responsibility. On one hand we have the notion of M. Friedman, who relies on formal rationality. On the other hand, we have representatives of the second approach, the liber idea of CSR. The researchers are relying on objective research. They recognize that the social responsibility of business is complex and cannot be reduced to the bare economic interest of profit maximization. In analysing both views this study will find out to what extend does Milton Friedmans traditional view of the CSR increase financial profits of the company. Before we elaborate on these two opposite approaches to the study of corporate responsibility, it should be noted that the leaders and managers of todays companies are increasingly aware of the positive impact of socially responsible behaviour to achieve not only strategic but also financial goals of the business. Milton Friedmans view on Responsibility of Corporations Nobel Prize winner, a supporter of the policy of monetarist Milton Friedman in his book Capitalism and Freedom published in 1962 there is one and only one social responsibility of business-to use it resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud.. Similarly,  the social responsibility of  labor  leaders  is  to  serve  the  interests  of  the  members  of  theirunions.  It  is  the social responsibility  of  the  rest  of  us  to  establish  a  framework  of  law  such that  an  individual  in  pursuing  his  own  interest  is,  to  quote  Adam  Smith  again,  led  by an  invisible  hand  to  promote  an  end  which  was  no  part  of  his  intention (Friedman Friedman, 1982, p. 133) The essence of this argument is that the direction of the profits for social goals reduces the volume of profit, which violates the principle of profit maximization, which is fundamental to the business. Note that in the short term deductions from profits related realization of a social responsibility goal in business does reduce profits. Additionally if, for example the price of a companys products would be reduced, this would really cheer the consumers who can buy more for lower price thus increase purchasing power; it will have the same effect on the shareholders if the value of dividends grow. Therefore, installation of additional environmental equipment, of course, is a positive impact on the environment and the society; however who will have to pay for this? Eventually, the consumers as the improvements will increase the cost of production and consequently, the prices of goods and services, reducing the purchasing power of the consumer. Milton Friedman backed his arguments with a number of arguments. For example he used the concept of comparative advantage in order to argument the fact that social programs should not be implemented by the managers as they do not have the comparative advantage and the know-how in that field, instead they should be engaged in maximizing profits for the company. Friedmans argument was based on one of the most influential classical economists David Richardo who argued that the flow of goods should not be interrupted by the government and should flow freely across the country and the boarders and therefore will be most efficient. In the book by Friedman makes a strong argument stating that corporate responsibility was initialised by leftists and socialists and any sign in directing the business in socially responsible direction will be seen as destruction of capitalism because evidently: the  manager  who  reduces  profit  for  social ends such as reducing pollution or  hiring  members  of  disadvantaged  groups  takes  over  the functions of government because  he  is  in  effect  imposing  taxes  and  deciding  how  to  spend the proceeds. The  corporate  executive  thus  becomes  a  civil  servant,  a  public  employee.  The result  is  thus  full blown socialism, the rejection of the market mechanisms in favor  of  political mechanism (Aune, 2007, p. 212) Moreover Friedmans financial statement analyst criteria characterises companies investments in the social field as inferior investments (Aune, 2007, p. 212) due to that Friedman increased his influence in the 1975, after the decline of support in Keynesian economics and increase in Milton Friedmans monetarist movement in the field of inflation and unemployment. This improved his position in the battle against CSR. And increased support from other economists including Henderson who backed Friedman on his arguments against CSR and based on his principles wanted to implement Friedmans idea to the new globalized economy. In addition many organizations were created in order to oppose the traditional idea of CSR. Here are some examples of the organizations mentioned above: Competitive Enterprise Institute or the Free Enterprise Action Fund. These organizations based on Friedmans arguments try to prove that CSR is a smokescreen for socialists and collectivist theme. (Aune, 2007, p. 208) which was a very strong argument after the Cold War bringing up the idea of Soviet Collectivisation policies. As mentioned before, Friedman was not the only advocate of the neoliberal view on CSR. Also people like J. Roberts argue that the corporation is an idea, an imaginary, without substance or sensibility and therefore incapable of anything like responsibility. Instead, corporate responsibility will always depend upon people using their frail and vital sentience and following the path that this assigns. (Christensen, 2007, p. 449) Or Greider states that business should be making money otherwise they will be less efficient if they will engage in CSR and take societys interest into consideration. Not only because of the opportunity cost of investing that money into something more profitable but also because they are no specialized in the area and therefore will waste the resources due to inefficiency. Furthermore presents Hawleys study in 1991 where he conducted a survey from 22 business textbooks to find out what is goal of the corporation his finds came to a common conclusion that The  typical  Introductory  Corporate  Finance  course  begins  with  the  instructorposing  the  following  question  to  the  students:  What  is  the  primary  objectiveof  financial  managers  and  the  corporation?  The  answer,  of  course,  is that corporate managers should seek  to  maximize  the  wealth  of  owners  by maximizing the price of the shares. That any government or corporate interference with the natural workings of the market prevents resources from flowing to their most valued uses. Government  intervention, beyond punishing fraud, introduces unnecessary friction  into  the  natural  and  smooth workings  of  the  market. (Pava Krausz, 1995, p. 17) In summary the first part of the study presents the main arguments of the neoclassical view on the Corporate Social Responsibility and on how the corporations should operate in order to be prosperous. First of all Milton Friedman argued that the only thing that should be of concern to the corporation and its managers are the profits. His arguments were based on the fact that the managers were hired by the shareholders to maximize profits and not to take over governments role and act like civil servants. In essence everyone has their own role in the society and everyone should do their role as best as possible as they are most efficient in doing that role and when someone from society tries to do the role that they are not designed to do than the denial of capital market mechanism occurs and what Friedman refers to this as is leftism and socialism. Further in the essay in order to validate the arguments presented by Friedman, other economists like J. Richards argued his notion on corp orations as being an idea and therefore not able to have responsibilities. Moreover Greiders and Hawleys counter CSR arguments were included in order to show the full scope of arguments against CSR. Limitations of Milton Friedmans Arguments There are many critics of the neoclassical view on CSR and Friedmans arguments. Number one is that Friedmans arguments are very subjective and are based on assumptions without any scientific facts or evidence that back his argumentation. This is a big disadvantage for his side as the lack of information and evidence that would act like a backbone and strengthen his position acts against him. As a result questions like does CSR really reduce the performance of the corporation? arise. Moreover, according to Friedman if corporations with money do not invest into the improvement of society and its employees, than who will? The main disagreement here between the two sides is that Friedman refuses to admit the fact that the economy, society, environment and the government are all interlinked between each other especially in the globalised economy, and you cannot view economy on its own without considering the other 3 factors. Friedman and many other economists tend to use of various economic theoretical models in order to illustrate their theories, however the models that apply to the economy usually do not apply to the real world as they tend to ignore many other factors like the government. In consequence he sees economy isolated from the society. Friedman stated that the corporation is doing well as long as they are conducting their business legally and are operating at profit maximizing level. The author in the book makes a very strong argument against Friedmans position as he states that his account on CSR in 1970 does not take the changing preferences of consumers and shareholders into account. What if the company is operating legally and maximizing profits indirectly with an enemy state during wartime? For example number of biggest U.S. Companies traded with Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Libya, due to the sanctions set by the Government they exported the goods to Dubai that were further re-exported the goods to Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Libya. (Aune, 2007, p. 215) Michael Scherer conducted a research on a number of US companies, he found out that for example: That the Canadian GE works on four new hydroelectric power generators at the Kurun River dam that will benefit the Iranian oil sector. Additionally they provide the Iranian oil sector with the latest equipment including pipelines, compressors and turbines. However the trade is not done directly, as they have an Italian company called Nuovo Pignone that acts like a middle man. Or another example: one of the largest oilfield companies Halliburtons subsidy helped building in one of the largest fertilizer plants near Iraq. They also provide Iranian National Oil Co. with $226 million drilling equipment, the CEO of Halliburton Richard Cheney also stated that U.S. the sanctions against Iran and Libya hurt business and failed to stop terrorism. There are number of other examples of the worlds largest companies including ConocoPhillips or ExxonMobil that at the end of the day trade with the Axis o f Evil (Aune, 2007, p. 215) According to Friedman and his idea of corporate capitalism as it should be all the companies that were listed above in the example are doing nothing wrong, as at the end of the day they first, maximizing profits for the shareholders and second, they are doing nothing illegal. (Aune, 2007, p. 216) Therefore, according to Friedman all that matters is profit maximization, even over consumer interest and the public. Friedmans logic is irrational; as we have seen from the example some profit-maximizing actions might threaten the security of the society which is far more important than the prosperity than any corporation. Summarizing the limitations of Milton Friedmans with globalisation developing the role of corporations changed since the time Friedman was studying economics, now with globalization it is far more integrated into the society and both of them have to work together in order to prosper as a whole, because a business will never be successful if the employers are unhappy and vice versa. Moreover, as specified above Friedmans arguments are based on assumptions and as in James Aune states the opponents of CSR [should] argue for their assumptions as well as their conclusions (Aune, 2007, p. 216) Or his assumption that Market capitalism working by managers of corporations doing their role of satisfying the shareholders by creating profits. However at the same time he discounts the fact that social justice as an essential part of the utility many consumers or shareholders may wish to maximize (Aune, 2007, p. 213), again assuming that all shareholders do not wish to maximize utility but instead want to make profits. Traditional View of Corporate Social Responsibility Expectedly not everyone agrees with the views of M. Friedman on CSR among scientists, and entrepreneurs. In recent years, the social responsibility of business is seen as social advantage of the company. This idea was first suggested a professor at Harvard Business School, author of the theory of competitive advantage by Michael Porter in his article in the Harvard Business Review  «New issue of philanthropy the creation of value in 1999 Porter points out that social programs are now used mainly by companies as a form of  «public relations » or promotional purposes. For example, the tobacco digging Philip Morris (USA) in 1999, has spent $ 75 million to various donations, and then spent another $ 100 million on their advertising campaign. However, there is another way in the implementation of socially responsible business: companies can also strengthen their competitive position by improving the quality of the business environment in the places where their activities are unfolding. As noted by M. Porter, using philanthropy as a competitive advantage of the company allows you to link social and economic goals and improve the long-term prospects of its development. Corporate Social Responsibility and Performance Friedman argues in his essay that companies are better off when they are maximize their profits, however this is not always the case. The image of a socially responsible company an investment in its business reputation. In fact, all other things being equal, people are more willing to go to work in a socially responsible than a socially irresponsible company, will buy its products, services, or actions. Suppliers and business partners will also be more interested in cooperation with the firm, which has a high reputation. Thus, in the long term, when various groups, ensure the correct behaviour of the company, it is likely to increase its income. As written before, economy is interlinked not only with the society but also with the government and the fact that companies that behave in a socially responsible economic manner, not only improves the society, but also has some other benefits, such as, participation in the implementation of government orders. Additionally, due to growing environmental and social problems CSR will always be a big topic, therefore more and more enforced regulations will be implemented like for example production standards or service quality or pollution quota, companies that are more socially responsible will therefore be prepared and would not need radical structural changes like the companies that did not engage in socially responsibility. Finally, company that is socially responsible towards its employees will benefit from the favourable working climate and higher motivation that will further increase efficiency and output of the company. Moreover many texts argue that companies, especially large MNC have the financial resources to be more socially responsible. However in my opinion this argument is flawed as the availability of the financial resources does not necessary indicate the incentive to spend them. Finally an example where CSR and Performance are positively correlated is in an article on Corporate Social Responsibility (Todd, Kristin, Baylor Business Review) Hollender CEO of Seventh Generation who was voted the best Social CEO of the year talks about transparency of the companies as the main stepping-stone towards social responsibility, he says that Greater transparency is just the first step towards taking greater responsibility for the future that all of us are creating and Whats  true  of  transparency  is  likewise  true  of  Seventh  Generations  effort  to  not  onlysucceed  in  the  marketplace  and  contribute  to  society,  but  to  influence  others  to  contributeas  well,  he  writes.  Its  a  challenging,  sometimes  even  bewildering  odyssey  that  tests  thespirit  and  will  of  each  and  every  one  of  us. (Todd, 2009) There are limitations with defining CSR and there is no specific line that can be drawn to separate socially responsible and non-socially responsible companies, and the extent to how socially responsible the companies are. Therefore it is very difficult to see the effect of CSR on the performance on the company. Table 2.1 (Corporate  Social  Responsibility  and  Traditional  Financial  Performance:  Summary  of  21Empirical  Studies  Ã‚  Principal  Findings) (Pava Krausz, 1995, p. 21) below, however, tries to demonstrate the effect of CSR on the financial performance. A study of 21 companies was conducted to see the correlation, if there is any, between CSR and financial performance. TABLE  2.1   Direction  ofAssociation 1993  Results* Ullmann  (  1985)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚   Positive  Association 12 8 Negative  Association 1 1 No  Association 8 4 Totals 21 13 From the following the main observation that is visible is that from the 21 one studies conducted more than half, 12 studies showed a positive association between CSR and financial performance, only 1 showed a negative association and 8 showed no correlation between the two. From this table we can conclude that CSR Firms do not perform worse than non-CSR this already goes again Milton Friedmans theory that firms maximizing profits would do better than firms engaged in CSR. As he argues that any action that benefits the company cannot be socially responsible. However we have a different view from a professor of University of California in his article: CSR Doesnt Pay, he looks at we have previously discussed in the essay, the correlation between CSR and performance of the corporation. He writes that The  good  news  is  that  firms  with  superior  CSR  performance  have  notperformed  any  worse  than  their  less  virtuous  competitors.  But  the  disappointing  news  isthat  neither  have  they  done  any  better.  For  most  firms,  most  of  the  time,  CSR  is  largelyirrelevant  to  their  financial  performance. Vogel  gives  Starbucks  as  an  example.  Starbucks  provides  an  example  of  the  limitedimportance  of  CSR  to  financial  performance,  he  writes.  The  firm  enjoys  a  strong  CSRreputation  due  to  its  generous  labor  policies  and  its  commitment  to  i mprove  the  earningsand  environmental  practices  of  coffee  growers  in  developing  countries.  Yet,  since  thebeginning  of  2008,  its  shares  have  recently  declined  nearly  50  percent. (Todd, 2009) ,To  assume  that  the  business  environment  has  fundamentally  changed  and  that  we  areentering  a  new  world  in  which  CSR  has  become  critical  to  the  success  of  all  or  even  mostfirms  is  misinformed.  The  market  has  many  virtues,  but  reconciling  corporate  goals  andpublic  purposes  is  unfortunately  not  among  them. (Todd, 2009) What Vogel says in this example is that CSR is completely irrelevant with the performance of the company and has no effect on the stock performance. Finally Vogel states that there is no karma in business and that good things will not happen to those who do good Managers  should  try  to  act  more  responsibly.  But  they  should  not  expect  the  market  tonecessarily  reward  them-  or  punish  their  less  responsible  competitors. (Todd, 2009) Summarizing the part performance and CSR, first the study talked about the positive aspects of the CSR and how it could help the corporations improve. Second part presented a study that demonstrated that companies involved in CSR do not do worse than companies that maximize profits. Finally the third part shows Vogels interpretations of CSR in terms of financial performance and that showed us that there is no correspondence with between the two. (Todd, 2009) Conclusion Social changes in society are successful when they consciously and responsibly involved the most significant force. Interaction of political, social and economic subjects, based on the principles of social partnership, ensures stable and gradual development of the state. With the increasing importance of non-financial factors of sustainable development, such as social stability, environmental safety, updated theoretical and practical aspects of social responsibility. Relevance of research associated with the processes of globalization, reinforcing the role of large companies in the economic development. Nation-states are gradually yielding to pressure multinational corporations and economic independence, and social policy. Counter this trend is to be co-ordinated action, ensuring the achievement of indicators of social responsibility, which comply with international standards and principles of sustainable development. Market globalization, the transformation of the national in the world, identifies the need for an economic entity of innovation in engineering, technology, labor and management, based on the use and application of science and best practices. At the center of all these phenomena is the intellectual capital the quality of the labor force and motivation. The lack of comprehensive scientific developments in the field of modern management, social technologies complicates the interaction of domestic enterprises, government and society. In the implementation of socially responsible policy, the role of corporate governance, ensuring the achievement of social, economic and environmental goals of the enterprise. Science-based decision management problems can provide an enabling social and psychological conditions of the enterprise, to influence the development of relations with stakeholders in a timely manner to prevent social tensions, without violating the principles of economic efficiency. Social responsibility is also manifested in the implementation of commitments made at the level of functional units of the organization, especially top management. Develop procedures for social policy, social programs, the performance criteria must comply with the rules and principles of public law. One way of forming objective information about the social impact of the company is to evaluate the effectiveness of non-financial risks, including social. Actual development of common approaches to assessing the effectiveness of the implementation of socially responsible policies. Evaluation of the quality management affects the position of the company in the financial markets, maintaining a conflict-existence of society, sustainable development. (CSR)Vogel  says,To  assume  that  the  business  environment  has  fundamentally  changed  and  that  we  areentering  a  new  world  in  which  CSR  has  become  critical  to  the  success  of  all  or  even  mostfirms  is  misinformed.  

Symbolism In the Oyster And The Pearl :: essays research papers

In William Saroyan's play The Oyster and the Pearl there is a lot of symbolism. The theme of the play is to take it easy and relax and life will be much happier. Harry Van Dusen is a barber that has a philosophy of "Take it easy." He tries to spread his philosophy by talking to people when he is cutting their hair. It was almost as if the haircuts were just a way of getting people in the barbershop to talk. The hats that Harry wore symbolized the attitude that he was in. The sea symbolizes life. The name of the small town that the story takes place in is called O.K.-by-the-Sea. That name symbolizes that life isn't perfect but by taking it easy it can be more fun. Vivian McCutcheon is a new school teacher that does everything "by the book." She just tries to fit in. This is symbolized by her wanting a poodle haircut. She didn't really want one but she was trying to be like everyone else. Harry knew this and that is why he would not give her the haircut. Harry's ph ilosophy is superior to Vivian's philosophy of fitting in. This is shown by how much happier Harry and everyone else that lives by his philosophy is than Vivian.All the little things in the story have symbolism too. The bottle of sea water stands for the details of life that have to be looked for. Clay and Clark Larrabee symbolize the problems and difficulties that occur in life. Two of the most important symbols in the story are the oyster and the pearl. The oyster symbolizes obstacles that must be overcome to get to hope(the pearl). Beach combing represents looking for the obstacles to get to hope. The pearl is hope. When Clay found the oyster he thought there was a pearl inside.

Mercantilism Essay -- Economics

Mercantilism Mercantilism is the economic theory that a nation's prosperity depends on its supply of gold and silver; that the total volume of trade is unchangeable. This theory suggests that the government should play an active role in the economy by encouraging exports and discouraging imports, especially through the use of tariffs. Spain and England used the mercantile system to benefit the mother countries. The mercantile system had special regulations, which usually extracted some sort of reaction from the colonies. If necessary, the policies would be changed to better suit the mother country. The favorable balance of trade was upheld through certain regulations. No foreign trade was allowed for the colony unless it passed through the mother country first and it moved on mother country ships. Furthermore, no foreign settlers were allowed in the colony. No colonial industry was allowed. The colony had to remain dependent on the mother country for industrial necessities, it was not allowed to become competition for foreign markets, and migrations restrictions limited availability of skilled artisans. Regulatory taxation was another mercantile regulation. Protective â€Å"tariffs† were used on foreign imports to the colony, and revenue was raised for the mother country. No colonial self-government was allowed, either. The mother country avoided challenges to its economic authority, and the colonies couldn’t enact pro colonial/anti-mother country laws. The Spanish used three mercantilist devices to protect their commercial monopoly in the New World. They prohibited foreign ships from entering Spanish colonial ports, and no foreigner could send goods to the colonies or take gold bullion out of Spain in pay... ...land, vigorous attempts to prevent smuggling in the American colonies after 1765 led to arbitrary seizures of ships and aroused hostility. The legislation had an unfavorable effect on the Channel Islands, Scotland (before the Act of Union of 1707), and especially Ireland, by excluding them from a preferential position within the system. Shaken by the American Revolution, the system, along with mercantilism, fell into decline. The acts were finally repealed in 1849. Mercantilism was widely used in many different superpowers in the 18th century. Depending on what superpower used it, the colonies under the superpowers were restricted from doing certain things, and had to follow certain mercantile regulations. The mercantile systems most likely ended up with the colonies undergoing revolutions (America and England) which resulted in the end of mercantilism. Mercantilism Essay -- Economics Mercantilism Mercantilism is the economic theory that a nation's prosperity depends on its supply of gold and silver; that the total volume of trade is unchangeable. This theory suggests that the government should play an active role in the economy by encouraging exports and discouraging imports, especially through the use of tariffs. Spain and England used the mercantile system to benefit the mother countries. The mercantile system had special regulations, which usually extracted some sort of reaction from the colonies. If necessary, the policies would be changed to better suit the mother country. The favorable balance of trade was upheld through certain regulations. No foreign trade was allowed for the colony unless it passed through the mother country first and it moved on mother country ships. Furthermore, no foreign settlers were allowed in the colony. No colonial industry was allowed. The colony had to remain dependent on the mother country for industrial necessities, it was not allowed to become competition for foreign markets, and migrations restrictions limited availability of skilled artisans. Regulatory taxation was another mercantile regulation. Protective â€Å"tariffs† were used on foreign imports to the colony, and revenue was raised for the mother country. No colonial self-government was allowed, either. The mother country avoided challenges to its economic authority, and the colonies couldn’t enact pro colonial/anti-mother country laws. The Spanish used three mercantilist devices to protect their commercial monopoly in the New World. They prohibited foreign ships from entering Spanish colonial ports, and no foreigner could send goods to the colonies or take gold bullion out of Spain in pay... ...land, vigorous attempts to prevent smuggling in the American colonies after 1765 led to arbitrary seizures of ships and aroused hostility. The legislation had an unfavorable effect on the Channel Islands, Scotland (before the Act of Union of 1707), and especially Ireland, by excluding them from a preferential position within the system. Shaken by the American Revolution, the system, along with mercantilism, fell into decline. The acts were finally repealed in 1849. Mercantilism was widely used in many different superpowers in the 18th century. Depending on what superpower used it, the colonies under the superpowers were restricted from doing certain things, and had to follow certain mercantile regulations. The mercantile systems most likely ended up with the colonies undergoing revolutions (America and England) which resulted in the end of mercantilism.

Barriers to Critical Thinking Essay

Identify 3 barriers that influence your critical thinking and write at least 100 words for each, describing how you can overcome them. Barrier 1: The first barrier that influences my critical thinking is reliance on main stream television, newspapers, and other media for information. I feel this is a barrier many people have, especially in today’s society where it is very easy to upload something to the internet or how easy it is to edit information found on the internet. I am an avid user of google, however I have an issue with differentiating between what is actually true and not true in what I read. Some people believe everything they read on the internet is true, therefore being a barrier, and that is clearly not the case. In order to avoid this ignorance and to overcome this barrier we need to do our own research, check the reliability of our sources, and to use more sources than just one, i.e. internet, different websites, news stations, and newspapers, not solely rely on just one source. Barrier 2: The second barrier that influences my critical thinking is lack of relevant background information or ignorance. Without enough information it is hard to be a critical thinker, have thoughts on the matter, or base your opinion. With a lack of information you do not have the whole story, therefore having a gap in your critical thinking. An example of how lack of information could be a barrier is: you got into an argument with your sibling, your sibling told you parents their side, and without even hearing your side they had their decision made about what happened and the punishment. I feel that would prevent them from being able to critically think about it due to having a lack of background information, they only had one side of the story. To overcome this we can try to not rely only on the first thing you hear and to do our research and ask questions when needed to gather more information.