International Business and Cultural Diversity Essay - 1

International Business and Cultural Diversity - Essay Example In the modern, contemporary society, one of the most overused terms is culture (Samovar, Porter and McDaniel 2012). According to Schein 2010, culture can be divided into four broad categories. These are macro cultures, subcultures, organizational cultures and micro-cultures (Bosshardt 2006). Culture is a dynamic phenomenon and a basic background structure that has the effect of influencing us in a wide variety of ways. It is constantly changing and reenacted by our constant interactions with other people and is progressively shaped by our own behavior. The main connection between culture and leadership can clearly be seen in microcultures and organizational cultures where the culture in such systems is usually thought of as the end result of the embedding that an organization’s founder or leader within the group has imposed upon it and it with positive results (Schein, 2010). Culture can also be broadly defined as a set of shared values like beliefs, norms, behaviors, attitudes, material objects and symbolic resources. Basically speaking it can be thought of as the basic rules for functioning and living within a given society (Samovar, Porter and McDaniel 2012). Variables can broadly be defined as items that we can control, measure or even manipulate while performing research. They are viewed as characteristics that have the potential of having more than one value or score. They can be viewed as being relatively straightforward for instance when we consider variables such as income or age while sometimes they can be viewed as being relatively abstract such as when we are considering items such as a degree of prejudice or even social class (Inglehart and Welzel 2007). Researchers constantly analyze variables in order to determine how they end up influencing each other.Social variables can be viewed as logical sets of attributes. An attribute of a person is either male or female will have the main variable of gender or sex (Weinstein 2005).

Zara and H&M Essay Example for Free

Zara and HM Essay Zara History of Zara Marked as the first prestigious venture of the Inditex group the first store of Zara, the chain of Spanish fashion stores came into reality on central A Coruna Street in 1975. In 1985, Amancio Ortega integrated Zara in a new holding company, Industria de Diseno Textil, INDITEX S.A. The Zara fashion concept was well received by the public later in 1976, allowing it to expand its network of stores to the other main Spanish cities. During 1981-1988 with the growing popularity Zara started new ventures by multiplying in number not just in Spain but around the world. In 2003 enjoying being the eye candy among the fashion followers Zara entered the home furnishing market by opening the first Zara home store. Everything else is a history; today Zara is present in 73 countries, with a network of more than 1,540 stores, ideally located in major cities. Its international presence clearly shows that national frontiers are no impediment to sharing a single fashion culture. Product Design Zara’s unique approach to product development is instrumental to their success. Zara gives store managers significant autonomy in both determining the products to display in their stores and which to place on sale, and relaying market research and store trends back to their headquarters in La Coruà ±a. At headquarters there are teams of commercials who take this information into account to design and effectively plan and produce all of  Zara’s products. Zara maintains a design team of 200 people, all of which produce approximately 12,000 new styles per year for Zara. The process of obtaining market information and relaying it to design and production teams expedites product development by shortening the throughput time of a product to 3-4 weeks from design to distribution. This process is very different from its competitors. Many competitors rely on a small elite design team that plans both design and production needs well in advance. Stores have little autonomy in deciding which products to display or put on sale because Headquarters plans accordingly and ships quantities as forecasted. Zara’s speed to market in product development exceeds the capabilities of its competitors. This in itself provides additional value to stakeholders, customers, and stores in producing quality clothing at affordable prices .Zara’s product development capabilities are essential to Zara’s business strategy and future success. Advertising and Marketing Zara’s unique approach to advertising and marketing is an additional factor within their business model that adds to their success. Zara spends 0.3% of total revenues on advertising and marketing. This is significantly less than their competitors who on average spend 3-4% of their total revenues on similar expenditures. Hence, Zara maintains a cost advantage to their competitors in marketing activities. In order to effectively complete with their peers Zara uses location, store layout, and product life cycles to act as their marketing tool to consumers. For instance, Zara strategically locates all of their stores in prime retail districts for visibility marketing. Additionally, because of the product development cycles mentioned earlier, customers are trained to visit Zara stores often because new items are presented weekly and are often not restocked. This feeling of scarcity encourages customers to come to the stores and buy frequently. Lastly, in order to keep the stores looking fresh and trendy; Zara invests heavily in their store layouts. They have a testing facility nearby their headquarters in Spain where different types of store layouts are tested. Each Zara store is remodeled every 5 years in order to keep up with current trends. Zara does not invest heavily in direct marketing, though their efforts in  image/brand marketing do a great deal to attract a loyal customer base. Their cost advantage and ability to maintain brand recognition and customer loyalty are essential elements of Zara’s capabilities that build value in the company. The success path Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning * Positioned as a fast fashion brand globally, Zara, targets the mid-market. * Zaras core TG in the country consists of people familiar with the brand much before it entered the country. They are well travelled and aware about global fashion trends * High import duties ensure that the pricing of Zara remains premium * Does not invest in advertising, and largely relies on PR * It has clearly chosen the locations high-end malls where its core target group, that is, the upper middle class is surely present Zaras Strategy for Growth and Positioning Zara believes in Zero advertising. It would rather spend on store expansion than to advertise. However, the minimally advertise in fashion magazines. The rationale behind this is the quick turnaround of store display, which is around 4 weeks, which renders advertising an unnecessary cost. Also, Zara concentrates on efficient design to market cycle and focus on showcasing large number of designs annually. The workforce in Zara is essential to its success right from the production to the store level as the feedback generated about fashion performance at store is percolated to the designer and production and supply chain helps to put the latest styles in 2 weeks’ time. We need to take a look at the factors that determine these strategies and also the shortcomings associated with these strategies * Growing online sales Online retailing has been growing at a scorching pace in the last decade and considering UK market, more than  £14 billion has been spent on online shopping. Zara should try to open online retail shops to cater to the audience who need to shop for standardized version of Zaras products. This also presents an opportunity to display the entire product lines from Zara and can be easily searched. It will enable strong growth in online and well as, offline retail sales. Cultural adaptation Zara did not follow any localization in the countries where it was present and provided only standardized products. Also it believed in providing the latest fashion at the low costs. Thus from the Global Strategy Grid it can be seen that Zara Followed a Global Standardization Strategy. By doing so it hoped to increase its profitability by reducing costs and achieving economies of scale. Entry Mode * Wholly Owned Subsidiaries: Zara entered UK markets by opening up wholly owned subsidiaries, to take advantage of the controls that it could exercise in those countries. When it comes to other markets, company also prefers to expand through franchising, joint ventures. Distribution * All production, regardless of its origin, is received at the logistical centers for the brand, from where it is distributed simultaneously to all the stores worldwide on a highly frequent and constant basis. * In the case of Zara, distribution takes place twice a week and each delivery always includes new models, so that the stores are constantly refreshing their offer. * The logistics system, based on software designed by the company’s own teams, means that the time between receiving an order at the distribution center to the delivery of the goods in the store is on average 24 hours for European stores and a maximum of 48 hours for American or Asian stores. Manufacturing * A significant proportion of production takes place in the Group’s own factories, which mainly manufacture the most fashionable garments. The Inditex Group takes direct control of fabric supply, marking and cutting and the final finishing of garments, while subcontracting the garment making stage to specialist firms located predominantly in the North-West of the Iberian Peninsula. * The Group’s external suppliers, a high percentage of which are European, generally receive the fabric and other elements necessary for making the clothing from Zara itself. Pricing strategy Zaras dual price policy Euros for pounds Spanish women wear chain Zara is charging the same amount in UK pounds as it is Euros in Spanish shops for some of its clothing, potentially netting the retailer huge extra profits at the expense of UK customers. H M History of H M The history of HM started with a man named Erling Persson, who was a Swedish former salesman that became fascinated with America’s high-volume efficient outfits that 8 Barneys and Macy’s carried. Persson first discovered the outfits when coming to the United States after World War II. Persson brought the retail concept – that high turnover produced lower prices – and brought it back with him to Sweden. It was then that Erling chose to open his own store which he called Hennes, standing for â€Å"hers† in Swedish. During this time the store only sold women’s clothing (International Directory of Company Histories, 1999). The company Hennes was established in 1947 in Vasteras, Sweden and by 1968 Persson had purchased the men’s sportswear inventory and property of a Stockholm hunting equipment store which was named Mauritz Widforss. Erling Persson then changed the name of his store Henne to Hennes Mauritz to express the expansion, and later downgraded to just the abbreviations HM. When Persson began to exporting his business overseas he began with Norway in 1964 and then joined Denmark in 1967. Persson bought the inventory, which was a left supply of men’s clothing which lead him to expand into men’s apparel. By 1970 Hennes Mauritz developed a children’s clothing line and by 1978 the store offered much of all family clothing. With Hennes Mauritz offering a wide range of family clothing, it helped the company expand with the new generation of youth wanting to be able to express their individualities. There are around 2,700 HM stores in more than 40 countries and 94,000 employees all work hard to bring you fashion and quality at the best price. Product design HM designers design fashionable and trendy apparel products that are of respectable quality. Their product line includes t-shirts, fashion shirts, cardigans, jeans, pants, undergarments, dresses, jackets, shoes, purses, jewelry, and other fashionable trendy accessories. HM is able to offer their consumers fine quality apparel at an economically friendly price. Hennes Maurtiz is able to provide superb quality products for a low price due to their reduction of a middle man who buys the material for the company and sells the material for a higher margin. HM buys their apparel fabrics in bulk straight from the suppliers Pricing strategy The price strategy of HM is designed based on their customers’ need which is low price and high fashion. The company purely focuses on following penetration price policy. Promotion To develop a promotion strategy, a company should firstly identify and understand target audience. (Jobber, 2007). HM’s target customers are young women who want more fashion cloth at low price. Young people have plenty access to information. A multi-channel promotion strategy including * advertising, * internet promotion * sales promotion Hennes Mauritzs’ promotional strategy includes mobile marketing through SMS text messaging, celebrities, charities, and popular music artists. In doing this mobile marketing strategy consumers receive SMS coupons, mobile banner ads placed on major portals and media sites. Cultural adaptation HM does not change anything from price of a product to commercials. They keep the same strategy as they have in their country. Everything remains the same as in the country it first started in. It reduces cost of inventory, as  well as an allowance to an increased product innovation since the company focuses more on developing their product instead or spending too much time trying to adapt to the market. Distribution HM distribution channel is direct distribution, from producer to customers. By cutting middle transaction, it reduces cost and assures quick delivery, which echoes the concept of fastness and economy. Jobber (2007) suggested that channel selection is affected by producer, product and competitive factors. HM choose to sell clothes and cosmetics in around 2,000 stores which belong to HM. Store selling, on one hand, assures basic access to customers and helps the command from headquarters go to outlets efficiently and correctly. Because the inventory for HM is refreshed every day (HM website, 2010), direct command is important for correct adjustment in more than two thousand stores. On the other hand, controlling so many stores gives rise to the managerial cost. Besides stores, HM starts to launch online sale in several areas. It was suggested that well-known fashion retailers have advantages of their brand to attract customers (Marciniak and Bruce, 2004). Therefore it is beneficial to take the initiative to launch online shop. And this step could satisfy online customers and complement the shortcomings of store sale. Manufacturing HM does not own any factories. Instead, clothes and other products are commissioned from around 700 independent suppliers, primarily in Asia and Europe. The HM buying department plans the range. After that, all practical aspects are dealt with by our production offices. These production offices, where most of the employees are drawn from the local population, are in constant contact with the suppliers. The production offices are responsible for placing the order with the right supplier and for items being produced at the right price, making sure that they are of good quality and delivered at the right time. They also audit that production takes place under good working conditions. The production offices perform extensive  safety and quality testing, including checks for shrinkage, twisting and colorfastness, as well as ensuring that the chemical requirements have been met.

Founding Fathers Of The Usa :: essays research papers

There are many people who can be considered the indirect founding fathers of The United States. Such people are The Christian Crusaders, Marco Polo, Cortez, Pizarro, and Martin Luther. The Crusades were a series of holy wars fought to win the holy land of Christianity from those who follow Mohammed. Even though these wars failed in the respect of winning the land back, they did triumph in another aspect. The crusaders introduced a lifestyle to the Europeans in the Holy Land that was more appealing than they knew before. Following the wars the Europeans returned and they created a market to deliver the desirable goods they came accustomed to in the Holy Land. This was one reason for the beginning of exploration, and ultimately led to the discovery of America. Marco Polo was a great explorer of his time. He wrote a manuscript on his voyage entitled, "The Voyage of Marco Polo." In this manuscript it said how the Kahn of China lived in riches, used fine china, decorated with gold, and used spices. When the manuscript reached the people of Europe they realized how life could better if they had the materials as did the Khan. This discovery encouraged people to find new places to find these riches. Cortez founded the city of Tenochtitlan, which was created by the Aztecs in central Mexico. He said how the people of this town lived with the riches of a Khan. They city was advanced further than any European had seen in the New World. The ruler of this land, Montezuma, lived in huge room filled with "jewels, precious stones, silver, and an astonishing amount of gold." Soon after his arrival the Aztecs rebelled. Cortez had Indian and Spanish allies and won the battle against the Aztecs. News of the conquest of Mexico created a rush of Spanish to America and led to further settling of the continent. Francisco Pizarro found the empire of the Incas in the Andes Mountains region. This empire, like the Aztec Empire, was advanced and rich in gold and silver. Inca, the head of the Empire and was considered a God, was killed by Pizarro. This lessened the spirit of the Incas and made it easier for Pizarro and his men to succeed among them. This success, again, encouraged the Europeans to settle their own area. One of the best known reformers, Martin Luther, can be considered a founding father of The United States. Luther tried to reform the Church of England, and rid it of Catholic ways.

Evaluating The BSC As A Performance Management Tool

AbstractionIn of all time altering concern landscape, the concerns face the intensified competition and see the outgrowth of more knowing and demanding clients in a free market epoch. Therefore mensurating organisational public presentation entirely on the footing of fiscal indexs will merely reflect the past public presentation but will supply really small penetration into long term sustainability and therefore considered to be unequal and deceptive. Balanced Scorecard ( BSC ) introduced by Kaplan and Nortan tried to intermix other facets in add-on to the so called fiscal indexs. Consequently, the BSC in add-on to fiscal position introduced cardinal public presentation indexs around three dimensions viz. client, internal concern procedures and larning & A ; growing. However, despite its well rounded and advanced design and broad acceptance in organisations the full potency of it is yet to be achieved chiefly due to evolvement of dimensions in today ‘s context beyond the four p ositions in its design and besides due to hapless execution. Therefore BSC should continually be refined taking into consideration the cardinal success factors which affects organisational public presentation while beef uping the execution.Introduction TO BALANCED SCORECARD ( BSC )Traditionally the fiscal indexs such as net net income, Return on Investments ( RoI ) , Earnings Per Share ( EPS ) , Price Earning ( P/E ) ratio and etc. , as an unwritten regulation, were considered as the basis on which the public presentation or the wellness of organisations was measured which in bend formed the footing on which the public presentation of members at all degrees of the organisations was measured. However, with the intensified competition and outgrowth of more knowing and demanding clients in a free market era the concern landscape underwent a paradigm displacement. Therefore mensurating organisational public presentation and in bend the public presentation of employees entirely on the fo oting of fiscal steps which efficaciously represent the lagging indexs of past public presentation and holding a small prognostic value was considered as inappropriate. In the sense the past consequences will non guarantee the hereafter public presentation, instead the long term sustainability of any organisation depends upon assorted other factors such as nucleus competences of people coupled with occupation satisfaction and citizenship, strength of client relationship, acquisition and invention, internal concern procedures, engineering, quality and etc. which in bend better topographic point the organisation to bask a sustainable competitory advantage. As a consequence, a public presentation measuring system which blends all the facets including so called fiscal indexs was considered as more appropriate since it would let organisations to mensurate yesteryear every bit good as to foretell how the hereafter would look like ( prognostic value ) . In this background, Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton in 1992 introduced the construct of â€Å" Balanced Scorecard ( BSC ) † with a set of steps which complements fiscal steps of past public presentation with drivers of future public presentation and thereby to hold a holistic, incorporate position of concern public presentation. Though the name was new, the construct was an development of assorted constructs introduced under figure of theories and constructs like Activity Based Management, Management By Objectives, Total Quality Management, Strategic Management, Delegation of Authority ( authorization ) , Decentralization of Decision-Making and etc. , but what is alone about BSC is that it combined the critical kernel of all these constructs and theories into an integrated measuring system of public presentation ( Ghosh S. & A ; Mukherjee S – 2006 ) . BSC is a strategic direction system ( non simply a public presentation measuring system ) and enables organisations to incorporate their strategies/visions around specific aims, ends and steps. Then those aims and ends along with the designed public presentation steps ( KPIs ) are shared and communicated across the organisation. Further, Targets are planned and set to aline with strategic enterprises. Consequently the BSC in add-on to Financial position ( traditional public presentation measuring index ) introduced cardinal public presentation indexs around three dimensions viz. client, internal concern procedures and larning & A ; growing and attempted to reply the undermentioned four cardinal inquiries. 1. How do clients see us? 2. What must we stand out at? 3. Can we go on to better and make value? 4. How do we look to stockholders? The rational put frontward on these four positions are knowledge & A ; accomplishments of employees is the foundation of all invention and betterments ( Learning & A ; Growth position ) , skilled and empowered employees will better the ways they work ( Internal Process position ) , improved work procedures will take to increased client satisfaction ( Customer position ) and eventually increased client satisfaction will take to better fiscal consequences ( Financial position ) ( Ghosh S. & A ; Mukherjee S.- 2006 ) Since the construct of BSC was foremost introduced in 1992, many organisations globally every bit good as locally adopted the BSC as their public presentation measuring tool due to its advanced attack and besides due to the fact that it has â€Å" balanced † the cardinal dimensions of public presentation straight associating with vision, mission and schemes. However, this does non propose that all organisations have achieved success and design of BSC is perfect but instead BSC exhibited good rounded attack to public presentation direction. However, we witness that universe has changed significantly since 1992 and this is non different when it comes to concern landscape. Therefore it is worthwhile to critically measure whether BSC still holds the all positions to better mensurate the organisational public presentation and what betterments can be made to it to mensurate current public presentation every bit good as to beef up its prognostic value.CRITICAL EVALUATION OF BSC AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF BSCThe apprehension of BSC and its implicit in doctrine has placed in a better place to critically measure BSC on its positive and negative facets in the current context. As discussed in the preceding subdivision, the BSC made a major discovery in mensurating public presentation beyond the traditional fiscal steps which chiefly focused on stockholder value creative activity. Puting excessively much trust on stockholders ‘ value creative activity will set force per unit area on direction to concentrate merely on short term consequences at the disbursal of long term growing and success. Further, unlike in the past today organisations are responsible for broad array of stakeholders internally and externally including stockholders. Furthermore stockholders are besides demanding an penetration into long term sustainability in add-on to short term consequences. As an illustration in the recent yesteryear we witnessed several corporate failures such as Golden Key, Enron ( USA ) , Sathyam Computers in India, Lehman Brothers ( USA ) and WorldCom ( USA ) and etc. , due to inordinate trust on fiscal indexs to mensurate public presentation. If I may farther lucubrate the former Chairman of Sathyam Computers informed all concerned parties via his missive dated 7 January 2009 that the Company misrepresented its financials to run into the analysts ‘ fiscal prognosiss and marks set. Furthermore, unlike the conventional public presentation measuring systems, the BSC clearly communicate the factors that drive public presentation and so ease the public presentation measuring procedure on the footing of drivers indentified under each of four positions. The application of BSC allows mensurating public presentation from a four broader positions and alining each step with vision, mission and schemes. This has helped organisations to strike a balance between both short term and long term concerns, fiscal and non fiscal concerns, and internal and external concerns. In add-on to its primary function as a public presentation measuring tool, the BSC besides has been instrumental in puting the foundation for a new strategic direction system enabling organisations to present new administration and renew procedures concentrating on scheme. BSC with clearly defined KPIs and measurement standards under each position allows direction to measure its strengths and failings and thereby it prompts them to place the root causes of dismaying signals to collar the state of affairss before they get aggravated. As an illustration if BSC indicates that there is an issue in the client service so the Company can turn to before clients shift to rivals. Besides it allows reacting to the challenges posed by competitory and of all time altering environment as organisations are dynamic and see a much broader image of the organisation and its environment. Further, the rating of concern public presentation with BSC system aid to instill forces subject and motive as in certain cases the employees and even direction do non cognize they are engage in and executing something inappropriate. As an illustration despite the betterments in gross ( fiscal position ) if clients are non happy ( client position ) so it would propose that the organisation should move on this and this besides would bespeak that the organisation performs below its full potency due to client issues.Despite the positive facets, the BSC besides suffers from major failings and could be discussed as below:First BSC seeking to break up the organisational public presentation measuring standards into four major positions but in the current context the organisational public presentation and long term sustainability are impacted by factors beyond what were originally introduced. These factors chiefly include the Corporate Social Responsibility ( CSR ) and environmental concerns . The construct of Triple Bottom Line ( TPL – Net income, People and Planet ) has gained impulse in the recent yesteryear which described that organisational public presentation should be measured in footings of a ) economic ( traditional ) B ) environmental and hundred ) societal positions. The construct of CSR ( societal facet ) in nutshell demands all entities to be socially responsible as a good corporate citizen and should lend towards run intoing society ‘s outlooks. The environmental facet concerns that the activities of the entity should be conducted in a manner that do non harm the environment in which the entity operates. Here the accent is that the mere accomplishments of economic marks with no due attention to other facets will unlikely to guarantee the long term sustainability and growing. As a consequence the focal point on environmental and CSR has been a cardinal portion of today strategic direction procedure but yet to be an built-in portion of BSC. Further, adding more fuel to this is the regular companies describing ( including one-year studies ) contain detail subdivisions about the part towards CSR and entities environment footmark. Further, the providers, rivals and regulators have besides non been portion of BSC but it can be argued that providers and ordinances could be portion of Internal Process position but in today ‘s concern environment, consciousness about providers and rivals ‘ actions are considered to be critical for endurance and hence mere inclusion within Internal Process position might non do the demand. Further, the impact of ordinances has been widened over the old ages and hence should be a cardinal index to mensurate public presentation. Another position is the ethical behaviour and adhering to core values of the organisation in accomplishing the aims. In this it is of import to measure how the aims are achieved without simply looking at how much was achieved. The above suggest that BSC should non be limited to its original positions which would hold been sufficient and appropriate given the environment prevailed at the clip of its debut but instead it should be a dynamic procedure whereby parametric quantities are continually refined ( non inactive but dynamic ) to run into the demands of the of all time altering environment and to better topographic point organisations to accomplish their schemes. However, adding more positions will ensue in BSC go more complex and will take to more steps being included ensuing in issues at execution. Another observation is that the positions in BSC may non be every bit applicable and hence may non portion equal weights or prominence for all organisations and even all divisions within an entity. The BSC should be driven by overall concern schemes and hence companies may be bias towards the dimensions in BSC that closely relate their strategic purpose. As an illustration the comparative importance of positions for an investing company and fabrication set up will be different. Further, a division like Research & A ; Development will hold really small fiscal accent other than pull offing within allocated budget bounds in contract the Finance & A ; Treasury Division. All the above suggest that the BSC should be broadened to include new dimensions but this exercising should to be done with a careful idea procedure otherwise BSC would be â€Å" bias † instead than â€Å" balanced † and finally go more complex. My recommendation to efficaciously manage this demand is to do increased specialisation and thereby to hold industry specific BSC formats and assign weights to different steps ( both fiscal and non-financial ) on the footing of their importance to the industry sector is concerned. The delegating equal weights to all positions are non practical and appropriate. Further, the organisations who have adopted BSC have been delegating weights in order of importance. Furthermore, with all these contentions the mechanization of balanced mark card should non be overlooked and for it to move as a uninterrupted monitoring tool and supply feedback, the organisations should ever seek to automatize the BSC. Another point I have noticed is inclusion of big figure of fiscal and non fiscal steps within BSC doing it really complex to supervise and give feedback on a regular basis ensuing in the organisations are happening it hard to acquire the full benefits. Therefore it is recommended that merely cardinal steps are considered which guarantee smooth execution. The mechanization suggested supra would assist in turn toing this concern. Apart from betterment points discussed above the undermentioned recommendations could besides be used to do the execution of BSC successful ( Zairi M. & A ; Jarrar Y – 2010 ) : An organization-wide acceptance of BSC, i.e. covering all cardinal organisational maps ; Use BSC to supply nonsubjective informations for concern determinations ; Ensure committedness, to and buy-in for, the BSC at all organisational degrees, peculiarly at the top ; More accent on preparation ; Align the wages and acknowledgment system straight with BSC ; and Facilitate execution by interrupting down organisational barriers which hampers its successful execution.DecisionDespite superior design and fullness concentrating on broad array of positions which have a direct bearing on current and future public presentation of organisations, the BSC is yet to accomplish its full potency due to issues related to its design and hapless execution. However, BSC still prevails as an influential and widely used and recognized model for measuring of public presentation. The most appropriate manner to travel frontward, to prolong BSC popularity and to acquire the best consequences, is to continually polish the BSC on the footing of critical success factors act uponing organisational public presentation. It is disputing to interpret the BSC with of all time altering concern demands but the hereafter of BSC depends upon how it changes itself to suit in the current expression. Further, the debut of specialised BSC formats based on the different sectors could besides be utile to hold a proper mix of public presentation steps under each position in order of importance. Last but non least the mechanization of BSC would assist to get the better of most of the issues associated with execution.Mentions AND BIBILIOGRAPHYArmstrong, M. ( 2008 ) , Performance Management: Key schemes and practical guidelines, ( 3rd ed. ) India: Kogan Page Ghosh S. & A ; Mukherjee S. Article on Measurement Of Corporate Performance Through Balanced Scorecard: An Overview in the Vidyasagar University Journal of Commerce Vol. 11, March 2006 hypertext transfer protocol: //histrategy.blogspot.com/2011/02/balanced-scorecard-tool-in-strategy.html retrieved on 04 May 2011 Letter issued by Ramalinga R. B. ( Former Chairman of Sathyam Computers Services Limited ) on 7 January 2009 hypertext transfer protocol: //www.ecbpm.com/files/Performance % 20Management/Best % 20Practice % 20for % 20Implementing % 20the % 20Balanced % 20Scorecard.pdf retrieved on 13 May 2011 – Research Paper: RP-ECBPM/0027 by Zairi M. & A ; Jarrar Y. on Best Practices for Implementing the Balanced Scorecard ( 2010 )

Asian Paints Hr Strategy

ASIAN PAINTS LIMITED CODE OF CONDUCT FOR EMPLOYEES Page 1 of 11 Asian Paints – Confidential 14 January 2011 1. INTRODUCTION Asian Paints Limited (the Company) is committed to good corporate governance and has consistently maintained its organisational culture as a remarkable confluence of high standards of Professionalism, Growth, and Building Shareholder Equity with principles of Fairness, Ethics and Corporate Governance in spirit. 2. APPLICABILITY OF THIS CODE Ethical business conduct is critical to our business.As an organisation, we have taken it upon us to lay down this Code of Conduct for all our employees to uphold our commitment to ethical conduct. All the employees of the Company and the employees of its subsidiaries are therefore, expected to read and understand this Code, uphold these standards in day-to-day activities, and comply with: all applicable laws; rules and regulations; and all applicable policies and procedures adopted by the Company that govern the condu ct of its employees and to ensure that the various stakeholders of the Company are aware, understand and comply with these standards.Nothing in this Code or in any related communications (verbal or written) thereto shall constitute or be construed to constitute a contract of employment for a definite term or a guarantee of confirmed employment. All the employees of the Company shall affirm compliance with the code on an annual basis. 3. HONEST AND ETHICAL CONDUCT The Company expects all the employees to act in accordance with the highest standards of personal and professional integrity, honesty and ethical conduct, whenever the Company’s business is being conducted or at any place where such employees are representing the Company.The Company considers honest conduct to be conduct that is free from fraud or deception. The Company considers ethical conduct to be conduct conforming to the accepted professional standards of conduct. Ethical conduct includes ethical handling of ac tual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships. Page 2 of 11 Asian Paints – Confidential 14 January 2011 4. RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMPANY Conflict of Interest The employees of the Company shall not generally engage in any business, relationship or activity which might detrimentally conflict with the interest of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.The main areas of actual or potential conflicts of interest would include the following: †¢ Financial interest of employees or his relatives, including the holding of an investment in the subscribed share capital of any company or a share in any firm which is an actual or potential competitor, supplier, customer, distributor, joint venture or other alliance partner of the Company. (The ownership of up to 1 per cent of the subscribed share capital of a publicly held company shall not ordinarily constitute a financial interest for this purpose. ) †¢ A employee of the Company conducti ng business on behalf of his or her ompany, or being in a position to influence a decision with regard to his or her company's business with a supplier or customer of which his or her relative is a principal, officer or representative, resulting in a benefit to him/her or his/her relative. Notwithstanding that such or other instances of conflict of interest exist due to any historical reasons, adequate and full disclosure by the interested employees should be made to the Vice President – Human Resources before any business amounting to an actual or potential conflict of interest is conducted.It is also incumbent upon every employee to make a full disclosure of any interest which the employees or his/her immediate family relatives, (which would include parents, spouse and dependent children) may have in a company or firm which is a supplier, customer, distributor or has other business dealings with the Company before any business is conducted with such a supplier, customer, di stributor or business associate.Every such disclosure as mentioned above shall be done in writing and shall be submitted to the Vice President – Human Resources, who in consultation with the Company Secretary/ Compliance Officer and the Managing Director & CEO, will communicate to the concerned employee to take necessary action, as advised, to resolve/ avoid the conflict, if any. Any employee’s duty to the Company demands that he or she generally avoids conflicts of interest. If a conflict of interest exists, the Company demands that he/she discloses actual and apparent conflicts of interest in the aforesaid manner.It is a conflict of interest to serve as a director of any Company that competes with the Company. The Company’s policy requires that an employee obtain prior approval from the Board of Directors and the Company’s Audit Committee before accepting such a directorship. Prevention of Fraud Policy: This policy applies to any irregularity, or suspec ted irregularity, involving employees as well as vendors, contractors, customers and/ or any other entities having a business relationship with the Company. The term fraud comprises the use of Page 3 of 11Asian Paints – Confidential 14 January 2011 deception with the intention of gaining an advantage, avoiding an obligation or causing loss or has the potential to cause loss to the company by one or more individuals viz. management, employees or third parties. Fraud may include such acts as deception, bribery, forgery, extortion, corruption, theft, conspiracy, embezzlement, misappropriation, false representation, leakage of confidential and sensitive information pertaining to the company, concealment of material facts and collusion.Any act of fraud or corruption in or against the Company or any abetment to such fraud/ corruption will not be tolerated. All employees are required to report frauds and suspicions of fraud. Knowing or wilful failure to report any such matter shall be construed as connivance and may invite disciplinary action. All employees are also required to take the responsibility of detecting and preventing fraud in their areas of work and co-operate fully in the internal checks and investigation of frauds. The Prevention of Fraud policy is available on Egloo at My HR Applications – HR Helpdesk.Receiving and Giving Gifts and Favours: All employees (including their immediate family member) shall not accept or give a gift or favour of any nature from any supplier, vendor, dealer, contractor, customer, competitor or any business associate. This prohibition does not apply to routine two way exchange of normal business courtesies, which might reasonably be expected to be exchanged in the ordinary course of business. These courtesies include business lunch/dinner and exchange of company diaries and calendars, pens with company logo and the like that are not lavish in any way.If a gift is inadvertently received it should be promptly retur ned with a polite note explaining that it is contrary to the Company policy. Any favour which is inadvertently received or extended is to be brought to the notice of the Vice President – Human Resources immediately. In case of any favour being received or extended in the context of an emergency (e. g. medical emergency), the event of such a favour being received or extended is to be brought to the notice of the reporting manager by the employee. A circular on policy regarding gifts has already been issued to all employees by Human Resources Department.The policy is available on Egloo at My HR Applications – HR Helpdesk. All employees shall conform to the gift policy of the Company. Corporate Opportunities: The employees may not exploit for their own personal gain opportunities that are discovered through the use of corporate property, information or position, unless the opportunity is disclosed fully in writing in the manner as prescribed under this policy. Recruitment of Relatives: Employees are prohibited from influencing the hiring/ recruitment of their relatives in any position with or without remuneration in the organisation.In the event of any relative seeking an opportunity to be employed with the organisation, the concerned employee shall inform the Vice President – Human Resources. The recruitment shall be done as per the rules laid down therein by the Company in conformance with the standards set for recruitment of employees in the Company. Page 4 of 11 Asian Paints – Confidential 14 January 2011 Local Rules and Regulations: Employees are expected to follow all the rules and regulations laid down at their respective workplaces with regard to discipline, workplace timings, dress code, etc.These rules and regulations are made available to the employees at their respective locations. Other Situations: It would be impractical to attempt to list all possible situations. If a proposed transaction or situation raises any question s or doubts they must be resolved after consultation with the Vice President – Human Resources. 5. HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT The Company shall strive to provide a safe and healthy working environment and comply, in the conduct of its business affairs, with all regulations regarding the preservation of the environment of the territory it operates in.The Company shall be committed to prevent the wasteful use of natural resources and minimize any hazardous impact of the development, production, use and disposal of any of its products and services on the ecological environment. Company policy prohibits sexual harassment, harassment based on race, religion, national origin, ethnic origin, color, gender, age, citizenship, veteran status marital status or a disability unrelated to the requirements of the position or any other basis protected by the central, state or local law or ordinance or regulation.If you believe that you have been harassed, submit a complaint to your own o r any other company manager. In addition, if you believe you have been sexually harassed, you may submit a complaint to the Vice President – Human Resources. The policy on Prevention of Sexual Harassment is available on Egloo at My HR Applications – HR Helpdesk. 6. RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS The Company reiterates its belief in and adherence to the principles of human rights as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations and to act in accordance with the principles laid down in it.It will also respect and abide by the requirements, in this behalf, of the countries in which it operates. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations is available at the url: http://www. un. org/en/documents/udhr/ 7. ACCOUNTING AND PAYMENT PRACTICES All transactions should be fully and accurately recorded in the Company's books and records in compliance with all applicable laws. All required information shall be accessible to the company's a uditors and other authorized persons and government agencies.False or misleading entries, unrecorded funds or assets, or payments without appropriate supporting documentation and approval are strictly prohibited and violate Company policy and the law. There shall be no willful omissions of any company transactions from the books and records. Any willful material misrepresentation of and/or misinformation of the financial accounts and reports shall Page 5 of 11 Asian Paints – Confidential 14 January 2011 be regarded as a violation of the Code apart from inviting appropriate civil or criminal action under the relevant laws.Additionally, all documentation supporting a transaction should fully and accurately describe the nature of the transaction and be processed in a timely fashion. Employees are required to ensure that they claims of reimbursement of expenses are based on actual spends and are supported by valid documents as required. Any misrepresentation of facts, false claim s or submission of invalid documents shall invite appropriate disciplinary action. 8. MAINTAINING AND MANAGING RECORDSThe purpose of this section is to set forth and convey the Company's business and legal requirements in managing records, including all recorded information regardless of medium or characteristics. These records include paper documents, CDs, computer hard disks, email, floppy disks, microfiche, microfilm or all other media. The Company is required by local, state, foreign and other applicable laws, rules and regulations to retain certain records and to follow specific guidelines in managing its records. Company records:The results of operations and the financial position of the Company must be recorded in accordance with the requirements of law and generally accepted accounting principles. It is Company policy, as well as a requirement of law, to maintain books, records and accounts that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the business transactions and disposition of assets of the Company. The integrity of the Company’s accounting and financial records is based on the accuracy and completeness of the basic information supporting entries to the Company’s books of accounts.The employees involved in creating, processing and recording such information are held responsible for its integrity. Every accounting or financial entry should reflect exactly what is described by the supporting information. There must be no concealment of information from (or by) management, or from the Company’s internal or independent auditors. No payment on behalf of the Company shall be approved or made with the intention or understanding that any part of such payment is to be used for any purpose other than that described by the documents supporting the payment.No false or misleading entries may be made in any books or records of the Company for any reason, and no fund, asset or account of the Company may be established, acquired or ma intained for any purpose unless such fund, asset or account is properly reflected in the books and records of the Company. No corporate funds or assets should be used for any unlawful or improper purpose. Revenue and expenses should be properly recognized on a timely basis. Assets and liabilities should be properly recorded and appropriately valued.Page 6 of 11 Asian Paints – Confidential 14 January 2011 9. PROTECTING COMPANY’S ASSETS AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION Protecting company assets: The assets of the company should not be misused but employed for the purpose of conducting the business for which they are duly authorised. These include tangible assets such as equipment and machinery, systems, facilities, materials, resources as well as intangible assets such as patents, trademarks, proprietary information, relationships with customers and suppliers, etc.Confidential Information: The Company's confidential information is a valuable asset. The Company's confidential information includes product architectures; formulations, trade secrets, manufacturing plans, names of vendors, raw materials used, prices of raw materials, source codes; product plans and road maps; names and lists of customers, dealers, and employees; and financial information and any other information This information is the property of the Company and may be protected by patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret laws.All employees are prohibited from disclosing such information. In case need arises, all confidential information must be used for Company’s business purposes only. Every employee must safeguard it. This responsibility includes not disclosing the Company confidential information over the Internet or otherwise. The employees are also responsible for properly labeling any and all documentation shared with or correspondence sent to outside counsel as â€Å"Attorney-Client Privileged†.This obligation extends to confidential information of third parties , which the Company has rightfully received under NonDisclosure Agreements. Obligations of the employees with respect to Company Confidential Information are: †¢ Not to disclose this information to persons within the Company or outside of the Company without prior approval of the Compliance Officer or Vice – President – Human Resources. Not to use this information for the employee’s own benefit or the benefit of persons outside of Company. †¢Not to disclose this information to other Company’s employees except on a â€Å"need to know† or â€Å"need to use† basis and then only with a strong statement that the information is confidential. †¢ Company confidential information is not always of a technical nature. Such information can also include business research, new product plans, strategic objectives, any unpublished financial or pricing information, employee, customer and vendor lists and information regarding customer requirem ents, preferences, business habits and plans.This list, while not complete, suggests the wide variety of information that needs to be safeguarded. †¢ If any employee, his or her obligation to protect Company confidential information continues. Page 7 of 11 Asian Paints – Confidential 14 January 2011 All employees shall not use or proliferate information which is not available to the investing public and which therefore constitutes insider information for making or giving advice on investment decisions on the securities of the Company on which such insider information has been obtained.Such insider information might include the following: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ acquisition and divestiture of businesses or business units; financial information such as profits, earnings and dividends; announcement of new product introductions or developments; asset revaluations; investment decisions/plans; restructuring plans; major supply and delive ry agreements’ raising finances The ‘Code of Conduct for Prevention of Insider Trading' is applicable to Designated Employees as per the SEBI (Prevention of Insider Trading) Regulations.Its objective is to ensure protection of unpublished price-sensitive information and to ensure that the insiders and those covered by the Code of Conduct for Prevention of Insider Trading, who are or are deemed to be in possession of such information, abstain from transacting in the securities of the Company before the same has been communicated in public. The Code of Conduct for Prevention of Insider Trading is available in Egloo at My HR Applications – HR Helpdesk. All employees are expected to read and understand the policy.The Designated Employees are required to read, understand and comply with the said policy and are also required to make necessary disclosures and declarations as specified in the policy. 10. DISCLOSURE TO THE STOCK EXCHANGES AND PUBLIC It is the Company†™s policy to provide full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in reports and documents that are to be filed with or submitted to the stock exchanges where the Company’s shares are listed, statutory authorities and in our other public communications.Accordingly, employees must ensure the compliance with such disclosure controls and procedures. All employees must also respect the confidentiality of information acquired in the course of one's work except when authorized or otherwise legally obligated to disclose. 11. RESPONDING TO INQUIRIES FROM THE PRESS AND OTHERS The requests for financial or business information about Company from the media, press, financial community, the Securities and Exchange Board of India or other regulators or the public must be referred to the Company Secretary/ Compliance Officer. Page 8 of 11Asian Paints – Confidential 14 January 2011 12. COMPLIANCE WITH GOVERNMENT LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS All employees must comply wit h all applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations. The employees must acquire appropriate knowledge of the legal requirements relating to their duties sufficient to enable them to recognize potential dangers, and to know when to seek advice from the Legal Department. If the ethical and professional standards set out in the applicable laws and regulations are below that of the code, then the standards of the code shall prevail. 13.SHAREHOLDERS The Company shall be committed to enhance shareholder value and comply with all regulations and laws that govern shareholders' rights. The Board of Directors of the Company will duly and fairly inform its shareholders about all relevant aspects of the company's business, and disclose such information in accordance with the respective regulations. 14. FOSTERING COMPETITION The Company will fully support the development and operation of competitive open markets and will promote the liberalization of trade and investment in each country an d market in which it operates.The Company or its employee will not engage in restrictive trade practices, abuse of market dominance or similar unfair trade activities in order to secure commercial gain or advantage. The Company will support the development of laws that promote, encourage or result in fair competition. The Company expects all the employees to conduct themselves in accordance with the company’s commitment to foster competition. 15. WHISTLE BLOWER POLICYThe objective of this policy is to provide employees and Business Associates a framework and to establish a formal mechanism or process whereby concerns can be raised in line with the Company’s commitment to highest standards of ethical, moral and legal business conduct and its commitment to open communication. The Company shall provide protection to the employees from unethical work practices and irregularities as well as prevent discrimination or retaliation against employees and business associates who report irregularities and also the methods to encourage employees and Business Associates to report evidence of fraudulent activities.The employees can make Protected Disclosures to the Ethics Committee as per the procedure defined in the policy, on becoming aware of any wrongful conduct or activity within 30 days after becoming aware of the same. The identity of the Whistle Blower shall be kept strictly confidential. The Whistle Blower policy is available on Egloo at My HR Applications – HR Helpdesk. Page 9 of 11 Asian Paints – Confidential 14 January 2011 16. VIOLATIONS OF THE CODE It is a part of the employee’s job, and his/her ethical responsibility to help enforce this Code.The employees should be alert to possible violations and report this to the Compliance Officer or the Vice President – Human Resources. The employees should cooperate in any internal or external investigations of possible violations. Actual violations of law, this code, or other C ompany policies or procedures, should be promptly reported to the Compliance Officer or the Vice President – Human Resources. The Company will take appropriate action against those whose actions are found to violate the Code or any other policy of the Company. 17.WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS TO THE CODE The Company is committed to continuously reviewing and updating our policies and procedures. Therefore, this Code is subject to modification. Any amendment or waiver of any provision of this Code must be approved in writing by the Company’s board of directors and promptly disclosed on the Company’s website and in applicable regulatory filings pursuant to applicable laws and regulations, together with details about the nature of the amendment or waiver. Ernest Louis Vice President – Human Resources Page 10 of 11Asian Paints – Confidential 14 January 2011 ACKNOWLEDGMENT FOR THE EMPOYEES I have received and read the Company's Code of Conduct and Ethics for e mployees. I understand and agree to comply with the standards and policies contained in the above mentioned Code of Conduct and understand that there may be additional policies or laws specific to my job. Name of the Employee Employee Code Designation Location Signature Date This form shall be made available online subsequently for you to acknowledge. Page 11 of 11 Asian Paints – Confidential 14 January 2011

Whats Wrong With The Intelligence Cycle Example

Whats Wrong With The Intelligence Cycle Example What's Wrong With The Intelligence Cycle – Coursework Example How should the intelligence cycle work? Provide your own model. Before answering of how intelligence cycle should work it is reasonable to answer howintelligence cycle usually works. The intelligence circle often works the way which is considered the most effective when decision makers initiate issuance of requirements which then turns into collection, interpretation, and analysis of the information achieved. This method of intelligence cycle work is the most traditional and the most reliable and it is based on the preliminary information and the situation in the state assessment. However, it presupposes that intelligence managers are initiative and control the regularity of concerns received from police on all the levels. The choice of the information is explained by the overall situation in the world and in the country in particular (Johnson, 2007). However, this method leaves intelligence certain gaps of information for the intelligence, and the most important that detecting thos e gaps is impossible without achieving the information from police consumers themselves (Johnson, 2007). Unfortunately, this way of intelligence cycle is not very popular because citizens often consider that intelligence agency is able to alarm their problems, and it is true but still prevention works better than elimination of the problem. In many cases policy consumers themselves are able to express their requirements to intelligence managers: they can share with their worries or point to the directions in which intelligence should work. And it concerns citizens leaving n the territory of the country as well those living abroad. This method can be very effective and reliable if a certain basis for information reporting is created and I mean easy and effective system such as the one created online to which everyone can have access without problems but still be protected. BibliographyJohnson, L. (2007). Strategic Intelligence: The Intelligence Cycle: The Flow Of Secret Information F rom Overseas To The Highest Councils Of Government, Westport: Praegar Publishing.

Raphael Hythloday Essays

Raphael Hythloday Essays Raphael Hythloday Paper Raphael Hythloday Paper Mores Utopia is concerned with the theory of the creation of a supreme new country in which there is an ideal solution to all the problems existing in Mores lifetime. While the text is concerned with describing the ideal new world that has been seen by Raphael Hythloday it is attempting to avoid is the descriptions of how the island was created violently, and colonised for Utopos ideological position to be developed and put into practice. Although the narrative in the text fails to directly name colonisation as the process of how Utopia was formed (referring to it only as Utopos conquering Sansculottia), what it does do is attempt to provide justifications as to why it was created and why it should have been developed. The main justification that can be extensively seen throughout the text is of how the Utopian society is more advanced and superior to the colonised society, and therefore it is natural that this society should remain while others are purged. The advancement and superiority of the Utopian society appears in a variety of different forms, ranging from the scientific to the ideological. One of the first justifications that More makes for Utopos colonising Utopia is that he conquered Sansculottia and was alone responsible for transforming a pack of ignorant savages into what is now, perhaps, the most civilised nation in the world. This is a justification as it is saying that without Utopos and the colonising of it there would be no advanced and civilised society in place to develop and create all the ideological and technological advances it has. This justification is an example of how More considers it alright to colonise a society as long as they are supreme and going to advance and progress that society more so than what would naturally have occurred if the indigenous population had been allowed to remain as they were. Another aspect of the Utopian superiority is in relation to their religious beliefs and the acceptance of many different philosophical positions in regards to these different religions. The Utopians do not have any set religion to follow and adhere to, as Utopos did not believe in stating which was the correct religion to believe in and pursue. Utopos was instead open to having multiple religions on the island for his people to choose from and follow, as he believed that this approach was in the best interests of religion itself. Utopos came up with this approach to religion as a result of hearing how the indigenous people used to have constant quarrels about religion, and recognising that one of the reasons he was able to conquer the land was due to their disharmony and quarrelling over religious matters. Although Utopos willing made this concession about religion what he did do was Strictly and solemnly forbade his people to believe anything so incompatible with human dignity as the doctrine that the soul dies with the body This means that while Utopos was willing to concede on the issue of forcing his religion on his people what he was unwilling to do was completely let them have there own religious beliefs, he was still enforcing his beliefs upon them. The religious superiority of Utopians was not only in the fact that they allowed many different religions, unlike many other countries which have been colonised, but that they were also willing to accept that other had different religions and they were tolerant and respective of those differences as opposed to fighting over them. In describing this society were religious tolerance is the precedent More is, through his writing, giving a justification for colonisation as he is describing a society religiously and morally supreme to his own where there was persecution for following alternative religions to the king. As well as giving religious justifications for the colonisation of Utopia, the text also gives intellectual justifications as to why the Utopians should be in power and control. The Utopian society is an advanced culture in regards to its medicine and the intelligence of its people and way of life. Utopian people have access to a medical profession whereby the people of Utopia would rather be ill in hospital than at home. The hospitals of Utopia are described as being so well run, and so well supplied with all types of medical equipment which gives the impression that they are more advanced than other countries hospitals and therefore their culture more scientifically advanced to the extent that they should be in place even if it is through colonisation.

A Short Quiz About Parallel Construction

A Short Quiz About Parallel Construction A Short Quiz About Parallel Construction A Short Quiz About Parallel Construction By Mark Nichol What’s wrong with these sentences? They each have syntax that creates an obstacle to clear understanding of the relationships of words or phrases to others. Revise them, and then scroll down to see my annotated solutions. 1. â€Å"People do not go outside their homes after dark, saying they fear muggers and police looking for bribes.† 2. â€Å"Marc Antony was not to be depicted as a monster, but as a love-struck fool.† 3. â€Å"People no longer seem to care about owning movies, are decreasingly interested in going to the movie theater, and studios seem to be betting on the fact that the format, not the actual movie, is the selling point.† 4. â€Å"The company apparently wastes very little money on lobbying and political contributions- nor, obviously, on a public relations department.† 5. â€Å"He founded and ran the trade journal from 1987 to 1991.† Answers 1. â€Å"People do not go outside their homes after dark, saying they fear muggers and police looking for bribes.† Explanation: The original sentence construction implies that residents fear being shaken down for bribes by muggers and police. A confusing sentence structure is sometimes clarified by reversing the order of the listed items, but â€Å"they fear police looking for bribes and muggers† only replicates the problem; now, the concern is identified as police on the lookout for both extortion opportunities and hoodlums. However, giving the police objectives equal weight muddles the sentence’s meaning. Introducing parallelism inspired by the previous phrase â€Å"they fear both muggers and police looking for bribes† is better but still somewhat awkward. A superior solution is to use the correlative conjunction â€Å"not only† and its companion phrase â€Å"but also,† which not only provides logical syntax but also strengthens the sentence’s impact by introducing the mundane followed by the unexpected: â€Å"People do not go outside their homes after dark, saying they fear not only muggers but also police looking for bribes.† However, the original solution offered above does so most simply. 2. â€Å"Marc Antony was to be depicted not as a monster but as a love-struck fool.† Explanation: This syntax resembles the correct form of the â€Å"not only . . . but also† construction alluded to above. However, the phrase â€Å"was not to be depicted as a monster† works only if it is juxtaposed with an independent clause: â€Å"Marc Antony was not to be depicted as a monster; the intent was to portray him as a love-struck fool.† Otherwise, the solution is to poise not directly after the verb (depicted), rather than before it, so that the alternatives are represented in parallel, one preceded by â€Å"not as† and the other following as. (The as before â€Å"a monster,† sundered from not, does not logically convey the opposing idea of the as before â€Å"a love-struck fool.†) 3. â€Å"People no longer seem to care about owning movies and are decreasingly interested in going to the movie theater, and studios seem to be betting on the fact that the format, not the actual movie, is the selling point.† Explanation: This sentence expresses three ideas: movie ownership, interest in viewing movies in theaters, and studio perception that format is more important than product. But structurally, it implies that all three ideas will pertain to what consumers want. The presence of the third, studio-centric idea, however, means that the subject â€Å"people† pertains only to the first two ideas, which need to be linked with a conjunction, not a comma. (The studio idea is expressed in an independent clause.) Therefore, this is not an â€Å"a, b, and c† sentence, but an â€Å"a and b, and c† sentence. 4. â€Å"The company apparently wastes very little money on lobbying and political contributions. (It also, obviously, spends nothing on a PR department.)† Explanation: Nor is associated only with negative expressions: â€Å"Neither you nor I is responsible†; â€Å"I didn’t get to see the movie, nor did I want to.† This sentence, though it refers to a company policy of minimalization of funding for certain activities, does not include a negative expression, so nor is incorrect. For it to be appropriate, the entire sentence would need to be cast in a negative sense, as in â€Å"The company apparently doesn’t spend very much money on lobbying and political contributions- nor, obviously, on a public relations department.† But perhaps the clearest revision is one that divides into separate sentences the comment about contributions from the one about public relations. 5. â€Å"He founded the trade journal in 1987 and ran it from its launch to 1991.† Explanation: The sentence structure implies that the consultant founded the trade journal during the given span of years as well as running it during that time, but founding occurs at a point, not along a time continuum, so the two actions founding and running need to be separated into distinct syntactical elements. But if you are editing this sentence, rather than writing it, and don’t know the facts firsthand, you need to confirm the founding date; the founder didn’t necessarily run the journal from the beginning. (They might have taken the operation over from someone else who was originally in charge.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Types and Forms of HumorTry to vs. Try andWhile vs. Whilst

The Laws of Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Laws of Leadership - Essay Example In the past, whenever I have been handed over a task I have been able to break up the task at hand and come up with a course of action. I have set goals that need to be achieved in order to successfully complete the task. Influencing others is the important aspect of being a leader. If you cannot influence, then you are not a leader. It was only when you can influence, people will follow you. I believe this my weakness as I have not been able to influence people the way I would have wanted to. That is, even though I can connect with any person I am not able to influence them to follow me wholeheartedly. In order to increase my ability to influence, I must start leading by example. I have to first set an example by doing what I propose my followers to do. I need to act responsibly and have to brush up my communication skills. Merely communicating won’t help and I have to identify what drives the other person and then act on it. I have to work on understanding my

To Defend a Killer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

To Defend a Killer - Essay Example When this generalization is applied to the current circumstances, it becomes clear that the solicitor’s actions could not have been following utilitarianism as he did not know the outcome of his actions. It could have been possible that his forged signature would enabled Jane’s freedom but it was also possible that his forgery would have been caught leaving him in peril. Thus, when the solicitor was taking the action of forging Jane’s signatures, he was exposing both Jane and himself to risk which does not conform to utilitarianism as it requires the greatest happiness for all involved. However, when the consequences of the solicitor’s actions are considered, it becomes clear that his action was utilitarian in nature as it ensured Jane’s freedom and did not put the solicitor in danger either. In this sense, the solicitor’s action is utilitarian in nature. Ethical egoism contends that moral agents ought to act in order to preserve their self-interest (Sanders, July, 1988). However, this does not mean that ethical egoism is beyond ethical measure because it is extremely self-centered. Instead, the ethical egoist perspective delineates that a moral agent can only act in self-interest if the interest of another person are not endangered (Smith, 2006). When the current case is reviewed it becomes clear that one person, Jane was already in danger and that the solicitor acted to minimize the danger present to her. However, in doing so the solicitor exposed himself to danger knowingly because if the forged signatures were detected, the solicitor would be punished under law. This behavior on the part of the solicitor puts him in direct conflict with the ethical egoist perspective as ethical egoism would advocate protecting personal interests. Under the ethical egoism domain, the solicitor should have left the case as is because his

Business plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 3

Business plan - Essay Example a leading bank in the United Kingdom which offers start-up loans to the tune of  £ 25000.00 for young self-employed people who intend to start a business. We have applied for the same and are eligible for the loan. We shall be using these funds for initial start-up expense as well as carrying out day-to-day expenses. This loan will be for the period of 1 year after which we intend to request the bank for an overdraft facility1 (HSBC.co.uk, 2013) I like to believe that I’ve reached a stage where I can’t let ANYTHING outside my own self responsible for my negative states. Nothing in the external environment is 100% negative. Every situation, however bad, has it’s lessons n gifts. It’s up to me to make use of any circumstance in a beneficial way We are under negotiations for the purchase of a commercial property located at 12, Regent Street, Leeds, LS6 (RIGHTMOVE.co.uk, 2013). This property will cost us  £ 4,50,000. We intend to carry out further renovation and interiors to the tune of  £ 2,50,000. The property is located is front-facing to the main road leading to Headingley Stadium and has immense potential for a restaurant business. Ensure the building is classified under class A3 category which involves use of sale of food or drink for consumption on the premises (UK Statutory Instrument 1987 No. 764, Town & Country Planning Order 1987). Agusto’s is planned to be a casual restaurant-cum-lounge targeting the varied class of people staying in Leeds. Leeds also happens to be a student city; From our research we found that people aged between 17 to 25 visits a restaurant every weekend. One of our main objectives is to provide nutritiously high-value meal at a comparatively low cost. Marketing Budget: We intend to allocate about 2 % of the start-up cost for the purpose of marketing. We mostly intend to depend on word-of-mouth publicity. We will be spending most of our budget on print media and discount coupons. We intend to do our advertising in the

Week 5 question 10 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Week 5 question 10 - Assignment Example Diversity is of great importance in helping an organization to exercise the most appropriate practices especially in the changing structure of the workplace where women are becoming engaged in a similar way as men. Here, diversity would ensure that racial prejudices are not allowed and that any form of unfair discrimination is avoided and equality emphasized. This improves job satisfaction and the overall organization’s performance. Since the modern business environment is becoming more competitive, organizations are required to change and to embrace flexibility so as to remain competitive in their consecutive business sectors. Some of the most common forces that prompt an organization to change include technology, economic shocks, competition, world politics, and even social trends. However, some organizations encounter problems while attempting to change. This is mostly due to personal reasons such as habit, security, fear of the unknown, and economic factors and organizatio nal reasons that include structural inertia, group inertia, and threats to expertise. To deal with resistance to change, change agents can apply certain strategies that include education, communication, participation, development of positive relationships, coercion, and building support as well as commitment. Change helps an organization in not only remaining competitive but also in surviving in a highly competitive business

Gun control policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gun control policy - Essay Example The government should control the usage of guns; license policy for guns should be strictly implemented. Drug addicts, mentally challenged people etc are the fundamental reasons to control the usage of guns. Gun Control policies: The production and licensing of the Guns should be controlled: Usually governments use to increase the budgets for the purpose of buying weapons and for defense purpose. The main motive of that policy is to ensure the defense and security of the country. But they are forgetting the main facts, these weapons could be misused by criminals, terrorists etc. For example, we can take the situation in United States. â€Å"A school going kid brings gun to school, and he showed his friends† (The Messenger-Gazette 2011). Some kids tried to sell the gun inside the school compound. This is the best instance showing us that the guns and fire arms are reaching in the wrong hands. Proper licensing and strict laws should be implemented to prevent this danger situatio n. In countries like Pakistan, there are Gun selling streets and shops; anybody can buy guns and other weapons from those shops with out license. â€Å"The market is made up of a warren of small barren brick factories; where upwards of 1,000 guns are manufactured every day, mostly by hand† (Pasternack 2011). All this would lead to dangerous situation and uncertainty. The government should take maximum effort to control the manufacturing and buying of guns.

The Use of Documentary Film as Historical Recollection Essay

The Use of Documentary Film as Historical Recollection - Essay Example This paper approves that the skeletal figures of the walking-dead survivors, some so weak that liberation has come too late for them, though they are not yet dead. These are the images that do not appear in Marzynski’s documentary, but those which, if he has been successful, the viewer will seek to further understand the history of, and will, through investigation of the events, find on their own. This report makes a conclusion that the use of film documentaries as a tool by which to further inform an audience, and to serve as a permanent historical record of events, is a valid and reliable tool for accomplishing those goals. In the case of Marzynski’s documentary, it opens during the cold months of fall or early winter, and this important to the film because it conveys the environmental coldness of Germany. Marzynskis uses that coldness to help make his points, points with which he is concerned; that the Holocaust memorial will be a cold and unwelcoming place that will cause people to avoid it, and that it took an unequaled coldness of heart – like the weather – for the German people to allow the murder of six million Jews. Also, to emphasize that there remains an element of â€Å"coldness† in the hearts of many Germans today. Marzynski emphasizes this when, during filming of the site where the memorial will be constructed, the filming is interrupt ed by a German security officer who says the proper licensure has not been obtained to film the documentary there.

Gun control policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gun control policy - Essay Example The government should control the usage of guns; license policy for guns should be strictly implemented. Drug addicts, mentally challenged people etc are the fundamental reasons to control the usage of guns. Gun Control policies: The production and licensing of the Guns should be controlled: Usually governments use to increase the budgets for the purpose of buying weapons and for defense purpose. The main motive of that policy is to ensure the defense and security of the country. But they are forgetting the main facts, these weapons could be misused by criminals, terrorists etc. For example, we can take the situation in United States. â€Å"A school going kid brings gun to school, and he showed his friends† (The Messenger-Gazette 2011). Some kids tried to sell the gun inside the school compound. This is the best instance showing us that the guns and fire arms are reaching in the wrong hands. Proper licensing and strict laws should be implemented to prevent this danger situatio n. In countries like Pakistan, there are Gun selling streets and shops; anybody can buy guns and other weapons from those shops with out license. â€Å"The market is made up of a warren of small barren brick factories; where upwards of 1,000 guns are manufactured every day, mostly by hand† (Pasternack 2011). All this would lead to dangerous situation and uncertainty. The government should take maximum effort to control the manufacturing and buying of guns.

Othello, the Moor of venice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Othello, the Moor of venice - Essay Example These lines indicate Desdemona's interest in Othello as a man. She finds him fascinating and worthy of love and makes the first move. As Othello says later, "she had eyes and chose me" (3.3.189). Othello also explains the mutual nature of their regard: "She loved me for the dangers I had passed, and I loved her that she did pity them" (1.3.167-8). Desdemona sees Othello as the bravest and most accomplished man she has ever met. Othello, an outsider in Venice, is flattered that his life could affect a woman this way. He does not expect to be admired-he has fought for everything he ever received-and Desdemona's love binds his heart. Without the forces working against them, they have a strong basis for a successful marriage. Othello is not easily brought to suspect betrayal. When Desdemona first asks for a favor, Othello tells her twice, "I will deny thee nothing" (3.3.76; 3.3.84). Without Iago, there is no doubt in his mind as to Desdemona's motivation. In the same scene, he remarks to himself, "when I love thee not, Chaos is come again" (3.3.91). This line gives us insight into Othello's heart. Desdemona is, to him, a goddess of civilization who transforms him from a despised Moor into an honored Venetian. Until Iago skews the balance, Othello's love for Desdemona is stable and grateful. Even when Iago plants seeds of doubt in his mind, Othello has trouble believing Iago's lies.

Whose Reality Essay Essay Example for Free

Whose Reality Essay Essay The brain is a crucible: a melting pot of intersecting ingredients that forges a reality that is de- ceptively the same, but often vastly different for each individual. That reality is a construct is a fashionable term these days; it means that we tend to see reality from a particular frame of reference. There is always a context, whether it be political, social or cultural. For those who are unable to construct a satisfactory reality, it is then that they are forced to create an alterna- tive reality, perhaps that fulfils their dreams and meets their views and values. In the words of cognitive neuropsychologist Kaspar Meyer, â€Å"what is now clear is that the brain is not a stimulus-driven robot that directly translates the outer world into a conscious experi- ence. What we’re conscious of is what the brain makes us be conscious of, and in the absence of incoming signals, bits of memories tucked away can be enough for a brain to get started with†. Reality for each individual differs according to their past experiences and memories, as well as what they choose to perceive to be true. Those with weaker frames of minds such as individuals suffering from mental disorders, or solely living under delusion tend to create alternative realities in order to escape the harsh truth. Consider the materialism of the post-war United States. Motivated by prosperity and wealth, all Americans were expected to achieve the profound ‘American Dream’, of which Arthur Miller critiques throughout his play ‘Death of a Salesman’. The play’s lead character Willy Loman struggles to face the true reality, but instead, chooses to believe he is leading the life he had always dreamt of. Willy believes himself to be the best salesman of his company, claiming he is â€Å"well liked† by all, and â€Å"vital in New England†, when in fact, his true reality proves to be quite the opposite. Willy struggles to pay his mortgage, as well as fails to support and provide for his family. Despite his favourite son Biff finding the words to call him out to be what he truly is â€Å"(a) fake†¦ (a) big phoney fake† and â€Å"a dime a dozen†, Willy remains ignorant towards the truth. Willy’s alternative reality provides him with the motivation to continue his life, despite the loss of his job and loss of respect from Biff. Alternative realities provide tem- porary relief from the harsh truth of reality, which is sometimes necessary for those who are considered mentally weak. It is often easier to support the alternative realities created by the mentally weak. Due to their mental state, disregarding what they believe to be true can carry several consequences. In ‘Death of a Salesman’, Willy’s wife Linda remains supportive throughout her husband’s delu- sion. He claims she is his â€Å"foundation (and) support†, which is simply conforming to the ex- pected role of a 1950’s housewife. Another example includes the 2010 movie directed by Mar- tin Scrosese titled ‘Shutter Island’, which clearly highlights the importance of accepting the al- ternative realities created by the mentally weak. The film’s protagonist Teddy Daniels believes himself to be a U. S marshal assigned to investigate the disappearance of a patient from Bos- tons Shutter Island mental institution. However, in true fact, Teddy is actually Andrew Laed- dis, one of the institution’s most dangerous patients they have because of his delusions and his violence towards the staff and the other patients. Andrew (or Teddy’s) delusion created an alternative reality in which he was able to escape the truth about his murderous past. In order to support his alternative reality, the staff at the institution developed a scenario in which Andrew was able to live out his delusion, therefore preventing the otherwise dangerous psychological effects of his true nature. If An- drew was in fact exposed to his true reality rather than living as his alter ego, he may have not been able to survive, hence proving the importance of supporting a mentally weak individual’s alternative reality. Alternative realities may not always be negative. In these cases, the alternative reality protects the individual from harm or negative attention due exposing their true self. Consider the death of Whitney Houston, or the even more recent Robin Williams. Despite their true reality con- sisting of depression and substance abuse, these two renowned celebrities developed and maintained an alternative reality to allow others to portray them as role models and success- ful artists. In the case of Robin Williams, his severe depression led to his suicide. As a come-dian and successful actor, Williams was perceived by the majority to be a motivated happy man. In true fact, despite working to ensure other people were laughing, he was diagnosed with severe depression, to the point where he eventually took his own life. Robin William’s al- ternative reality forced others to see him as he was not, but without the negative attention of showing who he really was. In Whitney Houston’s case, despite her perception as an iconic successful singer, her alternative reality consisted of a cocaine addiction to the point where she drowned in a hotel bathtub. Following their deaths, the public was finally made aware of who they truly were, regardless of what we had previously perceived them to be. Alternative realities such as these can be crucial to ensure happiness and satisfaction for the individual, without highlighting their true selves to the world. Those who are mentally weak tend to create alternative realities in order to avoid their true selves. Whether they are living within a delusion such as Willy Loman or suffering from a mental condition such as Andrew Laeddis, (otherwise known as Teddy), alternative realities may be beneficial for the individual, however difficult for others to accept. Due to individual differences in realities due to social, emotional, cultural and political factors, each person must construct a reality that is most suitable for their views and values, even if that results in alter- native realities being created. In the words of author Mignon McLaughlin, â€Å"a critic can only re- view the book he has read, not the one in which the author wrote†, and therefore we cannot judge an individual’s choice of reality or alternative realities without experiencing it ourselves first hand.

Drugs, Cheating, and the Purity of Americas Pastime Essay -- Baseball

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most children who have grown up in an American household have at one point in their lives looked up to sports figures as heroes. Whether it was your grandfather telling his stories of watching Babe Ruth become a legend, your father’s stories of Mickey Mantle and the legendary Yankee teams of the 1950’s and 1960’s, or your own memory of Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa chasing the home run record, the feeling of wholesomeness that baseball provides has always found its way into many people’s hearts. Steroids have tarnished these sacred memories, cast doubts in the minds of many on the legitimacy of records and statistics and finally affected the way younger players play the game. Baseball, America’s pastime, is embedded in the fabric of society. The players and teams have come and gone, but the thing that remains constant is baseball’s ability to unite people as well as families. My own personal experience of this came right after September 11th, 2001. Following the tragedy that was 9/11, the country needed something to help everyone return to normalcy. In our moment of weakness and uncertainty, baseball helped calm my nerves. Fifty three thousand three hundred and twelve brothers stood up in unison and took back their lives. The electricity of that game, the sense of regularity in my life, and the knowledge that millions of people were finding comfort together with me during such a hard time, helped me feel a sense of closure that the worst was behind us. It is the mystique and aura of the players, the exciting tales behind them, as well as the history of the game that keeps us interested as fans. These are the reasons why people, children especially, see these players as invincible, and perfect in every way, shape, and form. What would happen if after a century of inspiring stories, and incredible tales of heroism, the inconceivable notion that these players were not perfect, took prominence? Or that many of these superstars cheated their way to the top?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Recently the topic of steroid use in baseball has been everywhere in the news. It has finally come to the attention of Major League Baseball, and now the general public, that a vast percentage of players have been using illegal performance-enhancing drugs. This not only casts a cloud of suspicion over which players are using steroids, and makes one wonder which players are genuine, but it tar... ...ue Baseball is showing that they are finally becoming adamant about ridding themselves and their reputation of this problem, is something that should give us hope for now, as well as for the future. Even more so than simply testing the players though, I think a key issue that has been overlooked and that may be a huge contributor to the steroid problem without many people being aware of it, is the incentives given in a player’s contract. Getting rid of the six figure bonuses commonly given for a certain amount of home runs, hits, strikeouts, innings pitched, etc, will help reduce the apparent need to use steroids as a source of instant reward and income. While doing this there will still most certainly be players drawn to steroids as a means to get ahead of the competition for personal glory or other reasons, the fact is eliminating bonuses has the potential to significantly reduce the amount of users in the league. It is then, and only then that we can be prepared to fully eliminate the steroid problem as we know it today, remove the cloud of doubt over everyone’s heads, and return the game of baseball to the past glorification that it once knew, as the true American pastime.

Americans and Individualism Essay -- essays research papers

The United States of America is the land of the free, the land of opportunity, the wealthiest country in the world, a country that half the modern world is modeled after. Its President is referred to as the "Leader of the free world". Thousands of people come to this country every year, learning about the country in hopes of becoming citizens. William Hudson in his book 'American Democracy in Peril ' talks about the seven biggest challenges to this democratic nation. Individualism can be seen as a gift or a curse, depending on the context in which it occurs. Because modern society finds it important that people think independently, decide autonomously and take personal initiatives, the concept of individualism has acquired a positive connotation. However, individualism is also linked with the tendency to withdraw from social life and turn in towards oneself. Alexis de Tocqueville described individualism as the cool and considered attitude which drives people to withdraw into a small, enclosed world consisting of their family and a few select friends, leaving the rest of society to its own devices. The most obvious problem stemming from the process of individualism is of a socio-economic nature and concerns the problem of solidarity. If the link between the community and the individual becomes less strong, to what extent will an individual experience social problems, in which he or she is not immediately implicated, as his or her problems? To what extent are people in an individualistic society prepared to consider the problems of others as their own? This is a crucial question for society since it places the legitimacy of many social institutions and political structures in question. Whoever accepts that individualism is a fact will consider political life to be an incessant clash of interests on the part of people who are only in it for the sake of personal power or an increase in personal fortune. While they may be fine, responsible people in private life, in their attitude to government they are like infants, interested only in themselves and what they consume, howling for more, and not concerned at all about the morality of using government as a middleman to forcibly take what they desire from their fellow-citizens. Whereas those people who reject individualism and accept that the point of an election is to choose representatives whom the vo... ... Congress, with the States, can amend the Constitution. Individualism breeds fragmentation and brings about disconnectivity and this is in complete contradiction with the 'connected' governmental system in the United States where the governmental divisions are always checking each other. On one hand, democracy's project is unrealizable, because it is contrary to nature. On the other, it is impossible to stop short of this democracy and go back to aristocracy. This is because democratic equality also conforms to nature. It follows that we can only moderate democracy; we cannot stop short of democracy, because it fulfils nature. We cannot attain the end of this movement, for it would mean subjecting nature completely and dehumanizing man. Escaping democracy is not an option. We can never possibly make democracy completely "real", and we must not try. We can and must moderate democracy, limit it, sober down its hostility to nature, all the while benefiting from its conformity to nature. To moderate democracy so as it conforms with human nature, to limit it insofar as it is contrary to it, such is the sovereign art on which depend the prosperity and morality of a democracy.