Moral Theories Of Human Rights - 1433 Words

What do you understand under the philosophy of human rights and the reality of moral theories ABSTRACT The idea of human rights came up as early as 539 BC when the armies of Cyrus the great who was the king of ancient Persia conquered the city of Babylon and he freed all the slaves and gave them the right to chose a religion of their choice. This reveals the history of human rights. However the history of human rights complements the philosophical aspect of the same. Both aspects champion the idea of human rights which emanate from the aspect that human rights are an entitlement to human beings by virtue of them being born human. Freedom, liberty, equality and independence are all important human rights represented in the philosophy of†¦show more content†¦Kant explains that the ultimate principle of morality must be moral law conceived so abstractly. On the other hand, Locke held that there is no innate human knowledge. He gives his ideas premised on the fact that there is duty, law, legislator and sanctions. He stipulates that no moral law could determine human violation and theory. It follows that moral obligations must be derived from legislation by intelligent beings with power to enforce their dictates by appropriate moral sanctions. On this basis, Locke distinguishes three basic types of moral law by referencing to the legislative source of each divine law, civil law and the law of repetition. He derived the aspect that divine law arises from the God’s right as the creator to dictate morality to all creatures of his own making. He held that denial of God’s existence, moral legislation or control would mean an irrational hope of escaping moral law. Rousseau indicated that humans lived originally in small groups and this allowed them to help each other. As time progressed, there where advantages of distributing labor, wealth began to grow and the desire for more grew. Then there was equality. With the growing inequality, property became more and more important and there was an artificial status hierarchy which established within a s ociety. Hobbes’ social contract institutes inequality as the fundamental conditions of modern society. He outlines that the social contract would never create stability but thereShow MoreRelatedMoral Theories Of Human Rights1614 Words   |  7 PagesMaster of Human Rights Peace and Development What do you understand under the philosophy of human rights and the reality of moral theories? PROF G. MENELICK : PHR 500 Laurelle Mbaradza 160563 Date _______________________________11 February 2017 ABSTRACT The paper gives a roadmap on the foundations of human rights from the mediaeval to modern times. 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There are only two basic kinds of prescriptive moral theories: teleological theories, deontological theories TELEOLOGICAL ETHICAL THEORIES Teleological moral theories locate moral goodness in the consequences of our behavior and not theRead MoreMoral Philosophy And Its Strength And Weaknesses1350 Words   |  6 PagesA system of moral principles is a definition of ethics in a culture or a group. Principles or rules of right conduct or the distinction between right and wrong are one definition of moral. In this essay, I will search for my principles and how I ought to live my life. What do I believe in and how do I apply this in my duty as a human being, as a father, husband and a military officer. In other words, I will search for my moral philosophy. Furthermore, I will explain my moral philosophy and itsRead MoreThe Divine Command Theory And The Natural Law Theory Essay1691 Words   |  7 PagesAs humans, we are able rationalize and determine what is morally correct. We are the only ones in society that have this ability since animals cannot differentiate between right and wrong. (Pisemenny, 2016) Two theories were developed that linked morality and religion are the Divine Command Theory and the Natural Law Theory. In this paper, I will discuss how the Divine Command Theory and the Natural Law Theory differ and how the Natural Law Theory is more effective. The Divine Command Theory isRead MoreUniversalist Theory Of Universalism1237 Words   |  5 PagesUniversalist theories (moral universalism) are meta-ethical positions that claim that there is a universal ethic that applies to all people regardless of their nationality, religion, sex, race, culture, sexuality, and other distinguishing features (Greenwood and Harris, 2011). Universal ethics refer to a moral system that applies to the entire humanity, transcending personal whims, and culture in the process. The justification for this rises from human nature, which is a shared vulnerability of sufferingRead MoreVirtue Ethics : Moral Philosophy For Determining The Moral Permissibility Of Abortion1283 Words   |  6 PagesRosalind Hursthouse argued that virtue ethics is the preferable moral philosophy for determining the moral permissibility of abortion because it avoids the drawbacks from the utilitarian approach, and the deontological approach. I will demonstrate that virtue ethics is preferable because (i) it does not require a comprehension of problematic abstract concepts, and because (ii) it is sensitive to circumstantial variation. This paper will argue that virtue ethics is the preferable ethical approachRead MoreThe Moral Theory Of Deontology828 Words   |  4 Pagesbelieve that the moral theory of Deontology, which is also called non-consequentialism, incorrectly answers the question â€Å"What is right?† The reason being that Deontology answers this question base on each individual experience and belief, which most likely will always be different from person to person. In my stance I will first explain the moral theory of Deontology, secondly I will point out how Deontology answers the question â€Å"What is right?†, and lastly analyze why the moral theory of DeontologyRead MoreDivine Command Theory And Natural Law Theory948 Words   |  4 PagesReligion has always been a central part of human history, tracing back to the earliest know n records in human existence. From the ancient Egyptians to the Mayans, from the Celts to the Greeks and Romans, from Hinduism to Judaism to Catholicism, religion has always been the center of human culture. Recent studies have suggested that religion was centered on advanced alien races whose technology was misunderstood. However, one thing is undeniable, these age old systems of belief and worship of a higher

Comparing the Suffering Between Rhoda in The Withered Arm...

Comparing the Suffering Between Rhoda in The Withered Arm and The Sons Veto in the tale The Withered Arm in the story The Sons Veto are both very lonely women. Both of these women and have been mistreated by men, but none of them ever speak out for themselves to tell the men that their behaviour is unacceptable. Women who were treated by men were just expected by their fathers (if the husband is rich) to just keep quiet and be happy that they are financially supported. Rhoda is a social reject. She has been isolated to a small, dilapidated cottage in the middle of a lonely field. Rhoda is of the poor working class. She has received no education and is illiterate. Her son wears worn out†¦show more content†¦Towards the end of the story, as Gertrude seeks a cure for her withered arm, her husband ends up cursing her, Damn you! What are you doing here?. This shows how the relationship turned quite quickly from happiness and affection to resenting and unhappiness. It also shows an example of lovers ending up in a sorry state as their relationship goes ba dly, as Gertrude dies after receiving the cure for her spookily withered arm. Hardy was also very interested in writing about fate and coincidence in his work for his readers. As this shows in the The Withered Arm. Rhoda feels such a strong dislike for Gertrude, her ex-husbands new wife, that she subconsciously grasps her by the arm in a dream. Also, another strong coincidence is that Gertrude is told to receive her cure for the arm by pressing it against the neck of a hanged person. The coincidence is that the hanged person turns out to be Rhodas own son, who had be hanged for stealing. The son of the woman who seems to have caused the illness, was the same person that offered her the cure, although Gertrude dies very soon after. The Sons Veto presents another moral issue. A lower class woman marries an upper class man. To avoid judgement they move away. When this man dies, she meets a past love, but because he is now of a lower class, her son forbids her to marry him and she dies an unhappy lady. The

Who Killed the Electric Car free essay sample

Analysis of who killed the electric car Background The problem In 1990s, California was threatened by smog problem, and black cloud appeared in the sky. Air pollution problem resulted in the development of lung cancer and associated diseases in people. The gasoline car was one of the main factors that released carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, which lead to global warming. Facing the risk of devastation of human’s living place and health, California proposed to develop cars that run on clean energy. To comply with the state environmental policy and economic trend, GM produced the first electric car, which was called EV1, and its first presence on the road was in 1996. The creation and prohibition The aim to replace gasoline car with electric car was to reduce the emission of air pollutants. Plug-in electric vehicles are next generation clean cars that use electric batteries charged from an external source. With smart strategies and a favorable policy framework, these vehicles present an exciting opportunity to reduce air pollution, save drivers more than $1,200 per year on gasoline and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Environmental Law Policy Center] Seeing the business trend of electric cars, the development of electric car has soared in a short period. Many other car companies imitated GM to produce the electric car, and even launch new design electric vehicles to ingratiate consumers’ taste. However, less than a decade, automakers were required to stop producing electric cars. This prohibition was not very understandable for many people, and it was also controversial to balance the technology development and the environment. The Suspects According to the documentary movie Who killed the Electric Car, consumers, federal government, California Air Resource Board, hydrogen fuel cell, and so forth are regarded as suspects of killing the electric car. Based on a large number of statistic, videos and facts, all suspects are found guilty. Each group considers the benefits based on their points of view, but neglect the influence on others. Social responsibilities should be taken to balance the pros and cons of electric cars’ presence. To elaborate more evidences about the â€Å"killing,† the analysis of the three main suspects will be listed in the following. Consumers: Affect EV’s Business Trend Positive attitude and expectation towards EV Many people believe that electric car is an amazing idea. They have a deep impression on electric car, which is fast, modern, cool, sexy, and quiet with less pollution than other normal gasoline cars. The vast majority desire to own an electric car, but unfortunately the supply is not enough to meet the demand. Consumers are eager to sign up on the waitlist and expect to eventually have one in the future. However, only 50 out of 4000 people who sign up on the list can get the EV1. For those EV drivers, they hold positive attitude toward the car. Their appraisals mainly focus on two aspects, which are convenience and effectiveness. The electric car is given the ease to charge at home and electricity stations. All drivers appreciate the easiness to plug in the car when they are at home. Another reason that consumers like the idea of electric car is that the air condition can be improved, while air quality is closely related to their health. With consumers’ expectation and the foreseeable development, the electric car is supposed to be more and more popular in the future. One of the specialists in the EV product line, Chelsea Sexton, even says that electric car is the dream car of American. Risk of uncertainty * Despite of the positive opinions of the EV drivers, they commonly have issues on the car’s price, functions, and range. The electric car is well designed in saving energy, but it only has a limited range around 100 miles. Electric car is a â€Å"chicken and egg† issue. Consumers resist purchasing an electric car if there are not enough charging stations and repair service centers. The Guardian] Electric car was a new fashion product in the 1990s, while the charging stations haven’t been well established within the state. Electric cars need to recharge after driving 70 to 80 miles. The problem emerges to those drivers who need to drive more than that range. Although drivers can easily charge their cars in their garage, but the risk of uncertainty is that they are not guarantee to have charging stations in somewhere far away from their home or the local area. Troubles could happen if they go for a long distance trip. The high prices tag of electric car is unreasonable for consumers. A cost of $30,000 to $40,000 made the electric car extremely expensive in 1990s. Many consumers cannot afford it, and they expect to pay less because the electric car works less. Besides the EV drivers, the massive consumers propose tremendous potential problems toward the electric car. They doubt whether the trunk is big enough, safe enough, how to fix it, and so forth; while the automakers didn’t promise to guarantee the practical solutions for consumers. Analysis – Consumer is one of the most affective suspects Consumers, as one of the most important groups that affect the economic, have a massive impact on the business trend of a product. Consumer behavior mainly determines the demand and fate of the EV. Instead of considering EV’s most important function of saving the environment and energy, consumers tend to focus on their personal and financial issues, such as price and size. They could not see the difference between the electric car and the car they usually drive because they don’t read the environmental impact information. Dan Neil, who works for Los Angeles Times, claims that American consumers did not accept the idea of electric car. Although EV has a limit range, it is still functional, useful, and practical, and therefore consumers should not only compare the price and regular functions between electric cars and regular gasoline cars. They lack an in-depth understanding to see the benefits of owning an electric car, which lead the EV1 to be taken off the market, and destroyed in the landfill. Government: The Creator and Killer of EV1 The power of policies increases EVs’ sales volume Government has the biggest effect on EV as federal policies always have tremendous power to shake the future. 40 years ago, the cars on the road were less efficient with a low fuel economy standard. In 1970s, federal government mandated average fuel economy in a car, which is no less than 15 mpg. It increased to 27 mpg within a decade, while it remained no changes in two decades after 1985. Government invests a large amount of funds to develop the electric cars, pursuing returns with meeting the fuel economy standard. Early in 1990s before EVs’ presence, California Air Resource Board (CARB) declared Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate (ZEV Mandate), which was designed to rapidly expand the number of electric vehicles available to consumers. [Ford Motor Company] According to ZEV Mandate, if automakers want to continuous to sell cars in CA, some of the vehicles have to be no exhaust. In addition, Government Incentives for Plug-in Electric cars have been established for consumers to take advantages of tax credit with purchasing electric cars. These policies serve as a powerful tool to force car companies to produce electric cars. Restriction for automakers Sometimes, federal policies are complicated. The ZEV Mandate is established for producing more EVs and fuel-cell vehicles, but not everywhere. Although government creates ZEV Mandate to encourage automakers to produce more electric cars, California Agreement for Electric Cars requires automakers to build the market of EV based on customer demand. The Master Memorandum of Agreement points out that it helps to ensure continued progress toward a successful launch sustainable market or zero-emission vehicles in CA by using market-base strategies for introduction of zero-emission vehicles. The opposition * Automakers are given incentives to produce more electric cars, but limited the sales volume at the same time. Both the car companies and oil industries argue that the ZEV Mandate is too strict. Dave Barthmuss, spokesman in GM, demonstrates that the company spent $1 billion to build the market, make advertisements, develop the vehicles, and build the charging stations. To combine Barthmuss’s words with ZEV Mandate, apparently automakers could not get an ideal return from the substantial investment. GM even called back the EV1s, and destroyed them. The mandate was eventually dropped to release the burden of car companies. * Some consumers, who prefer fossil fuel cars, also voice their opposition to the government interference. They argue that California is either a champion of clean air and improved fuel efficiency or a ravening beast determined to destroy the auto industry and their freedom to choose the cars and trucks they want. [Edmunds Tips Advice] What’s more, the environmental benefits of EVs are dubious if the EVs are charged with electricity from coal plants. There is no such thing as â€Å"clean coal. Not one single coal-burning power plant in the world is â€Å"clean. † Every coal plant gives off a multitude of toxins, and these toxins pollute soil, water and air, and contribute to disease and death. [Fox News] Consumers believe that government should be environmental protection agency, not corporation benefit protection agency. Analysis Government is guilty * Government created ZEV Mandate that was motivated by interests for the environmental benefits. However, the mandate could not be completed due to many limitations in terms of imbalance between energy conservation and electricity potential pollution. Although EVs are an important technological breakthrough with substantial potential environmental benefits, these cannot be harnessed everywhere and in every condition. [Phys Org] EVs probably reduce carbon dioxide, but other types of hazardous substances could be produced into the environment. * It is no doubt that the mandate is too strict for automakers because the appropriate amount of EVs that they should produce is ambiguous. Although car companies sell EVs through market driven, they cannot produce as much amount as the actual demand. If there’s no obvious demand, automakers could not make one. To resolve the conflict among policies, automakers’ benefit, and consumers’ concern on air pollution, the mandate was dropped; while automakers were required to stop making electric cars at the same time. From the beginning of EVs’ creation to the end of the prohibition, a large amount of expenditure and time was consumed to build the cars and charging statio ns. The disappearance of EV1 leaded all related facilities to be useless. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Hydrogen fuel cell cars are introduced and supported To retain the idea of electric cars, and consider environmental sustainability, hydrogen fuel cell cars are introduced. They are seen as a better option for controlling pollution than the electric vehicles. The hydrogen that is used to power a fuel cell can be produced by splitting the hydrocarbons in fossil fuels or through electrolysis, which uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. [SonyClassics] President Bush also supported the idea of hydrogen fuel cell cars, and promised that fuel-cell cars will be free of pollution. [MotherJones] The obstacles of fuel-cell cars Fuel-cell cars are definitely great ideal products for the development of sustainability. However, the program is still impractical. The major obstacles are shown in the following: * The price tags of different hydrogen fuel cell cars are unreasonable for the vast majority. Consumers cannot afford as the fuel-cell cars are sold within the price range of $50,000 to $150,000. Cars are just seen as walking tools for most of consumers, and therefore few people are willing to pay a high price for a owning a fuel-cell car. * There are no enough humankind materials to store hydrogen fuel to keep the range that people want; nonetheless hydrogen can be easily and cleanly extracted from water with existing technology. Besides the high price tags, hydrogen fuel is also expensive. A hydrogen fuel cell car even uses 3 to 4 times more energy than an electric car. * In order to expand the market and well establish hydrogen fuel cell cars program, at least 10 to 20 thousand hydrogen fueling stations are needed to build by someone. Analysis – Hydrogen fuel cell cars take the place of electric cars The presence of fuel-cell cars lead sheer electric cars to fell into disuse. On one hand, â€Å"the better option† is regarded as a substitute, switching consumers’ choice and swapping out the existing battery companies. On the other hand, after consumers are educated with changing the value to choose a better alternative, EVs become meaningless to consumers. No one would produce it or buy it. Fuel-cell cars nevertheless attract the society with the advantage of zero emission; High price tags, limit hydrogen storage space, and a small amount of hydrogen fuel stations are puzzles for consumers. These obstacles still obstruct the market growth of fuel-cell cars. Consumers lose confidence on electric cars, and give up thinking of saving the environment with paying a high price to own a fuel-cell car. Recommendation To improve the environment, and well establish the high technology car industry, there are many things that we can do. Not only the government has social responsibility to resolve the conflict and dilemma, consumers and automakers should also take active part in contributing to the growth of high efficiency vehicles and environmental conditions. For government Since government policies are extraordinarily affective, more incentives should be given to increase the sales volume of hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell cars. Government can also set a price ceiling for hybrid and hydrogen vehicles. Given the ease to take advantages of tax rebate, and other financial supports, consumers and car companies will be more willing to consider the high-efficiency vehicles. For consumers To consider the future for human’s next generation, consumers also play a dynamic role in saving the Earth. Nothing will be more important than a comfortable living habitat. Consumers can use less fossil fuel in terms of reducing emission. Switching to hybrid vehicles from gasoline cars can make a big change to the environment. Consumers should also increase the awareness that the living environment is more important than the investment they make in a high-efficiency car. Educating children with raising their consciousness to recycle and protect the environment is even effective for the future development of our planet. For automakers Automakers can look for lower cost but qualitative materials to replace unnecessary luxury parts in the vehicles, thereby decrease the price of fuel-cell cars. Technology innovation should be ongoing introduced to upgrade the manufacture process, result in maintaining profitability. Conclusion Based on the facts, issues, and analysis, the three main suspects are found that they are all guilty in the â€Å"death† of the electric car. Consumers, federal government, and hydrogen fuel cells all have massive indirect effects on EV’s business trend and fate, which eventually lead it to fade away. In fact, everyone is responsible for building our planet. The â€Å"death† of electric cars is not a revolution, but an evolution of human’s development.

Literature Review of MNCs Culture

Discussion Multinational corporations operate in environments where they deal with different cultures. Multinationals serve customers from various cultures and their workforce is also culturally diverse. The management has to deal with the diverse culture of the organizations to succeed in the global scene. The challenges that managers encounter when managing diversity will be assessed in chapter two of this article.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Literature Review of MNCs Culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Literature review Multinationals are firms that are spread out in other countries other than the mother country. A multinational organization has its headquarters in one country, which is known as the home country, and then other branches in different countries known as the host countries. Multinationals are classified into four categories. The first category is the decentralized corporations. These ar e multinationals that give the branches at the host countries the power to make decisions and conduct their own operations independently. The multinational branches in the host countries should have a strong local presence for them to be given the mandate to make their own decisions. The second category is the global centralized corporations. These are corporations whose control is given to one group, usually the headquarters in the home country. All operations of the organizational groups are centralized. All the costs and decisions are made at the central group. The group can be located in an area where there are cheap resources to minimize costs. The third category is the international company that builds on the parent corporation’s technology. The parent corporation in this case is usually the source of technology. The other group organizations source technology from the parent and build on it. Finally, there is the transnational enterprise that combines the previous thre e approaches. Such organizations have some duties that are centralized, while others build on the parent corporation’s technology. There have been changes in the workplace of multinationals over the last couple of years. According to Early and Gibson (2002:15), the most noteworthy changes are two. The first is the scope and concentration with which the market has been internationalized, while the second is that there has been reformation of companies.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the setting up of firms internationally, â€Å"open borders, bringing together of business regulations, pan-European strategic management, and the single currency have speeded up European economic amalgamation† (Mercado et al. 2001: 476). These have facilitated the mobility of people across Europe and in the world. Multinationals ought to be as flexible and dynamic as possible in their operations. Teamwork is also paramount. Flexibility is felt to be particularly important in this globalised business world since parts of a company may be â€Å"formed, disbanded and reformed to respond rapidly to changing business needs comprising members from different countries, different company locations and different teams† (Earley and Gibson 2002: 19). Technology enhances communication among the various organizational teams spread out in different countries. Communication, among other concerns, is pertinent when dealing with teams that comprise members from different cultures. A collapse in cross-cultural knowledge transmission is seen as a danger, risk and hazard to a corporation’s competitiveness, feasibility and existence. Divides as a result of culture or any other cause hampers team efforts since conflicts are bound to occur when dealing with a culturally-diverse group. Culture and Diversity Cultural diversity in multinationals is where employees wor king in the company are from different cultural backgrounds. The multinational corporations recruit employees depending in their skills, expertise and knowledge. They do not consider the race, ethnicity or the nationality of the individual as long as they have the right qualifications. There have been disputes regarding cultural diversity in that it is likely to have some negative impacts on the organization (Early Gibson, 2001). The major challenge to cultural diversity is failure in the communication system in the organization. People from different cultures have difficulties communicating with one another. This is likely to affect the performance of the organization since it is difficult to have a productive performance when people cannot communicate effectively.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Literature Review of MNCs Culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, diversity is generally beneficial to o rganizations since it has the ability to bring together top talents and in the process enhance innovation. It is important to note that innovation is important for any business organization, especially in the global market. Innovation has the ability to give the organization a competitive advantage (Yanow 2003; Holden 2002; Mercado, et al., 2001; Winston, et al., 2001 Carnevale, 1999). It is, therefore, important for managers to find a way of managing diversity effectively. Managers should eliminate the communication barriers that may result from diversity, which may in turn lead to poor performance of the organization. Instead of the barriers, managers need to maximize the benefits of diversity for a competitive organization. Multiculturalism The world is trending towards a global village since people from different cultural backgrounds can interact effectively on different platforms. All cultures need to be treated equally without any form of discrimination. The practice of treati ng the different cultures equally and giving each culture equal importance is what is referred to as multiculturalism. Multiculturalism can be divided into various types as follows: Domestic multiculturalism This is the type of multiculturalism where a multinational organization has a diverse workforce working in the home country. The home country has people from different nationalities or from different ethnicities working together. The managers can pick employees from each of the countries in which the organization has operations or from any other part of the world as long as they are competent and have the required skills and qualifications to move the organization forward. Group multiculturalism This is where there are different groups of people working in the same organization. The group composition is diverse in terms of culture of the various members. Among the groups that might be found in organizations include homogenous groups, token groups, bicultural groups, and multicul tural groups. Potential Problems Associated with Diversity Despite the benefits that diversity is likely to bring to the organization, there are some problems associated with it. First, there may be attitude problems among the employees. Employees may not understand each other or each other’s cultures.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There are some people who perceive other cultures negatively. Such people have a negative attitude towards people of the said culture. As a result, such people cannot work effectively in a team, making the unit unproductive. Secondly, there are perceptual problems among employees. There are stereotypes that exist among members of diverse groups. These stereotypes can be erroneous and affect the performance of the organization. Thirdly, inaccurate biases could also result from cultural diversity. Employees from different cultural backgrounds may have the tendency to prefer some activities over others, and usually their basis is unfair. Such employees make wrong judgments in the duties they carry out or against their colleagues. Finally, there is a communication problem within the organization as a result of cultural diversity. People from different cultural backgrounds may not understand each other’s languages. In addition, they may use sign or symbols that have different mean ings leading to communication failure. Poor communication has an effect on the performance of the organization. Identifying the Key Challenges Faced by MNCs How to Address these Challenges Multinational organizations face numerous problems in executing their business activities. The challenges have the ability to affect smooth running of the business. In addition, the performance and competitiveness of the organizations may be negatively impacted. It is important to note that the international business environment is highly competitive; therefore, any issue that is likely to affect the organization’s competitiveness should be dealt with effectively and with urgency. It is the obligation of the managers to come up with ways and methods to overcome these challenges. This section evaluates the problems faced by multinationals and the ways through which those problems can be addressed. Multinational companies have benefits, which can contribute to the governments, the economy, p eople, and for the corporation itself. According to Cole (1996) â€Å"the size of multinational organizations is enormous; many of them have total sales well in excess of the GND of many of the world’s nations†. In addition, World Bank statistics comparing the income of multinational companies and national GNPs indicates that large oil firms such as Exxon and Shell are large in economic terms than nations such as South Africa, Australia and Argentina that are substantially greater than nations such as Greece, Bulgaria and Egypt. MNCs vs. Locals Firms Multinationals organizations are very important in the world’s economy. They play a vital role in the international trade. In addition, they facilitate the development of nations, both developed and the developing nations. For instance, multinationals provide employment opportunities to the developing nations. People get disposal income to spend on from multinationals setting base in their countries, consequently fa cilitating the economic growth of these nations. In addition, multinational organizations facilitate provision of high quality goods, as well as services. On the other hand, despite the fact that local organizations in the developing countries have an impact on the economies of those countries, they may not be as effective as the MNCs. Multinationals have the ability to rise above the challenges faced by local firms. They offer services of better quality than those of local organizations. Among the challenges faced by local firms and which the multinationals can rise above include deficiency in managerial experience, insufficient education, lack of credit, poor infrastructure, national policies and regulatory environment, as well as insufficient market information. Local firms are also affected by changes in technology since they do not have the ability to cope. They, therefore, lose their competitive advantage to multinationals. Sustaining the culture in MNCs Multinational organiza tions have their own cultures, goals and objectives that they should fulfill. The organizations, therefore, need to be governed so that they can direct their operations towards achievement of those cultural values and objectives. Codes of conduct are used to govern the organizations’ business to ensure that they comply with the laws and regulations in the destination countries. It is not easy to sustain the MNCs’ culture, especially when the environment is changing too rapidly. The following are some of the ways in which the culture can be maintained. Define and distinguish the organizational culture clearly Develop an implementation plan Senior management should support implementation in their activities Employees (both new and existing) should be made aware of the culture Continuous evaluation Transparency on changes that are happening within the organization Advantages of Sustaining a Culture Sustaining a culture has the ability to improve the company’s bra nd image, thus giving it a competitive advantage. The organization can be able to improve on employee satisfaction and boost their morale and productivity, which is reflected in the overall performance of the company. Innovation can be enhanced, as well as stakeholders’ relations. Finally, the organization can effectively manage risk and can become a business model. Shortcomings of ‘sustaining a culture’ It takes a lot of time The organization can miss its goal of maximizing revenue Cultural conflicts may lead to employee turnover Challenges and strategies to resolve Shortage of manpower It is not easy to find talented people who have the ability to effectively manage cultural diversity. Managers who have that technical ability are usually few and are difficult to maintain since they are usually on high demand. For an organization to acquire the manpower and retain them, it should come up with a strategy where employees can learn to acquire technical skills. In addition, the organization should appoint leaders who are highly competent and offer competitive salaries to discourage them from moving on to competitor organizations. Unfriendly business environment The business environment is not very friendly. At the same time, there are laws that are challenging to organizations. Competition is very high, making it difficult for organizations to succeed. However, firms can come up with business strategies that can give them a competitive advantage. For instance, they can adopt the Porter’s generic strategies. Conflict of interest among the government, MNCs and the public Organizations’ major interest is to maximize profits. The government might require the organizations to follow certain policies, which may be perceived to reduce their profitability. On the other hand, customers (public) want the best services in spite of the costs incurred by the organization. The organization may make decisions that are against the will of both the government and the public, resulting in conflict of interest. To avoid these conflicts, the MNCs should come up with strategies that would enable them adopt global integration. Huge costs of labor in the host country Huge labor cost is a problem to MNCs since they incur high operating expenses that reduce their profitability. MNCs are said to take advantage of the poor labor standards and weak environmental regulations to maximize their income. They avoid employing expatriates from their home countries to avoid high expenses. Real Life Examples An event for honoring the top MNCs was conducted in New York Stock Exchange on October 2011. From the research conducted, it emerged that Microsoft was at the pole position, followed closely by Google at number 4. The two companies are said to have a unique culture that embraces diversity in their workplaces. For instance, employees are highly motivated at Microsoft; they are given workplace benefits and the freedom to manage their sched ules. This enables them to adopt a good work-life balance. Microsoft has adopted the same strategy in all its branches worldwide. Google is also known to have an effective strategy that offers a good work environment for employees. Employees are given the freedom to work individually and come up with their own projects. This motivates employees. The company also gives employees an environment that enhances work-life balance. This essay on Literature Review of MNCs Culture was written and submitted by user Maleah Cox to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Adam Smith Laissez-Faire Theory Essays

The Adam Smith Laissez-Faire Theory Essays The Adam Smith Laissez-Faire Theory Paper The Adam Smith Laissez-Faire Theory Paper In the modern world, countries like Canada and the United States tend to move from the left wing to the right wing. Is this a good thing? Adam Smiths laissez-faire theory, The Invisible Hand, explains the fact that the selfish of all individuals of a society ultimately combine to benefit all of society. People in private enterprise countries have stronger sufficiency and individual initiative, and societies have higher productivity. Alberta government is introducing Bill 11, which is based on Canada Health Act. This bill is supposed to privatize the heath care system. It would allow for-profit clinics to do minor surgeries and keep patients for extended overnight stays. It will increase our economy because the government can now use the money that is saved from it to pay their debts and for international investments. Albertas health care funds have been numerous. They were abused on healing people who caused drunk and drive accidents, people who smoke too much, and people who do drugs. These people do not deserve any free health care. They should be responsible for themselves and pay for their own health care fees. Many people say that private for-profit health care is less efficient and more expensive than public health care. Private health care would cause people who cannot function in such a competitive environment to suffer. But think about the benefit we will have for the majority people. Isnt majority rules the main theory in democratic countries? Expanding private health care is the only way to cut costs and reduce waiting lists in a public system that has been stretched to the limits by federal funding cuts. A private enterprise economy creates a competitive environment. People work harder and are more initiative and productive. Lets take computer as an example. In the old day, high-tech computers were only used in military. Computers controlled all kinds of nuclear weapons, missiles, and space stations. But ever since the free market economy was introduced, computer production grew rapidly. Company like IBM, Intel and Apple were the very first that came up with commercial and home computers. They produced millions of chips every year and the technology they are using is getting better and better. The quality and speed of a computer grow at least 2 times a year. Now different companies also produce different parts of computers. A computer is no longer made by a single company. This creates great competition and great productivity. Any ordinary home computers you can see now are all a hundred times better than the computers that were used on the space satellites before. China, the country with largest population in the world, now happens to be a backward country. Ever since communism was introduced in China, it has been fallen behind in the world’s economy. China believes public enterprise will eventually be the best economic system. But in fact, Chinese people, who are known as hard working, has become lazy and lost their productive sense. The Chinese government controls everything, even the human rights. Comparing China to its near-by democratic and free market country (also known as their cross-sea province) Taiwan, which started economic reform just at the same time China did. Taiwan is now producing US$ 12,333 per capita GNP while China is only producing US$ 738 per capita GNP. Just think about that Taiwan is a very small Island that only has 22 million people in it and it is producing higher GNP than that of the huge China. Comparison of China and Taiwan is unique because they are both Chinese but have opposite political and economic system. As statistics shown, Taiwan has become a much more successful country than China in economic growth. Private enterprise economic system allows small business. Microsoft, the biggest computer Software Company in the world was also built from the ground up. Bill Gate, the guy who created Microsoft, started the business when he was still a university student. He believed he would make an effort and changes in the computer world. So he dropped out of school and formed a small company. As we all can see that this small company now makes the most revenue than any other big corporations in the world. This means that people like you and me all have a chance to make a difference in our lives. The American government is now against that Microsoft has been illegally wielded monopoly power. But in fact, the company is also facing rival operating systems such as Linux and BeOS. The company admitted that at present the rivals were not viable alternatives to Microsoft, but the software market could be very different in one or two years. If the private enterprise economy were not introduced, we would not be able to have the technology we have now because when the government controls everything, no one would be productive and initiative. If there were not a company like Microsoft, we would not be able to have amazing multimedia computers now. Microsofts productivity proves that the free market system is the best for a countrys economy. Thus when choosing to restructure a countrys economy, it is the best for a government to use private enterprise. It helps a government to reduce social costs and it encourages its citizen to be more initiative. The problems that face many economies today such as rising of national debts can best be met by restructuring economies using private enterprise.

A Timeline of the Agricultural Revolution

A Timeline of the Agricultural Revolution Between the eighth century and the eighteenth, the tools of farming basically stayed the same and few advancements in technology were made. This meant that the farmers of George Washingtons day had no better tools than the farmers of Julius Caesars day.  In fact, early Roman plows were superior to those in general use in America eighteen centuries later. All that changed in the 18th century with the agricultural revolution, a period of agricultural development that  saw a massive and rapid increase in agricultural productivity and vast improvements in farm technology. Listed below are many of the inventions that were created or greatly improved during the agricultural revolution. Plow and Moldboard By definition, a plow (also spelled plough) is a farm tool with one or more heavy blades that breaks the soil and cut a furrow or small ditch for sowing seeds. A moldboard is a wedge formed by the curved part of a steel plow blade that turns the furrow. Seed Drills Before drills were invented, seeding was done by hand. The basic idea of drills for seeding small grains was successfully developed in Great Britain, and many British drills were sold in the United States before one was manufactured in the States. American manufacture of these drills began about 1840. Seed planters for corn came somewhat later, as machines to plant wheat successfully were unsuited for corn planting. In 1701, Jethro Tull invented his seed drill and is perhaps the best-known inventor of a mechanical planter. Machines That Harvest By definition, a sickle is a curved, hand-held agricultural tool used for harvesting grain crops. Horse-drawn mechanical reapers later replaced sickles for harvesting grains. Reapers  were then replaced by the reaper-binder (cuts the grain and binds it in sheaves) and in turn, was replaced by the swather before being replaced by the combine harvester. A combine harvester is a machine that heads, threshes and cleans grain while moving across the field. The Rise of the Textile Industry The  cotton gin  had turned the whole South toward the cultivation of cotton. While the South was not manufacturing any considerable proportion of the cotton it grew, the textile industry was flourishing in the North. A whole series of machines similar to those used in Great Britain had been invented in America and mills paid higher wages than in Britain. Production was also far ahead of the British mills  in proportion to hands employed, which meant the U.S. was ahead of the rest of the world. Wages in America Take-home pay, measured by the world standard, was high. Additionally, there was a good supply of free land or land that was practically free. Wages were high enough that many could save enough to buy their own land. Workers in textile mills often worked only a few years to save money, buy a farm or to enter some business or profession. Advances in Transportation Lines The  steamboat and the  railroad  enabled transportation to the West. While steamboats traveled all the larger rivers and the lakes, the railroad was growing rapidly. Its lines had extended to more than 30 thousand miles. Construction also went on during the war, and the transcontinental railway was in sight. The locomotive had approached standardization and the American railway was now comfortable for passengers with the invention of  Pullman sleeping cars, the dining cars, and the automatic air brake developed by  George Westinghouse.

Prospetive study of major dietry patterns and risk of coronary heart Essay

Prospetive study of major dietry patterns and risk of coronary heart disease in men (Epidemology case study) - Essay Example Two major dietary patterns were observed: prudent, which is heavy on vegetables, fruits, fish and poultry; and western, loaded with red and processed meats, refined grain, desserts, French fries, and dairy. Increased prudent patterns were found to decrease incidence of CHD while increased western pattern also increased the CHD incidence. Previous researches correlated CHD to single nutrients in the diet. This study considered overall dietary patterns in subjects for 8 years and how these relate to the occurrence of CHD within the study period. Diet plays an important role in disease as observed in disease occurrence in countries that have a distinct dietary pattern. The study is appropriate because it considers the interaction of the different components in the diet taking into consideration food preferences and habitual food use. The study is also very appropriate and timely because of the high incidence of CHD in many countries and therefore nutritional intervention by recommending changes in dietary patterns may be more acceptable to the public. In this study, exposure refers to the dietary patterns; outcome is the incidence of CHD and confounders are other risk factors like smoking, alcohol consumption, total caloric intake, age, level of physical activity, genetics. Notably, the researchers did their best to remove the effects of confounders through factor analysis. The dietary assessment came from food consumption data provided in the FFQ. The FFQ had itemized 131 items further grouped into 40 distinct categories. Factor analysis was done to derive dietary patterns. Factor analysis removes effects due to lifestyle and other risk factors therefore removing confounding effects. FFQ and factor analysis were appropriate for this type and size of experiment. FFQ was shown in previous studies to effectively determine dietary preferences while factor analysis is appropriate in determining the statistical significance by minimizing systematic errors

Biomechanics of a Sporting Movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Biomechanics of a Sporting Movement - Essay Example Biomechanics explains and describes and even predicts the mechanical side of human sports, exercises and play body movements. Biomechanics usually studies the mechanics of living things, including the forces that exerted by muscles and gravity on the animal's skeletal framework. Some examples of Biomechanics researches include the study of forces that is exerted on a bird's wings, the aerodynamics of a flying bird or insect, the beauty of a fish swimming in the water and the locomotion in animals and plants. Biomechanics of human beings falls under the study of Kinesiology. People sometimes wonder why the shark swims faster than its prey. In sports, there is a need for coaches and trainers that aid the athletes excel in their sports thru the study of biomechanics. This essay shows technically what biomechanics and how it helps the athlete win tournaments. BIOMECHANICS (Mccomb, 2004) is concerned with the application of physic's law of mechanics to living organisms just as they affect non-living things. The structural stresses of the branch of a tree and the reasons why sharks and dolphins swim faster than other fishes is an example of biomechanics study. The scientific mechanics law explains the effect that certain movements that a high jumper has on the amount and beauty of water displaced during water entry in a swimming pool contest. ... The scientific mechanics law explains the effect that certain movements that a high jumper has on the amount and beauty of water displaced during water entry in a swimming pool contest. In physics, we are taught, using the mechanics law, reasons why a piece of wood slides in such a particular way. Biomechanics (Massimino , 1997) seeks to explain the mechanical cause and effect relationship of plants, animals and human beings. Biomechanics explains and describes and even predicts the mechanical side of human sports, exercises and play body movements. Biomechanics (Greeves, 2002) usually studies the mechanics of living things, including the forces that exerted by muscles and gravity on the animal's skeletal framework. Some examples of Biomechanics (Lee, 1993) researches include the study of forces that is exerted on a bird's wings, the aerodynamics of a flying bird or insect, the beauty of a fish swimming in the water and the locomotion in animals and plants. Biomechanics of human bein gs falls under the study of Kinesiology. BIOMECHANICS OF THE SOCCER KICK. Soccer is a very popular sport around the world. The soccer game revolves around the KICK. The soccer Kick is also used in other popular sports like Rugby league and union, Australian rule Football, grid iron football, Gaelic Football, American Football and also beach volleyball. There are names given to the different soccer kicks are PLACE KICK, SOCCER -STYLE KICK, and the ROUND THE CORNER KICK. Physiology and development. Although the soccer kick lasts for only a few seconds, the intensity force and angle of the anaerobic metabolic pathway produces the kick thereby causing the ball to travel fast, slow, high, low, left or right which causes uproars and clap from the fans.Adenosine

Outer Banks, North Carolina Essay Example for Free

Outer Banks, North Carolina Essay Outer Banks is located in North Carolina. It is a narrow chain of barrier stretching 175 miles long. The area is frequented by high winds and storms. It is basically made up of sand dunes. Sand dunes are formed due to the prevailing winds. The winds come from opposite direction, northeast and southwest. Because of the natural occurrence, sand dunes were formed. The tallest active sand dune in Outer Banks is Jockeys Ridge. Some interesting features about the Outer Banks is that it housed the talled lighthouse. It also has the tallest san dune, Jockeys Ridge. Duck Beach is named one of the top beaches in America. Animals especially birds and horses are actively seen the area. Outer Banks 3 Outer Banks, North Carolina Outer Banks in North Carolina is a narrow chain of barrier islands. It is one mile wide or 1. 6 km. It stretches more than 175 miles along the coast. Main islands are Bodie, Roanoke, Hatteras, Ocracoke, Portsmounth and Core Banks. The area is prone to severe storms and high winds (Outer Banks, 2007). Outer Banks natural processes evolved from a predetermined conditions. Outer Banks can be well describe by its sand dunes. Migration of sand dunes is an important process on the Outer Banks. It is basically formed by two prevailing winds, northeast and southwest. Due to the different directions of the wind, volume of sand build up. With its sand dunes, Nags Head Woods were developed. It was inherited from what used to be sand dune and swale or a depression found between dunes and beach ridges more than 100,000 years ago. In some areas, the swales were internally drained and now contain freshwater ponds (Frankenberg Tormey, 2000). The Jockey Ridge is the most tallest active sand dune in Outer Banks. The sand is mostly quartz rock which comes from the mountains million of years ago (Ecology, 2006). Some very interesting features can be provided by the Outer Banks (Interesting Facts about the Outer Banks, 2006) ? Wild Ponies, descendants of Spanish Mustangs, still travel the coast. As per record, they run wild North Carolina since 1523 until present time. Tallest lighthouse in America, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is located in Outer Banks. It Outer Banks 4 is 198 feet tall. It has 257 steps. Beacon light can be seen as far as 20 miles out the to sea. ? Duck Beach is one of the Top Beaches in America. This was named because of the number of waterfowls that flocked during migration. ? Jockeys Ridge is the largest active sand dune in East Coast. Outer Banks 4 References Frankenberg, Dirk Tormey, Blair. (2000). The Northern Outer Banks. Carolina Environmental Diversity Explorations pp. 3. Retrieved January 22, 2008 from http://www. learnnc. org/lp/editions/cede_nobx/3 Infoplease. (2005). Outer Banks. Retrieved January 22, 2008, from http://www. infoplease. com/ce6/us/A0921656. html Jockeys Ridge Sate Park. (2006). Ecology. Retrieved January 22, 2008 from http://www. jockeysridgestatepark. com/ecology. html Outer Banks Vacation Guide. (2006). Interesting Facts About the Outer Banks. Retrieved January 22, 2008 from http://www. visitob. com/outer_banks/trip/facts. htm

Modernism in The Metamorphoses :: Ovid Metamorphoses Essays

Modernism in The Metamorphoses The modernist movement in literature began around the turn of the century and createda dramatic change in the way that author's viewed their work. The new breed of writers were extremely affected by the new perception of the world and our place as human beings in it. WWII was on the verge of beginning, and the literary world was expressing their fears and attitudes toward their impending doom through their writings. Modernism has a few key themes that Franz Kafka follows throughout his piece, "The Metamorphosis." One of the most common themes among popular modernist literature are the rejection of literary tradition through experimentation with a darker style of writing. Surrealism was common among pieces which often involved the decaying of the human existence that was occurring in the (at the time) current, more face-paced, disconnected society. In "The Metamorphoses," Kafka has his main character, Gregor Samsa waking up one morning only to discover that he is a giant insect. Despite his bizarre state, Gregor still feels as though he is well enough to go to work. Unfortunately, his new burden of being an insect leaves him having quite a difficult time getting himself out of bed and out the door of his bedroom. Gregor is always distressed to find that no one can understand or even hear what he is saying to them from his room because they did not understand his "bug language" This is Kafka's way of showing his inner feelings of uncomfortableness within his own body not only due to the impending war but also because his livelihood (writing) began to take on an overall theme of sadness and hopelessness as a result of the changing desires of society within the literature that they preferred to read. Not many people during the Modernist period wanted to read stories of happiness and success when they could not achieve these things in their lives. Misery loves company, and the public majority who read Kafka's works wanted just that from his literature. Kafka's portrayal of Gregor as a disgruntled salesmen who was unhappy with his position in work and in life even before he somehow metamorphosed into an insect.

How is childhood presented in Games at Twilight Essay

There are many similarities between the ways that childhood is presented in these two short stories. When acting as a group, the children are frequently portrayed as cruel and aggressive. In ‘The Red Ball’ the young boy is given a variety of cruel names by other children due to his thin frame, for example ‘Thinny Boney’ and ‘Match-stick foot’. This shows the brutal honesty of children of a young age. In ‘Games at Twilight’ the children are rough and belligerent, shown by ‘the shoves became harder’ and the frequent quarrelling of the children over who will be It in their game of hide and seek. In ‘Games at Twilight’ the children are frequently shown in an animalistic light. The author’s use of vocabulary reveals this, for example ‘wild’, ‘maniacal’, and ‘snarling’. Words such as ‘prey’, ‘stalked’ and ‘pounded’ relate to hunting in the animal kingdom, and therefore reinforce the author’s portrayal of children as animalistic. In ‘The Red Ball’ Bolan is said to have ‘waited like a small animal’, so children are again compared to animals. The fact that the children in both stories play their games in large groups could represent the packs that animals exist in in the wild. By using animalistic images the authors are able to reinforce their portrayal of children as cruel and aggressive. Childish games seem to hold great significance to the children in both stories. In ‘Games at Twilight’ the author says that the children are desperate to start their business – ‘the business of the children’s day which is – play’. By making the children in the story so dependent on games the author suggests that the children have basic, immature values, since play is not an adult business. In ‘The Red Ball’ games also hold a great significance for the children – it is Bolan’s ability to play cricket well that gains him acceptance amongst the other children. It is obvious that friendships are built when games are participated in, as Bolan steals money from his parents to buy a red cricket ball in order to be more highly thought of by his friends. It is interesting to see that the games in both of the stories are carried out outdoors. In ‘The Red Ball’ the author writes ‘the boys played cricket until the fireflies came out’. In ‘Games at Twilight’ Raghu is described as ‘crashing and storming in the hedge wilder’. Thus the children in both stories are more closely linked to nature, reinforcing the authors’ portrayal of them as animals. In both stories the main characters are portrayed as outcasts. In ‘The Red Ball’ the young boy watches other children play cricket from the outskirts of the park, and in ‘Games at Twilight’ young Ravi hides alone, only to find that the other children have ‘quite forgotten him’. The difference between the stories is that the young boy in ‘The Red Ball’ is eventually accepted by his peers and revered by them – he becomes their ‘star’ bowler and therefore essential for their game. In ‘Games at Twilight’ we are led to believe that Ravi will eventually be accepted by the other children for winning the game of hide and seek – ‘he †¦ smiled to himself †¦ at the thought of so much victory’. However Ravi never achieves such victory as the other children forget about him – ‘having disappeared from the scene, he had disappeared from their minds. Clean.’ By using such a short sentence, ‘clean’, the author is stressing the fact that Ravi was forgotten by his peers, and therefore emphasises his insignificance to the other children; he is bottom of the pecking order. In ‘Games at Twilight’ young Ravi is portrayed as rather unintelligent and cowardly. He is frequently described as fearful – ‘Ravi shook †¦ with fear’. His desperation to be accepted by his siblings shows that he is not highly thought of, and is also somewhat pathetic. Thinking that he will win the childish game of hide and seek he thinks that ‘nothing more wonderful had ever happened to him’. His unimportance is confirmed in the final sentence of the story – ‘he lay down full length on the damp grass †¦ silenced by a terrible sense of his insignificance’. In ‘The Red Ball’ Bolan is portrayed as a somewhat more intelligent, wise individual. He is capable enough to understand that by replying when he is called offensive names by the other children, he will be labelled with those names. He is also able to comprehend more difficult family situations, and shows perception and intelligence when the author writes – ‘it was one of those moments when he felt as if he had held his mother in front of him as a sort of shield to save himself from a rain of blows’. In conclusion, the presentation of childhood in the two short stories, ‘Games at Twilight’ and ‘The Red Ball’ varies. The main characters, when alone, are portrayed as more innocent individuals, whereas when in larger groups, the children seem to be more cruel and hostile. ‘Games at Twilight’ offers the less favourable impression of children overall, frequently incorporating animalistic images into the story to describe the children.

Ethnic group and Discrimination Essay

The issue on racial discrimination continues to prevail in developed countries although in subtle manner. Minority groups in United States have had a turbulent history fighting against ethnic group discrimination by the whites. In this paper, I choose to focus on the African America perspective on their fight against prejudice, segregation and racism. The first blacks to arrive in America were slaves. They were brought there against their own will contrary to other immigrants in the land of opportunity. Terms like Negroes were used to refer to black slaves and from the onset, prejudice remarks were used on them. It is documented that black slaves were seen to have similar attributes to dumb animals hence inferior. In fact, whites held that Negroes ranked between chimpanzees and human being. Its not clear as to where and when racism started or why but a clear definition of racism exists it means exclusion, division, restriction of any kind based on skin color, race, ethnic origin or nationality It is indeed a shame to see that the society has imposed the three ills of society upon Blacks Americans. The Blacks have and continue to experience segregation prejudice and discrimination even today. During the period of colonialism and slavery, blacks were not privileged to attend school inorder to keep them down form any form civilization. They were thought to endure and fight all kinds of discriminations either on basis of skin color, in life style, social class, academic, criminal justice and economic circles. (Karenga, 2002). In retaliation, the blacks Americans have also propagated Afro centric ideologies against whites which emphasis their superiority. Seemingly, it is fair for blacks to habour feelings of oppression and dislike against whites and other minority groups because these racial ideologies are deeply rooted in society. The weight of past negatively against blacks is a big challenge felt up until today. The effects have not worn off and hence blacks continue to log a step behind whites not because they are ‘lesser’ being but society has a way of pressurizing them to stay at their place i. e. second citizens. In the past, African Americans have faced challenges of security employment and have shaky single headed homes. Thus, they are poor. The whites on the other hand, get preference in well paying jobs, hence a form of discrimination. Perhaps, the blacks are the most segregated community in America. This is because of the quality of housing and congestion in black concentration neighbourhoods. It is common to find premium pricing in real estate, which ensures that Black Americans do not afford spacious homes to live in. Even those who make it to purchase prime property face a degree of segregation in the white neighbourhood. As a result, infant mortality is high and health issues are common in black neighbourhoods. At the same time, crime rates and violent crimes occur among teenagers as they try to fight for survival in poverty-stricken homes. Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and other black heroes realized these disconnect and lead black liberations movements aimed at bringing to advance in life. (Amnesty International, US Domestic Human Rights Program, 2004). These discrimination prevent African American from attaining the ‘American dream’ since blacks stand out sharply than any other minority group, their color has often been used to dictate the quality of housing, education, service or products that they will given (Kitano, 1997) often it is low quality. Similarly in the criminal justice arena, prejudices and racial profiling persist. Perceptions or rather misconceptions about police action as accidental shooting, use of force, slow response and so on are constructed by blacks to be a racist conspiracy and segregation. ( Karenga, 2002). Due to these underlying prejudices and racist ideologies, reverse discrimination, policies have been formulated to try to correct historically oppressed groups in the Diaspora. This is seen in cases where jobs are reserved for black candidates even where there are qualified whites to fill the position. This is the same policy used to propel affirmative action and boost women participation of women in state affairs. Despite the noble cause behind this policy, it has not gained ground sufficiently owing to the connotations of pity and sympathy stringed to it. Similarly, it goes against the equal protection clause of the fourteenth Amendment and Title VI of the civil rights Act, 42 (Amnesty International, US Domestic Human Rights Program, 2004) Other forms of discriminations against the African Americans include redlining. This practice dates back to the 1930s where banks took survey on residential areas to determine the level of security and hence their real estate value and thus award loans. Neighbourhoods inhabited by blacks were regarded as insecure and thus not eligible for loans. As such, blacks were segregated directly from acquiring mortgage loans, which in turn ensured that they had access to rich suburbs with decent housing. This form of discrimination was fought and overcome after the Fair housing Act 1968. This law guarded against any kind of redlining based on skin color, race, ethnicity, gender and so on (Amnesty International, US Domestic Human Rights Program, 2004) The community reinvestment Act 1977 also put blacks and other minority groups a step ahead in fight against racial segregation. Racial discrimination against blacks affects their presence in the labor market. The opportunity structure in the labor market is one that ensures that blacks dominate the cheap labour pool in occupation such as gardening, janitors’ waiters and so on. In addition, historical influence of past black discrimination forms a culture whereby blacks do not enroll for long-term educational training (Karenga, 2002). Similarly, black resided in urban outskirts where employment opportunities were limited and economic activities few. (Kitano, 1997) thus causing a dual market to form. Moreover, employers also prefer to employ workers from so-called ‘superior’ races, until they exhaust their supply. All these forces create a dual market one, which is discriminate against blacks. The advancement of black people within social and career circles is limited owing to discrimination on racial lines. Women are particularly subject to this glass ceiling. Notably, the expression used ‘glass† means that this form of discrimination is unwritten and unofficial yet real. It is commonplace to see a high black achiever unable to advance in career just because of gender or racial bias. In terms of promotions, most employers prefer superior races. Conclusion Personally, I do not identify with any ethnic group. I identify with the human race Blacks, whites, Asians stereotyping prejudice and discrimination ultimately resorts to hate speech and violence against groups. Often than not, these prejudices are reinforced for scapegoats inorder to justify own failures. It is worthless to hate each other and in extreme cases resort to genocides just because of differing color and nationality. Once humanity can accept that there is no superior person, area only then can we pride ourselves of true intelligence and harmony in the world.

Election of 1876 essays

Election of 1876 essays Why Hayes Should Not Have Won the Election The position of President is the most important position in the United States government. Wouldnt you think that we should have the very best man in that position that we can get? I, Samuel Tilden, feel that the Election of 1876 was a disgrace to the history of our government. I still believe that I should have won that election because of corruption of the voting process itself, he didnt have the organization a president should have and because the people wanted me to win, not Rutherford. I certainly believe that the chosen president should reflect the peoples choice. One reason why Hayes should not be president is because of the Election of 1876 itself. When the votes were counted and sent in to Washington, I was the clear winner; 203 to 165 electoral votes (Haworth 76). However, the vile Republicans decided to change the votes of the three states they still controlled by throwing away Democratic votes! Obviously this isnt how the leaders of the United States should be acting. You cant change what the people want by throwing out votes. Later, when Congress held a meeting to decide whom the winner should be, there was an unfair amount of Republicans over Democrats, so we were bound to lose. We accepted the Compromise of 1877 because another Civil War would not be worth it (Robinson 111). After Hayes became president, he didnt know what to do with his new position. He didnt have the confidence a President of the United States should have. Of course, he had a couple of ideas he wanted to try, such as wiping out the color line and abolishing sectionalism, but his major plans didnt work (Haworth 125). When he assigned a southerner as postmaster general and withdrew troops from the south, the last two Republican states turned Democratic. Hayes was quoted saying, I am reluctantly forced to admit that the experiment was a failure ...

Mosaic of Thought Workshop for Reading Comprehension

'Mosaic of Thought' Workshop for Reading Comprehension When was the last time you finished a book and you were asked to complete a worksheet about it? You probably havent had to do that since you were a student yourself, however, this is something that most of us ask our students to do on a daily basis. To me, this doesnt make much sense. Shouldnt we teach students to read and comprehend books in a manner that is consistent with how they will read and comprehend as adults? The book Mosaic of Thought by Ellin Oliver Keene and Susan Zimmermann, as well as the Readers Workshop method, moves away from worksheets with comprehension questions that use more real-world, student-driven instruction. Rather than depend solely on small reading groups, the Readers Workshop method blends whole group instruction, small needs-based groups, and individual conferring to guide students through the application of the seven basic comprehension strategies. What are the thinking strategies that all proficient readers use as they read? Determining What is Important - Identifying themes and diminishing focus on less important ideas or pieces of informationDrawing Inferences - Combining background knowledge and textual information to draw conclusions and interpret factsUsing Prior Knowledge - Building on previous knowledge and experiences to aid in comprehension of the textAsking Questions - Wondering and inquiring about the book before, during, and after readingMonitoring Comprehension and Meaning - Using an inner voice to think about if the text makes sense or notCreating Mental Images - Implementing the five senses to build images in the mind that enhance the experience of reading Believe it or not, many children may not even know that they are supposed to be thinking as they read! Ask your students if they know to think as they read - you may be shocked by what they tell you! Ask your students, Did you know that its OK not to understand everything you read? They will most likely look at you, surprised, and answer, It is? Talk a little bit about some of the ways that you can build your understanding when you are confused. As you know, even adult readers, are confused sometimes when they read. But, we bet it made them feel a little better to know that they dont have to fake understanding when they read; the best readers question, reread, look for context clues, and more in order to better understand and move through the text. To get started with the Mosaic of Thought reading strategies, choose one of the comprehension strategies to focus on for a full six to ten weeks. Even if you only get to a few of the strategies in a year, you will be doing a major educational service for your students. Here is a sample schedule for an hour-long session: 15-20 minutes - Present a mini-lesson that models how to use the given strategy for a certain book. Try to pick a book that really lends itself to this strategy. Think aloud and you demonstrate how good readers think as they read. At the end of the mini-lesson, give the kids an assignment for the day that they will do as they read the books of their own choosing. For example, Kids, today you will use sticky notes to mark the places where you could really visualize what was going on in your book. 15 minutes - Meet with small needs-based groups to meet the needs of students who need extra guidance and practice in this comprehension area. You can also build in time here to meet with 1 to 2 small guided reading groups, as you may be doing in your classroom now. 20 minutes - Use this time for one-on-one conferring with your students. Try to get to 4 to 5 students per day, if you can. As you meet, delve deep with each student and have him or her demonstrate to you exactly how they are using this strategy as they read. 5-10 minutes - Meet again as a whole group to review what everyone accomplished and learned for the day, in relation to the strategy. Of course, as with any instructional technique that you encounter, you can adapt this concept and this suggested schedule to fit your needs and your classroom situation. Source Oliver Keene, Ellin. Mosaic of Thought: The Power of Comprehension Strategy Instruction. Susan Zimmermann,  2nd Edition, Heinemann, May 2, 2007.

Pizza express employ many foreiner staff. how can such staff best be Essay

Pizza express employ many foreiner staff. how can such staff best be motivated to deliver a high quality customer service AIM IS; To identify the factor that i - Essay Example Many industries pay immigrant labor lower rates and offer fewer benefits or opportunities for advancement. (Morgenstern 2005) Most entry level employees will not move up in the organization for lack of interest or lack of ability. However, these employees can still be motivated to give the best service possible to customers if the organization speaks directly to their wants and needs. In order to do this, the organization must learn about these employees and communicate openly with them on a continuous basis. By doing this, the wants and needs of these employees can be identified and considered. Using open communication with employees, the organization can learn to understand their wants and needs and be able to motivate them to produce better work and give better customer service by providing for some or all of those employee needs, thereby establishing a reciprocal relationship with employees that will make them want the company to do well. Pizza Express employs a large percentage of immigrant workers in entry level positions. These workers are becoming, according to Jacob Monty, founding partner of Houston-based immigration and employment law firm Monty Partners LLP and legal counsel for the Texas Restaurant Association, essential for most chain restaurants, and motivation and retention are really big problems. (Leahy 2006) This literature review will look at the problem and proposed solutions. The first literature that I considered was that of Pizza Express itself. In looking at the Pizza Express website, one cannot help but notice the distinct absence of minority ethnic groups. Italian is prominent, as might be expected, considering that Pizza is considered to be an Italian import to the UK. However, no other ethnic groups are mentioned or pictured anywhere. There is also a very vague mission statement which talks about providing the best food and service to their customers. The company supports some charities and

Martime Delimitation and Territorial Questions Between Qatar and Essay

Martime Delimitation and Territorial Questions Between Qatar and Bahrain - Essay Example The essay examined how the proceedings and judgments of the court worked to satisfy the involved states. The research paper aims to investigate the issues related with the case of maritime delimitation and territorial questions between Qatar and Bahrain. It discusses the factors that have affected the proceedings and judgements of the court and also describes the progression of the case from time to time in order to show how the dispute was evolved between these two states and what roles was played by the decisions of the International Court of Justice to settle their dispute. Bahrain took the case of maritime delimitation and territorial questions between Qatar and Bahrain before the court in July 1991. The Foreign Affair Minister of Qatar filed an application in the registry of international court in which he made the request to institute the proceeding against state of Bahrain. The application requested the court to resolve the dispute between the two states regarding the sovereignty over the Hawar Island, rights of the states, over the shoals of Dibal and Qitat Jaradah and the delimitation of the maritime area of Qatar and Bahrain (Plant, 2002, p198). The roots of the dispute between these two countries could be traced back to 1965 when the Qatar attempt to settle the issue by arbitration was declined by Bahrain. After the termination of the British presence in Bahrain and Qatar, the King Fahd of Saudi Arabia attempted to resolve the dispute in 1971. These efforts resulted in the establishment of set of Principles for the framework for reaching a settlement that was approved by the representatives of three involved parties Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain. These principles were during the tri-parties meeting held in March 1983. These principles clarified that the disputing matters between the two states regarding the issue of sovereignty over the island, territorial

African-American History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

African-American History - Essay Example Larsen, in her novel attempts to sketch out the Reconstruction Era through the portrayal of the two different, light skinned American African Women, Clare Kendry and Irene Redfield. Clare and Irene were childhood friends who get together after a long time sharing their bitter experiences of being born as Negroes, denied of basic rights, try to find out comfort and consolation each other. Clare and Irene were born in mixed ancestries with light skinned complexion which later adversely affecting the free flow of their life and arise the question of existence in them. The novel raises many questions on various themes like identity crisis, race, lies, sexuality and jealousy. While reading through the novel, the readers understand that the novel obviously reflecting the views of the young African Americans who are wedged with their light skinned complexion and are searching for their lost identity. The era of Reconstruction was notable for the imminent changes it brought out in the percep tions of people, especially their perception to slavery and black people. The novel mainly focuses on the ‘passing’ of the members of one class to that of the other by the illusion that this ‘pass’ will bring tremendous changes to their life and social status. The story of the novel moves on through two female characters—Clare Kendy and Irene Redfield. The novel begins with Irene reading the letter of her childhood friend, Clare. The reading of the letter enables the readers to understand the character of Clare, when Irene recollects thus; â€Å"There had been, even in those days, nothing sacrificial in Clare Kendry’s idea of life, no allegiance beyond her own immediate desire (Larsen 2).† These words clearly express the attitude of the African American people who were totally dejected and depressed after the Civil War. Irene adds that Clare was selfish, and cold, and hard. But even then she had kept with her a strange capacity of transforming warmth and

Nokia competencies

Nokia competencies Every firm comprises of competencies, not all possess core competencies, these are crucial for a competitiveness. This report examines the core competencies that contribute most significantly to Nokias competitive advantage. These consist of organisational culture and research and development. Nokias competitive advantage will be analysed based on corporate brand and products and services base, then personal analysis reported. 2.0 Theoretical idea of core competencies Firms possess competencies through efficient use of resources and are required for firms to compete. Core competencies are attributes that an organisation possesses which in turn allows it to achieve competitive advantage (Prahalad Hamel, 1990 cited Henry. A, 2008). There is differential performance between companies in the same industry, due to individual core competencies since the environment is constant. In 2008, Dell had the largest market share in UK PC market (Datamonitor, 2009), with core competencies in its value chain giving competitive advantage (Henry. A, 2008). Core competencies should be appropriable so those who provide the attributes for the competitive advantage should reap benefits (Kay. J, 1993 cited Open University, 2009). The key is not to focus on all competencies just ones that add most value and competitive advantage. Collis and Montgomery (1997) identified some attributes within the organisation are more useful for gaining sustainable competitive advantage (Henry, 2008). The features of useful attributes are that they help provide value to customers, are unique and difficult to imitate (Collis Montgomery, 1997, cited Hooley. G et al, 2008) as seen in figure 1. Other theorists support this identification, Prahalad and Hamel (1990) identified three tests for core competencies: 1. A core competence should provide access to a wide variety of markets. 2. A core competence should make a significant contribution to perceived customer benefits of end products. 3. A core competence should be difficult for competitors to imitate. (Prahalad cited The Free Library, 2002). Hamel and Prahalad (The Free Library, 2002) identified core competencies should not remain static whilst the environment changes. Core competencies enable production of new products and services and increase customer relationship management, they should be envied by competitors but difficult to replicate (Hooley. G et al, 2008). Shangri La Hotels have a stronger customer relationship than their competitors (Datamonitor, 2009) their mission Delighting customers each and every time (Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, 2009). 2.1 Nokias core competencies Nokia has many competencies but due to recent success appears to focus on the right core competencies to gain competitive advantage. The two significant ones are organisational culture (Blau. J, 2003) and investment in research and development (Nokia, 2009). Organisational culture is a core competence and source of sustainable competitive advantage (Barney, 1986b, cited Hamel. G Heene. A,1994). 2.1.1 Nokias organisational culture Nokia, unlike competitors, is innovative and entrepreneurial by adopting the correct culture (Blau. J, 2003). Within the organisation entrepreneurship is encouraged by managers open to employee suggestions for new products and services, this allows continuous learning, there is also a feedback process for employees engaging in new ideas (Blau. J, 2003). VP Niitamo, Chair of European Living Labs Portfolio, Some of Nokias success, is from continuously bringing in young, talented people, without pushing them down one particular career path (Blau. J, 2003). For this to take place they must have shared vision to ensure full commitment from employees (Kanter, 1983 cited Henry. A, 2008). 2.1.2 Nokias research and development Another core competency is Nokias research and development. Nokia employs 51,750 people, over one third is made up of people in research and development. The company employs approximately 1,000 new people in research and development each year, aiming for those who have new skills (Blau. J, 2003). Nokias extensive research and development enables it to create trusted consumer relationships, the best mobile devices everywhere and context enriched services (Nokia, 2009). 3.0 Theoretical idea of competitive advantage Competitive advantage results from matching core competencies to opportunities (Business Dictionary, 2009). Many 2000 dot.com failures were companies identifying the opportunity but not having competencies to achieve competitive advantage (Hooley. G et al, 2008). Companies can achieve competitive advantage by charging higher prices for increased value products and services or offering the same products and services as competitors at lower prices (Porter. M. E, 1985). Differences between rival products and services have become narrow, so companies need to find new ways of distinguishing themselves in customers minds. Companies can use brands to be distinctive compared with competitors, and create a relationship with customers for competitive advantage (Chailan. C, 2008). In 2008, the airline industry saw JetBlues new experience based differentiation after they created T5 terminal at JFK. T5 added brand value by augmenting the service with additional and complementary features (DDB, 2009). Companies should look for sustainability; competitive advantage that competitors are unable to imitate (Barney, 1991 cited Henry. A, 2008). Tesco uses vendor managed inventory and builds relationships with suppliers such as Nestle and Coca Cola to improve availability, providing competitive advantage for those involved, however unsustainable (William Reed Business Media Ltd, 2009). Figure 2 identifies the relationship between core competencies and competitive advantage. Although core competencies lead to competitive advantages this may be indirect by developing core products or services. 3.1 Nokias competitive advantage Nokia is currently worldwide largest mobile phone maker, therefore they must have significant core competencies to gain competitive advantage (Yahoo Finance, 2009). Nokias competitive advantage is based on scale, brand and services (Nokia, 2008). 3.1.1 Nokias brand value After wavering in 2004, Nokia came back to build an outstanding reputation through a 12% increase in brand value and became fifth top brand (Kiley. D, 2007). Nokia currently has number one brand in many markets worldwide (Temporal. P Davies. R, 2009). Nokias organisational culture contributed to its corporate brand since employees and processes are reflected in the brand (Temporal. P, 2009). Nokias research and development assisted in creating brand value by keeping up to date with evolving consumer demands and is recognised as a company that provides consumers with the desired products and services. NRC, Nokias innovations hub invests at least 5% of the annual research and development budget. Innovations are created for commercial purposes after three to five years development (Samuels. M, 2006). 3.1.2 Nokias products and services Ideas need to align with organisational culture, therefore this must be correct to generate desired products and services (Henry. A, 2008). Organisational culture is reflected in products and services through processes and procedures, this led to sustainable competitive advantage. The knowledge possessed by employees cannot be easily transferred, groups of employees would be required for a fraction of the knowledge (Argote. L Ingram. P, 2000). Nokias research and development continuously improves and generates new products, this is essential as Nokias markets became highly competitive over the last decade with entrants such as Apple iPhone (Ward. A, 2009). In 2002 Nokia received the Frost and Sullivan market engineering award for its secure access system innovation which was an exceptionally evolved product (BNET,2003 Calif. S. J, 2002). 4.0 Critical analysis I conclude that Nokia has effectively developed competencies into core competencies to develop sustainable competitive advantage. I consider Nokia to have core competencies in particular organisational culture and research and development, contributing most to Nokias competitive advantage. The organisational culture is quite unique among competitors, yet as industry leader so they must be doing the right things internally in relation to the external industry. Other companies should steer away from the negative image that innovative organisations are only effective in small organisations and implement some of Nokias techniques to reduce differential performance between them. However, I realise this will only be effective if there are shared values and commitment from the entire organisation as with Nokia. Organisational culture cannot be easily learned so this must create sustainable competitive advantage until competitors have developed their culture more effectively. Nokia invests heavily in research and development which is reflected in its product and service offering which is outstanding, therefore I see it as a worthwhile investment. I have identified that Nokia doesnt just employ people for research and development, it supports them and develops their knowledge base to benefit the company. I identified Nokias main competitive advantage being brand value and product and service offering. I recognise that Nokia successfully achieved competitive advantage of its brand organisational culture and the beliefs and practices adopted by the company. Nokia must continue to do the right things such as ethical behaviour in the work place or the brand will be tarnished and will be difficult to rebuild unless its loyal customer base sticks by regardless which I find doubtful. Nokias other competitive advantage consists developing latest product designs and outperforming rivals through services. I do not consider this sustainable, despite Nokias investments in research and development. Product innovation in the mobile phone industry is the main contributor to growth, through replacement sales (Cassell. J, 2004). This is likely to remain the case as the market is already saturated, therefore I feel Nokia wont maintain this level of competition as rival companies would invest more into research and development to compete. Overall, I find Nokia making best use of its core competencies to gain competitive advantage but dont believe it will continue to be industry leader without enhancing its core competencies to meet evolving demands. 5.0 Conclusion In conclusion it has been analysed that Nokia has several core competencies, the most significant being organisational culture and investment in research and development. These core competencies led to competitive advantage in the form of strong brand image and exceptional product and service offerings. Although this is currently the case for Nokia within the mobile phone industry, they may not be sustainable as will be identified over time.

The Natural Essay example -- essays research papers

We have been created with a need for heroes. We yearn for them because we are born with the want and desire to believe in someone, to have faith in someone, to trust in someone, and to look up and strive to be like someone. This â€Å"someone† is how Roy Hobbs is portrayed in the movie version of The Natural. Roy in the movie version is utterly heroic. He struggles, after an almost fatal injury in his youth, to try to become the best that the game of baseball has ever seen. He is quietly confident, without an arrogance to him. Iris is his former teenage-love who reappears after Roy makes it into the majors and stands up and inspires him when he is in a slump. Their relationship in the movie appears pure and innocent. Iris reminds Roy of â€Å"home† and all that is good and true in his life. Roy also has a relationship with Memo, who is his manager Pop’s niece. She is a shady character who basically throws herself at Roy after he notices her beauty and wants to get to know her. Their relationship is dark and more sexual than Roy and Iris’ on-screen romance. Roy is respectful to his fans and in return they stand by him faithfully, in good-times and bad. He even goes as far to helping the batboy make a bat resembling Roy’s own bat, Wonderboy. Roy views Pop as a fa ther figure. Even after he is poisoned by Memo and blackmailed by Gus and the Judge, Roy decides to play in his last game to win Pop the pennant he had always wanted. By doing this he risks his life because of his stomach illne...