Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 20

Management - Essay Example The said structure may be considered as bureaucratic or post-bureaucratic depending upon the performance. Bureaucratic is considered when there is a value for merits, hierarchy and definite separation of responsibilities and roles. On the other hand, a post-bureaucratic organization may have the hierarchy but there is a sense of equality in voicing out opinions and ideas through dialogues. Post-bureaucratic also favors consensus which means the decision would depend upon the majority of votes or prevailing idea (DuBrin, 2012: 263). Despite of the â€Å"majority wins† mentality, hierarchy still exists in post-bureaucratic organizations. Kraft was sort of a centralized rigid organization way back before its acquisition of Cadbury. After one and a half year of acquiring Cadbury, the company decided to split the organization into two namely the snack food business and grocery business (Geller, 2011). In addition, it also made efforts to decentralize its structure by allowing more staffs to participate in decision-making and improving the company as a whole. The decision-making involving the product development and manufacturing would be the ones transferred to the lower levels of the organizational hierarchy. In addition, the structure might look like a matrix because the information technology, human resources and logistics teams would be shared across the organization (Ferrari, 2010). Organizational structure is not the only concern in the paper as the ethical issues are also important in the productivity and performance of a company. It is already an accepted fact that making mistakes is inevitable but can be reduced by careful preparations, best practices and sound decisions. Each mistake can be detrimental to the overall state of the company so the rightness or wrongness of an action or practice is being looked at by the professionals and even by the public. After all, a business depends upon the profit that will be gained from

Widows in Hinduism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Widows in Hinduism - Essay Example eatly be pegged on different traditions, content and themes of various contexts in history and authenticity and authority of texts and other sources of information that they rely on for history purposes. For instance, some traditions in Hindu kingdoms which used Manusmrti texts to refer their history advocated in many occasions to restricting women rights whereas the modern Hindu society has a new perspective on women and their roles in the society. In general, different traditions within these kingdoms dictated the roles and position of women in that while some advocated male chauvinism, some kingdoms included respected courtesans; sacred women to worship and service their deities, educated and trained women in their kingdoms and those who could perform extra ordinary activities such as magic (Fisher & Adler, 2011). Books and other literary works have been written on the subject matter, women and Hinduism, with majority concentrating on the treatment of women before and after the Br itish colonial rule, and this article will reflect on the Hinduism’s understanding of widowhood and traditional treatment of widows. During British colonial rule, child marriage was a common practice in India where girl children as young as below ten years could get married to an older man; a practice/ tradition of some societies where women were treated as sex slaves or believed to have a role of a â€Å"house wife† irrespective of their age. The major problem was when a husband dies as the widows had a diminished role and position in the society and were required to spend their lives languishing in poverty and constantly worshiping God; restricted to the right of re-marrying and having a happy family with another man. Re-marrying being treated like a taboo, the widows had to be confined in an ashram for Hindu widows to spend their lives in renunciation, segregation from other society members so as to expiate bad karma and to relieve their families of financial and emotional burdens.

The left realist perspective on crime

The left realist perspective on crime This assignment is about how realism define crime,it causes and how these crimes could be prevented.There are numerous crime theories, example labelling theory,life course theory,anomie theory an so forth.All of the above mentioned theories have different views in the definition of crime,it causes and prevention.This essay will talk about realism theory in particular on how they do define crime.its causes and prevention.There are two types of realism theories and these are left and right realism but for the purpose of this assignment left realism will be the key area that will be discussed on how property crime like shoplifting its causes and how it could be prevented. Left realism sees crime as a real problem for ordinary people and explains it through analysis, social and economic relationships, and how some groups become marginalised. In one regard, the left realists do share some degree of agreement with the radical theorists in that it is common ground that crime is a reaction to an unjust society (Lea and Young, 1984:45). Emergence as a means of explaining its main principles in respect of how the left realists see the causes of crime and its prevention methods. It will also identify its criminological perspectives with which it conflicts with other theories like right realism and the theory of anomie.One of the basic dogmas of the left realism is that criminals offences other than white collar crimes are serious problems and they demand to be explained and tackled.Left realist counter a number of arguments which criminologist have gone on to suggest that such offences are grievous.Jock Young(1993) argued that there has been a substantial and significance increase in street crimes since World War Two. In one regard, the left realists do share some degree of agreement with the radical theorists in that it is common ground that crime is a reaction to an unjust society (Lea and Young, 1984:45). However, on that point is also disagreement in that, unlike radical criminologists, left realists do not imagine that the criminal should not be blamed for responding by engaging in offending behavior. Offense is one form of egoistic response to loss. Its roots are injustice, but its growth often perpetrates injustice (Lea and Young, 1984:72). Lea and young believed that deprivation will only contribute to crime where it is known as relative deprivation. A group experiences relative deprivation when it feels deprived in comparism to other similar groups or when its prospects are not touched. It is not the fact of being deprived as such, only the touch of privation which is significant. Lea and Young (1984) point to a group army of young unemployed for whom a collective violence and the tempora ry ascendancy over their territory through riots is a substitute for organized crimes. Lea and Young suggested that culture and subjective meanings also have to be critically analyzed. Relative deprivation may be defined as the experience of being deprived of something to which one believes oneself to be entitled (Walker and Smith 2001). According to Runciman (1966) he argued hat the poor became aware of the scale of difference between them and the rich through political revolutions. Lea and Young asserted that not just unemployment or poverty lead to the cause of crime, it is when the feelings of resentment of the people what they could actually earn compared to their expectations which leads them to perpetrate a felonious crime. While single causes of crime are rejected, they argue that much is brought about by relative deprivation.This does not mean deprivation in itself produces crime as there is no clear evidence to substantiate this argument and such argument neglects white collar crime (Lea and Young 1993).Left realists believe that most group in a society have different expectations which are connected to what they feel they deserve.They may compare their s ituations with other members in the society whom they would expect to equal.If these expectations are not met ,they may feel deprived not absolutely but relatively.Unemployed youth in society may feel relatively deprived when they compare themselves with employed youth in the same society and this may lead them to frustration because they might feel for them being unemployed is not their fault and this can lead them in engaging them to commit property crimes such as shoplifting. The second facet of causes of crimes in left realistic perspective is marginalisation.Lea and Young argued that marginalisation means the process by which certain groups find themselves on the edge of society.Black and white working class youth sometimes feel alienated by the police force,educational institutions ,low- wages and unemployment.Young peole, example those in black community do face some level of marginalisation through prejudice and harassment example military police (stop and search) and they asserted that this may be the â€Å" straw that breaks the camel back†. Economic marginalisation that have been created by upper class in the society are transferred in criminal acts like committing property crime example shoplifting. The third problem of the left realist identified as a cause to crimes such as property crime is the problem of subculture. Lea and young argued that subculture of blacks is distinctly different from their parents who largely acceptd their marginalised position in society.Black people in a society example those in subculture has got aspirations and high expectations in life that is they always try to use status symbols like acquiring flashy cars , buying expensive clothings and the use of costly mobile phones and other expensive gadgets. Because black youth is so closely enmeshed in values of consumption style, and wealth, this is precisely why they engage in committing crime because of blocked opportunities.Lea and Young see subcultures as the collective solutions to groups problem.So, if a group of people share a sense of relative deprivation,they develop lifestyles which allow them to cope with this problem.Nevertheless,a particular subculture is not an automatic,inevitable respons e to a solution; Human creativity will allow a mixture of resolutions to be developed. These are the three main causes the left realist identified as causes of crimes.The left realists did not only focus on the offender as compared to some other theories.They did go beyong the scope of the offender and showed concerns for the victim patterns and formal and informal as well.They did so by explaining the square of crime which are the Offender, Victim,State and lastly the internal controls.Lea and Young argued that there must be interrelationship between these four elements before crime could be understood. Above all, these causes left realism adopted some approaches as a prevention methods to curb the growing of crime.Left realist believe that for crimes to be prevented ,there must be a considerable attention by focusing on practical measures .In Losing the Fight Agaisnt Crime(1986), Jock Young,Richard Kinsey and John Lea suggested the ways policing could be changed.Lea ,Young and Kinsey contended that the key to police success lies in improving relationships with the community so that stream of data which the police rely increases.To accomplish this ,they suggested minimal policing should be adopted.Even though,he indicated that the public should establish priorities for the police.Young also identified some sectors which he believes are under-policed and over-policed.Young thought the state and the police force spend too much of their time and energy in tackling certain types of crimes and not enough to others.This type of approach to policing warp the stats as to the genuineness nat ure of crime. Young and Lea also suggested that for offenses to be foreclosed, there must be some prioritization of social justice programs of crime prevention. When groups in a society feel that the law treats everyone in the same society, irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, race, etc. they forget the presence of marginalisation and as such for them (lower-class) thinking that they have been prejudiced will be out of context. This will not create any social misconduct in the society henceforth prevent committing of criminal offenses. Another prevention methods the left realists adopted was the idea of prison sentences should be longer than usual which will create a solution rising crime rates.They also believed that for crimes to be prevented , the powers of the police force should be increased (Formal social Control).They did also suggested that there should be more informal social controls such as quality housing, improvement of social services,good job prospects,quality community areas like play areas; which all these create a sense of belongings. The left realists also suggested that there should be pre-emptive deterrence (situational and social target hardening) should be adopted in order to control or prevent crimes.To prevent crimes from left realists perspective involves intervention of each part of the crime at the level of factors which give putative offender (such as structural unemployment), the formal organisation (such as lack of public mobilisation),the victim (such as inadequate target hardening) and the formal systems (such as ineffective policing) (Young,1986:41). Above all,Feminist criminological theorists have been critical of left realism in its tackling both of female criminal behaviour and its failure to explain the crimes that are traditionally viewed as targeting women,such as rape.Precisely,as it could be criticised for neglecting to offer an adequate account of different types of criminal behaviour.Left realism was accused of an overly one-dimensional focus on youth,male,working-class criminal behaviour to the detriment f offenders from other socio-demographic backgrounds.Female criminality is largely unaddressed and moreover,exposes a central weaknes in one of the key principlesof left realism.Evenly, it difficult to see how left realism can explain sexual crimes against women unless it comes within the same class of violent offences that are the result of frustration following a failure to achieve legitimate success.This appears an extremely tenuous argument for such complex crimes and in any case,left realist have tended not engros s with the issue of rape to any degree thus the explanation remains speculative(Heidensohn,1985). To conclude,the left realists see the causes of crime example property crime(shoplifting) are relative deprivation,marginalisation,and subculture which all these constitute the causes of crime.They also suggested some approaches which must be practised in order to prevent crimes from happening.They suggested formal social control measures thus the police should be given more powers to carry out their duties effectively and efficiently and also suggested longer prison sentences to avert crimes from rising.Lastly they suggested informal social control measures like good job prospects,quality housing and quality community areas like playing grounds for belongingness.

Developmental Psychology :: Psychology Psychological Essays

Developmental Psychology There are three main theories of development that I shall discuss in this assignment, 'Cognitive', the main theorist being, 'Piaget', (1896 - 1980), The, 'Psychosocial Theory', 'Erikson', (1902 - 1994), and, The 'Psychosexual', of, 'Freud', (1856 - 1939). Cognitive Psychology draws the comparison between the human mind and a computer, suggesting that we like the computer process the information we acquire from around us and then react accordingly. Hearnshaw, (1987), claims that Cognitive Psychology is both one of the oldest and also one of the newest parts of Psychology, cited in ?T. Malim?, (1994). Information is collected through our senses i.e. vision, touch, smell etc and then processed through our brain. Cognitive Psychologists largely seek explanations of Cognitive development, memory, attention, artificial intelligence, perception and social cognition. The methods used are usually Laboratory experiments under controlled circumstances i.e. memory tests, and, Case studies. Piaget, (J), (1896-1980), carried out case studies on his own children to study the stages of cognitive development. Piaget concluded that the child was an organism which adapts to the environment, he also studied with the opinion that all children went through the same set stages of development and that there were no individual differences. Piagets? Stages of Development: - The Sensorimotor stage, (0-2): - Early in the sensorimotor stage the child is entirely egocentric, everything is an extension to the self, they can?t distinguish themselves from their environment. The child has no concept of past or future all it is aware of is the here and now. The child relies entirely on it?s senses i.e. sight, hearing, touch. It is believed by Cognitive Psychologists that ?.. ?To begin with, a baby will rely on in-built behaviours for sucking, crawling and watching? as cited in Moonie, N, (1995). A child does not understand that an object does not cease to exist when it is out of sight. However, in contradiction, Bower & Wishart, (1972), used infrared cameras to see what the child does when an object disappears. The child is shown a bottle in the light, when the child reaches to grasp the bottle the lights are turned out. Bower & Wishart recorded that the child continued to reach for the bottle for up to 1.5minutes after the lights are turned out. Another point m ade by Piaget is that not only does the child look for an object, which is hidden, but also the child will not look for it even if part of it is showing.

Culture in Organization

What do you see as the main organizational problems that are likely to be associated with implementation of a transnational strategy? The transnational strategy is an international marketing method that â€Å"seeks to combine the benefits of global-scale efficiencies with the benefits of local responsiveness† rather than settling for the limitations of either strategy. The transnational strategy also strives for local responsiveness and external flexibility within the foreign subsidiaries at the cost of integration.The transnational strategy creates a mutually dependent relationship between the central hub and foreign subsidiaries, thereby empowering both worlds. The strategy also becomes difficult to implement due to its conflicting nature. Most firms find it difficult to implement transnational strategy. In the long run, almost all firms want to include some elements of localized decision-making because each country has its own eccentric characteristics. For example, very fe w people in Japan prefer a computer that includes English-language keyboard. Another example would be how Coca-cola differentiates its ingredients for each country.Consumers in US prefer sweeter coca-cola while Chinese consumers prefer less sugar. There are several issues associated with implementing transnational strategy. Organizational issues include: Cultural differences, Language barriers, Geographic barriers, technical challenges and sound knowledge of local market. Implementation difficulties include communication issues, trust issues, multiple roles, flexibility and cultural issues, among many others. For example, with GM, some European operations may need to collaborate with operations in Latin America.Significant performance ambiguities may occur with transnational strategies. A way to address these challenges is with a very strong culture and many integrating mechanisms. I personally believe that handling the technical challenges would be the most critical of all challeng es. While, information technology and improvements in global telecommunications are giving international firms more flexibility to shape their global strategies, not many managers are willing to adapt to the change. The IT systems department needs to be up to date and should be unctioning smoothly at all times. The advances in communication technology coupled with the authority and affordability of information technology, has transformed the way companies conduct business both nationally and internationally. The affordability of these technologies has allowed smaller companies to compete in markets dominated by large companies as well as compete in progressing and new markets. As the technology has progressed, businesses have also gradually engaged in international business as the tools and opportunities have been presented.Transnational operations can provide organizations with many advantages in several different levels, and if managed correctly, the organizations can offset the p ossible problematic aspects that exist, providing these organizations with an optimized structure that can transform the business into a successful company operating globally. Disadvantages are if not properly accounted for and controlled, transnational operations can present several aspects that can negatively affect an organization.Among these aspects are technological infrastructure of the foreign nation, political and economic stability, cultural difference, and technical knowledge. Understanding the particulars and differences of the foreign nation is fundamental to the success of business conducted in an international environment. Not every country has access to the technological infrastructure enjoyed by most first and second world countries. Also, not all business segments may have access to highly efficient communication networks or infrastructure. The price of such services may be disproportionate and out of the reach of most small businesses.For example, India still does not have Internet facilities everywhere and cost for using them is exorbitant. Traditionally, technological innovations in developing nations are significantly higher in price and, in terms of communication infrastructure, also less reliable. Even when readily available, the local service levels may be below the standards that the organization requires. Given that optimal communication and efficient communication channels are essential to the success of international business, the infrastructure available needs to e clearly understood and alternatives to account for communication must be in place prior to the commencement of business operations in the foreign nation. Problems in infrastructure can lead to difficulty in the transfer of work or meeting project deadlines and can lead to quality issues. Another major difficulty of the transnational operation is to design an organizational form that is capable of being efficient and responsive, and which enables the transfer of knowledge across locations.In addition to the basic structural issues in designing a global organization, a company must decide to what extent: decision making should be held in a few key centers (centralized) or distributed to a large number of business units (decentralized). According to me, decisions should be made at both a centralized and decentralized level depending on the company’s needs. There needs to be a mix of informal and formal integrating mechanisms. Differences in culture can present several issues.If not managed properly, these issues can turn into major disadvantages. An atmosphere where there is a respect towards local customs needs to be established and simple actions such as having an understanding of local holidays, cultural customs, religious traditions, and language variances can make the organization have a corporate culture that transcends borders. Finally, transnational organizations have the inherent advantages of flexibility, diversity, global market reac h, and efficient cost structures, among several others.Even though several disadvantages have been presented, the commodization of bandwidth technology and the globalization trends of economies and politics are driving companies to meet an ever-expanding global market. As these tendencies continue, fueled by the expansion in use and popularity of global communications, the disadvantages will be reduced at a similar pace. While issues such as quality of work and service levels that have traditionally plagued international corporations, the evolution of technologies and the experience gained from transnational operations are also vastly improving these areas and thinning the negative view.

Detecting Plagiarism

The results of the paper, Lab Courses Go Virtual, came back with 98% similarity of plagiarism. This result defiantly exceeds the maximum amount allowed in regards to plagiarism. If I were the student, I couldn’t look my instructor in the eye or in this case respond to any correspondence with a clear honest and complete reason as to why I would have done something so deceitful as to copy some else’s work. My course of action toward the student would the following: I would like for you to understand that plagiarism reduces your self-confidence as a student. Clearly the paper that has been submitted was not your original work. Using some else’s work is not only fraudulent, but it promotes a lack of writing skills that is necessary in the workplace. Please review the universities guidelines on plagiarism. The guidelines are located: * Under the Library Tab * click Center of Writing Excellence located on the left hand side under * Writing Tools click Tutorials and Guides. * Under Plagiarism Tutorial click Plagiarism Guide. Keep in mind that I am here to assist you succeed in your journey. I encourage you to resubmit the assignment, within the four day time period from which it the assignment is due. At which time if you have not resubmitted the assignment in the time allotted, I will then assume that you have read the Plagiarism Guide and understand you will have failed the assignment and this course. There is also a possibility that you could be suspended from the university. I look forward to you resubmission of the assignment and if you have a questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me at [email  protected] phoenix. edu or call (509) 710-3537 anytime I will be happy to help.

The Alliance System and the New Imperialism essays

The Alliance System and the New Imperialism essays During the 19th and 20th century an abundance of change was occurring within the world in terms of the bonding and binding of alliance systems. France would quickly intertwine itself with different countries in order to form alliances to offer a form of security, strength, and wealth for the countries in the alliance as well as themselves. At the same time, there was a race for the empire, which would gain fuel through expansionism of other empires. Additionally, major imperialist activities would occur. Through fear and concern for security, strength, and wealth colonial holdings would increase. The combination of these elements and the binding of the countries through alliances would eventually help lead to the individual countries involvement in World War I (WWI) and the reasoning France had several different alliances with other countries. France was a great ally and had the economic, political, and military strengths that proved useful in the battle against Germany and Austria-Hungary. France even had a secret alliance with Italy that led to Italy aiding France in the war against Germany and Austria-Hungary. There were other alliances like the Franco-Russian Alliance of 1892 this agreement was formed with Russia. In the Franco-Russian agreement, if Germany or its ally Italy were to attack France, Russia would come to the aid and defend France. The same thing applies to Russia if the scenario occurred for them. The next agreement was the Entente Cordiale of 1904, which helped to end conflict between Great Britain and France. This agreement in no way made Great Britain or France an alliance with each other, or force Great Britain to commit support to Russia. This was more of an agreement than real formal alliance; however, the Triple Entente of 1907 changed the original alliance of the Entente Cordiale of 1904 and added Russia. Now they were the Triple Entente and stood in opposi...

Prejudice in To Kill A Mockingbird essays

Prejudice in To Kill A Mockingbird essays The book "To Kill a Mockingbird" tells of many good examples of prejudice toward African-Americans and people they're associated with. During the trial, the town people, family members, and friends show prejudice toward Atticus for defending Tom, and toward Tom for just being an African-American. The people of Maycomb frowned upon Mr. Dolphus Raymond because of the way he chose to live his life. During the trial, the African-Americans were required to sit in the balcony of the courtroom, completely separated from the Caucasians. Prejudice was not only shown toward the African-Americans, it was also shown toward Atticus. Atticus, a lawyer in Maycomb was respected by almost the whole town. Unable to follow the town's racial prejudice, Atticus agreed to defend Tom Robinson, an African-American accused of rape. This is the point at which he loses his respect from his town people, friends, and even family members. Atticus tried to do his job well, knowing that he would probably lose the case, just because of Tom's race. Atticus encouraged Tom not to give up his hopes. He was committed to his job, despite other's thoughts and opinions. Miss Stephanie Crawford, otherwise thought of as the rumor mill, passed cheap remarks concerning Atticus. Even Walter Cunningham, considered a friend by Scout, tries to harm Atticus. Not only were African-American's called "nigger's", but anyone associated with them were called "nigger lovers" Scout's cousin, Francis ran around yelling, "He's nothin' but a nigger lover!" ("To Kill a Mockingbird", Lee, 83) Aunt Alexandra felt Atticus was becoming a disgrace to their family for defending Tom. Atticus, still being the respectable parent that he was, urged his children to "climb into his skin and walk around in it" before they judge or criticize others. ("To Kill a Mockingbird", Lee, 30) Mrs. Dubose told the children Your fathers no better than the niggers and trash he works for&...

A Beautiful Mind Essays - Princeton University, A Beautiful Mind

A BEAUTIFUL MIND This is a true story about a man by the name of John Nash Jr. who was discovered to have paranoid schizophrenia in his adult life. The story starts with Nash as a student at Princeton University. In a scene where John arrives at Princeton to commence his studies, one of the patterns through his point-of-view shot was when John connects his vision of effulgent lemons, a punch bow, and the pattern of a fellow student?s tie. In this sequence and others in the film, John uses flashes of light in his pov shots to point out his recognition of significant patterns in the world around him, such as the magazines and newspapers lighting p when he thinks he has discovered a code. In another scene, John visits a top-secret regime center to decipher a code captured from the Soviets. In 1947, John attends Princeton University; his goal at this time is to come up with a great original mathematical theory. In 1953 his goal, he thinks is to help the Amalgamated states find a bomb, supposedly being bult by the Soviet Almagamation. He also ends up getting married in this year as well. John is working at M.I.T. and this is when his schizophrenia is full blown. He thinks he is a spy working for the department of Defense. His goal is to decipher, how to deal with his schizophrenia. He culminates up back at Princeton and convinces his old friend, Martin Henson to give him a job. His goal at this time is to get out in the real world and later on to be a teacher/Professor. He culminates up winning the Nobel Prize for his game theory. John defiantly has lots of obstacles and problems to confront. His first was when he was asked to play that board game with a schoolmate, Martin Henson. I feel he was asked by Martin to prove to the other men that John wasn?t as smart as he made out to be, plus to get back at John because, when he first met Martin he fulminated him. He then endeavored to fit in with some friends by peregrinating to the bars with them. John had to come up with a theory quickly or risk not being appointed a position with an important company. He finally does, and then acceded to work with the Department of Defense as a spy. It was very hard on him to endeavor to keep this regime information a secret from his coworkers and his girlfriend/wife, Alicia. Because of her insistence he goes back to the University and meets his old friend Martin and asks him for a job, so that he can, not only get back in the public, but to commence dealing with his illness. He has an abundance of drawbacks during this time, b ecause he still visually perceives his imaginary people, but perseveres and ends up being able to ignore these people and acquire a teaching job. In 1994, he is told that he is up for the Noble Prize and he meets one of the men from the Noble Prize review board. This man verbally expresses he has come to interview him. While john Nash and the interviewer are chatting, one of the professors come up and lays a pen down in front of him. Soon all the professors in the room were putting pens on the table in front of him. Helinger told John when this transpires it signifies a professor knows he has earned the prestige of his colleagues, that he has been accepted. He does culminate up winning the Noble Prize; John just wanted to be recognized for something important dealing with mathematics and this does become a reality. When he first gets to Princeton, he is in his room by himself and he was looking out his window. He witnessed an abundance of schoolmates with groups of people. John was a loner and had verbally expressed he did not like people and they did not like him. He suddenly turns around and Charles is their claiming to be his roommate. It seems whenever he had too much going his friend Charles suddenly appears. It meant to me that he

Transparency in public procurement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Transparency in public procurement - Essay Example It is because of these lack of transparency in public procurement that corruption has acquired its definition in that it is defined as the use of public office for public gain, where this lack of transparency does not only contribute to the definition as there have been corruption cases in the private sector, as well. As such, the definition of corruption in public procurement has been perceived and surveyed by different agencies to look into the impacts. Transparency International states that bribery is the most common form of corruption emanating from multinational companies that then provide bribe money from the world’s richest nations in an attempt to clinch contracts meant for public procurement. ... This way, Tabish says that the bribe money that rich corporations pay to receive contracts are usually then factored in the total cost of the contract, which she perceives to mean that the contract or the entire project will cost more than the earlier mentioned price of service and product procurement. She continues to state that the consequence of the lack of transparency is usually more than the bribe received by corrupt individuals seeking to benefit themselves as it all trickles down to the same person that received the bribe. This way, Tabish continues to highlight the price of lack of transparency and how it comes into being discarded by mentioning that cultural norms, ethics and accountability contribute greatly towards transparency or lack of it public procurement.3 As such, it is said that corruption or beach of transparency can be achieved or carried out at any stage in a procurement process meaning that there is not a single phase or project that is safe from corruption. S tudies further indicate that lack of transparency was directly related to systems of functions that involve corruption and the ability to look into projects that have both quality and quantity at high levels.4 This was because, transparency to Tabish, is a clear and concise means to achieve a project free of irregularities at all phases, and even exempt it from manifestation. A special report on E-governance portrays a number of practices, as being the best in ensuring transparency in procurement, where turning all systems to digital and internet based is the way to go. The report quotes Korea as an example of promoting transparency in procurement, where certain conditions must be met prior to a contract award to a company in all of its qualifications or lack of them

Plea Bargaining - A Flaw in the Criminal Justice System in the United Essay

Plea Bargaining - A Flaw in the Criminal Justice System in the United States - Essay Example This paper will discuss plea bargaining as a flaw in the criminal justice system. Plea bargaining is defined as a process whereby a defendant in a criminal case and the prosecutor reach a conclusion (which is mutually satisfactory) to end the criminal case at hand, subject to approval by the court. Successful plea bargaining lead to a plea agreement between the defendant and the prosecutor, where the former agrees to be plead guilty to the offence without a trial (Robert and Stuntz 24). In return, the prosecutor consents to make favorable recommendations to the court or dismiss specific charges regarding the case. However, plea bargaining is considered as a flaw in the criminal justice system. Its critics argue that it is a shortcut to justice, and therefore the due process of the law may not be followed fully. Besides, it is considered as a flaw in the criminal justice system because it is deemed to be unfair to criminal defendants. This is because the prosecutors tend to have so mu ch power in deciding the charges that a defendant may face (Hessick and Saujani 197). Also, since the prosecutors are evaluated to a greater extent on their rates of conviction, plea bargaining may force them to try at all costs to win the case. conversely, plea bargaining is a flaw in the criminal justice system because it is likely to soften punishment’s deterrent effect a s the defendant has an opportunity to bargain for lesser punishments (Hessick, Andrew and Saujani 81-82). Origin and Impact of Plea Bargaining Plea bargaining is a critical part of the United States’ criminal justice system; actually, majority of the criminal cases in America are settled using this means instead by jury trial. Plea bargaining traces its origin to the case of Brady v. United States in 1970 when the defendant (Robert Brady) tried to alter his plea after he had agreed to plead guilty to kidnapping for a lesser sentence (Fisher 44). Brady’s move was motivated by the desire to av oid death penalty. However, upon hearing the case, the Supreme Court ruled that his plea was legitimate because had an option of refusing the offer by the prosecutor. Subsequent case also showed that the Supreme Court approved the legality of plea bargaining. In the case of Santobello v New York in 1971, the legality of plea bargaining was challenged when the prosecutor was accused by the defendant of breaching their plea agreement by recommending a punishment that was harsher than the one they had agreed upon. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the defendant; it argued that legal validity of plea bargaining to be achieved, the defendant and the prosecutor should adhere to the plea agreement’s terms. This case set a precedent that each plea bargaining must be approved by the court for it to be legally valid. Since then it has been entrenched in America’s criminal justice system (Bibas 2471). However, several studies have shown that it affects criminal justice system b y giving the prosecutor more discretion that may lead to unfairness on the part of the defendant and by granting the defendant lesser punishment. The following cases bring the flaw mentioned above: Bordenkircher v. Hayes where the court approved unfair handling of the case by the prosecutor; and in Marshall v. Barlow’s Inc where the defendant was granted lesser punishment despite the gravity

M2A1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

M2A1 - Essay Example Dr. Samuelson, the founder and CEO of CardioFIb should accept investment from Greenhouse or not and Rudernman, the co-founder of Greenhouse should continue with this investment offer to CardioFib. These two key questions will be answered based on in depth analysis of the case study. Trends in venture capital Venture capital business is very much essential for today’s aspiring entrepreneurs for giving lives to their innovative ideas and insights. This business acts as catalyst for the any innovative innovations and risk associated entrepreneurship. It creates job opportunities, stimulates economic growth of a country or global economic growth and recovery. The venture capital industry has been undergoing in substantial transition. It is termed as rightsizing. The leading global players in this industry have been shrinking due to poor return on investment and decrease of potential new entrepreneurship to asking capital for venture. This industry enjoyed a substantial growth rate in pre dot com bubble era. The transition has been underway in quite slow motion due to frequent economic downturn in global economy. Still, the venture capital firms with wide market presence have been enjoying good return (Pearce & Haemming, 2012, p.1). Greenhouse relative to trends in venture capital Greenhouse was established at the time of global tech bubble. It missed out the pre era growth phase of this industry. The company business model is a single industry specific which is healthcare industry. Though the business operates with a narrow customer segment, but it had comparatively better opportunity and growth potentiality. The company achieved successful completion of $12 million fund raising within one and half year of establishment. Therefore, the fund raising potential of the company is very strong as it did it within an era economic slowdown in global economy due to tech bubble. Therefore, by comparing the business trend of the company with industry, it can be said th e company had developed a strong partner network to operate actively and to serve its target segment. Positioning of Greenhouse relative to venture capital industry The case describes the position of the company in early stage of 20th century and its first two years of its establishment. The company has very quickly developed potential partner network to raise fund to be ready to serve its target segment. It achieved more than its initial goal which developed considering the economic condition. But as a venture specialist for a specific and steady industry of healthcare instrument business, it was able to show quite attractive and noticeable business model to its investment network partners. The company developed its short goals by considering environmental factors to make a strong foothold in the venture capital industry. Greenhouse target "deals" relative to Greenhouse resources, relative competitive position and advantages The company has set target or business goals with a deter mination. It desired to less prediction of cash availability, accept funding after in depth scrutiny of Target Company with high consideration of crunch downs. The company also concentrated on fewer deals with comparatively stronger competition from premier deals. It can reduce the future risk of return on lower investment. It also expected few financing after initial funding to be ready next potential funding. Pros and cons for participating

Summury for food chain lesson plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summury for food chain lesson plan - Essay Example You will get all the information regarding lesson plan and how to use Wikispaces Select the grades you are interested in say 3-5 grades (as you are teaching them) Select the subject say Science. Select the topic in Science say Food Chain and Ecosystem Then select the lesson plan You can select the video you are interested in. Visit the website http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/ select lesson plan option Select the grade 3-5 you will get all the chapters as a list and then select the topic you require. Lesson Plan Week 1 Day 1: Ask the children the leading question â€Å"What did you eat for dinner last night?" Ask them to write what they ate as separate ingredients like beef, pasta, bread, rice etc. Then ask them to categorize the food that they ate as: Source of food- Plants or Animals, Fungi (in case of Mushrooms). Introduce the concept of producers- plants, they make their own food by the process of photosynthesis. Introduce the concept of consumers- organisms that eat either the producers or the consumers. Day 2: Categorize consumers as herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, and dentritivore (or decomposers). Ask questions as: Name the animals which that eat plants. Name the animals that eat other animals. Name the animals that eat both plants and animals. Name the decomposers. Explain the importance of decomposers. Explain why plants are essential for us.

Commuication at Diageo Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Commuication at Diageo - Case Study Example The details of the internal communication strategies by Diageo, as discussed in the case study, show that the all the different strategies implemented were mostly focused on the change management issues after the merger. One of the reasons for Diageo's internal communication to be successful is because both the upward and downward communication within the company is made easily possible (Ramgopal, 2008). The company's communication activities are in direct contact with strategies and plans; therefore Diageo sees every communication that is done is to achieve its business objectives. This is because even if all the top level management makes Diageo's business goals and objectives, it is the internal communication process that enables these goals to circulate within the organization (Armstrong, 2006). According to the case study, all the leaders in the company are encouraged to think of communication as a tool, which can play a role in achieving the company's goals. Another initiative in the communication process by Diageo, according to the case study, is the amount of information delivered to the employees. Employees at Diageo are informed about their role at the wider sense of the business. This helps in motivating the employee and once again implementing the concept of unification under the brand name. Another initiative in the internal communication process is the introductio... It has quarterly meetings through teleconferences and short period conferences. 12 top executives of Diageo participate in these meetings. In these meetings leadership community is the object of discussion and reform (Duncan, 2007). There are over 800 managers who are part of the leadership community at Diageo. At the leadership community they have introduced many new innovative ideas that can enhance the internal communication process at Diageo. These ideas include use of a new and imaginative buddy system - where all the top level managers and executives are teamed up with communications team. Each of them are assigned a ''buddy''; a communication guy. This can help in improving the communications skills of all those managers and executives. Then there is also the fortnightly update that is sent to the whole community (Robbins, 2009). That update is about all business developments and achievements, and is sent to the whole group by email, according to the case study. This helps in keeping all the leaders in the loop and once again imposing the brand building of the Diageo. This fortnightly update can also play a great role in the motivation of all the leadership community. Another tool to support the leadership community is through the company's own intranet. This is perhaps the most cost effective and simple way to keep the leadership community with over 800 members together and effectively in touch. According to the case study the intra net is password protected. Each member of the community have access to the information according to his or hers respective designation at Diageo (Clark, 2008). There are also many different activities at the leadership community;

Mock trial Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mock trial - Essay Example Bianca and the defense team can consider a peremptory challenge (Tarr 130). The removal of the jury would weed out the biased jurors who would determine the case in favor of the plaintiff. The case of Davis v. HappyLand company evokes emotional that may attach some of the juror members to the loss of Andrea’s loss. The jurors would then determine the case with bias based on the common bond they have established with Andrea. The defendants should use the persuasion capability of the three attorneys to convince the court to consider the challenge. However, the attorneys are not required by the law to give any particular reason for the challenge. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen? We are here today to find out if that the death of Joey that occurred on August 2011 was caused by the negligence of her supervisors or HappyLand Company. The role of Joey’s caregiver will be put into perspective. We will provide evidence will proof why the plaintiff should not get damages. The findings of the pharmacology will also disapprove that the alleged cause of death though GHB product does not cause death unless ingested in large quantities. Therefore, the quantity of GHB contain in one Princess Bead cannot produce GHB that can be metabolized to a dangerous level. The company has met its burden of responsibility by providing sufficient warnings regarding the danger of ingesting beads. Joey does not fall into the age bracket that is targeted for the market of HappyLand Company. The defense team will provide witnesses and further evidence of proof beyond any reasonable doubt why the court should not pursue plaintiff consideration for damages. At the conclusion of this negligence trial, it is my sincere hope that in the interests of the justice you will find that the defendant is not responsible for the cause the loss of Joey. Thank you very much. We are here to determine a case where the plaintiff Andrea

Commuication at Diageo Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Commuication at Diageo - Case Study Example The details of the internal communication strategies by Diageo, as discussed in the case study, show that the all the different strategies implemented were mostly focused on the change management issues after the merger. One of the reasons for Diageo's internal communication to be successful is because both the upward and downward communication within the company is made easily possible (Ramgopal, 2008). The company's communication activities are in direct contact with strategies and plans; therefore Diageo sees every communication that is done is to achieve its business objectives. This is because even if all the top level management makes Diageo's business goals and objectives, it is the internal communication process that enables these goals to circulate within the organization (Armstrong, 2006). According to the case study, all the leaders in the company are encouraged to think of communication as a tool, which can play a role in achieving the company's goals. Another initiative in the communication process by Diageo, according to the case study, is the amount of information delivered to the employees. Employees at Diageo are informed about their role at the wider sense of the business. This helps in motivating the employee and once again implementing the concept of unification under the brand name. Another initiative in the internal communication process is the introductio... It has quarterly meetings through teleconferences and short period conferences. 12 top executives of Diageo participate in these meetings. In these meetings leadership community is the object of discussion and reform (Duncan, 2007). There are over 800 managers who are part of the leadership community at Diageo. At the leadership community they have introduced many new innovative ideas that can enhance the internal communication process at Diageo. These ideas include use of a new and imaginative buddy system - where all the top level managers and executives are teamed up with communications team. Each of them are assigned a ''buddy''; a communication guy. This can help in improving the communications skills of all those managers and executives. Then there is also the fortnightly update that is sent to the whole community (Robbins, 2009). That update is about all business developments and achievements, and is sent to the whole group by email, according to the case study. This helps in keeping all the leaders in the loop and once again imposing the brand building of the Diageo. This fortnightly update can also play a great role in the motivation of all the leadership community. Another tool to support the leadership community is through the company's own intranet. This is perhaps the most cost effective and simple way to keep the leadership community with over 800 members together and effectively in touch. According to the case study the intra net is password protected. Each member of the community have access to the information according to his or hers respective designation at Diageo (Clark, 2008). There are also many different activities at the leadership community;

Role of Industrilization in India Essay Example for Free

Role of Industrilization in India Essay INDUSTRILIZATION Industrialisation (or industrialization) is the period of social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an industrial one. It is a part of a wider modernisation process, where social change and economic development are closely related with technological innovation, particularly with the development of large-scale energy and metallurgy production. It is the extensive organisation of an economy for the purpose of manufacturing.[2] Industrialisation also introduces a form of philosophical change where people obtain a different attitude towards their perception of nature, and a sociological process of ubiquitous rationalisation There is considerable literature on the factors facilitating industrial modernisation and enterprise development. [3] Key positive factors identified by researchers have ranged from favourable politico-legal environments for industry and commerce, through abundant natural resources of various kinds, to plentiful supplies of relatively low-cost[citation needed], skilled and adaptable labour. China and India, while roughly following this development pattern, made adaptations in line with their own histories and cultures, their major size and importance in the world, and the geo-political ambitions of their governments, etc.. Meanwhile, Indias government is investing in economic sectors such as bioengineering, nuclear technology, pharmaceutics, informatics, and technologically-oriented higher education, exceeding its needs, with the goal of creating several specialisation poles able to conquer foreign markets. Both China and India have also started to make significant investments in other developing countries, making them significant players in todays world economy. Indian Industrialization The industrial policy of free India was first announced in 1948. This policy envisaged a mixed economy with an overall responsibility of the Government for the planned development of industries and their regulations in national interest. It stated the right of the state to acquire an undertaking. The public interest, and reserved an appropriate sphere for private enterprise. According to this policy Indian industries were classified into three groups. 1. The first category included arms and ammunitions, atomic energy, river valley projects, and the railways. There were to be directly under the management of the state. 2. The second category included coal, iron and  steel, aircraft, telephones, telegraphs, wireless, shipbuilding and mineral oils which were also to be the responsibility of the state. The private undertaking in these industries were to, however, continue for at least ten years. 3. The third category included the remaining industries, which were to be developed by private enterprise. NEED For INDUSTRILIZATION IN INDIA Industrialisation is the process of manufacturing consumer goods and capital goods and of building infrastructure in order to provide goods and services to both individuals and businesses. As such Industrialisation plays a major role in the economic development of underdeveloped countries like India with vast manpower and varied resources. Let us discuss, in detail, the role of industrialization in the Indian economy. 1. Raising Income: The first important role is that industrial development provide a secure basis for a rapid growth of income. The empirical evidence suggests a close correspondence between the high level of income and industrial development. In the industrially developed countries, for example, the GNP per capita income is very high at around $ 28,000. Whereas for the industrially backward countries it is very low at around $ 400 only. 2. Changing the Structure of the Economy: In order to develop the economy underdeveloped countries need structural change through industrialization. History shows that in the process of becoming developed economy the share of the industrial sector should rise and that of the agricultural sector decline. This is only possible through deliberate industrialization. As a result, the benefits of industrialization will ‘trickle down’ to the other sectors of the economy in the form of the development of agricultural and service sectors leading to the rise in employment, output and income. 3. Meeting High-Income Demands: Beyond certain limits, the demands of the people are usually for industrial products alone. After having met the needs of food, income of the people are spent mostly on manufactured goods. This means the income-elasticity of demand for the manufactured goods is high and that of agricultural products is low. To meet these demands and increase the economy’s output underdeveloped countries need industrialization. 4. Overcoming Deterioration in the Terms of Trade: Underdeveloped countries like India need industrialization to free themselves from the adverse  effects of fluctuations in the prices of primary products and deterioration in their terms of trade. Such countries mainly export primary products and import manufactured goods. The prices of primary products have been falling or are stable whereas the prices of manufactured products have been rising. This led to deterioration in the terms of trade of the LDCs. For economic development such countries must shake off their dependence on primary products. They should adopt import substituting and export oriented industrialization. 5. Absorbing Surplus Labour (Employment Generation): Underdeveloped countries like India are characterized by surplus labour and rapidly growing population. To absorb all the surplus labour it is essential to industrialise the country rapidly. It is the establishment of industries alone that can generate employment opportunities on an accelerated rate. 6. Bringing Technological Progress: Research and Development is associated with the process of industrialization. The development of industries producing capital goods i.e., machines, equipment etc., enables a country to produce a variety of goods in large quantities and at low costs, make for technological progress and change in the outlook of the people. This results in bringing about an industrial civilization or environment for rapid progress which is necessary for any healthy economy. 7. Strengthening the Economy: Industrialisation of the country can provide the necessary elements for strengthening the economy. In this regard the following points may be noted. (a) Industrialisation makes possible the production of goods like railways, dams, etc. which cannot be imported. These economic infrastructures are essential for the future growth of the economy. (b) It is through the establishment of industries that one can impart elasticity to the system and overcome the historically given position of a primary producing country. Thus, with industrialization we can change the comparative advantage† of the country to suit its resources and potentialities of manpower. (c) Through industrialization the requirements for the development of agriculture can be met. For example, improved farm-implements, chemical fertilizers, storage and transport facilities, etc., appropriate to our own conditions can be adequately provided only by our own industries. (d) The industrial development imparts to an economy dynamic element in the form of rapid growth and a diversified economic structure which make it a progressive economy. (e) Providing for Security:  Industrialisation is needed to provide for the country’s security. This consideration becomes all the more critical when some international crisis develops. In such situation, dependence of foreign sources for defence materials is a risky affair. It is only through industrial development in a big way that the national objective of self-reliance in defence materials can be achieved.

Case Study: Mattel Toy Recall, 2007

Case Study: Mattel Toy Recall, 2007 I. Introduction : Mattel Toy Recall 2007 Case Study About Mattel In 1945, Ruth and Elliot Handler and Harold Matt Matson form a partnership called Mattel Creations in Southern California in a garage workshop that manufactured picture frames and dollhouse furniture. The worlds largest toy company, Mattel, Inc., also known as â€Å"the worlds premiere toy company today and tomorrow,† designs, manufactures, markets, and distributes a variety of toy products all over the world. The companys products include a number of core toy lines, including Barbie dolls (which eventually became the best-selling toy ever), clothing, and accessories; Hot Wheels vehicles; Harry Potter, Batman, Superman, and Looney Tunes products; the American Girls Collection of books, dolls, clothing, and accessories; Fisher-Price infant and preschool toys, and toys based on Disney and Sesame Street characters; and games such as Scrabble and UNO. Mattels toys are produced in company-owned manufacturing facilities in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Thailand, and independe nt contractors located in the United States, Europe, Mexico, the Far East, and Australia. The companys three main retail customers include Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Toys R Us, Inc., and Target Corporation. Throughout the years, Mattel continued to create and market popular toys such as Hot Wheels, merge with profitable manufacturers Fisher Price in 1993 and Tyco Toys, Inc. in 1997, partner with Disney, Sesame Street, and Nickelodeon, obtain licenses and rights to manufacture Cabbage Patch Dolls and Harry Potter merchandise, and acquire Pleasant Company (maker of American Girl brand) in 1997.Since 1945, the Mattel Company works hard to ensure it is considered a trustworthy company for children and the community. Mattel established the Mattel Childrens Foundation to make â€Å"a meaningful difference in the lives of children in need globally.† In 1997, the corporation formed the Global Manufacturing Principles (GMP), establishing Mattel as the first company to create a framework to ensure responsible manufacturing, assembly, and distribution is conducted through consistent standards on a global level. In 1998, Mattel began a unique $25 million multi-year donation partnership to th e UCLA childrens hospital, renamed the Mattel Childrens Hospital at UCLA to assist and serve children from around the world with nationally recognized health care. With so much positive philanthropy projects, Mattel has not always been able to maintain an image of child-like and trustworthy purity. Mattel has experienced many criticisms for stealing ideas for toy-lines from children competing in toy invention competitions. In 1974, investigators revealed that company officials produced and issued false and misleading financial information to make it appear as if the company was continuing to successfully grow. And of course, Mattel has also had its share of recalls (the accurate number of recalls is debatable but it ranges from 17 to 28 recalls). But in August 1997, Mattel faced the biggest recall in the companys history. Brief Background There are two separate reasons why Mattel recalled 19 million toys from August to September of 2007. The fact that both recalls occurred at the same time makes this the biggest recall in the companys history. The first toy recall was due to defective magnets. The design of the toy magnets included parts with high-energy magnets typically used for industrial purposes that easily come loose and posed a threat to young children and infants who could easily swallow the magnets which could then adhere together in the digestive tract and rupture the stomach tissue. The strength of the magnets combined with Mattels poor design of the toys made the products a critical hazard for young children. Mattels website (http://corporate.mattel.com) lists 71 models and makes of toys that were recalled because of faulty magnets. The second toy recall was due to high levels of lead-based paint found on the surface of many toys. Mattel had previously given manufacturers in China a list of eight approved paint suppliers to use, but in order to reduce costs, subcontractors decided to employ unapproved suppliers. In some cases, the lead content was over 180 times the legal limit. Lead-based paint is dangerous for children because elevated levels create learning and behavioral problems, slow muscle and bone growth, hearing loss, anemia, brain damage, seizures, coma, and in some rare cases, death. Mattel recalled 91 models and makes of toys because of harmful levels of lead paint. China Since 1997, China has experienced many tribulations with the quality and standards of the products manufactured within the country. For instance, pet food, toothpaste, seafood, tires, and toys are just a few of the products recalled from homes in the United States because of serious, sometimes deadly, manufacturing inaccuracies. The business relationship between Mattel and China seemed to be a strong partnership. Mattel manufactured 65 percent of its toys in China, and before the recall, was a company others used as a model for successful global manufacturing. Mattel was criticized for placing too much faith in the partnership with China as well as careless inspections on the quality of the manufacturing sites abroad. TimelineIn November of 2006, Mattel recalled Polly Pocket sets sold with magnets that posed a threat to children. In July 2007, a European retailer discovered high levels of lead content on various Mattel toys. Once notified, Mattel began an investigation and closed operations at the factories producing the toys. During the investigation, Mattel discovered millions of products available since 2003 that did not pass safety standards. On August 1, 2007, Fisher-Price recalled 1.5 million toys due to high levels of lead-based paint 60% of which were all manufactured in China. After further investigation, Mattel recalled 18 million more products on August 14, 2007 because of the possible hazards of children swallowing faulty magnets. And on September 4, 2007, Mattel recalled another 848,000 toys due to high levels of lead-based paint. The U.S. Senate Committee began scrutinizing American safety standards for childrens toys and clothing and stated the possibility of creating new legislation to keep hazardous toys and clothing from children. Despite the fact that a larger number of toys were recalled because of faulty magnets and not lead-based paint, the framed communication made China appear culpable for the recalls in order to reduce reputational damage and the Chinese media stated that Mattel should be accountable for the mistakes rather than blame China. Mattel eventually listened and on September 21, the company issued an apology to China taking full blame for the recall crisis. Mattel also posted news releases and video interviews on the company website to keep the public informed. June 8, 2007 Mattel receives information on possible lead paint contamination June 9, 2007 CPSC deadline to report the problem June 10, 2007 Mattel fails to report problem to CPSC July 26, 2007 Mattel files full report to CPSC August 14, 2007 Mattel voluntarily recalls 17.4 million products September 4, 2007 Mattel voluntarily recalls 850,000 toys with lead paint October 25, 2007 Mattel voluntarily recalls Go Diego Go! Rescue boats coated in hazardous lead paint November 6, 2007 Mattel voluntarily recalls 155,000 choking hazard toys manufactured in Mexico OBJECTIVES Mattels management has expressed the overall company vision as â€Å"The Worlds Premier Toy BrandsToday and Tomorrow.† Management set five key company strategies: 1. improve execution of the existing toy business 2. globalize the brands 3. extend the brands 4. catch new trends 5. develop people The company also adapts its definition of truthfulness by:  · Collecting and disseminating all information about the recall to the public accurately, quickly, and efficiently.  · Reassuring the public, especially parents and retailers, that the company is devoted to producing safe toys and improving honest communication.  · Taking responsibility for the recall, solving the crisis, and maintaining a working relationship with China. CRISIS PLAN Mattel is known for their 100-page crisis plan and a well-planned crisis response infrastructure tested from 28 recalls since 2000. Mattel speaks with one voice, communicates consistently through a crisis, acts quickly, and responds with public apology and any other expectations. All steps of the plan are code of a successful crisis plan and response. When Mattel realized the company was facing a serious crisis, their first act was to contact the federal agency overseeing toy issues and product safety. When federal officials publicized the first Mattel recall, Mattels crisis management team instantly arranged for open communication channels with reporters from the top media outlets. The team sent e-mail alerts with the recall press release, invited reporters to a teleconference with company executives, and arranged for the media to interview key personnel employed with Mattel. The day of the recall, Robert Eckert, CEO of Mattel, met with reporters for television and phone interviews. Mattel established a help line, answered over 300 media requests in the United States, and placed full page ads in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal by the end of the week. Mattel also started an online movement to notify consumers about the recall with updates posted on a regular basis, chat rooms, message boards, and social media. Mattel has consistently been open with the media and consumers testifying new company policies with very high standards and quality and safety testing procedures, although carefully stating â€Å"no system can be perfect.† Mattel also made it clear that they are doing all that they can to assess the situation on the manufacturing level. Apology to China Mattel prematurely placed disproportionate blame on Chinese manufacturers encouraging China bashing in the media across the world damaging Chinas reputation. On September 20, 2007, Mattel issued an apology to China in a meeting with Li Changjiang, the Chinese product safety chief. In the apology, Debrowski states â€Å"Mattel takes full responsibility for these recalls and apologizes personally to you, the Chinese people, and all of our customers who received the toys.† China accepted the apology saying â€Å"Mattel should value our cooperation. I really hope that Mattel can learn lessons and gain experience from these incidents, [and they should] improve their control measures† and anticipates that China will restore consumer confidence in products â€Å"made in China.† Result of Crisis Mattel appeared to handle the crisis by appearing to be up-front and open about the massive toy recall. Mattels homepage contains a dedicated bold red link to toy recalls containing information about recalls affecting all countries, what toys are being recalled, where to bring recalled toys, and defining Mattels three-point safety check system: 1. Mattel will make sure that manufactures only use paint from certified suppliers and they will test every single batch of paint from all vendors. If the paint isnt up to Mattels standards, it wont be used. 2. Mattel is increasing control on every level of the production process and conducting random inspections at all vender facilities. 3. Mattel pledges to test all finished toys vigorously before they reach the consumer. The toys must meet a series of strict safety standards before they are put on the market. Mattel assures customers that all venders are aware of these new procedures and Mattels strict enforcement of them. ANALYSIS Applying SCCT * Good o Public apology from CEO o Coupons offered o Stressed stringent inspection processes and company improvement * Bad o Placed initial blame on China, later making an apology to China o Stated media and government escalated the crisis Media Coverage Most of the media information that covered the Mattel toy recall discussed the lead-based paint recall and did not include the magnetic toy design flaw crisis which led to the China bashing products replying â€Å"Made In China should be viewed as a warning label.† Many media outlets reported the importance of China creating strict safety standards before putting more lives in danger.Media coverage of Mattel was very different since the focus was on Mattels timely apology and quick release of recall information. The fact that key Mattel executives spoke with the media provided a favorable reputation for the company. What China Has Done China continues to build manufacturing trust with the United States while improving problems within the country. US Regulatory Structure after the crisis The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission is â€Å"charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agencys jurisdiction. â€Å" In order to ensure the safety of childrens toys, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) stopped the use of lead paint in toy manufacturing. CPSC Chairman stated that the Work Plans â€Å"show significant forward progress in the agencys efforts to bring Chinese-made consumer products into line with the U.S. safety rules. This is an important signal from the Chinese government that it is serious about working with CPSC to keep dangerous products out of American homes. We will be looking for meaningful cooperation on the ground that means not just with the Chinese government, but also with industry at both ends of the supply chain.† The CPSC also plans to increase consumer product inspections manufactured for the United States and will review the plans effectiveness after one year to discuss and implement improvements. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act includes strict guidelines of Childrens product safety for: * Sec. 101. Childrens products containing lead; lead paint rule. * Sec. 102. Mandatory third party testing for certain childrens products. * Sec. 103. Tracking labels for childrens products. * Sec. 104. Standards and consumer registration of durable nursery products. * Sec. 105. Labeling requirement for advertising toys and games. * Sec. 106. Mandatory toy safety standards. * Sec. 107. Study of preventable injuries and deaths in minority children related to consumer products. * Sec. 108. Prohibition on sale of certain products containing specified phthalates. Personal interest as a mother During the Mattel toy recall crisis, I was in my third trimester with my first child. Imagine what went through my mind as a soon-to-be-new-mother already filled with angst. And so, a new Fleenor rule was born all products made in China were not welcomed and banned from our home. Easy enough I thought. Our son would have toys, clothing, food, and furniture made in the USA only easy enough I thought. So we discussed our decision with family and friends that all items with the â€Å"Made in China† label would be returned. Shopping became a difficult task because about 80 percent of toys, clothing, and furniture sold in America are made in China. I soon realized that I needed to shop online for specialty â€Å"Made in the USA† stores, find local artisans to build furniture and toys, and plan on entertaining my child myself with books, funny faces, and outdoor adventures. While I am still cautious of â€Å"Made in China† products, I am much more relaxed as I take responsibility in becoming an informed consumer through product recall email alerts from cpsc.gov, maintaining open communication with my childrens pediatrician, and still acting as the main entertainment source for my two children. What we learned Mattel dealt with the toy recall crisis precisely the way Coombs recommends companies to deal with image damaging crises. Mattels experience with recalls definitely ensured precise and smooth execution of their well documented crisis management plan. The company and CEO were visible, available, and publicly apologetic. And more importantly, Mattel told the truth and took immediate action to fix the problem allowing the company to focus on a positive solution and restoring the companys dependable reputation. It is often difficult to know exactly where and how consumer products are manufactured and how products are inspected in todays ever-changing global economy. The toy recall crisis also allowed us to realize that we are also facing an economic crisis with global manufacturing. While the United States is doing the best to ensure our safety through strict product regulations, we need to realize the difficult challenges we face when heavily relying on outside countries to manufacture such large quantities. â€Å"It would be far to easy to attribute this summers recalls to Chinas poorly regulated export manufacturers. Regulatory deficiencies, shoddy business practices, and the forces of globalization all play a substantial role in this catastrophe. There is enough blame to go around,† Representative John Dingell (D-Mich.) said during the Sept. 19, 2007 hearings. Similar recalls The RC2 Corporation of Oakbrook, Ill. recalled approximately 1.5 million Thomas and Friends train sets on June 13, 2007 because of high levels of lead-based paint used by Chinese contractors. The R2C Corporations recall was not as grand in scale as Mattels, but the company quickly posted an apology to consumers on the company website, terminated business contracts with manufacturers not complying with RC2 paint specifications, and employed a six-point safety check system. On February 6, 2007, Hasbro recalled 985,000 Easy-bake Ovens because young children could easily insert their hands in the over and get their hands caught and burned. Summary â€Å"I think Mattel handled the problem very well overall. Its a problem that isnt unusual for them to have. Product defects and difficulty with suppliers are pretty typical in their line of work and they took responsibility. They were willing to talk about it and understood the ramifications,† stated Paul A. Argenti, Professor of Corporate Communications at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. What should Mattel do now? Plan for tomorrow and be more conscientious using domestic and international manufacturers. Again, Mattel took responsibility for the entire recall, which not many companies are willing to be held accountable for Toyota is the best example today. Owning up takes courage and actions in good times and bad should express the companys character. Mattel should continue to identify possible problems, enforce strict manufacturing regulations to produce safe toys, reassure consumers that child safety and product safety is the bottom line, and collaborate with i nternational suppliers and government agencies to ensure public well-being. Mattel has to be prepared for other problems and continue risk management audits. â€Å"There are always going to be problems. But if Mattel can lead the change for toy manufacturers to create a more responsible industry, they could become the hero.† Bibliography AudraAng, â€Å"China Calls for More Testing of Exports,† June 6, 2007 Brian Hartman, â€Å"Thomas Friends Wooden Railway Toys Recalled, â€Å"http://abcnews.go.com, June 13, 2007 Brief Review of China Toy Industry in 2006. (2006). Retrieved February 2010, from China Toy Association: http://www.toy-cta.org/mail/en/7/ Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI). (2007). Retrieved February 2010, from Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI): http://www.bsmi.gov.tw/wSite/mp?mp=2 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. (2010). Retrieved from CPSC: http://www.cpsc.gov/ CPSC Chairman Inez M. Tenenbaum Keynote Address via Video Recording, APEC Toy Safety Initiative Open Dialogue on Toy Safety. (2010, January 12). Retrieved February 2010, from CPSC: http://www.cpsc.gov/PR/tenenbaum01122010.html Ebenkamp, B. (2007). Toymakers Plotting New Game Plans After Recalls. Brandweek, 48(30), 9. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database Eric Lipton, David Barboza, â€Å"As More Toys Are Recalled, Trail Ends in China,† The New York Times, June 19, 2007 Laws and Regulations. (2007). Retrieved February 2010, from General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the Peoples Republic of China: http://english.aqsiq.gov.cn/ Mattel Consumer Relations Answer Center. (2010, February). Retrieved from Mattel: http://service.mattel.com/us/recall.asp Orey, M. (2009). Taking on Toy Safety. BusinessWeek Online, 20. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database Palmeri, C. (2007). Mattel Takes the Blame for Toy Recalls. BusinessWeek Online, 17. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database Recalls. (2010). Retrieved from Recalls.gov: http://www.recalls.gov/ â€Å"Toys Made in China Set Recall Record, Alarming Parents and Regulators,† http://www.mercurynews.com, June 19, 2007 U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. (2006). Handbook for Manufacturing Safer Consumer Products. Bethesda: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Nuclear Weapons Essay -- Threats To World Peace

Nuclear Weapons A Nuclear weapon is any weapon that gets its destructive power from the transformation of matter in atoms into energy. They include missiles, bombs, artillery shells, mines and torpedoes. Another name for nuclear weapons are Atomic bombs or Hydrogen bombs. The United States was the first country to ever use a Nuclear weapon in battle against Japan. The major arguments for a test ban was first proposed in the 1950Õs. Today, however, the stopping of radioactive fallout and the superpower arms race are still in negotiation. Nations have sought to limit the testing of nuclear weapons to protect people and the environment from nuclear radiation and to slow the development of nuclear weapons. In 1963, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United States negotiated the first test limitation treaty, the Limited Test Ban Treaty. The TreatyÕs signers agreed not to test nuclear weapons in the atmosphere, in outer space, or underwater. The only testing that was allowed was underground testing. Attempts to control the number of nuclear weapons in the world began about 1970. The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks(SALT) was a convention held by the United States and the Soviet Union to limit the numbers in nuclear weapons. In 1982, the United States and the Soviet Union began the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks(START). Unlike the SALT talks, these were aimed at the number of nuclear weapons each country could obtain. Then there was another treaty signed in 1987 which was called the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces(INF). This treaty called for the dismantling of ground-launched nuclear missiles. A major obstacle to controlling nuclear weapons has been a lack of trust between the two principal powers; the United States and the Soviet Union. The relationship has improved though in the late 1980Õs after President Gorbachev introduced the principles of glasnost and perestroika to the Soviet Political System. In 1989 and 1990, democratic reforms spread spread across Eastern Europe. These reforms have greatly reduced tensions. The country of China still wants to test their nuclear explosions for mining and for some construction. For two years China has successfully held up the 38-na... ...s are considered necessary. In conclusion, Nuclear Weapons arenÕt safe for any country no matter their stability amongst others. Testing Nuclear weapons destroys the well being of our Earth. So many treaties have been passed but it still seems that the likes of a Nuclear war is still stagable. The United States has the most known nuclear tests having a record of 1,030 tests. The closest country next to us is Russia with 715 tests. As you can clearly see it will take a lot more than treaties to negotiate. LetÕs just hope this will all end before that ozone layer breaks down on us!!!! BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Budanski, Stephen. "Ban the bomb? Not quite." U.S. News and World Report 17 June 1996: 30 2. Cohen, James. Nuclear arms. Pittsburgh 1979. 3. Mitchell, Alison. "Clinton and Yeltsin Accentuate the positive at Summit Meeting." Newsweek 22 May 1990 A7 Column 1 4. Von Hippel, Frank. "Bombs Away." Discover April 1992: 32-35 5. Zimmerman, Tim. "Nuclear Fiction." U.S. News and World Report 24 August 1996: 20

Pride And Prejudice :: essays research papers

English Essay " I hope I never ridicule what is wise or good. Follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies do divert me, I own, and I laugh at them whenever I can " How does Jane Austen reflect "folly and nonsense" in Pride and Prejudice ? " For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn? Jane Austen , Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen wrote her novels in the style of the Augusten Period, which was a period that emphasised common sense, moderation, reason over emotion, and elegance over brevity. She therefore ridicules those who refuse to stay within the bounds of social behaviour. It is possible to see within each character a certain amount of inconsistency, whether in behaviour ,attitude or manner. In the beginning of the novel Mr.Bingley is described by Jane - " He is just what a young man ought to be," she said, "sensible, good humoured, lively; and I never saw such happy manners!- so much ease with such perfect good breeding!" to which Elizabeth replies in further praise " He is also handsome," replied Elizabeth "which a young man ought likewise to be, if he possibly can. His character is thereby complete" These statements do not reflect the emotion present in statements made about him later in the book - " I begin to feel sorry that he comes at all," said Jane to her sister. "It would be nothing; I could see him with perfect indifference, †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. . Happy shall I be when his stay at Netherfield is over!" From the above remarks it is clear to see the changing in perception of others, namely Lizzie, and Jane on Mr.Bingley. This change stems from the lack of constancy on Mr.Bingleys part. He lacks a strong character and is like clay, i.e. he is easily moulded by his peers. This can be seen in Mr.Darcey’s letter to Lizzie where he states-"But Mr.Bingley has a great natural modesty, with a stronger dependence on my judgement than on his own.- To convince him, therefore, that he had deceived himself was no very difficult point".. Jane Austen uses Mr.Bingley’s character to fully depict the fickleness and inconsistency of people who lack firm and strong character. This also serves another purpose, by making fun of such characters Ms.Austen can more fully compliment those who have firm morals, character, depth and consistence.

Team Building and Group

2. 1 Tuckman's forming storming norming performing model One of the most common and useful models of team management in today’s organization is Dr Bruce Tuckman’s stages of team development. This model was published in the 1987 in five stages of forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning. As seen in figure 1, this model demonstrate how, as team develop skills, knowledge, and attitude over time, their productivity also increase (Barker, 2011). This part of the group report reviews the performance of our group work according to the stages of Tuckman’s model.Figure 1 Tuckman's team development method 2. 1. 1 Forming Stage This stage is the initial orientation period. The members are not fully clear about the aims and the way of achieving the goals, members do not know each other and other’s abilities yet and are not familiar with the way the team leader and other members functions. This phase is complete if the members start to see themselves as a part of a group. (Barker, 2011) Judging against other groups in this stage, there were meetings held before the activity date, For instance, one of the groups wore blue t-shirts with name badges.Our group had the first meeting at Mount Cotton before the initial activity started and some of our group members were meeting for the first time. Nevertheless, we introduced ourselves, get to know each other and discuss our work experience, study background, and interest. In this time we decided to create and form the work packages and designate responsibilities amongst each other. 2. 1. 2 Storming stage In this phase, members are sorting out their place as team members.After the first stage, members are now more comfortable to work and communicate with each other, sharing their opinion and challenging the team leader’s authority and advices. In addition, some members may become dissatisfied with working with others which may lead to some challenges. This stage of group development i s the start of intergroup conflicts. (Barker, 2011) Each member of our group is from different backgrounds which made it difficult to decide and split the tasks amongst us in order to initiate this stage.For example, we had member with work experience and study backgrounds in industrial, civil engineering and architecture. The resolution that was found was divided by work packages in relation to our interest and study background. In addition to this we separate each task into two parts and formed two smaller groups who could work with eachother efficiently. 2. 1. 3 Norming stage; When conflict is established and resolved members will feel comfortable with themselves and each member will accept each other’s wants and needs.Here norms have been developed, trust is high, individual skill can be efficiently developed, and procedures for operation are clear. (Barker, 2011) Our group consists of different culture backgrounds and ways of thinking which contributed to the difficulty of understanding each member views and using our differences in a useful way so that trust can be built. After working with the group it was found that our differences were useful and helpful to develop ideas. 2. 1. 4 Performing stage;This stage is where you can turn a work group into a team. Conflict happens when the group starts to deal with the main issues. Disagreement in a group can be desirable and inevitable. These disagreements need to be dealt with by the group to move them towards a climate where this can be useful, helpful and purposeful. When dealt with correctly the conflict allows the group to look at all the views and evaluate different points of views. The team won’t be able to progress if the conflict is avoided.Conflict is essential as it leads the group to shared solutions to problems (Barker, 2011). This stage was achieved by high performance and working well together as a group. By achieving this we had to have some ideas to know how to work together. We had to look at other groups to learn more and in some cases shared our experiences to other groups. For example, there was a group who was trying to achieve a solution in the wrong and our group helped them to change their primary ideas and suggested another idea for them.Finally, by gaining some idea and mixing with the other groups, we went back to work and could solve problems quickly without deliberations. 2. 2 How well we performed as a team and what improvements do we need to make (Recommendation) Katzenback and smith (1993) observed necessity of following approaches in successful teams. 1. Establish urgency, demanding performance standards and direction 2. Selecting members for skills and skill and skill potential, not personality 3. Paying particular attention to first meeting and actions 4.Setting some clear rules and expectations for behaviour 5. Setting and seizing on several immediate performance-oriented goals and tasks 6. Challenging the group regularly, with fresh inf ormation 7. Spending time together on work and nonworking activities 8. Exploiting the power of positive feedback, recognition, and rewards. By following the eight item stated by katesenback in figure 2 which displays the strengths and what needs improvement within the teamwork with red representing what needs to be improved and blue representing strengths of group activity.As you can see the majority of items 3 and 7 show what needs to be improved within the group. These items came at the first stages of group building and teamwork. To solve this problem we had to talk to get other inputs from other groups to ensure we were on the right track. This became a consistent problem throughout the group work where every aspect of the decisions was decided last minute. The strengths can be seen when issues were resolved as discussed earlier in the conflict stage where solutions were achieved.These strengths can be seen in setting the tasks, challenging the team with fresh information and i ssuing positive recognition and feedback. Firstly the improvements on communication between the group members are essential in establishing directions and performance standards. Secondly improving participation in group meetings is crucial to achieve the goal of the tea. Lastly, assessing, indentifying and establishing behaviours earlier are essential in order to avoid problems further into the activity. 3. 0 team thinking

Yolngu people

Compare and contrast the life stages and life course of your own cultural group with that of a significantly cultural group within Australia. Media Child's You Just need to ensure your sentences are direct and to the point – applying the correct terminology Introduction The Yowling indigenous people make up one of the oldest cultures on earth, stretching back more than 40,000 years and make up more than 50 clans, each has its own country, they have with twelve different dialects and many ceremonies that are all concerned with acting out the stones and lore's of the ancestral pasts which Is tutee different to western life In Australia.The Yowling people divide themselves Into two basic divisions, or moieties, called Dhow and Wartime and are connected by a complex kinship system called guru. They have avoidance relationships with son- in-law, mother-in-law and brothers and sisters for their culture to function unlike Australian culture where we have no (need extra). The genders attend ceremonies separately to follow traditions unlike our customs where all a mix of genders are supposed to attend functions.Life stages are the are the steps we go through wrought our life journey that shape our identity, some stages are rights of passage others are actions or just simply participation that affects the self due to the experiences that we encounter. The fundamental deference between the cultures is the connection to the country or land and how the Yowling people see their land as their mother; who will take care of them and watch over them whereas we see land and property to Improve our finances and as as our status.Body Life stages form outsource is the path from birth until death that is shaped by our sections; the concept of our life stages where certain age groups go through rites of passage is similar is the same In both cultures. Often involving individuals being separated from society to go through the translator and then being reincorporated back Into so ciety: such as ceremony for Yowling people and marriage for Australians where we (give wedding example).The Yowling hold some ceremonies just for men that are intended to mark a new stage of life for the individual and develops one's identity within the Yowling culture which is essential for progressing towards man hood and to be accepted as a man. It may involve being taken away from the group for up to a week to learn different skills such as hunting and when they come back they are viewed as a valued contributor that holds a different more experienced status or role after the ceremony (good).In typical Australian culture life stages can form a series of rights of passage such as getting our car license, turning eighteen or moving out of These stages are marked by events and functions. Often events such as an eighteenth birthday mark an important time in an individual's life where they're now considered as an adult. .. Giving them the right to†¦. Portent due to their speciali zed knowledge because they have been around the longest and have experienced the most whereas in Australian culture we are a capitalist society and value people with power, money and authority; we value materialistic items whereas the Yowling people value knowledge and care about what's on the inside, not the outside (physical appearance). The Yowling people holder stronger bonds outside blood ties, they have strong links with their extended family and are expected to follow family traditions whereas in Australian culture we focus on our immediate family (be specific – what type of Emily).Yowling groups are connected by a complex kinship system called guru, this system governs fundamental aspects of Yowling life, including responsibilities for ceremony and marriage rules. Yowling life is divided into two moieties, Dhow and Wartime, each of these is represented by people of a different number of groups, each that have their own lands, languages and totems. Avoidance relationsh ips also exist in Yowling culture the two main ones include son in law, mother in law and brother and sister.In Australian culture we have similar relationships where it is frowned upon for first cousins to marry and is illegal to marry your brother or sister. The life course or path that one chooses may depend on life events and the opportunities put in front of them. Yowling culture performs traditional rituals and would never do anything to hurt the land, as the land is their mother, which ensures that they follow traditions and stick to their culture rules to protect what means most to them. They look up to the elders in their tribe and share tight bonds within their group; they see each other together as one and thrive of the idea of belonging.The sys all aim to be selected to go through ceremony to become a man and see it as a reward. If you have not had the ceremony yet you cannot marry nor fall in love. Whereas in Australian culture we have more freedom with the choices we c hoose to make with the help and influence of our peers. We look up to our parents and older family members but also the ones with power and money such as teachers or a wealthy boss. In Australian culture we have the choice to determine our own interests and hobbies, our peers have shaped us to be who we are but we also have individuality.In life we are expected to follow through with traditional education and hobbies and care for one another, mainly your immediate family. Our gender within society reflects the roles we play and the choices we determine. In Australia we tend to want to follow our path to self-fulfillment and to get a good Job and earn a satisfying income. Conclusion The life stages and life course of the Yowling culture and our Australian culture both explore different traditions and experiences that shape and define the people we are today. While we all experience life stages our lives are marked by different rites of