Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Organization Attractiveness Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Organization Attractiveness - Assignment Example In the general workforce, the two mentioned attributes can be said to be highly applicable to recruiting talent. This is because in a well motivated organization, there is very little for employees to look outside for (Greenberg & Sweeney, 2010). Because employees get all that they require by way of salary, allowances and other forms of remuneration, chances that they will be looking elsewhere after settling for a new job are less. Meanwhile, the longer employees try their hands on one thing, the better they become with their talents (Silzer & Dowell, 2010). Engagement is also necessary in recruiting talent because it is the only way by which employees can have a feeling that their talents are being respected and being put to use (Felps et al., 2009). As far as talented people are concerned, there are other attributes that contribute to their selection of one organization other the other. A working environment that encourages growth is one such attribute. This is because every talented person wants to work in an environment where original talent will not only be utilized but also nurtured to grow (Greenberg & Sweeney, 2010). Finally, competition is crucial for talented people because it forces them to always look out for more in terms of making use of what they already have. Felps, W., Mitchell, T. R., Hekman, D. R., Lee, T. W., Holtom, B. C., & Harman, W. S. (2009). Turnover contagion: How coworkers job embeddedness and job search behaviors influence quitting. Academy of Management Journal, 52(3),

Monday, October 28, 2019

Compare the relationship and characters Essay Example for Free

Compare the relationship and characters Essay As Winston continues to write his diary, he begins to write it as though it were for OBrien to read. Despite the fact that Winston has been having a relationship with a woman called Julia, he still feels the need to look toward OBrien for approval of his ideas. When OBrien invites him to his house, Winston begins to believe that in fact, OBrien is a conspirator against the Party. Winston visits OBrien and admits to being a thought criminal. OBrien tells Winston that The Brotherhood, a shadowy organisation run by Emmanuel Goldstein that is working against the Party, does indeed exist. OBrien is thorough and concise in his explanation. We see very subtle clues however, that OBrien could be leading Winston into a trap. He is unsurprised to hear Winston repeat the quote from his dream we shall meet again in the place where there is no darkness and repeats it himself as though it were repetition of a previously held conversation in the place where there is no darkness he said, as though he had recognised the allusion. (Page 185) He also says earlier we are the dead (Page 183). This was something Winston had said earlier in the book that OBrien couldnt have heard unless he had been spying on him. Despite this Winstons admiration grows for OBrien to almost worship. Again this reinforces Winstons weakness. Despite the fact that OBrien could easily be a member of the thought Police attempting to entrap him, he is quite willing to admit to being a thought criminal. Even though OBrien gave off a suggestion that he may have been spying on him, Winston suspicion is not aroused and in fact his admiration of OBrien is increased. OBrien seems to be everything Winston is not. Winston is neurotic, nervous and physically weak. He lacks the power to change the world he lives in and looks to others to take the initiative and lead him in his revolt against the system. OBrien is so calm, cool and collected. He gives off an air of inner strength and power this is accentuated by his strong physical form. Despite this he also has a softer, kindly side to his nature. He seems to have all the answers to Winstons questions and makes him feel safe When you looked at OBriens powerful shoulders and his blunt-featured face, so ugly yet so civilised, it was impossible to believe he could be defeated (Page 183). Winston shows all the classic signs of looking toward OBrien as a father figure. Later on after receiving the book from OBrien, a piece that Documents the true state of the world and how to bring down the party, Winston is captured by The Thought Police He is taken to the Ministry of Love There are no windows and the lights are constantly on. Suddenly the statement the place where there is no darkness comes into focus. What had seemed like a positive analogy with the Darkness alluding to the unpleasant world of 1984 is turned on its head. What was really meant was that the place where there is no darkness is actually a jail, where the lights are never turned off. Winston still has a blind faith in OBrien and futilely believes that OBrien may try and save him. However, OBrien and Winston are about to meet again, but their relationship is about to enter a new stage. When OBrien appears at the door of his cell, Winston even now deludes himself into thinking that OBrien has been captured. However he soon puts Winston straight indicating that he is Winstons incarcerator and telling him You knew this Winston and adds you have always known it (both Page 251). After a series of beating that degrade Winston to a state of almost complete humiliation, OBrien begins to interrogate him. OBrien begins by breaking him down with a series of torture techniques and drugs. In one instance, OBrien takes Winstons symbolic stance that Freedom is the Freedom to say 2 + 2 = 4 and through a series of Electrocutions makes Winston start to believe that 2 + 2 actually = 5. OBrien tells Winston that by controlling memory and records, that The Party can dictate reality who controls the past controls the future and who controls the future controls the past (Page 260). OBrien also tells Winston that they do not intend to punish him, but simply convert him to their ways of thought, before he is executed. OBrien has undoubtedly become Winstons tormentor, putting him through horrendous torture. He has broken Winston down and begins to undermine all of his free thinking ideas. OBrien and Winston move toward a Teacher/Pupil relationship. Like a promising student Winston questions OBriens beliefs, forcing him to justify them. Whilst OBrien almost sees Winston as a proti gi e, trying to show Winston the error of his ways He had the air of a Doctor, a Teacher, even a Priest, anxious to explain and persuade rather than punish. OBrien also displays an ability to read Winstons mind. It may be that he has a telepathic power, but it could also be the scientific approach that OBrien seems to take with everything he does. He is an expert in the subject of thought. I believe that he has studied Winston in immense detail over many years and can actually predict his thought patterns. OBrien has already thought out their conversations in his head and predicted Winstons responses. He is an experienced interrogator and probable member of the Thought Police. It is likely he is able to pick up from a persons expressions and body language what they may be thinking. I also think that the link between them may have seen OBrien take a special interest in Winston, maybe the same thought patterns had crossed OBriens mind at some stage in his life. Eventually Winston is almost completely cured. However, he retains his love of Julia. OBrien decides to expose him to his worst fear in Room 101. Winston wears a mask that allows rats to be released on his face. He has an immense fear of Rats and finally screams out for them to be released on Julia instead of him. Finally OBrien has reached through into his soul and Winston is truly defeated. The book ends with Winston drinking coffee in a bar where Traitors live out their days before execution. Winston has abandoned all his ideas of free thought and rebellion. He realises that rather than hating Big Brother, he actually loves Big Brother. OBrien and Winstons relationship goes through several stages. It starts with Winston seeing OBrien as a hope, somebody who might be having the same thoughts as him. Then he believes OBrien will be the freedom fighter who will put an end to the totalitarian state the world has become. Finally he becomes Winstons tormentor, inflicting pain on him in order to cure him of his disease. Through all this though OBrien and Winstons relationship maintains a theme. Winston looks up to OBrien as somebody with immense Power, who can protect him and control his destiny. Even during torture when OBrien is unseen Winston believes he is there, orchestrating the beatings and keeping him alive. He believes blindly throughout that OBrien is his saviour. In the end perhaps OBrien does become his saviour. Winston finally is released from the fear of Big Brother and detection for thought crime. He loves Big Brother and looks forward to his execution. In the end, despite the tragedy of his failure, Winston finally seems to be able to face his fate alone.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Country Analysis Malaysia :: essays papers

Country Analysis Malaysia Malaysia A. Brief History  § In the first century AD, the Malayan peninsula was prominent in int’l trade.  § Conquered by the Portuguese in 1511, then the Dutch in 1641.  § The British, who replaced the Dutch in 1795, developed large-scale productions of tin and rubber.  § The Japanese invaded Malaysia during WWII.  § Malaysia was formed after negotiating for independence from the British in September 16, 1963. B. Comparative Advantage (Early years up to pre-1980’s)  § Natural Resources/Land - Malaysia has a total land area of 127,320 sq. mi. - abundance of sedimentary rocks such as limestone, shale, sandstone, and conglomerate. - Tin ore was Malaysia’s most important resource pre 1980’s. - exported raw commodities such as timber, rubber, tin, and palm oil.  § Human Resources  § Access to Capital - Government invested on more capital goods - Sources of finances were increasing due to the investment on capital, domestic saving, and foreign investments. - In the 1970’s, the Investment Incentive Act aimed to gain more investments to spend on its programs. It also aimed to get more participation from the Malays.  § Initial Success in some industries - Production of raw materials like tin and rubber - Mining, Petroleum production, Agricultural Sector, Forestry and Fishing. C. Role of Government  § The head of state is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (paramount ruler) The Conference of Rulers is formed by the hereditary rulers and appointed heads of the four other states. The Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister exercises executive power.  § The government finds ways to attract foreign investors, and is active in the development of industries. D. Competitive Advantage  § In the Second Industrial Master Plan (IMP2), palm oil, rubber, cocoa, and timber were identified as primary commodities.  § The Third National Agricultural Policy (NAP3), palm oil, rubber, cocoa, and timber have also been identified as the major contributor to agricultural value-added activities.  § Infrastructure Development- in the form of roads, ports, railways, telecommunications, electricity, and water supply- is crucial for profitable private investment.  § More emphasis has been given to the development of commercial agriculture since the 19080’s.  § Petroleum Development Act of 1974 enabled the federal government to get much of the resource rents from petroleum and natural gas resources.  § Logging  § Malaysia has the second highest household savings rate.  § Import Substitution and Export Orientation E. Economic Indicators (1991-2000) GNP $67 billion GDP 6% Inflation 5.3% Unemployment 2.6% National Debt $39.8 billion Budget Deficit/ Surplus revenues: $22.6 billionexpenditures: $22 billion Population 22.2 Million F. Survival Strategy during the Asean Crisis (1997 – 2000)  § Political Problems - On September 1998, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad fired Anwar Ibrahim from his post as Deputy Prime Minister, after being convicted of corruption and other illegal activities.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Hitler - A Method to His Madness Essay -- Essays Papers

Hitler - A Method to His Madness The Holocaust found its origins in Hitler's deep rooted hatred of the Jewish Society. This quote from Hitler's diary is an example of his feelings toward Jews... "The Jew has never founded any civilization, though he has destroyed hundreds. He must spread as a disease spreads. Already he has destroyed Russia; now it is the turn of Germany and, with his envious instinct for destruction he seeks to disintegrate the national spirit of the Germans and to pollute their blood." 1 Hitler believed that there was one race with a "natural advantage"2 over the others, and this race was the Aryans. He drew many of his Nazi ideas from Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche was a German philosopher of the late 19th century who questioned traditional morality. Nietzsche and Hitler thought that Western society was decaying. They also felt that Christianity was weakening the the influence humanity's free will. In addition, they believed that passion and emotion were obstacles to obtaining rational thinking. These radical ideas led to a call for a super-race by using selective breeding to achieve ethnic cleansing. This plan of selective breeding included extermination. With Hitler's perverted mind and his execution of his ideals of superiority, nothing less than the Holocaust could have been expected. To achieve racial extermination, Hitler put the ideas of Nietzsche into motion. He saw the Aryans as a race above all others. Since blond hair and blue eyes were seen as superior, it was the duty of the Aryans to "enslave the lesser races-- such as the Slavs so that it could continue to push forward the boundaries of human achievement".3 Hitler began his work with the Nuremberg race laws of 1935. These laws... ...nurlawtoc.html> - Waite, Robert G.L. The Psychopathic God: Adolf Hitler. New York: De Capo Press, 1993 - Wistrich, Robert. Hitler’s Apocalypse. New York: St. Martins Press, 1985" Endnotes 1. Liang, Stuart. The Illustrated Hitler Diary. London: Marshall Cavendish, 1980 2. Liang, Stuart 3. Liang, Stuart 4. The Nuremberg Laws." The Jewish Student Online Research Center. 17 October 1998. http://www.us-isreal. org/jsource/Holocaust/nurlawtoc.html> 5. Waite, Robert G.L. The Psychopathic God: Adolf Hitler. New York: De Capo Press, 1993 6. "Heinrich Himmler." 24 October 1998. <http://www.wsg-hist .uni-linz.ac.at/ Auschwitz/ HTML/himmler.html> 7. Picard, Max. Hitler in Our Selves. Illinois: Henry Regnery Company, 1947. 8. Picard, Max

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Computers the Good and the Bad

Computers Hold So Much Information; Sometimes Causing More Harm Than Good After reading a few short stories and conducting research on the subjects, I have found some interesting facts about how the computer has changed people’s lives. Computers have become the basis on which our society now depends; they are the key to communication, business, and success for many. Problems can arise however and privacy can be a major issue especially when it comes to certain websites such as MySpace and Facebook.Some people feel they have been violated of their rights and this is when the computer can become your worst enemy, not to mention how the computer has changed people’s ways of thinking and dealing with everyday tasks. â€Å"If it is a public forum that is accessible to others, then presumably the police are welcome to participate, as they would be welcome to enter a shopping mall or something like that†(Rotenberg). There are millions of users on websites such as Facebo ok and MySpace, these people are posting pictures, comments, and even communicating with friends and family.What many don’t realize, is that they are posting it for everyone to see. There have been incidents where the law has been involved in using these websites to catch criminals or even people who have been accused of a crime. â€Å"MySpace has encouraged it’s users to be aware that what they post on their profile is available for the public to see† (Mathew Grossman). MySpace and even Facebook have made it very clear that its users be aware of the risks they are taking by posting any personal information. They have settings which can be used to block certain users or to make your profile private.That way you can control who you want to see your page and interact with. The law has become involved in catching criminals or people involved in criminal acts by searching public profiles. They can read posts and even see pictures that an individual has posted, makin g it easier to get the persons personal information. They can get names and locations from the profile just by searching the page. And some are not aware that they are being searched this way. There have been issues with employers and their employees when it comes to the postings that are taking place for the public to see.Employers need to be aware of potential liability for employee’s publication of private information on Facebook and MySpace. For example a woman was convicted of cheating on her husband and accused of contracting an STD, her MySpace profile revealing these comments by others who claim it being true and stating it for everyone to see even other employees in her workplace. Working in the medical field where other employees were capable of retrieving her medical records she was now being tormented at work. The woman claimed invasion of privacy and took the case to court.The court suggested that since MySpace is public and considered a social network they canno t hold her employer liable for any accusations being brought against her by the employees on her profile. The MySpace page she claimed was made against her will and that her coworkers were to blame. This being questionable and not having proof as to who had actually posted it, nothing could be done. â€Å"Machines are being designed to serve explicitly as companions, pets, and tutors† (p 553, Turkle). Machines meaning computers are not only needed but we rely on them to do everyday tasks, we even depend on them to curve our boredom. At every step we need to ask, as educators and citizens, whether current technology is leading us in directions that serve our human purposes† (p 554, Turkle). Computers are used today to conduct work for businesses, pay our bills, communicate with others, even to play games and learn. Have they caused us to forget who we really? We spend hours upon hours on the computer and we sometimes can get so lost in the machine. For example, Susan a n euroscientist questions, of whether and how our current use of computers is changing the way our brains work.Susan finds that the visual stimuli we get from computers is so different from what is available in previous generations that certain areas of our brain may be affected in ways that can change personality and behavior. Few argue that when they turn from a computer back to a textbook they notice their concentration is lacking causing them some trouble to stay focused. The real problem caused by computer use is that we as human beings do not need to work as hard because the computer can do it for you, and the information is right there.This can be a problem especially for our youth, they will not have to do what it takes to use their brains and they will not have the thinking power or level of concentration we adults once needed. They will depend on the computer and computer only, to get things done. The Writers of these articles and short stories are showing their concern for the negative side of computers. They explain how people are being affected in certain situations due to issues of the computer and how their lives have been negatively affected. Each writer gave valid points and stated facts on the subjects when it came to using a computer.They explained the situations of each subject and the outcome of the issues being discussed. They supported the cases of how an individual can become a victim of false accusations on a profile and then being harassed by employees whom became involved in the woman’s personal life via MySpace or Facebook, and how the computer can damage our past ways of thinking and concentrating thus making it a lot harder to focus on everyday tasks that involve logical thinking. The writers clearly showed their concern and found existing facts on why a computer can and will affect people’s lives. The writers show that a computer must be used responsibly or there will be consequences.Works Cited 1. Alex Koppelman, MyS pace or Ourspace? (p546-557) ;The Bedford Guide to College Writers(X. J. Kennedy, Dorothy M. Kennedy, Marcia F. Muth) 2. Sherry Turkle, How Computers Change The Way We Think? (p552-558) ;The Bedford Guide to College Writers. (X. J. Kennedy, Dorothy M. Kennedy, Marcia F. Muth) 3. www. fredlaw. com , (1995-2010 Fredrikson & Byron P. A. ) 4. www. bbc. co. uk , (BBC News) ; Changing The Way We Think. (Susan Greenfield)

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Free Essays on Holocaust And Art Speigalmen

So many things happen throughout the Holocaust that many believe that it’s not true or just don’t even know what had happened. So many contradicting issues arose after the Holocaust concerning certain events that happened but were not documented, certain writers had different ideas to present, and certain things that the United States did, or did not do, during the years of the Holocaust. Art Spiegelman, an author, born in 1948 in Stockholm, Sweden, shortly after the end of the World War II. His parents, Vladek and Anja, were two of the few that were saved from the Auschwitz death camp in Poland. As an adult, he wanted to hear his father’s story and make it into a book. It took Art many visits with his father to get the complete story. Art turned his book about his father’s life in the Holocaust into a comic book, using mice to represent the Jews and cats to represent the Nazis. This book, â€Å"Maus† (mouse in German), took 13 years to create and finish. When â€Å"Maus† hit the book stores, many people had mixed feelings about a book that told the story of one man’s life through the Holocaust in the form of a comic. Many people were appalled and disgusted that someone could make something as serious as the Holocaust into a cartoon. However, many critics raved about â€Å"Maus.† The New York Times said it’s à ¢â‚¬Å"a remarkable feat of documentary detail and novelistic vividness†¦.and unfolding literary event.† The Boston Globe said, â€Å"A brutally moving work of art.† â€Å"A remarkable work, awesome in its conception and execution†¦at one and the same time a novel, a documentary, a memoir, and a comic book. Brilliant, just brilliant,† said Jules Feiffer, Cartoonist, novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. â€Å"Maus† is just an indescribable work of art. It’s touching, moving, and intensely inspiring. Art Spiegelman not only tells the story of his father’s life, but he draws you in and brings you into ... Free Essays on Holocaust And Art Speigalmen Free Essays on Holocaust And Art Speigalmen So many things happen throughout the Holocaust that many believe that it’s not true or just don’t even know what had happened. So many contradicting issues arose after the Holocaust concerning certain events that happened but were not documented, certain writers had different ideas to present, and certain things that the United States did, or did not do, during the years of the Holocaust. Art Spiegelman, an author, born in 1948 in Stockholm, Sweden, shortly after the end of the World War II. His parents, Vladek and Anja, were two of the few that were saved from the Auschwitz death camp in Poland. As an adult, he wanted to hear his father’s story and make it into a book. It took Art many visits with his father to get the complete story. Art turned his book about his father’s life in the Holocaust into a comic book, using mice to represent the Jews and cats to represent the Nazis. This book, â€Å"Maus† (mouse in German), took 13 years to create and finish. When â€Å"Maus† hit the book stores, many people had mixed feelings about a book that told the story of one man’s life through the Holocaust in the form of a comic. Many people were appalled and disgusted that someone could make something as serious as the Holocaust into a cartoon. However, many critics raved about â€Å"Maus.† The New York Times said it’s à ¢â‚¬Å"a remarkable feat of documentary detail and novelistic vividness†¦.and unfolding literary event.† The Boston Globe said, â€Å"A brutally moving work of art.† â€Å"A remarkable work, awesome in its conception and execution†¦at one and the same time a novel, a documentary, a memoir, and a comic book. Brilliant, just brilliant,† said Jules Feiffer, Cartoonist, novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. â€Å"Maus† is just an indescribable work of art. It’s touching, moving, and intensely inspiring. Art Spiegelman not only tells the story of his father’s life, but he draws you in and brings you into ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

A Guide to Homeschooling in North Carolina

A Guide to Homeschooling in North Carolina If youre considering homeschooling, learning the requirements of your state is one of the first steps. Homeschooling in North Carolina isnt complicated, but its important to understand how to get started and how to follow the law.   Making the Decision Deciding to homeschool your child is an incredibly significant decision and one that will certainly change your life. People decide to homeschool their children for many different reasons, some of which include: dissatisfaction with the public school system, desire to train their child within a specific religious framework, frustration with their childs current school situation, in order to meet a child’s special learning needs or wishing to keep a close family bond throughout the early school years. If you live in North Carolina, one or more of the other 33,000 families in the state who have already decided to homeschool one or more of their children may also influence your decision. Most everyone in North Carolina probably knows at least one family who has chosen to homeschool their kids. These families are wonderful sources of information and support as you make this important decision, and they can give you an honest appraisal of the ups and downs of committing to the homeschool journey. Following the Laws to Homeschool in North Carolina Homeschooling in North Carolina is not overly regulated, but there are a few edicts that everyone must follow. North Carolina does not require you to register your child as a homeschooler until he or she reaches the age of seven. Depending on the age your child is when you begin homeschooling, you may complete one or two grades before you even formally register your school. Approximately one month before your child reaches the minimum age, or one month before you plan to begin homeschooling an older child, a parent or guardian sends a Notice of Intent to the North Carolina DNPE. This Notice of Intent includes choosing your schools name and certifying that the primary supervisor of the homeschool has at least a high school diploma. Besides the requirement to file the Notice of Intent, North Carolina has the following other legal requirements for homeschooling in the state: Operating on a regular schedule  at least nine months out of the calendar yearMaintaining immunization records and attendance records for each child being schooled at homeAdministering a nationally standardized test to each child at least once per school yearMaking attendance, testing and immunization records available to the DNPE for examination each yearNotification to DNPE when deciding to terminate your homeschool A 180-day school year is recommended but not required. Deciding What to Teach The most important part of choosing what to teach your child is understanding exactly who your child is. Before you begin perusing curriculum catalogs and internet curriculum reviews, it is wise to find out how your child best learns. Learning style inventories and personality quizzes are abundant in most homeschooling resource books or on the internet, and these are wonderful for understanding how your childs mind works, and therefore which type of curriculum would be best for him or her. Families new to homeschooling quickly discover a dizzying array of choices when it comes to selecting a homeschool curriculum. There is no more popular discussion on the web than homeschool curriculum reviews by homeschool families. After sifting through the reviews, most parents end up mixing and matching homeschool curricula, trying to create the best match for their child. For families with more than one child, choosing a homeschool curriculum can even be more problematic. What works for one child may not work for another. What works for one subject may not work on the next. Experienced homeschooling families will tell you that there is actually no single, best homeschool material. Rather than feeling torn between homeschool resources, parents should feel free to select a diverse blend of materials and activities. Locating Resources Making the decision to homeschool your child and choosing the curricula you want to begin with are just a part of the homeschooling experience. The homeschool community has grown exponentially, and the resources available to homeschoolers now can seem endless in scope. Some common resources to investigate are: Online Homeschool mega-sites, such as NHEN or About Homeschooling for researching specific homeschool informationOnline homeschool forums and Facebook groupsHomeschooling magazines and newslettersOnline homeschool articles and blogsLocal or regional support groups, often including curriculum and resource sharing, as well as group field trips and outingsBooks about homeschooling from your favorite bookstore or local libraryStatewide homeschool organizations, such as NCHE, HA-NC, and NCAA whose goals are to support the rights and resources of those choosing to homeschool in North CarolinaHomeschool programs available through your local library, YMCA, 4H-Club, or Parks and Recreation Department Many museums, state parks, and businesses offer special classes and discounts for homeschool students. Check your local resources for opportunities available to you as a homeschooling family. Keeping the Dream Alive When your homeschooling adventure begins, everything is new and exciting. Your homeschool books smell like they came straight from the printer. Even lesson planning and record keeping seem more fun than a chore at first. But be prepared for the honeymoon phase to ebb and tide. No one has a perfect homeschool year, month or even week. It is important to intersperse your daily curriculum with field trips, play dates and  hands-on activities. North Carolina is full of  educational destinations  that are an easy day’s drive. Also, take advantage of your city’s visitor’s center or website to discover treasures in your own town that you might have overlooked. Whether you chose to homeschool from the beginning or came upon homeschooling accidentally, you are bound to experience slumps. It is almost certain that over time your homeschool will relax into something more familiar and predictable, but that is also the time when you usually notice that  this homeschooling thing  is more than just a passing phase. You have become one of the over 33,000 families in North Carolina who are proud to call themselves homeschoolers!

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Draft Questionaire- Hr Functions in Indigenious Companies Essays

Draft Questionaire- Hr Functions in Indigenious Companies Essays Draft Questionaire- Hr Functions in Indigenious Companies Essay Draft Questionaire- Hr Functions in Indigenious Companies Essay Dear Respondent: I am BBA student of North South University doing a survey for the partial fulfillment of Intership report that involves the practice of HR functions in indigenious companies . It will take only few minutes of your time. Your response would be of great help in accomplishing the study. However, this information is only for academic purpose and will not be disclosed elsewhere. I heartily thank you for your cooperation. For the following questions, PLEASE tick (v) your answer according to the degree of your agreement. [e. g. 5 = ‘highly agree’, 4 = ‘moderately agree’, 3 = ‘agree’, 2 = ‘moderately disagree’, 1 =‘highly disagree’] Company/Firm: ________________ Position: ______________ Education level: ______ Tenure of job: ________ Gender: _______ Age: _____ Total number of employees: _____ Independent variable: Section One Workplace Environment (IV)12345 1. Employees are not required to report what they hav e done in training (away from the job). 2. Employees have not been trained to recognize and handle difficult situation at critical market conditions. 3. Employees have not been tranied to recognize and handle threatening, aggressive, or violent behavior. . Management provide a safe working place for all employees. 5. Management promote high standards of employee health. 6. Do management and employees do volunteer jobs or any changes that can bring out the best within the organization? Independent varible: Section Two Recruitment and selection12345 1. A systemic recruitment and selection process pulls out the best candidate from the alternatives. 2. Recruitment and selection can bring success to short-term functional and long term strategic goals 3. Your organization follows all the best method of Recruitment and selection process. 4. To overcome the rapid change in the market, various new methods of Recruitment and selection should be followed. 5. Not all positions require various stages of Recruitment and selection. Independent variable: Section Three Compensation and Benefits12345 1. Compensation should relfect one’s performace in workplace. 2. Compensation and benefits is a vital tool of motivation. 3. There are various benefits in your organization. 4. Pay-for-knowledge systems are a way to translate TD results on the job. 5. All managers in your organization should be involved in active planning of Compensation and benefits with employees. 6. Non-moneytary benefits like a day off, food and accomondation is also welcomed. 7. There should be a clear direction of earning various Compensation at for different jobs. Independent variable: Section Four Performance Apprisal12345 1. Performance Apprisal should be the chief indicator for reward decisions such as promotion, increments etc. 2. A well desgined Performance Apprisal evaluates the effectiveness and contribution of employees at all levels. 3. Performance Apprisal helps to understand the feedback of employees. 4. For the growth of a successful organization Performance Apprisal evaluates the selection and classification of workers. . Performance Apprisal helps to improve the employee’s quality of performance. 6. A well developed Performance Apprisal of each employee should help management to effectively do HR planning and long term high profit margin. Independent variable: Section Five Training and Development Framework (IV) 12345 1. TD system advances the organizati ons mission and is exploited as a source of strategic advantage 2. Policy statements provide clear and consistent communication regarding expected attitudes and behaviors that support learning. 3. In many organizations TD policies are established as a part of structured career paths. . Benchmark organizations derive the content of TD from their strategic objectives, culture and values and their present and predicted competency and skill needs. 5. After every cycle of planning, implementing and evaluating a program the organization must be ready and willing to make the modifications to the program based on evaluation information. 6. TD program can overcome the risks associated with market uncertainty 7. Leadership through TD is a source of competitive advantage 8. TD brings the overall development of the organization. Dependent variable: Section Six Employee Outcomes (DV)12345 1. I feel better off after a successful training and I am motivated to apply my new skills in the role of activities. 2. I feel that selection and recruitment process in the beginning helped me to adjust the orgnization. 3. Performance Apprisal in my organzation is good source for me to increase my quality and speed. 4. I believe my organziation provides a good and safe environment that really motivates me to work effectively. 5. I have the ability to address problems and take advantage of opportunities for constructive change. 6. Compensation and benefits of my organization is done on the basis of true HR practice. Dependent variable: Section Seven Organization performance (DV)12345 1. Every year my organzation is expanding because of a systamic HR planning and practice. 2. I always feel positive working in the office 3. I have the willingness and my organization understand my desire for aquiring new knowledge. 4. I have the ability to be flexible and adapt to changes because of learning environment I have in my organization 5. My organization is paying high because of increment of revenue every year. ?Any other opinion/suggestion/recommendation that you may have or has not been covered yet:  ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬

Saturday, October 19, 2019

History - American Exceptionalism Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History - American Exceptionalism - Term Paper Example From historical facts we find that American exceptionalism was tangled with convoluted and often ambiguous set of assumptions as it is important in explaining how Americans thought and how they have acted. In the opinion of Tyrrell, some historians attribute the terms â€Å"differences† or â€Å"uniqueness† to the exceptionalism; whatever the terminology, the long debated implications of American uniqueness and difference stems from political, intellectual, and even religious heritage, and is enduring. However, it is of equal importance to understand the â€Å"negative† version of the phenomenon, which means, the US had been exceptionally bad, racist, violent, with distorting unique American evils. Whether or not these assumptions are logical or coherent, as according to Pease, it is clear that exceptionalism is an idea that has prospered the American society, even though with many ups and downs in its tread (107). However, some historians say that the United Nat ions was never truly imperialistic in any manner, but was rather expansionist. The United States was a nation born through revolution against imperial control, and has been ostensibly disregarding imperialism, in their strategies with other nations and its own. According to an opinion, â€Å"instead of trying to administer other nations or peoples in an imperialistic or colonial fashion, the United States, has been asserted, fashioned itself as the liberator of the colonized, launching both a rhetorical assault on the practice of imperialism and a practical campaign to bring about its end† (Heiss ,2002, 511). Lipset explains that only in some cases the nation was seen taking control of territory that was not predestined to be included into the nation, and when it did, was for positive reasons, ruling in a liberal and compassionate fashion, providing opportunities for self-government and ultimately independence when seemed practicable. In their opinion, the United States was n ever an imperialist, rather expansionist, practicing benevolent assimilation, closely following its Manifest Destiny. However, some historian points out the darker side too. In the opinion of York, with all positive influences, of Manifest Destiny, filled with a surge of enthusiasm and energy for pushing West, the negative impacts created the belief within that the white men had the right to obliterate anything and anyone. Looking for the roots of Manifest Destiny across the West would point out the mass destruction of tribal organizations, and detention of Indians to reservation, holding high the belief that settlement of the land and civilization of its native were preordained. In the opinion of Walt, perhaps the basic principle of American exceptionalism can be the belief that they always are, and have always been, the good guys, spreading prosperity everywhere they go. He continues that it is a blind-faith that the United States is a uniquely virtuous nation, a nation that uphol ds peace, nurtures liberty, respects human rights, and embraces the rule of law that is so strict. Many hold the view, connecting it with American exceptionalism, that the nation’s values, political structure, and history are exceptional and are universally praiseworthy, which imply them to take a positive and distinctive role in the world stage. The only thing that contradicts this self-sycophantic illustration of the nation’

Friday, October 18, 2019

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Marketing - Essay Example This paper will look at the Federal Reserve Bank’s organizational structure and its roles in governing monetary policy. The structure of the Federal Reserve Bank consists of Member banks, Reserve Banks, the Federal Open Market Committee, Board of Governors, and the congress and the President. Member Banks Member Banks refer to private banks, for example, Bank of America, which has the stock in any of the twelve local Reserve Banks. Every countrywide chattered bank must own stock in the Federal Reserve. In addition, state chartered banks or financial institutions may decide to own stock or not if they satisfy a number of conditions. The stock held by these banks cannot be traded or sold like ordinary stock and constituent banks get fixed amount of dividend every year on this stock (Arthur 417). Moreover, constituent banks have the dispensation of selecting a number of the officials in the board of their regional Reserve Banks. Reserve Banks   The operating arm of the Federal Reserve Bank is made up of twelve regional Reserve Banks. These regional Reserve Banks have the responsibility of regulating and supervising constituent banks. In addition, the regional Reserve Banks are charged with the responsibility of handing out coins and currency to affiliate banks (Arthur 418). Every Reserve Bank is made up of nine board of directors. ... The five individuals are New York’s Reserve Bank chairman and heads of any four Reserve Banks (Arthur 418). Officials from Reserve Banks operate on a rotary process, and only the official from the Reserve Bank of New York serves on a permanent basis. Board of Governors   The Board of Governors constitutes seven officials who are picked by the American President and approved by the American Senate. The Board of Governors also comprises a chairperson and a vice chairperson. Every official in the Board of Governors holds his position for up to fourteen years. Also, these officials cannot be reappointed after the expiry of their terms. The fourteen year term serves as a precaution for the Federal Reserve Bank to conduct its functions without any political interference (Arthur 419). The president picks two officials from the board, one of the officials become the Chairperson and the other becomes the vice chairperson. The two ranks last for four year duration. US Congress and the President   The president makes appointments and the Senate approve the Board of Governors members. Nevertheless, the Federal Reserve Bank functions on its finances. This safeguards it from the influence of the administration during the making of the budget every year. Congress can hold the Federal Reserve Bank accountable for its activities. In addition, Congress can control both the Federal Reserve Bank’s responsibilities and activities by law (Arthur 420). This means Congress can change the activities of the Federal Reserve Banks by enforcing new laws. The Federal Reserve Bank also has roles associated with governing monetary policy. The Board of Governors has the responsibility of establishing

Marketing ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing ethics - Essay Example However, in contemporary competitive market, the task of aligning is excessively challenging (Appelbaum, et al., 2009). In this particular study, the researcher will primarily focus on ethics of marketing, which addresses certain standards and principles associated with suitable conduct in the market (Ferrell, n.d.). According to the author, marketing is an activity usually conducted by an organization to promote a particular product or service and unethical practices arise out of pressure to achieve performance objectives. Misleading sales approach, overbilling customers, price fixing and fraud antitrust are all categorized as unethical marketing practices. Although such practices may fetch short-term benefits for the company; in the long run, these have devastating impacts. Such impacts may deteriorate financial performance of a company or tarnish its reputation to such an extent that downfall of the company becomes inevitable. This is precisely the reason why conducting ethical marketing is so important. Organizations that efficiently manage ethics are able to methodically absorb, respond and adap t to most breakdowns in decisions or conduct. In the contemporary consumer oriented society, human rights play a crucial role. Given the aforesaid fact, greater number of companies has been exposed to several positive as well as negative ethical issues of which count of the latter is increasing day by day. This has been largely possible due to rising power of media and the way this system is structured. Consequently, the system has a considerable impact on organizations that are involved in such means. In light of the aforementioned facts, this study will take a look at GlaxoSmithKline, which is a UK based pharmaceutical company and assess few of the ethical marketing challenges faced by the company, thereby seeking evidences as to why these

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Depression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Depression - Essay Example They would also tend to use repression wherein the person who lost somebody would tend to get angry with the deserting person, but because they might alienate the persons whom they had depended on for support, they repress the anger that they have. Another is projection, wherein a person protects himself from the awareness of their own undesirable traits by attributing those traits to others. For example, a woman who had been cheated by her husband tends to get angry but she projects as not angry rather believes that her husband is angry at her that’s why he did it. Psychoanalysts, uses the theory of Freud, wherein they assume that each individual has opposing forces within called the id, ego and superego that make internal conflicts inevitable. The person may or may not be aware of this thus influence their personality development and the ability to handle life’s stresses. One technique a therapist would use is the free association wherein the person is allowed to spea k whatever comes into his mind without editing or censoring. This can also be done together with dream analysis wherein the person is encouraged to talk about the content of his dreams and free associating to that content, the analyst and the client attempt to discuss the unconscious meaning. Another is transference wherein the tendency for the client to make the therapist the object of emotional responses. Another is interpretation, wherein the analyst helps the client gain insight into the nature f the unconscious conflicts that are sources of his difficulties. Another view that we could understand depression is the Cognitive perspective wherein depression focuses not on what people do but on how they view themselves and the world (Atkinson, 1990). In this perspective, patients are pessimistic, expecting the worse from a situation rather than the best. The depressive symptoms on this

Essay 4 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

4 - Essay Example Aptitudes that apply to numerous various types of parts are known as transferable or delicate abilities. Ponder a few errands which happen on an ordinary working day. You may have exhibited your exploration in a Graduate class, which serves to sharpen your relational abilities. You may take a shot at a provision for a travel gift, providing for you some knowledge of securing and financing for your examination experience. On the other hand perhaps you persuaded your administrator to set aside a few minutes to peruse a paper you wish to submit for distribution, therefore utilizing arranging aptitudes (Webcache.googleusercontent.com, 2014) (BusinessDictionary.com, 2014) Transferable aptitudes can likewise be produced outside of a scholarly setting. Consider a portion of the exercises you get included within your extra time. Contemplate the sorts of obligations that individuals in more senior positions have – both in a scholastic environment and non-scholarly parts – assignments, for example, overseeing staff, getting financing or plan approbation, creating associations with outside contacts, etc. These all oblige certain levels of supposed transferable aptitudes like correspondence, association, arrangement, and so forth. When you want to make your next profession move, not just will you need to persuade potential superintendents that you have these transferable aptitudes, you will likewise need to utilize these abilities consistently with a specific end goal to succeed in your picked career. For a few professions, particularly in the event that you are considering moving out of the scholastic environment where your work is less incli ned to be well-known, transferable abilities can get much more critical to the accomplishment of your requisition. Superintendents anticipate that you will have to show a number of accompanying groups living up to expectations, energy and drive, interpersonal and relational abilities and

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Depression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Depression - Essay Example They would also tend to use repression wherein the person who lost somebody would tend to get angry with the deserting person, but because they might alienate the persons whom they had depended on for support, they repress the anger that they have. Another is projection, wherein a person protects himself from the awareness of their own undesirable traits by attributing those traits to others. For example, a woman who had been cheated by her husband tends to get angry but she projects as not angry rather believes that her husband is angry at her that’s why he did it. Psychoanalysts, uses the theory of Freud, wherein they assume that each individual has opposing forces within called the id, ego and superego that make internal conflicts inevitable. The person may or may not be aware of this thus influence their personality development and the ability to handle life’s stresses. One technique a therapist would use is the free association wherein the person is allowed to spea k whatever comes into his mind without editing or censoring. This can also be done together with dream analysis wherein the person is encouraged to talk about the content of his dreams and free associating to that content, the analyst and the client attempt to discuss the unconscious meaning. Another is transference wherein the tendency for the client to make the therapist the object of emotional responses. Another is interpretation, wherein the analyst helps the client gain insight into the nature f the unconscious conflicts that are sources of his difficulties. Another view that we could understand depression is the Cognitive perspective wherein depression focuses not on what people do but on how they view themselves and the world (Atkinson, 1990). In this perspective, patients are pessimistic, expecting the worse from a situation rather than the best. The depressive symptoms on this

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Philosophy of leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Philosophy of leadership - Assignment Example I choose to work in organizations because I want to change the world, and feel that I can have the most impact by aligning my effort with the purpose of others. I take as my purpose fostering the growth of knowledge, the development of people, and improvement of the common quality of life. This revolves round certain guiding principles and values as well. As a leader, one is at the position to sit back and let the Human Resource department, and all relevant individuals dictate your leadership strategy. After all, you are busy serving customers and driving revenue. That is a mistake! Since your success remains tied to having great talent and you play a major role in developing future leaders, you should take an effective role in shaping the leadership strategy. In addition, the foundation of a leadership strategy is a core leadership philosophy (Stogdill, 1955, 102). A leadership philosophy defines what it means to be a leader and is unique to your company. It describes what leaders d o and what is expected of them, and represents the basis for all leadership activity, including development, promotions, and movement. In many companies, the leadership philosophy is abstract and ill defined, but it may lay crafted through a series of interviews and consensus discussions with senior leaders (Sims, 2005, 88). There are many leadership theories. These revolve round trait approaches, contingency of situational models, transformational or charismatic models, and power. They all influence approaches in one way or another. The theories and associated research attempt to explain leader or follower behavior, characteristics, or personality. Some theories refer to the characteristics of the leader. For example, charismatic leaders tend to gain respect and trust. Personality theories on the other hand refer to the leader’s traits such as integrity and honesty (D'Aveni, 2002, 92). Leadership can encourage initiative as well. This lies in the readiness to act that channe ls ability into results. Hesitation often leads to missed opportunities, so leaders must often take the first step or support a colleague who recognizes the opportunity. If people lay asked to take risks, leaders must support them if things do not go well. Often many failures lie experienced, in order to reap the reward, and the path from idea to payoff can be long and unforgiving. I value personal courage, to overcome risk-aversion and maintain integrity. Doing the right thing is not the easiest path often (Hodgkinson, 1983, 122). Doing something, new or enacting change can be difficult even for the visionary. I believe in the Stockdale paradox, that no matter how bleak our reality is, we must maintain faith that we will ultimately overcome and triumph. Thus, my influence as a leader can only be as great as I am resolute in times of trial (Bell, 1990, 123). The question of hiring new leaders against that of growing one’s own lies best answered as a percentage, which can serv e as a useful guide to how you recruit or promote leaders. Many companies have an unstated philosophy that they want to grow their own leadership talent. However, what is the right mix? Establishing this question as stated goal gives clarity to all involved, and should remain revisited every few years. If your goal is 25 percent new hires and 75 percent grow

Feminism & Law Essay Example for Free

Feminism Law Essay Feminism simply refers to the thought that women and men should have similar and equal rights in all fronts, be it sexually, politics, economics or civil amongst others. Though feminism efforts can be traced back to the late 19th century, intense activism can be placed at the upper quarter of the 20th century where there arose feminist movements, philosophy, theories and literature supporting equality between the genders. Indeed these movements and efforts bore fruits and are credited with the revolution that would see a flurry of laws enacted and policies aimed at opening more opportunities implemented. The recent past years have seen this change and feminist movements have become dormant and almost irrelevant, many agree that this has been brought forth by the mere fact that their grievances were addressed. Indeed feminism had genuine grievances. A look at the traditional society, and also the prevailing circumstances up to the world war period, indicates that the society was highly patriarchal. Both the unwritten and the written rules were aimed at subjugating women while elevating the position of men in all aspects. Job opportunities, politics and economics were wholly dominated by men. Women leadership was looked down upon and women roles were only limited to household chores. The Declaration of Sentiments, a document detailing grievances of women as published in 1846 during the Seneca Falls Convention, has clearly outlined these concerns indicating how inequality raged in the male dominated society be it in the marriages, economics and also in the workplaces (Estelle, 2003). The key grievances ranged from the role of women in marriages and also the pursuit of equal opportunities in the workplaces. The first wave of feminism was concentrating its efforts in rooting out inequality aimed at property rights and universal voting rights. These were accorded by the law by the first quarter of the 20th century. The second wave of liberation was radical and was pursuing injustices meted out against women revolving around cultural and political inequalities. These grievances were touching on the very foundation of marriage and sought to ensure that a woman’s voice and rights in marriage were respected and ensured by the law. Consequently, legislations recognizing marital rape were enacted and women’s rights in regard to divorces were also put into place. Abortion was also a key concern and resulted to intensified activism demanding for women to be allowed to take control of their sexuality and also the fate of their pregnancies. The Roe v Wade landmark court ruling that outlawed abortion was seen as a major success for feminist movements. Political and social rights were advanced. The third wave of feminism became referred to as the Women’s Liberation and took place from the late 1970s to 1990s. This was aimed at rooting out sexism and all forms of discriminations especially in the workplaces. Women demanded laws aimed at tackling sex discrimination and abuse. This was a wave that was also aiming at rooting out the perception that feminist movements were pursuing the upper class women, it is for this reason that this movement began focusing at the issues that generally affected women such as gender based violence and the removal of gender based connotations and stereotypes (Estelle 2006). With the accomplishments of the ideals that feminism sought to achieve, there is now a general feeling that feminism has become irrelevant. As Anita (2004, 96) contends, â€Å"years and years ago this feminist thing was really big and people did fight for women’s rights, and that was good. But we are equal now, so there’s not that need. † This is indeed the prevailing situation; feminism has ceased to be relevance. Women have acquired rights and although still disadvantaged, have equal rights to men. The angry bra burning and men bashing activists are no longer around as their common objectives were met and the modern woman is unencumbered by the traditional feminist ties (Estelle 2006). The popular media is said to mirror the society bringing into perspective all the held perceptions and norms. A comparison of the movies that cropped up a couple of decades ago and today’s movies for example indicates a stark contrast. Whereas the 80s movies gave women subtle and supportive roles, modern movies are according men and women equal roles and are portraying women playing the roles that were regarded as the preserve of men. They are also no longer seen as sex toys and objects to provide comic relief in movies and magazines but are rather playing active roles. Today’s women are seen as assertive in their own right but not mere props to support men, they are holding executive roles and have plunged deep into the cutthroat executive and political affairs if the recent Hillary Clintons candidature is anything to go by. They possess charisma and enough magnetic pull to carry out demanding political tasks as their men counterparts. Though sexism is yet to be eradicated, the rigorous feminist movements no longer enjoy the huge membership like they used to in the 80s, today they have taken a more integrative approach. References Anita H. (2004). All about the girl: culture, power, and identity. Routledge. Estelle B. F. (2006) Feminism, sexuality, and politics: essays. UNC Press. Estelle B. F. (2003) No Turning Back: The History of Feminism and the Future of Women. Ballantine Books.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of KFC

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of KFC 1. Introduction KFC Corporation, based in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the worlds largest chains of fast food restaurants, serving more than 12 million customers daily in 109 countries and territories around the world. KFC is part of multi-brand operator Yum, which is the worlds largest restaurant company, owns more than 36,000 locations around the world. During a year around placement, my time at KFC was in a position of casher and then I got a promotion to a restaurant team leader, overseeing the daily shop operations as well as selling product. This placement offers me a great opportunity to observe the corporation and think about the CSR of KFC. A year placement has made me have a great view of KFC and also gives me an opportunity to analysis the corporate social responsibilities of KFC. This paper starts by briefly reviewing the literature on corporate social responsibility and then continues by providing some background on the fast food context. It is followed by the four kinds of social responsibilities constitute total CSR: economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic. Furthermore, this paper will introduce how KFC apply these four categories into practise. In the end of this report, it will state that the benefit of CSR and give the suggestion of how to improve the CSR to improve the whole brand of KFC. 2. The concept of CSR Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a welcomed business strategy, which is a commitment of a company to behave in an ethical and responsible manner, to minimise the negative impacts and maximise the positive impacts (Maignan, et. al, 2005) on both the business interests and stakeholders of company. In recent years, Zadek (2001) has noted that CSR is based on the concept of stakeholder democracy, which is stated that the business organisations are made up of a number of different stakeholders with a multiplicity of interests; all of the stakeholders have an influence over the companys interests. There are many definitions of CSR from different standpoints. In the last 30 years, CSR has been widely discussed. While Keith Davis in 1960 argued that CSR refers to businesses decisions and actions taken for reasons at least partially beyond the firms direct economic or technical interest, the other researches (Eells and Walton, 1961) thought that the CSR refers to the problem that arise when corporate enterprise casts its shadow on the social scene, and the ethical principles that ought to govern the relationship between the corporation and society. It is a trend that organizations pay more attention on every aspect of their performance than before; they are not only considering about the economic interest but also caring the social commentary and environmental protection. Also, in 2008, the economists report state that CSR is made up of three board layers, one on top of other, devoted respectively to CSR as traditional corporate philanthropyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. In the 21st centuryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Openness and transparency become the key slogan for organizations. More and more organizations recognize the important of social responsibility and they are trying to practice these concepts. The authors prefer the use of the term corporate social responsibility and present the following definition. Corporate social responsibility is a committal that made by the company to contribute to the society through the business practices and combining the corporate resources, that may includes improving the quality of life of humans and focusing on the environmental issues (Philip, K and Nancy, L, 2005). The CSR also includes the two kinds, one is instrumental CSR, which is pursued for business profitability, the other is intrinsic CSR, which is ignored the business profitability. These two clues are very important to the stakeholders. 3. Corporate social responsibility of KFC Carroll (1991) indicates that corporation should develop on both side: the economic side and social side. The he definite the CSR into four parts, therefore, the corporation should not only have the economic and legal obligations, but also they have the responsibility on the ethical and philanthropic sides. The main point for this concept is the company has to take all the four parts responsibilities to the society, not only economic responsibility which is the most fundamental responsibility. As mentioned, the four major responsibilities include economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic components (Carroll, 1991). As it can be seen, table 1 summarizes some important statements of these four major responsibilities. And a detailed description of each social responsibility follows. Table 1 Economic, legal, ethics and philanthropic components of CSR Economic components(responsibilities) Legal components (responsibilities) 1. It is important to perform in a manner consistent with maximizing earnings per share. 1. It is important to perform in a manner consistent with expectations of government and law. 2. It is important to be committed to being as profitable as possible. 2. It is important to comply with various federal, state, and local regulations. 3. It is important to maintain a strong competitive position. 3. It is important to be law-abiding corporate citizen. 4. It is important to maintain a high level of operating efficiency. 4. It is important that a successful firm be defined as one that fulfills its legal obligations. 5. It is important that a successful firm be defined as one that is consistently profitable. 5. It is important to provide goods and services that at least meet minimal legal requirements. Ethical components( responsibilities) Philanthropic components ( responsibilities) 1. It is important to perform in a manner consistent with expectations of societal mores and ethical norms. 1. It is important to perform in a manner consistent with the philanthropic and charitable expectations of society. 2. It is important to recognize and respect new or evolving ethical moral norms adopted by society. 2. It is important to assist the fine and performing arts. 3. It is important to prevent ethical norms being compromised in order to achieve corporate goals. 3. It is important that managers and employees participate in voluntary and charitable activities within their local communities. 4. It is important that good corporate citizenship be defined as dong what is expected morally or ethically. 4. It is important to provide assistance to private and public educational institutions. 5. It is important to recognize that corporate integrity and ethical behavior go beyond mere compliance with laws and regulations. 5. It is important to assist voluntarily those projects that enhance a communitys quality of life. (Source: Carroll, A.,2007. The Pyramid of corporate social responsibility) These responsibilities must be performed in order to benefit not only the company operators but also their stakeholders, including the local communities and the general public (Maignan et al.2005; MoIR,2001). As noted by Carroll (1979), the corporate social responsibilities push the companies should run the business in a way that enhances the well-being of their customers as well as the society. 3.1. Economic responsibility 3.1.1 The definition of economic responsibility Historically, the company was created as economic entities designed to provide goods and services that customers needed. The primary incentive for the corporation is to maximum profit for the shareholder. Therefore, the principle role for the corporation was to produce goods and services that customers needed and wanted and to make a proper profit during the business. It is the basic goal for the business organization. Without this economic responsibility, all other social responsibilities are become moot considerations (Carroll, 1991). Therefore, KFCs economic responsibility will be fully present in their annual report and finance report of 2009. 3.1.2 International market of KFC According to the 2009 annual report of Yum!, the parent company of KFC, which is stated that in last five years, their investments in high potential markets which included France, Russian, India, Brazil, South Africa and Vietnam are paying off(Yum! Annual report, 2009). Definitely, they are expanded the international market to satisfy more multinational customers needs while earning more profit as possible as they could. From a financial standpoint, Yum! had run a multi-year program to reduce their company ownership to around 5% at KFC, down from 18% at when they started at the end of 2007. This will have more significant and more predictable stream of franchise revenue. And also the company reducing the general and administrative expenses from company operations, they expect to generate at least as much profit with no capital expenditures by putting these restaurants in the hands of good franchise operators. 3.1.3 The financial performance of KFC Also, in their 2009 financial report, KFCs international sales revenue increased from $7394 in 2007 to $8230 in 2009, three years growth is 3 %( Yum financial data, 2010). Overall, KFC are satisfied with the economic responsibilities by increasing the profit in three years. However, there also have some problems of that. Due to my observation, KFC have increased its sales price, for example, in UK, the selling price of each meal are increased by 30p to 40p. There is no doubt that this price policy will increase the total profit as well. Even though KFC claimed that they will offer customers better service, it cannot depend on the increase the selling price to increase the profit. 3.2 Legal responsibilities 3.2.1 The definition of legal responsibilities Companies run the business according to the profit motive, at the same time, business also have to followed the laws and regulations promulgated by local governments. Corporations are expected to pursue their economic missions within the framework of the law (Carroll, 1991). Legal responsibilities reflect a view of codified ethics, which are enacted by local courts, such as working hours, wage and salary, equal opportunity, food safety etc. KFC have to follow the standards and legal requirements. 3.2.2 Employment practice According to the employment standards that KFC published on the website, employment practice include working hours conditions, non-discrimination, child labour, forced and indentured labour and notification to employees. The details can be seen in Appendix 1. During my placement, I found that our branch are basically applied the employment practice, however, it also need to focus on details. For example, since the KFCs employees are nearly all decided by the manager of each branch and each manager are from different country, they like to hire the employee from their own country. This may cause the indirect discrimination. Moreover, workers in the KFC are paid low wages. In UK, the employees wage rate just meets the lowest requirement of UK. KFC do not pay overtime rates even when employees work very long hours. Pressure to keep profits high and wage costs low results in understaffing, so staff have to work harder and faster. Not surprisingly staff turnover at KFC is high, making it virtually impossible to unionize and fight for a better deal (Royle, 2005). 3.2.3 Hygiene requirement As a fast food restaurant, KFC, need to pay more attention on the hygiene condition. It is not only to meet the legal hygiene requirement, but also to improve the corporate image. However, in 2009, one of the KFC outlet, which is in Leicester Square, London, was charged with 13 food hygiene charges by officials from Westminster Council, which is claiming a mouse was seen running across the floor and flies buzzed around their hands at the premises (caterersearch.com, 2009). Therefore, the manager of KFC should learn the lesson from the cases and KFC need more transparency on the food quality. According to my observation, actually, KFC management do care the hygiene requirement, but they cannot manage it in detail. Some employees ignore the hygiene requirement, this is the problem. 3.2.4 Animal welfare program KFC responded that by saying the chickens used in its products are brought from the suppliers like Perdue Farms, Tyson Foods, and Pilgrims Pride, and that these suppliers are routinely monitored for animal welfare violations. Headquarters of KFC also claimed that they are working at the animal conservation in order to build good brand image. In fact, KFC as the buyer of food products has responsibility to make sure animals have well treatment before they buy them. KFC pay more attention on the animal welfare than before, for instance, they use efficient system to ensure our suppliers are treating the animals humanely which supply to us. It is a necessary deal between KFC and suppliers that they have to agree with the commitment of animal welfare (kfc.com, 2010). However, since 2003, animal rights and welfare organizations, led by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), have been protesting KFCs treatment of the animals used for its product. This organisation claims that the recommendations of the KFC Animal Welfare Advisory Council have been ignored. And several PETA do the investigations and videos of these and other KFC suppliers purporting to show chicken being beaten, ripped apart and thrown against walls contradict KFCs claims. PETA has criticized some of the practices of chicken breeders, such as beak trimming and overcrowding, but the headquarters of KFC says its suppliers meets UK legal requirement. Due to the situation, the KFC animal Welfare Advisory Council is composed of  industrial experts, which offers the organization information and suggestion according to scientific data and study. Meanwhile, this council plays an important role in motivating the animal welfare plan (kfc.com, 2010). Under the councils proposal, KFC develops guidelines and audit plans for suppliers. In the meantime, according to the advice of National Council of Chain Restaurants and the Food Marketing Institute, KFC pays attention to the guiding principles for animals (kfc.com, 2010). 3.3. Ethics responsibilities 3.3.1 The definition of ethics responsibilities The economic and legal responsibilities have the ethical norms about fairness and justice, ethical responsibilities embrace those activities and practices that are expected or prohibited by the societal members even though they are not codified into law. Ethical responsibilities reflect those standards, norms, or expectations that reflect a concern for what customers, employees, shareholders, and the community regard as fair, keeping with the respect or protection of stakeholders moral rights. (Carroll, 2007) In one way, the current ethics and value may becoming the driving force to precede the establishment of law or regulations. For instance, the environmental, human rights and customer movements reflected basic alterations in societal values and therefore may be seen in the later legislations (Carroll, 2007). 3.3.2Food quality and customer service The product attributes of fast food could be broken up into several categories, such as nutritional, sensory and hygienic quality. Although these aspects could not be verified by foods actual consumption, it is very necessary for organizations to pay more attention on food production and processing (Baltas, 2001; Bredahl et al., 1998). In terms of environmental protection, the ethical production of human and animal welfare are key problems (Harper and Makatouni, 2002; Wier and Calverley, 2002; Grankvist et al., 2004). Holbrooks (1999) typology could be used as a tool which can measure generic costumer value. For instance, it could measure functional costumers value and ethics. A major driver of ethical trading practices within the retail marketplace is the growing phenomenon of ethical consumerism (Brinkman and Brinkman, 2002; Hosmer, 2002), equating to a UK market value of  £6.8 billion in 2001 (Co-operative Bank, 2003; cited Morven, G. and Monika.J.A. 2005). Organizations ethical behaviors could influence production distribution and customer satisfaction (Mohr et al., 2001; Morven, G. and Monika.J.A. 2005). Organizations always use branding as an effective tool to increase their reputation, add supplying meaning of consumer goods (De Chernatony, 2001, McCracken, 1993). Positive and negative perspectives have influences on brand value. As a social responsible organization, branding could affect the investment on production quality management and reduce customer disappointment. According to Bacon (2004), organizations have to pay more attention on product value and market behavior, because the customer trust not only the information provided by organizations but also the good performances of them. In the Yum! Annual report of 2009, it stated that KFC is going to improve the operations particularly around product availability and speed of service. KFC have actively raised their game by more aggressively pushing for higher standards by investing in more franchise field support, increasing operational audits and racking and stacking operating performance of both company and franchise stores. During the placement year, I found the KFC is better prepared to offer the consumer more choice, better value and better service, but KFC still have more to do. The goal of KFC is to stay focused on building the business back the right way and expect steady progress. 3.3.3Environment concerns KFC also should take environmental protection as important as food quality and customer service. In their annual report, the company claimed that we try our best to reduce environmental pollution and we will pay more attention on it in the future. It is very important for us to keep our customers protecting the environment. According to the facts which we are doing, people could understand and support environmental friendly. KFC commit that all paper packaging bags are 100% recycled content, all napkins and serviettes (does not include pre-packaged napkins) are 100% recycled content, and 30% of KFC bucket lid is made by recycled content. Also, more than 90% of KFC paperboard packaging would be certified by Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) in May of 2010(kfc.com, 2010). And also, for all KFC restaurants use more efficient lighting system, which reduce the Carbon emission obviously, and use Energy Star appliances, for instance, the highest energy efficient oven be used generally in these restaurants. KFC also use high-performance air conditioners. Additionally, these restaurants all install programmable thermostats which could reduce the Carbon emission. Moreover, KFCs first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) restaurant was opened by KFC-Taco Bell in Northampton and achieved one of LEEDs highest certifications. More and more franchisees are trying their best to use energy efficient lighting and programmable thermostats (kfc.com, 2010). However, it is very difficult for companies like KFC to recycle waste at the moment. Hence, many recycling contractors refuse to take waste which did not remove food completely, Steve Easterbrook point out, chief executive of waste contractor Veolia Environmental Services (Paton, 2007). Therefore, there are many fast food company have to send the waste to landfill. It is an alternative method of disposal for the environment and local community. From a business point of view, not only benefit for company that saving money, but also benefit for company that being a good citizen. Clearly, it is a great help with morale. In KFC, it would take some staff doing the waste recycling activities, like waste sorting, which helped them feel more involved in the decision-making. 3.4 Philanthropic responsibilities 3.4.1 The definition of philanthropic responsibilities Philanthropic responsibilities reflect those corporate actions that are in response to societys expectation that businesses be corporate citizens. This includes actively engaging in acts or programs to promote human welfare and goodwill. For example, the corporation is giving the financial resources and executive time to the arts, education, or the community (Carroll,1991). 3.4.2 The community KFC takes the issues of litter very seriously. KFC is committed to tackling the litter challenge through a number of initiatives such as litter patrols, packaging reductions, and bins. During my placement, our restaurant sent out patrols every say to pick up litter and empty bins, these patrols go out four times a day in the summer months and three times a day in the winter months., and to make sure the area surrounding the restaurant are as clean as possible. Moreover, KFC are aimed to reduce litter by reducing packaging volumes. According to the KFC website (2010), they cut packaging by 1,400 tonnes, the equivalent of approximately 127 double -ducker buses. This included switching the Fillet and Zinger burgers from cardboard clamshells to paper wrappers. In 2010, KFC are aimed to reduce the packaging in the boxed meals. 3.4.3 World Hunger Relief To celebrate World Hunger Relief week 2010, KFC and its parent company YUM! will co-operate again. As a hunger is a big issue problem of all over the world, make an effort to raise awareness of this, the Yum!s partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme have set up aim will mobilise staff, franchisees and customers to help with it. Many employees from more than 720 KFC restaurants in the UK will be arranging a number of fundraising activities in store, from sponsored silences to KFC car washes. In UK, every branch of KFC have the donate box which out in front of the cashiers, customers can donate their extra change to that box. KFC UK raised more than  £365,000 which helped fund a school food project in Africa last year. Yum!s global efforts spurred unparalleled global awareness, including four million volunteer hours and $20 million in overall donations. This year, KFC hope with customers help they will beat the target (kfc.com, 2010). In summary, the total corporate social responsibility of business entails the simultaneous fulfilment of the firms economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic responsibilities. Negative: Employee hire standards and overtime rates; animal welfare programme Table 2 the positive and negative point of each responsibilities of KFC As it can be seen in table 2, even though KFC has done lots of things on CSR, there are still have more to do. Overall, according to my observation, should do more things on these four responsibilities. On economic part, even though KFC has increased its profit, at same time, they also increase the selling price on each meal; it seems that giving this economic responsibility to the customer and not in themselves. On legal responsibility side, KFC are claimed they are strictly following the supplier code, however, they still have to improve their standard which not just basically satisfy the supplier code. KFC should improve the employee hire standards and overtime rates, moreover, invest more resources on the animal welfare programme. Eventually, they should care about the food quality, not only to product more healthy food; it also has to do more contribution in the future. 4. Benefits that corporate social responsibility can bring As Kotler and Lee (2005) have already clearly indicated that corporations which participation in corporate social initiatives could get many potential benefits. It can be see in the Appendix 2, the benefits of CSR can give a good impression to potential customers, investors, financial analysts, business colleagues; also, companies will have a great image in annual report, in the media, even in the courtroom. It is also state that the CSR is good for the employees, current customers, stockholders, and board members. Kotler and Lee (2005) also conclude that companies have experienced a range of bottom-line benefits, they have summarized six points, and each point will be explained as follows. Increased sales and market value Drumwright (1994) already mentioned that CSR will have a great effect on the customer purchase behaviour. A survey which made by Klein (1990), have stated that 75% of customers have said their purchasing decisions are influenced by a companys reputation with respect to the environment, and eight in ten have said they would pay more for products that are environmentally friendly.Therefore, it is obviously that more social responsibility that corporations taken, more sales of the product. Strengthened brand positioning Pringle and Marjorie (2001) make a statement that a company or brands contribution which links to a relevant charity or cause can make to the spirit of the brand. In their book Brand Spirit, they concluded that customers are going beyond the practical issues of functional product performance or rational product benefits and future than the emotional and psychological aspects of brand personality and image. As mentioned above in each responsibility of KFC, the spirit that participation in corporate social initiatives has given to the KFC, the brand itself. Enhanced corporate image and clout The company will gain a good image and clout from the CSR, for example, the positive press from reports, and also with a strong reputation in the community can be a real asset in times of crisis. Companies that demonstrate they are engaging in practices that satisfy and go beyond regulatory compliance requirements are being given less scrutiny and more free rein by both national and local government entities (Kotler and Lee, 2005). Increased ability to attract, motivate, and retain employees The studies that made by Cone and Roper (2000) indicate that a company that contribute to the society can have a positive influence on their current employees, as well as citizens and executives. According to their survey in 2001, there are 38% of employees who in the CSR programme are proud of their companys value which is much better than the employees who are not involved in the CSR program. Decreased operating costs Most of the companies want to decrease operating costs and increased the revenue from several corporate social initiatives. The obvious thing for the companies to do is to adopt environmental initiatives to reduce waste, reuse materials, recycle, and conserve water and electricity (Kotler and Lee, 2005). And as mentioned above, all KFC restaurants use more efficient lighting system which not only reducing the Carbon emission, but also reducing the operating costs. Increased appeal to investors and financial analysts. There also have some argue that involvement in corporate social initiatives can increase the stock value. The company who involved in corporate social initiatives could have the ability to attract new investors and reduce exposure to risk in the event of corporate or management crises (Kotler and Lee, 2005). 5. The Recommendation for KFC Kotler and Lee (2005) has mentioned six major initiatives of the corporate social responsibilities, which will be cause promotions, cause-related marketing, corporate social marketing, corporate philanthropy community volunteering and socially responsible business practices. For KFC, they have done many of them. As it can be seen in table 3, it is a list of each initiative of KFC. Table 3 KFCs Corporate Social Initiatives Description Example Cause Promotions Supporting social causes through promotional sponsorships Yum! Sponsored the USA National Pavilion at 2010 Shanghai World Expo. Cause-Related Marketing Making a contribution or donating a percentage of revenues to a specific cause based on product sales or usage Animal Welfare Program Corporate Social Marketing Supporting behaviour change campaigns Food Quality Corporate Philanthropy Making direct contributions to a charity or cause World Hunger Relief Community Volunteering Providing volunteer services in the community KFC is committed to tackling the little challenge Socially Responsible Business Practices Adopting and conducting discretionary business practices and investments that support social causes Recycled Materials and efficient lighting system. (Source: Kotler, P Lee N. (2005). Corporate social responsibility: doing the most good for your company and your course.1st ed. John Wiley Sons, Inc: Hoboken, New Jersey. ) Even though it is seems that KFC have done most of the activities of CSR, it is also has some shortage. The most oblivious one is in the cause promotions part. Cause promotion is a corporation provides funds, in-kind contributions, or other corporate resources to increase awareness and concern about a social cause or to support fundraising, participation, or volunteer recruitment for a cause (Kotler LEE,2005). However, most activities in society are sponsored by KFCs parent company YUM!, not KFC itself. The biggest shortage of that is if the customers do not know KFC is belong to the YUM!, then the awareness of KFC do not exist. KFC should do more promotions and sponsored the event itself, not just relay on the YUM!. And this problem is happened on the corporate philanthropy part. 6. Conclusion Even though different authors have indicated different kinds of definition and elements about corporate social responsibility, eventually, the main part of CSR does not change. The public will also keep eyes on the environmental, social issues and ethical issues, especially for a company with an outstanding reputation. During the course of this paper the reader will come across several findings of the corporate social responsibility pose to the Kentucky Fried Chicken. KFC has held a successful presence in UK retail industry for many years, with high levels of brand image. Kentucky Fried Chicken takes responsibility that protecting environment and involving social measures instead of waiting the government imposes particular laws. KFC should realize the important of corporate social responsibility and choose the appropriate way to carry out those measures. My placement at KFC has been a valuable experience, being able to observe how to run a restaurant in regard to its social responsibility. Clearly, it is useful for my future career and reward for my whole life. Not only broad my horizon but also enrich my life. 7. Appendix 7.1 Appendix 1 Employment Practices: Working Hours Conditions: according to the relevant laws, code and regulations, suppliers should make sure their employees safety and healthy working conditions in everyday and every week; meanwhile, they could not ask employees for overtime work. Non-Discrimination: suppliers should follow the local laws which illuminate the organizations should not take color, religion, sex, age, physical and national origin as the reasons why they employ workers. Child Labor: suppliers should not hire the employees under the legal age. For instance, YUM! dose not hire the employees who under 14 years of age. Forced and Indentured Labor: According to the existing law status, any Suppliers should not use workers in servitude for working or producing goods for Yum. Also, the labor should be physically and legally free from any physical, psychological, confinement, or sexual harassment under the Suppliers control. Notification to Employees:

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Succeed :: essays research papers

When I chose to attend any university I knew I wanted to live in a good Christian environment where the word of God was believed and practiced through the classroom. My entire family had gone to major public universities, but I knew that I needed a good sound environment without all the distractions one would see at a public institution. Now that I’m here, I know it is going to take hard work on my part to accomplish my degree in whatever field I choose. In order to survive here at a higher learning institution, I will need sacrifice some social, physical, and emotional things will be hinging on whether I succeed or not.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First off, there will be many social sacrifices that will arise at times. People will come to my door, doing there best to distract me while I’m doing homework. I will need to think over the situation, and either leave the room or ask them to leave. However, this will not be easy. To maintain an â€Å"edge† I will have to find times when not many people are around and get my work done at those times, instead of waiting till the last minute to do my work.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I will also have to make some physical sacrifices. There will be times when I am up till at least 1 or 2 in the morning, and have to get up for an Eight am class. I will just have to adjust to the fast paced schedule here at college. One thing I could do to solve a late night study session is to do the homework right when I get out of class.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The last sacrifice I plan to overcome will be emotional stress. Stress is one thing that many people today have troubles with, including myself. At school, stress can and will build up. At a Christian institution, they will expect me to keep on spiritual issues such as daily devotion and prayer. Finding times to do this will only enhance my personal relationship with Christ.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

callaway golf co. :: essays research papers

Callaway Golf Co.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1982, Ely Reeves Callaway had bought his small wedge and putter golf business and called it Hickory Stick USA and created clubs that were enjoyable for the average golfer. He called these clubs the Demonstrably Superior and Pleasingly Different (DSPD) clubs. This was a code he had always lived by. The family of Ely Callaway are not involved with the company today because he was told to choose his successor, and had chose Ron Draqpeau. He is a man who only shared the same vision and thought of golf, but also had the skills as a leader to continue his wonderful golf company. The goal was to make a good product and tell the truth about the game. In those days Ely would provide them to his customers personally in the back of his Cadillac. He made sales calls and talked to pros, amateurs, and those who came to be known as an average golfer. Finally, Hickory Stick USA came to be knows as Callaway Hickory Stick U.S.A, and not too long after that, Callaway Golf.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By 1985, the company moved from the California desert to its coastal Carlsbad home. Which is presently the main headquarters of the company today as well. This was where he saw opportunities in undeveloped land, along with a talented labor force fueled by the nearby aerospace industry. Around that same time he met and lured a man named Richard C. Helmstetter away from a successful career designing high-end pool cues in Japan. Mr. Helmstetter and his R&D team designed and created a larger, more forgiving stainless steel driver. Today, there are a total of 2,600 employees working with the Callaway Golf Company.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Celebrities such as Bill Gates, Kenny G., Celine Dion, and Alice Cooper uses the latest technology of Callaway Golf. Even the pros such as, Annika Sorenstam, Charles Howell III, and Phil Mickelson use Callaway Golf as well! It had eventually become one of the biggest names on the tour.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mr. Callaway had once stated, â€Å" We feel we have been extremely fortunate in our success as a company so much so that we would like to give something back to the community that helped make us so successful.† Therefore in 1993, they have donated $1 million. They were established with the mission to improve the community where Callaway Golf employees work and live. This was the same year that has signed an amateur golfer at the time, Annika Sorenstam, as a staff professional.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Playmobil Toysâ€the Secret to the Years of Toy Craze Essay

A little over a century ago, you wouldn’t believe that Playmobil, one of the most loved toy companies, started out as a lock and fitting company originally called Metallwarenfabrik. It was founded by Andreas Brandstatter, a locksmith in Zindorf, Germany. It had a few years of great track record and was not only manufacturing locks, they were even manufacturing cash registers, telephones and other various sheet metal products coincidentally to be used for toy establishments. In the 1950s, the current owner of the company, Horst Branstatter shifted the company into plastic manufacturing and joined in on the Hula Hoop Craze, which is incidentally the start of an international craze for Playmobil Toys. But one question comes to mind, why do kids and parents go crazy for these Toys? For one, the company’s ideal for toys stem from its roots of lock and metal fitting—collecting all the right pieces and fitting them together to complete a set. Its collectability is one of its greatest marketing strategy. Same for the kids, it is a matter of pride once you manage to complete a set. Typically, most toy sets would have one center piece for the set and have multiple accessories. Each and every piece would have its individual uniqueness. The fun of having a toy is being able to divulge into a world of imagination using it as a medium. A single piece has complete functionality to fulfil its role on the set’s storyline, having functioning parts that can interact with its fellow toy pieces. This allows children of all ages to use their imagination to its full extent, giving never-ending fun on the part of the kids and a satisfied smile on their parents’ lips.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

North Country

The North Country deals with the problem of sexual harassment faced by women workers in steel mine in northern Minnesota. The sexual harassment is not just by their male co-workers, but by the whole community that consists of the mine workers and their families. In doing so, it emphasizes a key fact such acts of gender-prejudice is not perpetrated by men alone, but are perpetrated by the society as a whole. Centuries of marginalization of women are viciously rationalized by one simple sentence by Sissy Spacek's character, â€Å"kids are your purpose, and the father brings home the money†. Josey Aimes, played by Charlize Theron, flees an abusive relationship, with two kids in tow, to move in with her parents. She tries out odd-jobs before somebody mentions that she could make six times as much by working in the steel mine. Her father, who has worked in the mine for the majority of his life, is not pleased with Josey's decision for him women just don't do such things. To start off, she is subjected to a far more intrusive medical exam than one would expect. Then, the torture begins; few outrageous acts passed off as fun, some explicit comments, actions, and some implicit gestures. All aimed at sending one message, women have no business doing a man's job. The women respond to these circumstances with whatever means accessible to them. But most of the recourses are fruitless, and taking a tremendous step might put their jobs at risk. The movie deals with the different facets of this problem in the most convincing of ways. The filmmakers are very ambitious in diving into the depths of this problem. This ambition almost derails the movie in the final act. While any woman in the present day could tell her own story of how sexual discrimination still exists, the world into which Josie entered was so abusive that one could only imagine it happening in a prison (Denny Wayman and Hal Conklin). For the women of this Minnesota mine, every day turned out to be an emotional and physical lockdown: feces smeared on the women’s lockers, direct rape attempts on the job, and continual jeers from the male miners made daily life a death sentence. The part of women in the workplace was a world of difference only 30 years ago. The TV images of Lucile Ball as the ditzy housewife who always deferred to her husband’s proficient ability to be the â€Å"bread winner† have given way to CSI Miami images of woman prosecutors extremely solving mystery cases week after week. What is most significant is that we never take for granted the sacrifice that was made. Unless we teach each new generation regarding the freedoms we have gained, we are always in danger of caving into our most sinful nature of greed, avarice, fear, and pride. REFERENCE Denny Wayman and Hal Conklin. North Country Stars – Profound. Â