Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 8

Marketing - Essay Example Additionally, employees have the opportunity to take early retirement, meaning that they can take one day off during the week in exchange of promise to work for one day a week after their retirement. The employees are granted an opportunity to appraise and rate their bosses twice yearly and bosses who consistently exhibit poor performance are squeezed out. SEMCO have policies that ensure openness of the financial statements that enable low level employees such as secretaries, receptionists and factory workers understand the financial performance of the company. The salaries of employees are available to the public unless the concerned employee is willing to maintain his or privacy. SEMCO has allowed all employees to set their own individual production quotas, thus motivating employees to voluntarily work overtime. The company has implemented a profit sharing policy that includes all workers even the factory workers and senior managers are not entitled to large bonuses. The company ha s implemented six types of rewards that include commissions on the gross margin, stipends, bonuses, profit sharing and royalty on sale of profit. A classical organisation with a traditional approach to industrial relationships is Interserve plc of the United Kingdom. ... Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT) is the only trade union that caters for only the needs of construction workers in the UK. Its membership spreads across Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England. Construction industry in the UK has continued to exploit the workers through low wages, dubious employment agencies and poor working conditions (Dunlop, 1993 p. 50). Industrial relations can be defined as the institutions and processes that establish and foster rules and regulations in the workplace. Industrial relations dates back to the industrial revolution era that was characterized by low wages, limited markets and capitalist thoughts of business owners (Batstone, 1988 p. 10). According to human resource management perspective, industrial relations involve employment contracts, government agencies, and conflicts that arise due to interactions in the workplace. According to Bean (2004), industrial relations refer to the nature of relationships among employ er, employees, the trade unions, and management p. 47). Industrial relations established democracy in the organisation and improves the morale of employees. Industrial relations will also foster enactment of sound labour laws, ensure fair employment practices and ensure efficient use of human capital in the organisation (Harcourt and Wood, 2006 p. 100). Industrial related conflicts result from diverse social economic, political and psychological factors. There are different approaches to industrial relations in an organisation. One of the approaches is the psychological approach that asserts that perceptions of workers, management and trade unions contribute to job related conflicts in the organisation (Salamon, 2000 p. 41). For instance, the beliefs and

Globalization Process Essay Example for Free

Globalization Process Essay Globalization is the process of international integration arising from the interchange of world views, products, ideas, and other aspects of culture.[1][2] Globalization describes the interplay across cultures of macro-social forces. These forces include religion, politics, and economics. Your shirt was made in Mexico and your shoes in China. Your CD player comes from Japan. You can travel to Moscow and eat a Big Mac there and you can watch an American film in Rome. Today goods are made and sold all over the world, thanks to globalization. Globalization lets countries move closer to each other. People, companies and organizations in different countries can live and work together. We can exchange goods , money and ideas faster and cheaper than ever before. Modern communication and technology, like the Internet, cell phones or satellite TV help us in our daily lives. Globalization is growing quickly. A German company can produce cars in Argentina and then sell them in the United States. A businessman in Great Britain can buy a part of a company in Indonesia on one day and sell parts of another business in China the next, thanks to globalization. Fast food companies open shops around the world almost every day. Advantages * Globalization lets countries do what they can do best. If, for example, you buy cheap steel from another country you don’t have to make your own steel. You can focus on computers or other things. * Globalization gives you a larger market. You can sell more goods and make more money. You cancreate more jobs. * Consumers also profit from globalization. Products become cheaper and you can get new goods more quickly. Disadvantages * Globalization causes unemployment in industrialized countries because firms move their factories to places where they can get cheaper workers. * Globalization may lead to more environmental problems. A company may want to build factories in other countries because environmental laws are not as strict as they are at home. Poor countries in the Third World may have to cut down more trees so that they can sell wood to richer countries. * Globalization can lead to financial problems. In the 1970s and 80s countries like Mexico, Thailand, Indonesia or Brazil got a lot of money from investors who hoped they could build up new businesses there. These new companies often didn’t work, so they had to close down and investors pulled out their money. * Some of the poorest countries in the world, especially in Africa, may get even poorer. Their population is not as educated as in developed countries and they don’t have the new technology that we do. * Human, animal and plant diseas es can spread more quickly through globalization.

Bamboo :: Botany

Bamboo Gramineae, the grass family, has provided civilization throughout history with a bounty of food and many other uses. The top three economically important plants of the world are grasses: wheat corn, and rice. Human kind probably would not have survived if not for the grasses. The sub-family Bambusoideae, is certainly no exception. These are the bamboos. Consisting of 75 genera and over 1000 species, these unique plants have played a diverse and important role in the development of society, as we know it today. Morphology The bamboo plant is constructed of a system of segmented axes. This is depicted by the regular internodal lengths and prominent nodes (McClure 10). They resemble telescoping antennas, but at a constant diameter. The culm is the above ground stem, this is what is used for most all of the many applications. The culm is woody and either hollow or solid, however most species exhibit some degree of hollowness. The length and thickness of the culm varies greatly between species. Some species can get as tall as 130 feet and be more than a foot in diameter--these have been reported to grow at nearly two inches each hour (Hanke 291). Indeed this would be impressive to see, definitely not like the grasses most of us are familiar with. Branches, also segmented. arise from the culm. Upon the branches are to be found leaves, with petioles. The fact that the leaves have petioles helps to set the bamboos apart from the other grasses. The leaves and young shoots are the parts eaten by Pandas. The Panda subsists on no other plant or food source. Bamboos alone keep them going strong. More on that later. New culms, or shoots, are produced from an extensive rhizome system. Simply, rhizomes are modified stems, usually growing underground (Fig. 1). The rhizomes cause the "clump habit" of growth exhibited by the bamboos. "Clump habit" refers to the culms growing in close proximity to each other, such as a "tuft of grass", so to speak. There are basically two types of rhizomes'. pachymorph and leptomorph. Most species exhibit both, to a greater or lesser degree. Pachymorph rhizomes are very compact. They are associated with autumnal growth and produce a dense clump of culms. Leptomorph rhizomes, associated with spring growth, spread a little more. than pachymorph, in some cases a lot more. In other words they are responsible for the lateral growth of a given stand, or clump, of a bamboo species.

A Fortunate Life :: Free Essay Writer

Essay – A Fortunate Life by A.B. Facey â€Å"Bert Facey is the epitome of the legendary Australian†. Demonstrate this from a study of his autobiography. Albert Facey’s novel, A Fortunate Life depicts the life of an extraordinary man living in old Australia. Facey portrays many characteristics that would label him as being a ‘true Aussie battler’, but it is the deeper and more sensitive side of him that allows him to be labeled with the term – a legendary Australian. A legend by dictionary terms is someone who is admired by others and achieved great accomplishments. Facey has certainly both achieved and accomplished much during his life, such as learning to read at a late age. Facey’s life was full of private success and were it not for his book; he would have remained an unsung hero throughout Australian history. Facey’s lack of education haunted him throughout his early life. As Facey ‘hadn’t any schooling’ he found it difficult to read and write. Facey had always viewed his illiteracy as a personal shortcoming and took pains to not display his ignorance to the world. ‘Then a waitress came with a list of what we could have to eat. I was stumped – I couldn’t read or write. Then I had a brainwave and decided to have what Mr. Lander ordered.’ Facey was not comfortable with his feelings of inadequacy, and took many painful steps to try and rectify the situation. He eventually, through much practice and determination, learnt to read and write, and was able to pen his novel. The fact that Facey both acknowledged and overcame his illiteracy, shows him to be a man of great spirit and willpower as facing up to personal faults is never an easy thing to do. Life as an itinerant rural worker was very tough for Facey and not very rewarding. Throughout his early life, Facey was forced to work for extremely poor money and working conditions. Although life was hard, Facey was not one to complain or make trouble. He worked hard for the Bibby’s and previous employers, and was a loyal worker and a good companion. Facey showed an immense amount of pride in his work and was always willing to lend a hand to a mate. During his life, Facey made numerous friends or ‘mates’. He was friendly to the people he worked with, the soldiers he fought with and his family he lived with.

Discussion and Lab Questions Essay

Discussion Questions: Who is someone that you feel you have a positive relationship with? What role do you think openness and truthfulness have in making this relationship positive?- I think that I have a positive relationship with my high school coach because she is always there for me if I need something and she listens to what’s have to say. Even though she is older then I am, I feel like we are best friends and we understand each other. I think they have an effect on the relationship because without trust and being open with them, they maybe will not trust you and May have a hard time believing what you are saying. What effects do you think the various types of media (TV, Internet, newspapers, Facebook, etc†¦) have on your own life and your family? Do you think the overall effect is negative or positive? How can parents reduce the negative effects?-I think it has a big effect on the family because everyone is always on their phone and you never are able to have a family discussion on how things are doing. They are always focused on the internet, tv, phones, etc. 5.09 Lab Questions: 1.How can parents avoid temper tantrums?- Parents can avoid temper tantrums by having a plan for when they are put into this situation. 2.What are the A, B, Cs?- The A is attribute and that is what you would want your child to learn. The B is the behavior that you want your child to accommodate with what you have learned. C is the compassion that you want your child to compare with their behavior. 3.Do you think using consequences and following the ABC process will help shape a child’s behavior? Why or why not?- I do think that the ABC process with help as long as the consequence is related to what they did and will make a difference. The child will also realize that you are serious and will want the consequences to stop to change their behavior. 1.What are some of the reasons why people may not talk to babies as much  today as they used to?- They probably don’t talk to them as much because the parenting structures have changed and people now are much too busy. 2.Why do you think developing language skills is important for a child? – I think developing language skills is important because it affects their ability to make friends, be sociable and emotionally good people. 3.What are some of the ways that parents can encourage the development of language skills? – Parents can encourage the development of language skills by communicating with their child and listening to them so that they can practice and not feel as stressed when they talk to people.

Student in sweden essays

Student in sweden essays Amerikas stater blev frenade 1787. Samma r bestmde man en "constitution" som alla skulle flja. dvs Presidenten och hur mycket makt han skulle ha, och folkrepresationen senaten och kongressen. Man bestmde efter mycket debatterande att presidenten skulle ha makt ver militren och ta hand om all utlandspolitik. Men Presidentens makt strcker sig lngt ut i vrlden. Han ses som vrldens mktigaste person med hela Amerikanska krigsmakten bakom sig, (den starkaste i vrlden)och USAs ekonomi r ocks den mest stabila och starkaste, och den pverkar resten av vrldens ekonomi. Som nu nr president valet fortfarande r ovisst s sjunker vrldens brser i vntan. Presidenten styr landet och kommer med lagfrslag och budgetfrslag som sen kongressen tar beslut om. Eftersom USA r en demokrati s styr Presidenten inte ensam landet, han har hjlp av sjlv valda ministrar, experter och rdgivare. Det r regeringen, men de ses endast som presidentens hjlpredor. Presidenten r ocks beroende av std ifrn kongressen och hgsta domstolen fr att f igenom sina frslag. Kongressen r folkets representant i Vita Huset. Den bestr av Senaten, i senaten finns tv representanter ifrn varje stat. Och representant huset som bestr av 435 platser som frdelas i val. Hgsta domstolen har en stabil makt position, den har kontroll ver lagar och upprtthller konstitutionens alla rttigheter. HD ser till att de politiska besluten fljer dem. Hgsta domstolen har nio domare, de utses p livstid av kongressen av frslag ifrn USA:s president. Den Amerikanska makten r uppdelad i tre, Presidenten. Kongressen och hgsta domstolen. Det amerikanska folket gillar balans och p ...

Anglo Saxons Essay essays

Anglo Saxons Essay essays William Butler Yeats stated that, Supreme are is a traditional statement of certain heroic and religious truths, passed on from age to age.... When he said this, he is most definitely talking about the Anglo-Saxon era and their style of writing. The Anglo-Saxons were very into warriors and heroes and how heir stories are handed down from generation to generation. When these stories were written down, monks wrote them down. The monks then added parts about God and the heavens, and about all the religious facts they could. Thus mixing the warrior and heroic mentality with the religious faith of the Christians. This aspect of the heroic and religious truths is no more evident than in the story of Beowulf. In Beowulf, we can clearly see the mix of ideas. Beowulf is this huge hero who is not afraid of anything at all. He knows that he can win, and he knows that no matter what he will win. When he steps up to battle with Grendel, he fights with no armor at all. He does not even use a weapon. He kills this huge monster that destroyed all of Herot, with his bare hands. He had so much faith in the strength that God gave him, and he didnt even believe he needed any help. That idea worked until he had to fight the huge dragon. When Beowulf fights the dragon, he is killed. He does slay the dragon, but in doing so he gives up his own life, which shows that he is mortal and God could take him from this life. Another example of the mix of heroic and religious truths is in the poem The Seafarer. The main character, or the speaker, is talking about his life at sea and all of the aspects of it. He talks, Of smashing surf when I sweated in the cold. Of an anxious watch, perched in the bow. As it dashed under cliffs. We can see that the life at sea is not a very easy one. Nor is it very safe at all. There is the heroic part of it. The religious part of this piece is at the end, and it is very hard...

American Roots Music

American Roots Music Evolution is often thought of as a process in which man has evolved from a single cell life form to the complex being we are now. The music we listen to today has also evolved from its simplistic beginnings to the modern, sophisticated, commercial, and digital era that has become the listening buffet we seat ourselves to everyday. This evolution that music realizes is a trend that continues in its growth today and will always be a changing, metamorphic entity that enriches and guides our cultural and social identities.The music that began in its simplest form here in America over 100 years ago was brought here by immigrants from their homeland. If America is known as the melting pot, then its music would surely be the broth that gives the soup its distinct flavor. This music that manifests itself in these early American times is as complex as the individuals that enjoyed it.English:This complexity and ability to adapt and change gives music it roots system. This roots system gives mu sic its canvas to paint on, and as music has endured, so have the patrons that utilize this form of expression. This is where we find our American roots music.For many hundreds of years, man has enjoyed and played music for various reasons: meditation, dancing, rituals, entertainment, to express feelings, to reflect on past events and to display what is happening in his world. In the coming of age in this country, music has been used for all of these, but none have been so important in making this country what it is today as the music that has reflected on past events and that shows what is happening in the country at the time that it was written.American roots music has one of its contributors in...

Loyalty Programmes in Hotels Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 11750 words

Loyalty Programmes in Hotels - Dissertation Example As the essay stresses in a Loyalty Program, customers accumulate assets, points or rewards by accumulating their purchases from a focal firm which can be exchanged for goods or services, though not always associated with the firm. Usually this takes the form of points that can be exchanged for gifts, free product, or aspirational rewards such as air miles. According to the paper findings the objective of loyalty programme is not just to create satisfied customers, because satisfied customers may or may not be loyal. The purpose of loyalty programmes is in fact to build such relationships with customers (through constant interaction and communication) that they repeatedly opt for a specific product, despite available choices and even in the face of less expensive choices. Loyalty programs aim at building true loyalty (both attitudinal and behavioural ) . Loyalty Programs have three additional objectives. While there are several interpretations that exist on what customer loyalty means, for the purpose of this research it is assumed that loyalty is something that makes a customer purchase the same service/ product or brand more frequently and inhibits the customer from choosing other available options. Most firms design their loyalty programs by firstly conducting surveys, focus groups ,and researches to determine the core aspects requir ed in their loyalty programs in order to create a long lasting relationship with the customers. Last two to three years have seen the emergence of a lot of firms that take up the task of designing customized loyalty programs for other firms (Joshi, 2009).They also assist the other firms in finding the customer satisfaction levels with the current loyalty programs by means of

Why and How the European Union controls dominance Essay

Why and How the European Union controls dominance - Essay Example Economists are involved in researches on the idea of free market with socially optimal allocation. The notion of competition constitutes the central part of economic theory. Controversies exist among the policy makers on the way competition contributes in the process of development. One can witness contrasting thoughts about the meaning of competition in the economic history. Among the different forms of competition, perfect competition has been able to find a place as the standard model of analysis. During the time of Adam Smith, the concept of competition was popular and viewed as independent rivalry among people. Some of the views suggest competition as a tool that will eliminate profits in the long run. But perfect competition and monopoly rules the real market conditions. Therefore conditions imposed by imperfect competition and asymmetric information calls for inefficient competitive equilibria (Cook, 2001, p. 4). The different ways in which the authorities of national governme nt and the European Union look into markets so that it can work better is regarded as the policy of competition. The framework of the policy of competition has not been string for the low income economies. A wide range of policy measures influences the competition policy. The policy measures include policies that are subjected towards trade, employment and industry. There have been cases where it developed ways that protect the domestic competition instead of promoting competition between the competitors (Motta, 2004, p. 3). The aim behind the policy of competition is to achieve economic welfare and efficiency at the highest level. The European commission joined hands with the authorities of national competition with the aim to ensure free and fair mode of competition in the European Union. However the aim of the competition policy is to promote competition. If markets are made to work better it will contribute to increase efficiency and competitiveness of the economy of UK within t he single market of the European Union. Competition ensures broader choices for the consumer in the markets for goods and services and advancement in technology which promotes gains in dynamic efficiency. The policy of competition will also ensure competition in price between the suppliers. The policy can also investigate complaints on anti-competitive behavior within markets. This type of behavior can have negative effect on the welfare of the consumer. In the UK and the European Union there are four pillars of the policy of competition. The first pillar i.e. antitrust and cartels involves removal of contracts which looks to restrict competition. The second pillar i.e. liberalization of market works on introducing fresh competition in sectors of monopolistic competition. The policy of competition analyses the state aided measures. This ensures that the measures taken cannot distort the competition in the single market. This concludes the third pillar i.e. state aid control. The for th pillar of the policy of competition investigates mergers and take-overs between firms (Bennett, 2010, p. 3). A firm is able to hold a strong foothold in the market if its economic power provides the firm the opportunity to operate within the market without taking into consideration the reaction of the competitors or the consumers. The European Commission considers the share of the market and some other factors like ability of the competitors and access of the firm to raw materials and control on the network of distribution while appraising the economic power of a firm. If the firm is able to hold its dominant position because of its own efficiency it is highly credible. But if the firm maintains its position by exploiting the power of competition, it is bound to be an

Carabba Restaurant Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Carabba Restaurant - Case Study Example In two words the character could be described as "cozied up". Deep comfortable booths would be installed to make you feel pampered and a combined Venice beach/Italian dcor that takes you back to another era. Front and centre would be a huge photograph of the boardwalk as it was in 1910, when ladies took their parasols along for the stroll and the men wore straw hats. Posters and signage on the walls come from the days when wine and grappa were still being served as a matter of course. e. Promotion - At the opening of the season I would present my own Carnivale on the boardwalk thus creating my own Italian Boardwalk. The website provides some amusing promotional ideas such as the "in love" campaign. In addition to that I would seek to bring children into the contest as well. I would have them tell me what is their favorite Italian dish, or maybe even do an outdoor cook off with kids cooking their favorite Italian dish and the winning dish has a place of honor on our children's menu. Depending on reception, this would be a once a month contest. a. Media selection - A new restaurant is usually a highly-anticipated event in many smaller cities. Heighten this anticipation by promoting the restaurant even while you're still working on construction. Make sure you hang a banner announcing the arrival of a new and exciting restaurant. Generate positive word of mouth advertising through radio spots and print media. By the time you are ready to open the doors, you should have a crowd of hungry customers waiting. Restaurants typically enjoy a 'honeymoon' period where business is booming and new customers are pouring in. What I want to do is keep enough of those customers coming back for more. Within reason, I would promote our best dishes with 'two for one' deals or other heavy discounts b. Message content I'll want to find a theme for the restaurant that is exciting and innovating, or at least different than the competition. Basically, a good restaurant environment seduces the customer into ordering higher-ticket specialty foods and also encourages return visits. But 'gimmicks' must be kept to a minimum for long-term success. I would decorate the walls with theme-related items, such as antiques or imported Italian delicacies. Uniforms that match the theme and decor of the restaurant. Background music is essential, and offers a chance to emphasize the theme even more.

Human Resource management (Workplace Bullying) Essay

Human Resource management (Workplace Bullying) - Essay Example At a time when employee loyalty is an important aspect of organizational strategies, it wise that all organizations shun work place bullying to ensure that employees are committed to the long term plan of the organization and that they perform optimally to achieve the goals of goals of the organization. Research by McCormack, Djurkovic and Casmir (2014) proves that organizations that provide a healthy work environment for the employees profit from optimal work output and perform better than those that pay little attention to work behaviour. Therefore, organizations must design strategies to ensure that work place bullying is shunned to pave way for optimal employee performance. Although the term bullying is common in management, it is clear that it is broad and refers to different aspects of organizational behaviour. Bullying or mobbing refers to situations in which a worker is subjected to long-lasting, recurrent, and serious negative or hostile acts and behaviour that are annoying and oppressing. Evidently, there are various forms of work place bullying within organizations. McCormack, Djurkovic and Casmir (2014) identify few including threats of professional status, threat to personal standing, overwork, destabilization and underpayment as various forms of bullying within many organizations. Among many researchers, there seems to be a consensus that work place bullying as the abuse of power that subjects employees to psychological, emotional or physical torture during their duties in the work place (Namie, 2003: Pfeffer, 2007). Often, those who have more powers in the organization abuse those below them by the way they handle them or even communicate du ring normal duties. Researchers such as McDonald, Backstrom and Allegretto (2007) have paid attention to underpayment as one of the forms of bullying within modern organizations. While this may be controversial, it is clear that in the endeavour to minimize expenditures within the competitive business

Cultural Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Cultural Anthropology - Essay Example The poor in this scenario adapt based on the environment. The manner in which a person survives the social and economical complexities will determine their success. The nature of survival is attributed to adaptive strategy in that those who positively adapt would survive the complex environment. The society bases itself along the social hierarchy. According to Stack (1974), the society within which poverty prevails adapts a risk and opportunity sharing strategy. This strategy implies that members within a certain community collectively solve issues in an effort to reduce the costs incurred while performing particular functions. In this case, family members are used as a single unite. The self-help strategy at the family level ensures the community survives while fostering relation among family members (28). The strategy highlights the importance of unity along the family setting. According to the author, the unity and risk sharing are an adaptive strategy adapted by people lining in the Flats to overcome poverty and survive the harsh environments. The risk-sharing concept created by friends. These friends exchange basic goods and ensure fair distribution of basic commodities (33). The author acknowledges the close ties among the society members. This relation ensures that people develop a tendency of exchanging goods. The sharing culture ensures that the society enjoys commodities that are within the environment and hence limit the effect of poverty within this setting. The model ensures people within the Flat setting deal with social and economical challenges through sharing. The sharing aspect limits the amount of cash required to possess material elements. The culture ensures those who have surplus of given commodities share with others in the spirit of togetherness and social balance. The author highlights the tactics deployed members of the social setting as based on extended family

Human Resource management (Workplace Bullying) Essay

Human Resource management (Workplace Bullying) - Essay Example At a time when employee loyalty is an important aspect of organizational strategies, it wise that all organizations shun work place bullying to ensure that employees are committed to the long term plan of the organization and that they perform optimally to achieve the goals of goals of the organization. Research by McCormack, Djurkovic and Casmir (2014) proves that organizations that provide a healthy work environment for the employees profit from optimal work output and perform better than those that pay little attention to work behaviour. Therefore, organizations must design strategies to ensure that work place bullying is shunned to pave way for optimal employee performance. Although the term bullying is common in management, it is clear that it is broad and refers to different aspects of organizational behaviour. Bullying or mobbing refers to situations in which a worker is subjected to long-lasting, recurrent, and serious negative or hostile acts and behaviour that are annoying and oppressing. Evidently, there are various forms of work place bullying within organizations. McCormack, Djurkovic and Casmir (2014) identify few including threats of professional status, threat to personal standing, overwork, destabilization and underpayment as various forms of bullying within many organizations. Among many researchers, there seems to be a consensus that work place bullying as the abuse of power that subjects employees to psychological, emotional or physical torture during their duties in the work place (Namie, 2003: Pfeffer, 2007). Often, those who have more powers in the organization abuse those below them by the way they handle them or even communicate du ring normal duties. Researchers such as McDonald, Backstrom and Allegretto (2007) have paid attention to underpayment as one of the forms of bullying within modern organizations. While this may be controversial, it is clear that in the endeavour to minimize expenditures within the competitive business

Human Resources Management Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Resources Management - Coursework Example It is important for the organizations to take decisions that would cultivate international business relationship which is important for the organizations. It is especially true in the countries like China, Brazil, Poland, India, Vietnam and other emerging countries. Building strong relationship with the business partners will help the organizations to practice effective business operation. It is important to know the exporters before starting global business operation. The organizations need to protect their brand in international market. Protecting the brand means protecting the intellectual property and image of the organization. The proliferation of counterfeit and piracy goods need awareness when it comes to global trademark, patent protection and copyright. The global organizations should also protect their reputation in the international market by paying attention to the environmental and human rights practices. Maintaining high ethical standards is important for the organizati ons in the international market. Moreover, the organizations should motivate their business partners to maintain the ethical standard in business as it has become one of the critical international business criteria. The organization should establish effective ethical standard and enforce those ethical standards through the internal controlling and monitoring system. Three factors are important for success in global business such as social responsibility, business ethics and corporate governance. The organizations need to bring transparency in these three aspects. It will help them to bring sustainability in the international market. Transparency in the supply chain has become an important priority in this insecure world. Theft and loss of cargo has become greatest concern for the global traders. The organizations need to maintain high security in global supply chain network. The organizations should follow the effective security requirements. Moreover, they should get involved with the programs like custom-trade partnership against tourism. These are government sponsored programs. This will help the organizations to overcome the threat of terrorism in global supply chain process. It is important for the global entrepreneurs to be prepared in order to deal with the critical situations that are not covered in a traditional business plan. The smart and intelligent global entrepreneurs need to be flexible in order to change the course when the situations dictate. It is known to all that the global businesses are personal. It is important for the organizations to resolve the disputes in the business. Identification of problems and resolving disputes will help the organizations to execute effective business performances in global competitive business market. Face to face relationship is the key aspect in global business. Effective relationship with global clients, government of international country and global suppliers will help the organizations to increase their core competency in international market place. Question 2 The Americans with Disabilities Act offers certain individual rights with disabilities. This specific act affects the areas of transportation, public services, employment, telecommunications and public accommodations. The ADA employment provisions have great effect for all businesses (ODEP, 2013). Reasonable accommodations are modifications or adjustments offered by an employer to enable the people with disabilities in order

Stress management techniques Essay Example for Free

Stress management techniques Essay The three stress management techniques I chose are yoga, swimming and music. These are my favorite activities to do. They are all very relaxing in different ways, mentally and physically. I am currently stressed out with school and by doing yoga; it relieves my stress by relaxing my muscles and allowing my mind to calm down. In yoga I’ve learned the three different ways people breathe depending on their stress: high, low, and middle breathing. The complete breath is the breath you want to use in yoga to get full relaxation. This is definitely one of my favorite relaxation techniques. Another technique that helps me relieve stress is swimming. Swimming involves a lot of endurance which distracts your mind into thinking about things other than school. By maintaining this physical activity it helps to manage the stress caused by life in general. I noticed that when I swam all my stress suddenly went away and I felt relieved. The last technique I used was music, which is my all-time favorite. Everyone has their own type of music that they like to listen to. Whenever I’m upset or stressed I always listens to music and it makes me think about other things. Music definitely is a HUGE stress reliever. The more positive music I listen to the less stressed out I am. In conclusion, after testing out those three stress management techniques, the one I prefer and thought helped the most was swimming. Although, I love music, swimming you’re actually doing something and moving your body. Where with music you’re just sitting there listening to lyrics and sad songs. With swimming your adrenaline is always flowing.

Framework of Sustainability for SMEs

Framework of Sustainability for SMEs Sustainability: Integrating the Literature to Develop a Framework for SMEs Abstract Business today is called to consider sustainability or corporate social responsibility. Is this call meaningful or relevant to SMEs? Using the taxonomy of Garriga and Mele the literature on the broad spectrum of work related to sustainability and CSR is reviewed to develop a framework for SMEs, structured around the simple concepts of why, when, what, how and where. Further work with the framework will answer two questions; the circumstances of how SMEs engage in sustainability and what are the unique aspects of this sustainability for SMEs. Introduction Over recent times there has been a growing demand for business to consider corporate sustainability. Most large public companies are engaging with the concept in some way as evidenced by the production of Sustainability or Corporate Social Responsibility Reports (Bartells, 2008). Small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) are less likely to be engaged and some would argue they are not even sure what the concept means or whether it is relevant (Redmond, Walker, Wang, 2008; Spence, Jeurissen, Rutherfoord, 2000; Vives, 2006). There is a large body of literature on the aligned concepts of sustainability, corporate social responsibility, corporate social performance, global responsibility and corporate citizenship, with a variety of perspectives, definitions and assumptions. There is no integrated theory or framework broadly adopted by scholars and in fact there have been only a few attempts at this (Garriga Melà ©, 2004; Jones, 1983; Montiel, 2008; Wood, 1991). Within the SME literature there have been calls for research to develop a theoretical framework to understand CSR and SMEs (Jenkins, 2006; Thompson Smith, 1991). Whilst there is a growing body of literature focused on SMEs it is often merely descriptive and uses a single theoretical lens. A broader model encompassing a wider range of theoretical perspectives may have more utility. The utility and practicability of the framework as a tool for small business will be tested as part of a lager project to develop, from case study research and the literature, a useful integrative framework, to assist SMEs to engage with sustainability in the most appropriate and relevant way for their business. The normative approach frequently used in studies of large organisations whilst ideal may not be the most pertinent to SMEs. This paper aims to develop a practical theoretical framework unifying the spectrum of theoretical and empirical approaches and focussing in particular on the needs of SMEs. The paper starts with an outline of the concept of sustainability and a review of the unique aspects of SMEs. It then moves into a review of the literature using a taxonomy based on Garriga (Garriga Melà ©, 2004), considering both theory development and empirical studies. From this the most relevant elements are drawn together to develop a number of propositions regarding both the circumstances of how SMEs engage in sustainability and what are the unique aspects of this sustainability for SMEs. To add to the practicality of the framework it will be structured around 5 dimensions; Why, when, what, where and how? What is Sustainability At the outset a normative definition with regard to sustainability is required to anchor this work. Corporate sustainability is an umbrella concept (Gond Crane, 2008) which integrates the social, environmental and economic dimensions into business operation. Within these three categories, there are a range of elements which are comprehensively detailed in the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI, 2006). Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is often used interchangeably with sustainability in the business world and large companies may have either a CSR or sustainability report with little notion of the long theoretical tradition behind each of the terms. In the academic literature there are quite different origins of the two. It is worth digressing to briefly explore the history and overlaps of the terms. CSR as defined by Carroll encompassed four elements, economic, ethical, legal and philanthropic (Carroll, 1979). This was later refined to three with philanthropic being incorporated into the economic or ethical space depending on the logic (Schwartz Carroll, 2003). Until Woods work in 1991 there was no mention of the natural environment within the CSR literature (Wood, 1991). In parallel, during the late 80s ecological modernisation implored business to consider its environmental impact and look for solutions to environmental problems (Mol Sonnenfeld, 2000). Also in the 80s, as a response to the UN movement on sustainable development, business or corporate sustainability was developed, focusing not only on profit, but on the social and environmental impacts of business. Thus there were three independent movements CSR (predominantly social/ethical), ecological sustainability (predominantly environmental) and sustainability (economic, social and environmental). This differentiation still exists in scholarship. When one considers the divisions within the Academy of Management there exists both Social Issues in Management (SIM) the natural home of the CSR scholars and Organisation for the Natural Environment (ONE) the natural home of the environmentalists. Those who chose the sustainability path exist in both divisions and are not completely at home in eith er. The concepts of CSR and sustainability are becoming closer. Some scholars now argue that environmental issues are an explicit subset of CSR (Agle, Mitchell, Sonnenfeld, 1999; Waddock, 2008) . Montiel claims that both CSR and sustainability now include the economic, social and environmental elements, with sustainability more integrated and with different questions asked by researchers in each paradigm (Montiel, 2008). The difficulty remains in the implicit versus explicit definitions. CSR literature often includes the environment implicitly. The risk is that what is implicit can be overlooked, and so CSR could exist without considering the environment, but in sustainability the environment is explicit, although not exclusive. Social and economic considerations are also explicit in sustainability. This is one reason sustainability is more appropriate then CSR as the focus this work. There is another subtle difference between the two with CSR being more concerned with an ethical perspective, and a requirement that involvement must be voluntary and beyond any legal requirements. This last concept is not considered in sustainability. Research on CSR often reflects on individual activities tagging philanthropy and volunteering as evidence of CSR (Jenkins, 2006; Porter Kramer, 2002) . Corporate sustainability is focused more on the long term and has no relative measure against any legal requirements. Two key concepts are clearly defined in sustainability and less explicit within the CSR literature, particularly earlier papers. These are upstream social impacts in the supply chain and the expanded concept of product stewardship. Product stewardship refers to the environmental or social impact of the product from raw material, through manufacture and its useful life to disposal impacts. The supply chain factors include the social impacts on employees and communities u pstream in the supply chain. As a final clarification, sustainability in some work focuses only on the environmental case (Bansal Roth, 2000; Tilley, 2000), however in this paper the term sustainability refers to the wholesome integration and consideration of the dimensions of economic performance and social and environmental impact into a business, and is very much aligned with the approach that has been described as Corporate Sustainable Development (Bansal, 2005). In an ideal world sustainability is a normative concept with business understanding that it has a wider responsibility than simply an economic outcome and must consider its impact on the social and ecological environment it operates in now and for future generations. The major focus of the larger project, of which this paper forms a part, is to determine if this is real and meaningful for SMEs or if there is a more appropriate definition and framework for SMEs. SMEs There are a few definitions of SMEs in the literature. For this exercise we will adopt a definition of businesses between 10 and 200 employees (the Australian Bureau of Statistics definition of SMEs). They tend to be owner operated. There is much evidence that SMEs are different to large firms and hence behave in different ways. Generally they are independent, multi-tasking and cash strapped (Jenkins, 2004; Williamson, Lynch-Wood, Ramsay, 2006) more flexible and less formalised (Aragà ³n-Correa, Hurtado-Torres, Sharma, Garcà ­a-Morales, 2008; Lefebvre, Lefebvre, Talbot, 2003), have a shortage of management skills (Luetkenhorst, 2004), are unlikely to use costly professional advice (Spence, Schmidpeter, Habisch, 2003), and manage stakeholders with whom they have personal relationships (Jenkins, 2006). When the economy is tough SMEs have to focus on short term survival as they generally do not have the depth of resources of larger firms (Luetkenhorst, 2004). This suggests a resource constraint in adopting new approaches to work wether focused on sustainability or strategic management. This is explicitly stated as an inhibitor for SMEs to adopt CSR (Kuhndt, Volker, Herrndorf, 2004). A contrasting view suggests a shared vision, proactively driven by the founder, combined with the innovativeness and flexibility, will actually encourage adoption of better practices in SMEs and in the case of one study, better approaches to environmental management (Aragà ³n-Correa et al., 2008). There is a comprehensive body of work on SMEs and sustainability, which tends to show evidence of attention to some of the elements of sustainability within SMEs almost accidently (Lawrence, Collins, Pavlovich, Arunachalam, 2006; Roberts, Lawson, Nicholls, 2006), very little affiliation with CSR (Jenkins, 2006) or environmental impact (Petts, 2000; Redmond et al., 2008) and a general disengagement with sustainability (Vives, 2006). All papers argue the importance of looking at small business because of its aggregated size and impact and its difference to large business where a much more substantial body of work has been undertaken. In the review of the theoretical approaches relevant empirical or descriptive work from the SME literature will be considered. Taxonomy of the literature There are a number of articles which detail the history of scholarly endeavours into CSR, sustainability and aligned concepts (Bansal, 2005; Carroll, 1999). Suffice to say that after 50 years no single theory or integrative framework exists which brings together the disparate views of corporate sustainability, stakeholder theory, natural capitalism, resource based views of the firm, corporate social responsibility, global responsibility, sustainable leadership and corporate citizenship, into a framework beneficial to business operators and not just academics. From an empirical approach, the Sustainable Leadership model of Avery developed using a grounded theory methodology (Avery, 2005), contains many elements from most of these theories as does Stubbs Sustainability Business Model (Stubbs Cocklin, 2008) and will be reviewed later. Garriga and Mele published a taxonomy of the CSR field in 2004 based on the work of Parsons who identifies four problems in any dynamic system; that of building and distributing resources; the economic aspect, that of allocating and prioritising resources; the political aspect, that of maintaining social relationships; the social aspect and that of ensuring actors display the right values; the ethical aspect. Using these dimensions, theories based on the prime organisational goal of wealth creation Garriga identifies as instrumental theories, those based on the responsible use of the social power of organisations are defined as political theories, those based on integrating social demands to satisfy todays stakeholders are integrative theories and those based on normative values unbounded by time and environment, they term ethical theories. The authors add that most theories will have elements of all four aspects with a strong focus on one area, used as the basis for segmentation (Ga rriga Melà ©, 2004). A limitation of the review is that it focuses on predominantly American literature and ignores salient literature such as global responsibility (GR) developed in other geographies. Considering the context of the business system or the surrounding institutions (Luetkenhorst, 2004; Matten Moon, 2008), focusing on a single geography gives the narrow focus of a single business system. A second limitation is that the theories considered are all firm centric and so papers that look at how external institutions can impact CSR activities are not considered. Finally the work does not include the literatures outside of the traditional CSR space so ecological modernisation and business sustainability are excluded. The following will include a review of the broader literature omitted from Garrigas paper. The taxonomy chosen is relevant given the empirical evidence of its elements in the CSR activities and motivations of large companies (Whitehouse, 2006) To develop an integrated framework for SMEs, this paper must cover off a broader range of literature which includes institutions that may impact on SMEs involvement with sustainability. With this and the limitations of the Garriga taxonomy in mind, expansion of the concept of political theories to look at external as well as firm centric theories is appropriate. This group will be called institutional theories after Powell and Di Maggio (DiMaggio Powell, 1983). In the following sections each of these four groups, ethical, instrumental, integrative and institutional is explored in more detail, considering the main theories within each group, any supporting empirical or SME research. Finally the most relevant questions and implications for SMEs are extracted to develop propositions which form the bones of the integrated framework. Ethical theories Within this group are considered theories that are predominantly ethical arguing that it is the responsibility of business to look beyond the financial bottom line to the wider context and impact of business on the societies in which it operates, in a relatively unbounded manner, because it is the right thing to do. All strategic management theories have some moral or ethical underpinning (Phillips, Freeman, Wicks, 2003) however they are only included in this group when this is the primary focus of the theory. Under review will be CSR, normative stakeholder theory and global responsibility followed by a review of relevant empirical or SME work. Corporate Social Responsibility in its original form was an ethical theory. Developed in the USA as early as the 1950s it was unabashedly normative, â€Å"the social responsibility of business encompass the economic, legal, ethical and discretionary expectations that society has of organizations at a given point in time† (Carroll, 1979, p. 500). The normative version of stakeholder theory is also ethical; â€Å"Stakeholder theory begins with the assumption that values are necessarily and explicitly a part of doing business† (Freeman, Wicks, Parmar, 2004, p. 364). Normative stakeholder theory is differentiated from the applied or integrative use of stakeholder theory in that it generalises on which stakeholder interests should be considered and admonishes managers that these stakeholders must be considered in decision making (Phillips et al., 2003). In the last few years a new â€Å"global responsibility† literature has developed in Europe. The concept has its origins in CSR however the new label is proposed on the basis there are greater pressures from technological progress and globalization, moving so fast, that neither ethics nor legal frameworks can keep up. Thus it is up to business owners to fill this ethical vacuum and develop a new business model based not on making profit but on making progress. De Woot states: â€Å"In a global economy the raison dà ªtre of the firm is to ensure economic and technical progress that furthers human progress and facilitates the type of society we wish to have† (de Woot, 2005, p. 113). The corporation is viewed as a source of energy and creativity which has led to massive global development. DeWoot seeks to change the focus of this energy towards progress, not just profit, and to fill the gaps in global governance. Global Responsibility supersedes CSR, claiming that both corporate and social are too narrow (Antal Sobczak, 2004). Perez defines global responsibility in more detail, identifying responsibility for actions and their consequences in a global context which implies extensions to the societal, environmental and time dimensions in which we are used to operating. The responsibility is borne both by the organisation and its â€Å"social representatives†, with responsibility owed to shareholders, external authorities and other stakeholders (Perez, 2003). Beyond the strict definition of the words, the intent of both concepts is the same, for business to be motivated by more than the â€Å"single thought† (de Woot, 2005, p. 39) or profit motive and consider both a wider goal and a wider sphere of impact. A number of authors identify two opposing models of company orientation aligning one with a firm response to the ethics of global responsibility or CSR and the other with a sole focus on profit. The former has been called the Rhineland model (Albert, 1992; Avery, 2005) and is expressed by Perez; â€Å"The manager considers that his mission, and that of the enterprises he manages, is a multiple one: he must of course be competitive to do otherwise would be suicidal but also, as far as possible, be attentive to his internal and external partners, think about the environment and future generations, in short be globally responsible† (Perez, 2003, p. 82). The opposing perspective is the Anglo US model (Avery, 2005) and follows the ideology of the single thought (de Woot, 2005). It is this differentiation which leads to a contentious issue in the CSR literature. Much of the CSR literature talks about the need to go beyond legal requirements (Carroll, 1999) however once this is int erpreted through the lens of the national business system it can be seen why this has come about. The lack of regulation in the American corporate context, to address other than financial imperatives, requires that if a company is considering its social impact it must go beyond compliance. In the European context many of these requirements are bound up in institutional aspects of the local business model. Matten and Moon refer to this as implicit and explicit CSR (Matten Moon, 2008). This international context of the institutions, cultures and norms of the society in which firms are rooted needs to be considered in much of the discussion about CSR and sustainability, particularly when we talk of institutional literature. Much of the work stemming from United Nations initiatives around sustainable development such as the Brundtland Report and the Global Compact also stem from an ethical perspective. The argument is about the rights of the worlds peoples and hence the dual obligation on business to maintain the ecological environment for the benefit of future generations and to be responsible for the social impacts on society today. The common thread amongst the ethical arguments is that they are all focused on why these broader issues should be a responsibility of business. They do not venture into what or how: this will come from subsequent literature. There are relevant empirical studies which help to develop this â€Å"why† concept further particularly for SMEs, which will now be reviewed. Empirical work on ethical theories of sustainability, CSR or normative stakeholder theory is sparse (Berman, Phillips, Wicks, 2006). No research investigating global responsibility and business could be found, although there are a number of descriptive case studies of business which are used to show evidence of a global responsibility approach (Antal Sobczak, 2004; Zinkin, 2004). De Woot identifies that small business is unable to make the changes required alone and this will only happen through their professional associations (de Woot, 2005). Within the descriptive literature on SMEs and the adoption of CSR or sustainability there is considerable evidence that there is an ethical motive behind some business activities which could be considered a part of the CSR spectrum (Condon, 2004; Graafland, van de Ven, Stoffele, 2003; Spence et al., 2003). Jamalis work in Lebanon reached a conclusion that is typical of many studies: â€Å"there was a high level of convergence regarding a philanthropic conception of CSR that was characterized as an obligation parallel to the business rather than being integrated into it. All six SME managers (with no exception) equated CSR with philanthropy, which they considered as a necessary activity independent of mainstream business transactions.† (Jamali, Zanhour, Keshishian, 2009, p. 364) This is not unlike the early view of CSR, where the key issue was philanthropy as an activity of the firm somewhat separate from the firms business. Spence has looked deeply at the personal ethics of small business owners and how this impacts their business operation, to identify four orientations; profit maximisation, subsistence priority, enlightened self interest and social parity (Spence Rutherford, 2001). This frame gives us some insight into the utility of ethical theories of CSR. For those who have a social orientation, ie those exhibiting enlightened self interest or social priority an ethical theory may have utility in further integration of sustainability into the business beyond mere CSR activities. For those with a profit maximisation focus, however ethical theories are unlikely to entice operators to be involved. Which begs the question if ethical theories are only useful to those who are ethical then do they have any utility at all? And yet maybe they do and the focus needs to be to inculcate business to understand that if they claim to be ethical they need to take on De Woots call and use their energy to change t he way their business operates and strategically incorporate the new paradigm into their daily operations. It may be that it is the inability to gain traction with ethical arguments that led truly committed individuals such as Elkington and Hawken to develop their work as instrumental theories and encourage business buy in this way. In summary the research shows that for SMEs an ethical intent of the owner may lead to adoption of sustainability or at least elements of CSR. This will be considered further as propositions are developed to build the framework. Instrumental theories Within the taxonomy, instrumental theories are defined as those that argue that CSR can be adopted as a means to achieve an economic end. In other contexts they are termed the Business Case (Dyllick Hockerts, 2002; Epstein Roy, 2003). Garriga includes Friedmans shareholder maximisation theory, the work of Porter on social investments in a competitive context, Prahlad on the bottom of the pyramid, Harts natural resource view of the firm, and work on cause related marketing. To this can be added Natural Capitalism and the triple bottom line. Harts Natural Resource Based view seeks to engage business to maintain and protect the environment by exhorting a firm to consider a wider view of the resources available to it, and extend from the traditional consideration of capital and labour as the only constrained resources to include the natural resources it uses. In particular it asks a firm to consider pollution prevention, product stewardship and sustainable development. The theory is instrumental because it argues that over time the adoption of this strategy will lead to competitive advantage, which in the current business paradigm equates to more profit (Hart, 1995). The theory is extended to a model for how to integrate sustainability through the sustainable value framework a somewhat integrative model however clearly focussed on creating shareholder value, which may be a broader construct then profit alone (Hart Milstein, 2003). One concept clearly articulated in this framework and absent in many others is that this i s a strategic choice and should be part of the strategic decision making framework of the firm. Patagonia is held up as a company whose successful growth and green reputation is based on successfully integrating the elements of natural resource based theory into its strategy (Fowler Hope, 2007). Porter weighed in on the environment debate in the 90s arguing that to be green would lead to long term competitive advantage albeit at a potential short term cost (Porter Linde, 1995). This is very much an instrumental or profit oriented approach. He came late to consideration of CSR and unsurprisingly has also taken an instrumental approach. The profit motive is explicit in his comment; â€Å"The essential test that should guide CSR is not whether a cause is worthy but whether it presents an opportunity to create shared value that is, a meaningful benefit for society that is also valuable to the business† (Porter Kramer, 2006, p. 84). Prahalads plea for multinationals to engage in developing products appropriate for, and taking their business to, developing countries, whilst altruistic, is again instrumental. The focus is that business can make money with the approach (Prahalad, 2002). Since this is a call to multinational corporations this is unlikely to be relevant for the SME framework, except potentially to the extent of product development. The Triple Bottom line is another instrumental approach. Elkington comes from a personal conviction that the world must change (Elkington, 1999), with an argument that is not unlike DeWoots global responsibility argument. This is his personal motive for raising awareness. However in developing his theory and identifying the seven pillars of a sustainable future and thus calling others to action he relies on a business case and clearly states that the reason is not about ethics or religion (Elkington, 1999) He avoids the argument for a paradigm shift and reverts to a business case argument almost as if he were trying to seduce business to accept his ideas and unwittingly do the right thing by the environment. The theory of Natural Capitalism has a similar thread. It is again easy to confuse the theory with the ethics of the creator. The four pillars are increased resource productivity, waste elimination through closed loop material circuits, an economic shift to a solutions based business model and investment in natural capital. However as the proponents states: â€Å"that enable business to behave responsibly towards both nature and people while increasing profits, inspiring their workforce and gaining competitive advantage† (Lovins Lovins, 2001, p. 99). They are profit focused and thus instrumental and move from the â€Å"what† typical of most instrumental theories and extend it in to a â€Å"how† which we typically see in Garrigas integrative theories. As a generalisation instrumental theories tell us what to look at to achieve competitive advantage or profit. There is a focus on material usage, waste and physical resources (Hart, 1995; Lovins Lovins, 2001), product stewardship (Hart Milstein, 2003), symbiotic partnerships (Elkington, 1999), relevant social issues (Porter Kramer, 2006) and on marketing and business models (Elkington, 1999; Lovins Lovins, 2001). From a theoretical perspective we now have why, what and a little on how. The following paragraphs review the empirical work on SMEs and instrumental theory to further inform the framework. There is significant empirical work testing the validity of the business case argument. Orlitzkys meta-analysis of this body of work shows that there is a correlation between corporate social performance and corporate financial performance (Orlitzky, Schmidt, Rynes, 2003). This finding gives an additional utility to this group of theories for the profit motivated adopting the new ethics of CSR or sustainability makes a contribution to profit so we have a why as well as a what. Ethicists however take issue and question whether the ends adoption of CSR justify the means taking it on because it adds to profit (Gond, Palazzo, Basu, 2009). Within the SME literature there is a strong case argued that contribution to profit is critical and when this can be demonstrated practices which form part of the sustainability agenda may be adopted (Castka, Balzarova, Bamber, Sharp, 2004; Williamson et al., 2006). Studies show that cost savings and competitive advantage can be gained from attention to the environment (Aragà ³n-Correa et al., 2008), successful implementation of eco-efficiency and environmental policies was motivated by a business case (Cà ´tà ©, Booth, Louis, 2006; Kerr, 2006, p. 34) and application of Harts strategies are directly applicable to SMEs (Avram Kà ¼hne, 2008). When looking deeper into the literature for the items identified in the discussion of instrumental theories, ie material usage, waste and physical resources, symbiotic partnerships, relevant social issues and marketing and business models, it is only the clear business performance characteristics which resonate and are considered (Williamson et al., 2006). In considering the integrative framework it will be necessary to consider what elements identified should be considered given the limitations of SME resourcing. Integrative models Integrative models consider how social demands are integrated into a business. They do not have the scope of ethical theories and are bounded in the present what social issues demand the attention of the business now. In Garrigas taxonomy integrative theories include stakeholder management, corporate social performance, issues management and public responsibility. Dunphys pathways framework (Dunphy, Griffiths, Benn, 2007) and Tilbury and Wortmans organisation development methodology (Tilbury Wortman, 2004) are added into this class. Integrative theories developed because an ethical notion of CSR is holistic and does not help the manager in determining the granularity of what issues to address and how to address them. In developing the idea of CSR as a process, issues management, Jones states â€Å"Corporate managers do not advance by asking abstract questions but by making the pragmatic, specific decisions that confront them in the operation of their business.† (Jones, 1980 , p. 60). Similarly in her 1991 paper, Wood develops a practical framework from the previous theoretical work on CSR and corporate social performance, integrating principles, process and outcomes (Wood, 1991). Within the GR literature Thevenet also tries to develop an integrative form of global responsibility in an attempt for relevance. For GR to be effective he suggests business is responsible to expose and train managers, to develop personal reflection and maturity without which he claims ethical decisions cannot be made, â€Å"The key to global responsibility will be, at the end of the day, behavioural responsibility from people† (Thevenet, 2003, p. 124). With a prima facie base in ethics the separation between integrative and ethical theories is ambiguous. The difficulty is that once the theory becomes integrative and focused on application, the origins become less significant and the same process can be used for different reasons. At the extreme is the work of Gond on the Mafia as an organisation which on the surface can be said to exhibit many CSR best practices yet is patently not an ethical organisation. Practices include; developing good relationships with the local community and stakeholders (albeit using

American Studies :: essays papers

American Studies American Studies can be a variety of different meanings to a lot of different authors. They are all pretty much on the same note, but with different alterations. For me, I believe that it is to make connections between the past and how it will impact the future. American Studies has transformed overtime. Each individual has their own beliefs and feelings of what it really means. In Gene Wise’s article he states how he is interested in how the field of American Studies has transformed overtime, what American Studies methodology is, and the types of questions that American Studies practitioners ask. I believe that there is no one way to understand America. For Gene, he begins to understand America by looking into the past. On the other hand, there was also the Linda Kerber essay that we had also read at the beginning of the semester. Kerber was saying in her article that there was something that was wrong with the myth and symbolist methodology. She also talked about how there are new approaches and diversity in the field and how it has altered the ways that American Studies practitioners write, teach, and learn. What interested me most in her article is how American Studies was quicker to welcome women and ethnic studies. I believe the answer to this is simply that the women represent a larger group and they are more out spoken. Kerber also saw a great deal of chauvinism with the myth symbolist methodology, as well as this certain approach not looking for structures of power. She looked at points from all different sorts of angles and would then analyze them. Kerber would always have a valid answer and would really go into great detail in her article so that it was easy to pick up the information. These two articles were very much related, but at the same time they were very different. This leads into the past and current methodological approaches in studying American culture and what different authors have to say. â€Å"The methodology of early American Studies practitioners in the 30s, 40s, and 50s was named the symbol myth school approach. They came up with a set of assumptions that would guide those working in the field. 1. There is one homogenous mind 2. The American mind is distinguished by its place in the New World-which makes Americans idealistic, individualist, and pragmatic Europeans by contrast, were tragic in temper and corrupted by old world assumptions

Network at a Snap :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The purpose of this paper is to explain the difference between the Internets and the intranet and how XXXXX tools effectively increased their communication capabilities. The Internet and an intranet are similar in the fact that they can establish communication with a server anywhere instantly. The primary difference between the two are while the Internet can be accessed by the public the intranet is a form of communication that exists within the boundaries of a business and is accessed only by the company, its employees and any authorized users. This has been found to be a very effective form of communication when linking teams and employees that are located in different locales across the globe to share information.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The case study in our text refers to the intranet operations of XXXXX tools. By putting dealers directly in touch with one another, the company believed it could improve everyone’s business success. (Senn, 137) The first question deals with the types of information that can be delivered across the intranet as opposed to printed brochures and reports. Taking into account the security risk factor and the extreme cost of printing these documents, the intranet allows XXXXX to deliver with minimal cost and high security: information on XXXXX products and services that could be valuable to dealers and even more valuable to competitors, tips for franchise management including online training, updates on sales and marketing, forums and discussion groups where dealers all across the country can share ideas, news and special information to aid in advertising. All of these examples can be turned into brochures and reports but the cost of printing, the cost of design, and the man-hours to assemble and disseminate all of this information to the four corners of the world would be expensive. Not to mention the security aspects of having all their trade secrets easily accessible to any would be competitors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second question deals with feelings I would have regarding the use of an intranet to disseminate important sales- and product-related information. I feel that with the proper use of a good firewall and that if the network security was set in place I would be comfortable with distributing this information. A good solid company will invest strongly in obtaining a solid security system/firewall. In any case high security systems tend to keep honest people honest. If indeed security was a factor and a competitor/saboteur wanted to infiltrate or corrupt any information, there are many more ways than I know of to partake in that process.

African American: an Identity Crisis Essay

For centuries African Americans have been indoctrinated to subsist in a cultural and historical vacuum by their oppressors who would seek to bar them from ever making the connection to their illuminating past. This systematic agenda of mis-education and lies by omission has made possible the subjugation and enslavement, in body and mind, of the African American by his oppressors. In his essay â€Å"The Study of the Negro,† Dr. Carter G. Woodson sets out to ruminate on why the African American has been misled in his ascension to human equality and dignity and how he can remedy the dismal state of his affairs. A thorough reading of Woodson’s pioneering work indicates that we should study the experiences of African-descended people to gain knowledge about ourselves and other cultures as well as to take back accurate traditions and histories that have all but been discredited or misrepresented. Furthermore, only through this systematic study of their meaningful contributions to history can African Americans elevate themselves to empowered enlightenment. One reason to study the experiences of the African American is to instill in him a sense of purpose and place in a world that otherwise intends to keep him perpetually in the dark. Undoubtedly the aim of his oppressors has been to convince him that his history is unimportant so as to deprive him of the sense of pride that is so necessary to feel wholly human. By espousing that â€Å"he has no worthwile past, that his race has done nothing significant since the beginning of time, and that there is no evidence that he will ever achieve anything great† (Woodson 6), his oppressors can be sure that the African American will continue down the path of mis-education that so allows for his subservience to a system that cares nothing for him. However, â€Å"if you teach the Negro that he has accomplished as much good as any other race he will aspire to equality and justice without regard to race. † (Woodson 6) The core purpose of African American studies is to take back from obscurity that piece of the historical puzzle without which the African American would be amidst an endless identity crisis. By studying the origin of his people, the African American, who â€Å"has not yet learned to think and plan for himself as others do for themselves† (Woodson 7), can take control of his own destiny rather than taking as truth â€Å"an abundance of information which others have made accessible to the oppressed. † (Woodson 7) The culture of indoctrination cultivated by the oppressor would have that â€Å"the Negro should cease to remember that he was once held a slave, that he has been oppressed, and even that he is a Negro. † (Woodson 7) Thus, it is plain to see that the African American’s oppressors have too much to lose by promoting the truth. Indeed, it would require them to admit their transgressions and to concede the countless meaningful contributions made by the African American to modern society. Without â€Å"a serious examination of the fundamentals of education, religion, literature, and philosophy as they have been expounded to him† (Woodson 7) by his oppressors, the â€Å"Negro joins the opposition with the objection that the study of the Negro keeps alive questions which should be forgotten. † (Woodson 7) Perhaps the most essential lesson to be learned from an effective, systematic study of African American history is that the contributions made by African Americans are far more numerous than any oppressor could ever know. It is with a pig-headed pride that they conceal the fact that â€Å"the history of the modern world was made, in the main, by what was taken from African people. † (Clarke) Without knowledge such as this, it would be impossible for the African American to take pride in himself and to seek the true identity he has been in search of for centuries. â€Å"A race is like a man. Until it uses its own talents, takes pride in its own history, and loves its own memories, it can never fulfill itself completely. † (Clarke) African American studies can help in understanding other cultures as well as our own by challenging and correcting the misrepresentations of Africa and Western Europe and their cultural legacies. What has been laid aground as history by the oppressor does not serve to benefit the African American but instead to keep him dependent on a system rife with underlying prejudice against his people. History is written in the image of the writer so, consequently, the African American must take up the reins of authorship himself and guide his own destiny. That is precisely why we should study the African American experience, to produce a platform on which he can take back what is innately his. After all, to be cognizant of where one is going, it is necessary to be aware of where one has been.

Essay Youth And Cinema Essay

Cinema nowadays leaves a great impact (effect) on the minds of people. Its effect can be seen not only on the elders of rural and urban areas but on the children as well. Going to the pictures has now become a craze with young people, both boys and girls, and it has been noticed that they often economize (save) on other items of expenditure but they must see films every week. This fast growing habit is not only expensive (costly), but also results in considerable (great) waste of precious (valuable) time. Visiting the cinemas too often at the cost of class lectures and by missing lectures also spoils the education of youth. Most Indian films present scenes of sex, violence (fighting), crime, robbery, rape, etc. Education and other experts have repeatedly (again and again) found that the main source (base) of teasing and assaults (physical attack) on girls in our towns and cities, in the market place and elsewhere, is the cinema. The youth tries to imitate (copy) each and everything which is in the films without understanding that some part of it might leave a negative impression (thought) on them, and this reflects (shows) in their dressing style, their driving, their way of talking etc. The film censors also seem to be more liberal (open-minded) than ever and allow sex and violent scenes which have a bad effect on the mental make-up of youth. In the films today when the daily crimes, murders, robberies are shown some people take it in a wrong way and they purposely learn how to commit (do) such crimes. They learn the tricks (action) and tactics (plans) used for crimes in the films. Also now abuses (bad things) are so common in almost all the films that even a kid of 10 years is able to speak such abusive language knowingly or unknowingly. There are many cases of youth either running away from home to go to Bombay to try their luck in Bollywood. Thousands of young boys and girls have virtually (nearly) ruined (destroy) themselves in the senseless quest (mission) for becoming cinema â€Å"stars†. The efforts of parents and teachers to give their boys and girls sound education and to teach them good, ethical (moral) behaviour and good morals in order that they may become good citizens are thus defeated (failed). The cinema, it is said, can serve as a good medium of education and instruction, and the message that can be conveyed (expressed) through films cannot be conveyed as effectively through any other channel, such as  the radio, because of the colourful and visual impact on the screen. It is not contended (challenged) that there should be a total ban on films. But steps should certainly (surely) be taken to see that good instructive (useful) films are made, not trash and ruinous (damaging) presentations merely (simply) to cater (supply) to cheap tastes. Knowingly or unknowingly the films molds (shapes) the youth of today in one way or the other and effect of cinema on youth can be seen widely. Even the youngsters in rural areas are so much affected by the movies, that they place the heroes of the film in a very integrated (internal) part of their minds. They try to change their lifestyle according to the films, starting from hairstyle, clothes, dialogues and so on. It cannot be said that all the films are corrupting youth. Films also have a healthy and knowledgeable influence on the youth. There are films like â€Å"BAGHBAN† which was a family film and made us learn a lot. On the other hand, there are films like â€Å"RANG DE BASANTIâ€Å", â€Å"LAGAAN†, â€Å"TAARE ZAMEEN PAR† which are a wonderful films, giving the youth to learn so many good things in life. Films like â€Å"NAYAKâ€Å" are ideal (perfect) lessons for the politicians of this country. Films have inspired young people to combat (fight) against several social evils like untouchability, dowry, etc. But ultimately it’s â€Å"WE† or the individual, on whom everything depends on what he/she gains from the films. We should see the films to enjoy and learn good things and not let the bad things affect us. Thus, â€Å"Youth and Cinema† is a notion to be thought upon and concerned. So, beware of what you see and what you gain.

Discuss the emergence of the concept of 'sustainable development' in Essay

Discuss the emergence of the concept of 'sustainable development' in the 1990s and drawing on specific examples, critically - Essay Example This would enhance practical application of sustainable development in this century and the succeeding years. This paper discusses the emergence of the concept of sustainable development and its relevance in the current developmental practices in the world. During the onset of industrialization in the 18th century, scientists began questioning the impact of human civilization and activities to the environment and the available natural resources (WCED, 1987:26). In the late 18th century WCED (1987) notes that, Thomas Malthus predicted that the rapid growth in the global human population would ultimately result to low food production, where people around the planet would barely have enough to eat because of high population density. In this regard, if population growth remained unchecked, it increased the geometrical ratio and subsistence of man arithmetically. However, in the following two centuries after his prediction, growth in agricultural technology has enhanced more food producti on in spite of the growth in global population. Although some parts especially in developing economies still face food insecurity, agricultural overproduction in other regions have ensured relative global food security. Through improved farming methods, application of the fertilizers and use of heavy agricultural machinery have not only ensured improvement in crop production but also an increase in the area under crop production (Rogers, et al 2008: 35). However, the improved agricultural production has not come without an environmental price. Strategic natural resources such as forests, water bodies, animal habitats and other geographical features have been depleted and extensively damaged for long time before policy makers became cognizant of the environmental effects. In 1972, the concern about human activities to the depletion of natural resources was raised in the club of Rome after an increase in commodity prices was observed in the world market (Parris and Kates, 2003:59). Th is forum predicted that increase in industrial capital would lead to proportional growth in population that would in turn increase the pressure on the available non-renewable resources. However, failure of this argument to materialize fully in the following three decades resulted to its disapproval, but it raised enough concerns about environment and sustainable development (Parris and Kates, 2003:61) A conference held in 1972 in Stockholm, Sweden on human environment was the first of its kind to devote discussions entirely on environmental affairs. The convention brought together over 113 countries and representatives from international organizations (Asefa, 2005:22). During the convention, experts articulated on the interconnection between the environment and human development by arguing that both of them were interdependent of each other. This convention also resulted to the formation of the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) to ensure that human activities do not destro y the environment and ensure its sustainability for the sake of the future generations. In addition, the conference in Stockholm established fundamental international agreement regarding dumping of wastes in oceans, pollution by water vessels and control of trade involving endangered species (WCED, 1987:72) However, Kates et al (2005: 53)

Sony Integrated Marketing Communications Case Study

Sony Integrated Marketing Communications - Case Study Example The 2008 fiscal year of Sony ended in the month of March and the audit reports show that annual sales that were made by Sony in the year of 2008 equaled about $US90bilion which is a great amount. The number of employees that Sony has equals to about 190,000 people located in the manufacturing factors and in the offices all around the world. Sony is one company which has gained the success that it truly deserves and it has been known that it is one of the companies that is public in nature. It has got hold on the shares in four of the major stock exchanges in the worlds which include the stock exchanges based in New York, London, Tokyo and Osaka. In addition to this Sony is the brand with has about 1006 of the total subsidiaries located on an international scale (Squire, 2001, p. 22). The marketing orientation evolved the ideology of marketing providing the newer way of thinking to people. It included the point that the customers or the consumers are the entities who are much more important than the profitability as customers are the stakeholders for the organizations. It is being said that the marketing is still evolving and the better changes are seen in the field of the marketing these days. It is said that these days are the days when the evolution of marketing has entered into fourth stage. The fourth evolutionary stage of the marketing is known as the personal marketing orientation and this is the one that is considered to be the better approach as compared to ones in previous (Abramson, 2003, p. 44). The fourth stage is the one that makes the point that the individual based marketing is the key to the successful marketing and by proper utilization of this stage and with proper understating this is the way that can be used to reach the customers on an individual basis. The marketing thereby can be done on an individual basis which seems to be a better and an integrating marketing approach (Shaw, 2005, p. 93). Since the start of the term of marketing, it has been seen that changes have been occurring in the field of marketing leading to the strategic approach being adopted by the marketers in many ways. The marketing that has been recognized in previous times as the business approach has been to make more and more of the profits has now changed to the one that has been to attract more and more customers so as to gain the view point of the product or the firm itself (Hollensen, 2008, p. 11). The main responsibility of the marketers based at Sony is to expand the brands name across the borders a bit more. It

My leadership philosophy Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My leadership philosophy - Personal Statement Example This leadership philosophy is assisted by defining my values in life. My personal values are a sense of duty, integrity, courage, loyalty, respect, selfless service and honor. These values are committed to be adhered at all times and despite encountering various challenges. I also have recognized that one of the guiding principles that should support a leader’s actions is compliance with the ethics of reciprocity. Just like what President Harry Truman affirmed in his speech entitled â€Å"A Public Man Must Live in the Present†, he believed that â€Å"the fundamental basis for a happy life with family and friends is to treat others as you would like to be treated, speak truthfully, act honorably and keep commitments to the letter† (Truman par. 2). This principle, likewise applies to subordinates and colleagues, alike. In carrying out one’s responsibilities, one must be aware that leaders must have the ability to understand, not only the scope of one’s duties; but also the impact that one’s role and responsibilities contribute to one’s followers, to various stakeholders, and to the organization, as a whole. Thus, leaders do not only have the obligation to carry out the responsibilities explicitly defined in their professional portfolio; more so, leaders should have the innate skills and genuine commitment to ensure that the responsibilities that must be carried out by his or her followers, must be duly accomplished, with proper motivation, guidance, direction, coaching, and mentoring strategies, which would facilitate and encourage them, wholeheartedly, to achieve. My priorities, therefore, are also my commitment to undertake my responsibilities in the organization which I serve; and also to act and behave according to ethical, moral, and legal standards. I was influenced and strongly affected by the words from John McCain, in

Mexican Immigration and American Identity Essay

Mexican Immigration and American Identity - Essay Example According to the author, even though other values and principles of non-Protestant immigrants have helped to shape and modified this concept, most Americans accept these basic elements of an Anglo-Protestant culture as the key defining elements of their national identity. Yet, the author states that in the last decades of the 20th century, this culture has been challenged by a context of globalization and ideas of multiculturalism and diversity. The rise of groups that focus on race, ethnicity, and gender over a more general national identity are regarded as a threat to 'the country's cultural and political integrity'. Huntington views immigration from Latin America, especially from Mexico, as the single largest threat to the American identity. This due to a combination of six unique characteristics that differentiate contemporary Mexican immigration from past immigrant flows, being contiguity (boarder proximity), scale (steadily increasing numbers), illegality (illegal entry and permanence into the country), regional concentration (particularly concentrated in California and the Southwest), persistence (no signs of decline over the years), and historical presence (historical claim to the US territory). The boarder proximity with Mexico in the Southwest region encourages immigration and illegal entry into the U.S., which results in the steady increase of Mexican immigration throughout the 20th century. Similarly, it increases the concentration of Mexican immigrants in that area of the country and the illegal characteristics of the flow. Since the conditions creating such immigration (economic cond itions of Mexico, boarder proximity, etc) are unlikely to change, the flow is expected to persist. These factors, the author argues, differentiate the Mexican contingent from previous immigrant groups and are likely to hinder the assimilation of Mexicans into the United States culture. One of the author's main arguments defending the poor assimilation of Mexican immigrants into the U.S. society is the persistent use of their native language through successive generations. Huntington admits that statistics on English proficiency and Spanish preservation are limited and ambiguous. Nevertheless, the author insists that particular characteristics of the flow - scale, persistence and concentration - are likely to encourage the perpetuation of Spanish among successive generations of immigrants. Huntington considers that Spanish retention has a negative impact on the assimilation of the new culture even when proficiency in English is achieved. In addition, bilingualism would affect earnings and put English-only families in disadvantage within the job market. Finally, the concentration of Mexicans in certain areas transform portions of the country into bilingual and bicultural areas, reinforcing Mexican values over the traditional Anglo-Protestant values, which, according to the author, threatens the integrity of the nation, possibly dividing the nation 'into a country of two languages and two cultures'. From my point of view, Huntington's concept of the American identity is limited and excludes a great portion of the nation's cultural and ethnic background. The author's

EARLY JAZZ PIANO STYLES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

EARLY JAZZ PIANO STYLES - Essay Example With Bennie Moten’s innovation, jazz piano incorporated some blues in it which accounted for the â€Å"blues-rooted modern jazz† (Schuller 4). Gioia’s account brought up the influence of Mexican band performers to the birth of jazz in Kansas City, New Orleans (7). It was during the time when the Louisiana Purchase only resulted to a one-eighth Anglo-Saxon population and the Latin Americans dominated in numbers in the said area (Gioia 6). Decades passed, and the influence of African-Americans grew to be more noticeable with the introduction of rhythm and blues. In fact, modern jazz is described as a hybrid of various Latin and African-American music genres, such as Broadway music, pop, blues, samba, reggae, funk, and other symphony music (Gioia 8). This essay follows the discussion of various musical works in jazz piano and descriptions of each popular jazz work in history. In particular, it discusses the popular Stride Ragtime, specifically the Harlem stride pian o, Boogie Woogie, Earl Hines’ jazz piano pieces, and G. Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. Descriptions of these masterpieces will also be supported by some music authors’ perception of their music for validation and complementary interpretation. Stride Ragtime: Harlem Stride Piano Among the best pianists in New York, four of them were experts in stride playing. James P. Johnson, Luckey Roberts, Willie â€Å"The Lion† Smith and Richard â€Å"Labba Labba† Maclean were among the victors in stride ragtime battle known as â€Å"cutting contests† in which they were known as ticklers (Martin and Waters 108). Stride ragtime is played fundamentally by the left hand which strides â€Å"up and down the keyboard† using a â€Å"base note or an octave played on the first and third beats of the 4/4 measure† while goes on to alternate with a midrange note â€Å"on the second and fourth beats† (Martin and Waters 108). Stride ragtime originate d from ragtime itself but was developed into stride piano using some techniques such as speed, variations, incorporation of blues, and other improvisations that were â€Å"sometimes planned† (Martin and Waters 108). Harlem Stride Piano incorporates speed and flash. The effect appears to be vigorous and full of energy, a mimicry of American society shortly after World War I in which American lifestyle was fast-paced, hectic, and seemingly always in a rush. It also depicts sounds heard in cars and other automobiles, telephones, and airplanes (Martin and Waters 108). It also suggests a pleasing and lively mood because of the seemingly ‘caricature’ accompaniment which is a perfect background to slapsticks and pathos visual shows. Eubie Blake was particularly famous for being a pianist and composer during early, middle, and late 1900s and took the stride ragtime to a new level (Martin and Waters 109). Most importantly, James P. Johnson fathered stride piano by being s o absorbed in his craft through composing jazz pieces for Broadway musicals and concerts and keeping on learning and experimenting for the said genre (Martin and Waters 109). Boogie-woogie â€Å"Noisy offspring† was labeled to another genre of jazz piano, which became an instant hit in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century (Silvester 3). Boogie-woogie came to the existence in 1940s following combination of ragtime and rhythm of African music as evident by the qualities

Rise of Consumer Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Rise of Consumer Culture - Essay Example This linking culture Snow suggested in the second edition of his book in 1963, calling it a "third culture" where literary intellectuals lived in harmony with scientists, communicating ideas among each other and with the public. Brockman borrowed Snow's terminology of the third culture in his book (1995) of the same title as he daringly predicted that scientists and engineers at the cusp of what would soon become the dot.com boom will dominate this third culture. The boom came, but soon after followed the bust, and Brockman's third culture never materialised as he had hoped. What Snow and Brockman never realised was that a third culture had been moving quietly alongside these two cultures over the last half of the 20th century, one that combined the power of postmodernist intellectual thought and the energy of scientific innovation, helped along by the emergence of a capitalist society of excess wealth and prosperity. This third culture is the consumer culture, characterised by what we can describe as a body-centric attitude of consumption, where almost every conceivable commercial product is available to satisfy every craving or desire, fulfil any dream, and where reality can be reduced to one's identification with ideals created and circulated by the mass media. Essentially a perfect combination of Snow's two cultures - the romantic and the scientific - the consumer culture now defines who and what we are. The Marketable Self This is the scenario where Featherstone and other sociologists situate the body, the consuming subject, which is nothing more than the agent responsible for capturing and defining reality. Straddling the romantic-idealistic literary and the sensual-measurable scientific worlds, the consumer culture entices the human body to know and love it, to be a part of it, and to recognise that that is where its happiness and fulfilment lie. As the consuming subject (the body) attempts to capture - buying, eating, dressing up, or simply experiencing - reality in this consumer culture, it is the body that ends up becoming captive. It is in this context that we can analyse Featherstone's words (1991) that "the consumer culture constructs the marketable self." A main feature of this culture is a powerful popular media that helps in defining who and what we are. In his book (1999) Selling Dreams: How to Make Any Product Irresistible, Ferrari CEO Gian Luigi Longinotti-Buitoni (p. 193) describes the people of the consumer culture as bodies where product creators create a masterpiece the way a Picasso creates a painting on canvas, and where the media play the role of the artist's brush and oil. The body as a canvas Yes. In the consumer culture, "every instrument of the popular media - advertisements, television, and film to the press - provides a proliferation of stylised images of the body and emphasises the cosmetic benefits of body maintenance" (Featherstone, 1991). This strategy makes good business sense. After all, the physical perfection of the body or its idea of eternal youth has been one of our most cherished dreams. Beauty being a subjective judgment of a state of perfection, and the natural forces of aging, weight gain, and biological deterioration seemingly designed to halt our achieving that state, the possibilities for its definition are endless. The