The New York City Ballet Essays - Ballet Choreographers,

The New York City Ballet THE NEW YORK CITY BALLET Ballet, what exactly is ballet your probably wondering? well ballet is a classical dance form characterized by grace and precision of movement and elaborate formal technique, often but not always performed on point by the women dancers. Lincoln Kirstein, a very wealth man, founded the New York City Ballet in 1933 as the American Ballet. He imported George Balanchine to New York that year for the purpose of having an American school company in the best Russian tradition. The choreographer was, of course, Russian-Parisian, and his point of view and style was mainly European, as was the entire teaching staff, but the performing personnel was local, and it hoped that under the director of the master, native choreographers and teachers would in time develop. After three years, the company suspended operations. A splinter group, Ballet Caravan directed by Kirstein himself, kept the flame going. It was this group that produced Billy and the Kid (Loring, Copland, Jared French), the first real American Masterpiece and it was this group that progressed the development of Michael Kidd, William Dollar, Lew Christensen, and Ruthanna Boris. Even though the ballet company was not making any progress for eleven years, the American Ballet School never closed there doors and has trained a generation of eligible dancers. In 1947, after twelve-year hibernation, Kirstein revived the performing company with Balanchine again in charge. It had been posted in all trade schools (no theaters were then regularly available for dance companies) and after a two-year move to the New York City Center Theater. In the following decade, it became one of the leading ballet companies in the world. It is however, entirely under the power of Balanchine and all comes down to his personality and style. The addition of Jerome Robbins in 1949 as co-director somewhat expanded the horizon of the New York City Ballet. The company has toured Europe, Russia, and Orient. It is building up a lot of financial security and has very bright plans in the future. It has also acquired the largest, the most faithful, intelligent, and enthusiastic audience in the American theater world. This is a quote from Agnes De Mille ?When you perform?you are out of yourself ?larger and more potent, more beautiful. You are for minutes heroic. This is power. This is glory on earth. And it is yours nightly?. Theater

The Crucible and McCarthy Trials essays

The Crucible and McCarthy Trials essays The Crucible, essentially an allegory, uses the 1692 Salem witchcraft trials to symbolize the 1950s anti-Communist purges (Bloom). Arthur Millers Crucible was first presented in New York on January 22, 1953, when Senator Joeseph McCarthys House Committee on Un-American Activities was casting a pall over the arts in America (Masterplots). Senator Joseph McCarthy accused many American leaders of being communists, which lead to many unfounded accusations that others were also communists. McCarthy was, in effect, conducting witch hunts (Bellmore). If you opposed to the Salem Witch trials, you were accused of being a witch. If you opposed the McCarthy investigations, you were accused of being a communist. Those accused suffered great consequences in both the Crucible and the McCarthy trials. Millers theme is the politics of fear and the persecution of dissidents. The victims in the Crucible and the McCarthy trials have many similar aspects. The accused were not fairly tried and were convicted on limited evidence. During the witch trials the girls would point at someone they disliked, and accuse them of practicing witchcraft. It did not matter whether they were innocent or guilty, since they were accused, they would be convicted. Peoples lives were ruined because they refused to confess when someone claimed they had seen their name in the devils book. Others confessed and then accused others in order to save themselves, such as Abigail: I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus; I kiss His hand. She began accusing others by saying: I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil! (48). Goode Good and Goode Osborn in the Crucible were accused only because they were poor beggars and less fortunate. Others, such as John Proctor, Goode Nurse, Elizabeth Proctor, and Giles Corey were convi cted because others were ...

Negative Letter (Health-Insurance) Personal Statement

Negative Letter (Health-Insurance) - Personal Statement Example Catherine's is included in a different HMO plan. Since St. Catherine is not covered by your current HMO coverage, the company will not be able to reimburse the costs from your surgery. In the future, you may switch your coverage to one of the plans that includes St. Catherine's Hospital during the next open enrollment period, but past surgeries can not be covered. If you are concerned about covering your current surgery balance, you may want to contact our local credit union since it is offering excellent rates on short-term loans. The company has referred previous debt management situations with the local credit union and patrons have reported a high success and satisfaction rate. The head of accounting and payroll, Joan Bean, is capable of assisting you with debt management. Her e-mail address is Jbean@company.net and she can assist you in choosing an option that will best fit your financial concerns. I will inform her of the situation so that she may have some options available upon your request. Each of the Company's selected HMO packages offers excellent coverage to specified locations and medical professionals. If you have any specific questions regarding your benefits package, please don't hesitate to contact me. I can provide you with another welcome packet that outlines the specific benefits and locations offered by your selected HMO provider.

Differentiate between the different types of cryptographic algorithms Essay

Differentiate between the different types of cryptographic algorithms - Essay Example These are secret key cryptography, public key cryptography and hash functions (Schneier, 2007). First, secret key algorithms are also known as symmetric key algorithms. The major feature of symmetric algorithms is the single key for encryption and decryption. This means that, the sender of the information uses a particular key to encrypt the plain text to cipher text sent to the receiver. After receiving information in the form of cipher text, the recipient uses the same key to decrypt the received message (Kessler, 2014). The single key used must be known to both sender and receiver of the message only. Therefore, the message sent is secret and only accessible by either sender or receiver. The second cryptographic algorithms are the public key cryptography. It is also known as asymmetric key cryptography. Public key cryptography involves two related keys although knowledge of one key cannot be used in determining the other key. The sender of the message uses one key to encrypt the plain text while the receiver uses another different key to decrypt the message. The public key can be revealed publicly while only the message owner uses the private key (Kessler, 2014). Lastly, in Hash functions, a computed based hash value of a fixed length is used upon a plain text making it secure and unrecoverable. In most cases, harsh algorithms provide a â€Å"digital fingerprint† of files to ensure that no alteration occur on the file. In addition, hash functions are used to encrypt passwords in many operating systems (Schneier,

Current issue in global business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Current issue in global business - Essay Example In 2008, one of the most severe financial crises since the Great Depression struck. Banks had been lending money recklessly for several years and this led to a serious asset bubble. To make things worse, many of the people who borrowed money were completely unable to pay off their debts as they became due. Banks and businesses collapsed. Millions of people were laid off. Credit dried up, making it very hard to borrow money and allow companies to begin the rebuilding process. Throughout these problems, corporate taxes remained high in most developed countries. In Canada, they were reduced somewhat, with an eye towards encouraging business opportunities (Vieira). Elsewhere, however, they remain high and continue to limit the amount of jobs that can be created and the economic re-bound that is desperately required to restore western economies to a level comparable to pre-2008. This is an issue for everyone who cares about global stability and economic growth. The backbone of our economi es are our corporations, be they small family-owned businesses are huge multi-national companies. We need to work hard to create environments in which they can thrive and hire employees. There are those who would wish to raise corporate tax rates and effectively stifle growth. ... They wish to see Ireland's advantage wiped out completely. Ireland has been forced to accept a massive bailout from the EU and so far has managed to keep its tax rate, a point of national pride, but only after great duress was brought to bear on its government by countries such as France, which have a high corporate tax rate and don't like Ireland's competitive tax advantage (EU Business). When countries squabble like this, it is businesses that lose out. This kind of instability is anathema to good business. They have a very difficult time planning long-term when they are not sure what the tax rate will be a few years down the line. Stability is key in these kinds of situations. Some say that lowering corporate tax rates is the wrong policy. It involves giving extra cash to those who need it less. They suggest it makes more sense to give money to education programs and needy families. But they miss the point. Lowering corporate taxes jump-starts business. It allows companies to hire more people. Businesses form the cornerstone of the economy. We should not punish them with high taxes. Of all countries in the world, it is most surprising to learn that the United States has one of the highest tax rates in the world. Despite the fact that it is often seen as a champion of business, it makes life very difficult for them. Even Republicans see fit to attack business when they talk about putatively lowering taxes. A recent article discusses the opinion of Eric Cantor, the majority Republican leader in the House: As a first step toward that wider overhaul, Mr. Cantor said he supports allowing U.S. multinational corporations to bring nearly $1.2 trillion in profits derived from foreign operations onshore at a temporary lower tax rate, in a bid to

Case Studies: Corporate Social Responsibility across world

Case Studies: Corporate Social Responsibility across world Introduction Over the past decade, Malaysia has witnessed tremendous economic and social changes. Hence, the business world is becoming more complex and demanding. Corporate social responsibility has emerged as one of the major issues in the modern-day businesses. However, developing countries are slower in reacting to this issue as the studies in this area are still scarce. Even though there is some increase in research and studies in corporate social responsibility (Abu-Baker Naser, 2000; Belal, 2001; Imam, 2000; Tsang, 1998), the results of these studies are not satisfying due to the scarcity of studies in the developing countries. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is becoming more important for national and international businesses. Large corporations discovered and recognized the benefits of providing CSR programs in various locations, these multinational companies are serving as global providers. Now, CSR activities are being performed around the world. Customers nowadays believe that modern businesses have the obligations to serve them better or in a more responsible manner instead of just focusing on maximizing profits for its organizations stakeholders or shareholders. However, only large firms apply this concept compared to those small or middle-sized enterprises due to the power which large firms have. We also refer CSR as corporate or business responsibility, corporate or business citizenship or community relations. The environment that business organizations operate in is filled with dynamism, complexity and uncertainty. Thus, managers must take into consideration the interests of stakeholders and public in performing their respective duties. According to Wartick and Cochran (1985), the concept corporate social responsibility (CSR) has a philosophical orientation. Jones (1996) described CSR as an ideology which has been enhanced and advanced during the past 50 years with the business and research. CSR refers to corporate performance that is normatively correct with respect to all constituents of the firm (Epstein, 1987). How do we clarified the actions that certain firms took are related to corporate social responsibility? According to Carroll (1991), social expectations can be translated into four different stages of corporate social responsibility, viz: economic, legal, ethical and philanthropy. The first stage is economic responsibility. This stage is where the public and society expect corporate organizations to generate profit and at the same time producing goods and services that meet the customers needs. A firms prime social responsibility must be economic involving the production of goods and services at a reasonable profit. Second stage is legal responsibility. Businesses are expected to run within the legal boundaries in order to achieve their goals. However, not all ethical behaviour are codified, businesses should act in the manner that serve the society while meeting economic objectives. Hence, this is categorized as ethical responsibility. Last but not least, the philanthropy responsibi lity. A corporate organization should actively involve in programs promoting human welfare and goodwill. One common difference between philanthropy and ethical responsibilities is that the former are not expected in moral sense. Community expect firms to contribute their resources to social activities. However, they do not hold those firms unethical if they do not practice these social activities. Hence, philanthropy is more to voluntary part of business in conducting social activities. According to Palazzi (2006), there are an increasing number of companies in Western Europe, Japan and North America discovered that by fully integrate the self-interest and needs of customers, employees, communities and their beloved planet, they can make good business. Therefore, corporate social responsibility includes 6 elements where management of each organization should implement in order to enhance growth and profitability. CSR is about how to manage these 6 responsibilities: customers, employees, business partners, environment, communities and investors (Palazzi et al., 2006). Providing goods and services in a fair price so that the customers will get to enjoy the added value of the products provided by the firm and at the same time the firm will earn profits. By adopting CSR, a firms image is strong and well recognised; it provides good welfare for its employees. Business partners such as suppliers, suppliers will only build long term relationship with firms that are well-re spected and trusted. Firm must never conduct any operations that will harm the environment such as toxic dispersion; it will only bring damage to the environment and also the society. Health, stability and prosperity of the communities are the success factors of any businesses nowadays; businesses must involve themselves in social activities such as charity or donations. Practicing CSR in daily operations no doubt maximize profit in long-run which will benefit the investors. In contrast of co-founder of Hewlett Packard Company in 1939, Dave Packard, he thinks many people assume, wrongly, that a company exists simply to make money. While this is an important result of a companys existence, we have to go deeper and find the real reasons for our being. As we investigate this, we inevitably come to the conclusion that a group of people get together and exist as an institution that we call a company so that they are able to accomplish something collectively that they could not accomplish separately they make a contribution to society, a phrase which sounds trite but is fundamental. No doubt that people assume the purpose of a company is to generate profit, primary objective of a company is to continue its existence or to survive, followed by maintaining growth and development and then make a profit. Company is a structure of people where these people wish to achieve objectives that could not be achieved by the efforts of individuals on their own. CSR involves the responsibilities corporations have to the societies within which they are based and operate. CSR is about the organizations and businesses taking actions beyond their boundaries which will impact the environment and society even though doing so incur higher cost. Several concepts that are closely related to CSR: social and environmental auditing, stakeholder theory, business ethics, environmental sustainability, strategic philanthropy and corporate governance. Definition The issues of corporate social responsibility has been debated and argued since 1950s, latest analyses by Secchi (2007) and Lee (2008) reported that the definition has been changing in meaning and practice. In both corporate and academic world there is uncertainty as how to defined. According to Jackson and Hawker (2001), we have looked for a definition and basically there isnt one. However, this is not quite accurate because the truth is there is an abundance of definitions, which are, according to Van Marrewijk (2003), often biased toward specific interests and thus prevent the development and implementation of the concept. Five dimensions of CSR were identified through a content analysis of the definitions; these five dimensions are environmental dimension, social dimension, economic dimension, stakeholder dimension and voluntaries dimension. Jones (1980) defined CSR as the notion that corporations have an obligation to constituent groups in society other than stockholders and beyond that prescribed by law or union contract, indicating that a stake may go beyond mere ownership. Corporate social responsibility is defined as a principle stating that corporations should be accountable for the effects of any of their actions on their community and environment by Frederick (1992). CSR is defined as the degree of moral obligation that may be ascribed to corporations beyond simple obedience to the laws of the state by Kilcullen and Kooistra (1999). According to Foran (2001), CSR can be defined as the set of practices and behaviours that firms adopt towards their labour force, towards the environment in which their operations are embedded, towards authority and towards civil society. CSR is also defined as the integration of social and environmental concerns in business operations, including dealings with stakeholders (Lea, 2002) . According to Andersen (2003), he defined corporate social responsibility broadly to be about extending the immediate interest from oneself to include ones fellow citizens and the society one is living in and is a part of today, acting with respect for the future generation and nature. There are many available definitions of CSR and they are consistently linking to the five dimensions. From 1980s to 20th century, definitions of CSR must include the 5 dimensions, it is not a must to include all 5 but it is best to do so. Importance of CSR CSR has become increasingly important, now it is considered as a business strategy. Consumers prefer to purchase products or services from companies which they trust; suppliers want to form business partnerships with companies they can rely on; employees wish to work for companies they respect and being respected in return; and NGOs want to cooperate with companies seeking feasible solutions and innovations in areas of common interests. According to Carly Fiorina, Chairman and CEO of Hewlett Packard Company, winning companies of this century will be those who prove their actions that they can earn profit and increase social value at the same time. Shareowners, customers, partners and employees are going to vote with their feet in order to reward those companies that fuel social change through business. This has become the new reality of business, one that everyone should embrace and adopt. Arguments and debates about the importance of CSR, the main topic is why CSR became more import ant? Many factors and influences have led to increasing attention being devoted to the role of companies and CSR. These include: Sustainable development Paul Hawken has defined sustainability as an economic state where the demands placed upon the environment by people and commerce can be met without reducing the capacity of the environment to provide for future generations. Leave the world a little better than you found it, take no more than you need, try not to harm life or the environment, make amends if you do. According to Hohnen (2007), United Nations studies showed that humankind is using natural resources at an excessive rate, a rate where the used resources failed to be replaced in time. If this scenario continues, future generations will not have the resources they need for their development. According to Maurice Strong, Chairman of the Earth Council (1992), he said as we enter the next century, industry will be the most important engine for change in the drive for sustainable solutions to the worlds environmental problems. These issues alerted the world and required immediate actions. Organizations must play their parts in aiding the environmental problems. Corporate social responsibility is one of the solutions and organizations are advised to practice and implement social responsibility in their daily operations. Globalization Globalization is a complex process because it involves rapid social change that is occurring simultaneously across a number of dimensions in the world economy, in politics, in communications, in the physical environment and in culture and each other these transformations interact with the others (Tomlinson, 1999). Growing concerns on human resource management, environmental protection, health and safety due to the economic globalization, CSR can play a vital role in locating the impacts and effects that a business might have on labour, society and economy. CSR also provide certain steps that can assist the business to build and maintain the public welfare. Governance According to Hohnen (2007), governments and intergovernmental bodies such as the UN, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have developed several guidelines and declarations which companies can follow and apply in their future business conduct. Example, government in Penang restricted food sellers from using polystyrene for food packing every Monday. Finance Consumers and investors are more interested in supporting responsible business practices; they are seeking more information on how organizations going to react accordingly after defining risks and opportunities which related to social issues. What actions can the organization take so that it will best serve the society and meet the economic objectives? In the CSR context, a sound CSR approach can help build share and market value for an organization, lower the cost of capital and improve the responsiveness to markets (Hohnen, 2007) Protect the environment Some of the worlds largest companies have showed their commitment to CSR by showing initiatives at reducing their environmental footprint. These companies believe that financial and environmental performance can work together to drive company growth and social reputation. We green the earth slogan made by some multinational companies in Malaysia who own large golf courses within residential area is one of the CSR initiatives seems to protect the environment. According to Hohnen (2007), a CSR approach can improve corporate governance, transparency, accountability and ethical standards. Environment stewardship helps build and retain a companys value. In addition, undergraduates and postgraduates will expose to the importance of taking care of the environment through studying corporate social responsibility. Potential Benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility Being socially responsible is increasingly important for modern organizations. This is due to the public becoming more demanding towards firms in terms of being socially responsible. Einer Elhauge, a professor of law at the Harvard Law School, as part of his contribution on the Environmental Protection and the Social Responsibility of Firms, quoted that Corporate managers have the operational discretion to sacrifice corporate profits in the interest of the public. Lower Operating Cost Companies must view this as an opportunity and see the benefit it can obtain from giving back to the communities and employees (McKee, 2005). Lower operating cost may be the most immediate and dependable benefit for a corporation committed to high ethical standards and social responsibility (Ashforth, 1989). On environmental issues, a company who is striving to minimize its emission of greenhouse gasses will be looking at ways of minimizing fuel consumption. Initial investment in more energy efficient vehicles and appliances may incurred very high cost, it will eventually lead to cost saving. If a company is using less energy, then its energy bills will be lower. If a company is minimizing water usage, then its water bills will be lower. The same is true for maximizing the use of recycled materials. Recycled materials are much lower priced compared to raw materials. Employees: Recruitment, Retention and Productivity According to Ivy (2005), the other benefits of adopting corporate social responsibility practices include attracting the most talented and loyal workers. Their employees are more committed to their work because they are proud to be part of that organization. Employees value a corporation that is able to improve the life of the community. A Socially Responsible Corporation considers a workers dignity and offers good health care and retirement plan. Therefore, these employees are not keen to take lifts when opportunity is at hand. Bloemer (1992) found out that the corporation benefits from a stable workforce and reduced training costs. Evidence for this view are clearly stated in the Kelly survey in Crains Detroit Business report found that corporations that behave in socially and environmentally responsible manners attract the top talent and ninety percent of those interviewed would prefer to work for organizations are ethically and socially responsible. Brand Image and Customer Loyalty McKee (2005) suggested that the most significant business benefit of corporate social responsibility is the positive effect it can have on brand image and customer loyalty. If a company is known to be responsible and ethical, and if it markets itself as such, then it will be well positioned in a competitive market. Consumers, weary of the tales of ruthless corporations doing everything in their power to maximize profits, are becoming more and more interested in supporting companies who are socially responsible. Many firms which have such practices include Body Shop that uses all natural, non chemical substances to make their products. They emphasis on no animal testing and many customers are proud to be using their products that support the humanity values that the company share. Differentiated Products According to Klein and Dawar (2004), differentiated product is one of the benefits that enable an organization in order to remain competitive in todays marketplace. Through product differentiation, organizations aim at achieving a competitive advantage by increasing the perceived value of their products relative to the perceived value of the products of their competitors. Particularly, for organizations that implement socially responsible policies, product differentiation can satisfy the unmet needs of consumers offering both financial and business benefits to the firm. Firms that offer environmentally friendly products experience higher sales growth than firms that sell conventional products (Ramasamy Ting, 2004). Besides, firms that offer unique value propositions to consumers differentiate their products in consumers minds and contribute to building customer loyalty based solely on ethical values. Therefore, in the context of corporate social responsibility, organizations develop new products aiming, not only to become more competitive, but also to make a greater impact on society through their ethical practices. A CSR Europe MORI study in 2000 showed that 70 percent of European consumers say that a companys commitment to corporate social responsibility is important when buying a product and one in five would be willing to pay more for products that are socially and environmentally responsible. On the other hand, one in six shoppers frequently boycott or buy products because of the manufacturers reputation. Improved Risk Management Improved and proper management is one of the benefits gained when a corporation embarked in corporate social activities. Modern organizations implement risk management strategies to decrease or even eliminate the risk posed on the organization by a variety of practices associated to several potential threats (Porter Kramer, 2002). Organizations that have made countless efforts over the years to build a good reputation and have spent a lot of money to maintain it through product development and customer loyalty strategies. However it could be ruined is seconds (Tencati, Perrini, Pogutz, 2004). Such incidents include scandals, environmental accidents, foreign labour transgressions and internal corruptions draw the attention of the media and may cause irreversible damage to a firms reputation. The only way to anticipate such events are to embed social responsibility into organizational culture that contributes to a stable reputation for a form and in order to offset such risks. This c ould save cost and time in repairing and building firms reputation using the usual ways. Access to capital Financial institutions such as banks and private loan companies are increasingly incorporating social and environmental criteria into their assessment of projects. When making decisions about where to place their money, investors are looking for indicators of effective CSR management. Maignan, Tomas and Hult (1999) argued that a business plan incorporating a good CSR approach is often seen as a must for good management. When a company engage in corporate social activities shows that they care about their planet and it give a good impression towards to the investors. Hence both private and public investors are more willing to invest in such ventures because it will gain support from many parties and corporate social responsibility based companies tend to last longer. Arguments underpinning CSR Today many persons are discussing the social responsibilities of business; there are various reasons both for and against businesss assumption of social responsibilities. People in the business world argue and debate about social responsibility, some supporting this concept and some do not see it that way. Arguments for corporate social responsibility Long-run self interest Long-run self interest is one of the arguments which favour corporate social responsibility, this ideology makes the society expects the businesses to accomplish and conduct various social goods and actions. According to Davis (2001), a business must conduct social practices if it expects to achieve objectives and earn profits in long-run. The firm that responds fastest to the needs of the society hence will have a better community in for the firm to run its business. Recruiting employees will be easier, the employees hired are better in quality. Besides that, absenteeism and turnover will decrease. As the social of one society improved, crime rate will definitely go down and money can be saved up as the properties are well protected. The dispute can lead to several directions, for example a better society provides a better environment for business. It is hard to believe that incurring higher cost for social activities will result in higher profit for the business. However, it is the normal outcome that business can perform better when it runs in a better environment. Recent surveys confirm that the correlation between social and financial performance is their positive or neutral (Margolis Walsh, 2003). Public Image A firms main objective is to attain and retain more customers, desirable employees and various benefits through enhancing its public image. According to Davis (2001), it is easy to extend this public-image concept through the accomplishment of a variety of social goods. Public holds social goals as top priority, firms which has intention of achieving a benevolent public image must reinforce and prioritize these social goals. CSR has become a vital tool in promoting and improving the public image of some worlds largest corporations (Christian, 2004). Let Business Try Many institutions tried and failed in handling social issues, why not give business a chance to do so. Many comments were made due to the failures of other institutions, people are turning to business. Comments like the following: Give business a try. Maybe they can come up with some new ideas. Let business have a role. They couldnt do any worse! These comments were made out of frustration and desperation instead of reasoning; many people are expecting that business institution will fail in handling the social issues. The truth is that there is no evidence showing that we perform badly in handling and solving the social problems using businesss capabilities (Davis, 2001). Business Has the Resources Business is believed to have valuable resources which can be used in handling social problems; hence society should put the resources into good use. Sadly, many people wrongly assumed that business has all the money where the society need to do is to tap the till of business and the social problems will just fades away. In most cases, there is a reasoned assumption that business has a pool of management talent, functional expertise and capital resources (Davis et al., 2001). With this pool, business definitely has the requirements to solve social problems in the society. In addition, business is well known for its innovative ability. In some social problems, innovation is needed badly for application. Problems can be Profits While the creativity of business can contribute to social problems, it can also be an advantage at times when apply conventional business theories to these social problems. Although this idea cannot be applied to all of the social problems, it is encouraged that business should involve in social areas more effectively. According to Davis (2001), many problems can be solved and settled profitably according to traditional business concepts. Prevention is better than Curing It is argued that business should resolve social problems once encountered. This supports the idea of saving resources and the managements time and also preventing the social problem from developing into a disastrous situation to the business. Furthermore, the progress of producing goods and services can be affected when business is busy dealing with serious social problems that have yet to be resolved. Argument against Social responsibility Profit Maximization The most prevailing argument against business assumption of social responsibility is the classical that it challenges the traditional mindset of the companies is to focus on profit maximization (Friedman, 1971). According to the industrys point of view, the companys desire is to think in the best interest of the shareholder and satisfy them by maximizing profit and find all means to increase profit. One common practice in most industries to maximize profit is to minimize cost. Friedman (1971) mentioned that in a free enterprising firm system, employees responsibility is do what their superiors command them to do as long they do what their are told, they would survive in the economy provided their actions are abiding to the laws and ethical customs of the society. The employees desire is accord with the shareholders interest that is to maximize profit. However imposing a new concept of corporate social responsibility, the company dilutes the aim of profit maximization and makes the sh areholders unhappy. This is due to the managers spending their money on something that has no direct impact on their cash flow. Besides that, Friedman argued that the concept of corporate social responsibility may overthrow the old doctrine of the economy to maximize profit. Cost of Social Involvement Friedman (1962) found out that imposing the culture of corporate social responsibility in a firm takes away a lot of the firms financial resources though the outcome may not be as rewarding as predicted. The company must make wise decision to allocate their resources in the right causes for it is scarce. Most companies commit small resource to corporate social activities due to social pressure and obligation. However, the public tend to forget the firms effort towards corporate social activities after a period of time. Therefore it is very tiring for a company to keep renewing their commitment towards social acts since the customers cannot remember the organizations contribution towards society even it was just last month ago. When the business is pushed into social obligations, many additional costs will drive out marginal firms in all the industries (Friedman et al., 1971). In the chemical industry, many chemical firms shut down because they are unable to meet the requirement of pu rchasing the new pollution equipment that is highly priced. Lack of Social Skills Traditional companies do not have the skills to handle the social matters regarding the publics concern towards the companys effort in corporate social goals. As mentioned Friedman (1971), it is insane for a firm to give social related duty to technicians or accountants. They are unfit for the job because they are not trained to work in such way. The firm may need to hire sophisticated people which are public relation officers to create an image for the company and handle all the social matters. This may require the organization to create a new department just to achieve these goals. Problems may arise since the firm needs to incur new costs to the company. Dilution of Businesss Primary Purpose Friedman (1962) suggested that a firms involvement in social goals might hinder businesss emphasis on economic productivity, divert the interest if its leaders, and weaken business in the market places, with the result of the firm achieving poorly in both economic and social aspects. The effect of social goals in corporations is confusing the societys perception in the economic role of the business. If a company is inadequate to achieve its social goals, the society would suffer socially and economically (Friedman et al., 1962). Weakened International Balance of Payment Argument against business assumption social responsibility requires the international balance of payments thought it is frequently ignored. In normal practices, social programs are counted in business costs. In order to recover these costs, the business would usually add the cost into the price of the product. If social activities dilute businesss capacity for high productivity, then this lower efficiency is likely to lead to higher product cost (Friedman et al., 1962). A company would lose its competitive advantage in the international market if they comply with the social obligation. In the international market especially regarding raw material, the price is an essential criterion to consider. When a product is priced higher than its competitor due to social obligation, the clients will choose cheaper choices and outcome is the company loses out a lot of customers. Lack of Accountability From economic point of view, entrepreneurs have no accountability towards the public. Friedman quoted that Accountability always go with responsibility. A firm which embarks into social activities must be responsible towards the people. Until the firm is ready to be establish a proper line of social accountability from business to public, the business is preferable just focus on maximizing profit and not engage in any social activities. Lack of Broad Support One final point is that social involvement may lack a broad range of support from all groups of the society. Although many people support the idea of corporate social responsibility, many parties opposes it (Henderson Hazel, 2001). Unlike China, there are a lot of countries that does not give full support to firms that has social goals. The lack of agreements is among the general public, in government, even among the businessmen themselves. Many reasons are mentioned in the above statements. Such hostile oppositions will create disastrous effects on the company if it fails its social mission. Case Summary Burgerville USA is a family owned fast-food restaurant, founded by George Propstra in Vancouver, Washington 1922. Burgerville applies this mentality made fresh from local ingredients, this concept still stand strong up till today. Burgerville had never used frozen patties, used only the freshest ingredients. Besides that, onions rings sold in Burgerville are made from onions grown in nearby Walla Walla. Burgerville has expanded up to 39 locations in the northwest United States, currently run by Propstras son in law, Tom Mears. The key element in the companys strategy remains unchanged which is the fresh, local concept. Company is using fresh, local products in order to offer higher quality food. This strategy moves Burgerville out from the fast-food industry into fast-casual dining sector, a niche in the restaurant industry. Mears decided that the company will not play the chea

natural born killers :: essays research papers

Natural Born Killers† is one weird-ass movie. With the weird actors and funky camera movements. It’s unforgettable. A trip into the mind of two serial killers. The film is real good, but I think it might be even better if you were drunk. You might be a little used to everyone acting weird and all the psychedelic colors. But since I am not old enough to do that yet, I’ll just review as how I saw it. Mallory (Juliette Lewis) has a horrible life. Her brother is a little jerk, her father molests her, and her mother does nothing about it. It’s horrible. But the film tries to make it a little funny by making her house look like a sitcom with the audience laughing (the whole movie isn’t like this). Then one day a young man named Mickey Knox (Woody Harrelson) comes to the front door of her house delivering fifty pounds of meat. They instantly fall in love. This is where the funky stuff begins. Mickey and Mallory brutally beat and drown her dad, and burn her mom to death. After that they go on a long murder spree, killing more than fifty people, they are finally caught by one of the best cops in America: Seymour Scagnetti (Tom Sizemore). Mickey and Mallory have been apart for a year. Both locked in separate cells in a prison ran by McClusky (Tommy Lee Jones). McClusky has assigned Scagnetti to transport Mickey and Mallory to another place to get a lobotomy done on each of them. But the night before they are sent out, a greedy reporter named Wayne Gale (Robert Downey, Jr.) is giving Mickey a live interview on TV. Pretty soon, Mickey escapes and all hell breaks loose. This film proves to us how screwed up the world is from movies and television. Two innocent people who have been exposed to too much violence go crazy and kill innocent people. I really liked how the film told the truth and held nothing back. The great part is the last act in the prison. Genius stuff! Oliver Stone is a great director and I admire him. He actually makes you feel sorry for this guilty couple. Harrelson gives an awesome performance. Spectacular! After seeing him all goofy on â€Å"Cheers† I was really excited to see him like this. I found it odd that his dad did go to prison for being a hit man. natural born killers :: essays research papers Natural Born Killers† is one weird-ass movie. With the weird actors and funky camera movements. It’s unforgettable. A trip into the mind of two serial killers. The film is real good, but I think it might be even better if you were drunk. You might be a little used to everyone acting weird and all the psychedelic colors. But since I am not old enough to do that yet, I’ll just review as how I saw it. Mallory (Juliette Lewis) has a horrible life. Her brother is a little jerk, her father molests her, and her mother does nothing about it. It’s horrible. But the film tries to make it a little funny by making her house look like a sitcom with the audience laughing (the whole movie isn’t like this). Then one day a young man named Mickey Knox (Woody Harrelson) comes to the front door of her house delivering fifty pounds of meat. They instantly fall in love. This is where the funky stuff begins. Mickey and Mallory brutally beat and drown her dad, and burn her mom to death. After that they go on a long murder spree, killing more than fifty people, they are finally caught by one of the best cops in America: Seymour Scagnetti (Tom Sizemore). Mickey and Mallory have been apart for a year. Both locked in separate cells in a prison ran by McClusky (Tommy Lee Jones). McClusky has assigned Scagnetti to transport Mickey and Mallory to another place to get a lobotomy done on each of them. But the night before they are sent out, a greedy reporter named Wayne Gale (Robert Downey, Jr.) is giving Mickey a live interview on TV. Pretty soon, Mickey escapes and all hell breaks loose. This film proves to us how screwed up the world is from movies and television. Two innocent people who have been exposed to too much violence go crazy and kill innocent people. I really liked how the film told the truth and held nothing back. The great part is the last act in the prison. Genius stuff! Oliver Stone is a great director and I admire him. He actually makes you feel sorry for this guilty couple. Harrelson gives an awesome performance. Spectacular! After seeing him all goofy on â€Å"Cheers† I was really excited to see him like this. I found it odd that his dad did go to prison for being a hit man.

Ways to Keep Fit and Healthy

HOME EXERCISE You don't have to join a gym to get exercise. Depending on your interests you can purchase inexpensive equipment for improving muscle strength, endurance, flexibility, aerobic capacity, fat burning, core training and the like. I recommend an exercise ball, and yoga mats for stretching. Pilates equipment for floor work, a small weight set, and abdominal exercisers are also a good investment. EAT YOUR VEGGIESYou are what you eat; therefore you can only create the body you want when you fuel yourself with food that is good for you. Find food grown locally. Daily servings of vegetables, and food grown without pesticides are best. SPEND TIME OUTDOORS Take a daily walk. Walking burns fat, and boosts your mood as well as your metabolism. Walking will also get you outside, where you can enjoy nature and experience your neighborhood. BREATHE Sounds easy, and it is! Conscious breathing centers your mind, develops focus, and calms the  nervous system.HYDRATE Drink plenty of wate r. Your body is made of over 80% water. Water cleans your blood, floats your brain and burns fat! Drink plenty of fresh water every day. FIND PASSION IN EACH DAY Doing what you love keeps your mind fit and focused. SCHEDULE TIME FOR YOURSELF It is all too easy to let the demands of others interfere with our best of plans. Pencil in your fitness time and keep those appointments as conscientiously as you do all your appointments.A few minutes of meditation, breathing or walking will restore your energy so you can better address the tasks at hand. INNER FITNESS. MEDITATION Meditation provides calm center to work from. It can reduce health risks, and has been known to lower  blood pressure  and reduce inflammation inautoimmune disease. Meditation can heal your body, mind and soul. SLEEP Sleep is when your body grows, your body heals, and your mind dreams, relaxes and organizes. To encourage healthy sleep,

There Are Dangers in Drinking Diet Soda Essays

There Are Dangers in Drinking Diet Soda Essays ï » ¿There Are Dangers in Drinking Diet Soda Essay ï » ¿There Are Dangers in Drinking Diet Soda Essay Essay Topic: There Will Be Blood There Are Dangers in Drinking Diet Soda A new study has found that the artificial sweeteners in diet soda can cause weight gain, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and heart disease, adding to mounting research about the potential health risks of diet soft drinks. And that’s not all- the study also found that the artificial sweeteners in diet soda can interfere with your body’s normal response to sugar, deregulating normal blood sugar levels even more than regular soda. That’s because the fake sugar essentially tricks your body into thinking you’re taking in the calories associated with the sweet taste. But that means the body doesn’t know how to process real sugar- and fails to release the hormone that controls blood sugar and blood pressure. The study, conducted by researchers at Purdue University, incorporated 40 years of research on the effects of artificial sweeteners and the health problems associated with diet soda. No surprise: the American Beverage Association begs to differ. â€Å"Low-calorie sweeteners are some of the most studied and reviewed ingredients in the food supply today,† said the ABA said in a statement. â€Å"They are safe and an effective tool in weight loss and weight management, according to decades of scientific research and regulatory agencies around the globe.† The ABA noted that the Purdue research was technically published as an opinion piece, not a scientific study. But Susan Swithers, the author of the Purdue study, issued her own statement, noting that soda drinkers aren’t always given the correct facts about the health consequences of drinking diet soda. It is not uncommon for people to be given messages that artificially sweetened products are healthy, will help them lose weight, or will help prevent weight gain, Swithers said. The data to support those claims are not very strong, and although it seems like common sense that diet sodas would not be as problematic as regular sodas, common sense is not always right. Swithers’ study adds to mounting research about the possible dangers of diet soda. â€Å"Although it seems like common sense that diet sodas would not be as problematic as regular sodas, common sense is not always right. One recent report in General Dentristy found that heavy consumption diet soft drinks can erode teeth as much as much as crystal meth or crack cocaine. A 2012 study found that drinking a diet soda every day can lead to strokes, heart disease, and is often associated with other unhealthy behaviors. And a 2010 study found a link between women who drank diet soda while pregnant and the  risk of preterm delivery. Maybe someone should have clued in the 31-year-old woman who suffered heart problems after drinking only soda for 16 years about the risks of diet soda. Then there is the unidentified woman in Monaco who was taken to the hospital after a fainting spell and told doctors that she hadn’t drunk water since she was 15 years old- just diet soda, and about two liters of it per day. Doctors found the woman had extremely low potassium levels and a heart condition called QT syndrome which can cause erratic heart beats. She had no family history of heart problems. The woman was told to stop drinking soda for one week- and her symptoms disappeared. Like The Daily Beast on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for updates all day long. Eliza Shapiro is a reporter for The Daily Beast, covering breaking news, crime, and politics. Previously, she worked at Capital New York and edited Columbia’s undergraduate blog, Bwog. thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/07/13/there-are-dangers-in-drinking-diet-soda.html

Free Essays on Why Eastern Culture Religions May Be Appealing To The Western Culture

Since the beginning of â€Å"time† man has questioned their existence and what has caused their creation. Through my readings I have read numerous theories, ideas, and beliefs. Some drastically contrast, and others simply elaborate on previous hypotheses. These projected explanations of our existence, can cause great confusion and uncertainty. This confusion, I have found through my readings, is predominantly found in the Western philosophies. We either question or find reasons to believe in the very existence of a divine creator or even existence of our own being as well. This uncertainty within the Western culture is what led me to choose this question. After reading about the Eastern religious traditions I was very attracted to the fact that the idea of God is never questioned as greatly opposed as it is in the Western culture. This in itself is where I think a violent and unjust world evolved. Without the belief of a creator, life can seem depressing, and could possibly cause one to not care about their life which as a result they do not care about others lives. A second quality that attracted me greatly was that they do not practice a threat of eternal damnation. Our so-called hell that we have thought to believe is basically torture for not following the life that some say is the word of God. I have always been very curious as to what happens to those of us on earth that were uneducated about religion or those that died young. The Buddhists believe in Karma. I have always based my own actions around a Karma based aim unknowingly that this was a Buddhist belief. With these two key beliefs I do in fact find the eastern culture appealing in these areas. Although I do not plan on converting any time soon I can see where a Westerner could be attracted to the Eastern culture, when before reading this chapter I hypothesized that Eastern cultures were ancient and obsolete.... Free Essays on Why Eastern Culture Religions May Be Appealing To The Western Culture Free Essays on Why Eastern Culture Religions May Be Appealing To The Western Culture Since the beginning of â€Å"time† man has questioned their existence and what has caused their creation. Through my readings I have read numerous theories, ideas, and beliefs. Some drastically contrast, and others simply elaborate on previous hypotheses. These projected explanations of our existence, can cause great confusion and uncertainty. This confusion, I have found through my readings, is predominantly found in the Western philosophies. We either question or find reasons to believe in the very existence of a divine creator or even existence of our own being as well. This uncertainty within the Western culture is what led me to choose this question. After reading about the Eastern religious traditions I was very attracted to the fact that the idea of God is never questioned as greatly opposed as it is in the Western culture. This in itself is where I think a violent and unjust world evolved. Without the belief of a creator, life can seem depressing, and could possibly cause one to not care about their life which as a result they do not care about others lives. A second quality that attracted me greatly was that they do not practice a threat of eternal damnation. Our so-called hell that we have thought to believe is basically torture for not following the life that some say is the word of God. I have always been very curious as to what happens to those of us on earth that were uneducated about religion or those that died young. The Buddhists believe in Karma. I have always based my own actions around a Karma based aim unknowingly that this was a Buddhist belief. With these two key beliefs I do in fact find the eastern culture appealing in these areas. Although I do not plan on converting any time soon I can see where a Westerner could be attracted to the Eastern culture, when before reading this chapter I hypothesized that Eastern cultures were ancient and obsolete....

Sensation and perception Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sensation and perception - Research Paper Example Sensation is passive whereas perception is an active phenomenon in that one does not consciously make an effort to sense the things while it is not possible to perceive things unconsciously. (AlleyDog.com, 2010). Since both are abstract terms, many people can not interpret the difference between the two as they know into words, despite being educated on the clear definition of both terms. Our way of life is based upon the way we perceive the world in which we live making use of the senses we are naturally blessed with. Sensation and perception have their own respective roles in composing our reactions to what we see and hear. One factor that particularly distinguishes sensation from perception is that sensation is common for everybody apart from those with disability, while perception varies from individual to individual. This is because sensation is an output of the natural senses that are invested in a human by nature. A person with a perfect body is naturally equipped with all the organs mentioned before that function rightly to produce their respective share of the sensations. Occasionally, people lack one or more of these organs or the organs’ ability to produce their sensation even if the body consists of them. This results in a temporary or permanent lack of sensation. However, the way a mind interprets the messages received from body organs has much to do with the many other personality traits that are not common among all people. Also, there is a big role of genes in the perception of sensation. Psychologists make use of the way an individual perceives a particular situation to tell wheth er the individual usually adopts an optimistic, pessimistic or neutral approach towards the matters of everyday life. Attainment of this information is fundamental to devising the most appropriate solution to a patient suffering from psychological disorders. Two children brought up in identical conditions sharing the same

Summary report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Summary report - Essay Example During the period between 1993 and 2010, Dr. Lvov has published more than 70 papers on layer-by-layer assembly. Nano-assembly on microtemplates and nanocapsules are described. The most interesting, however, as the potential applications of halloysite, as described by Lvov: these include delivery of herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides, anticorrosion agents for protective coating, plastic fillers and drug sustained release, hydrogen storage and even catalytic materials (Lvov). This information is followed by empirical research findings. Some authors concentrate on the analysis of nanoparticles use in medicine. Zheng et al discuss the benefits of layer-by-layer encapsulation for the poorly water-soluble anticancer drugs (7679). In this study, the researchers mixed curcumin with an organic solvent miscible with water, obtained curcumin crystals of 60-100 mm size via ultrasonication, and coated them with the help of biocompatible polyelectrolytes (Zheng et al 7679). The use of layer-by-layer encapsulation proved to effective in sustained drug release from nanoparticles (Zheng et al 7679). Franz et al followed the similar pattern and explored nano self-assembly coating of A.vinosum, to gain better knowledge of substrate uptake in bacteria (164). The authors found out that the coated cells surface charge does not affect sulfide uptake: obviously, defining the surface properties of bacteria has far-reaching implications for microbiological and biotechnological applications (Franz et al. 167). In a similar vein, Shutava et al prove that layer-by-layer techniques can be successfully utilized, to help the encapsulated anticancer drug material to retain its biological activity and block hypatocyte growth factor (1877). Layer-by-layer techniques can also involve the use of tubular halloysite clay, to ensure the sustained release of drug loaded halloysite tubes (Veerbadran et al. 100). In this context, Abdullayev et al.