The Role Of A Government Essays - Civil Disobedience,

The Role Of A Government Sue Ellen Webb Mrs. Caudill English III Honors-5 20 January 2000 The Role of a Government Henry David Thoreau often took extreme positions on the issue of government and its role in society. To this somewhat rebellious transcendentalist, government should not govern people at all and law was often meant to be broken. Thoreau's belief in individualism was so strong in fact that it seems he often took sides on an in issue simply to be in favor of the minority, whether the majority was right or wrong. Certainly, it is important for one to be himself and stand up for what he believes in. However, to Thoreau's statement that that government is best which governs not at all is a bit extreme. Some form of government is necessary first and foremost to prevent chaos and widespread disorder. Without laws and consequences for breaking those laws, people will do exactly what pleases them without regard to how it affects others. Theft and murder will become everyday occurrences because men without ethics will see no reason not to commit these crimes. In fact, the entire population may ending killing themselves off. In addition to an increase of crime, a significant increase in poverty is likely to occur without government leadership. Without government funding, public schools, hospitals, and transportation would be nonexistent. This in conjunction with the lack of welfare funds would obviously lead to a society of poor, uneducated, Webb 2 and sickly people. Without a doubt, a society must be under the rule of a strong government power in order to function properly. Thoreau's statement is also too harsh because it has no regard for the fact that in a democratic society, the people essentially are the government. The whole purpose of a democracy is to ensure that the people govern themselves. Rather than being ruled by a dictator or monarch, members of a democratic society are able to have an input on how the government runs. Ideally, any law that is formed in this country is formed because the majority of the population want it to be formed. Rather than complaining about the existence of a government, Thoreau should have rejoiced at having the rights people in America have. It is doubtful that the laws of any other country would have allowed Thoreau more freedom or independence than the laws of the United States. If he felt otherwise or disagreed with the majority of the population, he should not have chosen to live in the United States. Certainly, one can see that Thoreau's complaints about the censorship placed upon individuals by the governme nt were unjustified. Obviously, Thoreau went too far in stating that the government should not govern at all. Without a government that does its job in governing the people, disaster will occur. While it is not the government's place to suppress the ideas or expressions of its people, it is vital to maintaining organization. As a society, people should strive to find a medium between total lack of government and total control by the government. Bibliography none

CHECKLIST Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers

LLAB 5 STUDY GUIDE/ CHECKLIST Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers LLAB 5 STUDY GUIDE/ CHECKLIST LLAB 1 Air Force Mission To fly, fight, and __ _____ _... in air, space, and _ _________ _______. Det 130 Motto __ ______ _ _____ a _______ ______, __ ____ ______ through Diversity Air Force Core Values - I- ________________ S- ________________ E- ________________ 7 Basic Responses (remember when you address higher ranks) Fill in the blank- Do you place the sir or ma'am before after the statement or question? _____________Yes_____________ _____________No_____________ _____________May I Ask a Question?_____________ _____________May I Make a Statement?_____________ _____________No excuse_____________ _____________I do not know_____________ _____________I do not understand_____________ LLAB 2 Air Force ROTC Mission - To _____ quality ________ for the Air Force. Air Force Honor Code - We will not lie , steal , or_____, nor ______ anyone _______ ____ ____ does. Air Force Birthday - ( day month year) _____ _____________ ________ Air Force Vision 20/20 - Global __________, Reach and ________ Holm Center Mission - To _______ the best Air Force _______ and ______ of ________, dedicated to serving the __________. Levels of Warfare S- ______________ _____________ O- ______________ _____________ T- ______________ _____________ Phonetic Alphabet - F- K- P- U- Z- B - G- L- Q- V- C - H- M- R- W- D- I- N- S- X- E- J- O- T- Y- Air Force Core Capabilities : Air ________ __ G_ ________ ______ A_____ ____ ____ Rapid G____ _______ ___ M____ _______ ____ P________ _____ __ E_____ ____ _______ I_______ _____ ___ S__________ ____ __ A_______ _____ ____ C_ ____ _________ S_____ ____ ____ Air Force Core Competencies D____________ Airmen T_____ ___ ____-to-W_____________ I___________ O__________ Oath of Office I, (______________), having been appointed a _ ___ ___ _______________ in the United States _____ ________, do solemnly __________ that I will support and defend the __________ of the United States against all enemies, __________ and domestic; that I will bear true __________ and __________ to the same; that I take this __________ freely, without any mental __________ or purpose of __________ ; and that I will well and faithfully __________ the duties of the __________ upon which I am about to __________ , so __________ me God. Principles of War O- O- M- E- M- U- S- S- Tenets of Air and Space Power Centralized _______ ______ __ / Decentralized ______ _____ ____ Flexibility/_____________ P______ ________ _ S_______ ________ B_______ ________ C ________ _ ______ P __________ _____ LLAB 3 Code of Conduct Code of Conduct: Article 1 I am an American Airman, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense. Code of Conduct: Article 2 I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have means to resist. Code of Conduct Article 3 If I am captured, I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy. Code of Conduct Article 4 If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners. I will give no information nor take part in any action which might be harmful to my comrades, If I am senior, I will take command. If not, I will obey the lawful orders of those appointed over me and back them up in every way. Code of Conduct Article 5 When questioned should I become a prisoner of war, I am required to give my name, rank, service number, and date of birth. I will evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful to their cause. Code of Conduct Article 6 I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which make my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America. Common AF Acronyms (What does each acronym stand for?) AAR ABU WILCO AEF TDY AOR SITREP AWOL SBI BELPs RTB CGO SIE COB

Budget Variance Report for Hospital Department Assignment

Budget Variance Report for Hospital Department - Assignment Example The researcher of this assignment discusses the best practices, that are needed when setting and managing health hospital budgets. These basically, include but not limited to using comparative benchmarks, setting up to date, high performance department budgets, establishing a cultural perspective of accountability, managing expenses such as salaries and supplies amicably, uphold monitoring variances and having corrective action plan and employing a balanced scorecard. Like many health systems departments usually trail to accomplish its operation targets with this case at hand of variation of higher salaries and much more than supplies noted. For that month, ability to meet budgeted operating margin targets was not possible. As a result, supplies had subdued expected average monthly operating margin to support the hospital in running its department. To deduce that, the researcher of this assignment is to look at factors that resulted to the variance. During that time, the department s pent 80% more on items not budgeted for that month signified a 3.6% average budget variance. However, a critical look showed that 40% of the 80% dollar value totaled necessary expanses contributed to unexpected volume increase after the budget originally drawn. The researcher states that budget variance report needed to be created from general ledger system, revenue and expenses. Other factors considered in this assignment are actual results, budget variance, percent variance and along with budget.

Management 3000 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Management 3000 - Term Paper Example However, achieving effective interpersonal skills is a process. The initial stage in the process of efficient interpersonal skills involves an individual’s understanding of self. It is common knowledge that, an individual cannot seek to understand others before effectively understanding self. After the individual has effectively understood self, the next stage involves understanding other individuals they work with. The next step involves understanding the team and its dynamics. Once an individual accomplishes these stages effectively, they are ready to manage and lead others in a workplace organization. In effect, the stages eventually lead to successful management and consequent productivity in the workplace. The journey to effectively achieving interpersonal skills starts with an individual developing self-awareness. Through self-awareness, an individual develops the ability to understand their own feelings, the reason for those feelings, and the impact of the feelings on their behavior (De Janasz, Dowd and Schneider 5). It is crucial to note that, feelings are crucial in guiding an individual to exhibit some reactions when they are in a situation. Case in point, in the movie Twelve Angry Men, one juror’s feelings about slum people as drunks and liars who fought all the time made him consider the suspect guilty since he was from the slum. In this case, the feeling about slum people this juror had, circumstantially led him to passing a guilty verdict without carrying out an effective and rational assessment of the evidence available. In a management career, self-realization and awareness are crucial and a manager should follow certain steps in order to achieve realization. The fundamental step towards the self-awareness process is creating a list of an individual’s strength. In effect, the individual should analyze and utilize these strengths in guiding their career

Managing Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managing Organizations - Essay Example The new policies and procedures will ensure that Sales, manufacturing, and engineering are prepared to accept requests. 3 Review the component inventory supply processes and make changes to ensure that ordering demands can be met. This may include improving planning and introducing an inventory control software to alert the Manufacturing Department when components are running low. This will mitigate customer shipment delays, improve customer satisfaction, and improve production efficiency 4 Conduct a time study to review the tasks within the engineering and manufacturing departments and the workflow between them to improve scheduling efficiency and determine whether any buffers can be achieved. 4 Review the possibility of paralleling tasks within each department or from engineering. The work process of first-come, first served, should be reviewed to determine whether a more efficient process could be created to improve response, and decrease dependency on the existing linear flow. 5 Provide more autonomy and empowerment to Managers to allow for creative thinking and flexibility. It is recommended that a consultant â€Å"executive coach† assist in providing a performance evaluation that reflects on strengths and development opportunities. Think about the alignment between your performance objectives and your actual behavior in how you accomplish your objectives. Ensure that your objectives are aligned to Enerstasis’s key business objectives. Better communication is required with your managers; however, a large span of control makes this difficult 6 Stan must be encouraged and motivated to follow rules and procedures, and to value networking and teamwork. His evaluation or performance appraisal should include specific metrics to reflect these norms and values. The sales compensation policy should also be changed to reflect these metrics and include incentive pays for these behaviors. 7 Ron requires further training of the business operations and its

Marketing creating hedonistic consumers

Marketing creating hedonistic consumers Within the academic and the marketing world it is recognised that there is debate on what role the discipline of marketing plays in the creation of hedonistic consumers. The most extreme debates come from those who hold opposing views. This paper will look at some of these polarised views and perspectives in regard to consumer behaviour and will argue that marketing has not created hedonistic consumers that such a stance does not allow for the complexities of human behaviour and motivations and does not take account of the dynamic nature of consumer society. We agree there are associations and parallels in the development of both consumerism and marketing but there is no evidence to prove cause and effect. According to Armstrong et al (2009, p8), wants are the form human needs take as they are shaped by culture and individual personality. Wants are shaped by ones society. Therefore, consumer wants are not shaped solely by marketers. Conversely, Solomon et al (2006, p21) highlight that marketing is often criticised for employing techniques that convince consumers that they need many material goods and that they will be unhappy and inferior if they do not have these necessities. Do marketers give people what they want, or do they tell us what we ought to want? Marketing is often assumed to be responsible for our consumer society and its hedonistic approach to consumption, and as a consequence undermines other cultural values by promoting a materialistic stance. For many commentators it is the dark side of marketing and worthy of review as it diminishes the marketing professions reputation. 1.1 Definitions Before defining hedonistic consumption, it is useful to define the philosophy of hedonism. This is a school of thought that says the pursuit of pleasure is the most important thing in life, that views man as being motivated by the desire for sensual pleasures therefore this quest for the good life becomes mans driving force. The hedonistic consumer can be viewed as pleasure loving or self indulgent person with a high level of consumption, more preoccupied with their own material goals than thinking of the wider view of society. Hedonistic consumption is the multi-sensory, fantasy and emotional aspects of consumers interactions with products. (Soloman, 2006, p39). This element of fantasy is crucial to this theory as it is the imagined pleasure that attracts the consumer. OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy describe this as the general agreement that consumer pleasure lies not so much in the physical sense as in the total emotional experience. So the pleasure and happiness is real even though the experience can be imagined in the consumers brain. From a negative point of view Migone, 2006 views it as a highly wasteful and discrimatory pattern of consumption that predominates in current capitalist models. Hedonism and Fantasy The role of fantasy in hedonic consumption is key and whilst academics view it from different perspectives they do agree that it plays a pivotal role in pleasure seeking. Gabriel and Lang (2006) are of the view that Western consumption many agree is a realm of seduction alluring and glamour. As goods leave the world of production to enter the sphere of display, circulation and consumption, they become objects of fantasy and instruments of pleasure. Whilst Abercrombie states that lives are organised around fantasies and daydreams about consuming; they are hedonists, primarily interested in pleasure, and sensual pleasure at that they are individualists, largely pursuing their own ends and uncaring about others.(Abercrombie, 1994, 44). Campbell (1987) in The Romantic Ethic and the Spirit of Modern Consumerism described the key aspect in the creation of the hedonistic consumer as being one concerned with the power of the imagination, he highlights the differences between what was regarded as the traditional view of hedonism and the modern view. He suggested that traditional version was a hedonism of a multitude of pleasures, of the senses whilst modern hedonism seeks pleasure not in sensation but in emotion accompanying all kinds of experiences. The pleasure lies in the meaning of the experience to the individual. This is the form we are dealing with in postmodern culture. Campbell suggested that the consumer as hedonist must be able to derive pleasure from every item they come into contact with and everything must be orientated to that end. That consumers are in a constant state of unsatisfaction, an ongoing state where we are dreaming about something new however this is linked to the other defining factor of modern hedonism that disillusionment comes from the disappointment when the imagined pleasure are always greater than the actual. When anticipate the enjoyment and pleasure that we will gain when we finally purchase and wear the new phone/watch/car we have been day dreaming about buying, our pleasure is often not as we imagined and is fleeting. We have moved on to dreaming about the next better version and start to feel bad about not having it. Consumerism good or bad? Underpinning the debate on whether marketing has created hedonistic consumers is the view on whether consumerism is a positive or negative force. Some celebrate the rise of the consumer, taking the view that consumerism is the essence of the good life, that a consumer society allows us personal freedom, power and happiness through our ability to choose, acquire, use and enjoy our material objects and experiences. Seen as a sophisticated, mature individual who seeks enjoyment in life: by making choices and exercising freedom. (Gabriel and Lang, 2006, p8). Others are concerned that consumerism is associated with reduced consumer well being, partly in terms of quality of human relationships and levels of happiness. That those focused on materialistic values have lower personal well being and psychological health. (Kasser,2002). Abela (2006) furthers this argument indicating that hedonistic consumerism shows an association between marketing practice and the harms of consumerism may be greater than it is generally believed to be by marketing academics. 3. Claims against Marketing Too much interest in material possessions is the responsibility of marketing? Critics have argued that the marketing system encourages too much interest in material possessions. people are judged by what they own not who they are. (Armstrong et al, 2009 p.552). Critics dont view this as a natural state of mind but one created by marketing. In answer to this claim many marketers would argue that this alleged ability of marketing to create needs is wishful thinking and is overstating marketings scope. In support of this it follows that marketers are most successful when they appeal to existing wants rather than when they attempt to create new ones. Also that people seek information when making important purchases and mostly do not rely on a single source (Gabriel and Lang, 2006). However, todays mania for goods is learnt not instinctive according to Naish, 2002. On a deeper level our wants and values are influenced by many factors including family, peer group, religion, ethnic background and education. If modern society is highly materialistic, these values arise out of socialisation processes that go much deeper than business and mass media could produce alone (Gabriel and Lang, 2006). OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy (2002) argue that accumulation of material possessions is a consequence of wealth. Marketers create artificial needs? According to Solomon et al (2006), some conservative traditionalists are of the view that advertising in particular, contributes to the moral breakdown of society by presenting images of hedonistic pleasure. Conversely, leftists argue that they same misleading promises of material pleasure function to buy off people who would otherwise be revolutionaries working to change the system. OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy (2002) note that wants must be created and that there must be an underlying appetite for the product in the first place. Solomon at al conclude that while marketers do not create artificial needs, they do contribute heavily to the socialization of people in contemporary society and thus to the establishment of the social system of needs. Consequently marketers must take a share of responsibility for the development of society. Marketers promise miracles? Consumers are led to believe that via advertising that products have special properties; they will so special things for them that will transform their lives. Soloman et al argues that the manipulative effect of advertising is often overstated, however does concede that there is little doubt that advertising creates and changes patterns of consumption. They offer the view that the main affect may be that the idea that we are defined by our consumer choices is perpetuated by the advertising medium. The impact of fantasy and imagery in influencing buying OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy (2002) cite Baudrillard (1981) who suggested that due to the new technology of electronic media we now have a world where the distinction between real and images has become blurred and consumers are viewed as non-rational who gravitate to instant gratification. The claim is that the consumer thinks that this is the reality, however according to OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy there is no proof to substantiate the claim. Image saturated environment pressing consumers to buy The sheer insistence and multiplication of marketing messages is evidence to critics of marketing. The sum of the mass effect on consumers pushes them in a hedonistic direction. However consumers are sophisticated and selective, they take notice of the products that attend to them. (OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy,2002). Consumerism and Identity Many cultural forces have been accused of having a role in the creation of hedonistic consumers the marketing of Hollywood and Celebrity culture are named often in the debate. Its is recognised by psychology that our ability to weigh desirability and value is knocked awry if the item is endorsed by a well known face. The part of the brain involved in trust and learning is activated and as a result we feel like we are their acquaintances and we want to be like them. (Naish, 2008). We chose carefully who we copy and why and have evolved to emulate the most successful, maybe why many of us feel compelled to keep up materially with celebrities. Consumption, is it addictive? Lasch (1991) takes a pessimistic view believing that western consumerism, sustained by mass production and celebrated in the mass media, amounts to a mechanism of addiction. Though Migone (2007) concedes that rather than marketing being at the root of this addiction: it is due to technological advances which facilitated large scale production which in turn leads to large scale consumption. Consumerism and loss of Community Naish notes that only modern capitalist countries concentrate on material greed. In pre capitalist societies the highest worths was ascribed to things like family, clan, religion, honour not shiny new objects. This he says relates to our most base instincts which are the need to relate to others and feel part of a community. According to Naish, man has lost his moral framework, sense of community and lifes higher meaning, so that now all that remains is our thirst for possessions and pleasure. That being a hedonistic consumer does not make us happy and has a detrimental effect on our human relationships. Critics have linked this loss to marketings lack of focus on these types of human values. In defence of Marketing Consumerism and Wealth The 80s recognised a triumph for consumerism old moral restraints on consumption (frugality, thrift and guilt) swept aside by an extraordinary, credit lead consumerist boost (Lee, 1997). Gabriel and Lang recall that greed lost some of its pejorative and puritanical connotations, in reference to the 1980s. Consumption and Identity It has been said that consumers take identity from their possessions. Consumption has expanded to fill the vacuum left by the decline of the work ethic. Bauman (1988) also argues that consumption is the new pioneer frontier in which individuals may successfully assert themselves, with no insecurity and not harming others. Shopping is not merely the acquisition of things: it is the buying of identity. (Clammer,1992). This is another view that consumer consumption comes from within. Also the general rise in disrupted families has been linked to new ways of forming identities through goods how negative the effects are depends on the underlying motives. Human Nature Naish believes we are genetically programmed to always want more. In prehistoric times its been discovered that cave dwellers had collections of axe handles, that these were the Jimmy Choos and Ferraris of their time. Important to note that OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy argue that marketing materialism are interdependent and that marketing helps precipitate materialism and materialism in society advances the development of marketing. According to Bauman, (1999) the major contributing factors to hedonistic lifestyle are pervasive insecurity and uncertainty fear of the future and the ecology of the planet; danger- threat of terrorism and wars; decline of family breakdown of traditional institutes such as family as one of the main cultural reference points. It has been argued that marketing creates hedonism by creating wants. This begs the question can wants be created? According to Moore (1994) materialism and hedonism were not invented by consumer marketing; they were there before its advent. Although, it has been widely acknowledged that consumers have latent wants that can be activated, but recognise that they have a great ability to filter information. Marketers often chose hedonistic appeals, but marketing in itself is simply an orientation and a set of tools that are value neutral and can be used to proselytise any perspective. (Cook, 1992). Social commentators have noted that that pursuit of pleasure is mans natural position and it goes against human nature to deprive oneself and that accumulation of material possessions is due to the fact we have the means to indulge our wants. However they agree there is an acknowledged link but no proven cause and effect but this is viewed as marketing being in the role of facilitator not creator. Marketing and Economy Marketers have accused critics of taking the hyper real world of marketing, advertising and dreams too literally. Arguing that freedom of choice is better for consumers and is a fundamental underpinning of our economic system. Stimulus-response model of buyer behaviour This widely accepted model of consumer behaviour illustrates that whilst marketing stimuli are important so are as are culture, politics, economics and technology. These come merge with consumer psychology and the individual consumer characteristics. These are interlinked and conclude with a final selection of a product. This model is illustrative of the fact that marketing stimulus is only part of the consumer behaviour process. (Please refer to appendix 1). The Future Western style consumerism is facing and creating serious threats ecological crisis, climate change, resources shortages and financial uncertainties. There is an increased awareness among academics and consumers of the ecological limits of consumerism and current debate is focused on its sustainability. Consumers are said to dictate production, they fuel innovation, create new social systems, drive modern politics to have the power to save the environment and protect the future of the planet and yet at the same time are seen as weak and malleable creatures, easily manipulated, dependant, passive and foolish. (Gabriel Lang, 2006). It is recognised that there is a need to engage in debate on the containment of the negative aspects of consumerism. At the centre of the debate is the question of social consequences and the role of marketing in creating the consumption culture.. If we suspect that marketing is contributing to the harmful effects of consumerism what are the courses of action marketers should review? Abela (2006) cites Csikszentmihalyis (2000) suggestion that greater transparency about the effects of materialism would help. Recommends marketers undertake studies for emerging groups the non consumerist consumer, anti consumerism groups and should monitor general consumer awareness. So if the consumer is more aware of the consequences they might not choose the path of consumption especially if it leads to unhappiness and dissatisfaction. Increased efforts at consumer education maybe able to correct this and lead to changes in consumer behaviour. One possible area of study is to look at regions not affected yet possibly in eastern cultures. Some believe we are at the point of a fundamental structural change in the nature of consumerism. Others keeping the faith in the market to right itself. Optimists believe technology will provide an answer (cleaner cars, recycling, energy conservation). The outcome will be a complex dynamic between politics, production, international trade, economics cultural and moral values. (Abela, 2006, Gabriel Lang, 2006, Kasser 2002). In summary, the main culprit behind hedonism would be the development of strong value orientation that puts unrestrained freedom to the forefront. Marketing does not invent or creates wants; it merely surfaces them. Man has always been, in all societies materialistic. In older days poverty didnt allow him/her to indulge into hedonistic lifestyle. The role of marketing in creation of hedonism, is more of a facilitator than of an inventor. (OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy, 2002). Conclusion This paper has recognised that there is debate on what role the discipline of marketing plays in the creation of hedonistic consumers and outlined the argument that marketing has not created hedonistic consumers, that such a stance does not allow for the complexities of human behaviour and motivations and does not take account of the dynamic nature of consumer society. We agree there are associations and parallels in the development of both consumerism and marketing, but there is no evidence to prove cause and effect. However neither is there evidence to disprove. When deciding what marketing strategy an organisation should follow the primary aim is building profitable relationships with the target consumer however, the organisation has many choices in guiding their marketing strategy in terms of which philosophy should underpin the strategy. Many of todays large corporations employ the marketing concept by knowing the needs/wants of the target market and delivering satisfaction better than the competition. (Armstrong et al,2009). Based on the theory that there is a parallel in the patterns between the rise of the hedonistic consumer and the sophistication and intensity of marketing efforts (Abela, 2006) ethical marketers would be advised to consider a move toward the Societal marketing concept a concept that holds that marketing strategy should deliver value in a way that maintains or improves both the consumer and the societys well-being (Armstrong et al, 2009, p14-15). Executed correctly this strategy would provide long term profits and protect both society and the consumer within this framework. sReferences Abela, A.V. (2006) Marketing and consumerism European Journal of Marketing Vol. 40 Number 1/ 2 pp 5-16 Abercrombie, N. (1994)The Authority of the Consumer, Routledge, London,UK Armstrong, G et al (2009) Marketing an Introduction, Prentice Hall, UK Baudrillard, J. (1981), The Critique of the Political Economy of the Sign, tr. Levin, C., Telos Press, St Louis, MO in OShaughnessy,J. OShaughnessy, N.J. (2002) marketing, the consumer society and hedonism European Journal of Marketing, Vol.36 Number 5/6 pp 524-547 Bauman, Z. (1988) Freedom, Open University Press, UK Campbell, C (1987) The Romantic Ethic and the Spirit of Modern Consumerism, Basil Blackwell, UK Csikzentmihalyi, M. (2000) The cost and benefits of consuming, Journal of Consumer Research, Vol.27,September, pp 267-272 in Abela, A.V. (2006) Marketing and consumerism European Journal of Marketing Vol. 40 Number 1/ 2 pp 5-16 Douglas, M and Isherwood, B. (1979) The World of Goods, Basic Books, US Firat, A.F and Schultz, C.J. (1997) From Segmentation to Fragmentation: Markets and Marketing Strategy in the postmodern era, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 31, No 3 /4 Hirsch, F. (1977), Social Limits to Growth, Routledge Kegan Paul, London, UK Jantzen, C., Ostergaard, P. and Fitchett, J.A. (2004) A History of Mentality based Analysis of Hedonic and Experiential Comsumption, Advances in Consumer Research, Vol.31 pp 328 340 Gabriel, Y. and Lang, T (2006), The Unmanageable Consumer, 2nd Edition, Sage, UK Kagan, J. (1999) Three Seductive Ideas, Harvard University Press, US Kasser, T. (2002),The High Price of Materialism, MIT Press, Cambridge, US Kotler, P and Keller K.L. (2006) Marketing Management 12th Edition, Prentice Hall, UK Lasch, C. (1991) The True and Only Heaven; Progress and Its Critics, Norton New York Lee, M.J. (1997) Consumer Culture Reborn, Routledge, London Mick, D.G (2008) Degrees of Freedom of will: An essential endless question in consumer behaviour, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Vol.18, pp17-21 Migone, A. (2006) Hedonistic Consumerism: Patterns of Consumption in Contemporary Capitalism, Review of Radical Political Economics, Vol. 39, No 2, pp 173-200 Moore, R.L. (1994), Selling God, Oxford University Press, New York, NY Naish, J. (2008) Enough Breaking free from the world of more, Hodder and Stoughton, UK OShaughnessy,J. OShaughnessy, N.J. (2002) marketing, the consumer society and hedonism European Journal of Marketing, Vol.36 Number 5/6 pp 524-547 OShaughnessy,J. OShaughnessy, N.J. (2007) Reply to criticisms of marketing, the consumer society and hedonism, European Journal of Marketing Vol. 41, Number 1 /2 pp7-16 Richins, M.L. and Dawson, S. (1992) A Consumer Values Orientation for Materialism, Journal of Consumer Research, December 1992 Salzer-Morling, M. and Strannegard, L. (2007) Aint misbehavin consumption in a moralized brandscape, Marketing Theory, Vol.7(4) pp 408-425 Simmons (2008) Marketing to post modern consumers: introducing the Internet Chameleon, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 42, No  ¾, pp 299-310 Solomon, M., Bamossy, G. Askegaard, S. and Hogg, M.K. (2006) Consumer Behaviour A European Perspective, Third Edition, Prentice Hall, UK. Further Reading: Arnould, M.J. and Reynolds, K.E (2003), Hedonic Shopping Motivations, Journal of Retailing, Vol. 79 Dittmar, H. (2004) Are you what you have? The Psychologist, Vol.17, No 4 pp 206-210 Dholakia (1999) Going Shopping: Key determinants of shopping behaviour and motivations, International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, Vol. 27,No 4 pp 154-165 Mick, D.G. (1996) Are studies of Dark Side Variables Confounded by Socially Desirable Responding? The Case of Materialism, Journal of Consumer Research, Vol.23 pp106-119 Naish, J (2008) Enough is Enough: Learn to want less, http://women.timesonline.co.uk/to/life, Date accessed 04/10/09

Adolf Hitler :: Biography Biographies Hitler Essays

Adolf Hitler The interesting life of Adolf Hitler is not fully known to people. Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889, the fourth child of Alois Schickelgruber and Klara Hitler in the Austrian town of Braunau. Two of his siblings died from diphtheria when they were children, and one died shortly after birth. Alois was a customs official, illegitimate by birth, which was described by his housemaid as a "very strict but comfortable" man. His mother showered Young Adolf with love and affection. When Adolf was three years old, the family moved to Passau, along the Inn River on the German side of the border. A brother, Edmond, was born two years later. The family moved once more in 1895 to the farm community of Hafeld, 30 miles southwest of Linz. Another sister, Paula, was born in 1896, the sixth of the union, supplemented by a half brother and half sister from one of his father's two previous marriages. Following another family move, Adolf lived for six months across from a large Benedictine monastery. The monastery's coat of arms' most salient feature was a swastika. As a youngster, Adolf's dream was to enter the priesthood. While there is anecdotal evidence that Adolf's father regularly beat him during his childhood, it was not unusual for discipline to be enforced in that way during that period. By 1900, Hitler's talents as an artist surfaced. He did well enough in school to be eligible for either the university pre paratory "gymnasium" or the technical/scientific Realschule. Because the latter had a course in drawing, Adolf accepted his father's decision to enroll him in the Realschule. He did not do well there. Adolf's father died in 1903 after suffering a pleural hemorrhage. Adolf himself suffered from lung infections, and he quit school at the age of 16, partially the result of ill health and partially the result of poor school work. In 1906, Adolf was permitted to visit Vienna, but he was unable to gain admission to a prestigious art school. His mother developed terminal breast cancer and was treated by Dr. Edward Bloch, a Jewish doctor who served the poor. After an operation and excruciatingly painful and expensive treatments with a dangerous drug, she died on December 21, 1907. Hitler spent six years in Vienna, living on a small legacy from his father and an orphan's pension. Virtually penniless by 1909, he wandered Vienna as a transient, sleeping in bars, flophouses, and shelters for th e homeless, including, ironically, those financed by Jewish philanthropists.

Issue Management at Gap Inc. Essay

Introduction Gap Inc. : Low Morale and Absenteeism Low morale and absenteeism of are serious problems of Gap Inc. that cuts across industry. On a distinctive day between 2 and 4% of employees at Gap Inc. fail to show up for work, which does not sound like a high rate of absence, but more time is lost for the reason that of low morale and absenteeism than through strikes and lockouts. The yearly costs of low morale and absenteeism in the United States are estimated to be $29 billion and a change of 4. 99% in the national absence rate changes the gross national product by $10 billion. (London, 2003) A great number of studies are done to identify the determinants of low morale and absenteeism. Many variables are found to be considerably related to indices of absence, the results appear to be unstable across situations and time. The Way Incentives Work Every incentive program is based on a formula for enhancing motivation that engages four fundamental variables: effort, performance, outcomes, and satisfaction. The logic behind these programs goes something like this: employees at Gap Inc. will put in the accurate quantity of effort to meet performance hopes if these part time employees at Gap Inc.obtain the types of outcomes that include pay raises and promotions which will provide part time employees satisfaction. In simpler words, Gap Inc. should provide its employees what they want, and employees will work hard to get it. Effort => Performance => Outcomes=> Satisfaction Conversely, the problem with most incentive programs like of Gap Inc. is that they centre exclusively on the submission of outcomes and overlook the three beliefs that are the key to making the motivation solution work: †¢ Can one do it? †¢ Will outcomes be tied to one’s performance? †¢ Will outcomes be satisfying to one? The first conviction compacts with the relationship between employee effort and performance. The second compacts with the relationship between performance and outcomes. And the third compacts with the relationship between outcomes and satisfaction. These three beliefs form the basis of the belief system of motivation and performance. Accepting that these beliefs are decisive preconditions for motivation helps to explain why incentive programs generally yield such lacklustre results like in case of Gap Inc. Since employees do not always hold these beliefs to be true, attempts to improve motivation by using incentives cannot make the grade, even when the incentives are highly desirable ones. Types of Motivation Problems One cannot do it Motivation problem: Lack of confidence Associated feelings: Self-doubt Anxiety Frustration Outcomes are not tied to one’s performance Motivation problem: Lack of trust Associated feelings: Scepticism Disbelief Mistrust Outcomes will not be satisfying to one Motivation problem: Lack of satisfaction Associated feelings: Anger Rebelliousness Low Morale and Absenteeism At Gap Inc. a major transformation attempt only makes difficult the situation. If any of three beliefs are shaky to begin with, organisational change at Gap Inc. can weaken them even further. The result is often serious motivation and performance problems, at a time when organisations can least afford them, and a resultant surge in the negative emotions associated with change. When an employee believes ‘one cannot do it’ for example, one may develop a lack of self-confidence and begin to experience many of the unpleasant feelings that go along with it: self-doubt, anxiety, and frustration. About a year into the change effort, one manager portrayed the inner turmoil one went through by comparing the restructuring to building a ship at the same time one is trying to sail it. (Mele, 2003) Worker beliefs that ‘outcomes are not tied to one’s performance’ can also escort to noteworthy motivation problems, especially lack of trust. This is normally accompanied by feelings of scepticism or disbelief; precisely the emotions that another manager felt when one was told early on change effort that power would be allocated differently. Employee beliefs that ‘outcomes will not be satisfying to one’ often escort to a third major problem, chronic dissatisfaction, and to feelings of anger, rebelliousness, low morale and absenteeism. (Miner, 2002) Like as the negative emotions allied with change can often go undetected, the motivation and performance problems that cause them frequently remain hidden and unresolved. Due to this, managers who lead change are sometimes frustrated in their efforts. They fail to realise that it is not enough to appeal to the intellect of their workers. So managers must also win employees’ hearts in order to implement change successfully. The reason behind why are motivation problems so difficult to uncover is that employees are afraid to speak about them or even admit that they exist like at Gap Inc. Though most employees know when they have a motivation problem, many feel that acknowledging it is tantamount to admitting failure, and, naturally, they do not want to appear weak or incompetent to their manager. The belief system approach is practical method that can help manager at Gap Inc. resolve these problems effectively. It takes the guesswork out of the search for motivation problems and alerts managers to the three principal types: †¢ Motivation problems caused by a lack of confidence. †¢ Motivation problems caused by a lack of trust. †¢ Motivation problems caused by a lack of satisfaction. The approach is based on the expectancy theory of motivation and on the research of Yale University professor Victor H. Vroom. In conducting Vroom’s analyses of why motivation improvement so often fails, Vroom came to the conclusion that motivation at work depends on certain employee expectations or beliefs: that effort will lead to performance, that performance will lead to outcomes, and that these outcomes, when received, will be satisfying. (Thomas, 2004) Like other expectancy theorists, Vroom maintained that the tendency of people to act in certain ways depends on the strength of the expectation that their actions will be followed by certain outcomes and on the perceived value — or â€Å"valence† — of those outcomes. This combination of expectation and valence is what determines people’s behaviour, Vroom and colleagues argued, and unless both expectation and valence are present to some degree, there will be little or no motivation to act. For example, if a person wants a certain outcome but doesn’t feel it can be achieved through one’s efforts, then that person won’t be motivated. Similarly, that person will also lack motivation if one believes that a certain outcome can be achieved but is undesirable. The application model relies on structured, facilitated meetings between managers and their direct reports to find the answers to the three basic questions that uncover motivation problems: †¢ Does the employee believe that one’s effort will lead to the expected performance? †¢ Does the employee believe that outcomes will be tied to one’s performance? †¢ Does the employee believe the outcomes will be satisfying? Preconditions for Employee Motivation AT Gap Inc. managers have to note that an employee is motivated to perform when †¢ The employee believes that effort will lead to performance. †¢ The employee believes that performance will lead to outcomes. †¢ The employee believes that outcomes will lead to satisfaction. AT Gap Inc. once a manager has recognised a specific motivation problem, one can then work with the employee to find its cause and develop an appropriate solution. There are several reasons that this model performs far better than managers expect such as: †¢ This model prepares managers and employees for solving motivation problems by getting them to think about these issues before they meet. †¢ This model promotes effective change by clarifying expectations, uncovering hidden agendas, and managing emotions before they escalate. †¢ This model relies on the cooperation and involvement of the one person who knows most about the problem and what may be causing it: the employee. (Caruth, 2001) By gently forcing an accurate diagnosis of problems and their causes, the belief system model increases the prospects of finding good solutions to performance shortfalls. After all, it takes information to solve problems, and the goal of the belief system model is to uncover critical information about performance and motivation and to guide managers and employees in applying it productively. The model works to generate an environment in which managers and employees divide the responsibility for solving performance problems, and it fosters the kind of communication that helps managers maintain the critical preconditions for employee motivation: confidence in their ability to meet performance expectations, trust in others to tie outcomes to performance, and satisfaction with their job and the outcomes that they receive. Works Cited Butkus T. Raymond, Thad B.Green, (1999), Motivation, Beliefs and Organisational Transformation. Quorum Books. Westport, CT. Cameron Judy, Pierce W. David, (2002), Pay and Motivation: Resolving the Controversy. Bergin & Garvey. Westport, CT. Caruth L. Donald, Handlogten D. Gail, (2001), Managing Compensation (And Understanding It Too): A Handbook for the Perplexed, Quorum Books. Gorman Phil, (2003), Motivation and Emotion. Routledge. New York. Hanlan Marc, (2004), High Performance Teams: How to Make Them Work, Praeger. London Manuel, (2003), Job Feedback: Giving, Seeking, and Using Feedback for Performance Improvement, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Mele R. Alfred, (2003), Motivation and Agency, Oxford University Press. Miner B. John, (2002), Organisational Behaviour: Foundations, Theories, and Analyses, Oxford University Press. Thomas Neil, (2004), The Concise Adair on Teambuilding and Motivation, Thorogood. White Geoff, Druker Janet, (2000), Reward Management: A Critical Text, Routledge. New York.

Case Analysis: the Bribery Scandal at Siemens AG

The Siemens bribery scandal brought to light a strategic dilemma facing multi-national firms attempting to gain a competitive edge by operating abroad; specifically, how can they balance adherence to their own ethical and legal standards with the customs required to do business efficiently, or perhaps at all, in foreign markets? Germany’s Co-Determination law has since drawn intense criticism as hampering competitiveness and creating untenable situations for management, rife with conflict-of-interest issues, not only because of Siemens, but also because of the number of other German-based companies accused of bribing labor union representatives. The forced resignation of CEO, Klaus Kleinfeld, despite the resulting success during his tenure, illustrates the predicament international managers face with regard to conflicting operational methods, and leads us to larger questions about accountability within an organization. As the case study author states, the Siemens scandal is representative of what many firms believe is the inevitable â€Å"ethical cost of intense competition in global markets†, particularly emerging markets, where payments for contracts are described as common place and perhaps even required. ?Perhaps the most glaringly problematic observation remains that the Siemens AG top management claims that they failed to notice rampant, and arguably conspicuous embezzlement leading to lucrative foreign contracts. Are there flaws in the German System of Corporate Governance? The 2007 scandal resulting in charges against Siemens’ Chief of Information Technology, Johannes Feldmayer, and Chief of Finance, Karl-Hermann Baumann, was rooted in illegal payments designed to work around German corporate governance laws. In this instance, IG Metall complained that Siemens was illegally funding smaller, rival union, AUB, in an attempt to grow and cultivate it as an ally against IG Metall in the bargaining process. This scandal marked the beginning of the unearthing of unethical behaviors in other German-based firms that have since lead to criticism that the Co-Determination law is antiquated and hampers competitiveness. The Co-Determination law was designed to provide a mechanism for worker participation in management decision-making via a two-tiered system with a supervisory board having oversight of the management board. Critics, however, argue that the law, in fact, limits the management board’s ability to make strategic decisions due to the control exerted by labor holding 50% of the seats on the supervisory board. I agree with the author’s statement that this creates, â€Å"a suspicious alliance between the management and the labor representatives†. The end result was often agreements made prior to the official meetings to facilitate outcomes favorable to management. Although the law was meant to bring balance to the corporate governance structure, I would argue that the potential for corruption of the labor representatives, or on the other end of the spectrum, obstruction of the management board, has a destabilizing effect likely to manifest in questionable and dysfunctional partnerships, such as was the case with Siemens. Another component of the Co-Determination law prevents selection of supervisory board members who are non-German, regardless of the expertise or perspective they could bring to the table. Naturally, the result is a limited, often recurring, and potentially like-minded pool of candidates, which the author points out, may have contributed to the ousting of Kleinfeld. The facts presented indicate that the lion’s share of the bribery scandal took place under Heinrich von Pierer, who was the CEO from 1992 until 2005, and the supervisory board chairman from 2005 to 2007. Kleinfeld took over in 2005 and, within a period of only two years, had accomplished a remarkable and profitable restructuring, as evidenced by a 26% increase in the stock price. This was not without growing pains, however, as it is speculated that Kleinfeld’s aggressive management style, often described as â€Å"American†, did not meet with the approval of the more conservative supervisory board. As such, analysts opined that the bribery scandal was used as an opportunity to remove Kleinfeld, citing the need for a â€Å"new beginning†. I agree that this is likely the case. The growth under Kleinfeld was impressive, particularly given the timeframe. Furthermore, the timing of the actual instances of bribery put them squarely during von Pierer’s tenure as CEO; and he had already stepped down from the supervisory board. Nevertheless, under the power granted by the Co-Determination law, the supervisory board opted to bring in a new CEO, Peter Loescher, indicating, in my opinion, that its issue with Kleinfeld was not performance based. Why Such Risky Business? The history of Siemens AG paints a picture of a successful and arguably dominant multi-national firm, with a reputation for a war chest of competencies and innovative products. The obvious question, then, is why would a firm with this resume and list of global achievements become involved with corruption and criminal behavior? The author recounts the opinions of analysts who believe the answer is simple; many firms view the types of payments at the heart of the Siemens scandal to be the necessary cost of doing business in the current global environment. At first glance, the facts of this case may seem to support this theory. There were â‚ ¬420 million of questionable payments made over a seven year period from 1999 to 2006. Official Siemens records showed the payments as having gone to external consultants. It was determined, however, that they were actually paid to foreign purchasing officials and that the expenditures coincided with the procurement of â€Å"fixed line telecommunications business in various international markets†, including Italy, Puerto Rico, Greece, and the United States. By March of 2007, two former Siemens managers were convicted of embezzlement of company funds for the purpose of bribing foreign officials. The employees argued that their actions did not violate any laws, resulted in no personal gain, and were taken solely for the purpose of improving Siemens’ positioning. They argued that they worked, only to secure a lucrative deal in which the payments were required by Enel management as part of the standard bid process. In fact, Siemens AG argued that the court order requiring forfeiture of earnings from the contract, prior to 2002 when the German government instituted a law prohibiting bribes to private officials abroad, specifically, had no basis in law. As previously stated, these events may appear to support the case in favor of questionable payments and loose ethical boundaries as a necessary cost of business. It is my opinion, however, that these events illustrate a flawed management culture and strategy. They are evidence of a system where a focus on true technological innovation has given way to a focus on unfettered expansion, and the unnatural duplication of the monopolistic type control over infrastructure in developing countries that was enjoyed during previous decades in other parts of the now industrialized world. If Siemens had bolstered their technologically competitive strength, they would not need to rely so heavily on their financial strength to gain entry into markets. Is this the New Cost of Doing Business? The fact that Siemens top management continue to take the official position that, despite the scope, depth, and intricacies of the bribery scandal, they had no knowledge of it remains difficult to explain. Further, they take no responsibility, save acknowledgement that they lacked adequate internal compliance systems. I find the truthfulness of this position to be of remote possibility due to the conspicuousness and magnitude of the payments, as well as their direct correlation with the securing of highly lucrative contracts. Moreover, the idea that entire sections of Siemens’ managers were of the character that they would be comfortable blatantly committing criminal acts for the sole benefit of their employer, but not themselves, I find to be quite counter-intuitive. The debate over whether events such as those unearthed at Siemens are part of the usual and customary cost of doing business abroad must be framed in terms of the complete denial of culpability by the top management. A legitimate, above-board expense is accounted for, tracked, and justified; this is the case even when it is outside the norms of the firm’s home country. It is not hidden from shareholders. A buffer of scapegoat-able employees need not lie between it and top management. If a light cannot be readily shown upon it, I believe it is without question, unethical. Whether or not it is illegal, however, depends upon the laws in the countries the firm is operating in. I could conceive of a situation where a firm could distribute cash â€Å"incentive† payments openly, on the books, as well as legally. In addition, firms have other options. They could improve their offerings to increase the competitiveness of the bid, and/or structure them with above-board incentives. They could operate with a clear and unwavering zero-tolerance policy for bribery; recognizing that it will be necessary to educate those conducting bid processes in markets where it is believed to be common to expect questionable payments. A firm could also exercise patience, and restraint, and be willing to walk away from markets requiring participation in corrupt processes. The Kleinfeld Conclusion. The Siemens AG supervisory board did provide adequate justification for the decision not to renew Kleinfeld’s contract, due to the scandals breaking during his time as CEO; yet, I believe that they were wrong in doing so in light of his track record of impressive and expedient accomplishments. Though his termination clearly pleased the board, unless Mr. Loescher is able to maintain the growth trajectory set by Kleinfeld, I believe his departure will not inspire confidence from management or shareholders. This is of concern because confidence has a direct impact on value, which could make it harder to move beyond the bribery scandal. Was it Worth It? One question still remains: was Siemens really at fault, given the apparent prevalence of these sorts of issues among other German companies; or was their only sin gett ing caught? It is my opinion that the magnitude of the â€Å"bribing† which took place at Siemens made it highly unlikely that knowledge of it would stay buried. I believe Siemens had to have anticipated this, hence the buffer between top management and the â€Å"bribers†. I believe they made a calculated business decision that whatever the consequence may ultimately be, it was a greater benefit to get a foot hold in the infrastructure of those markets. In short, yes, Siemens is to blame, and yes, they are okay with it.

A Line Of Promises Essays - Rings, Fingers, Marriage, Ring Theory

A Line Of Promises Essays - Rings, Fingers, Marriage, Ring Theory A Line Of Promises A Line of Promises Many times simple objects in peoples lives can come to represent a part of themselves. The object can become an integral part of a persons identity. In Wedding-Ring by Denise Levertov, the relationship between a woman and her old wedding ring is explored as a way to intertwine the womans life with the rings meaning. Through the ring, the woman identifies herself. The wedding ring is wishfully transformed from a complex symbol of promises to a simple gift of friendship. In the opening of Wedding-Ring, Levertov sets the tone of the poem, by exemplifying the interaction between the speakers feelings and the wedding ring. My wedding ring lies in a basket / as if at the bottom of a well (1,2). The first two lines of the poem paints a picture of a lonely woman trying to depart with the last memory of her marriage, her wedding ring. The comparison between the basket and the bottom of the well accentuates the low point in the womans ending marriage. Having compared the shallow basket to the deep well, the poet implies to the reader that the speaker is feeling sorrow, and therefore her surroundings may also seem sad and empty. This displays the relationship of how the wedding ring and her feelings are connected. This image of the wedding rings location is further described as Levertov writes, It lies / among keys to abandoned houses / nails waiting to be needed and hammered (5,6,7). Not only does the ring lie in the bottom of a well, it is along with other long forgotten objects. The use of abandoned houses brings images of loneliness and emptiness. The speaker also uses violent nouns and verbs such as nails and hammered to describe the setting of her ring. Nails alone are just mere objects, but nails that are hammered and are forced to be used to hold things together hold a much higher value. Like the womans wedding ring, its true value is not seen until it is put on a finger. In reality the ring is not in a well with these objects but her connection with the ring is bringing out emotions that are creating these images. It is often easy to overlook the speakers intentions in the poem, but upon closer examination line breaks following the word lies can help emphasize the word. In this case, lies can be interpreted by multiple denotations. The obvious way to denote lies is to continuously read through to the next line, and use the context of the poem to define the word. But the enjambment creates the possibility of lies defined as ill truth. A wedding ring is a symbol of a promise, and for it to hold ill-truth means the ring can no longer be called a wedding ring. It is now a mere piece of jewelry, which the woman attempts to forget. . The speaker has given much thought to remove the ring out of her life but each reason she gives justifies a reason for her not to. In the poem she writes, It cant be given away / for fear of bringing ill-luck. / It cant be sold for the marriage was good on its own (11-13). The repetition of I cant sets a series of limitations around the woman. No matter what she tries to do, the wedding ring will always be a part of her. The line break after the word own gives the notion of belonging. It gives thought that she is one entity and the ring also has its own life. However, she is unable to escape the ring because she is fearful she will be violating its memory. The rings memory is also a part of her own memory. The reason the woman is drawing lines around herself with these restrictions is because the ring possesses some sort of power over her. The superstitious woman, on the other hand believes it can bring bad luck to whoever holds the ring after she has already worn it. The phrase for fear of bringing ill-luck suggests that the woman is afraid that since her marriage ended, any new owners of the ring will have the

Business Ethics, Governance and Social Responsibility Assignment

Business Ethics, Governance and Social Responsibility - Assignment Example There has been a drastic change in the corporate environment over the years, and owing to the increasing technological development, people across the globe are not only more connected to one another but also have become aware of the negative consequences of irresponsible corporate governance on the part of giant multinational organizations. As a result, firms today are increasingly under pressure to perform not only financially, but also ethically as well. The managers and leaders are of organizations are now increasingly expected to address a range of social and environmental causes and problems including climate change, poverty, and even HIV/ AIDS. It is due to this changing facet of corporate governance and the increasing popularity of concepts such as Corporate Social Responsibility, Business Ethics and Ethical leadership, that the organizations are now required to be increasingly responsible and transparent in their approach in order to maintain their credibility, brand image an d public trust in the industry, or risk facing wide scale public backlash and pay millions of dollars in fines and compensations. Business ethics refers to "the study of business situations, activities, and decisions where issues of right and wrong are addressed" (Crane & Matten, 2010, p. 5). This definition is used in this study to discuss the ethical stance of the Royal Dutch Shell Plc., and the various key issues surrounding the company. With regard to organizations, the concept of ethics refers to the transparency in its corporate activities, accurate reporting of accounting and financial statements, and honest disclosure of its health and safety policies as well as the likely impact of its activities on the community and the environment at large. Business ethics and ethical reporting of business activities by companies has assumed increased significance over the years. Hence it has become imperative for organizations involved in business such as Oil &

Data mining Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Data mining Assignment - Essay Example Generally there are incidences of fraud that have not yet been detected (Borzykowski, 2012 p. 34). With increased cases of fraud, it is a high time for effective measures to be applied to combat these crimes for once and for all. All the merchants, banking systems and the card owners should enroll on application of effective measures. With the application of data mining, one is capable of determining the hot spots which are the target for these crimes. Due to increased technology in businesses, application of computer science Information Technology would help solve this phenomenon (Borzykowski, 2012 p. 34). Efficient fraud detection unveils suspicious behaviors providing alarms to the organization.Cases of fraud experienced in data mining are collected (Tan, 2013, p.345). Metrics for calculating the fraud data are designed and an automated mode of their calculation is developed. Finally the IT expert’s develops a detection model for the fraud. Globally more than 30% of firms h ave experienced fraud in the year 2009.Retail businesses like supermarket have enrolled in usage of closed-circuit televisions in conjunction with POS data in fraud detection (Tan, 2013, p.345). 2. Introduction Fraud detection can be categorized into statistical techniques and artificial intelligence. Statistical data analysis involves pre-processing of data like detection, validation, error correction; missing and invalid data rectification. One can match algorithms in detection of any abnormality in transactions. Forensic accountants specialize in procurement and analysis of electronic data in detection and rectification of an error. Merchandising agents have started using un-supervised methods like Break Point Analysis and Bolton Hand Use Analysis in detection of credit cards accounts frauds. Peer group analysis is capable of detecting individuals who behave in a different way compared to the previous individuals seen. Break point analysis detects the abnormal transactions in a g iven account (Robert, John and Gary, 2009, p.543). A three level profiling operates at the account level to detect any form of fraud. Normal profiling and behavioral profiling are applied. Human pattern reorganization and automated data algorithms are linked to create Domain-Specific Interfaces to visually present the accounts holder’s data (Robert et al 2009, p.543). Banks should start using advanced software to detect any miscellaneous transactions. More security measures like pin and ZIP codes should be provided by the customer whenever he or she is conducting any transaction. The software will detect any transaction done at a far distance from the card owner’s geographical location. More details of the card owner like a passport photo should be displayed every time. The photo will enable the merchant or the bank to compare the physical appearance of the customer and determine if he or she is the authorized person. One will be able to determine the common area in wh ich the owner conducts his or her transaction most frequently (Borzykowski, 2012 p. 35). Card owners should also be vigilant by ensuring that they do perform regular checks of their accounts. They should keep their important documents in safe places and besides being cautious on the people whom they have authorized to perform their transactions. The government needs to take serious measures on any person accused of conducting fraud crimes (Borzykowski, 2012 p. 35). 3. Data Mining Data mining is a field of computer science that deals with