Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Essay on Freedom-Determinism debate - 1689 Words

Freedom-Determinism Debate The controversy between freewill and determinism has been argued about for years. Freewill is defined as the belief that our behaviour is under our own control and do not act in response to any internal or external factors. Freewill has been found to have four different conditions and to have freewill at least two conditions must be obtained, these are; people have a choice on their actions, have not been coerced by anything or anyone, have full voluntary and deliberate control of what they do. One example of freewill in psychology is Humanism. The humanists are in favour of freewill as they believe that humans aren’t ever determined to behave in a certain way. According to Maslow (1950) we all strive†¦show more content†¦The evidence for the theories is almost entirely co- relational because of the methods used i.e. case studies and interviews, which in comparison to experiments do not produce falsifiable predictions. Although the Humanistic approach remains important, it has limited influence in psychological research because of its un-testable ideas and emphasis on the experiences of the individual. Determinism is the opposite of freewill and is defined as a philosophy that states that our behaviour/experiences are pre-determined by e.g. genes, learned behaviour or early experiences. There are two sides to determinism, hard and soft determinism and there are four types of determinism, biological, genetic, psychic and environmental. Hard determinism is the belief that our behaviour is determined and predictable and controlled by these internal and external factors. Hard determinism is usually associated with social scientists such as Skinner, Freud, and Lorenz and usually rejected by philosophers. The behaviourist approach is in favour of hard determinism arguing that human behaviour is determined by learning from the environment and its causes can be explained in terms of environmental stimuli. Skinner, an environmental deterministic, asserted that in actual fact freewill in human behaviour was merely an illusion because in reality we are all at the mercy of our environment. He also proposed that we repeat behaviour that is rewarded and vice versa henceShow MoreRelatedFreedom-Determinism Debate1726 Words   |  7 PagesThe controversy between freewill and determinism has been argued about for years. Freewill is defined as the belief that our behaviour is under our own control and do not act in response to any internal or external factors. Freewill has been found to have four different conditions and to have freewill at least two conditions must be obtained, these are; people have a choice on their actions, have not been coerced by anything or anyone, have full voluntary and deliberate control of what they do. OneRead MoreFilm Analysis of Minority Report Essay968 Words   |  4 Pagestraditional view of man, what distinguishes him from animals is his freedom to choose between one course of action and another, his freedom to seek good and avoid evil. The animal has no freedom, but is determined by physical and biological laws; like a machine, the animal responds whenever the appropriate stimulus is present† (Bolles 1963, p.182). In Minority Report (2002) one of the main issues is free will versus determinism. Is there some point that people can and do change their mind whileRead MoreAnalysis Of The Philosophical Concepts Of Determinism And Free Will1711 Words   |  7 Pagesof act ion.The debate and arguments that surround free will have occupied philosophers for many centuries. Many scholars believe that the concept of free will is connected to the concept of responsibility, guilt, sin and other judgments that apply to the actions that are freely chosen by people. Other philosophers also link free will to the concept of persuasion, prohibition and advice that make no point unless different possible results arise from the courses of action. Determinism, on the otherRead MoreCompatibilism vs. Imcompatibilism: Is There Really Free Will1043 Words   |  5 Pages  Compatibilists and Incompatibilists debate determinism and free will. Determinism is the idea that our actions are determined by past events. In other words, in our present state we do not have control over our actions and they are pre-determined. Only one thing can happen given a certain condition and nothing else can occur. Determinism seems to pose a problem because it tests the possi bility that we do not have free will or control over our actions because with certain conditions there can onlyRead MoreThe Basic Theories Of The Free Will1095 Words   |  5 Pagesmake. When viewing perspective we can decided that ultimately what around can shape us to do good or bad. This question ultimately leads us to an overwhelming question when it comes to the freedom we have in life and if we truly are free to choose. There are three basic theories involved in the free will debate. Determined being the first one all our choices are caused by preexisting events. Determination is based that free will that humans can t even act otherwise based on predetermined decisionRead MoreThe Case Of The Unwilling Addict1479 Words   |  6 Pagesbolster this case, I will argue for the Principle of Alternative Possibilities by re-evaluating Frankfurt’s case of the Unwilling Addict. I will then refute the notion of determinism by referring to Wolf’s JoJo example by taking a compatibilist approach. In 1971, Harry Frankfurt wrote his second most influential paper on free-will. Freedom of the Will and the Concept of a Person asks; what is it to be a person? In Frankfurt’s view, one essential difference between persons and non-human animals is to beRead MoreWilliam James on Free Will1537 Words   |  7 Pagesphilosophy and psychology (in which he officiated as a formal study through lectures) (Goodman, 2009). As did many philosophers, Jamesian thinking seeded many discussions on various philosophical topics such as metaphysics, morality, free will-determinism, religion and the afterlife; however, what truly made his ideas notable was his uncanny ability to borrow and integrate knowledge from branches of physiology, psychology and philosophy to weave new insights and dimensions onto traditional philosophicalRead MoreDavid Hume s Theory Of Free Will1559 Words   |  7 Pagesthinkers. Hard determinism bases its viewpoint on the strict theory of causality, rejecting the idea of free will. On the contrary, Libertarianism opposes this, supporting the concept of free will and denying that a deterministic universe exists. Both of these arguments adhere to incompatibilism as they refute the coexistence of both notions. Subsequently, 18th century Scottish philosopher David Hume (1748) procured his influential proposal of compatibilism, attempting to resolve the debate as he arguesRead MoreDeterminism Vs. Free Will1341 Words   |  6 PagesDeterminism is a doctrine suggesting that for every event there exist conditions that could cause no alternative event. Free will is a philosophical term describing a particular sort of capacity of rational agents to choose a course of action from among various alternatives. Understandably, the dichotomy between these two concepts is a topic philosophers have debated over for many years. As a result of these debates, a number of alternative philosophical perspectives arguing for the existence ofRead More oundation or Indivi dual in a Determinate Universe1627 Words   |  7 Pagesof compatibility of determinism and the freedom of human choice. This problem becomes apparently an isoluble paradox if one admits that the notion of freedom of human choice includes negation of the predetermination of decisions taken. Denial of such an inclusion is based on an analysis of the reasons that have led to the notion of freedom of human choice. Basically, this notion is intimately linked with the actual mechanism of decision-making. However, the concept of freedom of human choice is

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Assess Whether Pericles Was a Good or Bad Leader - 1434 Words

Assess Whether Pericles Was A Good or Bad Leader Pericles (C. 495-429 BC) was a very influential politician and general in Athens. He is said to have brought about a very important time in Athenian history known as ‘The Golden Age of Athens’ where he brought about or placed focus on certain things like art, which gave Athens the reputation as the cultural and educational centre of Ancient Greece, architecture, where he created a project to beautify the city and provide work for Athenians with most of its products like the Parthenon still surviving and giving us an idea of the glory of Athens. He also made valuable contributions to drama, the bringing about of democracy and the establishment of the Greek empire. Democracy, which allows all†¦show more content†¦Other symbolic attributes for a lion are strength, courage, power, royalty, dignity, authority, dominion, justice, wisdom and ferocity which I believe are all attributes displayed by Pericles in both his political and military career. Ancient Greek symbolism for a lion is the protector of the home and Pericles really showed that in the battles protecting his beloved home, Athens. There is also the argument of whether Pericles was actually a leader or just got carried away by the masses. Plutarch said, ‘he was no longer the same man as before, nor alike submissive to the people and ready to yield and give in to the desires of the multitude as a steersman to the breezes.’ Here, Plutarch suggests, Pericles had no leadership over the Athenians and that he put the city in chaos to do as they could do what they want which is supported by others saying he made the Athenians idle, talkative and greedy (Plato). This motion would however have to be rejected with strong evidence against it in his speeches and oratory skills. Thucydides offered the correct leadership style of Pericles by arguing that Pericles ‘was not carried away by the people, but he was the one guiding the people.’ The evidence, as said in the last paragraph is in his great speeches and his ability to draw a certain reaction from the Athenian people and so though some may argue that he left the Athenians with no authoritative leader which could only be gainedShow MoreRelatedInvestigating Athens Treatment of Her Allies4015 Words   |  17 Pagesallies changed dramatically as she rose to become the leader of an empire. The establishment of the Delian League marked the beginning of a significant series of events, which lead to Athens’ rise to extreme power. From the evidence of Thucydides and the inscriptions, it is possible to track the progress of these events and the rapidly changing treatment that Athens enforced upon her allies. The Delian League was an establishment formed in 478 BC. A large number ofRead MoreContemporary Issues in Management Accounting211377 Words   |  846 PagesBritain on acid-free paper by Antony Rowe Ltd., Chippenham, Wiltshire ISBN 0–19–928335–4 978–0–19–928335–4 ISBN 0–19–928336–2 (Pbk.) 978–0–19–928336–1 (Pbk.) 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 3 FOREWORD ‘ Michael Bromwich is an exemplar of all that is good about the British tradition of academic accounting. Serious in intent, he has striven both to illuminate practice and to provide ways of improving it. Although always appealing to his economic understandings, he has been open to a wide variety of other

Monday, December 9, 2019

What Does It Mean to Be Jewish free essay sample

When someone says they’re Jewish, that can mean a couple things. Either that is their religion, or their ethnicity, it could even be both. Judaism is the term of following the Jewish religion. Judaism isn’t a religion based off of one single founder or central leader, nor is it based off theological decisions made from a group. The Judaism religion is better described as an Israel way of life that’s based off of the Tanakh. The Tanakh is essentially a different version of the Christians â€Å"Old Testament. † Including the creation of the world by God, and his commandments. The Torah aka â€Å"The Penateuch† are the teachings of the Jewish religion referenced by the five books of Moses. The Torah consists of Genesis, Exodus, Levicticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Another group of books from The Tanakah are the â€Å"Prophets† The Prophets are a group of books that are ascribed to the leading of reformers such as Isah, and spoke about the flaws in society, promising a Messiah to freeing them and leading them to power. We will write a custom essay sample on What Does It Mean to Be Jewish? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Jewish theology elaborates on the principles of faith in the light of contemporary life and thought. Philosopher Maimonides blends the theology of the Jews with Greek and Muslim Philosophy, creating his â€Å"Thirteen Principles of Faith. † An example of the spiritual side of Judaism that expresses the soul’s â€Å"mystical journey toward God† is known as Mystical Kabbalism, and it began during the second temple period. Mystical Kabbalism began to seriously develop during the European Middle Ages. Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer was the founder of the mystical Jewish Hasidic sect in Eastern Europe in the 1700’s. Eliezer was known as Baal-Shem Tov, which means â€Å"Master of God’s Name. Rabbi Eliezer strived to want others to live by the Torah with its insight, and to follow God’s principles. God’s principles are: Ecstasy (Hitlahavut), embracing God beyond time and space, Service (Avoda) to God in time and space, Intention (Kavana), the mystery of the soul directed to redeeming the world, and Humility (Shiflut). The place where the Rabbi worked and followers of Judaism gathered where in a temple. The first temple of Jerusalem was built under the reign of King Solomon, who was the son of â€Å"Israel’s greatest king. After a long time of wandering worship, Israelites now had a place to go where god would be most present to them. Temples are still used today for the Jewish to worship, it is also known as the synagogue. Friday is known as Shabbat also known as Sabbath eve, and is the day that majority of Jewish people go to worship. On Shabbat Jewish people are prohibited from using electricity, and driving cars. I personally have several Jewish friends with only one who was raised to follow the strict guidelines of Shabbat. Thus proving that not all Jewish people are the same. The Jewish are also restricted from eating pork and non-kosher meals. Kosher (Kashrut) is a set of Jewish dietary laws. The laws even go far as to having to cook your food in kosher pots and pans. The Jewish community follows, and practices a lot rituals, and they also celebrate a lot of different holidays. Holidays such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, Simchat Torah, Tu B’Shevat, Purim, Passover, Lag B’Omer, Shavu’ot, and Tisha B’av, and Hanukkah. Hanukkah which is probably the most popular to everyone in the united states is celebrated over eight days in December. Jewish also have their children participate in this ceremony when they become of age for their actions. When boys reach 13, they have Bar Mitzvah’s, and when girls reach 12 they have Bat Mitzvah’s. This rite of passage comes with a lot of responsibilities for an adult Jew to follow. They include moral responsibilities for own acions, being able to read from the Torah, May posses’ personal property, and may legally be married according to Jewish laws. Being Jewish is takes a lot of responsibility.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Obesity surgery free essay sample

The purpose of this paper is to critically review the research carried out by Ogden, Clementi and Aylwin (2006) on â€Å"The impact of the obesity surgery and the paradox of control: a qualitative study†. This research was carried out to investigate the patient experience on obesity surgery. Therefore, this paper will try to identify the accuracy of the tittle, the rationale behind the research work and its aim. The strengths and weaknesses will be highlighted, literature will be critically review with support from relevant sources, ethical issues, method of analysis and the methodology adopted will be identify (Bryman, 2008). The tittle of this article was clearly stated and concise. Cutcliffe and Ward (2006) point out that the tittle of an article should reflect the content of the work and also stimulate the interest of the reader to read it. Also some of the title words were cited in the keywords subsection (Marshall, 2005; Parahoo, 2006). The credibility of the researchers, undoubtedly the researcher place of work was mentioned appropriately. We will write a custom essay sample on Obesity surgery or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, there is no evidence of two of the researcher being linked to the professional field relevant to the research undertaking. (Ryan et al. 2007). The article went through a rigorous review process before it was accepted for publication (Day, 2012; Benos et al. , 2007). Ogden et al. (2006) was received first in 2004; in final form 2005 and was published in 2006. The reference in the article is up to date (ranging from 1977-200) which shows that the article is supported by rang of studies over an intensive frame of time. Therefore is a scientific article (Shewan and Coats, 2010). The abstract gives a concise overview of the paper, the summary of the introduction, aim of the study, method used and result of the findings (Calmorin and Calmorin, 2008). Also, according to Hek and Moule (2006) an abstract gives a succinct analysis of a study. The research used a qualitative methodology to explore the experience of the participants. Ogden et al. (2006) achieved this by carrying out research on the experience of the participants on obesity surgery which was done in a natural setting (Kylea et al. , 2003; Daymom and Holloway, 2001). More so the flexibility of the research was evident by the use of in-depth interview which gave deeper insight on the phenomenon under study. Boyce and Neala (2006) indicate that in-depth interview is good when the researcher want to understand in detail about experience, thought and behaviour. Although the method the researcher used for data collection is preferred. However, the response of the participant to the interview question may be biased (Boyce and Neala op cit 2006). The introduction has background information and offers a theoretical context of study that orientate the reader to the problem (Ellison and McGraw-hill’s, 2010; Marshall, 2004). In addition, the literature was well reviewed through information drawn from valid sources, which showed that Ogden et al,(2006) did a wide and thorough search to compare the pass studied to present study and the literature review were related to their study (Marshall, 2005; Calmorin and Calmorin, 2008). A qualitative researcher should ensure that a good rapport is established with the interviewees (Dicicco-Bloom and Crabtree, 2006). It gives a conducive atmosphere for the respondents to feel at ease and comfortable to provide access to information of their stories (Polit and Beck, 2008). Qualitative researchers should be able to point out the setting where the sample was generate, the sampling method used and describe their sample in terms of characteristics and relevance to the wider population (Aderson, 2010). Although Ogden et al.(2006) presented that 22 patient from a previous quantitative research that had completed their questionnaires were invited to be interviewed, the setting the sample was selected was not mentioned so the appropriateness of the sample cannot be ascertain. According to Polit and Beck (2004) the external validity of a study depends on the adequacy of the sampling design used. Moreover, the researcher was expected to us a sample technique which will put the age range, population and characteristic of the sample into consideration (Profetto-McGrath, Polit and Beck, 2010). Furthermore, the researcher stated the number of participants in the sample; these include 15 out of the 22 people that are invited for the interview. Smith and Osborn (2008) and Carey (2013) noted that sample size depends on a number of factors and that there is no â€Å"right† sample size and that a small sample size is norm in interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) as larger data may lead to loss in meaning of the result. Ogden et al. (2006) used in-depth interview to investigate the experience of the respondents on Obesity Surgery. He pointed out that after the 15 people were interviewed; they assumed to have attained saturation as no fresh theme where emerging and similarity stories were also seen to be emerging, therefore no further interview were arranged. â€Å"Saturation† is a problematic concept in this context. According to Klenke (2008) the concept of saturation is inappropriate. However researchers may present to have attained saturation which they may not be able to explain or prove (Bowen, 2008). The researcher applied ethical consideration by obtaining approval from hospital ethical committee (Denscombe, 2009). However Ogden et al. (2006) did not obtain a written consent from the participants. According to Jefford, (2008) individual has the right to make a â€Å"reasonable† decision to participate or reject. Ogden et al. (2006) used interpretative analysis to analyse their data which is a technique that help in understanding human experience better (Smith, Jarman and Osborn, 1999). Furthermore the researcher showed evidence of peer review evaluation which is essential in qualitative research, where they opted that the transcript were re-read by JO and CC to have good insight of the data (Holloway and Wheeler, 2010). That makes the credibility of their finding unquestionable to some extent. However, the researcher gave room for criticism; they were somehow biased in analysing the data because the entire researcher had already regarded surgery as a positive treatment alternative (LeCompte and Margaret, 2000). In conclusion, although the setting and the sampling method used in generating the sample was not mention, also there was no written consent obtained from the participant. However, the researcher used interpretative phenomenological analysis to analyse the data which is a reliable technique.  Finally it has brought to light the advantage of obesity surgery over behavioural intervention and other health benefit.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Internal and External Analysis of Apple Inc. Essays - Steve Jobs

Internal and External Analysis of Apple Inc. Essays - Steve Jobs Internal and External Analysis of Apple Inc. Introduction Apple Inc., is a multinational company that is known for its expertise in consumer electronics industry. Over the years, Apple has immensely grown to provide its customers with personal computers, cell phones, and computer software. Ever since Apple Inc., was established, it has operated in many different industries. From Personal Computing to Desktop publishing industry and to current consumer electronics industry, Apple has established itself has one of the most diversified companies. "Apple's 15 product lines were slashed to just four categories - desktop and portable Macintoshes, for consumers and professionals" (pg. 3). As a result, the attractiveness of the overall industry will be determined by industry analysis, generic strategy and internal analysis. Industry Analysis Threat of New Entrants Although in the past, there were many competitors (such as IBM and Dell) in the industry, the threat of new entrant was possibly medium to low. This is because, in compa rison to other industries, the electronic indus try required extremely hig h capital investments mostly to support R . Over the years, companies like Apple has improved its supp ly chain, which has led to difficulty for new entrants to compete in the market . Bargaining Power of Suppliers According to the past market conditions of electronics industry, the bargai ning power of suppliers was low . Suppliers of electronic industry are once that supply components for phones, and Intel's chips for Apple laptops. As most of the electronics consist of similar hardware, this enables switching cost to be low; as a result bargaining power of suppliers is low as well. As the case specifies "Apple uses vertical integration where as other suppliers uses open system" (p. 2). This implies that in Apple could use its other long term contracts to produce needed components. Bargaining Power of Buyers Based on the electronics industry, it can be said that bargaining power of buyers is high. This is because, the price of the products had been extremely sensitive due to which buyers would switch to a different company with similar product. The buyers in this industries are retailers such as Wal-Mart, and Best Buy. For a company like Apple (who has maintained consistency in their pricing of each product), mid income consumers would not want to spend extra on something that is already being offered by another company with lower price. Threat of Substitutes Threat of substitutes in the e lectronic industry is medium to low. As technology started to advance, customers feel more attracted towards new inventions of technology. There are very few who woul d prefer books, and newspapers. In other words, people would rather prefer to use their phones to read a book rather than buying an actual book from the book store. When Apple was established there were certain items already available in the market (such as VCR's, DVD's, and regular telephones). As threat of substitutes starts to increase (which is the present situation), Apple's profit starts to decrease Rivalry among Competitors The intensity of rivalry among competitors is extremely high in the consumer electronics industry. Major competition comes from companies like Apple, IBM, Dell, HP and Samsung. Not only that "Online music stores such as Amazon.com, Napster, and Walmart.com offered individual song downloads at competitive or discounted prices to iTunes. Most competitors offered songs to play on various devices including iPod" (p.9). As competitors were coming up with identical products at lower cost, demands for iPods was decreasing. As a result, Apple did not have a competitive advantage anymore. Generic Strategy Over the past years, Apple Inc., has focused on many different generic strategies. These include: premium-price differentiation strategy by Gilbert Amelio, and low cost strategy of John Sculley. Overall, Apple Inc. followed a focused differentiation strategy. "Focused differentiation strategies are keyed to offering carefully designed products or services to appeal to the unique preferences and needs of a narrow well-defined group of buyers" ( Mortez, Ak bari, Hossein-Nejad, p. 108). Apple Inc., is a company that does not sell its products for lower price that its competitors. As a result, its innovative products have been targeted towards customers with high earnings. When Apple launched iPod, many

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Frankenstein Coursework Help

Frankenstein Coursework Help Frankenstein Coursework Help Frankenstein is a well-known novel which requires careful reading and critical analysis. Writing a Frankenstein coursework you need to pay attention to avoid creating a summary of the novel instead of critical analysis. If you struggle with Frankenstein coursework writing or do not have enough time to devote to coursework writing, you should not hesitate to order professional Frankenstein coursework help on our site. Custom written Frankenstein coursework is original, interesting to read, meets academic requirements, and is never posted online as a free sample! Please read the following excerpt of Frankenstein coursework written by one of our professional coursework writers! Frankenstein Coursework Excerpt In the story Frankenstein, the main genre is gothic horror. Horror is usually recognized on fear, terror, fright and suffering. Its mainstay is to frighten readers and make them realize terror is occurring so, therefore, contains frightening scenes. One of the distinctive features of many horror stories is the setting and nature and in Frankenstein the depressing glacial fields of the Alps and the dreary mist of the Arctic shows remoteness of the two central characters; Victor and his creation. Another part of horror in Frankenstein is the element of the dark side of human nature, when a monstrous creation is unleashed which leads to the idea of horror because monsters are usually associated with committing acts of killing on innocent people. The structure of Frankenstein can be slightly complicated because it has several narrators and they both share their own views on the events which have occurred. The novel begins in typical novel fashion by starting the story in the middle of things and then launch into a series of flashbacks which make it difficult to foretell coming events. Captain Robert Walton writes to his sister Margaret Saville about his adventures, which the reader looks in upon in a distinctive epistolary novel style. Then Victor recounts his story to Walton, who takes notes and sends them to his sister. Then the monster tells Victor about his or its quest, which Victor recounts to Walton. Starting with Walton when he writes to his sister, his letters are like a diary and become somewhat quite personal. When he begins writing his letters, his point of view begins neutral. But after he meets Frankenstein he becomes prejudiced and begins to understand Frankenstein's feelings and sympathises towards him. But when he meets the monster, Walton's views change again because he sympathises with the monster. The novel is then told from Frankenstein's point of view until the closing pages when we hear from the monster. This will affect the reader as they would automatically feel the most sympathy for whoever tells the story, as the speaker would naturally tell things from their perspective, and they would open up about their feelings. Also, our expert writers have prepared the post onhow to make a reaction paper:. Related posts: Jane Eyre Essay Example of Argumentative Essay Cause Effect Papers Term Paper Editing Critical Essay Editing

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Zidane's Last Red Card Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Zidane's Last Red Card - Case Study Example The paper also explores the advantages and disadvantages of an institution ignoring its regulations. It does not make sense for FIFA to have an offensive behavior regulation that they effectively ignore. This is because rules and regulations are sets of guidelines that regulate conducts in an organization or association. It is one of the sources of law, applicable under trade and customs, if the regulations are consistent with written law and natural justice. The rules therefore serve the same purpose as the law, at least within the organization’s jurisdiction. FIFA’s regulations are therefore aimed at achieving such objectives as maintaining order in football matches, molding behavior, and ensuring that its subjects are treated equally. A move to compromise these purposes of the regulations therefore renders them meaningless and their creation unnecessary (Jennings, 2010, p. 6, 7). One of the advantages of an organization having regulations that it can ignore is the ability to preserve its ‘self-interest’. The regulations, especially in cases of internal conflicts where the parties submit to resolutions, can solve a dispute without interference from legal systems. Such rules therefore facilitate reconciliatory processes for organization’s stability. The ability to ignore a regulation also helps an organization to protect its image before the public. This is because even though the regulation may have good intentions, the public may not understand its implementation. Another advantage of the avoidable regulations is that their compromise leads to solutions that cannot be achieved through strict implementation of rules. Such types of problems include disputes with political significance (Bercovitch, Dean and Jackson, 2009, p. 57). One of the disadvantages of having rules that can be ignored is that it can highly compromise justice. This is because it leads to partiality. Parties to the organization may also lose confidence in the

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

A Bear Workshop Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A Bear Workshop - Essay Example The management structure has knowledgeable and dedicated staff that provide ample knowledge exchanges in an interactive environment with customers. This is a fundamental strength of a business to be able to provide better customer relationship management and provide them with exactly what customers are looking for. Clearly, the owner understands the importance of cost monitoring when it comes to purchasing and production and will likely continue these trends over the next five to ten years. Having a strategic-focused management system is the key to ensuring a proper expansion. If the business conducts regular market research using focus groups or interviews with target customers, it will likely find more success in identifying social and buying trends early in order to gain market share in the toy market. Further, growth in Internet usage in developing countries such as India, China and Pakistan will provide even more customers in an environment that is convenient. Through agreements with different distribution agencies, Build A Bear will probably be able to find low-cost distribution to ensure that many international customers are able to buy the products and have them delivered in a timely fashion. If the business remains focused on product rather than pricing, higher resource (financial) consumers will likely recognize the brand and have a loyalty that can be built up over the next five years.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Food Security Bill Essay Example for Free

Food Security Bill Essay The bill was truncated from the NAC version at the first stage when the government finalized it and then the parliamentary standing committee went along similar lines and recommended further paring down of the benefits. Sources said concerns were raised by the Congress leadership about reducing existing benefits under the Antodaya Anna Yojana to the 2. 5 crore poorest families as well as the recommendation of the standing committee to remove the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) from the mandate of the bill, which was advised by the women and child development ministry. Sources said the party leadership was unhappy with the move to reduce existing entitlements under UPAs flagship scheme instead of providing larger benefits. The government is likely to revise the bill keeping these views in mind and look at a much higher coverage in at least the 250 poorest districts of the country. The standing committee had recommended providing 5 kg of rations per person to 75% of rural population and 50% of urban India a formula the government was happy with till the party leadership intervened. The standing committee had recommended doing away with two categories of beneficiaries with differential benefits a move the government had contemplated anyway after having sent the bill to Parliament. But curtailing the total number of beneficiaries and reducing the benefits to the poorest has not found acceptance with the party leadership, sources said. The government could now consider restoring the monthly allocation to the poorest back to 35 kg of rations per family. Under an apex court order, the poorest and most disadvantaged are provided 35 kg rations at present. With the party keen to see the bill in Parliament during the budget session, a revised version could see the ICDS scheme coming back under the purview of the bill as a legally guaranteed right along with other food delivery mechanisms such as community kitchens. The UPA has already been caught on the back foot with opposition-ruled states providing cheaper rations to greater numbers under their own schemes following the lead of Chhattisgarh. The delay in pushing the bill through, coupled with the constant and often publicly expressed differences between different arms of the government and the UPA on the shape of the legislation have taken the sheen off UPA-2s big ticket scheme Food Security Bill is affordable The subsidies meant for the poor are always under attack, while the rest are able to retain their privileges. The additional allocation in grain and money terms will neither distort the grain market nor place a burden on the fisc. Many recent commentators have portrayed the National Food Security Bill (NFSB) as an â€Å"unbearable burden† on the exchequer. The facts, however, do no substantiate the claim. The NFSB has been trashed from time to time in the English dailies. For instance, Business Line (March 21, 2013) published an article titled â€Å"Food Security Bill will torpedo Budget†. Another national daily claims that the Bill has a â€Å"fundamental flaw† that places â€Å"an unbearable burden† and â€Å"distorts agriculture† (Indian Express, March 19, 2013). Quite often, the claims are partly due to a misconception that the government is making new financial and grain commitments under the NFSB. In fact, the NFSB does little more than turning into legal entitlements pre-existing food security schemes such as the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme, Mid-Day Meal (MDM) Scheme, Public Distribution System (PDS) and maternity entitlements. Some commentators have said that it is precisely the legal commitment that will lead to problems in the future — for example, the fear of the emergence of a government monopoly in the grain market. This fear is not borne out by the facts. Under the PDS, ICDS and MDM, the government currently allocates about 58 million tonnes of grain. To meet this commitment, the government currently procures about 30 per cent of grain. The NFSB commits 62 million tonnes, i. e. , an additional 4 million tonnes. The Budget of 2013-14 allocates Rs. 31,000 crore for two childrens food schemes — school meals and the ICDS which reaches children under six. The Budget allocation for the food subsidy in 2013-14 is Rs 90,000 crore. According to our estimates, the food subsidy will increase from Rs 80,000 crore (in 2012-13) to Rs 1,11,221 crore, under the NFSB. Thus, the NFSB implies an increase of just over Rs 30,000 crores in financial terms and 4 million tonnes in real (grain) terms. Can India afford this? Speaking at a panel discussion at IIT Delhi in February, Deputy Chairperson of the Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, said â€Å"it would be dishonest† to say that we cannot afford the Food Bill, and that the subsidies that we need to target are those enjoyed by the middle classes (e. g. , fuel). Speaking at the same discussion, Amartya Sen made a pertinent point — that the reason why it is more difficult to reduce subsidies enjoyed by the middle classes (fuels such as LPG, petrol and diesel) is that the beneficiaries of those are more vocal than the rural poor or children under six who benefit from the food subsidies. This point is well illustrated by the events following last years Budget. The Budget 2012-13 announced a 1 per cent excise duty on unbranded jewellery and doubled custom duty on gold to 4 per cent. Gold is the countrys second biggest import, after crude oil. This burden on the current account deficit was an important reason for doubling the customs duty. Following this, the All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation and others initiated a strike which went on for 21 days. They argued that the industry, including the â€Å"large† number of people it employs, and buyers of gold, would suffer. A massive media campaign was launched, following which the Finance Minister withdrew the excise duty. According to the revenue foregone statement presented along with the Budget 2013-14, the revenue foregone from the gold and diamond industry for the previous financial year was Rs. 5,000 crore. Such tax breaks are often justified on the grounds of the employment potential of the gems and jewellery industry. According to Invest India, a website of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, â€Å"The sector provides employment to around 1. 8 million people. In the next five years, the sector is expected to create additional employment for around 1. 1 million people. † According to the National Sample Survey Organisation, 2009-10, the size of the Indian workforce is between 430-471 million persons. If the gems and jewellery industry employs 3 million people as per the Ministrys target, this would be 0. per cent of the workforce. An industry that employs less than one per cent of the Indian workforce is currently enjoying tax benefits amounting to Rs 65,000 crore (nearly 20 per cent of all revenue foregone). The Food Bill will benefit 67 per cent of the population at an additional cost of Rs 30,000 crore, yet it is said that it will â€Å"torpedo† the Budget. If anything, the NFSB does not go far enough. The NFSB tabled in Parliament in December 2011 included special provisions for the destitute and other vulnerable groups (e. g. , community kitchens and social security pensions). These have been discarded in the version cleared by Cabinet on March 19, 2013. In many rural areas, the Block is already too far to go to complain, yet for violations of rights under the NFSB, grievance redressal only begins at the District level. Viewed in this comparative perspective (for example, it is approximately 1 per cent of the GDP), few can question the affordability or desirability of the NFSB. In absolute terms it is not a small amount. One might argue whether such expenditure is worth it, given the â€Å"fact† that the programmes in its ambit, for example, the PDS, are â€Å"dysfunctional† (Indian Express, March 19, 2013). However, recent data from the National Sample Survey of 2004-05 and 2009-10 suggest that while the functioning of the PDS is far from perfect, we do need to update our â€Å"facts†. In joint research with Jean Dreze, we show that the implicit subsidy from the PDS eliminates 18 per cent (14 per cent) of the â€Å"poverty gap† — or the difference between the poverty line level of income and the median income (or monthly per capita consumption expenditure) of poor households — among poor rural (urban) households. Again, there are marked inter-State contrasts — in Tamil Nadu the corresponding figure is 60 per cent and in Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh it is nearly 40 per cent. The real question then is not whether India can afford to have a right to food but as the Food Minister said in a recent interview, â€Å"Can we afford not to? † Food as a right In its latest form, the National Food Security Bill, 2013 promises to address the extreme irony of an ambitious nation holding mountains of food in storage, while masses of its people are undernourished or even starving. The right to food is finally on the threshold of being legislated. Every step taken to widen the coverage of food security schemes is an advance. Yet, the empirical truth is that incremental measures at targeting the needy are a poor substitute for a cohesive, rights-based universal system of food entitlements. There are, no doubt, many positives to the new legislation, such as coverage of up to 75 per cent of eligible priority households in rural areas, the importance given to women as the head of the household for issue of ration cards, inclusion of pregnant and lactating women for free meals (some in government wanted to take away this entitlement from women ho bear more than two children but the idea was sensibly dropped), and setting up of State Food Commissions to investigate violations of entitlements. Under the proposed law, it will be up to the States to frame criteria and choose the priority households for food entitlements, an exercise that will inevitably be accompanied by the well-documented troubles associated with targeting any welfare scheme. Exclusion of any deserving household is unfair and divisive. It poses a challenge to States that wish to provide universal access, an issue that is bound to be felt acutely in urban areas attracting tens of thousands of migrant labourers. The Centre is unwilling to countenance a Universal Public Distribution System on the ground that too much money is involved. Even under the latest Bill, it is argued, the exchequer would have to bear a heavy expenditure of Rs. 1. 24 lakh crore. Yet, the government has not hesitated to build up expensive food stocks over the years, some of which is left to rot, mainly to pay the high support prices demanded by influential sections of the farm lobby. Moreover, the policy orientation is disproportionately favourable towards some sectors such as infrastructure, compared to food and health care. Evidently, the Food Bill can and should do a lot more, to become near-universal and win over sceptics such as Tamil Nadu, which has opposed it on the ground that it is inferior to the universal PDS in the State. Also noteworthy is the fact that the Chhattisgarh Food Security Act has done better than the Centre’s proposed law in some respects — by supplying subsidised pulses and covering 90 per cent of households, for example.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Raw Power of A Streetcar Named Desire Essay -- Streetcar Named Des

The Raw Power of A Streetcar Named Desire      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tennessee Williams's play A Streetcar Named Desire contains more within it's characters, situations, and story than appears on its surface. As in many of Williams's plays, there is much use of symbolism and interesting characters in order to draw in and involve the audience.   The plot of A Streetcar Named Desire alone does not captivate the audience.   It is Williams's brilliant and intriguing characters that make the reader truly understand the play's meaning.   He also presents a continuous flow of raw, realistic moods and events in the play which keeps the reader fascinated in the realistic fantasy Williams has created in A Streetcar Named Desire.   The symbolism, characters, mood, and events of this play collectively form a captivating, thought-provoking piece of literature.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A Streetcar Named Desire produces a very strong reaction.   Even at the beginning of the play, the reader is confronted with extremely obvious symbolism in order to express the idea of the play.   Blanche states that she was told "to take a streetcar named Desire, and then to transfer to one called Cemeteries".   One can not simply read over this statement without assuming Williams is trying to say more than is written.   Later in the play, the reader realizes that statement most likely refers to Blanche's arriving at the place and situation she is now in because of her servitude to her own desires and urges.   What really makes A Streetcar Named Desire such an exceptional literary work is the development of interesting, involving characters.   As the play develops, the audience sees that Blanche is less proper and refined than she ... ...st into a reality which is not his own, yet somehow seems familiar. This realistic fantasy Williams creates with his brilliant use of symbolism, intriguing characters, and involving action in the play causes the reader to connect fully with the setting, characters, conflicts, and emotions within.    BIBLIOGRAPHY    Adler, Thomas P.   A Streetcar Named Desire: The Moth and the Lantern. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1990    Kernan, Alvin B.   "Truth and Dramatic Mode in A Streetcar Named Desire, In Modern Critical Views: Tennessee Williams."   Ed. Harold Bloom.   New York: Chealsea House Publishers, 1987    Quirino, Leonard.   "The Cards Indicate a Voyage on A Streetcar Named Desire, In Modern Critical Interpretations: Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire."   Ed. Harold Bloom.   New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1988   

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Computer and Information System Essay

The single information technology system that holds the most potential for my organization is Electronic Health Records (EHR). The organization I am associated with is a small orthopedic surgery practice that houses five physicians. Each physician operates as an independent private corporation and maintains an individual chart for each patient. If a patient visits multiple physicians within the clinic, the patient will have multiple charts. The medical records area houses all the charts for all the physicians. An EHR system would reduce storage space, allow physicians to have better information access when treating patients already seen by other physicians within the clinic, and reduce costs in supplies for paper charts and medical records personnel. EHR systems are supposed to increase the quality of patient care and revitalize practices by saving the health care system by 77. 8 billion annually (Baron, 2005). Approximately 78% of physicians in the United States operate in practices with fewer than eight physicians (Baron, 2005). Therefore, overcoming and understanding the obstacles these small practices face will be essential in successful EHR systems. EHR systems work to help reduce repetitive processes such as prescription refills and documenting, real-time, conversations with patients for better continuity of care. The major barriers of EHR systems are initial costs, training, and long-term support. In all, an EHR system would allow physicians in our small practice to communicate more clearly with patients on the telephone, transmit important information efficiently to other specialists, spend less time paging through charts for obscure lab values, and allow physician’s access to current health information without having to leave the room and interrupt a patient encounter. By far, an EHR system would have the single most impact in my organization.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Reliance Communications Essay

Reliance Communications is capable of delivering services covering entire gamut of information and communication value chain. Their products and services include infrastructure setting, applications and consultancy. Its corporate clientele includes 600 Indian, 250 multinational corporations and over 200 global carriers and owns and operates the world’s largest next generation, IP enabled connectivity infrastructure, comprising over 150,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable systems in India, Europe, Middle East and the Asia Pacific region. Our project is on gaining market share in the field of Postpaid Division & Data Services (GPRS & 3G) and the strategic decisions involved in it. The division that we will be working on is the Direct & DST-Postpaid division. We have Mr. Anil Das (Head-postpaid and 3G services for Rcom Odisha) mentoring us on this project. The initial idea is to explore the scope of this project from various angles and evaluate the decisions taken by RCom to achieve their desired market share. We found out that globalisation has made telecommunication an integral part of the infrastructure of the Indian economy. The telecom sector in India has developed as a result of this. The telecom sector experienced a rapid growth over the past decade on account of regulatory liberalisation, structural reforms and competition, making telecom one of the major catalysts in India’s growth story. Much of this growth can be attributed to the growth in mobile telephony (number of mobile subscribers grew from 10 million in 2002 to 392 million in 2009) and the growth in the service and IT and ITeS sector. Telecom has emerged as a key factor for economic and consumer growth. The contribution of the sector to GDP is growing (more than doubled). Telecom is one of the fastest-growing industries in India (on an average 8 million wireless subscribers are added every month)

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The Influence of the Renaissance in Shakespeares Work

The Influence of the Renaissance in Shakespeares Work It’s very easy to think of Shakespeare as a unique genius with a singular perspective on the world around him. However, Shakespeare was very much a product of the radical cultural shifts that were occurring in Elizabethan England during his lifetime. When Shakespeare was working in the  theater, the Renaissance movement in the arts was peaking in England. The new openness and humanism are reflected in Shakespeare’s plays. The Renaissance in Shakespeares Time Broadly speaking, the Renaissance period is used to describe the era when Europeans moved away from the restrictive ideas of the Middle Ages. The ideology that dominated the Middle Ages was heavily focused on the absolute power of God and was enforced by the formidable Roman Catholic Church. From the 14th century onward, people started to break away from this idea. The artists and thinkers of the Renaissance did not necessarily reject the idea of God. In fact, Shakespeare himself may have been Catholic. The Renaissance cultural creators did, however, question humankind’s relationship to God. This questioning produced enormous upheaval in the accepted social hierarchy. And the new focus on humanity created new-found freedom for artists, writers, and philosophers to be inquisitive about the world around them. They often drew on the more human-centered classical writing and art of ancient Greece and Rome for inspiration. Shakespeare,  the Renaissance Man The Renaissance arrived in England rather late. Shakespeare was born toward  the end of the broader Europe-wide Renaissance period, just as it was peaking in England. He was one of the first playwrights to bring the Renaissance’s core values to the theater. Shakespeare embraced the Renaissance in the following ways: Shakespeare updated the simplistic, two-dimensional writing style of pre-Renaissance drama. He focused on creating human characters with psychological complexity. Hamlet is perhaps the most famous example of this.The upheaval in social hierarchy allowed Shakespeare to explore the complexity and humanity of every character, regardless of their social position. Even monarchs were portrayed as having human emotions and were capable of making terrible mistakes. Consider King Lear or Macbeth.Shakespeare utilized his knowledge of Greek and Roman classics when writing his plays. Before the Renaissance, these texts had been suppressed by the Catholic Church. Religion in Shakespeares Time Elizabethan England endured a different form of religious oppression than that which had dominated the Middle Ages. When she took the throne, Queen Elizabeth I forced conversions and drove practicing Catholics underground with her imposition of the Recusancy Acts. These laws required citizens to attend worship in Anglican churches. If discovered, Catholics faced stiff penalties or even death. Despite these laws, Shakespeare did not appear to be afraid to write about Catholicism nor to present Catholic characters in a favorable light. His inclusion of Catholicism in his works has led historians to hypothesize that the Bard was secretly Catholic. Catholic characters included Friar Francis ( Much Ado About Nothing),  Friar Laurence (Romeo and Juliet), and even  Hamlet. At the very least, Shakespeare’s writing indicates a thorough knowledge of Catholic rituals. Regardless of what he may have been doing secretly, he maintained a public persona as an Anglican. He was baptized in and buried at  Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon, a Protestant church.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Definition of a Private University

Definition of a Private University A private university is  simply a university whose funding comes from tuition, investments, and private donors, not from taxpayers. That said, only a small handful of universities in the country are truly independent of governmental support, for many higher education programs such as Pell Grants are supported by the government, and universities tend to get significant tax breaks because of their non-profit status. On the flip side, many public universities receive only a small percentage of their operating budgets from state tax payer dollars, but public universities, unlike private institutions, are administered by public officials and can sometimes fall victim to the politics behind state budgets. Examples of Private Universities Many of the countrys most prestigious and selective institutions are private universities including all of the Ivy League schools (such as  Harvard University  and Princeton University), Stanford University,  Emory University, Northwestern University, University of Chicago, and Vanderbilt University. Because of separation of church and state laws, all universities with a distinct religious affiliation are private including  University of Notre Dame, Southern Methodist University, and Brigham Young University. Features of a Private University A private university has several features that distinguish it from a liberal arts college or community college: Undergraduate and graduate student focus:  Unlike liberal arts colleges, universities often have significant masters and doctoral programs. MIT, for example, has nearly 3,000 more graduate students than undergraduate students.Graduate degrees:  Most degrees awarded from a liberal arts college are four-year bachelors degrees; at a private university, advanced degrees such as an M.A., M.F.A., M.B.A., J.D., Ph.D., and M.D. are also common.Medium size:  No private universities are as large as some of the huge public universities, but they tend to be larger than liberal arts colleges. Total undergraduate enrollments between 5,000 and 15,000 are typical although there are certainly some that are smaller and some that are larger. Some private (as well as public) universities have significant online programs, but in this article well consider only the residential student population.Broad academic offerings:  Universities are typically made up of several colleges, and students can oft en choose courses in the liberal arts and sciences or more specialized fields such as engineering, business, health, and fine arts. Youll often see a school called a comprehensive university because it covers a full spectrum of academic areas. Faculty focus on research:  At big-name private universities, professors are often evaluated for their research and publishing first, and teaching second. At most liberal arts colleges, teaching has the top priority. That said, a majority of private universities actually do value teaching over research, but these schools rarely have the name recognition of the research powerhouses. Faculty members at regional public universities tend to have much higher teaching loads than the faculty at prestigious flagship state campuses.Residential:  The majority of students at private universities live at college and attend full time. In general, youll find far more commuter students and part-time students at public universities and community colleges.Name recognition: The most prestigious and well-known schools in the world are largely private universities. Every member of the Ivy League is a private university, as are Stanford, Duke, Georgetown,  Johns Hopkins  and MIT. Are Private Universities More Expensive than Public Universities? At first glance, yes, private universities typically have a higher sticker price than public universities. This is not always true. For example, out-of-state tuition for the University of California system is higher than many private universities. However, the top 50 most expensive institutions in the country are all private. That said, sticker price and what students actually pay are two very different things. If you come from a family that earns $50,000 a year, for example, Harvard University (one of the most expensive universities in the country) will be free for you. Yes, Harvard will actually cost you less money than your local community college. This is because the countrys most expensive and elite universities are also the ones that have the largest endowments and the best financial aid resources. Harvard pays all costs for students from families with modest income. So if you qualify for financial aid, you should definitely not favor public universities over private ones based solely on price. You may very well find that with financial aid the private institution is competitive with if not cheaper than the public institution. If you are from a high income family and wont qualify for financial aid, the equation will be quite different. Public universities are likely to cost you less. Merit aid, of course, can change the equation. The very best private universities (such as Stanford, MIT, and the Ivies) do not offer merit aid. Aid is based entirely on need. Beyond these few top schools, however, strong students will find a range of opportunities for winning substantial merit-based scholarships from both private and public universities. Finally, when calculating the cost of a university, you should also look at the graduation rate. The countrys better private universities do a better job graduating students in four years than the majority of public universities. This is largely because strong private universities have more financial resources for staffing required courses and providing quality one-on-one academic advising. A Final Word About Private Universities As you work to create your college wish list, dont rule out private universities because you think they will be too expensive. Instead, search for schools that are a good match for your educational, professional, and personal goals. Be sure to visit small colleges, public universities, and private universities so that you get a feel for the pros and cons of each.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Management- Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management- Strategies - Essay Example The growth of the specialty discount industry is attributed to the wide selection of merchandise that the stores carried and their everyday low pricing strategy. Full line chains perceived this segment as â€Å"category killers† since their merchandise line-up could not offer the same amount of shelf space and square footage to any one product category. Research shows that consumers are likely to find what they are looking for in specialty stores than they would in full line discount stores. Buying preferences and buying patterns of consumers also change more often (Gamble, p.957). The full-line discount segment is also growing faster than the U.S. economy. The entire retail discount industry was both rapidly going into consolidation through mergers and acquisitions, liquidation, and bankruptcy. Rivalry in this sector revolves around store location, pricing, and promotion. The advent of consolidation will make it easier for Wal-Mart to merge with or acquire smaller retail stores in the U.S and abroad. Considering that Wal-Mart is one of the leading stores in the industry, they have the bargaining power over their suppliers which in effect would give them pricing advantages over other retailers. If a Wal-Mart moves into a community, chances are the other retailers in that community, especially if they are privately owned are going to lose money and may even be forced to close down. SinceWal-Mart is the largest retailer in the United States and number 1 on the Fortune 500 list, they have the ability to lower their prices and therefore can force other retailers out of business because they can not match Wal-Marts low prices (Pereira et al, 2002). Business level strategies describes how firms outperform each other and enjoy such competitive advantage over time. Michael Porter identifies three generic strategies: cost leadership,differentiation, and focus (Dess & Lumpkin, 2002). From the 1940s to the 1970s, the cola industry was dominated by

Thursday, October 31, 2019

In what ways and due to which factors do migrants experiences of home Essay

In what ways and due to which factors do migrants experiences of home change when they leave their homelands - Essay Example figures, the World Bank (2014) reported that the 900,000 net migration in the United Kingdom is significantly lower as compared to the 5,000,002 net migration in the United States. Each person has their own reasons for migrating to another place or another country (Bailey, 2008, p. 3). Among the common reasons for migrating are better work or employment opportunities (Parutis, 2014; Dako-Gyeke, 2013; Appave, 2008, p. 151; Bean, Gonzalez-Baker and Capps, 2001, pp. 669 - 703), adoption, marriage, retirement, or the need to accompany ageing parents (Appave, 2008, p. 151; Wray and Bartholomew, 2006). Specifically the main purpose of this essay is to discuss the migrants’ experiences of homeland change when they move abroad, and identify all factors that encourage migrants to leave their homelands. As part of going through discussion, the main purpose of this essay will be applied in the case of the United Kingdom and the United States. In general, people’s experiences of their homeland change when they move abroad differ from one another. In most cases, the race and cultural identity of migrants tend to have strong effects on their overall experiences when they move abroad (Silva, 2009; Valdivia et al., 2008). In relation to homeland change, some immigrants may experience â€Å"cultural displacement† (Malkki, 1992, p. 25). It means that the cultural practices or religious beliefs of the immigrants tend to be totally different from the cultural practice or religious belief that is commonly being practiced by people who live in the country where they have decided to move. Even though there are some migrants who end up having a better life when they move to either the United States or the United Kingdom, some migrants may have a bad experience particularly with regard to cultural adjustment (Dako-Gyeke, 2013; Gupta and Ferguson, 1992). For example, when migrants move to either the United Kingdom or Unit ed States, it is expected that these people would experience

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Four things one should know about the University of Miami Essay

Four things one should know about the University of Miami - Essay Example One of the significant differences that the CoE has from other colleges in UM is the structure to add and drop classes. The students are always required to see an advisor who assigns them the classes take. Students cannot add or drop classes by themselves. â€Å"The curriculum is so particular that we want to make sure that the students remain on track,† says the CoE academic advisor. The CoE is the only college in UM that has grown so much compared to the previous year. According to Mrs. Sierra, this is attributed to the fact that students who complete an Engineering degree have their choice of job. They are very lucky to get opportunities in other areas of their wish. Usually, the college has a higher rate of employment compared to other schools and majors. Students in the CoE are likely to do a semester abroad. The University of Miami has a wide range of programs for the students and their different majors. â€Å"I went to study abroad last summer in Rome, and it was the best experience in my life. I could see different types of structural buildings that do not exist here in America,† says Valeria Angelini, a sophomore, studying Civil Engineering. The professors in CoE ensure that freshman students are in the same level of knowledge, so they can help each other. This way, they make friends that for the rest of the three years in the university. â€Å"I am from Guatemala, and when I came to UMI, I was afraid to be alone; in fact, I remember making many friends in my freshman year,† says Alex Kuesterman, sophomore, studying Industrial Engineering.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility on Consumers

Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility on Consumers 1.1 Research Background and Motivations Throughout the history of cosmetics (Appendice B), substances of all sort were utilised to produce products to enhance beauty and social lives, however with time certain substances were found to be hazardous, dangerous and poisoness. The cosmetic industry of the twenty-first century has evolved to adopt a more structured model of regulations in regards to which substances may and may not be utilised in the manufacturing of products. However, it is an industry that has become accountable to consumers and society in terms of how the products are produced (Eg. No testing on animals, chemical free, etc) and the effects of these products on consumers, society and our environment. Thus, CSR is becoming a vital issue in determining a companys performance and how it manages its economic, social and environmental impacts, as well as its contribution to society. CSR can be best explained as business practices or strategies that has the aim of satisfying the financial interests of organisations while positively impacting society (Foran et al., 2005). Though, CSR may involve certain investments for an organisation, it can also provide a source of opportunity and may; in certain circumstances; lead to building and sustaining competitive advantage. Many research on CSR has focused on the organisational business side and few have focused on the influence of CSR on consumers. However, consumers are essential to the success of CSR and understanding their attitudes towards CSR can enable companies to determine if their CSR business strategies are efficient, and the extent to which consumers are affected by these. Companies have also realised that consumers are making consumption decisions based on their personal ethical values, and according to Tallontire et al. (2001) ethics in consumption choices has become a growing phenomenon that underpins ethical trade activities. Many studies by scholars and practitioners when identifying and assessing the components of CSR, often refer to Archie B. Carrolls CSR pyramid (Ibrahim Parsa, 2005; Schwartz Carroll, 2003). However, there is very limited research in regards to the concept of CSR relating to that of consumer behaviour, and more precisely taking into account factors such as consumers attitudes and ethical beliefs. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to provide a better understanding of the concept and role of CSR, and explore how it is applied by the main local players within the CCI in France. The study focuses on examining the extent to which CSR affects consumers attitudes, and how their ethical beliefs may influence their attitudes towards CSR. 1.2 Context of the Problem Defining the problem is one of the most important steps in the research process and enables to indentify the specific marketing decision area that will be clarified by answering some research questions (Koerner 2006; Zikmund 1989). Growing pressure from governments, NGOs and consumer movements for companies to account for their impact of business operations on society and the environment; has lead more companies to invest in CSR initiatives and in managing more efficiently their SRI. However the issue arises in understanding whether consumers are actually aware of CSR practices adopted by companies, to which extent do they consider these when making a purchase decision, how are their attitudes affected, and in which manner do their ethical beliefs play a role in their decision making and their perception of CSR. 1.3 Research Aims and Objectives 1.3.1 Aims The aim of this dissertation is to investigate the role of CSR and its affect on consumers attitudes and ethical beliefs, within the CCI in France. The study also aims to determine if an association exists between CSR, consumers attitudes and ethical beliefs, and whether this may have an influence on consumers purchase behaviour. 1.3.2 Objectives Research Objectives provide guidelines in determining which steps must be undertaken in the research and if objectives are achieved the research information is considered sufficient to solve the problem (Hair et al. 2006). The main objectives of this research are the following : (1) To provide facts about the demographic characteristics of consumers who purchase colour cosmetics, as well as insights into their purchase behaviour, (2) To provide a better understanding of the role of CSR and examine the different frameworks, approaches to CSR, (3) To explore to which extent CSR affects consumers attitudes and whether consumers ethical beliefs plays a role, (4) To examine if relationships exists between consumers attitudes, ethical beliefs and Carolls four dimensions of CSR, (5) To determine what are the factors and information sources considered important when judging a company, and; (6) To determine what are the social issues consumers are most concerned about. 1.4 Hypotheses The previous research objectives constitute the basis for establishing the hypotheses of the study in order to measure the effect of CSR on ethical beliefs and consumers attitudes within the Colour Cosmetics industry in France: H1. There exists a positive relationship between Ethical beliefs and Awareness of CSR H2. There exists a positive relationship between Ethical beliefs and Feelings towards companies adopting CSR H3. There exists a positive relationship between Ethical beliefs and Considering CSR in purchase decision H4. There exists a positive relationship between Ethical beliefs and Ethical purchase behaviour H5. There exists a positive relationship between the Affective component of attitudes and Awareness of CSR H6. There exists a positive relationship between the Affective component of attitudes and Considering CSR in purchase decision H7. There exists a positive relationship between the Affective component of attitudes and Ethical purchase behaviour H8. There exists a positive relationship between the Cognitive component of attitudes and Considering CSR in purchase decision H9. There exists a positive relationship between the Cognitive component of attitudes and Ethical purchase behaviour The development of these hypothesis will be reviewed in Chapter 3, Section 3.6 of this dissertation. 1.5 Scope and Limitations This dissertation will cover the concept of CSR and will investigate the relationship between CSR and consumers attitudes and ethical beliefs. The study will also providing a brief overview of the main companies present in the local French market, and the extent to which they adopt CSR policies. The sample unit is limited to that of French consumers, having the following characteristics : female consumers , above the age of 18 years old and residing in France. Consideration must be taken that the author has attempted to present references the most frequently cited in the literature reviewed. The author attempts to make the link between the concept of CSR and consumers attitudes and ethical beliefs, hence for the purpose of this study, the models applied have been limited to that of the CSR Pyramid Model proposed by Carroll (1979) , and the Tricomponent Attitude Model. However, there is very limited research that exists linking these two models, and thus the literature reviewed may be limited in certain areas. 1.6 Organisation of the thesis The dissertation was divided into six chapters: Chapter One, provides the significance of the study, context of the problem, aims and objectives, states the hypotheses, scope and limitations of the study, and the present organisation of the thesis. Chapter Two, presents facts and informations issued from the secondary and exploratory research in regards to the CCI, and CSR practices of the main players within the local French market. Chapter Three, consists of a review of relevant literature and theoretical models in regards to the concept of CSR, implementing and measuring performance of CSR. It will also provide relevant literature reviewed in regards to linking CSR to consumer attitudes, and thus will also address the theory of attitudes, through the Tricomponent Attitude Model. Chapter Four, presents the research philosophy, research methodology and methods adopted for collecting, analysing and discussing the relevant data obtained for the purpose of this study. The design and implementation of the questionnaire survey, and the reliability, validity, limitations and ethics of the research will also be adressed. Chapter Five presents research findings in regards to primary data collection, and presents the results regarding the validity of the stated hypotheses. Chapter Six, provides the final conclusions of the study conducted, limitations and future recommendations. References, bibliograpgy, appendices, s, graphs and tables follow Chapter Six. chapter 2 : colour cosmetics industry review This chapter will define cosmetics in the context of this dissertation and will also present an overview of the CCI in France (section 2.2, and Appendice C), as well as its main players (Section, 2.3 and Appendice D). CSR practices adopted by the main local players and whether these companies provide a CSR policy will also be addressed. 2.1 Defining Cosmetics According to the current EU legislation cited in Morganti Paglialunga (2008), a cosmetic product is ‘any substance or preparation intended to be placed in contact with the various external parts of the human body with a view exclusively or mainly to cleaning them, perfuming them, changing their appearance and/or correcting body odours and/or protecting them or keeping them in good condition. The word ‘cosmetic in greek derives from the word ‘kosmetikos and the meaning allocated is ‘to make for beauty, especially of the complexion, or beautifying. The meaning over time has evolved into that of ‘ masking, concealing, cover up or that of camouflaging . Cosmetics consists of products such as personal care creams, makeup, perfumes, deodorant, shampoos, etc. The term ‘make-up is more often used when speaking of colour cosmetics and according to Oumeish (2001) means ‘to use cosmetics and apply them to color and beautify the face, and to other parts of the body. This dissertation will be focusing on the Category of Colour Cosmetics, which involves: (1) facial make-up, (2) eye make-up, (3) lip products, and (4) nail products. 2.2 Colour Cosmetics Industry in France The French Colour Cosmetic dominates the European market and 15,7% of the European market value. It holds the second largest market value in Europe behind that of the United Kingdom. (Euromonitor International, 2009). The local French market is largely dominted by major players such as LOreal SA that holds 38,80% of total market shares, followed by Chanel S.A with 13,40% and LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vitton S.A with 9,40% of market shares (Datamonitor, 2008). Other players present in the local market include Estee Lauder, Beiersdorf-Nivea Beautà ©, Clarins S.A, Coty, Yves Rocher, and Shiseido. (Appendice C) The colour cosmetic market consists of 4 subsectors, that of (1) facial make-up, (2) eye make-up, (3) lip products and (4) nail products. The facial make-up category dominates the sector with 36,40% of market value, followed by eye make-up with 34,40%, lip make-up with 19,70% and nail make-up with 9,40%. The fastest growing category in 2008 were facial make-up which had a growth of 4% and eye make-up, by 3% (Euromonitor International, 2008 2009). According to Datamonitor report (2008), distribution of products are mainly through Supermarkets/Hypermarkets, with 45,7% and specialised retailers with 39,5% of the markets distribution, and other channels of distribution represent 14.8%. Many French women are now more inclined to mix premium and mass brands (Euromonitor International, 2009). However with increase awareness of consumers attitudes towards toxic chemicals having negative aspects on health, the premium segment is becoming more popular amongst females who are in search of more safe to use products, and environemntally friendly. The legal environment also oversees the French industry by adopting strict regulations towards ingredients which are allowed to be utilised in the cosmetic product, or those that may be considered dangerous in regards to health aspects. Examples such as adoption of Directives 93/35/CEE (1993), Directives CEE (2004), European International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients. Since 2009, the European Union has also put legilsatives in place banning animal testing within the E.U and also sale of any product that has been prior tested on animals (Kumar, 2005). 2.3 Colour Cosmetic Companies and CSR Practices The following will provide a brief overview of the 3 major colour cosmetic players in France (LOreal, Chanel and LVMH), and discuss whether these companies have adopted CSR activities within their business strategy, and will state if a formal (written, printable report of their CSR policy) or informal CSR policy (only available on their corporate website) has been adopted. Other players present in the local market such as Estee Lauder, Beiersdorf-Nivea Beautà ©, Clarins S.A, Coty, Yves Rocher, and Shiseido, are also presenetd, in Appendice D of this dissertation. LOreal S.A In France, LOreal S.A accounts for 38,80% of total market shares (Datamonitor 2008). It is the worlds second largest manufacturer of cosmetics and toiletries. LOreal operates through three business divisions: cosmetics, the Body Shop, and dermatology. Its main colour cosmetic brands are : LOreal Paris, Gemey Maybelline Garnier, Lancome and The Body shop. LOreal acquired The Body Shop in March 2006, which enabled to position itself in the ethical cosmetics market, to reinforce this positionment. LOreal also acquired a leading french company Sanoflore, which is specialised in organic cosmetics. This strategy enables LOreal to develop into the organic and natural cosmetics market (Euromonitor International, 2009). LOreal invests largely in CSR practices, and provides a formal CSR policy which enables to support its disclosure and transparency to the public in regards to its business operations. LOreal addresses an extensive lists of social and ethical issues such as contributing to the society and community, addressing issues of sustainability, preserving the environment, labour and human rights, actions against animal testing, donating to charities and natural disasters, developing education, supporting medical research, adopting ethical standards throughout the entire company and subsidaires, its employees and having strict ethical requirements for its suppliers. Chanel S.A was established in 1924 by Coco Chanel, and is owned by the Swiss company Pamerco. It is a privately held company and is not obligated to release any financial results. It is specialised in a wide range of products such as fashion, watches, eye wear, fragrances and beauty products. In France, Chanel S.A accounts for 13,40% of total market shares in the cosmetics market. It operates in Europe, Asia and USA (Datamonitor 2008), with the highest shares of market value in that of Western Europe (Euromonitor International 2009). Its colour cosmetic products are distributed unders the brands Bourjois and that of Chanel. In order to improve financial results due to the economic downturn, community projects such as ‘Mobile Art Tour have been stopped in order to focus investments on other strategies. However, no information in concerns to CSR practices nor that of any formal CSR policy was publicly available on their corporate website. However, it cannot be assumed that they do not invest in CSR, but may have chosen not to make publicly available their CSR policies. LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vitton S.A Is an international group of companies with principal activities focused on the production and sale of luxury goods. Its main divisions are : wines and spirits, fashion and leather goods, fragrances and cosmetics, jewelry and selective retailing sectors. LVMH operates about 1,859 stores worldwide (Datamonitor 2008). In France, LVMH group accounts for 9,40% of total market shares in the colour cosmetics market (Datamonitor 2008). Its main brands in the colour cosmetic segment include : Christian Dior, Guerlain, , Hard Candy, Benefit Cosmetics, Urban Decay, Fresh, Make Up for Ever and Dior Addict. (Datamonitor, 2009, LVMH Group 2009). LVMH adopts an informal CSR policy which is publicly available on their corporate website. The company is largely invested in the french community and believes in promoting french culture, art and heritage. It allocates important investments towards community projects, and is involved in many initiatives to promote french cultural heritage. chapter 3: literature review and theoretical framework 3.1 The Concept of CSR The section 3.1 will provide the literature review in regards to the background of CSR, its purpose, how CSR is defined, implementing CSR and monitor CSP, as well as the criticism of the concept. It will also focus on presenting the different dimensions of CSR through Carrolls CSR Pyramid Model (1979). 3.1.1 Background of CSR During the eighteenth century companies took little responsibility for their impact of business operations. According to writings of the Scottish philosopher of the eighteenth century, Adam Smith (1776) many corporations limited their operations according to the rules of pure competition. This gradually evolved and companies started taking full responsibility for their business impact on society, the community and the economy. Many academics believe that the roots of CSR originated from nineteenth century U.S industrialist, Andrew Carnegie, in his writings from the ‘Gospel of wealth, where he was the first to express publicly his beliefs that that the most fortunate members of society should ensure that money was used to aspire the less fortunate members (Carnegie Corporation New York). The early twentieth century, saw businesses adopt more responsibility in regards to society and the community which was mainly represented by CP. According to Carroll (1999), and Hopkins (1999) cited in Leal (2007), the discussion about SR of businesses began to become more prominent from the 1930s, with authors like Chester Barnard, J.M Clark, Theodore Kreps and Merick Dodd. Prior to the 1960s, business ethics was rather left to theologians to discuss issues of fair wages, unfair labor practices, and the morality of capitalism (Lantos, 2001). From the 1960s, companies were more focusing on generating profits that outweighted largely over moral principles. It was during this era that consumers began to manifest their mecontentment against unethical business behaviour. During the 1960s Milton Friedman, Nobel Prize winner in economics in 1976, raised an issue by stating that the ‘only obligation a business had was to generate profits for its sharehlders. It was only during the 1970s, that the concept evolved when CP was supplemented by corporate initiatives and activities, and businesses taking a more responsible attitude towards societal needs. It was considered that companies should not pursue profit without taking into consideration business ethics, acting in a social responsible manner and being a good corporate citizen. In the 1980s, R. Edward Freeman (in contrast to the views by Milton Friedman), argued on the issue that CSR is a question of managing stakeholders, and that values and ethics are necessarily a part of doing business. The last decades, growing interest has been more towards environmental issues (Eg. Global warming, climate change, pollution index, etc), and how companies are addressing such issues through adoption of sustainable development. 3.1.2 CSR in France In France, the concept of CSR surfaced during the late nineteenth century. Early twentieth century, professional organisations as well as commercial undertakings have been adopting texts containing social standards that employers must observe (Segal et al., 2003). During the 1980s, the concept was mainly issued from the idea to combine economic and social policy, and on the basis of promoting the concept of the ‘corporate citizen. There was great involvement on the part of undertakings in civic life, such as lobbying to exert an influence on the decisions made by the public authorities or providing sponsorship to support social, cultural and sporting activities (Segal et al. , 2003). According to Segal et al. (2003), the CSR movement from the United States did not reach France until the early 1990s, however, companies in France referred more to the term ‘corporate citizenship (in french ‘citoyennetà © dentreprise), which was more familiar to them, than CSR. Due to cultural differences, some aspects of the CSR concept as it was constructed by Anglo-American background, did not adapt well into the French cultural landscape, such as the idea that all stakeholders should be taken into account, or the fact of a responsibility that merely complements that of companies. This is explained by the fact that the State and the Law are regarded as the only guarantors of a principle of SR that applies to all, whereas initiatives emanating from civil society are perceived as campaigns and suspected of concealing vested interests (Segal et al. ,2003). CSR, in France is exercised within an increasingly precise legal framework, particularly because the law encourages undertakings to adopt standards of SR. It is a frequent custom for the people in France, to turn to the public authorities demanding that they ‘face up to their responsibilities and lay down the laws recognising a new social problem and addressing it, rather than provide laws that define minimal thresholds for companies (Segal et al., 2003). 3.1.3 The Purpose of CSR With the increasingly pressure received from Governments, NGOs, consumer movements, activists, shareholders, the public and the media has lead companies to account for their social and environmental impacts of their activities. As a result the twenty-first century is seeing CSR emerging as an important area in business strategies. Advocates of CSR have used four main arguments to justify the reason for CSR : (1) moral obligation of companies in adopting an ethical and responsible behaviour; (2) sustainability in terms of the TBL, (3) license to operate in terms of companies identifying social issues important to stakeholders and taking approrpiate related decisions, and (4) reputation by investing in cause-related marketing campaigns (Porter Kramer, 2006). Porter Kramer (2002), also suggest that CSR practices can provide economic benefits if the social improvement has been related to the companys business. Companies often willingly engage in socially responsible behaviour because it enhances shareholder value by keeping a business on the right side of the law (Martin, 2002). Companies can serve shareholder interests while also serving those of a larger community. Most CSR practices implemented by firms are largely based on Philanthropy activities, and used as a purpose to promote the the corporate image. It can also contribute to improving the community by developing education, health, provide safe products, preserve the environment, improve employment, and on the long-term can aid in building strong ties with governments, official organisations, partnerships, and build trust within the community. According to Burke and Logsdon (1996, p. 496), ‘CSR (policy, program or process) is strategic when it yields substantial business-related benefits to the firm, in particular by supporting core business activities and thus contributing to the firms effectiveness in accomplishing its mission. 3.1.4 Defining CSR There is no formal universal definition of the concept of CSR. Many believe it concerns what corporations give back to society in return from the benefits they have gained, others tend to believe it is based on how ethically corporations behave, towards society and the environment, and in regards to its stakeholders. Often, CSR is also referred to as the ‘triple bottom line in which it refers to the corporations financial, social, and environmental performance in conducting its business. There have been numerous attempts by organisations, institutions, corporate executives and academics to clarify the constructs and concept of CSR (Dahlsrud, 2008, Lantos 2001, Tywoniak Bartlett, 2008, Van Marrewijk 2003, 2005), resulting in many definitions towards a more humane, more ethical and transparent way of doing business (Van Marrewijk 2003, 2005). Prior research by Dahlsrud (2008), reveal that there is not ‘one standard definition of CSR but that a variety of definitions exist. In his research he anyalysed 37 definitions of CSR, and results showed that, even though most definitions are different from one another textually, they are nevertheless constantly referring to the the same five dimensions: (1) environmental, (2) social, (3) economic, (4) stakeholder and (5) voluntariness. Davis (1975) describes that SR implies that companies should not only make a decision based on their own interest but are also obliged to take actions that protect and enhance societys interests. According to Sethi (1975) the concept of CSR has different meanings according to time and the cultural context and is more based on the corporate actions that enable to determine whether corporations are meeting societal expectations. According to Carroll Schwartz (2003), definitions of CSR fall into two general schools of thought, those that argue that business is obligated only to maximise profits while respecting the legal requirements and minimal ethical constraints (Friedman 1970, Levitt, 1958), and those that believe corporations are accountable on how they conduct their business toward society. CSR is concerned with businesses being morally accountable to its stakeholders, and thus that values are necessarily and explicitly a part of doing business (Freeman, et al. ,2004), and that it is a voluntary commitment by companies to exceed the explicit and implicit obligations imposed on them by societys expectations of conventional corporate behavior (Falck Heblich (2007) Others such as Davies (1960), Andrews (1973), McWilliams and Siegel (2001), Kotler and Lee (2005) refer to CSR as being an obligation to improve community well-being through transparent business practices, contribution of corporate resources, corporate decision making and actions extending beyond the firms direct economic or technical interest, and that which is required by law. In this context, CSR can therefore be seen as the voluntary assumption of responsabilities beyond that of just economic or legal (McGuire, 1963). Authoritive institutions have also attempted to define CSR. The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (2000, p.3) defined CSR as : ‘ the continuing commitment by business to contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the community and society at large. The European Trade Union (2004, p.1), on the other hand, defines CSR as ‘companies integrating social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis. And on its part, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Develpment (OECD) on their website, describe CSR as : ‘The most important contribution of business is the conduct of business itself, and its core responsibility is to yield competitive returns to shareholders by identifying and developing promising investment opportunities and must comply with legal requirements and, respond to societal expectations not written down in law books. 3.1.4.1 Carrolls CSR Pyramid Model For the purpose of this dissertation, the author has chosen to focus on Carrolls Pyramid Model ( 3.1) in order to identify the main dimensions of CSR. Carrolls Pyramid Model was selected on the basis that it seems to be the framework the most frequently referred to in the literature reviewed, in terms of managing social issues. In Carroll (1979, 1991 2000), Carroll Schwartz (2003) CSR, is defined as: ‘The social responsibility of business encompasses the economic, legal, ethical, and discretionary (philanthropic) expectations that society has of organisations at a given point in time. The following sections will provide an overview of each individual dimensions of Carrolls CSR Pyramid Model. 3.1.4.1.1 Economic Responsibilities The environment of global trade is becoming a more competitive arena and faces economic challenges (Kehoe (1998), cited in Carroll, 2000, p.35), and thus, the economic responsibility of business remains very important (Carroll, 2000). Companies business operations contribute largely to the economic unit in society. It has the responsibility to produce goods and services that society wants and to sell them at a profit, and all other business roles are predicated on this major assumption (Carroll, 1979). Economic responsibilities is characterised by companies willingness to perform in a manner consistent with maximising earnings per share, must be committed to being as profitable as possible, must maintain a high level of operating efficiency and competitive positioning and that the success of the company be defined as being consistently profitable (Carroll, 1991). 3.1.4.1.2 Legal Responsibilities Society expects business to achieve its economic operations within the framework of legal requirements. It goes on the assumption that economic responsibilities and legal responsibilities coexist and must be met simultaneously, as they represent fundamental precepts of the free enterprise system (Carroll, 1979, 1991). According to Carroll (1991), legal responsibilities can be viewed as codified ethics in the sense that they integrate the basic notions of fair operations as established by lawmakers, and are characterised by companies performing in a manner that is expected of them by government and law, and thus, that the success of the company is defined as one that fulfills its legal obligations, and to provide goods and services that meet legal requirements (Carroll, 1991). Accordoing to Carroll (1991), the Economic and the legal responsibilities are the most important components in the Pyramid Model. However, this may cause confusion when applying the framework as both components are located at the very bottom of the Pyramid. (Carroll Schwartz, 2003) 3.1.4.1.3 Ethical Responsibilities In addition to fulfilling their economic and legal responsibilities, businesses are expected to fulfill ethical responsibilities as well (Carroll 1979). ‘Ethics, are the driving forces behind every creation of laws or regulation, there are not necessarily codified into laws but are expected by society (Carroll, 1970), and concerns standards, norms, or expectations that reflect a concern for what consumers, employees, shareholders, and the community regard as fair, just, or in keeping with the respect or protection of stakeholders moral rights (Carroll, 1991). Carroll (1991), describes that the main components of ethical responsibilities of companies are to perform in a manner consistent with expectations of societal norms mores and ethical norms; to recognise and respect new or evolving ethical/moral norms adopted by society; to prevent ethical norms from being compromise