Target Market

What is meant by â€Å"target market†? The focus of marketing effort is people. The goal is to reach a subset of the population who may be interested in your particular product. That group of people is your target market. The term target market is used because that market is the target at which you aim all your marketing efforts. The markets you are trying to reach are people with common characteristics that set them apart as a group. The more you know about a target market, the more precisely you can develop your marketing strategy. Describe the probable demographic characteristics of the target market for the following products (Measurable statistics such as age, income, or occupation): Jaguar: Definitely the wealthy, upper class or higher middle class people. Most likely an older, wealthier target market. Chevy Cobalt: Middle class people who are looking for an affordable car with good gas mileage. Age of the target market is probably mid-20s to senior citizens. McDonalds: From 5 years old to 95 years old. Lower Class, Middle Class, and even Upper Class people buy and consume McDonald’s products. They market happy meals for kids, late night snacks for young people, breakfast and coffee for older people. Ruby River Steak House: Aims their products at all age and classes as well. They advertise it as a family establishment with good food. I don't have one here in Louisiana but it is similar to our Outback Steakhouse which has that target market. Is it possible to identify a single market for two distinctly different products? Yes it is, there are many product combinations that can interest a single market. It builds sales in a business, and promotes other business as well. To understand the key sources of network value, it’s important to recognize the structure of the network. Some networks derive most of their value from a single class of users. An example of this kind of network is instant messaging (IM). While there might be some add-ons for the most popular IM tools, they don’t influence most users’ choice of an IM system. You pretty much choose one IM tool over another based on how many of your contacts you can reach. Economists would call IM a one-sided marketone-sided marketA market that derives most of its value from a single class of users (e. . , instant messaging). (a market that derives most of its value from a single class of users), and the network effects derived from IM users attracting more IM users as being same-side exchange benefitssame-side exchange benefitsBenefits derived by interaction among members of a single class of participant (e. g. , the exchange value when increasing numbers of IM users gain the abil ity to message each other). (benefits derived by interaction among members of a single class of participant). But some markets are comprised of two distinct categories of network participant. Consider video games. People buy a video game console largely based on the number of really great games available for the system. Software developers write games based on their ability to reach the greatest number of paying customers, and so they’re most likely to write for the most popular consoles, first. Economists would call this kind of network a two-sided markettwo-sided marketNetwork markets comprised of two distinct categories of participant, both of which that are needed to deliver value for the network to work (e. g. video game console owners and developers of video games). (network markets comprised of two distinct categories of participant, both of which that are needed to deliver value for the network to work). When an increase in the number of users on one side of the market (say console owners) creates a rise in the other side (software developers), that’s called a cross-side exchange benefitcross-side exchange benefitWhen an increase in the number of use rs on one side of the market (say console owners) creates a rise in the other side (software developers).. Example – IM is considered a one-sided market, where the value-creating, positive-feedback loop of network effects comes mostly from same-side benefits from a single group (IM members who attract other IM members who want to communicate with them). Video game consoles, however, are considered a two-sided network, where significant benefits come from two distinct classes of users that add value from cross-side benefits by attracting their opposite group. In the game console market, more users of a console attract more developers who write more software for that console, and that attracts more users. Game availability is the main reason the Sony PlayStation 2 dominated over the original Xbox. It is possible that a network may have same-side and cross-side benefits. Xbox 360 benefits from cross-side benefits in that more users of that console attract more developers writing more software titles and vice versa. However, the Xbox Live network that allows users to play against each other has same-side benefits. If your buddies use Xbox Live and you want to play against them, you’re more likely to buy an Xbox. ) Can you think of other product combinations that would interest a single market? Taking a closer look at businesses, you can actually see cases where a particular target market for one product is more likely to buy another. The example that was given for this assignment was consumers that prefer Apple products that drive Volkswagens. Another example of this would be the target market of 18 – 25 year old males. There are a number of products that this particular set of individuals are marketed to, ranging from stereo equipment to video games. The coalition between hip hop clothing (urban wear) and high tech music devices to me would be the strongest.

Transition to a New Cultural Environment

Information on Culture Introduction of Information At some point in life people experience a culture as an outsider by moving from one culture to another. In the world today there are so many different cultures and not one of them is found to be the same. Instead they all have something that makes them unique, whether its language or even the clothes they wear and their behavior as well. The differences they have is what separates them from one another and who ever joins that culture must get accustomed to their way of life. For example, today there are many people immigrating to the United States to start a new and better life. What they soon begin to realize is that it’s a whole new world out there and in order to survive they have to get accustomed to the new way of life which is much different from their lives before. Background and Significance of the Problem According to Dewiel (2005), the idea of culture has changed over the years. He states that the history of culture is as followed, Although today we think of the peoples of the world throughout history in terms of their cultures, the idea of culture is a relatively recent idea. Before modernity began in about the 17th and 18th centuries, people in Europe saw themselves not as participants in various cultures but as members of competing religions. With the secularizing trends of early modernity, social scientific ideas began to replace religious terms in the self-understanding of Europeans. (para. 4) Statement of the Problem Adjusting to a different culture can be difficult for just about anyone. What is necessary for one to feel at home in a new culture? Many cultural barriers must be addressed before a person can feel at home with a new culture. Many steps can be taken to help with the differences a person my experience in a different culture. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to inform the reader of different step in which can be taken to help one feel at home in a new culture. Many actions can be taken to help ease the transition to a cultural environment. Definition of Terms â€Å"Culture comprises the values, beliefs, and norms that are shared by a group of people, such as a racial or ethnic minority. Culture influences how people think about, act on, and see the world. † (Ramirez & Soto, 2006, para. 2) Preview Around the world people poses all different kinds of culture. How do we as outsiders become a part of the people and become a welcome member of different cultures? The writer will explain different methods of adapting to a new culture. These steps could be taken to make one feel at home with a different culture. How to Accustom to New Culture Understanding History Behind every culture lies a history. A person must ask themselves why the people of this culture follow their beliefs, customs, and poses certain values. For a person to truly find out the real history behind a culture, a person must ask the people of the culture. It’s the only way to find the true history. Once a person understands the history of a culture, they can begin to practice the same customs the culture already practices. Benefits Discovering the history can be very beneficial. Knowing the history of a culture means knowing where the culture came from. This could result in the people of the culture to accepting a person as one of their own. This will definitely better chances of making the culture feel like home. Summary If a person wants to feel at home in a new culture, they must first do some research first. Researching the history behind a culture with help a person better adapt to a culture. This will also help people within the culture accept you as one of them because you know the roots of the culture. Learning the Language Another method to adapting to a new culture is learning their language. This will help a person connect better with the people of the culture. Although people may be able to speak the same language they could understand or interpret words differently, because the same words may mean different things to various persons. That is why it’s essential for a person to learn the cultures’ language and how they interpret words. A person must have patience when learning a new language. It is very important for one not to get down on their selves for the simple fact that this could discourage the learning process. It takes everyone some time to adjust and become comfortable with a new language. A person should begin to learn a few common words or phrases. Results Leaning the language will connect a person to the people of a different culture. This gives a person the ability to socialize with the people of a culture. The people will also be able to get to know and understand this new outsider and it would be greatly appreciated by them. Summary Adjusting to a new culture can be difficult as well as frustrating. It’s important to have patience thought the process of adapting to a new culture. Leaning the language of a culture could ultimately bring you closer to the people of the culture. Therefore, it is essential to the process of making the new culture feel like home. Find similarities Lastly, the writer believes if a person tries to find things that are similar to their own culture, then the transition would not be so difficult. For example, similar foods that the new culture eats that is similar to the culture a person came from could definitely make someone feel at home. Food is comfort, and as a result, it’s a good idea to stick with what is familiar and stay open to adapting new foods. Music could also be a get similarity between two different cultures. Hearing music that reminds a person of where they came from makes it easier to accepting a new culture. Result Finding similarities helps a person accept a different culture. It makes someone feel at home with a new culture. A person could discover that their two cultures could possibly have a lot in common. Summary Adapting to a new culture can be very difficult and at times, frustrating. Finding similarities between a persons’ current culture and a new one could help make the new culture feel like home. It is necessary for a person to figure out what the enjoyed best from their culture and compare this to the new culture. Conclusions and Recommendations Furthermore, many steps should be taken in order for a person to feel at home in a new culture. Understanding and becoming a part of a new culture can be very difficult and frustrating at times. First of all, the writer feels it is essential for the person to do some research and find out the history behind the new culture. This will give the person a better understanding of why the people of the new culture practice certain customs and traditions. Another necessity includes learning the language of the culture. Even if this culture speaks the same language, words might be interpreted differently. This could help a person better connect with the people of a different culture. Last step the writer feels is necessary when adapting to a new culture is finding similarities between cultures. Doing this could definitely make a person feel at home in a new culture. All steps should be carefully considered when entering a new culture. References Dewiel, B. (2005). Cultural Diversity. In R. P. Carlisle (Ed. )Encyclopedia of Politics, 1(pp. 115-117) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Reference Retrieved March 12, 2009, from Gale Virtual Reference Library via Gale: http://go. galegroup. com. prx-01. lirn. et/ps/start. do? p=GVRL&u=lirn_main Ramirez, S. Z. & Soto, J. (2006). Cultural Barriers. In Y. Jackson (Ed. )Encyclopedia of Multicultural Psychology, (pp. 127-129) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Reference Retrieved March 12, 2009, from Gale Virtual Reference Library via Gale: http://go. galegroup. com. prx-01. lirn. net/ps/start. do? p=GVRL&u=lirn_mainBerens, L. V. , Cooper, S. A. , Ernst, L. K. , Marti n, C. R. , Myers, S. , Nardi, D. , et al. (2001). Quick guide to the 16 personality types in organizations: Understanding personality differences in the workplace. Huntington Beach, CA: Telos.

Ggr252 Notes Essay

To gain a better understanding of the retail and commercial activity in the Toronto area, two different types of retail will be evaluated in the following report. The character, market orientation and location of a retail space all play crucial role in contributing to the success of the business. All three aspects of the retail spheres will be carefully assessed in order to make direct comparisons between the two types of retail businesses. The two retail systems that will be contrasted includes the ancillary retail system in downtown Toronto and the Retail Strip on Spadina, south of Baldwin. Part A – Ancillary Retail (First Canadian Place) The ancillary retail system in downtown Toronto is one of the most unique retail systems in the world. It is an underground shopping center that connects all the major banks and towers in the core of the city. The specific area that we investigate is called â€Å"First Canadian Place† and it is located on King & Bay St. This geographic region is one of the most densely engaged regions in all of Canada and this is because of the large skyscrapers that are located on top of this retail center. Its primary customers are upper-middle class workers that are working in the surrounding banks and institutions. Most of the consumers are not wearing jackets and this suggests that they were able to access this center without going outdoors. This is a significant advantage because people are more willing to go to areas that are easily accessible. The retail center is easily accessible by many different types of transportation. There are two subway stations that are located within this are a and there are also buses on the street level. As well, it is very accessible by foot because the retail center is connected to many other different shopping centers in the core of Toronto. There are many different types of stores in this retail center but they are all focused on â€Å"white collars†. Most of the customers are workers in large firms and they want quick access to different types of stores. This is why there is a large amount of fast-food/food court stores that allow workers to have their lunch quickly and efficiently. The busiest time of the day for this retail center is during lunch hour and rush hours because it is very convenient for all the workers to access this center. A 15 minute pedestrian count during lunch hours (around 1:30pm) indicated that approximately 1993 people access this ancillary retail system. This system  is in private property because it is under many large skyscrapers which are owned by private firms. This system is not very easy to navigate because of the complex connections of different shopping centers. Part B – Spadina, South of Baldwin (China Town) The retail strip on Spadina, south of Baldwin (known as China Town) is a completely different type of retail center. This retail is located outside and it is very easy to navigate since the arrangement of the retail stores is not complex. The streetcar track on Spadina helps people to identify the directions more easily (North ↔ South). This area is accessible by public transportation as a result of the frequent availability of streetcars and subway. There are also parking spots on either side of the road that can accommodate for cars. The area surrounding this retail strip consists of schools, university, and small houses. There are a wide variety of stores within the retail strip, offering customers many selections to choose from. Most of the retail spaces consist of restaurants, fashion and accessories stores, and family health services. However, there are also other services being offered, such as banking services, furthermore, there are meat shop and supermarket. This retail space is considered to be public as the entire business strip is not managed or controlled as a whole by any rules and regulations. And most evidently, the retail strip itself is located on a public street. It is possible that the city planners may have designed the street and the retail area to accommodate for the needs of the surrounding residential area. However, the actual stores and their specific styles and characteristics that each retail business offers are mainly unplanned (there might be some planned aspects). In the pedestrian count that was conducted during lunch time (around 1:30pm), a total of 327 pedestrians were counted during the 15-minute count. Chinatown is geared toward the market segment of low to mid-income individuals. Thus, most of the pedestrians are dressed in casual wear and jackets (Note: stores are located outside – winter period). The majority of consumers in this retail strip are Asians who speak Cantonese or mandarin and large portion of them are seniors. Part C – Compare and Contrast After careful analysis of the above two retail spaces, many similarities and differences can be drawn. First and foremost, both business entities consist of multiple retail stores that offer a vast variety of goods and services. This allows customers to have and opportunity to be exposed to a great selection of goods and services, and also creates convenience for the shoppers. In considering the physical location and layout of the two retail spaces, it is evident that both are located where a large amount of traffic can be found. People arrive at these areas by cars, transit (streetcars in China Town/buses in First Canadian Place, subway, cars for both), and walk, etc. This brings more customers to the businesses, and also helps accommodate for large amounts of traffic, which may be created as a result of it. Therefore, in terms of accessibility, both locations are very convenient to customers everywhere because of public access. The Ancillary Retail System is located in one of the most important commercial centers in Canada. There is a large population working above this system and this allows the system to have many customers during the weekdays. The disadvantage is that workers do not work during weekends would cause the system to have less customers, or the stores in the system might not be even opened during the weekends. The major disadvantage to the retail strip is that since the strip is located outdoors, many people would not be willing to shop outdoors in the cold winter. It is possible that the number of customers in the summer would be greater than the numbers in the winter, but it is more likely that customers would prefer the PATH since the system would have the air conditioning turned on in the summer. In both of the retail areas, we can see their different layouts. In First Canadian Place, most of the food services are centralized in the food court, whereas in the retail strip there are no spe cific patterns or layouts. This might be because it is a public space and the retail center is unplanned. The two different types of retail vary in their composition. The PATH system has more chaining retails than those in the retail strip. The stores’ degree of speciality in the strip is higher, this is because the stores are independent and owned by individuals that has the freedom to decorate the store and sell as they wish, without rules and regulations. Through the evidence from my observations, I believe that the retail strip  is less managed than the Ancillary System, because of the nature of the area. The retail strip is located on a public road, the city planners at most are doing their jobs setting out this area as retail but not as much as planning each store and how many stores of different types for this strip to be successful. The Ancillary Retail though, is a planned center, the land is owned as private property, and therefore, the stores run under rules and regulations. Before the stores can open in this planned center, marketing would have been done to see if th e center can accommodate another such shop in there. I believe that everything that goes in the PATH is carefully monitored and managed by a department under its private owner. Although own is private and one is public, one is planned and one is unplanned, despite these differences, they also have many similarities that kept them both running; their styles and selections attract different kinds of customers. The different specialty stores on the retail strip would attract customers that are looking for uniqueness and those that are looking for Oriental-style cuisines, and the stores in the Ancillary Retail would provide customer with convenience to their everyday needs and quick services such as the fast food services to customers who work nearby. Overall, these two different retail areas have their own qualities that attract customers, and everyday there are changes in the market and changes are made in those types of retail everywhere to suit out changing needs.

Green House gases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Green House gases - Essay Example Heavy industrialization is believed to be the major reason for the increase in quantity of greenhouse gases on earth’s atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is the major greenhouse gas which causes atmospheric temperature rise. â€Å"During the past 20 years, about three-quarters of human-made carbon dioxide emissions were from burning fossil fuels† (Greenhouse Gases, Climate Change, and Energy). The number of automobiles which use fossil fuels is growing day by day along with the number of industrial units in the world. Both automobiles and industrial units are liberating huge amounts of greenhouse gases and these greenhouse gases absorb all the thermal energy reaching on earth and prevent any thermal energy reflecting back. Earlier, there was a balance between the thermal energy reaching on earth from the sun and the thermal energy reflected back from earth and that is why climate changes were not much common earlier. However, at present, most of the thermal energy reaching on e arth’ surface from sun is staying in the atmosphere itself because of the increase in quantity of greenhouse gases and subsequently atmospheric temperature increases. Atmospheric temperature increase result in weather changes, sea level rise and unexpected natural calamities.

Philosophy - Introduction to Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Philosophy - Introduction to Ethics - Essay Example Thus moral duty has intrinsic moral worth in itself. This is derived from a priori laws that govern the creation. Basing one’s life on the call of pure, practical reason leads a moral life. According to Kant ‘duty’ was the supreme moral notion in the world. It forms the basis of Kant’s substantive ethics. But no action based on duty leads to creation of a moral law. Duty succeeds moral law and doesn’t precede it. There are no ‘a posteriori’ conditions of the existence of moral laws. However, it has a moral worth that is unconditional and doesn’t depend upon circumstance and the person. On following the duty a person derives the highest moral worth that is based on Universal laws. The realization of one’s sense of duty is the greatest good and treasure trove of happiness. He held that a rational man always performed moral duty yielding the highest good and greatest happiness. Kantian reason says that these universal truths a re a priori, that they exist in nature even before a man realizes them. Kant argued that only universal laws can have the power moral worth to demand abiding sense of duty from the rational beings. A law made by an authority less than nature is fallible. Nature is a perennial source of goodness but was bound by its intrinsic and unalterable laws. The universal laws sustain goodwill and morality lies in spreading goodwill by conforming to the universal laws by an innate yet rational belief in duty. Man has been bestowed with reason to take morally uplifting decisions and actions that not only brought him in consonance with the rational acts of others but also that of nature. Kant suggested that man’s call for moral duty often comes in conflict with his own ‘small nature’; desires borne out of natural impulses. But Kant emphasizes that duty borne of reason yielded the greatest happiness and duty. Thus actions done based on moral duty

Direct Digital and Database Marketing Coursework

Direct Digital and Database Marketing - Coursework Example Many firms are doing their business in this category. Personal relationships with customers are very important to build satisfaction (Crosby, & Stephens, 1987). Relationship marketing is an old concept but gained a significant place in the field of marketing. The momentum of its development evolves from the development of services marketing with a focus on quality perspective followed by technological advancements. Traditional merchants did not know the concept of relationship marketing. The emergence of this concept was slower until it was observed that customers should be the focal point of the organization, and they must be considered important even after the purchase is done. Today relationship marketing is considered as a prominent practice for marketing and research purpose. The traditional concept of implementing marketing concept is the process of applying the marketing mix (4 P’s). Although it is universally accepted and implemented, still the model is limited and restricted. According to research conducted in Europe in the domain of service marketing, forms the loopholes in the traditional way, and identify a new definition of marketing. According to the study marketing is not something that what customers want from the company, it is creating value for them. It is the establishment and delivering the long-term customer relationship with customers. This market-oriented approach is less towards specialization and more towards management responsibilities (Grà ¶nroos, 1990). The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is a charity organization for saving lives at sea. RNLI provides a 24-hour lifeboat and rescue service throughout United Kingdom and Ireland. RNLI is committed to saving lives through their valuable safety measure, lifeguards and most importantly lifeboats (RNLI, 2014a). Since its inception in 1824, the institute has saved more than 140,000 lives as the national institution for the preservation. In 1854,

Romance Movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Romance Movie - Essay Example One of the key conventions that make a good romance movie is the first encounter or the first meeting between the main leads. This encounter has to be a very interesting one, as that scene or series of scenes will make the viewers take interest in the lead characters. Importantly, that encounter has to be interesting enough to strike the minds of the lead pairs as well, so that encounter and the role played by one lead or both the leads would keep on coming in their minds, thereby pushing them to initiate the next romantic step. Those first encounters could involve scenes when one of the lead is in distress or in danger or in a tight situation, and the other lead saves him/her bravely or smartly or ingeniously. Scriptwriters also create first encounters on the basis of "meet-cute" concept, where they will create a â€Å"humorous sense of awkwardness between the two potential partners by depicting an initial clash of personalities or beliefs, an embarrassing situation, comical misund erstanding or mistaken identity situation.† (â€Å"Romantic Comedies†). Thus, it is clear that the first encounter has to be interesting and lasting enough for the romance to ‘blossom’. ... ial clash of personalities or beliefs, an embarrassing situation, comical misunderstanding or mistaken identity situation.† (â€Å"Romantic Comedies†). Thus, it is clear that the first encounter has to be interesting and lasting enough for the romance to ‘blossom’. Those first encounter scenes have to be enacted well by the lead pairs, exhibiting apt chemistry, as that will only increase the likeability of the lead characters among the viewers. â€Å"If the chemistry is there, it makes the movie believable and enjoyable interactions. And it is important that the audience will like â€Å"get† the movie.† (â€Å"Four principles†). This convention was aptly filmed in the movie The Notebook. The male lead, Noah meets the female lead, Allie in a carnival, and as it is a love at first sight, Noah asks Allie out on a date, which she declines. To get her attention in a more dramatic and effective way, Noah climbs up the Ferris wheel, in which Al lie was riding on and threatens to jump, if she does not accepts his date request. With a â€Å"humorous sense of awkwardness† Allie reluctantly agrees, however, that first encounter ‘seeds’ romantic feelings in her, and so both fall in love. Likewise, the first encounter between the lead pairs in the film Titanic, one of the most loved and successful romantic movies, also falls under one of the above discussed patterns. That is, when the female lead, Rose in a distressed state wants to end her life by jumping off from the ship, the male lead, Jack in their first encounter handles the situation smartly and saves her. That first encounter mainly sets off the romantic feelings among the leads. Obstacles After the first encounter and the romantic interludes between the lead pairs, the convention of introducing a strong, believable,

Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Questions - Assignment Example I expect to learn different methodologies of researching career opportunities. A cover letter expresses your interest in and qualifications for a position to a prospective employer. It expresses your intent, interest, and enthusiasm in position. It complements and emphasizes highlights of your resume and demonstrates your personality and writing ability 2. It must be clear and understandable. Use concrete words, prefer present tense and be specific in communicating your experiences. Being vague in descriptions, using weak words such as endeavored, using sexiest language must completely be avoided. The guy was not suited in appropriate attire. He was wearing a jeans & a t-shirt with a cap. He was totally looking unprofessional. If he even hadn’t wear the appropriate dress during the interview day, one cannot expect from him to wear three piece or dress paint and shirt on duty which is mandatory for the culture of restaurant. On the other hand, the lady was quite well suited with the most appropriate attire. She was looking professional and educated. She was more confident than the guy. She was looking in the eyes of the interviewer whereas the boy was looking here and there while speaking which reveals that he was unconfident or may be, rude. The qualifications and work experience of the lady were related to the post. She has achieved a degree in Business which is the most suitable qualification for a Manager. She worked with Apple Beas for 4 years which shows that she has been consistent in her work and the reason for leaving the job was also reasonable. On the other hand, the boy worked as a clerk for a video shop for just 2 months. It probably means that he would not remain in the restaurant for a consistent period, if hired. The boy was not prepared whereas the girl was totally prepared and that was why she was confident in answering the question. She even knew the names of the location

Case Study Bribery Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Case Study Bribery - Coursework Example h companies are liable if its authorized officials commit a bribery act unlike FCPA that does not outline a strict liability offence for corporations. Under the FCPA, there must be a proof of corrupt intention, but the bribery Act is stringent since there is no requirement for improper intent as such situations constitute general bribery offence. The FCPA creates certain loopholes that make companies engage in corruption since companies are allowed to incur promotional expenses that may either be in the form of gifts, entertainment or incentives in order to secure contracts. However, the UK bribery act does not make an exemption for promotional expenses. There are various reasons why companies have continued to violate the FCPA in the recent past such as the poor prosecution abilities, the loopholes inherent in the Act and unethical corporate governance practices in the US. Some of the companies that have been charged by the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) in the recent past for engaging in bribery include BHP Billiton, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Avon Products Inc, Bruker Corporation and Hewlett-Packard. The companies have exploited the weak foreign legislation on bribery and the exemption on promotional expenses that is created by the FCPA to engage in acts of bribery. The FCPA has limited territorial reach and may fail to apply in some cases when the bribery act takes place outside the US borders. Another reason for this bribery trend is the less severe criminal penalties for bribery since prosecutors have imposed small company fines for violation and up to five years imprisonment. There are difficulties experienced in determining when a minor gift, entertainment or incentive constitutes a bribe since the anti-bribery law allows for companies to incur promotional expenses which are reasonable and bona fide expenditures related to a contract. The provision for making small gifts or incentives constitutes an important aspect of cultivating

Life-cycle reverse logistics support policy of GENCO Research Paper

Life-cycle reverse logistics support policy of GENCO - Research Paper Example GENCO thus collaborates with Hershey into achieving ZWL status at the Western distribution centre, where its runs its operations. As part of the initiative of reclaiming value from the waste materials, the process begins by removing trash comparator from the facility, followed emptying all the contents in the parking lot. Sorting process then begins where results are subject to classify as food/product waste, cardboard, trash, plastics, wood scraps, and broken pallets. All of these products could be subject to divert from going into the landfills. The focus then shifts into identifying the new ways of collecting recyclables all through the facility followed by training teammates on the new procedures. Volunteers coming from each shift thus form the ZWL committee that helps in identifying the best practices for recycling. The placement of receptacles was subject to plan strategically in a manner that coincides with areas where the recycled materials were subject to generate commonly in order to maximize use. GENCO currently works towards achieving ZWL status at the Midwest distribution centre, in Edwardsville, IL, all of which run operations for Hershey. GENCO has the policy of reclaiming value from all returned and recycled materials as part of its integrated reverse logistics solutions. Recycling offers the last chance of reoccupying value in any product before it ends up into the landfill. GENCO’s recycling services has the potential of maximizing recovery of value on every product, which includes part and materials in the end-of-life product stream. Currently, the company has the potential of reclaiming and extracting value from 95% of all products that could previously end up in the landfill. GENCO accomplishes this task through de-manufacturing, which is a process entailing disassembly of the finished goods in order to yield resalable components, scrap

Media Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Media Studies - Essay Example This essay approves that newspapers existed on the earth in some form or other because of man’s innate tendency to know news and share it with other fellow men. People disseminated news by word of mouth, written correspondence or public notices before the development of printing technology. As more people learned to read and write, news reports became more. Ancient Rome had a particularly stylish system for spreading written news. The process of consolidation of the press and other tools of mass communication has been taking place in US and Canada in a big way. This process might spread to other parts of the world with the emergence of globalization as an unavoidable phenomenon in the world today. The number of newspapers in circulation keep on declining in most U.S. and Canadian cities. Many cities today have only one newspaper publisher. In Canada, only six cities are supplied by two or more independently owned newspapers. In more than 170 American cities, a solo publisher p roduces both a morning and an evening paper. Fewer than 30 U.S. cities have rival papers with different ownership. This report makes a conclusion that we are at the threshold of globalization, a phenomenon that is unavoidable. However, we need the systems in place to guard the values and ideals that man has developed over many years. To make the purpose of the press and other media as only providers of entertainment and statistical enumeration of data is a subservient role that we give to the media. Media has a much more important role to play in the world today as a remedial force and as a forum for engaging in healthy debates on cardinal issues of our times.

Local, State, and Federal Laws and Policie Essay Example for Free

Local, State, and Federal Laws and Policie Essay One of the most important aspects of teaching is providing a safe environment where student learning can be achieved. The only way this can be achieved is by staying up-to-date on all laws and polices in place to help schools and teachers provide a safe environment. There are many documents provided for teachers and students to help them get familiar with all the local, state, and federal laws and polices. This essay will focus on a â€Å"Student/Parent Guide†, â€Å"Faculty Handbook†, and a â€Å"Comprehensive School Safety Plan. † The first artifact is a â€Å"Student/Parent Guide.† This book is considered both a rule book and an information booklet to help in all aspects of student life. It contains a multitude of information regarding the rules governing students, student activities, school curriculum, and general information about the school and its procedures. The first pages describe in detail two Acts dealing with a students enrollment, attendance at school, and the right to retain a drivers license. It also describes the state law relating to the â€Å"Quiet Reflection Time† that public schools are required to uphold. The next section deals with general school information. This section has policies ranging from absences and truancy to first aid and emergency procedures. The next part in the book is the rules governing students section. This section includes the policies dealing with fighting, dress code, drugs, cheating, and many other rules and their consequences. The third section is titled Instructional Program and deals with the schools curriculum. This section begins by stating the schools accreditation and also states that it meets and exceeds â€Å"Section 504† in its special  education program. It also stats the policies on parent conferences, graduation requirements, and summer school. The last section is the schools policies on student actives and assemblies such as pep rallies. Overall, this booklet contains a massive amount of information containing all levels of polices and procedures aimed for student and parent usage. The next artifact is a â€Å"Faculty Handbook.† This handbook is designed as reference book for teachers. It is the centralized book containing all school policies. It beginnings by describing the faculty absentee policy and how to prepare for a substitute teacher. The book details many types of leave such as professional, sick, and personal, and what to do for each situation. The next section of the handbook covers many policies on posting attendance, lesson plans, and grade posting. Classroom procedures, which include discipline, structure, and monetary collections is discussed in the next section. The last section in the handbook explains the policies on field trips, purchase orders, report cards, summer school, and the schools philosophy of education. With all the policy and procedural information contained in this handbook, a teacher can be better prepared for any situation. The last artifact for discussion is a schools â€Å"Comprehensive School Safety Plan.† The school system devised this 100 page plan to ensure the â€Å"highest degree of safety and security in the school environment†. In the first section, a detailed description is given on emergency contacts, school crisis teams, and a list of emergency supplies in school. The second part deals with teacher training for emergencies. It describes how communications should be handled, securing the grounds, student supervision. The last section in the safety plan details a multitude of security risks and their procedures. Some examples include bomb threats, hostage situations, sexual assault, fights, and severe weather. The first is to always be prepared for whatever situation may arise, and with this document, teachers are better prepared to deal with almost all safety situations. In conclusion, with all these documents, students, teachers, and parents can be up to date on all policies that affect them in and around the school  environment.

Literature review of concepts and theories of Motivation

Literature review of concepts and theories of Motivation In the fierce era of competition, organizations nowadays are more emphasizing on the management of Human Resources (Robert. L, 2008). Motivation; a key strategy in Human Resource Management has helped practitioners largely enough to subject the term Motivation for a discussion. Steers et al. (2004), asserted that employee motivation plays a vital role in the management field; both theoretically and practically. It is said that one of the important functions of human resource manager is to ensure job commitment at the workplace, which can only be achieved through motivation (Petcharak, 2002). Based on these reasoning, this paper shall include analytical and empirical studies to reveal the discrepancies and feasibility aspect of the domain, as Rai (2004) put forward; motivation is crucial for good performance and therefore it is increasingly important to study what motivates employees for better performance. This section offers a review of literature, which explores the concepts, types and theoretical aspects including content and process theories, theories of motivation developed in other psychological areas as well as empirical evidences in organizational contexts. 2.1 Motivation Motivation is defined as a human psychological characteristic that add to a persons degree of commitment. It is the management process of in ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uencing employees behavior. (Badu, 2005) Conversely, Bartol and Martin (1998) relate motivation to the force that stimulates behavior, provide direction to behavior, and underlies the tendency to prevail. In other words individuals must be sufficiently stimulated and energetic, must have a clear focus on what is to be achieved, and must be willing to commit their energy for a long period of time to realize their aim in order to achieve goals. However, other than motivation being a force that stimulates behavior, Vroom (1964) emphasized on the voluntary actions. Supported by Steers et al. (2004), Vroom (1964) defined motivation as a process governing choice made by personsamong alternative forms of voluntary activity. Similarly Kreitner and Kinicki (2004) assumed that motivation incorporate those psychological processes that create the arousal, direction and persistence of voluntary actions that are goal oriented. Quite differently from the other definitions, Locke and Latham (2004) identified that motivation influence peoples acquisition of skills and the extent to which they use their ability. According to the authors the concept of motivation refers to internal factors that impel action and to external factors that can act as inducements to action. The three aspects of action that motivation can affect are direction (choice), intensity (effort), and duration (persistence). Motivation can affect both the acquisition of peoples skills and abilities; and also the extent to which they utilize their skills and abilities (Locke and Latham, 2004). In a nut shell, different authors have put forward the concept of motivation differently. Nonetheless, these definitions have three common aspects, that is, they are all principally concerned with factors or events that stimulate, channel, and prolong human behavior over time (Steers et al. 2004). 2.2 Intrinsic and Extrinsic motivation Following Lakhani and Wolf (2005), Lakhani and Von Hippel (2003) and Lemer and Tirole (2004), the current scholarly thinking favors a framework that considers two components of motivation given by intrinsic and extrinsic components. Accordingly, Lawler (1969) intrinsic motivation is the degree to which feelings of esteem, growth, and competence are expected to result from successful task performance. This view bounds intrinsic motivation to an expectancy approach and expectancy theory which clearly indicates that intrinsic and extrinsic motivations summate (Porter Lawler, 1968). Moreover, as per to Amabile et al. (1993) Individuals are said to be intrinsically motivated when they seek, interest, satisfaction of curiosity, self expression, or personal challenge in the work. On the other hand individuals are said to be extrinsically motivated when they engaged in the work to gain some goal that is part of the work itself. As per to the author this definition of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is based on the individual perception of the individual perception of task and his or her reasons for engaging in it. Moreover, Amabile et al. further argued that intrinsic motivators arise from an individuals feelings with regards to the activity and they are necessary to adhere to the work itself. Conversely, extrinsic motivators although they may be dependent on the work, they are not logically an inherent part of the work. Furthermore, in line with the concept of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, De Charms (1968) suggest that external rewards might undermine intrinsic motivation. He further proposed that individuals seek for personal causation and because of the desire to be the origin of his behavior; man keeps struggling against the constraint of external forces. Thus, De Charms hypothesized that when a man perceives his behavior as originating from his own choice, he will value that behavior and its results but when he perceives his behavior as originating from external forces, that behavior and its results, even though identical in other respects to behavior of his own choosing, will be devalued. De Charms (1968) further argued that intrinsic and extrinsic motivation may interact, rather than summate that is the introduction of extrinsic rewards for the behaviors that was intrinsically rewarding may decrease rather than enhance the overall motivation. The author argued that the introduction of an extrinsic reward put the individual in a dependent position relative to the source of the reward. The locus of causality for his behavior changes from self to the external reward and thus the individuals perception of self-control, free choice, and commitment deteriorate and hence do his motivation. In addition Frey (1997) note that high intrinsic work motivation evolving from work which is interesting involves the trust and loyalty of personal relationships and is participatory. However, under certain circumstances, intrinsic motivation can be diminished, or crowded-out by external interventions like monitoring or pay-for-performance incentive schemes. This was also supported by Frey and Jegen (2001) who reviewed the literature on intrinsic motivations and found that the evidence does suggest that incentives sometimes do crowd-out intrinsic motivations. Besides, Frey (1997) suggests that the important matter is whether the external intervention is in the form of a command or a reward. Commands are most controlling in the sense that they seize self-determination from the agent, while rewards might still allow autonomy of action. The maximization of employees motivation to attain the organizations goals can only be obtained through a complete understanding of motivation theories (Reid 2002). There is a wide variety of theoretical frameworks that have been developed in the attempts to explain the issues related to motivation. Stoner, Edward and Daniel (1995) has described two different views on motivation theory, given by the earliest views and the contemporary approach which can further be subdivided into content and process theories. 2.3 Theories of Motivation 2.3.1 The earliest views of motivation One of the earliest views of motivation is Frederick W Taylor et al. (1911) scientific management theory. Taylor (1911) with regards to employee motivation proposed a paternalistic approach to managing workers and argued that workers are economic men and in order to motivate them, workers should be paid higher wages. The author also argued that the higher is the wage rate, the higher will be the level motivation and productivity. Furthermore, Taylor points out that many payment methods were ineffective, as they did not reward efficiency and he believed that a differential piece-work incentive system should be replaced with a piece rate incentive system (Wren, 2005). In other words workers should be paid according to the number of units produced in order to motivate them to work. On the other hand in line with building on the concept of motivation Elton Mayo (1953) came up with the Human Relations approach whereby the emphasis is laid on non-economic motivators. According to Elton Mayo (1953), if objectives of organizations are to be met, it must attempt to understand, respect and consider the emotions, sense of recognition and satisfaction that is the non-monetary needs of workers. He believed that employees are not just concern with money but also they need to have their social needs to be met in order to be motivated to work. He is of view that workers enjoy interactions and managers should treat them as people who have worthwhile opinions. Furthermore, McGregor (1960) postulates Theory X and Theory Y which is based on assumptions about people and work. According to this theory, there are two types of assumption made with regards to employees whereby theory X assumes that employees are lazy and therefore theory X suggests that in order to motivate employees a more autocratic style of management is required. On the other hand theory Y assumes that workers enjoy work, committed to objectives of the organization and will apply self control and self directed in the pursuit of organizational objectives and therefore does not require external control. 2.3.2 Content theories of motivation Content theories tend to focus on individual needs and attempt to explain the factors within a person that stimulate and stop behavior (Reid, 2002). According to Bassett-Jones and Lloyd (2005), content theory assume a more complex interaction between both internal and external factors, and explored the circumstances in which individuals react to different types of internal and external stimuli. The most well known content theory of motivation is the hierarchy of needs which has been put forward by Abraham Maslow (1943). According to Maslow, people are motivated by five types of needs and in order to motivate people to work more productively there is a need to offer them opportunity to satisfy those needs. He proposed that basic needs are organized in a hierarchy of prepotency and probability of appearance (Wahba and Bridwell, 1973). These needs include physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, self-esteem and self-actualization. Maslow argued that once a lower order need is fulfilled, the next level of needs in the hierarchy comes into play that is once employees satisfy the lower order needs they will next consider the next level of needs. The author further argued that unfulfilled lower needs dominate ones thinking and behavior until they are satisfied (Berl et al. 1984). However this theory has also been criticized to a large extent, for example Wahba and Bridwell (1973) argued that based on the ten factor analytic studies that have attempted to test Malows theory; there is no clear evidence that human needs are classified into five different categories, or that these categories are organized in a special hierarchy. The authors contradict Malows proposition and points out that, none of the studies has shown all of Maslows five need categories as independent factors, for example some studies have showed that the self-actualization needs may emerge as an independent category. They also argued that studies have also proved the issue of need deprivation and the domination of behavior to be different from that suggested by Maslow. Moreover results have also proved that either self-actualization or security are the least satisfied needs and social needs are the most satisfied. Therefore it is difficult to determine the general pattern of the degree of sati sfaction and these trends are not the same as proposed by Maslow (Wahba and Bridwell, 1973). Conversely, Alderfer (1972) in the attempt to address the short comings of Malows theory proposed an alternative to Maslows theory which he termed as the ERG theory and postulate a three level hierarchy. Alderfer grouped Maslows five categories of needs into three categories given by Existence, Relatedness and Growth. According to the author, people are motivated by these three groups of core needs and he asserted that as one level of need is satisfied another takes over but if a need is not satisfied on a continuous basis, the individual may decide to give such a need a low priority. Nonetheless, while Maslow and Alderfer presented the concept of motivation in a hierarchy, McClelland (1961, 1971), ignored the concept of hierarchy and put forward a theory known as the acquired need theory that emphasize on three types of needs namely, need for affiliation, need for achievement and need for power. McClelland is of view that individuals experiences are acquired through life experiences that is they are learned. According to this theory individuals possess several needs, and when these needs are activated they serve to motivate behavior and this is to the contrary of Maslows proposition of a continuous progression throughout the hierarchy of needs (Steers et al. 2004). Moreover, also put differently Herzberg et al. (1959) sought to understand how work activities and the nature of an employees job influence motivation and performance. They proposed a theory that involves what they termed as motivators and hygiene factors. According to Herzberg the most crucial difference between the motivators and the hygiene factors is that the motivator factors involve psychological growth while the hygiene factors involve physical and psychological pain avoidance. The authors examined motivators and hygiene factors in the workplace and proposed that where job satisfaction was high there would be corresponding high motivation. Herzberg (1959) further argued that work motivation is influenced to a large extent by the degree to which a job is intrinsically challenging and provides opportunities for recognition and reinforcement. However despite that Herbergs theory has been widely accepted by managers (e.g Latham 2007, Miner 2005, Steers and Porter 1983), this theory has been criticized by many authors. For example Reid (2002) argued that the work of Herzberg is an examination of job satisfaction rather than motivation of employees. Reid also argued that no matter how much emphasis is laid on factors that are intrinsically rewarding, if hygiene factors such as low pay is not addressed, their full effect cannot be felt. Moreover, also Brenner et al. (1971) contradict Herzberg proposition that motivation factors increase job satisfaction and hygiene factors leads to job dissatisfaction and points out that his study and others indicated that the employees received job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction from both the motivating and the hygiene factors. Similarly Locke (1976) assessed Herzberg two factor theory and argued that job satisfaction and dissatisfaction result from different causes. 2.3.3 Emperical studies of content theories Zakeri et al. (1997) carried out research in the Iranian construction industry to find out level of Maslows hierarchy of needs are the most motivating factors and whether these factors are motivating factors or just hygiene factors as proposed by Herzberg. A list of 20 factors was chosen according to Maslows classification of needs and the lists were presented to the construction crafts- men and operatives whereby Zakeri et al. (1997) found five most motivating factors in descending order namely; fairness of pay, Incentive and financial rewards, on-time payment, good working facilities and safety. The authors argued that despite Herzbergs proposition that money is not a satisfier, this survey along with others proved that money is the most motivating factor. In addition Arnolds and Boshoff (2002) conducted research in a number of firms in South Africa to investigate the impact of need satisfaction on self-esteem and of self-esteem on performance intention as suggested by Alderfer (1972). According to the empirical results, self-esteem was found as a significant determinant of employee job performance and results showed that providing frontline employees opportunities to perform challenging work, allow participation and teaching them new things on the job will enhance their self-esteem as well as their performance intentions (Arnolds and Boshoff, 2002). The authors argued that the experiment also showed that the satisfaction of fringe benefits does not have a significant impact on performance intentions via self-esteem as an intervening variable and this support Herzbergs et al. (1959) theory. 2.3.4 Process theories of motivation Along with the content theories, there are also different process theories. According to Viorel et al. (2009) the content theories emphasize on specific factors that motivate workers with regards to certain necessities and aspirations, while the process theories emphasize on the processes and the psychological forces that have an impact on motivation. They start from the premise that motivation starts with the desire to do something. The process theories provide more realistic principles with regards to motivation techniques and therefore they are more useful to managers compared to content theories (Viorel et al. 2009). Vroom (1964), in the interest to study motivation developed an alternative to the content theories which is known as the expectancy theory. Vroom suggest that there are three mental components that are considered as instigating and directing behavior and these are referred to as Valence, Instrumentality, and Expectancy. He argued that employees rationally analyze different on-the-job work behaviors and then choose those behaviors which they believe will lead to their most valued work-related rewards and outcomes. Moreover, Porter and Lawler (1968) expanded Vrooms work to identify the role of individual differences for example employee abilities and skills and the role clarity in relating job effort to actual job performance. Porter and Lawler also explained the relationship between performance and satisfaction and argued that this relationship is mediated by the extent and quality of the rewards that employees receive in return for their job performance. In addition to expectancy theory Adams (1963), developed the equity theory to clarify how employees respond cognitively and behaviorally with regards to unfairness in the workplace. Adams suggested that employees develop beliefs about what constitutes a fair and equitable return for their job performance and contributions therefore employees always compare their efforts and the associated rewards with that of other employees and in case there is a situation whereby there is an element of injustice or unfairness there is an imbalance that is a perception of inequity will result. The author is therefore of view that when perception of inequity occurs the employee will get engaged in activities and do effort in order to reduce the inequity. On the other hand, quite differently Latham and Locke (1979) came up with the goal setting theory. According to Latham (2004), the underlying premise of the goal setting theory is that ones conscious goals affect what one achieves. The author argued that this is because a goal is said to be the objective or aim of an action and having a specific goal result to improved performance. Employees with specific hard goals tend to perform better compared to those with vague goals and that a goal is a standard for assessing an individuals performance. Moreover, Latham also suggested that to the extent that the goal is met or exceeded, satisfaction increases; and conversely, to the extent that performance falls short of the goal, ones satisfaction decreases. While content theories have tended to focus on needs of people and process theories have focused on factors motivating people, Adair (2006) have brought some new issues in the field of employee motivation and developed a new theory of motivation known as the Fifty-Fifty rule. Unlike the authors of content and process theories, Adair is of view that motivation lies both within an individual as well as external to the individual. According to the author, 50 percent of motivation lies within a person and fifty percent lies outside the person however Adair points out that this theory does not assert for the exactly fifty-fifty proportion in the equation but it only emphasized on the idea that a considerable part of motivation lies within a person while a considerable part lies outside and beyond its control. 2.3.5 Emperical studies of process theories With regards to Adams Equity theory, Levine (1993) calculated wage residuals for more than 8,000 manufacturing employees. Wage residuals re ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ect employees wages relative to employees with similar demographics and human capital in terms of education and training (Ambrose and Kulik, 1999). Levine found that employees with higher wage residuals reported that they were less likely to leave, were more satis ¬Ã‚ ed with their pay, were willing to work harder than they had to, and were more committed to the organization. Therefore in line with this argument, the author pointed out that employees with low wage residuals might be expected to experience inequity or unfairness relative to similar others and exhibit negative responses. Moreover Arnolds and Boshoff (2002) conducted research in a number of South African firms whereby they analyzed the application of the expectancy theory put forward by Vroom (1964) and they argued that the satisfaction with pay and fringe benefits does not impact on the performance intentions of frontline employees because these need satisfactions do not have any esteem valence for these employees. In other words, frontline employees do not have a higher regard of themselves if they are getting enough pay to fulfill basic necessities (Arnolds and Boshoff, 2002). Besides based on the Goal Setting theory, Stans ¬Ã‚ eld and Longenecker (2006) performed a study in a traditional manufacturing plant in the Midwestern USA to develop a model of efficient and effective goal setting and feedback practices for manufacturing. According to the authors the study showed that an information system, facilitating goal setting and feedback can play a vital role in improving individual performance levels. Stansfield and Longenecker also found that employee motivation and performance were both improved in the study, which lead to better organizational performance and pro ¬Ã‚ tability. The authors also argued that goal setting and feedback can create competitive advantage for manufacturers with a minimum investment of time and capital if they implement these practices with proper coordination. 2.3.6 Reinforcement Theory B.F. Skinner (1953) compared to need and process theories, came up with a different theory known as the reinforcement theory in which he proposed that peoples behavior is dependent upon its consequences. He suggested that if consequences of behavior is positive then such behavior will be repeated and vice-versa. Skinner (1953) argued that behavior can thus be reinforced through different forms of reinforcement or rewards. According to him individuals can be influenced in four different ways given by positive reinforcement (a reward such as praise so that the person repeat the behavior), negative reinforcement (rewarding employees by removing unwanted consequences), extinction (deliberately withheld positive reinforcement to discourage unwanted behavior) and punishment (applying undesirable consequences for unwanted behaviors). Through these theories, it can be said that work motivation has been characterized by dimensions such as interesting job, ability to perform, recognition, adequate pay, and feedback on performance (Dwivedula and Bredillet, 2010). However according to Meyer et al. (2004) it is also very important to consider differences in the psychological states, or mindsets that can accompany motivation. Therefore, Meyer et al. (2004) argued that motivation theories developed in other areas of psychology render a convincing case that motivation is multidimensional. 2.3.7 Adaptation-Level Theory Bowling et al. (2005) argued that the adaptation-level theory (Helson, 1948, 1964a, 1964b), offers one potential explanation for the temporal stability of job satisfaction. Bowling explained that the theory postulates that someones evaluation of an outcome is said to be a function of previous experiences outcomes. For example, an employee who has worked for years without a pay raise would be expected to respond positively to even a small pay increase because this change in pay would be different from that individuals adaptation level, however the positive response would be temporary as the individuals adaptation level would eventually change as the experience of the pay increase is integrated into the employees adaptation level (Bowling et al. 2005). 2.3.8 Self-Regulatory Theory Moreover quite differently, Higgins (1997, 1998) proposed the regulatory focus theory that draw important differences in the processes through which individuals approach pleasure and avoid pain. Huggins proposed that individuals have two types of motivational systems given by a system that regulates rewards (promotion focus) and one that regulates punishments (prevention focus). According to the author people who operate primarily within the promotion focus are concerned with accomplishments, are sensible towards the existence or absence of rewards, adopt a goal attainment strategy, are more creative and are more willing to take risks. However, people who operate within the prevention focus tend to be more concerned with duties and responsibilities and are more sensitive to the existence or absence of punishments. Moreover the regulatory focus is ascertained both by situational and chronic factors (Higgins, 1997, 1998). 2.3.9 Activation theory On the other hand Anderson (1976, 1983) came up with the activation theory whereby he argued that the strongest motivating factor is the work itself however over time as the worker get used with the environment and learns the responses required in the repetitive task there may be a fall in the activation level or job stimulation. It is important to highlight that over time all work tends to become repetitive after the job has been practiced and therefore a wide range of dysfunctional and non-task activities must be pursued to offset the fall in the job stimulation level (Milbourn 1984). Moreover according to Milbourn (1984), if dysfunctional activities are addressed, managers can consider enriching jobs through job redesign to reduce monotony at work in order to maintain job stimulation. 2.4 Motivational practices in Organizational environment According to Islam and Ismail (2008) the theories mentioned continue to offer the foundation for organization and managerial development practices to a large extent. Along with the above theories, during the last decade, based on employees motivation many empirical studies have been carried out (Islam and Ismail, 2008). For example, Bent et al. (1999) carried out research in small food manufacturing businesses whereby respondents were asked to complete, using a five-point Likert scale about how they felt motivated and then how satisfied they were with their jobs and the authors found that the degree of positive motivation was high. According to Bent et al. (1999) the employees were either very or moderately motivated with their jobs, however it was important to note that no respondents stated that they were either very motivated or very dissatisfied with their job. The authors also argued that issues which are associated with individual management style include lack of appreciation f rom management to feel for the work of employees and that there was also poor communication contributing to low job satisfaction and this contrasts with the identification by employees, of the motivating or satisfying qualities of a good management style. Moreover VaitkuvienÄ- (2010) conducted research in two Swedish manufacturing companies given by, the company Frilight AB and Enitor Plast AB and reported that the workers were found satisfied with the working conditions, training of staffs and career opportunities. The author argued that the Swedish employees were motivated and that the employees do not avoid responsibilities and follow directions. VaitkuvienÄ- (2010) also found that almost all employees are stimulated with the organizing of recreational tours, holidays and events. According to the author more than half of employees in the Sweden manufacturing companies are stimulated through gifts on various occasions (birthdays, holidays), free meals at work, health insurance coverage, work, clothes, equipment, travels for the company employees, days off, recognition and good working conditions and therefore the author pointed out that the employees of the manufacturing companies consider non-financial motivation tools to b e more important. Eventually, Dwivedula and Bredillet (2010), in line with the authors Cummings and Blumberg (1987) pointed out that studies from the manufacturing sector emphasize on the importance of providing autonomy, and skill variety to the employees which are otherwise absent. On the other hand Adler (1991) observed and concluded that manufacturing firms rely on job rotation, and voluntary job switching to motivate the employees. Moreover, Galia (2008) supported by Dwivedula and Bredillet (2010) reported that more recently it has been observed that, in a survey of 5000 manufacturing  ¬Ã‚ rms by SESSI (Industrial Statistics Department of the French Ministry of Economics, Finance, and Industry), practices such as autonomy at work, incentives to promote creativity have been widely adopted in order to motivate the workers.

Secularism in France

Secularism in France ESSAY QUESTION: Discuss the French 2004 Law which prohibits state school students from displaying any religious signs. Briefly introduce the law, explain the reasons why this law was adopted and show how it fits with the principle of secularism in the French Republic. Since the French Revolution in 1789 and the law established in 1791, requiring the state to be neutral and all public and church matters to be totally separate, France has been considered a secular state. France has been incredibly strict on this law since it was established, believing that neutrality meant equality, which is one of the main principles in France. After a rather long period of time, the government in France eventually brought in a set of laws referred to as the Jules Ferry laws. These laws declare that all state schools are required, in buildings, staff and curriculum to be secular, no signs of religion to be shown at all. This led to the adoption of the 2004 law stating that all conspicuous signs of religion in school were to be banned. A law that arose from a crisis which started in the late 1980’s, where Muslim girls were wearing the headscarves which represented their religion in a state school. While mostly unopposed in France, the introduction of this law brought about some controversy, within France itself and around the neighbouring countries. This essay sets out to explain the 2004 law, and the reasons why it was adopted. It also intends to explore how this law fits in with France’s principles on secularity, and equality. The law that president at the time, Jacques Chirac signed off on 15th of March 2004, came into effect on 2nd September 2004, the beginning of the new school year. This law prohibits any forms of religious signs being worn in schools. Because within the law itself, there is no referral to any specific signs, the law prohibits everything, including but not exclusive to, Christian, Muslim, and Jewish religious symbols. The official name for this law is, in English, Law No. 2004-228 of 15 March 2004 regulating, in accordance with the principle of secularism, the wearing of symbols or clothing denoting religious affiliation in schools, colleges and public high schools[1]. The title of the law itself is very specific, thereby tying off the loophole that existed in the previous laws, in which the crisis began in the first place. The deep roots of the secular state of France comes from the French revolution in 1789. Before this period France was ruled by an absolute monarchy, meaning that the king and only the king had all the power to rule the country. There were no limits to how the king could rule, so frequently, kings abused that power. The king, during this period of time ruled, as he and the church believed, as a favour to God, and so the church was highly involved with the way the king ruled. After the revolution, the way the country was ruled was changed in a very large and impacting way, the state became secular, â€Å"the king now ruled by the will of the people, and not by the grace of god† (Jones 1994) France was also now ruled under the new constitution, as a constitutional monarchy, and as a republic. The people now had a rather large say in how their homeland was controlled. The constitutional monarchy brought in many new laws for how the king could rule for example, if a new law was to be passed it had to go through a series of councillors before it got to the king himself. This new constitution involved a bill for the new rights of men and citizens (excludes women and slaves). This allowed for all men and citizens to be born and remain free; this involves freedom of religion and freedom of speech, for all men and citizens to be equal; this involves equality of property ownership, and equal taxes, and lastly the republic is one and indivisible; which includes national sovereignty and the state being secular. Nearly a century after the start of the revolution, new laws came into government by the means of a man called Jules Ferry. Ferry is best known for his educational laws, which were brought in in 1882. These laws state that education for state schools in France was to be free of charge and compulsory for children aged between six and thirteen years old, and all state schools had to be secular. â€Å"Ferry’s ‘schools without God’ were bitterly opposed by the churchmen†¦ †¦Yet despite their contested beginnings the schools proved one of the most enduring cultural achievements of the early Third Republic.† (Jones 1994), this goes to show that although there was an opposition for these schools at first, they became very successful, and it was a strong support for the secularity principles of France. This practice seemed to work without a hitch for over 100 years. In 1989, a problem occurred that needed to be addressed by bringing in a new law which eventually came into effect in 2004. The issue that arose was, in 1989 three young female students were expelled from their state school which they attended near Paris, for wearing their religious head scarves to school and refusing to remove them. They even persisted to wear them during physical activity periods, and this seemed to be extremely unnecessary. This seemingly harmless act in the students eyes, led to their expulsion. It was a complication, because teachers and headmasters did not know how to deal with this issue, as it had never occurred before, so it was decided upon as the students had broken the law they were to be expelled. Many people found this disciplinary act excessive, and it caused a great uproar, involving young female students all over the country to wear their headscarves to school as well. Because of the la rge scale of unhappiness of the people of France, the news was all over this case, which led the High Administrative Council to realise that some higher form of discipline had to happen to regain control of the state. This was the key issue that led to the development, and adoption of the law in 2004. The students most likely thought their act was acceptable, because of one key mistake in the Jules Ferry Laws of 1882. These laws only refer to the buildings, curriculum and staff to be secular at all times. There is no mention of students at all. Therefore, the three students who inadvertently started the conflict in 1989 obviously saw this as a loop hole, and that nothing was wrong with what they were doing. Which in terms of the law, there wasn’t. It mostly came down to the fact that the French people had a very ‘set in stone’ opinion on the way the country should be, in regards to the way that they were interpreting the laws. The past events of the country led it to become secular, and the people of France believe that this consists of everything. Even as the new law has come in, there are still certain places which are not actually stated in the laws at all, like universities and private schools, the laws on this subject are rather specific. The wearing of headscarves in public places in France could be viewed as a negative also because of the links that it has with Islamic fundamentalism. Though most of the 5 million Muslims, or 8.3%[2] of France’s population, practice moderate religion, there are is a small percent of those who are fundamentalists and are using the steady increase in the Muslim population to their advantage. France battles severely with the fear of having terrorist attacks on its hands from people of its own soil e.g. Algeria and also attacks from Saudi Arabia. Although there is an option for people to attend religious private schools in France, there have been some cases where organised Islamic militant groups have forced young female students to wear the headscarf to school in order to pressure other girls to do the same. There have also been cases of withholding these students from certain classes in school which the groups believe are against their beliefs. This is an example of another just reason of why the law was adopted. On the other hand, although there were many reasons for adopting this law, there were also many reasons against. One of these reasons was, the adoption of this new law faced a lot of opposition from other nations- on an international level. One of the opposing nations was Britain. A great deal of British Muslims were against the adoption of this rule, many taking on the belief that it contradicted France’s law of religious freedoms. The British government were also on board â€Å"in condemning the French for trying to ban religious headwear and symbols in state schools† (Adenekan 2004). The ban faced all sorts of opposition, even from other religious divides in Britain, saying that it was among their basic rights as humans to wear symbols of their religion. Many believe that is part of their identity, and taking that away will cause divides in the community. Another nation which is severely against the law is United States. The nation of the United States believes that students can wear their religious symbols in schools without challenging the secularity of the state. One of the biggest problems that America has with this law is that it does not allow the integration process, â€Å"In this view, banning headscarves in public schools is meaningless in the face of problems that are primarily social and economic.† (Vasse 2004). The United States holds a similar secular principle, but the primary purpose for this adoption was to make sure that the government would not interfere with church business, to keep religion protected from the state, not the other way around. There were groups of people who were backing the law because of the women’s rights. They thought that the Muslim women who were having to wear the religious headscarves made the women inferior, as their rights were oppressed heavily by the men, and their religion. Some could argue the other side of this argument though, it is said that when the protests occurred when the law was first on the cards in 2004, the women who turned up to protest all claimed to wear their headscarf of their own free will. This shows the diversity of the way people reacted to this law being brought in, there were many reasons for the law to be brought in, and just as many reasons to oppose it. The law fits in very well with the secularism principles of France, and a key example of this is the French motto itself, which is still used today in modern day society, Libertà ©, à ©galità ©, fraternità ©, meaning liberty equality and fraternity. The reasons for this law fitting in with these principles are stated under the declaration of rights for citizens and men that were established during the revolution in 1879. The first, Libertà ©, states that all men should have freedom of religion. The laws which France has relating to religion, is to ensure that all citizens and men have that right to their own religion. This way there is no stat church so no real pressure on citizens to conform to the normal religion. That in part is what this new law is trying to fit to, to make sure that students do not feel pressured, or offended for that fact, because everyone has different belief. The option for religious students to go to a private religious school, means that there is no real excuse for the behaviour that caused the adoption of the law in the first place. The way that the French society stands, is that there is options for everyone, to fit with the principles that the state runs by, for religious freedom. There are those who will argue that people should be able to express their religious freedoms everywhere, but it is fair to say that this just does not simply fit with France’s secularity principles, if it was the case to express religion everywhere there would be too many complications. It is clear to see from the evidence that France may have had no other choice but to adopt this law. As the only way to regain control of the country, and as a way to keep to the principles and practices of the French state. After the adoption of this law, there was talk of Germany taking on similar laws. It is plain to see that although there were many protests against the law at first, the country runs smoothly with it in place, and it creates a blanket of peace, and keeps the majority of people happy. The problem of religious symbols being worn in schools was resolved by the ruling of this law, which won in government by the majority of the vote. A country that has similar principles as France is New Zealand. In New Zealand there is more leniency within the laws, as in New Zealand it is not against the law to wear religious symbols in public, but it is a secular country all the same. â€Å"France is not the only Western country to insist on the separation of church and state but it does so more militantly than any other† (Astier 2004). This is reflected in the current events of France. After the introduction of this law, it was thought that the conflict of the wearing of religious symbols in public schools was resolved. But recent news stories have revealed a new perception on what religious symbols actually are, and how other innocent pieces of clothing and appearances are being viewed. A very recent news story on BBC states how â€Å"France is facing a fresh backlash against its strict secular policy after it emerged a 15-year-old Muslim girl was sent home from school because she was wearing a long black skirt.† But the harsh reality is, how can a long skirt be considered a religious symbol? There are plenty of non-religious people who wear skirts, whether they be long or short, as an everyday item of clothing. The real questions are ‘where is the line defined with the extent of what a religious symbol is?’ and ‘when is enough, enough?’ Bibliography Adenekan, Shola. 2004. British criticism of headscarf ban. February 12. Accessed May 03, 2015. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/3477109.stm. Astier, Henri. 2004. The deep roots of French secularism. September 01. Accessed April 13, 2015. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3325285.stm. Britannica, Encyclopaedia. n.d. Jules Ferry. Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc. Accessed April 29, 2015. France, Law department of. 2004. Law No. 2004-228 of 15 March 2004 regulating, in accordance with the principle of secularism, the wearing of symbols or clothing denoting religious affiliation in schools, colleges and public high schools. 09 01. Accessed 04 30, 2015. http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000000417977dateTexte=. Jones, Colin. 1994. Cambridge Illustrated History Of France. Cambridge University Press. Lyon, Dawn, and Deborah Spini. 2004. UNVEILING THE HEADSCARF DEBATE. Legislative note, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Unknown. 2015. France outcry over Muslim schoolgirls skirt ban. 04 29. Accessed 05 01, 2015. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32510606. —. 2004. French MPs back headscarf ban. 02 10. Accessed 04 29, 2015. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3474673.stm. —. n.d. The official website of france. Accessed 04 30, 2015. http://www.france.fr/en.html. Vasse, Justin. 2004. Veiled meanng: The French Law banning religous symbols in public schools. Research report, Washington: The Brookings Institute. [1] Name of law acquired from http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/ on 24 April 2015 [2] Estimated number, retained from the work of Vasse page 3

Essays --

 The Civil War lasted for four years, three weeks, and six days. The Civil War caused a numerous amount of good and bad things. Along with the union coming out victorious, slavery was abolished, territorial integrity was gained, the reconstruction era began, and Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. Although, many people were involved in the process leading up to the civil war. Abolitionists played a huge role in the progression in civil rights. They fought for the freedom of slaves and the ceasing of slave trade from Africa. There were many activists involved in this movement, including Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth. These two women abolitionists are two of the most dynamic woman and well known abolitionists. Although Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth have many similarities, they have certain aspects that allow them to differ from each other. Despite their slight differences, Tubman and Truth were seemingly the most efficient and effective in their duties as abolitionists. Consequently, Harriet Tubman was born a slave into a slave family. As a slave, at five years old, Tubman was "rented" to families where she was put to work winding yarn, checking animal traps, cleaning the houses and nursing children among many more laborious tasks. When she was older, she decided she prefered to work outside of the house as opposed to laboring inside the house with domestic chores. As a teenager, she would upset her owners and often was reprimanded and sent home because of her rebellious attitude. Later on in Tubman’s life, she married a free man and also found out that her mother was freed by her owner, but her mother was never informed of her freedom. This directly affected Tubman because her mother’s freedom also meant that Tubman was b... ...ght her battles and was often victorious. According to Sandra Johnson, in her article Truth and Tubman: Women who fought against slavery, in the Austin Weekly News, 2005, Tubman did not feel Lincoln was working hard enough to free slaves, yet when Truth met with Lincoln she praised him for his efforts. One more difference between the two women is that Tubman worked to free slaves, but Truth fought for women’s rights in addition to ending slavery. In summation, Tubman and Truth were exceptionally brave women who fought for ideals in which they strongly believed. While Tubman’s courage was founded in a rebellious nature, Truth’s courage was based in her faith in a Higher Power. Both women, despite their differences in opposing their foes, have rightfully earned their positions as heroines in American history with their efficient and effective duties as abolitionists.

Union Essay -- essays research papers

Collective Bargaining: a process in which representatives of Labor & Mgmt negotiate the terms & conditions of employment. Structure: Single Employer Bargaining: a single employer involved w/ a single union (can also bargain w/ more than 1 unit). Boutique is a specialized Taylor agreement b/w employer & unit (usually seen in oligopolistic type market) Pattern Bargaining: Pick a target firm & then form an agreement (Pay, benefits, etc.) called a pattern (i.e. 6% over 2 years). Ex: The Caterpillar Company – United Automobiles Union (DEER) the Union wanted a pattern, company did not so they went on strike, ended up going back to work w/ no agreement, and then went on strike again. They ended up accepting less than the pattern. Bridgestone & United rubber are another example. They stroke because company would not allow ‘em to pattern bargain. Union did not survive strike, now combined w/ steel workers unions. Multi-Employer Bargaining: Employer meets w/ all units & comes up w/ the same agreement (i.e. all athletes, all grocery workers, etc.) They form an employers association & the representative of that negotiates. Book: a behavior theory of Labor Negotiations – Richard Walton & Robert McKenzie. It revolutionized thinking about negotiations. This book was done in both perspectives instead of just one side. There are 4 aspects of negotiation: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Distributive Bargaining: involves $ typically & how $ distributed. Fixed sum is usually how $ is distributed. Union wants a bigger piece of the pie & company wants to hold onto that piece of that pie. Labor & Mgmt view each other as adversaries. Union asks for everything & a lot of it. Mgmt says take away, loss of privileges a little more subtle approach. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Integrative Bargaining: The 2 groups get together & problem solve on ways to make the pie bigger. They get along w/ each other & must be creative. Their view is productivity can never be high enough. In the 1980’s Chrysler Corp. had a lot of problems & were setting records for losing $. They only had big cars that were gas-guzzlers (headed for bankruptcy). Chief Executive, Iakoka wanted to buy a little time so that they would be ok. Company wanted Gov. to bail ‘em out w/ working capital to get the company going again. Gov. did not lend the $, but offe... ...ucation Association, American Nurses Association, Union of American Physicians & Dentist) Law: State & local about  ½ states 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Right to unionize & bargain collectively 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Unfair labor practices for employers & unions 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Procedures for union representation elections 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Administration by a state board (i.e. California Public Employment Relation Board) 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Impasse Resolution procedures (i.e. mediation) 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Allowance for grievance arbitration Strikes: Workers in private industries have the right to strike (Section 7 of NLRA) 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Strikes that imperil the national health or safety 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A no strike clause in the collective bargaining agreement Public Employee Strikes: Law forbids strikes by Fed. & postal workers. Strikes by state & local Gov. employees are prohibited in most jurisdictions (State, Fed, Local, Areas) Only 12 states allow a limited right to strike: Oregon, CA, Idaho, Illinois, Wisconsin, Alaska, Ohio, Vermont, Montana, Hawaii.

McEthics in Europe and Asia

McEthics in Europe and Asia: should McDonald's extend its response to ethical criticism in Europe? Introduction The â€Å"McEthics† case describes how Mc Donald's, the fast food industrys market leader, faces charges concerning growing health problems in Europe and Asia. 1) Set out the main criticisms that have been leveled at Mc Donald's in Europe. To what extent are these criticisms likely to be replicated in Asia? What differences can be predicted? There are four main areas of critique that have been leveled at Mc Donald's in Europe.First, the products are said to be fat and unhealthy, which fosters health problems, especially obesity and diabetes. Secondly, the labor conditions are heavily criticized. Mc Donald's has been accused of paying too little wages and being ‘strongly antipathetic' to unions. Harsh criticism also arose concerning the companies advertising. These accusations are based on the belief that Mc Donald's ‘exploits children' and uses false adve rtisement of its food as nutritious'. The last point of criticism is the firms ‘culpable responsibility for animal cruelty.Additionally, in France a whole wave of an anti-American sentiment aggravates the negative image of Mc Donald's. In Asia the main point of criticism that is replicated is health issues. The fat foods and emerging fast food culture is especially dangerous to children's health. In Europe traditions of protests and rebellions may help people change and the treedom ot speech. Moreover, governments nave a great interest in a healthy population because offering an expensive welfare and health care system.From our point of view these factors have led to a strong resistance against Mc Donald's which would never emerge in Asia in such an extent. ) Describe and evaluate the tactics used by McDonald's in responding to their critics in Europe? Will these work to the same degree in Asia? According to the case, Mc Donald's quickly reacted to criticism in Europe and star ted various campaigns in order to improve its image. For instance, they developed a healthier menu, introducing salads and fruit packages or launched sport initiatives and awareness campaigns.By contrast, in Asia Mc Donald's is reacting very slowly, not answering to the peoples concern. One possible explanation for Mc Donald's actions in Europe could be that European governments started taxing the fast food industry. In the meantime, Asian governments seem to show now interest in such measures. This observation is also a strong indicator that Mc Donald's campaigns in Europe are not truly altruistic. It rather seems that Mc Donald's is merely after profit and stakeholders satisfaction rather than providing healthy food. ) Should Mc Donald's offer healthy alternatives to the same extent in all the countries in which it operates, or Just those where it has been criticized in the past, or is it expecting further regulation? What if customers overseas do not want healthy options? Mc Dona ld's should offer healthy alternatives in every country as ong as customers accept and buy them. If customers do not want healthy options, Mc Donald's should offer other alternatives such like sport programs or simple information packages. Scientific research clearly proofs that fast food, consumed on a regular basis, is extremely unhealthy.Mc Donald's could be said to have an ethical responsibility to educate its customers about fast food and healthy alternatives. 4) How could Mc Donald's seek to avoid further criticism in the future? Can the company realistically present itself as an ethical corporation? Only if Mc Donald's operated as truly altruistic company, benefitting the community, could they avoid further criticism. As of now, Mc Donald's is only known to be vastly successful in the economic perspective of the triple bottom line. Mc Donald's is also committed to social and environmental perspectives.The Ronald McDonald House Charities for example provide healthcare etc. to children in need. Furthermore Mc Donald's 2009 Corporate Responsibility Report clearly states how Mc Donald's tackles the environmental issues and provides examples of Mc Donald's sustainable supply chain. However this is not what comes to mind when we think about this fast food chain. The solution to Mc Donald's problem is already in place. The catch is however that no one knows about the corporations' environmental and social efforts.Through proper marketing strategies Mc Donald's could earn a much better reputation with very little effort. 5) How sustainable is the fast food industry from the point of the triple bottom line? The triple bottom line combines the three factors of environmental, economic and social sustainability. The economic sustainability in the fast food sector has been proven in the past by Mc Donald's balance sheets. Concerning the environmental angle, one can argue that there is room for mprovement. For instance in Austria Mc Donald's is starting to use local products and has sorted rubbish for several years.There are programs in place to aid Farmers become more sustainable, bringing Mc Donald's supply chain to a high standard of environmental responsibili Concerning social sustainability, the tast t industry is lacking vision. They are providing healthcare to people in need but why not tackle the cause of these children's health problems? If the fast food industry could find a successful shift to truly healthy fast food, social sustainability could prove to be a contributing factor to the fast food industries profits.