Corporations and Communities Learning How to Be Responsible

Corporations and Communities Learning How to Be Responsible The on-going debate on the place of corporations The Canadian documentary The Corporation (Achbar Abbott 2003) dwells upon the role corporations have played in the society. Corporations are now associated with evil, illegal entities that focus on gaining profit at the expense of the community. People claim that corporations ceased the power long time ago and people can do nothing to resist.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Corporations and Communities: Learning How to Be Responsible specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, it is important to remember that corporations were initially â€Å"a gift of people to serve the public good† as people gathered to fulfil certain tasks and their activities were strictly regulated (Achbar Abbott 2003). The corporations are not a product of evil businessmen of the beginning of the twentieth century. These entities (as they are now) are a result of regulatory deficiencies a t a number of levels, i.e. corporate, national and international levels. The present paper is aimed at identifying the major regulatory deficiencies and revealing possible ways to diminish negative influence of corporations. Major issues associated with corporations To understand the reasons for the impact corporations have, it is necessary to briefly trace the development of these entities. Industrialisation is seen as the major factor that made the appearance of corporations possible (Bowman 2010). Researchers also note that the development of the military industry was another potent factor that contributed to the development of corporations (Achbar Abbott 2003). Mastrogiovanni (2009) notes that military conflicts have always brought huge sums of money to those involved in the military industry.  However, the major turning point in the development of corporations as they are now was the enactment of the 14th Amendment. Researchers stress that the notion that corporations should be regarded as legal persons enabled these entities to operate with less restrictions (Achbar Abbott 2003). The corporation was a legal person that was able to buy and sell property. Therefore, corporations have gained more power since the 1930s. Importantly, the concept of the corporation has spread worldwide as the American economic model was transferred to European (as well as South American and Asian) countries after the World War II. Drucker (2009) claims that the development of corporations worldwide was inescapable as the collaboration between the countries was increasing. The development of corporations is also associated with a variety of positive and negative externalities. These economic, political, social and environmental externalities have had predominantly negative effect on the development of communities and the image of corporations (Simpson 2007).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Corporations gained more power and violated more and more regulations. What is more, new regulations (which were favourable for corporations) have been introduced. These violations and new unfair regulations can be explained by regulatory deficiencies at the corporate, national and international levels. Results of regulatory deficiencies at different levels The corporate level In the first place, it is necessary to consider regulatory deficiencies at the corporate level. The core goal of any corporation is gaining profit. It is noted that there is nothing bad in that as this is the basis of a capitalist society (Achbar Abbott 2003). Therefore, corporations tend to focus on gaining profit rather than on being responsible in many respects. The business world has always been highly competitive and contemporary corporations have to face lots of constraints. To remain competitive, corporations often try to reduce their expenses, and this often leads to violation of certain norms (Kurucz, Colbert Wheeler 2008). Thus, corporations can reduce perks (or even wages) of employees, violate environmental regulations, etc. The national level However, corporate irresponsibility cannot be regarded as the major factor contributing to the spread of corporations and their empowerment. Admittedly, corporations violate regulations and they are corrupt. However, it is much more serious that corporations are barely ever punished. Governments of the USA and all European countries let corporations violate the rules. For instance, the famous case of Cochabamba is an example of the symbiotic co-existence of a corporation and a government. Thus, SEMAPA, the organisation providing municipal water and sewage services, was privatised and soon sold to a corporation (Snchez Gà ³mez Terhorst 2005). Olivera (2004) notes that the tender procedure was obscure and held with a variety of violations. In this case, the government was corrupt and let a corporatio n take control over a community’s organisation. More so, the example of the Bolivian case also transcends on the international level which appears to be the major factor contributing to the negative influence of corporations. The international level SEMAPA was sold under the pressure as the World Bank had an impact on the Bolivian government. Notably, the organisation was sold to an American corporation. Therefore, that was not a case of a single country as it involved several states and an international organisation.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Corporations and Communities: Learning How to Be Responsible specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Obviously, international bodies have a great impact on governments. This single case can justify the argument that regulatory deficiencies at the international level have led to the development of corporations which are irresponsible in social, political, environmental, e thical and moral respects. The most effective level in addressing the issues At the same time, the great influence international bodies have now makes the international level the most effective in addressing the issues related to the negative impact of corporations’ irresponsible activities. Cordato (2007) argues that international regulations have been effective tools in many cases. The contemporary globalised world is, to a certain extent, governed by international bodies. Therefore, these organisations are capable of diminishing negative effects of corporations’ activities. The history of corporations’ development shows that they used to be strictly governed. It is time to reintroduce such a practice. Notably, some may state that the Cochabamba model can be successful in addressing the issues associated with corporations’ activities. It is necessary to note that the famous People’s Agreement of Cochabamba reflects major issues and outlines most important concept (People’s agreement 2010). For instance, people of Cochabamba address the rest of the world and ask for responsibility and creation of responsible regulatory bodies. However, the situation in the region proves that a set of concepts is not enough as the government is still corrupt and ineffective. People are still suffering from the lack of resources. Therefore, the manifestation should be brought to the fore and become the basis for the new legitimate document. The existing international bodies should start paying more attention to the activities of corporations. It is crucial to work out regulations which would make the corporations a union of people working for the community. Conclusion To sum up, it is possible to note that industrialisation was the major factor that contributed to the development of corporations. These entities have acquired considerable power and have often violated various regulations on the global scale. However, globalisation has br ought a solution. International bodies have the necessary tools to diminish the corporations’ negative influence by introducing strict regulations and taking control over the corporations’ compliance to the new rules.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Reference list Achbar, M Abbott, J 2003, The corporation, Big Picture Media Corporation, Vancouver, Canada. Bowman, S 2010, Modern corporation and American political thought: law power, and ideology, Penn State Press, University Park, PA. Cordato, R 2007, Efficiency and externalities in an open-ended universe: a modern Austrian perspective, The Ludwig von Mises Institute, Auburn, AL. Drucker, P 2009, Concept of the corporation, Transaction Publishers, Piscataway, NJ. Kurucz, EC, Colbert, BA Wheeler, D 2008, The business case for corporate social responsibility, in A Crane, A McWilliams, D Matten, J Moon D Seigel (eds), The Osford handbook on corporate social responsibility, Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 83-112. Mastrogiovanni, M 2009, The business of war: understanding the military-industrial complex and how it’s still used today, ESSAI, vol. 7. no. 33, pp. 106-108. Olivera, O 2004, Cochabamba!: water war in Bolivia, South End Press, Cambridge, MA.  People’ s agreement of Cochabamba 2010. Web. Snchez Gà ³mez, L Terhorst, P 2005, Cochabamba, Bolivia: public-collective partnership after the Water War, in B Balany et al. (eds), Reclaiming public water-achievements, struggles, and visions from around the world, Transnational Institute and Corporate Observatory Europe, Porto Alegre, Brazil, pp. 121-130. Simpson, BP 2007, An economic, political, and philosophical analysis of externalities, Reason Papers, vol. 29. no. 1, pp. 123-140.

Problems Faced to Accomplish Effective Speech and Writing Skills Essay

Problems Faced to Accomplish Effective Speech and Writing Skills - Essay Example This remains a reality that many people have to go for education purposes to strange lands where speech and writing rules may differ hugely from the ones socially practiced in their native lands. This is where myriad ambiguities enter the scene and plague the minds of many confused students who might have travelled much to get education in a certain college. Foreign students, unlike native ones, are mostly seen as individuals exposed to strange norms and complex behaviors, some of which may be quite hostile as well. Both writing and speech activities are heavily influenced by good communication skills and foreign students should know how to use those skills in unfamiliar academic territories for their own academic benefits. The reality of the immense difficulty faced by foreign students in practicing new speech and writing skills in unfamiliar academic territories is further strengthened as research study done by (McCarthy) identifies that foreign students perceive themselves as stra ngers in strange lands. Once enrolled in a certain foreign institution, students belonging to different cultural backgrounds and more familiar to their native languages, have to make great efforts to adapt themselves to new speech situations as a result of which developing close understanding with appropriate styles of communicating and writing which can be applied in new academic territories with great facility becomes inevitably important. A student â€Å"has to invent the university by assembling and mimicking its language while finding some compromise between a personal history and the requirements of convention† (Norgaard). Those students who make painstaking efforts to maintain close interaction with their professors even after the lecture hours finish are seen as individuals taking good grades and rapidly achieving a secure job once their educational periods end. In contrast to such highly interactive students, many foreign students feel shy to communicate with their p rofessors due to myriad underlying reasons which may be of cultural, lingual, intellectual, or psychological nature. Teachers can play a major role in making such students familiar with the rules of writing and speech in a language they consider alien. The research study done by (Delpit) identifies that teachers should understand that such students deliberately choose not to learn sometimes, rather â€Å"choosing to maintain their sense of identity in the face of what they perceive as a painful choice between allegiance to them or us† (Delpit). Foreign students may also face hesitation in interacting with the learned scholars at colleges because of the great fear that they may be looked down upon or mocked by fellow students if they happen to make any grammatical or pronunciation mistakes while trying to interact in foreign language with their teachers. Students should be transformed by their teachers in such a way that they would stop considering English as an alien language which somehow plays a role in furthering their oppression. Teachers should make those students, who are not already accustomed to the features of mainstream learners, learn how to carry on an effective discourse in the foreign language. â€Å"Teachers must acknowledge and validate students’ home language without using it to limit students’ potential† (Delpit). Now, developing good communication skills in English language is not an easy task, especially when it comes to foreign learners who find

1. Explain what the terms correlations AND confounding variables mean Essay

1. Explain what the terms correlations AND confounding variables mean (in your own words, and cite the source) - Essay Example The article on Obesity in Latino Children seeks to identify factors that can be associated with overweight and obesity observed in Latino children (Kornides, Kitsantas, Yang & Villarruel, 2011). The study exhibited both correlations and confounding factors. Correlation in research study implies the characteristic relationship between the variables treated in the study. Specifically, correlation between variables implies that a change in one variable is accompanied by a change in another variable as a result of the first change (Kornides, Kitsantas, Yang & Villarruel, 2011). In other words, with one or more variables whose change induces change in another variable or variables, all the variables involved are said to be correlated. The study presented in the article seeks to identify factors that are primarily associated with obesity and overweight scenarios observed in Latino children. The study takes into account what other literatures have said about the issue and critiques the information contained therein. The study also identifies research loopholes in the literatures considered in line with the current trends in the issue around the time the study was conducted in the year 2011. Challenges that characterized the study are highlighted and future research propositions made on the subject matter of the study. Research studies also employ confounding variables to aid the treatment of objectives and hypothesis being examined. Confounding variables are research aiding tools that are crucial in the examination of the topic of study, but are relatively hard to measure or account for in the research undertaking (Kornides, Kitsantas, Yang & Villarruel, 2011). In other words, they are crucial aiding variables in a study in that they complement the dependent and independent research variables. Although confounding variables are not directly examined in the study, they enhance the inferences made by backing up the primary

Assess the extent to which we can uncover Essay Example for Free

Assess the extent to which we can uncover Essay Official crime statistics report crime levels have been reported to be steadily falling since 1995, although showing a slight increase in burglaries. These official statistics are released by the Home Office, and are collected from police records in the UK, these statistics are widely regarded to be a true and accurate measure of crime, despite evidence suggesting otherwise. Another way of recording crime is through self report studies, which although does give out some indication of crime levels, it is considered to be inaccurate due to the anonymity of those surveyed meaning there is a chance of exaggeration or lying. A more reliable source would perhaps be a victim survey such as the BCS, a large scale survey conducted in the UK, which enables victims to report crime. Criminologists have used these to try to decrease the amount of unknown or unrecorded crime. Yet again this gives those surveyed the cover of anonymity, which could result in exaggeration, underplaying the crime, or just lying. Not only is this but it is open to mistakes due to relying on the memories of its participants, which may mean the results are wrong. Also there is a problem in that victims are categorising the crimes themselves, and so it may exaggerate some forms of crime, making them out to be more or less serious. Studies found too that types of corporate crime tended to be ignored; due to there it is seen as ‘minor’ compared to assault for example. Sexual crimes also tend not to be reported; due to the stigma’s attached to them. Young people are too excluded from this survey, as only over 18’s participate, and so a large majority of the population is ignored, and this means that victims of on-going child abuse can’t report being a victim. This obviously is one explanation as to how these statistics cannot be relied on to be wholly reliable. One argument against official crime statistics is that they are a record of crime, which are recorded by police, rather than of crimes reported to police, minor crimes for example like petty theft or vandalism may not be thought of as serious enough to record and therefore would not be included in the report. Another type of crime which falls into this category is domestic violence; many of these crimes aren’t recorded, due to the fact that it is so difficult to point the finger of blame. This means that we do not see a true figure of crimes which the police are faced with, only the ones which they pursue further. This shows that it falls to the judgement of the police to choose what is deemed a ‘crime’ and what is to be followed up. It is also suggested that police will record more crimes at points of the year when they are not so busy, however at times that crimes rates are high, less ‘trivial’ crimes will be recorded, this is because it frees up officers for more ‘important’ duties, and saves the police force extra work on things they don’t see as worthwhile, furthermore officers will record crimes more, or more high profile crimes, if they are looking to boost their own career, they may record more `straightforward` crimes, so that they can solve more cases, and benefit from a promotion. Some crimes are recorded, but due to work loads of officers may later be removed from records and classified as ‘non-crimes’ in order to decrease heavy work schedules. A second problem with official crime statistics is that many crimes go unreported, particularly domestic violence and sexual abuse; this is due to the fact that the crimes are seen as `taboo` and carry labels of ‘shame’ and in some communities these issues are seen as the norm, in the past for example many people simply accepted domestic violence as a common part of marriage, and something that could be resolved by the couple themselves; an example of this would be the fact only recently has it been possible for a husband to be convicted of raping his wife. When the man is the victim of domestic violence too, or a child is being abused, the crimes often go unreported, due to the shame of telling, and fear of not being believed. Also minor crimes, in which the victim feels that it is not worth making a statement, they do not report it. Gang crimes often go unreported due to the fact that they tend to take the law into their own hands, rather than seek retribution from the state, they go out and seek it directly from the perpetrator themselves, often reciprocating with a similar act of violence, which they had previously been a victim of. This is because they see their method as more effective and brings with it a higher status than reporting the crime to the authorities does. Other reasons for not reporting the police include, being scared of the person who carried out the crime, a drug dealer beating up a drug addict who has not paid him would be an example of this, the crime may be reported to other authorities, like the council, medical boards etc. or it is thought that many people do not report crimes, due to anti-police feelings. It is a well known fact that only a very small percentage of rape cases actually make it to court, even smaller is chance of a conviction. It is for this reason that victims are often very reluctant to report the crime, as the process of giving evidence and standing up in court is highly stressful, and weighed against the fact that it is unlikely to secure a conviction; it may be altogether less painful to not report it.

What is the Significance of the Heath in Return of the Native? :: English Literature

What is the Significance of the Heath in Return of the Native? It is evident right from the beginning that the heath plays an integral part in the novel â€Å"Return of the Native†, this is because the opening chapter is exclusively about the heath. The heath assists in creating the feelings of both central characters and the background heath folk, the first chapter is titled â€Å"A Face on which Time makes but little Impression†, meaning that Egdon Heath is timeless and everybody on it has little significance. The reader gains an insight of the novel and its genre through the first chapter, â€Å"It had a lonely face, suggesting tragical possibilities.† This aids the reader in identifying that there is going to be something tragical in the novel. Hardy is also using personification, which brings the heath to life. In spite of this, the first chapter also does what every other first chapter in a novel does, it sets the scene. Egdon Heath, as far as the novel is concerned and the characters inside it, is the world. The only time that the novel ever abandons the heath is only briefly between pages 253-257 which is the part when Wildeve and Eustacia are at the dance together in Budmouth. It is comprehensible that the heath folk consider Egdon Heath to be everything when they talk about Paris as if it were a million miles away, â€Å"like a King’s Palace as far as diments go† is the description they use when describing Clym’s shop. Hardy also uses the heath as a metaphor for how the central characters are feeling. On page 206, when Clym moves out of his mothers house, the fir and beech trees are described to be â€Å"suffering more damage than during the highest winds of winter†¦ the wasting sap would bleed for many days to come†. We also get an insight to the way Eustacia is feeling through the storm on the heath on page 345-346, â€Å"Never was harmony more perfect than that between the chaos of her mind and the chaos of the world without†. The brief flowering in the summer time on Egdon heath represents the love between Eustacia and Clym, when it flowered it was beautiful and colourful and sweet, but it soon drooped, dried out and finally died. When Wildeve and Diggory Venn are playing dice on the heath, the contrast is prominent between human behaviour and nature, â€Å"The incongruity between the men’s deeds and their environment was striking†. Hardy is making a comment on human nature and it’s battle against nature. The behaviour of the two men is described as almost

Global Marketing Chapter 1 Notes

Chapter 1 Global marketing refers to marketing activities that take place across national borders and outside of the firm’s home country Involvement in global marketing does not mean that a firm must sell its products in every country or region of the world Coordination and integration of marketing strategy with an emphasis on standardization are central tenet of GM Evolution of the conceptDomestic marketing – International sales are incidental to marketing strategy Multidomestic marketing – unique strategy for each country market Global marketing – Focus now on standardization and global segments Local marketing – Standardization but with a focus on the needs of local customers â€Å"Glocal Marketing† reflects the need for balance between global marketing, with a focus on standardization, and local marketing, with its focus on adaptation to country differences GlobalizationGlobalization refers to the increased integration of the worldâ€℠¢s economies. Ongoing global technological innovation in marketing has direct effect on the efficiency and effectiveness of all business activities. Globalization reflects a business orientation based on the belief that the world is becoming more homogeneous and that distinctions between national markets are not only fading but, for some products, will eventually disappear. Forms of globalization: Globalization of markets vs. Globalization of production Drivers of Globalization Market factors – convergence of markets, diffusion of telecommunication & internet. Growing # of retailers are now showing great flexibility in their strategies for entering new geographic markets * Cost factors – avoiding cost inefficiencies and duplication of effort are two of the most powerful globalization drivers. Economies of scale refers to the reduction in per unit cost of production. Economies of scope refers to reduced cost per unit as the firm spreads its total costs over a large numb er of brands, product lines, or target markets. Environmental factors – government barriers have fallen dramatically in the last several years and this has further facilitated the globalization of markets and the activities of marketers within them. Rapid technological evolution is contributing to the process. * Competitive factors – to remain competitive, the marketer may have to be the first to do something or to be able to match or pre-empt competitor’s moves. Without a global network, a marketer may run the risk of seeing carefully researched ideas picked off by global players.Market presence may be necessary to execute global strategies and to prevent others from having undue advantage in unchallenged markets. The anti-globalization movement The globalization trend has drawn its fair share of critics over the years. Anti-globalists have expressed concerns about the impact of the trend on the poor, the environment, and on national sovereignty. Many anti-glob alization protests have turned violent in the past Opportunities and challenges in global marketingThe growth of global business activities offers increased opportunities. International activities can be crucial to a firm’s survival and growth. By transferring knowledge around the globe, an international firm can build and strengthen its competitive position. What is needed is an awareness of global developments, an understanding of their meaning, and a development of capabilities to adjust to change. Willing or unwilling, firms are becoming participants in global business affairs.

MY CRAZY ADVENTURE IN AN ANIMAL CELL! A STORY ABoUT A Boy...

I couldnÂ’t believe it. I had no clue on what I had got myself into. I thought I was in a nightmare. Everything was so much larger than me. I felt like I was this tiny spec on a flower. My life had suddenly flashed before my eyes. I had a feeling that my last breath was about to par take. I knew that I should have never drunk that stuff that my friend gave me. She said that it would take me to another world, but I didnÂ’t take her seriously. I thought it was just her joshing around. How could a normal 15-year-old boy just end up alone in some awkward place? All I knew was that it was a long road ahead of me. I had begun to walk around this new environment. As I walked further down the walkway the sounds that surrounded me began to get†¦show more content†¦I thought that there might be some way to get out, but after wondering for an hour I realized that there was nothing I could do. I just had to keep calm and stay alive. After I sat down and collected my nerves, I finally decided I should go out and explore some more. As soon as I stepped back out, I ran into that blue squiggly jelly again. “Ah, there you are. IÂ’ve been looking all over for you. To help you with your travel, I brought you a car!” he explained as he handed me the keys to some weird car. “Thanks a lot.” I replied and he walked away. I was ready to find out what was going on. Even though IÂ’m only 15, I was pretty good at driving. I drove around the cell and saw a bunch of different things I had only seen in my science book. “ThatÂ’s what a ribosome is, Oh.” I said to myself. Some of the other cell parts doing their jobs would turn to me and laugh. I was so confused; I had no idea what I was doing or where I was going. I just ignored those cell parts though and kept on going. After a while of driving around, I got scared that I would never be able to get out of this place. I sat and thought to myself. “How are you going to get out of this John? You need to do something.” I began to lose my nerve. I was going hysterical. I had to find the blue jelly again so he could help me. I tried as best as I could to backtrack and get back to where the huge round thing was to get out of here.Show MoreRelatedStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesEnvironment 22 †¢ Improving Ethical Behavior 22 Coming Attractions: Developing an OB Model 23 An Overview 23 †¢ Inputs 24 †¢ Processes 25 †¢ Outcomes 25 Summary and Implications for Managers 30 S A L Self-Assessment Library How Much Do I Know About Organizational Behavior? 4 Myth or Science? â€Å"Most Acts of Workplace Bullying Are Men Attacking Women† 12 An Ethical Choice Can You Learn from Failure? 24 glOBalization! Does National Culture Affect Organizational Practices? 30 Point/Counterpoint Lost