Plato - the Greater Part of the Stories Current Today We...

The Greater Part of the Stories Current Today We Shall Have to Reject The Influence of reading material and television on childrens abilities to distinguish between what is true and not true Throughout time and history, the concerns of many have been made regarding the influence of the media on children and our young people. Although media, its various forms and those who are in control of them have changed throughout as time has progressed, the concerns still are the same. Plato wrote about the influence that poets had on young people of his time in the same way that those who have analyzed this issue today have revealed the effects of literature and television on todays children. Plato strongly states in his writing The†¦show more content†¦If information given to us is filtered and improperly fluffed, how are we then left to analyze it appropriately and utilize it to our benefit as a learning experience or as an opportunity to analyze a situation or event without the clouding of censorship involved. With expecting writers to censor themselves as far as what they write is preposterous. Many individuals have so much within their minds that would be and could be beneficial for us as a part or whole to read, review or see on television that may dissuade us from a prejudice or situation, or allow us as humans to think things through, hopefully objectively, or even subjectively, without censorship. It is up to the parents of our children to ensure that what they are reading and seeing and hearing from the media is controlled. During the years of adolescence, the mind is very impressionable and it is difficult to remove various occurrences and images from a humans mind as they get older. Children would be able to get ideas regarding for example, school shootings and bringing guns to school from the media, based on news reports that occurred when the horrible Colombine High School shootings occurred. With viewing news reporting and editorials on a topic such as this, children can get ideas that this is ok to do andShow MoreRelatedSocrates As A Citizen Of Athens1563 Words   |  7 Pagesphilosophers as greater than everybody else. Socrates is a plague on our society and by acquitting him we the people have allowed his ideas to continue to poison our society. I am disappointed in the people of Athens for allowing this guilty man to go free. In a conversation about religion between Socrates and another it is said of the sacred texts â€Å"Then it seems that our first business is to supervise the production of stories, and choose only those we think suitable, and reject the rest. We shall persuadeRead MoreSources of Ethics20199 Words   |  81 PagesPROFESSIONAL: 102 3.0- CONCLUSION: 105 4.0-REFFERENCES 106 1.0- JOHN STEINER AND GEORGE STEINER SIX PRIMARY SOURCES OF ETHICS: Six primary sources have been identified in the American business area by ethics scholars George and john steiner as under: 1- Religion: The great world religion as we hav seen are: †¢ Judaism †¢ Christianity †¢ Islam The business people in this religion believe that their religion provides them with ethical principles/standardsRead MoreThe Importance of Considering Philosophical and Psychological Foundations in Developing a Curriculum.9983 Words   |  40 PagesIn the name of Allah, the most Gracious, the dispenser of Grace. 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The exceptions to this are the two essaysRead MoreEast African Culture Reflects on Their Drama Using Aminata, Echoes of Silence and I Will Marry When I Want as Case Study12168 Words   |  49 Pagesto examine with great scrutiny how people’s culture reflects on their drama. But for this write up we will be focusing majorly on east African experience examining the impact of east African culture on their drama. The cultural experience is grouped into three categories: the pre-colonial, colonial and the post colonial era using plays from notable east African writers as case study among which we have frances linbulga’s Aminata, Ngugi Wa thiongo’s I will marry when I want and John ruganda’s EchoesRead Moreethical decision making16006 Words   |  65 PagesDeveloping Community Values QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER After reading this chapter, you will know the answers to the following questions: 1. What is bioethics, and how is it important to the community nurse? 2. What is the ethics of virtue, and what part do virtues play in the practice of nursing? 3. What is meant by principle-based ethics? 4. How does Kant’s deontological approach differ from Mill’s utilitarian approach? 5. What role does each of the four major ethical concepts— beneï ¬ cenceRead MoreInternational Management67196 Words   |  269 PagesEDITION Published by McGraw-Hill, a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Copyright  © 2012 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Previous editions  © 2009, 2006, and 2003. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., including, but not limited to, in any network or otherRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesRiver, New Jersey 07458. Many of the designations by manufacturers and seller to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and the publisher was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed in initial caps or all caps. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Whetten, David A. (David Allred) Developing management skills /David A. Whetten, Kim S. Cameron.—8th ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and

British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd - Strategies...

Content Pages 1. Executive Summary 2 2. Introduction 3-4 3.1 Company Background 3 3.2 Organisation Structure 3 3.3 Cultural of Company 3 3.4 Leadership Style 4 3. Analysis 5-10 4.5 External Environment 4.6.1 General Environment – PESTEL Analysis 5 4.6.2 Industry Environment – Porter’s 5 Forces Analysis 6 4.6 Internal Environment 4.7.3 Vision/ Mission 7 4.7.4 Long Term Objectives/ Grand Strategies 7-8 4.7.5 Business Objectives/ Strategies – Value Chain†¦show more content†¦2. Introduction 3.1 Company Background British American Tobacco Malaysia (BAT (M)) that formed in 3rd November 1999 is merger between Rothmans of Pall Mall (M) Bhd. and Malaysia Tobacco Company Bhd., it is the children company under the British American Tobacco Group. BAT (M) had employed around 1,200 employees to carry out its business activities and there are 200 brands in BAT (M)’s portfolio that successfully distributed to worldwide. Core competence of BAT (M) is the strong financial support from the mother company and it ranked among 25 top companies on Bursa Malaysia in terms of capital. Besides that, it owned 61% of market shares in the tobacco industry of Malaysia (British American Tobacco Malaysia, 10th April 2012). 3.2 Organisation Structure Organisational Structure of BAT (M) is categorized as functional structure which classified in 5 functional groups (Appendix 1) that under the control of Board of Director (BOD). The current composition of BAT (M)’s BOD includes 4 Executive Directors and 3 Non-Executive Directors that come from different professional background (Appendix 2). Main duty of these BODs is to identify risk, examine and decide strategic plan, management of regulation and rules in the company. 3.3 Culture of Company Culture of BAT (M) on discussion and decision making is very concern about their employees as they are the key stakeholders andShow MoreRelatedKraft Annual Report99993 Words   |  400 PagesPart II Item 5. Item 6. Item 7. Business Risk Factors Unresolved Staff Comments Properties Legal Proceedings Market for Registrant s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities Selected Financial Data Management s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Discussion and Analysis Critical Accounting Policies Commodity Trends Liquidity Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements and Aggregate Contractual Obligations Equity and DividendsRead MoreGsk Annual Report 2010135604 Words   |  543 Pagesconditions Director and Senior Management remuneration Directors’ interests Directors’ interests in contracts 08 10 12 14 18 19 20 21 22 29 34 41 47 53 Business review This discusses our ï ¬ nancial and non-ï ¬ nancial activities, resources, development and performance during 2010 and outlines the factors, including the trends and the principal risks and uncertainties, which are likely to affect future development. Governance and remuneration This discusses our management structures and governance procedures

Economics Crude Oil in the Global Economy

Question: Discuss about theEconomics for Crude Oil in the Global Economy. Answer: Introduction Part 1 The price of crude oil has been falling over a considerable period of time. In 2015, the opening price of crude oil was relatively low as compared with the previous years and by the end of the year, the price was even lower the lowest since 2009 (Cunningham, 2015). The demand for crude oil in the global economy has been rising in the year 2015 though the growth in demand has slowed down thereafter (Ellyatt, 2015). This rising demand is mainly due to the rise in crude oil demand by the largest consumer of the product, that is, the U.S. where the oil demand is driving up due to falling prices and rising incomes (Clemente, 2015). The economic theory of the Law of Demand supports this relationship between the prices and the demand for crude oil. The law of demand states that the demand for a commodity is inversely related to its price. In 2015, the price of crude oil has dropped and the demand for the same has increased which reflects the inverse relationship given by the law of demand. This is illustrated in the following diagram: Figure 1.1 shows the inverse demand curve DD which represents the relationship between the price of crude oil and the quantity demanded of crude oil. When the price falls from P to P, the quantity demanded increases from Q to Q; hence the quantity demanded of crude oil increases as the price falls in the year 2015 (Krauss, 2016). Oil prices fell by 30%. Oil demand has risen by 2%. The price elasticity of the demand for oil will be given as, = (2 / 30) = 0.067 The elasticity is negative because of the inverse relationship between price and demand. From the given data, the absolute price elasticity of demand is 0.067. This implies that the price elasticity of demand for crude oil is very low, that is, the demand for crude oil is relatively price inelastic the proportional increase in the demand for oil is much less than the proportional fall in the price of the same (Varian, 2009). The opinion stated in Source 1 is generally true, that is, when a commodity is cheap the demand is very high whereas when the same commodity is more expensive, the demand is much lower. However, this is not true in case of crude oil. This is because crude oil is a necessary or an essential commodity and hence the price elasticity of demand for crude oil should be generally low (Pindyck and Rubinfeld, 2009). As the price of crude oil falls the demand for crude oil increases, but not by a very large extent. Similarly, as the price of crude oil increases the demand for crude oil falls, but not significantly. The proportional change in the quantity demanded of crude oil is much lower relative to the proportional change in the price since crude oil is an essential commodity in the global economy (Mankiw, 2014). Hence the given statement does not hold true for crude oil. The decision of increasing or decreasing oil prices would depend on the given circumstances. However, an oil producer should be advised to increase oil prices from the profit-maximisation perspective. This is because the price elasticity of demand for oil is low. When the price of oil increases, the demand for crude oil will fall but less than proportionately. Hence, the total revenue which is given as the product of the price and the quantity will ultimately increase thereby increasing the profits of the oil producer (Krugman and Wells, 2014). This can be explained with the following diagram: The inelastic demand curve in Figure 1.4 represents the inverse demand function for crude oil. When the price is P, the quantity demanded is Q. The total revenue is hence given by the area (B + C). When the price increases to P, the quantity demanded falls to Q. The new total revenue is given by the area (A + B). Thus, the total revenue falls by the area C and increases by the area A. Clearly, the area A is greater than the area C. Hence, the total revenue ultimately increases by the area (A C); A C. Thus, an oil producer should increase the oil price to increase his revenue and profits from oil production (Kreps, 2012). The introduction of shale oil production in 2008 has improved the productivity in the oil industry. This should result in an increase in the price elasticity of supply of oil (Colander, 2012). This is because when shale oil is introduced, the production of oil will increase considerably given that other resources in oil production are constant. With improved productivity, the production and supply of oil will be able to readily adjust to changing prices. The price elasticity of supply is positive because supply increases with a rise in the price (Varian, 2009). When the price of crude oil increases, given the demand, the supply will increase more than it would before the introduction of shale oil production. PART 2 The supermarket industry as a whole represents an Oligopoly market structure. However, Coles and Woolworths being the two major firms in the industry, the contribution of the others are so less in aggregate that the industry can be termed a Duopoly market. The prices in the market are determined according to the two supermarkets. Their price decisions influence the price and the quantity demanded and supplied in the entire industry, that is, they control the entire industry with respect to farming as well as dairy products. Coles and Woolworths account for 80% of the market share of the Australian food sector. Entry of new firms into the supermarket industry is restricted because of the two existing giants. The demand curve faced by the industry is downward sloping. Hence the supermarket industry is essentially an Oligopoly market though effectively a Duopoly where Coles and Woolworths are the two firms (Pindyck and Rubinfeld, 2009). Supermarket firms like Coles and Woolworths engage in a discount price war in order to increase their market share. When the demand for a certain commodity is relatively price inelastic, reducing the price will lead to a fall in the overall revenue. Hence, a price discount war is healthy from the business perspective of the supermarkets as long as a fall in the price increases the demand considerably such that the overall revenue increases. When one reduces its price, the other will immediately follow so as to maintain its market share or avoid incurring losses. Thus, price discount war is healthy up to a certain level beyond which it should be avoided (Mankiw, 2014). This can be explained with the help of the following diagram: Figure 2.2 represents a kinked demand curve faced by each of the firms. At higher prices, a firm faces a relatively elastic demand curve and at lower prices the firm faces a relatively inelastic demand curve. Prices will stabilize and an equilibrium can be established at the point where the discontinuous MR curve intersects the MC curve, that is, at price P* with a quantity Q*. Once the firms charge the price P*, there will be little or no incentive to reduce or alter prices any further without losing out on profits. During such periods of relative price stability it will be in the interest of Coles and Woolworths to engage in non-price competition to boost their profits. A price discount war is a short term phenomenon under the kinked demand curve theory (Pindyck and Rubinfeld, 2009). The market for vegetables provided by farmers is a perfectly competitive market structure. As is evident from the given data, the number of farms supplying vegetables to the market is considerably huge and they cater to almost the entire mass of population via retain markets and supermarkets. All farmers produce and supply homogenous products and the price at which they supply the vegetables to the market is fixed at determined at the industry level, that is, it is given to them. Any new farmer can begin vegetable farming and supply it to the market without incurring any additional costs and if existing farmers make losses, they can stop vegetable farming to avoid further losses. Hence, the market for vegetables provided by farmers operates under perfect competition (Pindyck and Rubinfeld, 2009). Individual vegetable producers would incur losses as a result of falling prices for their products. This is illustrated with the help of the following diagram: Figure 2.4 represents the market structure for an individual vegetable farmer. When price is P*, the profit maximising output is Q*. Due to the price discount war adopted by the supermarkets, whenever the price falls to P, the profit maximising output for the individual firm falls to Q. This results in a reduction of profits and in fact a loss for the individual producer. However, at this price, the producer is still being able to cover the average variable cost and hence will continue producing (Varian, 2009). But if the price falls further, say to P AVC, the vegetable farmer would stop production completely. For the farmers whose cost structure is such that a fall in price reduces the price below the average variable cost, the production of vegetables will have to be stopped to incur further losses (Kreps, 2012). Hence, in the long run, small farmers who operate at the margin will be forced to leave. If significant improvement in technologies can be made, individual farmers can overcome the price falls and stay in business in the long run (Krugman and Wells, 2014). This is because technological improvements reduce the costs incurred by the individual firms. This is illustrated in the following diagram: Improvements in technology reduce the costs faced by individual farms such that the MC curve shifts to MC and the AVC curve shifts to AVC. Thus when the price falls to P the profit-maximising quantity increases. The fall in price may still reduce the profit but not as much as when the costs were high (Mankiw, 2014). Hence, firms will be able to recover the average variable cost and will stay in business over the long run. References Colander, D. (2012). Microeconomics. 9th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Education. Kreps, D. (2012). Microeconomic Foundations I: Choice and Competitive Markets. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. Krugman, P. and Wells, R. (2014). Microeconomics. 4th ed. New York: Worth Publishers. Mankiw, N. (2014). Principles of Microeconomics. 7th ed. Boston: Cengage Learning. Pindyck, R. and Rubinfeld, D. (2009). Micreconomics. 7th ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Varian, H. (2009). Intermediate Microeconomics: A Modern Approach. 8th ed. New York: W. W. Norton Company. Clemente, J. (2015). Rising U.S Oil Demand in 2015 and Beyond. [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/judeclemente/2015/06/21/u-s-oil-demand-in-2015-and-beyond/#4f02212c2737 [Accessed 27 September 2016]. Cunningham, N. (2015). Top Five Factors Affecting Oil Prices in 2015. [online] OILPRICE.COM. Available at: https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Top-Five-Factors-Affecting-Oil-Prices-In-2015.html [Accessed 27 September 2016]. Ellyatt, H. (2015). Oil demand growth to slow, IEA says, but is OPEC listening? [online] CNBC. Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2015/10/13/oil-demand-growth-to-slow-iea-says-but-is-opec-listening.html [Accessed 27 September 2016]. Krauss, C. (2016). Oil Prices: Whats Behind the Drop? Simple Economics. New York Times, [online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/business/energy-environment/oil-prices.html?_r=0 [Accessed 27 September 2016].

Strategic Marketing Issues for Virgin

Introduction Adored, respected, and coveted by customers and global organisations alike, Richard Branson’s Virgin brand symbolises one of the most captivating phenomena of the business environment in contemporary times.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Strategic Marketing Issues for Virgin specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More From its humble beginnings in the 1970s, Virgin has gone against all odds in the competitive business environment to create over 200 companies worldwide with interests in diverse products and services, including but not limited to planes, trains, finance, beverages, music, mobile phones, online gaming, cars, wine, publishing, resort clubs, and even bridal wear (Kotler Keller 650). The present report uses a case study approach to analyse Virgin’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, establish its uniqueness in being a socially responsible and sustainable company, e xamine the pros and cons of its â€Å"green† message, as well as discuss important issues related to the company’s holistic marketing strategy. SWOT Analysis Strengths Strong brand name – the Virgin name is the third most respected brand in Britain, not mentioning that the brand is well recognised in international business environments (Kotler Keller 650) and has become a household name (Kets de Vries 9). Stable and growing capital base – available literature demonstrates that the over 200 companies under the Virgin brand name had a combined revenue of over â‚ ¬11.5 billion (about $16.2 billion) in 2009 (Kotler Keller 650), with projections demonstrating that the revenue base has continued to grow over the years. Diversified portfolio – trendy and highly visible products and services spanning across diverse business interests, leading to substantial economies of scale (Kets de Vries 9). Flamboyant Branson personality – The CEO of Virgi n is â€Å"a genius at promoting his company through his daring personal exploits† (Kets de Vries 9). Worldwide business operations Operational excellence and minimal integration, implying that companies under the Virgin flagship are more flexible and hence more competitive when compared to others. Technical capability and infrastructure Elaborate marketing expertise using strategic publicity stunts (Kotler Keller 650). Weaknesses Possibility for brand dilution – It is generally felt that the Virgin Group is currently covering too many businesses in diverse areas of the economy, hence the possibility for brand dilution (Kotler Keller 650). Too loose supervision practices and informal management structure due to Branson’s â€Å"friendly, egalitarian, non-hierarchical, family-like atmosphere in all of his companies† (Kets de Vries 9). Consumer confusion about identifying with the Virgin brand name due to the introduction of too many companies. Image cha llenges for the company due to its immense expansion and a mixture of diverse businesses in distinctively dissimilar market sectors. Weak financial structure and dependency on the Branson personality Opportunities Expansion opportunities particularly â€Å"in markets with underserved, overcharged customers and complacent competition† (Kotler Keller 650). New market entry in overseas markets particularly in the developing and emerging markets due to the advantage of strong brand recognition. Threats Intense competition The virgin group is not a leading brand or a market leader in any of its businesses; the brand may have international acclamation, but some of the group’s products and services are not internationally recognised (Kets de Vries 10). The Virgin Group has been criticised for not introducing new innovations, but rather creating a product similar to an already existing product and selling it at a hugely discounted price, implying that the group has merely followed its competitors rather than acting as a trailblazer (Kets de Vries 11). Issues of Social Responsibility and Sustainability Today, more than ever before, corporate social responsibility and sustainability have become a mantra for corporate success as firms the world over grapple with the short-term and long-term effects of their marketing strategies (Karna, Hansen, Juslin 848-849). Indeed, according to available marketing scholarship, â€Å"effective internal marketing must be matched by a strong sense of ethics, values and social responsibility† (Kotler Keller 629). These authors argue that social responsibility demonstrates a firm’s resolve to abide by a code of serving people’s interests before their own, becoming more environmentally friendly and practicing other higher-order corporate social responsibility activities, including rising customer expectations, growing employee objectives and ambitions, tighter government legislation and pressure, i nvestor attention on the social criteria, enhanced media scrutiny, as well as shifting business procurement practices. Elsewhere, it has been reported that there is no alternative to sustainable development within organisational settings as the component has increasingly gained currency in aligning firms to engage in activities that meet the needs of the present without unduly compromising the capacity of future generations to meet their own needs (Johan, Joffre Simon 212-213).Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More From the case study, it is clear that the Virgin Group is unique in its quest to become a socially responsible and sustainable company, in large part because of the strategies it employs toward becoming socially responsible and sustainable. For example, instead of dealing with shallow corporate social responsibility activities such as sponsoring community football tournaments, the company has created a not-for-profit foundation called Virgin Unite, which is charged with the broad responsibility of addressing global, social, and environmental challenges using an entrepreneurial approach (Kotler Keller 650). In such a setup, a group of scientists, entrepreneurs, innovators, and environmental supporters consult openly with the Virgin Group about what it needs to undertake on a grassroots and global level with the view to aligning the businesses and the social sector together and providing an avenue for business to act as a force for good. The Virgin Unite concept demonstrates that business has duties to society and that corporations should be judged not just on their economic success, but also on their non-economic criteria (Lantos 596). Branson not only cares about Virgin’s customers and the impacts his vast business interests have on people and the planet but also prioritises corporate responsibility and sustainable development as cri tical in assisting his network of companies to act in a socially responsible manner and minimise their carbon footprint (Kotler Keller 650). This line of thought is supported by existing literature which suggests that, in their quest to become both socially responsible and sustainable, companies must demonstrate economic responsibilities (e.g., satisfy customers with goods and services of real value, earn a fair return on investor funds, create new wealth, create new jobs, promote innovation), legal responsibilities (e.g., comply with the law and play by the rules of the game), and ethical responsibilities (e.g., respect people’s moral rights, avoid harm or social injury, and do what is right, just and fair) (Lantos 596-597). Additionally, the Virgin Group has categorised its core businesses into eight socially responsible and sustainable groups, with each of the groups expected to do remarkably good things in its industry as well assist in the alleviation of bad things rela ted to the category (Kotler Keller 650).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Strategic Marketing Issues for Virgin specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is reported by these authors that the Virgin Wines category, for example, endeavours to make purchases only from small farms and promotes responsible drinking, while the Virgin Games category encourages responsible gambling and assists in the identification and alleviation of gambling addiction. According to existing literature, the incorporation of corporate social responsibility and sustainable development to the marketing strategies of firms make the two concepts to become a source of competitive advantage and a key determinant in the adoption by firms of critical management practices, including environmental management, quality management, sustainable logistics, the loyalty effect, reputation, corporate ethics, and talent management (Bouglet, Joffre, Simon 213). Lastly, Virgin is unique in its quest to be a socially responsible and sustainable company in terms of implementing the components in each of the companies under the Virgin flagship with the view to enabling people enjoy healthy and fulfilling lifestyles whilst substantially reducing the negative impacts that the Virgin-branded companies may have on the world (Kotler Keller 650). Upon the realisation that â€Å"consumers have a higher expectation of brands and want to know what they are doing for the world† (Kotler Keller 629), Virgin has done much to meet its social responsibility and sustainability obligations, hence the company can be referred to as a Firm of Endearment that actually spends less on marketing as a percentage of sales yet proceed to earn immense profits because customers who are deeply satisfied with the company’s social responsibility and sustainability practices do most of the marketing (Kotler Keller 630). Pros and Cons of Virgin’s â€Å"Green† Message After the realisation that Virgin Aviation represents 7 million of the 8 million tonnes of CO2 the Virgin Group emits into the environment each year, Richard Branson â€Å"announced that all dividends from Virgin’s rail and airline businesses will be invested into renewable energy initiatives to tackle emissions related to global warming† (Kotler Keller 651). The effort, according to these authors, â€Å"has evolved into the Virgin Green Fund, which invests in renewable energy opportunities from solar energy to water purification and is estimated to reach $3 billion in value by 2016† (Kotler Keller 651). Additionally, the Virgin group propagates the â€Å"green† message by not only establishing the Earth Challenge to award $25 million to any individual or group who develops a safe, long-term, commercially viable avenue to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, but also ensuring that the airline’s brand new fleet is one of the most fuel and carbon efficient fleets being operated worldwide.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One of the underlying advantages of these â€Å"green† initiatives concerns the fact that Virgin will continue to attract more customers and enhance their satisfaction levels, which in turn will facilitate the productivity and performance of the company. Available literature demonstrates that contemporary consumers have become increasingly environmentally conscious and most of them like to be associated with socially responsible and sustainable companies (Karna et al. 850). Another advantage of the perceived Virgin’s green message concerns the fact that the company will increasingly use fewer resources to market its products and services as much of the marketing is undertaken by its loyal customers. Here, it is important to define green marketing as â€Å"the process of planning, implementing, and controlling the development, pricing, promotion, and distribution of products in a manner that satisfies the following three criteria: customer needs are met, organisationa l goals are attained, the process is compatible with ecosystems† (Baverstam Larsson 1). Consequently, it is safe to argue that customers are more likely to become loyal and satisfied, hence market the products and services provided by Virgin through positive word of mouth and other channels when their needs are successfully met using a methodology or process that is compatible with ecosystems. Another advantage of Virgin’s â€Å"green† message entails amassing a reputable orientation among consumers and other players in the industry. Evidence demonstrates that companies that use the earth’s resources and systems in a sustainable manner are always carried in high esteem than companies that do not (Baverstam Larsson 2), and that consumers are integrating their concern for the environment into their purchasing behaviour (Mendleson Polonsky 4), implying that a company’s reputation cultivated on the basis of practicing effective environmentally susta inable practices will go a long way in influencing consumers to purchase more from such a company. Indeed, the Virgin Group’s thrust to take into consideration sustainability in the business decisions though the various â€Å"green† initiatives highlighted in this report is both noble and remarkable and will go a long way in ensuring a high company’s reputation and standing in the society. Still, Virgin’s â€Å"green message particularly in the Virgin Earth Challenge initiative will go a long way in facilitating technological advancements that will, in turn, enhance sustainability and welfare of mankind. It is reported in the literature that â€Å"the Earth Challenge [will] award $25 million to any person or group who develops a safe, long-term, commercially viable way to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere† (Kotler Keller 651). Technological advancements and sustainability through green marketing and other green initiatives can allow com panies the opportunity to become competitive, not mentioning that they can facilitate firms to reposition existing products without product composition, modify existing products to be less environmentally harmful, as well as modify the entire corporate culture to ensure that environmental concerns are integrated into all operational aspects (Mendleson Polonsky 4). At the human welfare level, the facilitation of technological advancements through Virgin’s green initiatives is instrumental in not only ensuring effective deployment of available resources while ensuring the needs of future generations are taken into consideration, but also in guaranteeing a future whereby people will have the capacity to enjoy healthy and fulfilling lifestyles while considerably minimizing the negative impact of their activities in the world (Kotler Keller 651). Among the cons of Virgin’s â€Å"green† message, some quarters may generally feel that the green initiatives being imple mented by the company undermine the profit-seeking purpose of the firm, resulting in wastage of shareholders’ money. Additionally, critics may argue that Virgin may not have the capacity to implement important business initiatives in key areas such as research and development (RD) if the company continues to commit huge sums of money to its â€Å"green† initiatives (Kotler Keller 629). Another disadvantage of Virgin’s â€Å"green† message is predicated upon the fact that the company’s green or sustainability programs may be focussed on the short-term rather than on the long-term. Available literature demonstrates that many companies are unable to break even in their sustainability initiatives due to their focus on short-term goals and results informed by the need to make immediate profit, establish contractual relationships, or guard against high levels of competition (Karna et al. 850). Lastly, it can be argued that some of the Virgin Groupâ€⠄¢s â€Å"green† initiatives are neither inclusive nor aligned with the most critical needs of customers in line with a holistic marketing approach. For example, although Richard Branson’s Earth Challenge seems ambitious, action-oriented and collaborative in its promise to award $25 million to any individual or group who develops a safe, long-term, commercially viable way to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere (Kotler Keller 651), it nevertheless fails to align itself with the most critical needs and environmental concerns of contemporary customers, such as pollution by industries, substandard products and services, greening supply networks and ensuring sustainable use of resources, among others. In my opinion, the company is in line to progress its sustainability programs such as the Earth Challenge though it has such a negative environmental impact on the world (via air and rail) owing to the fact that it has taken substantial efforts to reduce its carbon fo otprint and also invested a lot of resources in coming up with alternatives to reduce the negative environmental impact arising from its activities. The company is not only consciously aware of its contributions to environmental degradation but has also attempted to come up with interventions to address the situation, implying that it does not view sustainability programs as an impediment to the profit-seeking behaviour as demonstrated by other companies. Virgin’s Holistic Marketing Strategy Available marketing scholarship demonstrates that â€Å"the Virgin Group’s core businesses include retail operations (a chain of megastores in Australia, Britain and Ireland, continental Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, North America, and South Korea), hotels, communications (video games, book publishing, radio and television production), and an airline† (Kets de Vries 9). Such a broad range of businesses requires a holistic marketing strategy which not only demand Virgin marketers to engage in a host of carefully planned, interconnected marketing practices aimed at substantially satisfying a broader set of constituents and objectives, but also to consider a wider range of effects of their actions (Kotler Keller 621). These authors are in agreement that, now more than ever before, marketing professionals must not only think holistically and employ creative win-win solutions to balanced conflicting demands but must also develop fully integrated marketing programs and meaningful relationships with a range of constituents. Conversely, Virgin marketing professionals must perform all the right things inside their organisation and put into consideration the wider ramifications of their actions and activities in the marketplace (Kotler Keller 623). It is reported in the literature that â€Å"marketing no longer has sole ownership of customer interactions; rather, it now must integrate all the customer-facing processes, so customers see a single face and hear a si ngle voice when they interact with the firm† (Kotler Keller 623). Such an integration of all customer-facing processes, in my view, will be beneficial for the Virgin Group as the company attempts to address the issue of brand dilution in its marketing strategy. Available management scholarship demonstrates that â€Å"company responsibilities are often divided into economic, social, and environmental categories similar to the categories proposed in the popular concept of sustainable development† (Karna et al. 849). Although the Virgin Group has well established social responsibility and sustainability programs across its various areas of operation, it needs to integrate these components into its holistic marketing strategy with the view to making unified business decisions related to ethical values, compliance with legal requirements, and respect for people, communities and the environment. Indeed, as acknowledged in the literature, â€Å"corporate social responsibilit y and sustainability have become a priority as organisations grapple with the short-term and long-term effects of their marketing† (Kotler Keller 621). It is evident from the many social responsibility programs and sustainability initiatives undertaken by Virgin that the company has embraced this new vision of corporate enlightenment; however, it needs to fully integrate the concepts in its holistic marketing strategy so that the components serve as the very core of what the company does. Such an orientation, in my view, will not only attract more customers and ensure that customers are always satisfied with the company’s product and service offerings, but will also transform the customers to become active marketers for the company due to its quest to work with employees, their families, the local community and society at large to enhance quality of life. Additionally, Virgin needs to allow its marketers to not only achieve a larger influence in the organisation, inces santly generate new innovations and endeavour for customer insight by treating customers diversely but appositely, but also to create their winning brands more through performance than promotion, and to go electronic and win through the creation of superior information and communication systems (Kotler Keller 643, 646). To accomplish these changes and become really holistic, according to these authors, it would be the function of Virgin’s senior management to train the company’s marketers on a new set of skills and competencies in customer relationship management (CRM), partner relationship management (PRM), database marketing and data mining, contact centre management and telemarketing, public relations marketing, brand-building and brand-asset management, experiential marketing, integrated marketing communications, as well as profitability analysis by segment, customer, and channel (Kotler Keller 646). Lastly, Virgin’s holistic marketing strategy also needs to be sufficiently market-focussed and customer-driven, not mentioning that Virgin marketers need to fully understand their target markets as well as define and monitor existing competitors. The company must develop effective strategies not only to manage relationships with stakeholders but also to find and exploit new business opportunities. Overall, for Virgin’s holistic marketing strategy to become a success, the company must be organised for effective and efficient marketing, not mentioning that it must make optimal use of technology to improve its processes (Kotler Keller 647). Conclusion This report has undertaken a SWOT analysis for the Virgin Group, established its uniqueness in being a socially responsible and sustainable company, examined the advantages and disadvantages of the company’s green message, as well as discussed underlying issues related to the company’s holistic marketing strategy. From the findings, it is clear that Virgin has a lot of st rengths and opportunities, but needs to develop strategies to deal with brand dilution and intense competition in the marketplace. Some of the reasons provided to justify Virgin’s uniqueness in its quest to be a socially responsible and sustainable company include demonstration of a strong sense of ethics, values and social responsibility, strategies employed toward becoming socially responsible and sustainable, care for people and planet, as well as categorization of core businesses. The report has also comprehensively discussed the benefits and drawbacks of Virgin’s â€Å"green† message as well as recommendations for Virgin’s holistic marketing strategy. These recommendations are critical in ensuring that Virgin remains competitive and honours its social responsibility and sustainability obligations in the increasingly turbulent times characterising today’s business environment. Works Cited Baverstam, Oscar and Maria Larsson 2009, Strategic Green Marketing: A Comparative Study of How Green Marketing affects Corporate Strategy within Business to Business. PDF file. Web. Bouglet, Johan, Olivier Joffre and Eric Simon. â€Å"How to Reconcile Business with Sustainable Development: An Innovative Approach.† Society and Business Review. 7.3 (2012): 212-222. Emerald. Web. Kets de Vries, Manfriend F.R. â€Å"Charisma in Action: The Transformational Abilities of Virgin’s Richard Branson and ABB’s Perey Barnevik.† Organisational Dynamics. 26.3 (2008): 7-21. Business Source Premier. Web. Karna, Jari, Eric Hansen and Heikki Juslin. â€Å"Social Responsibility in Environmental Marketing Planning.† European Journal of Marketing. 37.5/6 (2003): 848-871. Emerald. Web. Kotler, Philip and Kevin Keller. Marketing Management. 14th ed. 2012. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Print. Lantos, Geoffrey P. â€Å"The Boundaries of Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility.† Journal of Consumer Marketing. 1 8.7 (2001): 595-630. Emerald. Web. Mendleson, Nicola and Michael Jay Polonsky. â€Å"Using Strategic Alliances to Develop Credible Green Marketing.† Journal of Consumer Marketing. 25.2 (2005): 4-18. Emerald. Web. This case study on Strategic Marketing Issues for Virgin was written and submitted by user Teagan E. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Seven Wonders Essays - Seven Wonders Of The Ancient World

The Seven Wonders Essays - Seven Wonders Of The Ancient World The Seven Wonders As time goes on, we age, just as the magnificent things we make. To often do we forget how far we have come over the ages. The purpose of this paper is to identify the seven ancient wonders of the ancient world, and how they have played a vital role in the evolution of man. A long time ago there was a man that went by the name of Philo of Byzantium (Encarta 97 I). Around 146 bc. he wrote a book that went by the name of Perition hepta. This was the first book concerning the seven wonders. There is another book named Antipater of Sidan. This book came a little after and listed the Walls of Babylon instead of the Pharos of Alexandria. (Britannica I) These books both listed different wonders with different names to them. Many people wonder why there is only seven. Because there was also things such as The Great Wall of China and the ancient American civilizations. They seemed to only list things within the Roman Empire (Encarta 97 I) The name ?the seven wonders of the ancient world? is also known as the ?seven prominent sights of the ancient world? (Britannica I) the Byzantium culture was originated from what is now Constantinople. Their culture was originated by their location by the Black Sea. And that area was a big port so they had to trade a lot there. This is probably where and how the book was traded and the ideas of Philo got to the other parts the world then. When people think about the seven wonders they usually think first about the pyramids. The most likely reason for this is because they are, in fact, the only surviving wonder still in existence. And another cool thing about it is, the pyramids of Giza are the oldest, and most impressive wonders of all. The Great Pyramid of Giza?s schematics is overwhelmingly precise. The walls of the King Kufu?s chamber door were cut with such accuracy, that the error rates in the corners were at 0.01 of an inch. It took about 100,000 workers 20 years to construct the Great Pyramid, and only during the Nile flood season (History of Giza I). The Hanging Gardens of Babylon or the Walls of Babylon (depending on what book you look at) was in fact, not really hanging gardens at all. Because water transportation was so difficult of a job, the distance of the water had to be short. So they found a high up source of water, and used primitive forms of aqueducts and brought it to the Babylon Palace and the palace was built for the reason for king Nebuchadnezzar to make his queen feel more confortable. Because she was from the country and being in a big city of Babylon then was a big change, so she was homesick. And so the Hanging Gardens of Babylon was created. (Grolier 2) The Statue of Zeus was a third ancient wonder. It got it?s position by it?s ?Doric-Style temple? by having a really large statue covered with precious stones and special materials to remember the ?God of Gods?. It was built in what was the city of Olympia and is now located about 150 km west of present-day Athens (Statue of Zeus 1). Another temple that became one of the wonders was the Temple of Artemis. It of course was built to honor the Greek god Artemis. It was built around the sixth century BC. And the architect was a guy named Chesiphron. But it was mainly a joint effort of twelve Ionian cities. (Grolier Encyclopedia 1) Around 292-280 BC. The proud Rhode citizens built a one hundred and twenty foot tall statue that stood on the side of the Rhode Harbor. The statue was made of bronze and its figure was the patron Helios. It took Rhodesians 12 years to construct the statue. And Chares of Lindus designed it (Grolier Enc. 2). Another Egyptian wonder, but constructed many years after the pyramids, was the Pharos of Alexandria. It was the first lighthouse ever constructed. It?s purpose was to light the shores and light a path to land for sailors during the Roman age. It served as a prototype for lots

Television Censorship essays

Television Censorship essays Television is one of the most watched things. Everyone watches television. Adults watch it at most times while children watch it sometimes. It is a great necessity in today's society. Since it is watched by both children and adults all the content should be suitable. What people watch on t.v. are violence, offensive language, and bad things overall. Censorship should be a very important part of t.v. It would limit the things that are allowed to be shown and said. Children learn every thing they hear and watch. Adults get some ideas from T.V. that are bad most of the times. Television has a great deal of effect on all of society for this reason it should be censored to the fullest. Because of the First Amendment and the FCC to the Constitution stations have decreased the amount of violence exhibited on television. Censoring television is very important. It is a topic which is sometimes overlooked.. Little kids pick up everything they watch and listen. Television affects children in a negative way. They are listening to profanity and watching violent things. It should be censored to the fullest. Everything should have a rating in which it says whether it is suitable for children or not. All the bad things should be played late at night. These children are the future of the world. What are we teaching them? Censorship on movies and television should be used in the fullest way possible. It should not allow some of the things that it does allow. Part of the problem of crime is related to T.V. Most of the stuff on is about killing, stealing and all sorts of bad things. These movies give people ideas. If someone is watching a certain person that they like or something they did they might end up doing it. I read a piece by Mark Gerzon in which he wrote something interesting . He was talking about a man who shot and almost killed president Regan. The asked him why he did it ...

Thinking about Death Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Thinking about Death - Research Paper Example However, as we shall see, this is modulated very differently in all three examples. Section 1: Henry James, loss and self-actualisation. The critical apogee of Henry James’ story, The Beast in the Jungle, comes only moments from the end in which the protagonist comes to understand himself. The self-awareness that John Marcher develops is critically, and inextricably, linked to the death of Mary Bartram. By connecting Mary’s death with Marcher’s epiphanies about his own life, the realisation of loss, ironically, becomes about the discovery of self-knowledge and the truth about life itself. The story of Marcher’s and Bartram’s relationship is defined by Marcher’s belief that he has an unusual fate: to die by some catastrophic event, what he terms ‘the beast in the Jungle’. It is for this reason that he decides that he will attempt to protect others and himself by not falling in love with others, or developing a deep connection with someone. This fate is developed throughout the novella and then finally achieved in the final moments of the work, when Marcher comes to understand his failure to connect to another person. ... ... He saw the Jungle of his life and saw the lurking Beast; then, while he looked, perceived it, as by a stir of the air, rise, huge and hideous, for the leap that was to settle him. His eyes darkened--it was close; and, instinctively turning, in his hallucination, to avoid it, he flung himself, face down, on the tomb.’ (James, The Beast in the Jungle) Instinctively, the reference to throwing himself down on his tomb points out the connection between Mary’s death and his achievement of his fate. Mary’s death is intimately connected to the acquisition of self-knowledge. He comes to understand, and in that moment achieves, his fate. The loss of Mary at this point becomes then the catastrophic event in his life; he realises what he has lost at the last, and is pained by it. Just as he comes to understand his fate, he comes to understand the way in which he and Mary had lived, and his ultimate failure in life. He comes to understand that his life was a solipsistic o ne. Marcher’s life is detached—detached from human connections, from the emotions and the intensity of profound connection that defines Mary’s life. This is expressed in a number of ways. Recall for instance his inability, in the opening scene of section 1, to remember his earlier meetings with Mary. (It is also expressed in the third person perspective of the narrator, for example.) The consequences of this solipsistic, detached life are brought home to him in the final scenes when faced with Mary’s death. She had offered him an escape from his fate: ‘The escape would have been to love her; then, THEN he would have lived. SHE had lived--who could say now with what passion?—since she had loved him for himself; whereas he had never thought of her (ah how

Marketing Report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Marketing Report - Research Paper Example If the products are not presented accordingly to their needs there might be a shift towards other brands and products. Another important issue concerning the cosmetic industry is of misleading advertisements, L’Oreal two of its advertisement were banned as they were against the code of conduct and leads to purchase decision criteria of consumers. The solutions to these issues were through identifying the needs of the consumers and producing products, generating awareness through promotional tools and alternatively changing the marketing mix according to the needs and wants of the consumers. By conducting a research the consumer’s behaviour could be monitored their liking towards a brand, the reason for their preference and what different features they want in their brand. This would help the marketer to know about the taste and preference of the consumers and can work accordingly. One of the drawbacks that lead L’Oreal lose its market share was the misleading adv ertisement, thus to avoid such loses L’Oreal could endorse someone who actually is blessed with good skin and hair. Thus there would not raise a need to use artificial extensions and lastly in order to stay ahead the company needs to keep on innovating new products. Henceforth, L’Oreal can launch new product that would take care of the hands and feet of the consumer. Contents Contents 3 Introduction 4 Issue and problem 4 Analysis and Application 8 Psychological factors 8 Consumer Decision Making 10 Marketing mix 12 Recommendation 13 Reference 15 Introduction For more than centuries, L’Oreal has invented beauty and has met with the aspirations of millions of women and men. L’Oreal aims in offering the best quality of cosmetic along with safety and efficacy to everyone who wants to access to beauty (L’Oreal, 2011). L’Oreal is the largest cosmetic company, it had transformed from being a French company into a global renowned business in sectors like skin, cosmetics and hair care. The company was founded in the year 1953 as Cosmair, Inc. In spite of its origin from France, the company is French only when the need arises else it’s satisfied being Asian, African or anything that accounts to sales (Noel, 2008, p.48). The company is committed in carrying out the mission who is to make beauty universal in a way that would be sustainable and responsible. It is ranked among the top 100 ethical and sustainable companies globally (L’Oreal, 2011). The company has about 23 global brands in around 130 companies with 66, 600 employees. The brands annual sales turn up to be more than 50 million Euros. Some of the consumer products of L’Oreal are L’Oreal Paris, Garnier, Maybelline New York, soft sheen Carson to name a few. The brand has its presence felt globally and has been well accepted by the people. Issue and problem Consumer behaviour reflects the decision made by the consumer with the consumption, dispo sition and acquisition of goods, services and ideas (Hoyer, Macinnis & Dasgupta, 2008, p.4). In today’s context consumer behaviour has become extremely important for marketing decisions in deciding upon the marketing mix elements, segmentation or in exploring new ideas with the change in the environment. The luxury and leisure market such as for shampoos and creams have boomed in recent times. With a change in psychographic and lifestyle of the people, there has been a shift in the habits of the consumers.

Police Misconduct and Corruption Essay Example for Free

Police Misconduct and Corruption Essay Police and Society January 31, 2013 Police Misconduct and Corruption In the early 1990’s police brutality had become common; police officers abused their powers and became brutal when dealing with offenders and even non-offenders. One infamous example of such brutality occurred in 1992 in Los Angeles when a black man named Rodney King was violently beat by five officers for being â€Å"black. The five officers repeatedly struck King as a few other officers stood by not paying any attention to the situation near by. Two of the five officers were later acquitted which angered the black and Latino community around the world as did the videotape of the incident. This incident did however put more attention and awareness on the issue of police brutality. A few weeks after the King incident, a drug scandal in New York erupted into another police brutality incident. This prompted an investigation on police corruption by the Mollen Commission. The investigation found many occurrences of police abuses, including brutality, corruption, and perjury. A century before the Mollen Commission, in 1894 the Lexow Commission in New York discovered the same occurrences of police brutality. This shows that police corruption has been going on for many years and is continuing to happen now. Although the public less accepts police brutality now, it is believed that most police corruption is done â€Å"underground† or through legal loopholes. I have chosen to research Police Brutality because I find it outrageous that the people who swore to protect us cheat the law and use excessive force without reason. I am majoring in Sociology and Criminal Justice, so I am curious to learn about why officers feel the need to become brutal. Is it a lust of power? I’m interested in learning about the sociology of police brutality.

Falstaffs Influence on Prince Hal in I Henry IV :: Henry IV Henry V Essays

Falstaff's Influence on Prince Hal in I Henry IV   Ã‚  Ã‚   In Shakespearean histories, there is always one individual who influences the major character and considerably advances the plot.   In I Henry IV by William Shakespeare, Falstaff is such a character.   Sir John Falstaff is perhaps the most complex comic character ever invented.   He carries a dignified presence in the mind's eye; and in him,   we recognize our internal admiration and jealousy of the rebellious dual personality that we all secretly wish for. The multi-faceted Falstaff, in comic revolt against law and order, in his role as father figure to Prince Hal, and ultimately, in his natural ability to discern and adapt to any situation, emerges as the most complex and paradoxical character in drama.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Frequently, in literature, the sun represents royalty, or in this case the king, who strives to uphold law and order.   Rhetorically, the moon, symbolizes instability, not only because it does not remain the same size to one's eyes as time passes, but because it reigns the ebb and flow of the tides. Therefore, as a knight guided by moonlight, Falstaff is a dissenter against law and order.   This conclusion finds support in his witty tautologies and epithets. Falstaff is invariably aware that Hal will one day become king, and when that happens, robbers will be honored in England by   "Let[ting] us be indulgence Diana's foresters, gentlemen of the shade, monions of the moon; and let[ting] men say we be men of good government, being governed as the sea is, by our novle and chaste mistress the moon, under whose countenance we steal" (I, ii, 25-30). Falstaff's final dismissal of law and order culminates with a comic plea to the prince, urging him to have nothing to do with "old father antic the law?   Do not thou, when thou art King, hang a thief" (I, ii, 62-63).   We see a similar epithet in the next act, "send him packing" (II, iv, 301), in which Falstaff again denounces responsibility, law, and order.   Despite his lack of care for order and responsibility, the rebel dormant in readers applauds Falstaff's defiance of the establishment of his defense.   Falstaff seems to appeal to the average reader, for he relates to them, just as a twentieth-century American

Home Depot’s Bumpy Road to Equality Essay

Internet/Case Study Assignment: 1. If Home Depot was correct in that it was not discriminating, but simply filling positions consistent with those who applied for them (and very few women were applying for customer service positions), given your reading of this chapter, was the firm guilty of discrimination? If so, under what theory? Yes, Home Depot was accountable of discrimination towards women due to their standards of hiring by reinforcing gender stereotyping; causing them to be guilty of disparate treatment. The disparate treatment in this case was due to women being treated differently in comparison to their male co-workers in regards to promotions, pay, and hiring. Female applicants who felt discriminated were mainly those who applied for jobs within Home Depots West Coast Division. They felt they were being overlooked during hiring and bypassed in connection with promotions, salary, and job assignments opportunities within the workplace. Home Depot, however, felt they did nothing wrong and stated the unfairness of what they were being accused of was due to most female job applicants having experience as cashiers, so they were placed in similar positions, such as, cashier positions, clerical duties, customer service, and so forth. In addition, their explanation for the high turnaround in percentage of male employees within the home repair, plumbing, carpentry departments, etc†¦ were due to male applicants expressing interest in those type of skilled employment. 2. How does this case illustrate the application of new technology to solving issues that have never been tied to technology? Can you think of other ways technology might be used to address diversity/EEO/affirmative action issues? Home Depot was able to tie technology by solving issues by introducing a Job Preference Program, which provides in-store computer kiosks that allow employees to check job opportunities within their workplace and the skill requirements for each position. This system helps employees upgrade their skills. In addition, Home Depot offers a web-based learning program which allows employees to increase their product knowledge and eligibility for new  positions. The Job Preference Program has helped the company eliminate discrimination and other barriers within the recruitment process. Since its roll-out in 1999, the program has reduced employee turnover and in a single year, female and minorities have attained management positions increased by 28 to 30 percent from earlier periods. This system has also shown to be a huge success among managers as they feel they are now able to prescreen adequately qualified applicants. Technology can also be used to address diversity/EEO/affirmative action issues by having a systematic process in place which can help with gathering, analyzing and documenting information about particular jobs, and personnel information including but not limiting to disciplinary actions as well as promotional considerations. For example, a systematic analysis can specify each workers job description entailing their salary base range, this way employees don’t feel underpaid but satisfactorily compensated amongst their peers performing their same duties. By having such technology in place a company can avoid fines, penalties and costly litigation of unhappy employees feeling discriminated and pursing legal actions. In addition, technology can address some diversity by providing employees with online trainings which will enable them to apply to new positions within the workplace and track their preparation and job skills; causing maximum strategic development. Furthermore, with the ease of technology, employers can have the capacity to monitor working conditions to ensure each job is being performed successfully and satisfactory. Technology can also help with affirmative action’s, by doing so, companies can develop tutorial guides which can help employees with a variety solutions to problems within their working environment. Tutorial guides can help improve workforce diversity, by assisting and addressing how one can handle issues among the workplace, for example, directing employees how to affectively respond to relationships between coworkers of other ethnicity, race, religion, etc.., and how to cope with personality conflicts; among others criteria’s within the workforce. Technology can also help with developing a systemic job analysis tool which can be resourceful to help with useful information for HRM practices. A systemic job analysis will provide useful plans for coordination, for example, determining job qualifications for recruitment purposes, developing training programs, developing performance appraisals rating forms, determining pay rate  factors, and performance standards for productivity improvement to name a few. All in all, technology can only get better with time by utilizing these tools within the workforce by complying with compliances and avoid lawsuits and penalties in the future.

Reflection and Evaluation Essay

As part of the 7407 stage 1 course there is a requirement for several groups of students to complete a micro teaching session, we would do the session in front of the other students who would provide the feedback for the session. There is no doubt that immediate feedback is the most beneficial due to the work still being fresh in the mind of the student. Reece & Walker (2002 p470) Reflection We had initially planned to deliver the micro teach two weeks earlier but one member of the group had a personal issue that forced the session to be delayed by two weeks. Our group had a diverse knowledge pool, IT, Physical Education and Marketing and because of this diversity I initially thought that finding a subject for the micro teaching session would be hard but to my surprise we had discussed and agreed the subject and each persons involvement within thirty minutes. The micro teaching session would be based on the human heart with each member of the group delivering a part of the session, my part would be to create the presentation materials using Microsoft PowerPoint, the marketing expert would devise the session plan and handouts and the PE instructor would discuss the function of the human heart. Each individual in the group contributed to each part of the session (see lesson plan and scheme of work submitted with this document). Action Points We set up the resources and distributed the handouts, the session started with our marketing expert discussing the aims and objectives of the session, when she had finished it was my turn to read some interesting heart facts from a PowerPoint presentation, I chose to read these facts direct from the projected screen and because of this I could not face the class, I believe that this was a mistake and in future I will ensure that I read from printed material. After I had finished my interesting facts presentation the PE instructor completed her section which included explanations of the different aspects of the human heart, this was done using models and overhead projections, this section went particularly well and the students participated by asking questions, we had only allowed five minutes for this section but the amount of questions asked made the section overrun slightly. After this section was complete the students were given a quiz sheet, the quiz was based on the delivered session and this would be used to check learning had taken place, this section was handled mainly by the marketing expert who read the questions and confirmed the answers at the end. Overall the micro teaching session went well and issues were identified immediately, the students performed well on the quiz and the overall feedback was good. Bibliography Reece I & Walker S (2002) Teacher Training and Learning Fourth Edition Business Education Publishers Limited.

Free Essays on Total Quality Management

What is Total Quality Management? Quality is not determined or defined by the producing company. Quality is determined by the customer. Thus quality of a product or a service is the customer’s perception of the degree to which the product or service meets his or her expectations. Total Quality Management (TQM) is an approach to improving competitiveness, effectiveness, efficiency and flexibility of the organization in satisfying the customer demands. It is a process that recognizes the need to determine the customers' requirements and uses that knowledge to drive the entire organization to ensure those needs are fully met. It is essentially a way of planning, organizing and understanding each and every activity that takes place in the organization, and depends on every individual at his or her own level in the organization. Thus from Senior Executives to the person just cleaning the premises has to be involved in the quest for continual improvement towards the same goals, recognizing that each person and each activity interacts and has an effect on others. Why TQM? Companies strive for Total Quality Management in an effort to:  · Increase customer satisfaction  · Increase customer retention? TQM not only focuses on gaining a new customer but maintaining the current customers.  · Reduce customer complaints  · Attract new customers  · Increase organizational effectiveness  · Reduce costs due to less waste and rework? Quality costs and every time something is done incorrectly, money is lost.  · Increase profitability  · Achieve a greater market share  · Maintain a competitive advantage Dr. W. Edwards Deming’s Quality Chain Reaction in figure 1 provides a logical rationale for implementing a quality improvement effort. It says that if an organization improves quality, costs will decrease due to fewer errors and more efficient use of materials and time. This causes an improvement in productivity and le... Free Essays on Total Quality Management Free Essays on Total Quality Management What is Total Quality Management? Quality is not determined or defined by the producing company. Quality is determined by the customer. Thus quality of a product or a service is the customer’s perception of the degree to which the product or service meets his or her expectations. Total Quality Management (TQM) is an approach to improving competitiveness, effectiveness, efficiency and flexibility of the organization in satisfying the customer demands. It is a process that recognizes the need to determine the customers' requirements and uses that knowledge to drive the entire organization to ensure those needs are fully met. It is essentially a way of planning, organizing and understanding each and every activity that takes place in the organization, and depends on every individual at his or her own level in the organization. Thus from Senior Executives to the person just cleaning the premises has to be involved in the quest for continual improvement towards the same goals, recognizing that each person and each activity interacts and has an effect on others. Why TQM? Companies strive for Total Quality Management in an effort to:  · Increase customer satisfaction  · Increase customer retention? TQM not only focuses on gaining a new customer but maintaining the current customers.  · Reduce customer complaints  · Attract new customers  · Increase organizational effectiveness  · Reduce costs due to less waste and rework? Quality costs and every time something is done incorrectly, money is lost.  · Increase profitability  · Achieve a greater market share  · Maintain a competitive advantage Dr. W. Edwards Deming’s Quality Chain Reaction in figure 1 provides a logical rationale for implementing a quality improvement effort. It says that if an organization improves quality, costs will decrease due to fewer errors and more efficient use of materials and time. This causes an improvement in productivity and le... Free Essays on Total Quality Management Introduction: 2 History of Quality Movement 2 The three elements of the Juran Trilogy: 3 1. Quality planning 3 2. Quality control 3 3. Quality improvement 3 Deming’s 14 points 3 1. Constancy of purpose 4 2. Adopt the philosophy 4 3. Don’t rely on mass inspection 4 4. Don’t award business on price 4 5. Constant improvement 4 6. Training 4 7. Leadership 4 8. Drive out fear 4 9. Break down barriers 4 10. Eliminate slogans and exhortations 4 11. Eliminate quotas 4 12. Pride of workmanship 4 13. Education and retraining 4 14. Plan of action 4 The seven diseases 4 Malcolm Baldrige Award 5 Reasons for creating the Baldrige Award 6 How the Baldrige Award Works and how it is judged 7 Two dimensions of criteria used for organization evaluation 7 ISO 9000 8 Brief Overview of ISO 3001 Requirements 8 ISO believes that organizations should: 9 ISO distinguishes between quality system requirements and product quality requirements. 9 ISO distinguishes between four types of products: 9 The quality of your product depends on: 9 Your customers are likely to place a higher value on your products if: 9 All work is a process. 9 An organization is a network of processes. 10 Product quality depends on how well this network works. 10 Quality Pays 10 What is TQM 10 What is a Total Quality Management System 10 TQM 11 The Key to Executive Commitment 12 Aligning Total Quality Management and the Corporate Culture 12 Understanding the Dynamics of Change 13 Meeting Customer Requirements 13 Benchmarking Concepts 13 Types of Benchmarking 13 Internal 13 Competitive 14 Functional/Generic Benchmarking 14 Why Use Benchmarking? 14 What to Benchmark? 14 Benchmarking- What It Is and What It Isn’t? 14 Benchmarking is: 14 Benchmarking Isn’t: 14 Conclusion: 15 References 17 Introduction: Management thinking is undergoing a paradigm shift. Mandates that are guiding managements thought since the 1990s is...

Free Essays on The Trophy Husband

Editha meets her fiancà © under rather boring and lackluster circumstances. Her fiancà ©, George Gearson was simply a male friend and in a moment that she could not take back, she had accepted his proposal of marriage, â€Å"George Gearson had simply asked her for her love†¦, and she gave her love to him, without, as it were thinking (258).† Editha is seeking her knight in shining armor. She wants to experience the â€Å"high† of being with a man who could â€Å"do something worthy to have won her (259).† This woman, not satisfied with the state of her relationship chooses to change it. A war is taking place and Editha sets into motion a plan of action that will have George be an active participant in it. This paper will attempt to illustrate the persuasive techniques of an idealistic woman in her quest for the â€Å"trophy husband†. Throughout history men have lived and died for their religious beliefs. Wars have been won and battles have been lost in the name of higher deities. Both men and women have taken up the sword in the name of a higher power. From the Crusades to the recent tragedy in New York, strong and charismatic leaders have taken men and filled them with religious fervor in order to get them to do what they believe is right. Editha attempts to fill George with this type of religious zeal. George is solemn and depressed about the war (258). He also has an antiwar mentality and declares, â€Å"But war! Is it glorious to break the peace of the world? (259).† Editha seeks to change George’s views on war by bringing into question his loyalty to God. Editha would like George to fight in this war and assumes the role of a charismatic religious leader and attempts to alter George’s beliefs about the war. Editha tries to convince George that the war is part of God’s ma ster plan. Editha informs! George â€Å"that it wouldn’t have come to this, if it hadn’t been in the order of Providence (259).† She tells G... Free Essays on The Trophy Husband Free Essays on The Trophy Husband Editha meets her fiancà © under rather boring and lackluster circumstances. Her fiancà ©, George Gearson was simply a male friend and in a moment that she could not take back, she had accepted his proposal of marriage, â€Å"George Gearson had simply asked her for her love†¦, and she gave her love to him, without, as it were thinking (258).† Editha is seeking her knight in shining armor. She wants to experience the â€Å"high† of being with a man who could â€Å"do something worthy to have won her (259).† This woman, not satisfied with the state of her relationship chooses to change it. A war is taking place and Editha sets into motion a plan of action that will have George be an active participant in it. This paper will attempt to illustrate the persuasive techniques of an idealistic woman in her quest for the â€Å"trophy husband†. Throughout history men have lived and died for their religious beliefs. Wars have been won and battles have been lost in the name of higher deities. Both men and women have taken up the sword in the name of a higher power. From the Crusades to the recent tragedy in New York, strong and charismatic leaders have taken men and filled them with religious fervor in order to get them to do what they believe is right. Editha attempts to fill George with this type of religious zeal. George is solemn and depressed about the war (258). He also has an antiwar mentality and declares, â€Å"But war! Is it glorious to break the peace of the world? (259).† Editha seeks to change George’s views on war by bringing into question his loyalty to God. Editha would like George to fight in this war and assumes the role of a charismatic religious leader and attempts to alter George’s beliefs about the war. Editha tries to convince George that the war is part of God’s ma ster plan. Editha informs! George â€Å"that it wouldn’t have come to this, if it hadn’t been in the order of Providence (259).† She tells G...

Multiculturalism issues and economic-based solutions Essay - 1

Multiculturalism issues and economic-based solutions - Essay Example nd Smrekar (2000) came up with an idea of magnet schools, these are public schools, in minority neighborhoods, that aim to attract white students, even from outside attendance zones. The student bodies in school are racially balanced because of desegregation orders given to these schools. It was then found that in such schools there was higher demand for student enrollment, teacher turnover was low, and more importantly it provided social integration. Kerr in writings has also build up a case for citizenship – the process of intensifying cultural influence through mutual contact .It is suggested that this matter be taken up formally in schools, so that diversity is taken as a source of social cohesion in the society. But this matter of citizenship though taught in schools cannot be followed as such in true spirit, because, economic consequences of wars, oil crisis etc. has resulted in restructuring democracies, in meeting welfare needs of their people

Organisational Behaviour (Corporate Social Responsibility and National Essay

Organisational Behaviour (Corporate Social Responsibility and National Culture) - Essay Example Breadtalk, is a company that was established in 2000 and deals with designing confectionery store, and is known for its delicious cream filed buns. It owns some of the best performing food courts and restaurants in 13 different countries, including Singapore, Indonesia, China, Kuwait, Oman, the Philippines, Malaysia, Hong Kong, India, Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, and Bahrain.  Moreover, the company owns more than 240 stores across the globe. Although the company operates in different culture, the adequate understanding of the issues that arise from cultural differences has enabled BreadTalk expand rapidly in different countries. This essay focuses on what corporate social responsibility is and how it could influence the organizational behavior of BreadTalk. Moreover, the essay will explain why an understanding of cultural differences is important to the business at BreadTalk, and include a brief description of the Australian company where BreadTalk is planning to expand. In the contem porary world, companies have to operate in a competitive market characterized by changing consumer preferences. Therefore, it has become inevitable for companies willing to succeed to make strategic decisions such as undertaking to contribute to some activities in the society (Love, 2008). BreadTalk is one company that has benefitted from its engagement in corporate social responsibility. In china, BreadTalk is recognized for its role in assisting the victims of the Sichuan earthquake on 12th may 2008. BreadTalk designed Panda Bear shaped buns symbolic of the horror associated with the 7.8 magnitude earthquake. All proceeds obtained from the sale of Peace Panda buns were given to aid the different bodies dealing with the earthquake. The activity enhanced the reputation of BreadTalk and resulted in increased media coverage. This activity demonstrated the innovativeness of BreadTalk since it made use of their own products in raising funds, which also boosted sale of other products oth er than â€Å"Peace Panda† (Wood 2010). Different countries are characterized by different cultures, which affect certain aspects of business such as customer preference. Multinational companies are at times faced by conflict most of which are related to cultural differences that characterize the different countries. BreadTalk is a multinational company but has managed to gain wide acceptance in the regions where it has expanded its operations. Different cultures are characterized by different cultural values and ethics, which often affect the moral judgments of individuals (Tay 2010; Wood 2010). Having operated in different countries, especially in the Asian continent, BreadTalk management has sound understanding of the influence of culture on performance. Understanding the cultural differences that characterize different nations is important to the Business Managers at ‘Breadtalk since the company operates in a multicultural setup characterized by varying customer pre ference. Moreover, the company the company deals with offering food products. Most cultures are characterized by varying eating habits hence varying preference (Hart & Rosenbergerg 2004; Jones, Comfort, & Hillier 2007). An understanding of the Australian culture is important to the Business Managers at ‘Breadtalk and will enable them to decide if they should expand to

Relationship between Women and Early Cinema Essay

Relationship between Women and Early Cinema - Essay Example It was said that films embody a complex historical, cultural, and aesthetic relationship which the effect of each result in the other's development (Knopt 2005, p. 37). The cinema is hence not just a social tool that provides entertainment, but also one in which the cultural and social aspects of society are reflected. It promotes intents and clamors for what must be geared for by people in general. It may be inferred that the cinema has a model of attraction in which the audience is significantly drawn into. This attraction provides a relationship between the viewer and the film, in which a relationship between the cinema and its connection to the era's entertainments and expositions of technologies are highlighted (Strauven 1999, p. 121). What this concept implies is that there was indeed a cinema which offered viewers a specific pleasure, a pleasure characterized by different degrees - from the plot itself to the dresses and clothing of the cast. A cinema of attractions, like the early cinema, addresses the viewers directly and become the privileged recipients of the pleasures. By its very nature, narrative cinema relegates the viewer to the safe position of observer-voyeur (Strauven 1999, p. 121), in which the viewers are given the privilege to peek closely at the physical characteristics of characters, their motives, behavior, facial expressions, and even the manner of dres sing. The film spectacle is thus an act of showing which presents sudden bursts of presentations created for pleasure of immediate vision-apparition (Strauven 1999, p. 122). This conception is grounded on the fact that the camera is able to see and conceive things and the world differently. It was posited that the machinery of cinema involves powers and qualities that allow it to become an attraction machine, in which attraction itself is a corroborative idea that is enduringly present in its heart. Historians agree that during the first few decades of the cinema, a spectacular, direct, and exhibitionist model was created making it a vision machine that offer marvelous visions. It is clear that women and fashion were two dominant elements in early cinema, existing hand in hand with each other as they inflict new values among the viewers. There was no lead actress that dressed poorly unless her role asked for it, which eventually transforms her to a beautiful girl in high fashion. The women depicted were young ones, attributing to the important connection between youth and eroticism and the corresponding cut of clothing necessary to reveal this eroticism. Looking good is essential in this pursuit in which it is necessary to cast beautiful women with beautiful bodies characterised with slim waists and large breasts which early cinema was accounted for. As we have posited that the cinema in general provides observation and voyeurism, a beautiful face and body are hence important ingredients of these aspects, in which fashion and good dressing are likewise contributory factors. The cinema affects the viewed in a sense that it tends to promote all these aforemen tioned which the viewers easily adopt and create as a form of fashion style. Certain approaches to courtship, dating and sex are also promoted by the cinema as a form of mass media affecting the habits and values of people in its usage of beautiful erotic bodies and equally good dressing of women characters. Eroticism is the

Gender Discriminations as Portrayed in Budd Schulberg’s “On the Waterfront” Essay Example for Free

Gender Discriminations as Portrayed in Budd Schulberg’s â€Å"On the Waterfront† Essay Literary forms reflect most of the time social conditions and scenario. This is because most writers have the gift of being sensitive to their surroundings. A lot of writers have already wrote about the pains of war, the stories of success, and criticisms about the existing flaws of the society. When narrating about war, writers never forget to touch the topic of patriotism. When it is a story of success that they want to write, they always incorporate the keys to success. However, when criticizing the society, most writers focus often on two themes: the struggles between the wealthy and the poor and gender discrimination. For example, in Budd Schulberg’s â€Å"On the Waterfront†, gender criticism is one of the compelling themes the author has presented and embedded in the story. However, unlike other gender-based novels, ‘On the Waterfront† does not mainly focus on one gender but tackles both criticisms pointing to males and females. The novel suggests that gender-defined roles damage both gender along with greed for power. Criticisms on Women In the society that Schulberg has created, the D and D society, women seem to be victims of double jeopardy. Here the women are being discriminated in two levels. First, they are abused as being women in general and second, they are abused by their own society led by Johnny Friendly. In the novel, women already experience household violence, specifically coming from their husbands or other members of the family. For example, Edie, has experienced to be limited by his own father. It could be remembered that Edie’s father wants her to continue pursuing college: â€Å"But Pop, Ive seen things that I know are so wrong. Now how can I go back to school and keep my mind on on things that are just in books, that-that-that arent people living? † Although one way of empowering women is to educate them, it is more empowering for them to follow their own will and not be dictated by others. Edie’s decision to stay in Brooklyn to search the truth behind the death of his brother could be considered as more rewarding than to attain a degree in college. Her father, on the other hand, might not be aware of what he did. Nevertheless, his action could be considered an act of limiting the rights of women to think and act on their own. Criticisms Against Men Clearly, the novel shows more cases of criticisms and abuse against men than women. Unlike women, men in the D and D society are not victims of two-level criticisms. However, the abuse they experience seems to be as heavy as the abuse those of women. In their society, those who are in power mainly abduct their rights—the members of the mob-connected union, particularly their leader Johnny Friendly. The novel clearly shows how the rights of men to live and to speak the truth were violated. They are not simply hurt physically; they lose their lives once they go against the union. But Schulberg did not stop on that; he even explored the psychology of how men hurt each other’s feelings. For example, one of the biggest conflicts in the story is the dispute between siblings Terry and Charley: â€Å"You dont understand. I coulda had class. I could have been a contender. I could have been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, lets face it. It was you, Charley. † (Shulberg p. 266) These lines from Terry clearly shows that it was indeed a hard life for people to live having dispute with their family. Greed for Power Aside from gender criticisms, another theme that is present in â€Å"On the Waterfront† deals with the greed for power. In the story, Schulberg clearly shows how man can become a monster just to achieve a power comparable to that of a god. This universal truth, in reality, also damage both gender. Being greed for power could push a person, regardless of gender, to commit actions that violate both the law and morality. In the novel, killing people and oppressing them just to remain in power is one vivid example. Johnny Friendly, together with other members of the union, is evidently guilty of it: â€Å"You want to know whats wrong with our waterfront? Its the love of a lousy buck. Its making love of a buck— the cushy job— more important than the love of man! † (Schulberg p. 225). These lines from one of the characters in the novel is an attempt to verbalize the problem with the D and D society. People are so absorbed on how to gain power over other people. Thus, one effective way to do this is to gain an incredible amount of money. In summary, â€Å"On the Waterfront† tries to capture forms of abuse that are a result of greed and the need for power. The novel clearly shows, through the character of Johnny Friendly, how man can be blinded by his constant pursuit for money and power. Generally, it is the greed for wealth that a person could lose his sense of what is right and what is wrong. To dream of becoming rich is not a bad dream. It is in the nature of man to look for ways on how to improve himself and his condition. But when the dreamer let himself to be carried away by the grandiosity of wealth, the dream will suddenly turn into a nightmare. As a result, greed for money and power both damage men and women. Both are threats to the rights and freedom of people. Moreover, it is a stain of our society, Work Cited Schulberg, Budd. On the Waterfront. Pennsylvania: Continuum Intl Pub Group, 1985

Al-Ghazâlî, Causality, and Knowledge Essay -- Arabic Philosophy Philos

Al-Ghazà ¢là ®, Causality, and Knowledge ABSTRACT: Few passages in Arabic philosophy have attracted as much attention as al-Ghazà ¢là ®'s discussion of causality in the seventeenth discussion of Tahà ¢fut al-Falsafa, along with the response of Ibn Rushd (Averroà «s) in his Tahà ¢fut al-Tahà ¢fut. A question often asked is to what extent al-Ghazà ¢là ® can be called an occasionalist; that is, whether he follows other Kalà ¢m thinkers in restricting causal agency to God alone. What has not been thoroughly addressed in previous studies is a question which al-Ghazà ¢là ® and Ibn Rushd both see as decisive in the seventeenth discussion: what theory of causality is sufficient to explain human knowledge? In this paper I show that al-Ghazà ¢là ®'s and Ibn Rushd's theories of causality are closely related to their epistemologies. The difference between the two thinkers can be briefly summerized as follows. For Ibn Rushd, the paradigm of human knowledge is demonstrative science; for al-Ghazà ¢là ®, in contrast, the par adigm of human knowledge is (or at least includes) revelation. Yet both remain committed to the possibility of Aristotelian science and its underlying principles. Thus, I suggest that al-Ghazà ¢là ®'s stance in the seventeenth discussion sheds light on his critique of philosophy in the Tahà ¢fut: namely, philosophy is not inherently incoherent, but simply limited in scope. I also briefly compare this position to that of Thomas Aquinas, in order to place the view in a more familiar context. Few passages in Arabic philosophy have attracted as much attention as al-Ghazà ¢là ®'s discussion of causality in the seventeenth discussion of Tahà ¢fut al-Falà ¢sifa, along with the response of Ibn Rushd (Averroà «s) in his Tahà ¢fut al-Tahà ¢fut. A question which has been addressed ... ...onalist reading of al-Ghazà ¢là ®, translates the same as 'sheer vilification,' referring to the philosophers. Marmura's is clearly the better translation (tashnà ®' being the verbal noun of 'to vilify'), indicating that al-Ghazà ¢là ® is in fact referring back to the criticism made by the philosophers. The passage is at Tahà ¢fut, p. 296. See also Riker, p. 319. (12) Tahà ¢fut, p. 300, p. 258. English translation p. 330, p. 278. (13) Tahà ¢fut, p. 296. English translation, p. 325. (14) Tahà ¢fut, pp. 295-6. English translation, p. 324. (15) Tahà ¢fut, p. 294. English translation, p. 322. (16) Qurà ¢n 35.43, cited at Tahà ¢fut, p. 292. English translation, p. 320. See also Tahà ¢fut, p. 302, English translation, p. 333. (17) Tahà ¢fut, p. 296. English translation, p. 325. (18) Tahà ¢fut, p. 298. English translation, p. 327. (19) Tahà ¢fut, p. 84. English translation, p. 70.

Cross-cultural interaction Essay

Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The peripatetic traveler is the quintessential image of a globalised man. Today’s traveler is driven by the commercial forces of globalization and improved communications in the World which has seen travel and tourism grow as an industry. In the ancient and medieval ages however, when traveling was not that simple and safe, a few adventurists quite literally walked across the globe or what ever was known of it then. These were men as Benjamin of Tudela, Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta, who covered vast spaces compared to capacity of transportation in the era in which they lived and have left rich sources of history documented in their travels. There is much debate over the relevance of the jottings made by these travelers to modern day history. Sceptics tend to question the authenticity and objectiveness as well as ability to portray a correct picture of a cross cultural interaction which these travelers tend to pursue from their own perspective. Travel literature has substantial relevance in providing authentic information of cross cultural interaction, the cross cultural trends, a perception of cross cultural association between people and is proving to be a good source of authentic and endearing history today as it provides a perspective in today’s world through an understanding of medieval religion and cultures. Information of cross-cultural interaction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The ancient and medieval times were denoted by lack of developed communications and modes of interaction for travel. There were also very limited historical recordings and what ever existed was at the behest of the ruling cliques, thereby making it biased. The historian today is left with primary records which are substantiated by such travelogues for a dispassionate view of cross cultural interaction. Thus travelogues do serve as important benchmark documents for historical purpose. This would be evident from recounting of travels through the Middle East during the medieval period in the writings of Benjamin of Tuleda, which tends to support the various historical happenings during the period by sources from both sides of the Islam and Christian divide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Travelers as Benjamin who was a Jew could also benefit from interaction with those of his community who were spread across the region. Since the Jews were relatively unbiased during the period of the Crusades, their observations supplanted the travelers own perception providing further substance to the history of the region. While some may consider it as not the purest form of notation, in denoting cross cultural trends it could be considered more than appropriate and accurate. The excessive focus on the state of the Jews in Benjamin’s writing however to some extent indicates that the view of culture is primarily from an overly Semitic perspective of a Rabbi and authenticity is probably sacrificed but then a deeper reading would overcome this perception. Battuta’s writings span a much large cross cultural area extending from Jerusalem, Damascus, Syria, and East Africa while Marco Polo’s travelogues are also very genuine impressions of cross cultural trends. Each of the chapters he writes covers the various aspects of a particularly community that he has observed be it the cropping pattern, food habits and the monarchical way of governance. Marco very assiduously provides an overview of each facet in great detail. Perceptive Observers Providing Authenticity   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The intention of the travelers in their journey was multi focal. Thus some such as Benjamin did it for the purpose of seeking opportunities of trade or to find out about the state of personnel of his own community residing in various parts of the Middle East after being persecuted in their native lands. The meticulous recording of ethnographic details in his writing provides very insightful observations on cross cultural trends which highlights the capacity of its originator. Thus we find in Benjamin’s writings the details of how and when the Egyptian monarch travels, what are the proclivities of the people during various periods and the rivalries that existed even in those time between Cairo and Baghdad. It is also relevant to see that a person traveling beyond his immediate geographical and cultural setting would also be keen to obtain fresh insights into the lives of other communities. Thus observations of Marco Polo need to be taken note off with greater acceptance of the fidelity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The meticulous logging of the timings in terms of a virtual daily log provides an excellent record of the period, the state of development, the manner in which communities lived and the state of their culture in vivid details. Ibn Battuta who was overwhelmed by the need to travel and thus sets out from his native place at the tender age of 22 years, is also a very keen observer and thus his recordings attain a high quality of relevance particularly in the cross cultural context. His descriptive writings on Cairo or Alexandria are very perceptive providing an innate understanding of the era. The description of events, the handling of camels, the holding of ceremonies all are very effectively portrayed by the traveler, giving a good understanding of the period. The meticulous recording of customs such as movement of women naked in some societies as in Mali and cannibalism are stark etchings on the history of a cross cultural trend.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marco Polo again has provided   a wealth of material on cross cultural trends which denotes an excellent eye for detail and power of observation across a large expanse of area from Europe to China, Tibet to India and other areas. The burning of, â€Å"black stones†, is perhaps a recorded intervention by Marco, which indicates the level and depth of his observations. Marco’s observation are supplemented by a comparison between various cultures be it Chinese, Middle Eastern or Central Asian traditions of Bokhara. This provides a deep insight into cultural happenings of the era. Perspective of Modern Day Understanding   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Today Islam and the West appear to be undergoing a serious crisis, some view it as a clash of civilization matching. There is very limited understanding of each others religions, traditions, culture and ideological basis. This is truly surprising given the proliferation of modern knowledge.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is the writings of travelers as Benjamin of Tudela who traversed the Middle East in the 12th Century which provides us a deeper understanding of the roots of this civilizational divide thereby enhancing our understanding of happenings in today’s World. Being a Rabbi from Spain, Benjamin was relatively detached to enable a more objective assessment of the conflict which was occurring between Islam and Christianity in the medieval ages. His tour of the principal areas of the Middle East as well as Europe and Asia provided a fresh insight not just into the period but also the cross cultural linkages between these areas over the ages. The peace and prosperity in Egypt described so authentically by Benjamin provide an excellent insight in the functioning of well governed medieval states. The clash between Saladin and the Christians and the moves and counter moves of the period have been very vividly portrayed by Benjamin denoting how Islam was revived between the period of the Second and the Third Crusades.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Today when we see a similar up rise in Islam which is spearheaded not by the likes of Saladin, but terrorist leaders as Osama Bin Laden, Benjamin’s travels can provide a better counter cultural perspective. A similar understanding of the culture of the Middle East is provided in the writings of Ibn Battuta which can provide us a perspective from an Islamic traveler’s point of view in a different age over three centuries apart and covering some of the same areas. In each of the places that he visits Battuta makes mention of specifics which indicate a keen eye for detail. It is natural that a person with a good view of the details will remain also particular of the accuracy of his writings. Thus enhancing their historical value. The writings provide a cross cultural dimension of the transformation that has take place in these areas over these years.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marco’s writings on Tibet are another issue which enables us to correlate between the state and relations of Tibet between the modern and the medieval periods. The fascination which the Chinese felt for Tibet even then is evident as Marco observes their repeated forays to gain hold of territory which they see as a great expanse with its many provinces, the customs of the people, their mastiffs and bamboo cropping are thus set to be matching. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus it would be seen that the travelogues of Marco Polo, Ibn Batttuta and Benjamin of Tudela are important documents as they provide authentic information of cross cultural interaction, denote cross cultural trends, enhance the perception of cross cultural association between people and prove good sources of authentic and endearing history, thereby providing better modern day understanding and background of medieval religion and cultures as in the Middle East.       References Marco Polo and Rustichello of Pisa. 2004. The Travels of Marco Polo, Volume 1 and 2. E-text prepared by Charles Franks, Robert Connal, John Williams, and Project Gutenberg Distributed Proofreaders. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/10636/10636-8.txt (VOLUME I). http://www.gutenberg.org/files/12410/12410-8.txt (VOLUME II). (20 November 2006) Ibn Battuta: Travels in Asia and Africa 1325-1354. Nd. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1354-ibnbattuta.html (20 November 2006) The itinerary of Benjamin of Tudela. 1907. Philipp Feldheim, inc The house of the Jewish book. New York. gutenberg.org/files/14981/14981-h/14981-h.htm. (20 November 2006).