Aids Awareness – 1

AIDS is a silent killer. The main reason for AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome) is HIV (Human Immuno Defiency virus). This virus when it enters our body, immediately turns into RNA, and then spreads quickly. After that it starts to destroy the white blood corpuscles. Because of this our resistance towards diseases gets decreased. Now the human body cannot withstand even an ordinary cold. In the year 1996 according to the survey, about 5000 persons per day were affected by AIDS in the whole world. The final stage of HIV is known as AIDS.In 1996, it was discovered that the virus can be controlled to a certain extent. The survey in 2002, says that about 3. 97 million of people are suffering from this disease in India. Origin of AIDS At first, this virus was found in green monkeys of Africa. At that time it was known as ‘Siman Immuno Deficiency Syndrome'. Africans ate the monkeys flesh as their food. In 1981, it was found that, the virus has spread among the Africans. In th e year 1987, it was discovered as AIDS. Mode of Transmission of HIV VirusFollowing are the ways in which HIV virus can be transmitted 1. Unprotected hetero or homosexual contact 2. Injection which is used without sterlising after using for HIV/SIDS affected person. 3. Blood of HIV affected person used for another person 4. From the pregnant lay who is affected of AIDS to the child or when she breast feeds child. Ways in which HIV/AIDS cannot be spread AIDS cannot spread by shaking hands, eating together, using the dress of the affected person, through mosquito, air, water. Symptoms 1. Loss of 10% or more of body weight . Fever of unknown origin 3. Preumonia, brain tumours, haemorrhage, unremitting diarrhea, swelling of lymph glands. Role of youth in HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention Today's youth is going to build tomorrow's future. They build the nation and they together build the world. Each one has his/her own responsibility in building a healthy world. Because of the scientific invention many diseases are eradicated many can be cured but still there are certain exceptions like HIV/AIDS virus which threatens the whole world.At first, youth must realize the present problem created by HIV virus and their self control is going to be the main solution to the problem. The main reason to say that the solution of this problem is in the hands of youth is that they have more understanding power and they have more ability. So they can understand the seriousness of AIDS and they can take effective steps to being about the awareness and prevent the deadly disease. Following are some of the steps which may help in eradicating HIV/AIDS virus: 1) Self controlTeenagers should understand their problems clearly. They should have a clear idea about the change in harmones during this stage. They should have self control and they should be motivated to concentrate on good aspects of life. They should have awareness about the preventive measures of HIV/AIDS virus 2) DRAMA Studen ts of the college must be encouraged by their teachers and they should be taken to the rural areas, schools other educational institutions, offices etc. to conduct street plays bring about the awareness among the people and he people should be taught clearly the preventive methods, symptoms, methods of testing the HIV virus and also the facilities provided by the government to the HIV affected. People must be given awareness in their vernacular language and they must be motivated to extend their support to the HIV virus affected person. 3) Conducting completion and exhibition Youth should take the responsibility in conducting various types of competition and exhibitions in various schools, colleges regarding the awareness and prevention of HIV/AIDS. ) Extending their support to the HIV affected person Youth have to discharge their responsibility of meeting the HIV affected people and giving them self-confidence and also encourage them to engage in some activities in which they are i nterested. 5) Creating awareness in the family Teenagers create awareness about HIV in their family, because when the family realizes the importance of eradication of HIV virus, then the society will realize and then the nation will realize and finally all together the world will realize the importance of eradicating this virus.People of the whole world will be aware and take preventive measures. Conclusion HIV affected people can live to the maximum of 10 to 15 years. This period can be extended if they live happily. Only way to make them happy is to touch and talk to them. Youth are the main solution for creating awareness and preventing HIV/AIDS virus. Colleges and the institutions should make them understand their responsibility and start taking steps they can obliterate the words â€Å"AIDS/HIV virus† from the whole world.

Riordan’s Competitive Advantages

Riordan’s Competitive Advantages The research will describe which competitive advantages Riordan has in common with McDonald’s and Burger King. This study will estimate, which competitive strategies Riordan could use to improve innovation and sustainability of business operations both in the United States and in the global market. Research will explain why those competitive strategies were chosen and estimate how they may affect sustainability of long-term organizational performance. The examination will also explain how the global market would affect the business strategy of Riordan.Riordan Organization McDonald’s and Burger King The McDonald’s Corporation and the Riordan Manufacturing Company are both main industry leaders in their own field. One major competitive advantage that each company has in common is differentiating their products. Each company has a variety of items that meets the need of their consumers. The three companies sell both nationally and internationally. Burger King, Riordan, and McDonald’s increase their sales by offering price discounts, and sale promotions to ensure that their prices are affordable to everyone in need.All three companies use cost leadership, focus, and differentiation tactics to gain a competitive advantage over their competition. Another commonality between the three companies is that they use some type of reward and incentives program to ensure that they are recognizing their employees for operational excellence. Riordan Innovation Strategies Innovation Riordan could increase innovation and sustainability for the business operations in the United States of America and globally by implementing a strategic capacity plan.This plan will increase effectiveness, add improvement to its supply chain, and implement the methods and concepts of lean production to gain value and over time help sustain competitive advantage. Strategic capacity planning starts with better use of resources by redu cing waste of raw material and producing products in good time at a lower cost. Riordan should make sure it has stock available and on the shelf, which will allow the inventory cost to rise. Riordan can increase its competitiveness by using farsighted capacity planning, by making use of the breakeven analysis of financial statements.This will help Riordan improve the process that it already uses, and by using the just-in-time inventory, which would help the company in the area of its operation processes. These strategies can be implemented by ensuring a better eye for detail, adding the key values of extreme precisions and enthusiastic quality control to help continued success in the future. Business Decisions Differentiation and cost leadership were two strategies chose because they are the most common between the different companies. Amazingly two leading organizations from different industries are using the same competitive strategies and tactics.The two competitive strategies ma y be the reason both organizations are leading within their industries. Differentiation is a type of competitive strategy with which the organization seeks to distinguish its products or services from competitors (Valdehueza, 2009). Riordan’s organization sells heart valves, plastic bottles, fans, and medical stents. Clearly, they have a large variety of products. According to Valdehueza, cost leadership is a competitive strategy with which the organization aggressively seeks efficient facilities, cuts costs, and employs tight cost controls to be more efficient than the competition.Decreasing business costs every way possible while providing customers with a high quality product is a definite way to ensure an advantage over the competition. Sustainability When organizations master’s cost leadership, and differentiation they will began to meet and exceed long-term goals. The organizations can use these two strategies for every business situation they may encounter. Prop er use of both strategies will result in sustainability and organizational performance. Competition between companies will create a winner and a looser.In the competition process in efforts for the winners to win, they have to increase consumer value to satisfy the customer. This method alone will create long-term sustainability within the corporation. Organizations create customer loyalty by increasing consumer value in efforts to surpass the competition. Continual improvements of this particular process will sustain long-term organizational performance, and operational excellence. Global Market Affect Business strategy The globalization of markets is the merging of historically distinct and separate national markets into one larger global marketplace (Hill, 2009).With any form of globalization, companies will have to understand international measurement issues. Riordan’s Plastic began with international measurement in efforts to prepare the company for the global market. Ac cording to Hill, the globalization of production is the sourcing of services from one location around the world to take advantage of national differences in the cost of factors or production in labor energy, land, and capital (2009). International measurement issues include return on investments (ROI), budget analysis, and historical comparison (Wheelen & Hunger, 2010). Dr.Riordan insisted on using their resources as a tool to increase profits when he started this company. This way when Riordan became international customer satisfaction and the rate of return was the most important factors. Riordan also needed a budget analysis as well as a historical comparison to maintain global success. Conclusion One major competitive advantage that each company has in common is differentiating their products. Each company has a variety of items that meets the need of their consumers. All three companies use cost leadership, focus, and differentiation tactics to gain a competitive advantage over their competition.Riordan can increase its competitiveness by using farsighted capacity planning, by making use of the breakeven analysis of financial statement, which will help Riordan improve the process that it already uses, and by using the just-in-time inventory, which would help the company in the area of its operation processes. Differentiation and cost leadership were two strategies chose because they are the most common between the different companies. When an organization masters cost leadership, and differentiation they will began to meet and exceed long-term goals.Continuous improvements of this particular process will sustain long-term organizational performance, and operational excellence. Riordan also needed a budget analysis as well as a historical comparison to maintain global success. References Chauhan, S. , Nagi, R. , & Proth, J. (2004) Strategic capacity planning in supply chain design for a new Market opportunity International Journal of Production Research 42 (11), p. 2197 – 2206 Hill, C. W. (2009) International business competing in the global marketplace (7th ed. ) Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Shields, T. 1999) Tutorials – lean production / lean manufacturing Defense Acquisition University. Retrieved January 31, 2012, from http://www. dau. mil/educdept/mm_dept_resources/navbar/lean/01rdg-lean. asp Valdehueza, Gregar, D (2009) Strategy Formulation, and Implementation Retrieved from: http://www. slideshare. net/gar_dev/strategy-formulation-and-implementation-1224519 Wheelen, T. L. , & Hunger, J. D. (2010) Concepts in strategic management and business policy: Achieving sustainability (12th ed. ) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall

Buffalo Bill’s Defunct

â€Å" Buffalo Bill’s Defunct† Joey Willoughby ENG 125 Introduction to Literature Instructor: Katie Newbanks 5/16/2011 Buffalo Bill’s Defunct E. E. Cumming’s,† Buffalo Bill’s Defunct† is a somewhat difficult poem to interpret. The poem displays peculiarities of sound structure, as well as line and stanza. What we don’t see, in this poem, is as vital to our understanding of the poem, as what we do see. â€Å" Buffalo Bill’s Defunct† is an extremely short poetic piece consisting of only eleven lines and is a free verse, open form classification of poetry in reference to mortality.The poem can also be considered as onomatopoeia in nature due to the utilization of words to represent sound. The nature of the poem is also based on a centralized protestation of death of an individual that provided enjoyment to the lives of others. Example: how do you like your blueeyed boy Mister Death. Cummings sarcastically refers to â₠¬Å"blueeyed boy† as simply another deceased person, as opposed to his earlier depiction of Buffalo Bill’s appearance as a â€Å"handsome man† with many accomplishments in life.My interpretation of the poem is that he appears to be saying to Mister Death †You took him, but you’re not going to get any enjoyment from doing so. † Cummings is essentially blaming Mister Death and insinuates to him that he will give Buffalo Bill new life. There were many composites of this particular poem that captured my attention at the very beginning of the analysis. The particular style of wording of the poem (structurally) suggests to me an arrowhead. This is significant as in life Buffalo Bill, a frontier scout was associated with Native Americans and was a wild west outlaw.The unconventional syntax, style of language, and lack of punctuation also attracted my attention to the poem. Cummings also uses eccentric topography and word arrangement in his work. Exampl e: The word Defunct, (line 2) is an eye catching word as it dwells in a space where one would expect to visualize the word â€Å"dead† or â€Å"deceased. † (Clugston, R. W. ) Single words are presented to the reader as complete lines. Example: (line 1) Buffalo Bill’s, (line 2) Defunct, (line 7) Jesus, and (line 11) Mister Death.The only capitalization of words are (line 7) Jesus, (line 1) Buffalo Bill’s and (line 11) Mister Death. â€Å"Buffalo Bill and Mr. Death enclose the poetic material and â€Å"Jesus† is set apart by itself, to the furthermost right extremes of the poem. Example: (line 1) the beginning – Buffalo Bill’s and (line 11) Mister Death at the poem’s end. (Clugston, R. W. ) The word arrangement also attracted my attention. Example: (line 6) â€Å"onetwothreefour pigeons† and (line 6) â€Å"justlikethat. †This presentation of words is known as neologisms, which is defined as a new usage of a word.Th ese visual effects are intended to assist in the translation of what we read. Example: ( eye;gt;voice;gt;ear) so that we recognize the stress in each instance. For example, in (line 6) â€Å"onetwothreefour pigeons† one can almost hear the short, sharp sounds of the gunshots in the rapid fire shooting of the clay pigeons. I believe that poetry is meant to be heard. â€Å"Buffalo Bill’s Defunct† definitely provided this sensory effect, as I could almost hear the gunshots via reading the words of the poem.This type of word arrangement could also be an indication that Cummings possessed a great admiration for Buffalo Bill’s shooting prowess and is a direct reference also, to the â€Å"Wild West Show† circa (1890) where Buffalo Bill performed in his later years. In (line 7) of â€Å"Buffalo Bill’s Defunct,† Cummings uses the single word â€Å"Jesus† which was quite baffling to me. I came to the conclusion that this provided a contr ast between â€Å"Jesus† who is typically referred to in the light of love and peace, while Buffalo Bill was notorious for fights and etc.In comparison of Buffalo Bill and Jesus both are noted to have an association with the death process. (Clugston, R. W. ) Metaphorically speaking, Cummings utilized two very opposing characters in his poem, Buffalo Bill and Jesus. The metaphoric process is very unique in the fact that it sets objects which are unlike together and hones in on getting the reader to acknowledge the resemblance between the two. In (lines 4 -5), Buffalo Bill’s horse is an excellent sensory image, as one can almost visualize the gray-colored, sleek steed with Buffalo Bill as rider galloping across the plains.This signifies that the poem possesses aesthetic merit, as we envision the beauty of this mighty stallion. (Clugston, R. W. ) The differences between speech and poetic form affected my experience of the poem by allowing me to put myself in Cummingâ€⠄¢s position and actually feel what he was feeling as he wrote the poem. Cummings is saying, Okay, Buffalo Bill is dead, but he will forever be remembered as he was when he was living. â€Å"You can’t take that away, Mister Death!Perhaps the final rhetoric question to Mister Death says it better: â€Å" how do you like your blueeyed boy† He is essentially telling Mister Death that (you have him, but you do not have in your possession what we had. )(Clugston, R. W. ) â€Å"Buffalo Bill’s Defunct,† addresses a common human experience â€Å"death† and puts emphasis on the fact that those who have passed over are gone, but not forgotten. E. E. Cummings, â€Å"Buffalo Bill’s Defunct is a somewhat difficult poem to interpret.The poem displays peculiarities of sound structure, as well as line and stanza. What we don’t see is as vital to our understanding of the poem, as what we do see. Here’s to Buffalo Bill. May he remain as alive in our lives today as when he rode his handsome stallion in the â€Å"Wild West Show† of yesteryear. References Clugston, R. W. (2010) Journey into Literature, San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. http: www. content. ashford. edu Table 1 Insert Table Title Here Figure Captions Figure 1. Insert figure caption here.

Influence of human surroundings on buildings Essay - 1

Influence of human surroundings on buildings - Essay Example Sometimes referred to as â€Å"architecture without architects,† it is also the most comprehensively used style of building used throughout the world today. It is building how we feel in relationship to what is around us on many levels (Arboleda 2006). Vernacular architecture is how we define ourselves according to the rest of the world, or maybe within just a regional area. Much that is considered vernacular is without specific design except for areas that are considered foundational to the piece and is required for strengthening the project we build. Over time, buildings such as these, when created through trial and error in first processes, become perfected and then reflect the style of the society or environment within which we reside. Rather than pursuing the aesthetic quality or some egotistical vision of a particular artist/architect, vernacular building is more about accomplishing the factors of function and ecological assimilation and also providing comfort of living at the same time. It is a stamp of our lives at any given moment (Ladd 2003). When building vernacular projects, local materials are used as well as local workers and this also provides for us a sense of the place having grown from the ‘roots’ of our local social environment and by our own hands. Vernacular building can also be representative of our local observances such as a favourite church and its flock of worshipers. It provides for us a continuing reminder of our religion through how it is built, according to our belief structure. Craftsmen in our past, who utilized functional skills in preparing materials and in the creation of infrastructure, provided foremost, a functional, well-built building, created to withstand much of nature’s harsh storms and other events that would hit our lands from time to time (Ladd 2003). In America, log cabins are considered to be the early American vernacular style, consistent with the early settlers who built their homes us ing the trees around them. Today’s pre-packaged version in whatever wood choice you want, represents that stereo-typed tradition of the early days without the hassle of having to cut down the trees yourself. While vernacular building was representative of times gone by, including historical references, today’s version is more about sustainability, technological advances in building processes, and referencing the social and natural environment around the location (Arboleda 2006). Our apartment buildings are a type of vernacular building in that they are built, not necessarily with a particular style, but to suit the basic needs of any of us renting an apartment there. The basics include a main room, bedroom(s), bathroom(s) and the kitchen. In some cases, specifically-intentioned dining rooms are also included in those costing a little more. (Ladd 2003). Indeed, a lesson can also be taken from the Inuit people who knew how to build homes wherever they landed for a while, using compacted snow to create igloos. While mainly for hunting

Should parent be allowed to smack their own child Essay

Should parent be allowed to smack their own child - Essay Example According to Larzelere’s findings, whether children experience negative or positive outcomes due to their upbringing depends on the rate of recurrence of any disciplinary approach. This includes all types and does not single-out corporal punishment. Consequently, it is excessive recurrences of bad behaviour that is the root-cause of negative outcomes. Parents understand that recurring bad behaviour will hamper their child’s chances for a successful life as an adult and feel compelled to diminish poor behavioural patterns with disciplinary techniques they believe to be most effective. What parents need is quality information regarding methods by which to effectively discipline their children. Effective punishment techniques are established on the basis of a relationship between the parent and child that is positive and loving. The punishment methods are proactive but measured and administered with competency. When acting in response to bad behaviour, parents should apply mild corrective actions such as reasoning, grounding and time-out. Smacking is most effective when used to re-enforce these mild corrective actions. Studies have demonstrated that smacking is not merely effective on its own merits alone but it serves to increase the chance that the child will respond to the mild corrective tactics. As a consequence, smacking is needed less to control behaviour as the child grows older. â€Å"Spanking has consistently beneficial outcomes when it is non-abusive and used primarily to back up milder disciplinary tactics with 2- to 6-year-olds by loving parents.

Literary Analysis Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Literary Analysis Paper - Assignment Example lped each other and made life bearable, the aspect of race is brought out in the story however the social class which a person belongs to have a bigger role. The two characters have the ability to be victimizers since they have one another. They share the same fact of being left by their parents in St. Bonny’s. The reason for Twyla to be there was because â€Å"she danced for the whole night† and Roberta’s was because she was ill. Both girls felt the pain of being abandoned by their parents and it was the main reason that the girls remained together irrespective of their different races. The later meeting they had at the dinner was however described as not worm by Twyla. The aspect of their racial difference seemed to be an issue of the feeling. However, when the two ladies talk about their meeting they mention of how they lived together in Newburgh, a society that was segregated racially and also had different social and economic classes (Yurdasever 36). Roberta got married to a rich person, and Twyla married a fireman. The hierarchies of power are involved with powerlessness and also intimidation; however, in the scene of business they are comprised with race. In the story Twyla described Maggie as being â€Å"sandy-colored,† and when Roberta referred to Maggie as a black person Twyla immediately rejected the idea. The memory of Twyla can get the question at this time; also to be questioned is the completeness of Twyla in terms of storytelling. She states â€Å"I could not be certain." She questioned her memory and could not tell the race in which Maggie belonged. She only remembered that Maggie had semicircle legs and a kiddie hat. It indicates that the race was not a major issue in St. Bonny’s. However, in the community the two women are living the aspect of race has taken a new meaning (Yurdasever 39). Elizabeth Abel indicates â€Å"Roberta is skeptical concerning racial harmony.† The issue of her mother being overbearing is supposed to be the cause for

Tort law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Tort law - Essay Example The element of forseeability means that a reasonable person in the circumstances would have been able to anticipate that such damages could arise. In the case of Shoddy Contractors, they are professionals who are in the business of setting up light fixtures, therefore they would be expected to be reasonable conversant with the necessary procedures for doing so and dangers that could arise out of negligence. Therefore the element of foreseeability may be established in this case, since damages were likely to occur through negligent drilling of electrical wires, therefore workers should have been more careful. Secondly, the relationship of the parties may also be established in this case. While a duty of care may not arise or be owed to a particular claimant if that claimant was unforseeable2 in this case, Shoddy Contractors in installing street lights outside Maggie’s building owed a duty of care and had a relationship with all the clients in the building to whom it was providing a service. In some cases, a duty of care has not been imposed when it could have led to unduly defensive practices adopted by defendants to the extent of interfering with their performance of a public duty, for example in the case of Hill v CC of West Yorkshire.3 While in this case also, a public duty is being performed by Shoddy Contractors, nevertheless they would be expected to take minimum precautions in drilling through electrical wires and the event that occurred may be held violative of the duty of care. The actions of Shoddy Contractors in drilling through an electrical wire would qualify as a negligent act that occurred through the failure to take reasonable precautions. For example, in the case of Barrett v Ministry of Defence4 it was held that when a person undertakes to perform a task, he also assumed the duty to carry it out

The Act of Union Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Act of Union - Essay Example In eastern and Central Europe, many new nations were formed during the twentieth century and they ended up disregarding requirements in the Union agreements based upon relinquishing territorial membership.1 In 1707, the Act of Union was created so as to bind Scotland with the other nations constituting the United Kingdom. A number of other amendments were made to the Union with the first one being in 1801. Other Acts were also created to further specify the issues in the Act of Union and these included the Parliament Act, the people's Acts, the Scotland Act etc. In the Act of Union., Scotland is still recognised as a legal and political entity on is own. This is the reason some elements of the Scottish legal system are distinct to this part of the world. Additionally, this is the reason why Scotland is allowed to posses its own maritime system. On the other hand, there are certain things that Scotland as a state cannot institute. First of all, the Act of Union requires that the United Kingdom Parliament be the main body that legislates for the constituent countries. Additionally, the constitution also stipulates that only ministers from the UK parliament have the right to hold executive powers. In other words, the constitution stipulates that Scotland should operate under territorial rather than state-wide powers. The Act of Union is instrumental in spelling out the accountability of parliament to its people in the entire UK region. It also specifies how the Cabinet, Prime ministers and junior cabinet are to be structured. 2 In the legal system, the Act of Union allows Scottish courts to operate somewhat independently; however, it specifies that appeals must be directed to the Privy Council, the House of Lords or the UK Supreme court. It can therefore be said that the Act of Union acts as a check on the Scottish judiciary system. Through these territorial mechanisms, the Scottish legal system is kept under check because they are held accountable to these regional systems. If the Act of Union were to be disregarded, then chances are that some cases or issues that have been subject to appeal in the UK judicial system would be left unguarded and this may impede certain rights of the Scottish people. As the country is currently, the Act of Union has ensured that the Scottish judiciary is highly accountable and has thus improved its performance. The UK Parliament has been granted the ability to scrutinise the goings on in the government and the country at large. If the Act of Union were to be eliminated, then this function may be undermined. Scotland is in a position where it would require intense restructuring and revision in order to be able to carry out scrutiny of its government through an independent Parliament. The Act of Union is also relevant in terms of describing some of the rights and duties of employees or companies that operate within other borders within the United Kingdom. This constitution clearly states that the UK government is the one with the powers to scrutinise or enhance accountability within corporate bodies operating in the UK. Consequently, the Act of Union is important in preserving these rights. It specifies issues such as terms and conditions of employment, pay or compensation,

What are the key characteristics of a social movement Use examples to Essay

What are the key characteristics of a social movement Use examples to explain any theoretical concepts you use - Essay Example Various social movements have different motivation for their actions, depending on their surrounding social, economic, and political environments. However, there are some key features that are common or at least applicable to most of them. My essay seeks to identify these key features as well as cite a few examples to explain the various theoretical concepts within the dynamics of a social movement. There are different types of social movements which have been identified by sociologists all over the world. These types are categorized depending on their scope; the type of change they advocate for or bring; their target groups; and how they operate. Considering scope, we can classify social movement as a reform or radical. A radical social movement aims to change certain value systems in a fundamental way. A good example of such a movement is the American Civil Rights Movement whose main aim was to fight for maximum civil rights for all Americans irrespective of the race they belonged to. There is also South Africa’s Shack Dwellers Movement, popularly known as ‘Abahali baseMjondolo,’ which fights for shack dwellers’ place in the city life. Reform social movement, on the other hand, works to change some norms and laws. Trade unions and green belt movements fall under this category (Ballard, et al., 2005, p622, Kendall, 2011, p. 540). A social movement may also be categorized depending on the type of change it intends to make. Under this we have innovation movement which aims to introduce or amend a given value. For instance, we have singularitarianism movement which fights for safety of technological singularity. We also have the conservative movement concerned with the preservation of current values and norms. A good example is the current movement against the introduction of genetically modified organisms. In addition, social movement may

Monetary and fiscal policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Monetary and fiscal policy - Essay Example [1] Fiscal policy is the attempt to influence the level of economic activity through changing taxation and government spending. The fiscal policy helps in fixing aggregate demand through government spending and thus decides the level of economic activity in the country. IS or Investment Saving is a graph showing the balance between investment and savings. When plotted with income on the X axis and interest rate on the Y axis, the graph has a negative slope ie as the income increases, the supply of loanable funds goes down. This is to prevent an imbalance in the economy. The IS/LM model is a macroeconomic tool that demonstrates the relationship between interest rates and real output in the goods and services market and the money market. The intersection of the IS and LM curves is the "General Equilibrium" where there is simultaneous equilibrium in all the markets of the economy[2] There is a classical correlation between the monetary and fiscal policies and IS/LM. When there is a probability of inflation, which is rare in U.K as it has already been set at 2% by the government, the interest rates are increased by the government through the monetary policy. If the interest rates are high, demand slows down and the growth rate of the economy is arrested. If there are chances of a rapid inflation, the government can hike up the taxes that will in turn reduce spending. As a result, aggregate demand will be reduced and inflation will be controlled. Similarly, if there is a threat of recession, the government can reduce taxes and increase government spending. Lower taxes would translate in higher disposable incomes and thus, aggregate demand would increase. An increased demand would combat the recession and bring the economy back on its course. In other words, IS-LM can be said to show the relation between the theory of effective demand and the theory of liquidity preference. If we assume that there are only two

You are the Consultant Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

You are the Consultant - Research Paper Example I therefore, in response to your questions, offer strategies that you can apply to increase job satisfaction, improve motivation, and increase performance, cultural issues that must be considered when dealing with a multicultural workforce, and possible mistakes to avoid when dealing with the type of workforce. I also explain ethical issues that the company might face and successful approaches to communicating to employees the importance of building and maintaining a sustainable global business. Strategies to increasing job satisfaction, improving motivation, and increasing performance across departments Job satisfaction is fundamental to successful human resource management. Its significance is even more important in a globalized environment because of the involved diversity. Deployment, the ability to obtain the desired skills for specific tasks in an organization’s diversified locations, is one of the applicable strategies to attaining employee satisfaction. It facilitates employee satisfaction by ensuring that employees work in environments that they are comfortable with and that they undertake tasks with which they are familiar, factors that identify interest in employees’ tasks and potentials that eliminate strains and boredom in the course of duty and instead increase satisfaction (Roberts, Kossek and Ozeki, 1998). Developing a level of understanding with employees in the globalized environment is another successful strategy to improving their job utility. Spending time with the employees, offering your time to listen to them, and reacting appropriately to their needs are instrumental in developing their sense of worth to you as their manager and to the organization. This further develops a strong bond between the employees and the organization and increases their satisfaction in working towards, and meeting, the organization’s objectives. Empowering the employees through enhancing their â€Å"knowledge, skill, and ability† to meet the organization’s objectives is another strategy to increasing their satisfaction by making their work easier through improved efficiency (Friedman, 2007, p. 160). Developing the employees’ potentials through seminars and mentorship roles also improves their efficiency and therefore interest in their jobs to enhance utility in their tasks (Friedman, 2007). Motivating employees in the global environment can similarly be achieved through psychological approaches that focus on each employee’s need. Cultural sensitivity will therefore play an important role in determining employees’ motivational factors in the diversified set up because successful motivational factors to American employees may not apply to Spanish employees. It will therefore be necessary to, besides understanding possible factors that can improve employees’ motivation, be able to understand and respond to employees cultural needs and attitudes (Osula, 2009). The developed cultu ral sensitivity, together with cultural awareness will further help in understanding the extent to which employees can be motivated by different factors because employees from different cultural set ups and different regions respond differently to environmental factors. Compensation and other rewards for example induce different levels of motivation across nations and cultural values are instrumental to understanding their relative effectiveness (Bloom, Milkovich and Mitra, 2003). You can also improve employees’ motivation by developing their potentials are in the organization. Training facilitates emplo

Definition of a Savage Essay Example for Free

Definition of a Savage Essay In â€Å"Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America†, Benjamin Franklin opens by saying â€Å"Savages we call them, because their manners differ from ours, which we think the perfection of civility; they think the same of theirs† (Franklin, 2008, p. 226). When Franklin wrote this, he had no idea that our society would continue to complicate the differences between cultures to the extent they exist still today. Many of the colonists attempted to convert Native Americans to Christianity but failed because they could not accept another culture as being equal to their own. They saw the natives as an inferior group of people that must be saved and taught to live the same as the white man. The narrow minded views of these early settlers with all of their so called proper ways and education caused them to be the savages. Our modern day society is driven by wants versus needs. Many people feel a sense of entitlement to things whether they have earned them or not. Franklin describes the Indians as hunters and warriors, living off the land and taking only what they needed. They learned from each other. They listened to each other and gave someone speaking the full attention deserved. â€Å"Having few artificial wants, they have abundance of leisure for improvement by conversation† (Franklin, 2008, p. 226). The Indians did not possess the materialistic nature of the white man. They welcomed a stranger into their community, fed and clothed him, offered him a place to sleep and expected nothing in return but fellowship. The colonists would not have offered the same hospitality to an Indian that appeared as a stranger at their door. In trying to convert the Indians to Christianity, the colonists explained their church services as meeting â€Å"to hear and learn good things† (Franklin, 2008, p. 229) but upon hearing the Indians explain something from their beliefs, the colonists passed it off as â€Å"mere fable, fiction, and falsehood† (Franklin, 2008, p. 228). Franklin (2008) wrote about an event that occurred at the Treaty of Lancast er in 1744. The Indians were offered a chance to send six of their young men to college to receive an education. Their response was they preferred to teach the Indian values and customs because it would ensure their young men would become valuable members of their own culture. The Indians did reciprocate by offering to take twelve young white men, educate them and â€Å"make men of them† (p. 227). The colonists clearly believed their way to be better because they felt their society to be more civilized. In comparison of the British House of Commons and an Indian council, Franklin (2008) discussed how the English have to speak very quickly to get their words out before being interrupted and that often a call to order was issued because of the arguments that frequently occurred. In contrast, the Indian council was held with order and great respect for others when it was their turn to speak (p. 227). The Indian culture was strange to the colonists and they perceived anything contradictory from their way of life to be uncivilized. This close minded view was apparent in how quickly the colonists dismissed the Indians religious beliefs. They felt the white man’s education was superior to those of the Indian ways. By not being accepting, the colonists showed great bias toward the Indians they called savages. This behavior toward the Indians ultimately resulted in destroying much of their culture. Many Indians were attacked and killed and the survivors were forced to leave their lands. The savages were not the Indians but the colonists that came to America and destroyed the Native American culture. Our society still struggles with the point Franklin was trying to convey. A difference in beliefs and cultures does not make any particular group of people superior over another. References Franklin, B. (2008). The general history of virginia, new england, and the summer isles. In N. Baym, W. Franklin, P. Gura, J. Klinkowitz A. Krupat (Eds.), The Norton Anthology Of American Literature (pp. 226-230). New York, NY: W W Norton Co Inc.

Literature Review What Is Corporate Social Responsibility Management Essay

Literature Review What Is Corporate Social Responsibility Management Essay CSR  is the concept in which companies consider the interests of society by taking responsibility for the impact of their activities on customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, communities and the environment in all aspects of their operations.  This obligation is seen to extend beyond the statutory obligation to comply with legislation and sees companies voluntarily taking further steps to improve the quality of life for employees and their families, as well as for the local community and society at large. According to Eric Orts of the University of Pennsylvania, Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has gained more interest in the past decades but it dates back to the 1930s. Just before World War II, German industrialist Walter Rathenau claimed that business corporations had become very large and that they had grown to be a significant part of the society. According to Rathenau, even though fundamentally a corporations intent is the pursuit of private interests and profits for owners of the company, they are increasingly bearing the marks of an undertaking and, to an increasing degree, have been serving the public interest (Kessler, 1930). Further, philosophers John Dewey and James H. Tufts, in their book ethics (1908), raised the concept that it is not sufficient to view companies as purely economic machines and that companies should be involved in public duty as well. Then 65 years later Davis in 1973 stated that, Corporate Social Responsibility of the firm is the firms consideratio ns of, and response to, issues beyond the narrow economic, technical, and legal requirements of the firm to accomplish social and environmental benefits along with the traditional economic gains which the firm seeks. In 2004, Sir Stephen Timms, U.K. Minister for CSR, Royal Institute for International Affairs suggested that Economic progress through a fair and open world trading system is essential to tackle poverty and ensure a safer more secure world for everyone now and for future generations. The challenges remain of ensuring that the benefits of that progress reach all sectors in all countries and are not at the expense of the environment. According to Hamann, 2006 the restructuring of the role of business in the quest of sustainable development has been an objective since the mid1990s. He also stated that businesses had to respond to this changing societal expectation by increasingly redefining and justifying their involvement in developmental issues in terms of corporate social responsibility. Regardless of whether one accepts or rejects CSR premise, the idea of CSR presupposes that businesses have obligations towards the society that go beyond profit-making to include helping to solve social and ecological problems. In the November of 2007, the Irish President Mary McAleese used the occasion of her address to the Annual Dinner of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland to air some questions about the nature of corporate social responsibility in Ireland. She said corporate responsibility is about mainstreaming the best social and environmental practice right through the length and breadth of business operations. It is difficult to see how it can be described as anything other than good news for society. In June of 2007, an online survey was published in the magazine Accountancy Ireland and in the words of one of the respondent from the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ireland the Corporate social responsibility is simply about giving a damn, or to quote another statement by one of the members CSR means ensuring that through the activities of the company, society in its broadest sense is treated with the respect that you as an individual would expect to be treated. In the words of Ludescher and Mahsud, 2010, corporate social responsibility (CSR) refers to any activity that promotes the welfare of any stakeholder of a business corporation. Sometimes CSR refers to philanthropic programs targeting communities or employees. Other times it refers to commitments to promote the welfare of suppliers. It also refers to a variety of activities designed to enhance environmental stewardship or environmental sustainability. More generally, it refers to the vague intention to better society or corporate citizenship. When used very loosely, the term can be conflated with general ethical practices with regard to customers, investors, or any other stakeholder. In short, the term has a variety of meanings and applications. As it is used today, it can be applied to every business in all industries. According to Responsible Business Guide, 2010 at its core CSR is equal to a responsible business. It states that good business have always been about being socially responsible. Like quality, integrity, honest dealing and long term trust balanced by stewardship of resources, fair profits and public accountability. The guide also clearly mentions that a business must certainly fulfill basic social responsibilities in any case and for which charity cannot be used as a substitute. Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop states, There is no more powerful institution in society than business and the business of business should not be about money, it should be about responsibility. It should be about public good and not private greed (Responsible Business Guide, 2010). Also, Stephen Frost, CSR Asia said that the lesson is simple: if companies dont pay enough attention to what people say about them or act quickly, then there is a real chance that information can be potentially harmful. The China State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, believes that the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an idea that enterprises can and should take responsibility for their impacts on society and environment as they pursue profits. The concept has been variously defined, and is also used interchangeably with terms such as corporate citizenship, business in society and business and sustainable development. Each has a slightly different flavor and history. Fulfilling social responsibility requires central enterprises to be human-oriented, stick to scientific development, and be responsible to stakeholders and environment, so as to achieve the harmony between enterprises growth, society and environment. The Draft ISO26000 guidelines define CSR as, The responsibility of a company for the impacts of its decisions and activities on society and the environment, through transparent and ethical behavior that contributes to the sustainable development, health and the welfare of society; takes into account the expectations of stakeholders; is in compliance with applicable law; is consistent with international norms of behavior; and is integrated throughout the company. Also, according to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development Corporate Social Responsibility means, The continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development, while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large. Well, CSR is no silver bullet for social change. The author states that collaborative action and partnership with the voluntary, community and public sectors are needed to see signi ¬Ã‚ cant and sustainable change. Expectations of CSR should, however, be realistic yet ambitious. (Staples, 2004) Different authors and agencies have different takes on explaining the meaning of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in their own words. Their basic stand is the same difference visible is that they keep adding new views to it. 1.2 Evolution of CSR In the last 15 years or so the idea of CSR has become an integral part of any business organization. In this period through consolidation and specialization had emerged the three waves of CSR, which are different but coinciding. The first wave began in the beginning of 1990s called the compliance wave. During this time international agencies promoted a number of CSR reporting standards to assure the consumers that the supply chain of various branded products was clean. This wave on the world wide basis started a drive for certification for quality and a third party verification of factory claims about labour standards, social and environmental performance. A number of verifiable corporate social responsibility standards evolved during this wave. The second wave began in the mid-1990s and it was termed as the triple bottom line wave. During this wave all the attention was focused on organizations way of running the business in relation to the environmental, social and financial impact on the society. This wave influenced organizations to come up with a number of articles convincing the businessmen that triple bottom line was a fruitful investment that would pay back through an enhanced marketing image and cost savings. This idea of the TPL being helpful gave birth to an entire industry which prepared the organizations for TBL. This wave made the companies conscious of their image and made them take up projects which were pro-environment and pro-society. The concept of triple bottom line successfully developed the phenomenon that CSR is a driver of any business and described various ways of measuring the impact of the business on both the environment and the society. This wave overlapped the first wave for about five years. The third wave emerged in the mid-2000s and it was termed as the responsible competitiveness wave. Organizations entered this wave with an understanding that in any way CSR does not state that the business should lose out on its profits and the responsible behaviour of an organization can yield concrete rewards. In other words any business that was following responsible practices, the market would systematically and comprehensively reward that business. On the other hand any organization was punished if they showed any kind of disregard to the social and environmental expectations. In Pakistan an industry wide research was conducted in the year 2004 and in almost all the cases it was evident that financial performance of businesses increased with increase in social performance. Responsibly competitive markets presume a society that is both aware of its rights as consumers and carefully uses its purchasing power to regulate corporate behaviour. The wave uses powerful communication too ls and the media of the information age to react quickly to the professed corporate behaviour, good or bad. Evidence indicates that organizations who impose their image as a responsible business would gain an advantage of altering societys expectations from them. (Responsible Business Guide: A Toolkit for Winning Companies, 2010) 1.3 Who does CSR? With industrialization, the impacts of business on society and the environment assumed an entirely new dimension. The corporate paternalists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries used some of their wealth to support philanthropic ventures. By the 1920s discussions about the social responsibilities of business had evolved into what we can recognize as the beginnings of the modern CSR movement. In 1929, the Dean of Harvard Business School, Wallace B. Donham, commented within an address delivered at Northwestern University: Business started long centuries before the dawn of history, but business as we now know it is new new in its broadening scope, new in its social significance. Business has not learned how to handle these changes, nor does it recognize the magnitude of its responsibilities for the future of civilization. http://www.brass.cf.ac.uk/uploads/History_L3.pdf Historians of corporate social responsibility generally agree that the concept emerged in the 1930s and 1940s. It became formalized in 1953 with the publication of Social Responsibilities of the Businessman, a book by Howard Bowen. (Dick Jones Communications, 2010) CSR has now found its way in almost every country. The difference visible is the magnitude on which it is followed and used to ones benefit. CSR was religiously followed by developed countries like United Kingdom and United States of America; they are two the developed countries where it is quite popular and now it is steadily growing in a large number of developing countries. CSR reporting is being followed by not only big multinational companies but also SMEs. The number of companies reporting on CSR has been increasing at a fair pace. In practice, much of the business activity that has so far been labeled CSR has been driven by the concerns of investors, companies, campaign groups and consumers based in the worlds richest countries such as United States of America, United Kingdom, France, Australia, Germany among others. National CSR agendas in middle and low-income countries have been less visible internationally, and have often not been labeled CSR. The result has been CSR practices that are largely framed in rich countries, then internationalized and transferred to other businesses and social settings through international trade, investment, and development assistance. The strategic challenge for governments at national and local levels is how best to shape an agenda that has been largely market-driven and responsive to concerns of rich country stakeholders. Over the past five years or so, governments, companies and NGOs in many middle-and-low-income countries have accelerated a process of adaptation of the dev eloped-country-driven CSR agenda through greater direct engagement. CSR movements and initiatives have emerged in countries such as China, India, South Africa, the Philippines and Brazil, among others. (CSR and Developing Countries, 2007) Moving on from countries that follow CSR to companies that follow CSR, Europes top 100 companies have significantly increased the level of ethical reporting in their annual statements. In 1992 only 12 percent of Europes top firms included a statement of ethical policy in their annual reports, compared with 80 percent in 2003. Also, 96 percent of UK companies say that environmental and social transparency is as important as transparency in economic and businesses issues; non-financial reporting is still widely seen as a PR or marketing tool. (Financial Management, 2003) In 2005, 360 different CSR-related shareholder resolutions were filed on issues ranging from labor conditions to global warming. Government regulation increasingly mandates social responsibility reporting. These pressures clearly demonstrate the extent to which external stakeholders are seeking to hold companies accountable for social issues and highlight the potentially large financial risks for any firm whose conduct is deemed unacceptable. Of the 250 largest multinational corporations in the world, 64% published CSR reports in 2005, either within their annual report or, for most, in separate sustainability reports supporting a new cottage industry of report writers. (Porter Kramer, 2006) According to a recent KPMG study (2005), CSR reporting has changed from purely environmental to concentrating on sustainability and has now become mainstream practice among the top 250 companies of the Fortune 500. In addition to CSR reporting, more than 1000 corporations in Europe and the US have developed or signed codes of conduct governing their social, environmental and ethical practices, and more than 2000 corporations now report on these practices. (Money Schepers, 2007) It also matters a lot for the global economy to what extent small businesses decide to engage in CSR activities. Although it is much more complex to identify, investigate and communicate CSR in the small business, the author believes this area deserves more attention due to its potential impact on the global economy. The grand impact of small businesses CSR engagement on state and civil society has been severely underestimated by researchers and policy-makers. SMEs are motivated, challenged and engaged in CSR issues in many very different ways compared with large  ¬Ã‚ rms. However, the author states that more research is needed to understand in detail the conditions and strategies for SMEs to adopt CSR practices. Research shows that an improved understanding of current CSR practices in SMEs has the potential of stimulating a high impact for the global economy and society as well as for the SMEs themselves. Beyond multinational companies, which pioneered in this  ¬Ã‚ eld with conspicuous efforts, SMEs are developing new tools and approaches to manage social and environmental issues within the scope of their strategic and competitive activities. (Morsing Perrini, 2009) 1.4 Why is it done? In the 21st century marketplace the organizations are becoming more conscious of their overall image and how the world looks at them. The organizations are conscious of human rights and of being economically, socially and environmentally active and responsible. The organizations are being pressurized from different directions to follow ethical practices in business an example being the Companies Act 2006 enshrining in law the concept of enlightened shareholder value, a form of corporate social responsibility, in place of a directors traditional common law duty of loyalty. Researchers have found a strong correlation between social performance and financial performance of a business and it can be proved by stating that now days consumers are well aware of the companies who are socially and environmentally more responsible, especially in the developed countries consumers are placing more importance on the social responsibility of firms. However, the scale and nature of the benefits of c orporate social responsibility (CSR) go beyond the financial ones and can include benefits such as improved perceptions of the company, proactive management of risk, building loyalty-based customers on account of distinctive ethical values etc. Concerns about corporate social responsibility have grown significantly during the last two decades. Not only has the issue become commonplace in the business press and among business and political leaders but a body of academic literature has also emerged around it. Nevertheless, little theoretical attention has been paid to understanding why or why not corporations act in socially responsible ways. (Campbell, 2007) Governments, activists, and the media have become adept at holding companies to account for the social consequences of their activities. Myriad organizations rank companies on the performance of their corporate social responsibility (CSR), and, despite sometimes questionable methodologies, these rankings attract considerable publicity. As a result, CSR has emerged as an inescapable priority for business leaders in every country. Many companies awoke to it only after being surprised by public responses to issues they had not previously thought were part of their business responsibilities. Nike, for example, faced an extensive consumer boycott after the New York Times and other media outlets reported abusive labor practices at some of its Indonesian suppliers in the early 1990s. Shell Oils decision to sink the Brent Spar, an obsolete oil rig, in the North Sea led to Greenpeace protests in 1995 and to international headlines. Pharmaceutical companies discovered that they were expected t o respond to the AIDS pandemic in Africa even though it was far removed from their primary product lines and markets. Fast-food and packaged food companies are now being held responsible for obesity and poor nutrition. Activist organizations of all kinds, both on the right and the left, have grown much more aggressive and effective in bringing public pressure to bear on corporations. Activists may target the most visible or successful companies merely to draw attention to an issue, even if those corporations actually have had little impact on the problem at hand. Nestlà ©, for example, the worlds largest purveyor of bottled water, has become a major target in the global debate about access to fresh water, despite the fact that Nestlà ©s bottled water sales consume just 0.0008% of the worlds fresh water supply. The inefficiency of agricultural irrigation, which uses 70% of the worlds supply annually, is a far more pressing issue, but it offers no equally convenient multinational co rporation to target. Debates about CSR have moved all the way into corporate boardrooms. In 2005, 360 different CSR-related shareholder resolutions were filed on issues ranging from labor conditions to global warming. Government regulation increasingly mandates social responsibility reporting. Pending legislation in the UK, for example, would require every publicly listed company to disclose ethical, social, and environmental risks in its annual report. These pressures clearly demonstrate the extent to which external stakeholders are seeking to hold companies accountable for social issues and highlight the potentially large financial risks for any firm whose conduct is deemed unacceptable. (Porter Kramer, 2006) According to G.K. Kanji and P.K. Chopra (2010), there are various factors responsible for the steep rise in the number of corporations adopting CSR. First, consumers across the globe are becoming more and more aware of the environmental and social implications of their purchases and hence they take these issues into consideration when making their decisions. Second, globalization has given rise to new challenges for corporations in terms of government regulations, tariffs, varying standards, ethical issues, environmental restrictions, labor exploitation, and so on. These issues can be very costly for corporations, and hence corporations have to use socially responsible policies. There are several possible explanations for this increased attention in the UK to CSR issues. There are three speci ¬Ã‚ c ones: a general increase in concerns about ethics in British society; heightened awareness of risk and risk management; and the growth in media exposure concerning CSR. Aguilera et al., (2006) According to Dawkins Ngunjiri, 2008 evidence suggests that consumers and other stakeholders prefer companies that embrace social responsibility there for; reporting social and environmental impacts along with financial results has become routine practice for companies. Unlike highly regulated financial reporting, corporate social responsibility reporting (CSRR) is generally left to the companies discretion. As a result, companies have adopted varying forms of reporting such as triple bottom line or conformed to the standards of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) such as the Global Reporting Initiative or Social Accountability International. There is an emerging stream of research examining how companies use CSRR to highlight their commitment to corporate social responsibility. To date, the research on CSRR has been focused primarily on Europe and the United States, but the emerging market economies that can quickly become corporate social responsibility (CSR) flashpoints are garne ring increased attention from researchers as well. Not only is it important for companies to engage in favorable CSR but also that they report those activities. KPMG published an International Survey of Corporate Sustainability Reporting to document the extent of company involvement in this practice. Clearly, company disclosures can lead to favorable perceptions of corporate governance, and investors use this information to make decisions. Outside of regulatory considerations, companies engage in CSRR for three primary reasons: (a) to maintain and enhance perceptions of legitimacy, (b) to manage the perceptions of key stakeholders, and (c) as a reflection of their corporate values. Legitimacy is a generalized perception that the actions of an entity are desirable, proper, or appropriate within some socially constructed system of norms, values, and beliefs. Consequently stakeholders, consumers, local communities, and NGOs can influence corporate behavior by arguing that a given practice does not conform to societal expectations or lacks legitimacy. Disclosures about CSR are one way that companies demonstrate their legitimacy to stakeholders. For instance, found that companies increased their environmental disclosures when their legitimacy was questioned due to environmental mishaps. According to Timothy M. Devinney (2009), there is an ongoing debate on the idea that what are the real costs and benefits of CSR reporting and this is due to the fact that very little evidence is available on this topic, for those with a narrow conception of CSR, the corporation has little, if any, obligation to the society other than the creation of economic rents that can accrue to the stakeholders with recognized rights to those rents. For those with an expansive view of CSR, the corporation should serve as an instrument of public policy by other means. For those seeking a compromise, CSR is something in between these two extremes. Although it is still contested whether corporations have social responsibilities beyond their wealth-generating function, there exists today increasing internal and external pressures on business organizations to fulfill broader social goals. The author further states that because business organizations are embedded in different national systems they experience divergent degrees of internal and external pressures to engage in social responsibility initiatives. The author further states that Orlitzky, Schmidt, and Rynes in 2003 provided a breakthrough in the CSR literature with meta-analytic evidence showing a significant positive effect of corporate social/environmental performance on corporate financial performance, and Mackey, and Barney in 2005 theorize with a supply and demand model that investing in socially responsible initiatives will maximize the market value of the firm. These studies should bring some closure on the long-running debate about whether it is in an organization s financial best interest to engage in CSR. Therefore, an important new line of inquiry within this field is no longer whether CSR works but, rather, what catalyzes organizations to engage in increasingly robust CSR initiatives and consequently impart social change. Aguilera et al., (2007) One persistent feature of debates about CSR is a deep skepticism about the intentions of companies. There is a recurrent suggestion that CSR activity is just window-dressing aimed at distracting attention from the real problems. The author asked this question to a number of the board directors working in various organizations and they all rejected this criticism. They claimed to be sincere in their desire to ensure that their companies behave responsibly in addressing the major social and environmental impacts associated with their business activities. (Mackenzie, 2007) There is an ongoing debate on the idea that do companies really report their activities to make a difference by presenting the various changes they make in the name of CSR or is it just a calculated effort to improve their image. It is very difficult to come to a conclusion on this debate as both in favor and against the above mentioned point have some strong arguments that they put forward. 1.5 Legitimacy and Stakeholder Theory in the case of CSR Legitimacy theory posits that organizations continually seek to ensure that they operate within the bounds and norms of their respective societies. These bounds and norms are not fixed, but change across time, thereby requiring the organization to be responsive. In a sense, there is a social contract between the organization and those affected by the organizations operations. The organization is expected to comply with the terms of this contract, and these expressed or implied terms are not static. An event study incorporating legitimacy theory was conducted by Patten (1992). Patten focused upon the change in the extent of environmental disclosures made by North American oil companies, other than Exxon Oil Company, both before and after the Exxon Valdez incident in Alaska in 1989. He argued that if the Alaskan oil spill resulted in a threat to legitimacy of the petroleum industry, and not just to Exxon, then legitimacy theory would suggest that companies operating within that industry would respond by increasing the amount of environmental disclosures in their annual reports. Pattens results indicate that there were increased environmental disclosures by the petroleum companies for the post-1989 period, consistent with a legitimation perspective. This disclosure reaction took place across the industry, even though the incident itself was primarily related to one oil company. Deegan and Gordon (1996) reviewed annual report corporate environmental disclosures made by Australian companies across the years from 1980 to 1991. They investigated the objectivity of corporate environmental disclosure practices and trends in environmental disclosures across time. They also sought to determine if environmental disclosures are related to concerns held by environmental groups about particular industries environmental performance. The results derived by their study confirm, among other findings, that; (1) increases in corporate environmental disclosures across time are positively associated with increases in the levels of environmental group membership; (2) Australian corporate environmental disclosures are overwhelmingly self-laudatory: and (3) there is a positive correlation between the environmental sensitivity of the industry to which the corporation belongs and the level of corporate environmental disclosure. Deegan and Gordon argue that the levels of corporate e nvironmental disclosures are associated with the legitimation process, whereby companies seek to attain the status of legitimacy. (Deegan Brown, 1998) Banks with a higher visibility among consumers seem to exhibit greater concern to improve the  corporate  image through  social  responsibility  information disclosure.  Results thus suggest that legitimacy  theory  may be an explanation of  social  responsibility  disclosure by Portuguese banks.   (Branco Rodrigues, 2006) Stakeholder theory is a theory of organizational management and ethics. Indeed all theories of strategic management have some moral content, though it is often implicit. This is not to say that all such theories are moral, as opposed to immoral. Moral content in this case means that the subject matter of the theories are inherently moral topics (i.e., they are not amoral). Stakeholder theory is distinct because it addresses morals and values explicitly as a central feature of managing organizations. The ends of cooperative activity and the means of achieving these ends are critically examined in stakeholder theory in a way that they are not in many theories of strategic management. Stakeholder theory is conceived in terms that are explicitly and unabashedly moral. Managing for stakeholders involves attention to more than simply maximizing shareholder wealth. Attention to the interests and well-being of those who can assist or hinder the achievement of the organizations objectives is the central admonition of the theory. (Phillips et al., 2003) The social responsibility of business has become a major issue in recent years and the reporting of such activity is becoming more prevalent. Companies are attuning to the benefits of being seen as socially responsibly and many industries are jumping on the bandwagon of reporting CSR and using different media to communicate their activities in this arena to their stakeholders. Companies are attuning to the benefits of being seen as socially responsibly and many industries are jumping on the bandwagon of reporting CSR and using different media to communicate their activities in this arena to their stakeholders. The article considers the content of one type of such communications, the annual report,

Descriptive Research Vs Analytical Research Economics Essay

Descriptive Research Vs Analytical Research Economics Essay Malaysia began develop its construction industry since independence. More than half of capital formation consists of work in construction (Lewis, 1955). Hence, the expansion of capital is a function the rate at which the construction industry can be expanded. This can be seen in the initial economic plan (1956-1960) where it was basically a development expenditure plan. The primary concern was developing infrastructure during independence because of its inadequacy. In order for the nations economy to prosper, the construction industry has to be developed first for the economy to take a one step further (Abdul Razak Bin Ibrahim, 1999). The Malaysian construction industry is generally separated into two areas: General construction It comprises residential construction, non-residential construction and civil engineering construction. Special trade works It comprises activities of metal works, electrical works, plumbing, sewerage and sanitary works, refrigeration and air-conditioning works, painting works, carpentry, tiling and flooring works, glass works and etc. The construction industry makes up an important part of the Malaysian economy due to the amount of industry linked to it such as those for basic metal products and electrical machinery. Hence, the construction industry could be described as a substantial economic driver for Malaysia (Abdul Razak Bin Ibrahim, 1999). According to Productivity Report 2011/2012, analysis of productivity growth over three year intervals (2007-2009 and 2009-2011) showed that Malaysia achieved higher productivity growth during the later period (2.8%) as compared to the earlier period (1.9%). However, over a five year period, the growth was 3.2% as showed in Table 1.1. Figure 1. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Employment and Productivity Growth, 2007-2011 Table 1. Productivity and GDP Growth, 2007-2011 Productivity growth of the construction sector grew by 3.1% to RM 24,635 in 2011 from RM 23,898 in 2010 (Figure 1.2). The implementation of Industrialised Building System (IBS) in major projects, residential and non-residential sub-sectors contributed to the productivity of the construction sector (Malaysia Productivity Corporation, 2012). Figure 1. Productivity Level and Growth of the Construction Sector, 2007-2011 Through the Productivity Report 2011/2012, it reflects that the construction sector is in a rapid growth phase, having expanded by nearly 19% on an annual basis in the first half of 2012. According to the governments figures, the sector will manage growth of 15.5% in 2012 as a whole, up from 4.6% in 2011. In 2013 it is forecast to grow by a further 11.2%, a projection that is in line with Timetrics forecasts (Richards, 2012). Construction industry plays an important role in generating wealth and improving the quality of life for Malaysian through the translation of governments socio-economic policies into social and economic infrastructure and buildings. The demand for property or housing is increasingly from times to times either due to increase in population, immigration or investment purpose. In order to fulfil the demand, supply of housing or other property has to be increased. Besides, after the announcement regarding My First Home Scheme by the Government in Budget 2011, the desires of the youngsters to own a house are stronger. As the demand is higher, the construction industry has to embark more projects such as residential development to meet the demand. The construction industry creates a multiplier effect to other industries, including manufacturing, financial services, and professional services. In order to run a project, human resources such as labours and the professionals like Quantity Surveyor, Architect, and Engineer are required. Although there is increase in number of human resources, construction productivity is one of the issues to be concerned. Construction labour productivity is often influenced by variations in work conditions and management effectiveness. It is substantially important to understand the nature and extent to which individual parameters affect productivity. Rationale for the Research The construction industry plays a significant role in all developed and developing countries. Due to its critical importance to the profitability of most construction projects, productivity is regarded as one of the most frequently discussed topics in the construction industry (Hancher DE, 1998). Construction productivity is always related to how well, how quickly, and at what cost buildings and infrastructure can be constructed. It will directly affect prices for homes and consumer goods and the robustness of the national economy. Construction productivity will also affect the outcomes of national efforts resources; to develop high-performance green buildings; and to remain competitive in the global market. Construction productivity has been steadily on the decline over the last decade and construction labour efficiency has often been cited as poor (Stokes, 1980). The level of productivity in construction showed a decreasing rate compared to other sectors (Bernstein, 2007). Many studies have attempted to improve construction labour productivity via different ways for examples, studying the factors affecting construction labour productivity, measuring and evaluating labour productivity; modelling construction labour productivity; and comparing labour productivity based on economic considerations or costs. Construction workers are not machines, always behaving the same way under the same conditions. Even under apparently identical work conditions, different productivity values might be obtained. The productivity for the same work item is not constant throughout the construction period, and varies at different stages of the production (Lam, 2001). Variability is shown to be a key factor in the behaviour of construction labour productivity (Thomas Hr, 1999). In addition, the effect of the factors on productivity may vary from task to task. Although some factors could have similar influences on the productivity of a number of tasks, their rate of impact on productivity may be different (Sonmez R, 1998). Labour productivity is said as the factor affecting the construction productivity. In order to further improve construction productivity, continuous efforts have to be put in from times to times to identify the factors affect labour productivity, the effects of poor labour productivity and the ways to improve labour productivity. Are labourers the main cause in affecting construction productivity? Are the factors caused by labourers themselves or their superiors or surrounding environments or other reasons? Have anyone do really put in their efforts to improve the construction labour productivity? How labour productivity affect the entire construction productivity? Queries on construction labour productivity are appearing continuously. Throughout this research, readers should have a depth understanding on construction labour productivity. Aim and Objectives In order to find out the answer of queries on construction labour productivity, the aim for this report is to study the issues on construction labour productivity in Malaysia. This can be achieved by study the objectives below: To investigate the factors affect the construction labour productivity. To identify the consequences caused by construction labour productivity. To recommend ways for improvement on construction labour productivity. Scope and Limitation This research is delimited to construction labour productivity and will focus on Malaysian construction industry. The data for this research will made up of general construction workers, site supervisors, contractors, quantity surveyors and developers mainly in Kuala Lumpur area. Respondents are expected to have varying levels of construction experience, training and knowledge so that a data that closely mirrored the current make-up of the construction workforce can be collected. 100 sets of survey forms will be distributed and 50 sets of survey forms expected to be completed. Chapter Outline This report consists of 5 chapters. There are: Chapter 1: Introduction In this chapter, roles of construction industry towards economics and construction productivity will be described. Besides, in this chapter, aim and objectives will be discussed as well as overview of current construction labour productivity. Chapter 2: Literature Review The literature on the performance approach will be reviewed in this chapter. It will illustrate existing literature and research work related to construction labour productivity. Definition of labour productivity, factors affect labour productivity, its effects and solutions will be described. Chapter 3: Research Methodology In this chapter, introduction and definition of research, type of research, data collection methods, research design and data analysis method will be discussed in order to achieve the aim and objectives of this study. Chapter 4: Findings and Discussions Results from survey questionnaires will be analyzed and discussed in this chapter. The survey questionnaire is aimed to obtain labour, consultants, contractors and developers or clients view of opinion on construction labour productivity in Malaysian construction industry. In addition, personal interview will be conducted to obtain more information on construction labour productivity. Chapter 5: Conclusions and Recommendations This chapter will outline the research findings, summary of this study, and recommendations for future study. Literature Review Research Methodology Introduction Based on Oxford Dictionaries, research is defined as a systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions (Oxford Dictionaries). The Advanced Learners Dictionary of Current English defines the meaning of research as a careful investigation or inquiry specially through search for new facts in any branch of knowledge (The Advanced Learners Dictionary of Current English, 1952). Redman and Mory had defined research as a systematized effort to gain new knowledge (Mory, 1923). In this chapter, types of research, data collection methods, research design and data analysis will be discussed. The research method for this study to achieve the aim and objectives will be described in this chapter. Types of Research Generally, the basic types of research are as follow: Applied/ Action Research vs Fundamental Research Descriptive Research vs Analytical Research Quantitative Research vs Qualitative Research Conceptual Research vs Empirical Research Applied/ Action Research vs Fundamental Research Applied or action research is carried out to find solution to solve problems facing by a society or a business or industrial organisation. However, fundamental research which is also known as basic or pure research is mainly concern on gathering of knowledge for knowledges sake without any intention to apply it in practice. Descriptive Research vs Analytical Research Descriptive research is a surveys and fact-finding investigation. It is aims to describe the characteristics of individual, situation or a group or the state of affairs as it exists at present. Researcher has no control over the variables and researcher has to report the actual conditions. On the other hand, analytical research is a critical evaluation based on information that is available and primarily concerned with testing hypothesis; specifying and interpreting relationships by analyze the facts or existing information. Quantitative Research vs Qualitative Research Quantitative research is objective in nature. It is defined as an inquiry into a social or human problem, based on testing a hypothesis or a theory composed of variables, measured with numbers, and analysed with statistical procedures, in order to determine whether the hypothesis or the theory hold true (Creswell, 1994). Quantitative data are hard and reliable; they are measurements of tangible, countable, sensate features of the world (Bouma and Atkinson, 1995). In short, quantitative research is measuring the quantity or amount of particular phenomena by the use of statistical analysis. On the other hand, qualitative research is subjective in nature. It is a non-quantitative type of analysis which is aimed at finding out the quality of a particular phenomenon. It emphasises meanings, experiences, description and etc (Naoum, 1998). Conceptual Research vs Empirical Research Conceptual research is related to some abstract ideas or theories. It is generally used by philosophers and thinkers to develop new concepts or to reinterpret existing ones, whereas, empirical research relies on experience or observation alone. Empirical research is aimed at coming up with conclusions without due regard for system and theory. Empirical research is appropriate when proof is sought that certain variables affect other variables in some way. Data Collection Statistical tools are used to transform data into useful information. However, data must be available before the decision maker can use the statistical tools. Data are available from many sources, both within the company or site. There are several ways of collecting appropriate data which differ considerably in context of money costs, time and other resources at the disposal of the researcher. The sources of data collection can be categorized into primary data and secondary data. Primary data refers to the raw data that collected through experiments or questionnaire surveys, where secondary data refers to the data obtained from site daily, progress report, progress payment, national productivity statistics. The major advantage of primary data is accuracy of data because it is collected by the researcher but it is costly and time consuming. Secondary data is quicker and cheaper as compared to primary data but the data may not meet the specific needs. If the researcher conducts an experiment, he can observes some quantitative measurements or data with the help of the truth in hypothesis that has made earlier. However in the case of survey, data can be collected through observation, personal interview, telephone interview, survey questionnaire or case studies. Observation is the simple way to gather data without interviewing respondents. The information obtained relates to current condition and is not complicated by either past behaviour or future intentions or attitudes of respondents. Undeniable, this method can obtain accurate information but it is time consuming, costly, and sometimes, people reluctant to cooperate. During personal interview, interviewer follows a rigid procedure and seeks answers to a set of pre-conceived questions through personal interviews. The data obtained through personal interview is usually carried out in a structured way where output depends upon the ability of the interviewer to a large extent. Telephone interview can obtain data rapidly with relatively low cost compared to others and do not require travelling for face-to-face contact. It can reach wide range of respondents. However, as this method is carried out through telephone, the respondents might not will to share opinions with strangers or they may tell lie. Thus, this is not suitable for long survey as respondents might feel annoying and difficult to prove the validity of survey. Survey questionnaire can be posted to the respondents together with self-stamped answer sheets or via on-line survey. This method is widely used. This the cheapest way to obtain data and can reach respondents working outstation. The survey question can be set up to 5 pages. However, the cons are that the rate of response is low, answers may be biased and respondents take longer time to respond. For case studies, cross comparison of cases have to be done in order to have fully understanding on clients experiences in a program. It fully depicts clients experience in program input, process and results. It is powerful means to portray program to outsiders. However, it is time consuming either to collect, organize or describe. It represents depth of information rather than breadth. In short, there are different types of method to collect data with their own pros and cons. Time, cost and accuracy are the main constrains to choose an appropriate data collection method. Few data collection methods can be chosen at the same time to obtain maximum accuracy. Research Design Data Analysis Conclusion

Creative Story: If At First You Dont Succeed :: essays research papers

Creative Story: If At First You Don't Succeed "Eureka!" Sam excitedly exclaimed. "I've done it! I'm set for life and my happiness is assured. With this new invention I'll be honored for my brilliance, and I might even win the nobel prize!" he chirped ecstatically. Sam was a chicken, the great great great grandson of the Not-So-Great Chixken Little, who, in case the reader is ignorant, was the chick who thought the sky was falling and got everyone eaten by a crafty old fox [SIC]. Sam was a well built chicken, quite muscular in fact, and extremely inventive, but, unfortunately, he had no brains when it came to reality. His motto was: " If at first you don't succeed, try, try again," and he would never give up even if there was no way he could win. To this very day he still has an annual football game against a childhood friend, Bono, who is a prize winning, full grown bull. (In case the reader hasn't discovered it, after every game, Sam has a visit to the hospital where he is an infamous character, continually joked about by the nurses and doctors who work there.) *** "You may see Mr. Monty now, sir," the secretary informed Sam. He nervously eyed the door in front of him. The big, bold lettering stated: MR. JP MONTY EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT Doubts about his ability to make a good impression entered his mind, but Sam immediatly gathered himself together, glanced back at the sheep secretary, and entered the room. THe stately pig sat behind a magnificently carved oak desk in the most luxurious office Sam had ever seen. A plush oriental rug covered the floor from wall to wall, and paintings, pictures, and diplomas adorned the brightly colored walls. Extremely expensive ornaments were conspicuously displayed, spreading a DO-Not-Touch atmosphere around the room. But the room was nothing compared to the pig lounged in the sleek, black, leather chair. He was not fat, he was immense, he had one of those stomachs that literally hung over his waistband. His four chins wiggled like Jell-O as he turned his chubby head to face Sam. "Yeees," Mr. JP Monty stated suggestively. " Sir, this is your lucky day! I am the esteemed architect of the greatest invention of all time, and I have picked you, to invest in it. This will certainly earn you enormous profits ince the public gets ahold of my wonderful creation. What do you say sir? Are you with me or not? I know that if you decide to endorse my idea, then you will be greatly rewarded in the future,

History of Fashion Essay -- Fashion Style clothing Historical Essays

History of Fashion Fashion is defined as a style of dress that is popular during a certain time or era (?Fashion?, 1). It often changes and reflects a persons? social class in old days. In modern times it reflects personality. Fads come and go as people find new and different things to like. Until the 20th century fashion changed very slowly. In the 20th century fashions change as quickly as lightning because of mass production and fast moving society. About every 10 years a totally new kind of dress is in style. Fashion is affected in many ways. Inventions and good economy bring many changes with it. Wars and bad economy bring plain fashion that stays for a while (?Fashion Through the Ages?, 1). Fashion often seems to go in a big loop repeating itself over and over again. Women?s fashion has changed and gone from fancy to simple and easy to wear. Here is a quick view of fashion from BC times to the future!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In ancient times clothing was simple, based more on function than style. Men and women wore a big rectangular piece of wool six feet wide and about a foot and a half taller than the person. The wool was wrapped around the person and pinned on the shoulder with a broach. Fabric was mainly white or off-white, but never bright colored. In fact red was forbidden for commoners. Hair was mainly worn in braids or covered by fabric draped like a hood.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With the spread of Christianity, clothing in medieval times became modest. Although the basic tunic style dress was still used, it became longer and sleeves were added. Heavier fabric was used and shoes replaced sandals. Increase in trade made for more extravagant fabrics and embellishments on clothing. Hair was worn down often with a jewel in it. The really wealthy and nobility experimented with extreme styles from vibrant color to hooked shoes to cone shaped hats in order to separate themselves from the middle class.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many changes came with the Renaissance period, with the rise of art fashion changed. Dresses became shorter and princess cut. Puffed sleeves, high collars and hoop skirts were the thing to wear. Slashing, or wearing two layers and cutting the outer layer was fashionable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Modesty came back with Elizabethan times. Queen Elizabeth had clothes covered every part of a persons body sleeves became tight instead of puffed and waist lines were straight. Gowns were worn by ... ...Sleek simple or choppy hair styles were seen as cute. Jeans were narrow and black in the beginning and became flared or relaxed with everything from glitter to studs to dress it up at the end of the 90?s. Any kind of shirt could be paired with jeans, from revealing belly shirts to classy blouses to comfortable t-shirts. Animal prints and camouflage were just a couple of prints that made their home in the 90?s (?Fashion Era?, 41). No matter what you were wearing in the 90?s it was sure to be a designer brand.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fashion has and always will repeat in a cycle. It seems to be cycling from elaborate to minimal as our lives become more complex due to technology. I think fashion will continue to be unpredictable. Many times movies and television have predicted how the future population would dress with no success. One thing is for sure, fashion will continue to be unique to the individual who wears it and express for them what they may not say with words. Works Cited ?Fashion.? Encyclop?dia Britanica. 2002 ed. ?Fashion Era.? Fashion History and Costume Era. Fashion-era. 23 Nov. 2003 ?Fashion Through the Ages.? The Evolution of Fashion. Bharat Textile. 19 Nov. 2003   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Models of cultural differences Essay

There are several different theories and models of cultural differences. Let us detect key dimensions that characterise different cultures. The work of Hall, Hofstede, Trompenaars and many others who study national cross-cultural differences has been invaluable in the area of cross-cultural studies. Edward Hall is a prominent cultural anthropologist. His theoretical framework includes a concept known as the context of culture or communication. Basically Hall argued that there is a continuum extending from a low to high degree of intense socialization within cultural groups. Hall introduces five dimensions as follows: 1. Space: Different cultures have different attitudes towards space. Social distance varies by culture. He revealed that there are different spatial zones that cultures will use for communication. For example among those of Anglo-Saxon heritage, in the United States, there is an intimate zone that extends from 0 to 18 inches from a person. Only close relations will communicate this closely. However, some cultures prefer much closer contact. For example, in many Arab cultures contact is so close that individuals frequently can smell the breaths and odours. 2. Material Goods: Such goods are used for power and status. 3. Friendship: Interpersonal relationships vary considerably across cultures. 4. Time: Linear time cultures take time and deadlines very seriously, in a very rationalist sense. Time is structured, sequential and linear. Hall distinguished between monochronic and polychronic time. Monochronic people and cultures prefer focusing on a single task at a time, and completing one task before beginning another. Polychronic cultures have the ability to focus on multiple priorities simultaneously. 5. Agreement: Expressing agreement and disagreement varies by culture. In some cultures the detailed written contract is essential to agreement, while in others a handshake is sufficient. An interesting study highlighting cultural orientations toward time was completed by Trompenaars. The point of that study was to determine time orientation of different cultures. This national study on time orientation revealed that countries such as Germany and the United States were primarily present and future oriented. Conversely, France was found to be much more focused on the past. Trompenaars develops his parameters of national cultures in such pair oppositions: 1. Universalism – Particularism: The universalist approach means that what is good and right applies everywhere, while the particularist emphasises the obligations of relationships. 2. Collectivism – Individualism: that indicates the relative closeness of the relationship between social group members. 3. Neutral – Emotional: Some cultures are affective in that they show emotions while others are neutral, control and subdue their emotions. 4. Specific – Diffuse: In specific oriented cultures the manager separates the work relationships with subordinates from other dealings with them. 5. Status: While some cultures give status on the basis of achievement, others ascribe it on the basis of age, class, gender, education, etc. 6. Sequential – Synchronic: In the former cultures time is treated as a sequence of events while on later cultures a number of events are juggled at the same time. 7. Inner-Directed – Outer-Directed: The former cultures believe that they can and should control nature while the later go along with nature. Hofstede (1991) defines culture as mental programming or the software of the mind. Hofstede identifies five national culture dimensions as follows (Hofstede, 1980), (Hofstede, 1991): 1. Power Distance that is the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organisations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally. 2. Individualism-Collectivism that indicates the relative closeness of the relationship between team members. 3. Masculinity-Femininity that identifies the sexuality of roles in society and the degree to which a society allows overlap between the roles of men and women. 4. Uncertainty Avoidance that is the extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by uncertain or unknown situations. 5. Long-term Orientation that is based on values of Confucianism showing to what degree do people value the future versus the past or present. The advantages of Hofstede’s dimensions include the fact that they are founded on outstanding psychological and sociological theories within the American and European traditions that are over 100 years old; they are empirically derived; they allow us to rank order nations on each dimension; and they are readily understandable by managers and students. While Hofstede’s dimensions provide an effective general approach for comparing the cultures of nations, they are not grounded to specific nations. His dimensions are designed to be culture-general rather than culture-specific. Moreover, Hofstede results are often hard to remember and difficult to use in daily cultural interactions. All of the above models are quite useful and have several strengths. However there are also some points of concern; some weakness that should be identified with respect to each model separately. Hall’s model is built on qualitative insights rather than quantitative data and does not rank different countries. Hofstede’s work has such main problems like it assumes that national territory corresponds to culture limits, omitting existing cultural non-uniformity in various countries included in the survey, or some of the dimensions effects overlap such as the small power distance characteristics with the feminine ones. For Trompenaars’ model the main problem is that the pool of informants is vaguely defined and lacks homogeneity, therefore the comparisons that are made between cultures are imprecise. References: Hall, E. T. & Hall, M. R. 1990 Understanding Cultural Differences, Intercultural Press. Hofstede, G. 1980 Cultures Consequences, Sage. Hofstede, G. 1991 Cultures and Organisations, McGraw-Hill. Trompenaars, F. 1993 Riding the Waves of Culture, Nicholas Brealey.