Emotions of a woman on the birth of a child Essay

Emotions of a woman on the birth of a child - Essay Example I didn’t like the frog-looking thing that the ultra-sound revealed, nor the pumpkin that my mother said was inside me, nor the stork stories of Hans Christian Andersen fairytales. I imagined instead that I had swallowed the moon and that it was growing and expanding, filling me with incredible light. First, it was a period of darkness when I couldn’t feel her at all, then a sickle-shaped crescent moon, then a big round full moon that made me waddle in the days, and toss and turn at nights, and crave Kentucky Fried Chicken at midnight and be repulsed by it when I got it.But now the white-hot light that shafted through me was not the gentle glow that I’d felt for the past three months, but a tearing searing volcanic eruption of a life force that needed at all costs to be brought forth. I felt like a mountain that was being split asunder by a force greater than me, and I thought that I would die from the six-hour ordeal, like Rachel in the Bible story when she gave birth to Benjamin. But no, finally she released me from my woman’s curse of bearing children in pain (from eating the aching attractive but forbidden fruit). There was a sweltering silence, and in my groggy post-natal haze I heard a sharp short slap, then a wild wail that I couldn’t believe was human.When they put her in my arms I was spellbound. It was impossible that this was her: the moon-thing from my belly, the volcano that erupted from me, the werewolf that wailed at being brought into the world.... I stared at her in amazement. I didn't have enough eyes to look at her, her skin like Starbucks mocha that would eventually "brown" like Grandma's chocolate cake to look more like mine. I didn't have enough lips to kiss her soft skin that dented under my touch like a downy pillow. Not enough nostrils to inhale her smell -- so strange yet sweet -- a smell of new life. Nor enough hands to touch her incredibly smooth warm skin, to fight with her to unfold her tiny balls of hands that wound around anything it could catch. Seeing her for the first time was more beautiful than Shakespeare's "russet-clad" sunset, more thrilling than my first kiss. And there were many firsts that have dotted this past year like the occasional caramel-coated nut in an already delicious Nestle Drumstick cone: the first time she opened her eyes and revealed her dark brown eyes that she had sneakily kept hidden like an opal; her first smile, like a burst of sunlight peeping out from under a shadowy mountain; her first tear that terrified me and made me want to rip apart the invisible beast that hurt her like an enrage mother lion; the first time she held my hand and a shot of love ran from my womb, up my spine and through my heart. I am still looking forward to her first words, and hope they will be "Ma-ma", which will be like Beethoven's Fifth Symphony to my ears (strange but magnificently beautiful), and not to mention her first steps on chubby drumstick-like legs (I ate too much KFC when I was pregnant), her first cut knee, her first day of school, her first crush Looking at her now, a little brown leprechaun from my own body, with her impish toothless grin, her lovable moon face and scraggly weed-like hair that I don't know how I will ever comb, I'm

The Changing Role of National oil companies in the international Dissertation

The Changing Role of National oil companies in the international energy Market - Dissertation Example Oil prices increased in recent years from about $20 to about $100 per barrel, thereby expanding profits for many national and international oil companies. With decreasing supply and increasing demands for oil, oil companies have been competing with each other to seek more substantive oil sources. The fact that majority of oil reserved are under government control is giving a major advantage for national oil companies on access to oil sources. Having control over these oil reserves has also brought about greater pressure for oil companies, mostly pressure in relation to their national roles and responsibilities, especially those which relate to supply and demand, globalization challenges, physical security, and international oil competition. 1.2 Background of the problem National oil companies are oil companies which are partially or wholly owned by national governments. Recent surveys from the United States Energy Information Administration indicate that about 52% of oil companies ar e nationally owned; and about 88% of oil reserved is controlled by national oil companies (Energy Information Administration, 2009). National oil companies (NOCs) have become dominant in recent years and in relation to international oil corporations, including ExxonMobil, BP, and Royal Dutch Shell, their dominance has gained much momentum. These NOCs have also increased their investments outside their borders. Some corporations have even abandoned their investments in various countries, as was the case for ExxonMobil abandoning its million dollar investments in the Orinoco basin in Venezuela (Mommer, 2001). This decision was caused by the breakdown of negotiations between the international oil companies on one side and President Hugo Chavez and Petroleos de Venezula (PDV) on the other (Kalicki and Goldwyn, 2005). Other international oil companies, including Total SA of France, Statoil of Norway, BP from Britain, and Chevron from the US agreed to raise the PDV share in the Orinoco pr ojects from 40% to 78% (Oil Daily, 2007). Under these conditions, ConocoPhillips found this decision very much unfavourable to their interests. The company was able to detect about 1.1 billion barrels of reserves from their interests in Venezuela and this represented about 10% of their total reserve holdings, and their Venezuela interests was equivalent to 4% of their total crude oil reserves (Oil Daily, 2007). ConocoPhillips suffered $4.5 billion dollar write-off under these conditions and was unable to meet its targets; as a result, its shares suffered a beating in the stock market (Oil Daily, 2007). On the part of Venezuela, PDV was able to increase its reserves and its production activities; as a result, it gained more power in the international oil market (Pirog, 2007). Venezuela has a major share in the crude oil imports of the US and their oil flow is not directly controlled by their government (Pirog, 2007). These conditions however, may not allow the crude oil market to fol low and be influenced by economic market dictates. The ranking of oil companies can be determined through various considerations. Various standards have to be used in order to evaluate the changing qualities of oil companies. In addition, investments in explorations and development are major considerations linking the present to the future, ensuring significant expansions for the company and preventing the depletion of reserves

Ethical Issues In The ICU Essay Example for Free

Ethical Issues In The ICU Essay Medical practitioners are faced with the challenge of making decisions on whether to withhold or withdraw a patient’s life sustaining therapy in the intensive care unit. Intensive care units are departments which provide high quality and advanced forms of therapies to very ill patients in the intensive care unit at an increased cost. These patients’ expectations are high with regard to modern medicine, and as a result, have led to the rise of complex ethical issues in the ICU. Clinicians managing patients in the intensive care unit face many ethical problems during the patient’s routine care. This is seen in cases of withholding life sustaining therapy, withdrawing life sustaining therapy, informed consent and making decisions that affect the patients. Introduction Ethical related issues in the intensive care unit are a dilemma facing medical practitioners and nurses. This has affected the quality of care given to the patients in the ICU. Nurses responsible for caring for critically ill patients are faced with many ethical problems in the ICU due to the lack of enough full time critical care personnel and lack of enough funds to facilitate and run the intensive care units. A guideline on ethical issues in the intensive care unit demands that nurses offering critical care to patients apply the care with humanity by showing respect for the emotions and choices of the patients and their families. Nurses in this field are required to provide all necessary information to the patients and the family, counsel them and assist in interpreting the results so they can make well informed decisions. Nurses must consult with all physicians involved in the patients’ management. ethical problems facing nurses in he intensive care unit range from aggressive forms of treatment, following the wishes of the patients families to using extreme forms of reducing pain and assisted suicide and euthanasia.. Care of patients in the intensive care units involves aggressive forms of treatments with high risks associated with them and high-tech modern medicine which has higher risks than improving the patients’ prognosis. Critically ill patients and terminally ill patients who should be left to die in the comfort of their homes like in the earlier days are now made to undergo last minute aggressive treatments which may end up being no significant. In such cases when the treatment fails and the patient dies, the patients’ family blames the nurses and doctors for being insensitive to their wishes. Nurses are faced with the burden of not knowing where to draw the line between extending the natural process of dying by applying aggressive forms of medical care and when to apply life support systems. Ethics require that medical practitioners and nurses put the interests of their patients and their families’ first rather than applying futile medical technology to save the life of the patient or prolong their dying process against the family’s wishes. Nurses in the care of critically ill patients are required to set proper goals and interventions for terminal are of patients. End of life decisions should be made after consensus with all involved physicians. Critically ill patients in the intensive care unit get the most complex forms of treatment even in cases where their prognosis is poor. These patients also die under the most undesirable situations such as comatose conditions or under ventilatory support. Research studies have shown that critically ill patients are put through very aggressive forms of treatment which the clinicians would not want to undergo. The same studies have shown that the majority of patients in the intensive care unit are on a life-limiting care. Only very few patients in the intensive care unit receive full life support treatment and CPR. Most nurses and medical care givers are faced with the burden of choosing whether to resuscitate a patient or not when their prognosis is poor. Categories of ethical problems Cost reduction Critical care of patients in the intensive care unit is the most expensive form of treatment. Critical patients who die are said to accumulate more expenses than those who survive. This is because aggressive modern medicine for sustaining life is very expensive. Due to this the standard of care give in intensive care units has deteriorated as it focuses more on cost reduction rather than provision of quality health care. Medical care providers are often faced with the burden of how to establish when to provide full life support to patients and when to withdraw life sustaining support. These decisions are usually based on the patient’s age, type of illness or their prognosis. In effect the medical care providers are influenced to make biased decisions. Defining the standards of care to be given in the intensive care units is based on reducing the incurred costs. (Lo B. (2005). Quality of care Most health care institutions have developed strategies of limiting life support on critically ill patients. Families of critical patients may wish to write do not Resuscitate orders if their patient’s rate of survival is low. In case this is done, this category of patients receives less attention from medical personnel and less care from nurses. Strategies of limiting life support have been based on the patients’ age, prognosis and the family wishes. Patients who are categorized as old and with a poor prognosis tend to get less attention from the medical care providers and the care given to them is of less quality. Rather that receiving actual medical care these patients are given sedatives and narcotic analgesia. Terminally ill patients receive fewer medical interventions before death and are usually given narcotic analgesics to mitigate pain and sedatives to reduce their suffering. Ethical guidelines urge that all patients be given quality care irrespective of their condition but medical care providers often base their interventions on biased decisions. The concept of futility Medical care providers use the concept of futile therapy to withhold or withdraw life sustaining treatment. In the clinical practice very few things are of absolute certainty and so physicians must avoid making decisions based on the futility of the treatment. The outcome of CPR application cannot be based on whether the patients’ family signed the Do not Resuscitate order. Every other patient in the intensive care unit should be given quality care based on facts rather than assumptions. Decisions on withholding or withdrawing life support should be discussed with the patients or with their family members. This expresses respect for their rights and wishes and helps in avoiding conflicts which may lead to legal litigations. The medical personnel are faced with a dilemma in cases where the patient’s prognosis is poor and extending the natural process of dying through aggressive treatment would be futile. In such cases some family members could insist on sustaining the patients’ life. The medical personnel thus have no option in deciding what is best for the patient. Putting such a patient through aggressive treatment enables the family to understand the realities of the concept on withholding or withdrawing the life support. Autonomy This principle demands that no form of treatment should be administered to patients without their own approval or that of their family members, except in cases of emergency where immediate intervention is required. Patients and their families have the right to disapprove any form of treatment and their wishes should be respected. These wishes should be indicated on a written consent in form of advance directive. However, when writing the directive the patient may not have anticipated his present condition or he may decide to change his mind. Medical personnel are thus faced with burden of making the best decision for the patient by putting the patient’s interests first. In the intensive care unit, medical personnel deciding whether to apply CPR on a patient with a good prognosis or to follow his family wishes to withdraw life support. The reliability of family members to represent the best interests of the patients is questionable because some family members may want to withdraw the patient’s life support for their own selfish interests. As a result, doctors and nurses are required to make the best decision for the patient irrespective of the family’s wishes. (Pozgar G. D (2005). Euthanasia and assisted suicide Euthanasia is whereby a medical care provider administers a lethal dose to the patient while in assisted suicide the killing drug is self administered by the patient with the help of a physician. This practice is no widespread, although physicians all over the world are engaging in the practice. They justify their actions as a form of relieving their patients from pain and suffering. In some cases patients do not give consent for euthanasia but still physicians practice it. Most family members choose terminal sedation whereby patients are put in a comatose condition and then food and water is withdrawn. (Morton P. G (2005) Organ donation Patients in the intensive care unit requiring critical care may require an organ transplant to assist in sustaining their life. Patients and family members might have advance directives which disapprove the idea of organ transplants. Medical care givers have a difficult time determining whether a patient should receive an organ donation or not. Performing an organ transplant without the patients or family’s consent could lead to a legal litigation. (Melia K. M (2004). The principle of beneficence In this situation the medical care provider is faced with a moral dilemma in making the best decision fro the patient with regard to his interests rather than those of the family. The role of a physician to apply his best judgement for the patient’s interest is hindered by the patients’ family which rejects the concept of futility. Such family members impose unreasonable demands on the physician to extend the natural process of dying. This only prolongs the patient’s pain and suffering. Medical personnel should therefore be able to make the best decisions for the patients. Ethical issues in the nursing field hinder the ability of physicians to administer quality medical care to critical patients in the intensive care unit.  Physicians are urged to shoe humanity and compassion when applying intensive care to critical patients. Nurses and doctors should set goals and objectives when giving end of life care to patients with both good and poor prognosis. In regard to ethical issues in the intensive care unit, medical care givers should know that their duties are both directed towards the patients and the families. Before carrying out any medical treatment and procedure, nurses and doctors should obtain written consents form patients or their immediate family members to avoid ethical dilemmas which may lead to legal litigations.

The Cause Effect Of Green Electronic Products Marketing Essay

The Cause Effect Of Green Electronic Products Marketing Essay Today there is growing concern for environmental friendly product because of the environmental issues faced by the world. Industries, factories, fume emitting tall chimneys, vehicles, household appliances; heaps of garbage and extreme pollution have altered the environmental conditions and disturbed our biome. Chloroforo carbons from refrigerators, air conditioners, deodorants, etc are responsible for depletion of ozone layer; Green house gases like carbon dioxide, methane, etc are contributing to the global warming. Government, companies, industries are taking initiative to reduce this pollution for our healthy living and also for our future generations. Owing to this fact companies are producing environmental friendly products which in turn help in reducing pollution and help in saving environment. The most important reason why one should use Eco-friendly products is because of the devastating effect of harmful gases, non-biodegradable plastics, dangerous gases which not only pollutes the environment but also causes respiratory problems, skin diseases, etc in human beings. Due to this polluted water and air there is a danger of complete extinction of various rare species of animals and birds. There are lots and lots of harmful effects of plastics, chemicals, non biodegradable items, which is the main reason to start using Eco friendly products as soon as possible. And not only that we should also start changing our lifestyle like usage of air coolers only when there is at most need of it, using jute bags or paper bags instead of plastics covers, taking up drinking waters in safe utensils rather than plastic bottles, making the pollution check regularly in our vehicles . Eco-friendly products have slowly and slowly entered every market considering cosmetics, medicines, electronics, paints, automobiles, manufacturing machines, smart city concept and more. Companies not only produce eco-friendly products but they also have eco-friendly packaging, eco-marks on packages. Measures have been taken by government, companies to produce eco-friendly products which in turn slowly and slowly reduce the impact of pollution on our environment. Eco-friendly has several meanings. There was a time when you were eco friendly if you just stopped using paper. But the definition of eco friendly products changed over the times. In more recent times, if you used predominantly natural products, or their derivatives, you were using eco friendly products. However, today, the definition has broadened more. Today, you are eco friendly not just by using eco friendly products, but also by taking care that the environment is not harmed in any way by the way you are using these pro ducts. Although the meaning has changed but the essence is same as before, one has to be friendly to the environment. The domain of eco-friendly product is very wide so I have restricted my research to the household electronic products which are used by consumer on daily basis. This include television, washing machine, microwave, CFLs, AC, refrigerators, etc. People deal with these products daily and hence they can easily tell about these products. What are the factors they prefer before buying these products? The project conceptualizes the recent market trend of green electronic products and consumer buying characteristics. To understand the meaning of eco-friendly electronic and what people think eco-friendly electronics are. Eco-friendly electronics are expensive, and then also companies are manufacturing them, what are the various factors why companies manufacture eco-friendly electronics. What makes todays customer to go for eco-friendly electronics, is it only to save the planet or some other reason. All such questions will be answered in this paper. Explain in 4-5 sentence the approach adopted by you and results/findings A distinct approach and questionnaire would be helpful for the evaluation of electronic consumer products, even though some usability questionnaires claim to be relevant to products other than computer software. Current usability questionnaires also seem to measure various usability dimensions, but the dimensions are not necessarily identical across questionnaires. Thus, the exploration of the available questionnaires provides a sound background to the development of the questionnaire items for this study. LITERATURE REVIEW While green marketing came into prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s, it was first discussed much earlier. The American Marketing Association (AMA) held the first workshop on Ecological Marketing in 1975. The proceedings of this workshop resulted in one of the first books on green marketing entitled Ecological Marketing (Henion and Kinnear 1976a). Since that time a number of other books on the topic have been published (Coddington 1993, and Ottman 1993). Green marketing incorporates a broad range of activities, including product modification, changes to the production process, packaging changes, as well as modifying advertising. (Polonsky, 1994) World-wide evidence indicates people are concerned about the environment and are changing their behavior accordingly. As a result there is a growing market for sustainable and socially responsible products and services. (Environmental protection agency -2000) Green consumerism is often discussed as a form of pro-social consumer behavi or (Wiener and Doesher, 1991). It may be viewed as a specific type of socially conscious (Anderson, 1988) or socially responsible (Antil, 1984) consumer behavior that involves an environmentalist (Schlossberg, 1991) perspective and may thus be called environmentally concerned consumption (Henion, 1976). A classic definition (Henion, 1976) describes environmentally concerned consumers. Business organizations tend to concern about environments issues due to several reasons such as environmental pressure, governmental pressure, competitive pressure, cost or profit issues (Environmental protection agency -2000) Unfortunately, a majority of people believe that green marketing refers solely to the promotion or advertising of products with environmental characteristics. (Polonsky,1994) and terms like Phosphate Free, Recyclable, Refillable, Ozone Friendly, and Environmentally Friendly are some of the things consumers most often associate with green marketing. . (Polonsky, 1994) While these terms are green marketing claims, in general green marketing is a much broader concept, one that can be applied to consumer goods, industrial goods and even services (Roberts and Bacon, 1997). Hopes for green products also have been hurt by the perception that such products are of lower quality or dont really deliver on their environmental promises. And yet the news isnt all bad, as the growing number of people willing to pay a premium for green products from organic foods to energy-efficient appliances attests. (DSouza et al. 2004)Green or Environmental Marketing consists of all activities designed to generate and facilitate any exchanges intended to satisfy human needs or wants, such that the satisfaction of these needs and wants occurs, with minimal detrimental impact on the natural environment. [Polonsky 1994b, 2] Green marketing has not lived up to the hopes and dreams of many managers and activists. Although public opinion polls consistently show that consumers would prefer to choose a green product over one that is less friendly to the environment when all other things are equal, those other things are rarely equal in the minds of consumers. (Hackett, 2000) They must always keep in mind that consumers are unlikely to compromise on traditional product attributes, such as convenience, availability, price, quality and performance. Its even more important to realize, however, that there is no single green-marketing strategy that is right for every company. (Prothero,, and McDonagh, 1992) Despite the increasing eco-awareness in contemporary market economies, it is generally recognized that there are still considerable barriers to the diffusion of more ecologically oriented consumption styles. In lay discourse as well as in much of consumer research, these barriers are usually attributed to the motivational and practical complexity of green consumption (Hackett, 2000). Increased use of Green Marketing is depending on five possible reasons. (Polonsky 1994b) Organizations perceive environmental marketing to be an opportunity that can be used to achieve its objectives [Keller 1987, Shearer 1990] Organizations believe they have a moral obligation to be more socially responsible [Davis 1992, Keller 1987,] Governmental bodies are forcing firms to become more responsible [Davis 1992]; Competitors environmental activities pressure firms to change their environmental marketing activities [Davis 1992] Cost factors associated with waste disposal, or reductions in material usage forces firms to modify their behavior [Keller, K.L. (1993] Moreover, environmentally responsible behavior usually involves difficult motivational conflicts, arising from the fundamental incompatibility of environmental protection-related collective goals and individual consumers personal or self-interested benefits and the resulting free-rider problem (Wiener and Doesher, 1991) Public policymakers will continue to develop more efficient ways to regulate waste and pollution, and scientists will continue to gather information about the environmental risks from various substances or practices. As they do, pricing structures will evolve that communicate even more accurate information to manufacturers and entrepreneurs about the true cost of commercial activities and the potential rewards from innovative solutions to environmental problems. This definition incorporates much of the traditional components of the marketing definition that is All activities designed to generate and facilitate any exchanges intended to satisfy human needs or wants (Sc hlegelmilch et al,1996). There are usually severe external constraints to green consumerism, arising from the cultural, infrastructural, political and economic circumstances in the markets and society (McIntosh, A. 1991). Both individual and industrial are becoming more concerned and aware about the natural environment. In a 1992 study of 16 countries, more than 50% of consumers in each country, other than Singapore, indicated they were concerned about the environment (Ottman 1993). A 1994 study in Australia found that 84.6% of the sample believed all individuals had a responsibility to care for the environment. A further 80% of this sample indicated that they had modified their behavior, including their purchasing behavior, due to environmental reasons (EPA-NSW 1994). Owing to the conceptual and moral complexity of ecologically responsible consumer behavior and to the perplexity of ecological information, different consumers have different conceptions of ecologically oriented consumer behavior and, thus, myriad ways of acting out their primary motivation for being green consumers (Antil, 1984). These innovations arent being pursued simply to reduce package waste. (Prothero, 1990) Food manufacturers also want to improve food preservation to enhance the taste and freshness of their products. The cost of the foods would be lower; consumers could enjoy the convenience of pre-sliced ingredients, and waste peelings (Prothero, 1990). It can be assumed that firms marketing goods with environmental characteristics will have a competitive advantage over firms marketing non-environmentally responsible alternatives. There are numerous examples of firms who have strived to become more environmentally responsible, in an attempt to better satisfy their consumer needs. (Schwepker, and Cornwell, 1991) While governmental regulation is designed to give consumers the opportunity to make better decisions or to motivate them to be more environmentally responsible, there is difficulty in establishing policies that will address all environmental issues. (Schwepker, and Cornwell, 1991). Hence, environment-friendly consumption may be characterized as highly a complex form of consumer behavior, both intellectually and morally as well as in practice. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE The purpose of this research is to investigate the cause effect of green electronic products consumption in India. What are the factors responsible for the manufacturing of eco-friendly electronics? What makes companies to for green marketing? What are the factors that make customers buy such eco-friendly electronics. How aware consumers are about the green electronics? Also understand the meaning of eco-friendly electronics. Do these green electronics really are green? The OBJECTIVES of the research are: To explore analyze the driving force behind green marketing in Electronic products This objective states the reason why companies are going for green marketing although it is very expensive. Today in the market we can see many products which have the eco-friendly constituent, electronics, cosmetics, automobiles, manufacturing machines, paints, etc all have some eco-friendly component. What are the factors which have forced the companies to go for such strategy? This is studied through the secondary research from magazines, newspaper, brochures, pamphlets, articles, case studies. To study the consumer buying behavior towards green electronic products The consumer buying behavior for electronic product is studied and objective is to find the impact of environmental friendliness, consumer awareness for green electronics and what are the parameters which consumer prefer before buying the electronics. Also study the impact of eco-friendly electronics on consumer buying behavior. This is studied through the survey of consumers. Major Hypothesis (s): H0: Current trends indicate the inclination of customers towards environmental friendly electronic products H1: Current trends does not indicate the inclination of customers towards environmental friendly electronic products RESEARCH METHODLOGY The project work includes the collection of data about the electronics companies, their various products including eco-friendly, environmental policies, eco-labels used by companies. Also customers are survey through a questionnaire, to know the consumer buying behavior towards green electronics and also check their awareness towards eco-friendly products. Methodology Used TYPE OF RESEARCH: Exploratory Research, Descriptive Research I have collected Secondary Data from Internet, magazines, newspapers, articles, brochures, and company websites. GREEN MARKETING Green marketing is a concept which uses the environmental benefits of a product or service to promote companys sales. Todays consumers choose products that do not damage the environment over less environmentally friendly products, even if they cost more. With green marketing, advertisers focus has shifted on environmental benefits to sell products such as biodegradable diapers, energy-efficient light bulbs, and environmentally safe detergents. People spend billions of dollars worth to buy goods and services every year-many of them harm the environment in how they are harvested, made, or used. Environmentalists are supporting green marketing to encourage people to use environmental alternatives, and also offer incentives to manufacturers that develop more environmentally beneficial products. Without environmental labeling standards, consumers can not tell which products or services are truly beneficial. Consumers end up paying extra for misrepresented products so called green product or service. Then new term greenwashing came into existence which describes such cases where organizations misrepresented themselves as environmentally responsible. Environmentally preferable products as products and services which have lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment around them when compared to other products and services that serve the same purpose. The label environmentally preferable or environmental friendly considers various scenarios like how raw materials are acquired, produced, manufactured, packaged, distributed, reused, operated, maintained, and this also include how the product or service is disposed. Today, special labels are there which help the public identify legitimate environmentally preferable products and services. Several environmental groups or committees are there to evaluate and certify products and services. According to the American Marketing Association, green marketing term is defined as the marketing of products that are presumed to be environmentally friendly and safe. As a result, green marketing incorporates a broad range of activities, which includes product modification, production process changes, changes in packaging, as well as modifying advertising. Defining green marketing is not a simple task as several meanings intersect and contradict each other; Environmental Marketing and Ecological Marketing can also be used and are synonyms for green marketing. Green marketing is considered as a golden goose. As per Mr. J. Polonsky, green marketing can be defined as, All activities designed to generate and facilitate any exchange intended to satisfy human needs or wants such that satisfying of these needs and wants occur with minimal detrimental input on the national environment. Environmental issues the product intends to address Consumer is the king in todays market and its important that he should understand environmental issues prevailing. Today the focus is on global warming and resource consumption. Issues related to pollution and contamination of air, water, and soil, are serious issues in developing economies. Waste disposal is also a major issue. Global warming prevention Helps reduce emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. This initiative includes the direct reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as well as energy saving and the reduction of deforestation. Air/water/soil pollution prevention Helps reduce emissions of substances contained in the air, water, and soil, such as photochemical oxidants (e.g., nitrogen oxides) and suspended particulate matter (e.g., sulfur oxides), which are substances restricted by environmental standards including air pollution control laws. This includes products that contribute to preventing ozone depletion and product oxidization. The clean-up of air/water/soil pollutants is also included. Chemical substance reduction Helps reduce and clean up eco-toxic chemical substances harmful to humans and the environment. These chemicals include substances specified by laws that identify the environmental impact created by emissions of specific chemical substances and that promote better management of such substances. This includes the reduction and purification of hazardous substances by recycling and reuse as well as products containing low levels of or no hazardous substances. Waste reduction Helps reduce the final disposal volumes by changing products, manufacturing processes, and packaging. This includes waste weight/volume reduction within the circulation system. Resource saving Helps reduce the consumption of resources, such as mineral, forest, and water resources. This includes resource saving by reuse and recycling as well as resource saving in products and the manufacturing process. Biodiversity The product contributes to the conservation of biological diversity, through a sustainable use of the components in the eco-system and promotes the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources. How does the product address environmental issues? This explains how the products support environmental impact reduction. The category is subdivided to provide comprehensive support for various environmental measures widely exercised at present. This clarifies whether resource saving is achieved through enhanced product performance, longer product life, or improved product recyclability. Recyclability/reusability/refill-ability Raw materials can be recovered, processed, and recycled for reuse. Alternatively, they can be recycled efficiently by using designs that are easily disassembled. Reusable and refillable designs may be used in packaging and products. Long life With long-life designs, enhanced durability, and continued performance with repairs and maintenance, product life can be prolonged, leading to the reduction of raw materials and waste. Degradability/compost-ability Products, packaging, and their components are biodegradable and produce substances that are relatively homogeneous and stable. They can also be degraded to a degree under certain conditions within a predetermined period of time. High quality/performance Product quality and performance improvements enable environmental impact reduction, subsequently leading to material and waste reduction. Energy saving Efficient process designs and product weight reduction enable energy saving. This initiative includes the use of energy recovered instead of disposal. Environmental clean-up products The use of hazardous chemical substances in product manufacturing is reduced through the development of alternative materials, etc.; or the use of the product helps clean up hazardous substances. Using recycled materials Recyclable materials (pre- and postconsumer) are recovered and recycled materials are used in the manufacturing process, either entirely or in high volumes. Eco Labels Many products and services come with environmental labels that state product features to inform and appeal to consumers. They certify that items are environmentally friendly according to standards independently set by countries, regions, organizations, and providers. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) classifies environmental labels into Type I, Type II, and Type III and environmental labels are then given based on compliance certification, producers self-declaration of commitment to environmental preservation, and the verification and disclosure of quantitative environmental impact data. Additional environmental labels are awarded under standards and criteria of other bodies. In addition to environmental labels, other initiatives are intended to raise consumers environmental awareness, including the creation of databases where self-assessed products may be registered. Type I (ISO14020, ISO14024): Seal of approval-compliance approval. Description: Type I labels are managed in accordance with the standards and principles of the ISO. This system ensures that the use of the label is accepted by a third party based on an independent, multifaceted standard. The standard covers the entire product life (resource extraction, manufacturing, distribution, use, disposal, recycling). The submitted products are assessed for approval and if successful are awarded the Type I label. Examples: Type II (ISO14021): Single attribute-producers self-declaration of commitment to the environment Description: Product providers independently incorporate environment-related improvements in their products. There is no intervention by any third party. Examples: Type III (ISO14025): Report card-verification and disclosure of quantitative environmental impact data Description: Type III labels are managed in accordance with ISO14025 (environmental declarations). They use the life cycle assessment (LCA) method to show environmental information on products quantitatively from resource extraction to manufacturing/assembly, distribution, use, and discarding/recycling. Only the reliability of disclosed data is verified and product evaluation is left to consumers. Examples: Other environmental labels There are other environmental labels apart from those of the ISO. Various environmental labels have been created in many areas including the consumer electronics industry and automotive industry. Driving forces for organizations to go for green marketing Organizations perceive environmental marketing to be an opportunity that can be used to achieve its objectives. Organizations believe they have a moral obligation to be more socially responsible. Governmental bodies are forcing firms to become more responsible. Competitors environmental activities pressure firms to change their environmental marketing activities. Cost factors associated with waste disposal, or reductions in material usage forces firms to modify their behavior. OPPORTUNITIES All types of consumers, both individual and industrial are becoming more concerned and aware about the natural environment. In a 1992 study of 16 countries, more than 50% of consumers in each country, other than Singapore, indicated they were concerned about the environment. A 1994 study in Australia found that 84.6% of the sample believed all individuals had a responsibility to care for the environment. A further 80% of this sample indicated that they had modified their behavior, including their purchasing behavior, due to environmental reasons. As demands change, many firms see these changes as an opportunity to be exploited. It can be assumed that firms marketing goods with environmental characteristics will have a competitive advantage over firms marketing non-environmentally responsible alternatives. There are numerous examples of firms who have strived to become more environmentally responsible, in an attempt to better satisfy their consumer need. McDonalds replaced its clam sh ell packaging with waxed paper because of increased consumer concern relating to polystyrene production and Ozone depletion. Xerox introduced a high quality recycled photocopier paper in an attempt to satisfy the demands of firms for less environmentally harmful products. This is not to imply that all firms who have undertaken environmental marketing activities actually improve their behavior. In some cases firms have misled consumers in an attempt to gain market share. In other cases firms have jumped on the green bandwagon without considering the accuracy of their behavior, their claims, or the effectiveness of their products. This lack of consideration of the true greenness of activities may result in firms making false or misleading green marketing claims. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY GREEN MARKETING Many firms are beginning to realize that they are members of the wider community and therefore must behave in an environmentally responsible fashion. This translates into firms that believe they must achieve environmental objectives as well as profit related objectives. This results in environmental issues being integrated into the firms corporate culture. Firms in this situation can take two perspectives: They can use the fact that they are environmentally responsible as a marketing tool; or They can become responsible without promoting this fact. There are examples of firms adopting both strategies. Organizations like the Panasonic heavily promote the fact that they are environmentally responsible. While this behavior is a competitive advantage, the firm was established specifically to offer consumers environmentally responsible alternatives to conventional electronic products. This philosophy is directly tied to the overall corporate culture, rather than simply being a competitive tool. An example of a firm that does not promote its environmental initiatives is Voltas. They have invested large sums of money in various recycling activities, as well as having modified their packaging to minimize its environmental impact. While being concerned about the environment, Voltas has not used this concern as a marketing tool. GOVERNMENTALPRESSURE As with all marketing related activities, governments want to protect consumers and society; this protection has significant green marketing implications. Governmental regulations relating to environmental marketing are designed to protect consumers in several ways, Reduce production of harmful goods or by-products; Modify consumer and industrys use and/or consumption of harmful goods; or Ensure that all types of consumers have the ability to evaluate the environmental composition of goods. Governments establish regulations designed to control the amount of hazardous wastes produced by firms. Many by-products of production are controlled through the issuing of various environmental licenses, thus modifying organizational behavior. In some cases governments try to induce final consumers to become more responsible. For example, some governments have introduced voluntary curb-side recycling programs, making it easier for consumers to act responsibly. In other cases governments tax individuals who act in an irresponsible fashion. COMPETITIVE PRESSURE Another major force in the environmental marketing area has been firms desire to maintain their competitive position. In many cases firms observe competitors promoting their environmental behaviors and attempt to emulate this behavior. In some instances this competitive pressure has caused an entire industry to modify and thus reduce its detrimental environmental behavior. For example, it could be argued that Xeroxs Revive 100% Recycled paper was introduced a few years ago in an attempt to address the introduction of recycled photocopier paper by other manufacturers. In another example when one tuna manufacture stopped using driftnets the others followed suit. COST OR PROFIT ISSUES Firms may also use green marketing in an attempt to address cost or profit related issues. Disposing of environmentally harmful by-products are becoming increasingly costly and in some cases difficult. Therefore firms that can reduce harmful wastes may incur substantial cost savings. When attempting to minimize waste, firms are often forced to re-examine their production processes. In these cases they often develop more effective production processes that not only reduce waste, but reduce the need for some raw materials. This serves as a double cost savings, since both waste and raw material are reduced. In other cases firms attempt to find end-of-pipe solutions, instead of minimizing waste. In these situations firms try to find markets or uses for their waste materials, where one firms waste becomes another firms input of production.

Applying Social Network Analysis to the Information in CVS Repositories :: essays research papers

Applying Social Network Analysis to the Information in CVS Repositories Abstract The huge quantities of data available in the CVS repositories of large, long-lived libre (free, open source) software projects, and the many interrelationships among those data offer opportunities for extracting large amounts of valuable information about their structure, evolution and internal processes. Unfortunately, the sheer volume of that information renders it almost unusable without applying methodologies which highlight the relevant information for a given aspect of the project. In this paper, we propose the use of a well known set of methodologies (social network analysis) for characterizing libre software projects, their evolution over time and their internal structure. In addition, we show how we have applied such methodologies to real cases, and extract some preliminary conclusions from that experience. Keywords: source code repositories, visualization techniques, complex networks, libre software engineering 1 Introduction The study and characterization of complex systems is an active research area, with many interesting open problems. Special attention has been paid recently to techniques based on network analysis, thanks to their power to capture some important characteristics and relationships. Network characterization is widely used in many scientific and technological disciplines, ranging from neurobiology [14] to computer networks [1] [3] or linguistics [9] (to mention just some examples). In this paper we apply this kind of analysis to software projects, using as a base the data available in their source code versioning repository (usually CVS). Fortunately, most large (both in code size and number of developers) libre (free, open source) software projects maintain such repositories, and grant public access to them. The information in the CVS repositories of libre software projects has been gathered and analyzed using several methodologies [12] [5], but still many other approaches are possible. Among them, we explore here how to apply some techniques already common in the traditional (social) network analysis. The proposed approach is based on considering either modules (usually CVS directories) or developers (commiters to the CVS) as vertices, and the number of common commits as the weight of the link between any two vertices (see section 3 for a more detailed definition). This way, we end up with a weighted graph which captures some relationships between developers or modules, in which characteristics as information flow or communities can be studied. There have been some other works analyzing social networks in the libre software world. [7] hypothesizes that the organization of libre software projects can be modeled as self-organizing social networks and shows that this seems to be true at least when studying SourceForge projects. [6] proposes also a sort of network analysis for libre software projects, but considering source dependencies between modules. Our approach explores how to apply those network analysis techniques in a more comprehensive and

Forgiveness Essay -- Informative, Nazy Soldier

Simon Wiesenthal’s question â€Å"What would [you] have done† if one had the opportunity to forgive a Nazi soldier forces humanity to understand and apply our moral repertoire. My moral repertoire I mean the set of moral beliefs that informs our understanding of forgiveness and the criteria by which we evaluate its Karl the Nazi Soldier, who initiates our inquiry into forgiveness, represents multiple identities. He is at once a rational human being, a member and supporter of the Nazi military, a murderer, and actor and representative of the State. Because of the simultaneously occurrence and fluidity of these identities conflation is an easy mistake in constructing exactly who we are forgiving. To forgive Karl the individual is very different than forgiving the Nazis or the State as represented by Karl. Even Lawrence Lager in the Symposium writes â€Å"It seems to me that in refusing to extend forgiveness to the culprit, Wiesenthal unconsciously acknowledges the indissoluble bond fusing the criminal to his crime† (The Sunflower 178). The conflation of what Karl represents is a large part of what make Wiesenthal’s question so vexing because the rules of forgiveness alter depending on the actor. Karl the individual is due certain considerations simply because of his humanity while the Nazis and the State as represented by Karl are entangled in political considerations. Forever labeling Karl as a murderer forgoes his still present humanity. This is not to say that forgiving Karl the individual isn’t political, or that we shouldn’t acknowledge the enormity of his crime. This is to stress that the limits and criteria of forgiveness change whether it is person to person or person to political bodies. This separation of individual from sta... ...untry and the victims to move forward and be â€Å"free† as one symposium speakers says. To wallow with bitterness and despair is perhaps than acknowledging what happen, mourning what was loss, and beginning the process of rebuilding. Louise Mallinder in â€Å"Can Amnesties and International Justice be Reconciled?† posits the following hypothetical: â€Å"Amnesty for lower-level offenders could also mean that in their daily life, victims are frequently confronted by the individuals who caused their suffering which could cause further harm to the victims and even lead them to engage in vigilantism† (210). Forgiveness is not physical and can only be manifested through the mediums of words, actions and shared understandings. These traits gives forgiveness a spiritual quality that illustrates how it can transcend physical atrocity; to render the unforgiveable forgivable.

Art Theft Essay -- Thieves Arts Stealing History Essays

Art Theft Of the many crimes that are present in this day and age, one that not only vandalizes the property, but as well as historical background is that of art theft. A crime that has taken away the sanctity of churches as well as many other religious and historical sites. Thefts have ranged from WWII (World War II) to the times of the Holocaust. Of the items that were taken from the churches, relics were items of great priority. These items not only had great value to the churches they were stolen from, but a great value to relic collectors. Most of the items taking during these times were either sold or placed in underground storage. Most of these items that were place in these secret places were never to be seen again. From the times of these so called â€Å"relic hunters† to now, art theft has become something that has taken some extreme changes. It has evolved from crime that started with minor relic thefts to something that has become a worldwide crime in need of better preventi on. Art theft is a crime that has been on the rise for the last half of this century. â€Å"According to law enforcement officials, art theft now ranks second only to drugs as the world’s most lucrative illegal activity.† (Journal of Commerce) Whether bought, created, or stolen, art has become something that is of great demand. â€Å"Art theft has flourished as never before. Just keeping up with the number of stolen objects and their total value is a big-time guessing game.† (Dudar) This is a problem that not only faces us as art owners and collectors, but museums and auction houses as well. Everyone possessing a piece of artwork is at risk of art theft. This artwork doesn’t have to be anything out of the ordinary to be a target. Along with famous paintings, sculptures, and other types of artwork, many insignificant or unrecognized pieces of artwork are being stolen too. â€Å"Most thefts appear to be the work of thieves without serious art education. Along w ith the good stuff, they are apt to sweep up junk – those sappy gift-shop paintings of kids with enormous eyes, for example, which no serious collector would covet.† (Lowenthal) On the other hand some of these thefts are being done by some of the best in the business. â€Å"Some thieves have turned out to be professionals who, following fashion, switched from robbing video stores to burgling art. Some are actually specialists in vehicle t... ... that has been reported either stolen or missing. This not only aids law enforcement, but museums, auction houses, and buyer/collectors. â€Å"The Art Loss Register database holds numerous is losses looted from public and private collections between 1933 and 1945 and additional missing artworks for free.† (Schillingford) Art theft is a crime on the rise, but with the use of these foundations and the methods that are being used by museum security managers it is slowing declining. Art theft is something that because of system and human flaws will never be successfully prevented. It can however, be something that is so hard to do that a lack of interest will remain. The only way to successfully prevent art theft is to not own any at all. Works Cited Attrino, Tony. â€Å"Insurers Get Help In Tracking Stolen Art.† National Underwriter Property & Casualty-Risk & Benefits Management. Aug. 17, 1998. Vol. 102. N. 33. Pg. 45 (1). Burrows, Robin. â€Å"Artful Protection from Down Under.† Museum Security. Feb. 1992. Pg. 34, 37-8. Dudar, Helen. â€Å"Making a dent in the trafficking of stolen art.† Smithsonian. Sept. 1995. Vol. 26. N. 6. Pg. 34 (7). Journal of Commerce. Dec. 11, 1990.

How Ge Is Disrupting Itself

How GE is disrupting itself? Executive summary Though having been launching products in emerging markets for few decades, GE’s leaders realized that it is vital to change their business model not only to reach their full potential growth but also for defensive reasons. Authors called the progress used to complete that task reverse innovation. Reverse innovation is all about decentralization and local market focus such as local based and managed market, which is believed to be able to make GE more successful in developing countries.However it is completely opposite to globalization that created unsolved conflicts between two strategies. In this article authors will reveal to us what GE did to overcome these conflicts. In the realization that emerging markets are very different to markets in developed countries, they realized the necessity of adjusting the business model to adapt to the new environments, which may lead to two core assumptions: * Emerging economics will largely e volve in the same way that wealthy economics did. Products that address developing countries, special needs can’t be sold in developed countries because they are not good enough to compete there. However research and analysis over India’s markets gave us the different results. It is reported that emerging market could develop even greater than in developed countries because of their great willingness to adopt new innovations. And on the contrary products that have been launched in emerging market could possibly create new markets in developed world.For deeper understanding, the conflict is not only about the strategy which make globalization successful might make reserve innovation impossible and in return. It also lies at the executives who are not familiar to the new markets. Being aware of the difficulty company has to face when changing long established structures and attitudes, however for the sake of opportunity of future growth, GE came out with new business mod el called Local Growth Team model (LGT). LGT and its five critical principles are xplained more clearly via example of launching compact ultrasound in China: * Shift power to where the growth is: give broader power to local authority to their executive leaders of GE in China. * Build new offerings from the ground up: start with new architecture which is to shift hardware form to software form in order to make it easier to carry. * Building LGTs from the ground up, like new companies: rewrite completely new value chain such as local recruiting, target customers as the dealers etc. * Customize objectives, targets, and metrics: learning by testing and experiments. Have the LGT report to someone high in the organization to maintain the strong support from the top and to mediate conflicts between the team and the global business. Overall the biggest challenge of GE is mentioned about is to change the mind-set of managers who have spent their careers excelling at globalization. Personal a rguments People have been talking about globalization for whole decades, and now we are introduced to a new definition of the vital business model of future: Reserve innovation together with the rising of Asia in 12st century.Being aware of it and learning how to deal with it is skills and mind-set each manager has to have to compete in global market in future. One interesting thing is that GE considered reserve innovation as future strategy for a long term goals. The idea of changing business model when needed to create value at large, especially when it is applied globally, might create the advantage of competitiveness for GE in globalization in future.However for near future, LGT doesn’t mention how we can actually adjust the cooperation to run the new strategy (LGT only concerned about strategy of production, technology and marketing). As authors pointed out in the article globalization is so â€Å"dominant† today because it has worked well in the past. However it might depend on which industry and how easily the division/brand/product or company globalizes. The question is which the reverse innovation model would be most appropriately for them to do to accomplish the long-term and the short-term.

Organisations Need Strong Culture Essay

I will outline why a strong culture is required for organisations in a post-bureaucratic era. Culture â€Å"represents the totality of everyday knowledge that people use habitually to make sense of the world around them through patterns of shared meanings and understandings passed down through language, symbols, and artefacts† (Clegg 3rd Edition, 2011). It is the ‘glue’ that binds the workforce of an organisation in a post-bureaucratic organisation, which is heterarchical, meaning information flows across divisions and is more equally given to people and different managements. I will also draw upon numerous tutorial and additional readings to explore the differing opinions into the essence of culture and its importance to modern-day organisations. It is an important ingredient to success that organisations meet their objectives under a strong culture in the post-bureaucratic era, as the necessary outcomes will be achieved through a quality focused cultural organisation. Furthermore I will provide an overview of culture in the post-bureaucratic era with the assistance of Josserand (2012), and then analyse the working environment by comparing and contrasting its effectiveness with a strong culture using Rosen (1988) and Karreman, D. & Alvesson, M (2004). Lastly I will assess an organisations working situation without culture using Bolden (2006), to ultimately show that in my opinion it is clear that â€Å"organisations need strong culture† to be successful. Josserand (2012) analyses corporate alumni networks as a post-bureaucratic management practice that perpetuates an individuals’ subjectivation despite them no longer being a part of the organisation. Courpasson (2000, cited in Josserand 2012) states that â€Å"post-bureaucratic management practices are powerful soft-domination devices†. On the surface it appears as though there is equality among workers in the organization which helps produce obedience, however it’s actually a pervasive system of controls which subtly reinforces the hierarchical structure (Josserand, 2012). It’s been debated that an enterprising culture is promoted by post-bureaucratic practices. DuGay (2000, cited in Josserand 2012) further points out that it â€Å"carries humanistic values of autonomy, responsibility, flexibility, confidence, and trust, that encourages people to be empowered and to take on responsibilities†. Culture gives organisations unique identities but most importantly, I believe a positive culture benefits both employees and employers, as it creates a productive working environment and thus leads to more efficient and effective work practices. It increases the successfulness of the organisation if implemented successfully. Employing a strong culture in an organisation can be a tedious, time consuming and a difficult task, however it is a long term project to increase the organisations profitability by increasing the enjoyment and satisfaction of its’ workers. In addition workers will flourish according to Salaman & Storey (2008, cited in Josserand 2012) â€Å"by constantly achieving harder, better and faster†, which is beneficial for the employers and employers as better results are achieved. It also engrains the concept that they are â€Å"players on the same team† (Hardy, 1998, cited in Josserand 2012). The ultimate outcome is for the workers to believe they are â€Å"members of the big corporate family who they can trust as their relatives† (Casey 1999, cited in Josserand 2012). From this, they all enjoy the success of achieving the ‘family’s’ key objectives. Negative culture lacks the engagement and empowerment aspects needed by a successful organisation and achieving the key objectives in a weaker or negative cultured organisation become much more difficult and stresses the bureaucratic processes. Rosen’s (1988) article utilises the setting of an organisations Christmas party to draw out the cultural and symbolic meanings, under the guise of a supposedly innocent social event. There is a â€Å"blurring of boundary between self and organisation† (Rosen 1988), giving workers a chance to develop more personal relationships with fellow workers, which I believe is an important consideration in driving culture. However subtly it is a form of normative control which reinforces the organisations hierarchy. Nevertheless, bosses, co-workers, and inferiors in the organisation socialise in the social setting, not as â€Å"subordinates† (Rosen 1988) but as equals. This further â€Å"blurs the boundaries between that which is work and play, instrumental and moral, inside and outside† (Rosen 1988), where familial bonds are forged and comradeship created. Here, workers’ life and work become indistinguishable. Creating and maintaining a strong culture is thus beneficial for both employees and employers as they feel â€Å"belonging as family and profession† (Rosen 1988). Greater bonding among workers helps develop a sense of connection and a feeling of belonging, which therefore increases the productivity of the employees and therefore make the organisation more profitable. The Christmas party is ultimately â€Å"a collection of members forming an organic unity† (Rosen 1988), creating a culture which â€Å"encourages an informal, flexible, and dedicated membership, one not constrained by extensive rules, and one capable of accomplishing ill-defined and complex tasks† (Rosen 1988). It is the ongoing drive to succeed which continues to grow the strength of the positive culture that is continually being by a valued workforce. Karreman, D. & Alvesson, M (2004), uses the case of ‘Big Consulting’ to discuss how â€Å"organizations were stereotypically understood as bureaucracies, with very slightly refined and tightened structural cages†. Bureaucratic modes of organizing include â€Å"division of labor, hierarchy, and standardization† (Karreman, D. & Alvesson, M 2004), and these usually alienate workers as managers take no appreciation of their contribution. This negative culture that is created from alienating and disengaging workers is very difficult to transform into positive culture, and therefore weakens organisations and bureaucracies as a result. However it has changed over the past thirty years, and this stereotype has been replaced with a cliche â€Å"that organizations are becoming increasingly network based, organic, and flexible, and knit together: values, ideas, mutual adjustment, community feelings or identity† (Karreman, D. & Alvesson, M 2004). Here it is evident that a culture of positivity, teamwork and individuality has been developed. Adopting these practices has benefited ‘Big Consulting’ as it has instilled a â€Å"delivery culture and commitment to keeping deadlines at all costs† (Karreman, D. & Alvesson, M 2004). Now strength is the focus of the organisation when completing a task, as the workers have been cultured into committing themselves whole-heartedly to working together as a team to complete work projects. The culture which has been bread in this organisation can enhance an organisations reputation as evident by ‘Big Consulting’ case study where it is now known as â€Å"a reliable and trustworthy business that delivers what is promised† (Karreman, D. Alvesson, M 2004). Though Bolden, R. Gosling (2006) does not focus on culture, I will be using it to show the disadvantages and issues associated with organisations and leaders without a strong culture. The competency approach â€Å"appears to be fast becoming one of the most dominant models for management and leader ship assessment and development in the UK† (Miller et al. , 2001; Rankin, 2002, cited in Bolden, R. Gosling 2006). This approach was founded on an â€Å"objectivist view of the world that considers the worker and the work as distinct entities† (Bolden, R. Gosling 2006). Of importance – in my belief – is the fact that â€Å"the strong emphasis on individual behaviour means that outcomes are invariably attributed to the individual rather than the collective and/or contextual† (Bolden, R. Gosling 2006). This can have negative effects on the organisation as workers lack the determination and motivation because they receive near no credit for the work they’ve undertaken nor the goals they have achieved. Therefore the organisations profitability often decreases, as workers become increasingly unsatisfied and unproductive as they feel as though they are taken for granted and only known as ‘numbers’ rather than people. I have outlines why â€Å"organisations need strong culture† by providing an overview of culture in the post-bureaucratic era, and an analysis of the working environment by comparing and contrasting its’ effectiveness with and without strong culture. Josserand (2012), Rosen (1988), and Karreman, D. & Alvesson, M (2004), assisted me in showing how post-bureaucratic organisations with a strong culture focused on working together as a team benefits organisations. While I used Bolden, R.  Gosling (2006) to illustrate the negative aspects to an organisation that is hierarchical and does not take notice of employees, and the value they can often add to achieving the organisations goals. I have come to the overall conclusion that organisations do in fact need strong culture, as it increases worker moral and productivity because they are recognised and are engaged as valuable members of the organisation. This in turn benefits the organisation as its profitability increases as a positive workforce leads to positive outcomes with the goals of the organisations being achieved.

Leisure and recreational activities Essay

CONCLUSION Leisure and recreational activities engaged in by the majority of adults, teenagers and children were generally passive or non-active, and tended to occur in the home. There is, however, a desire for more variety, particularly for activities outside the home. Shortage of time and money limited leisure opportunities for both adults and teenagers, along with the shortage of entertainment venues and transport difficulties reported by teenagers. Choices about leisure and recreation, the type and extent of involvement, are subject to the practicalities and reality of one’s life: it is much easier to constrain or vary leisure pursuits than to cut down on work/study or family commitments. It is with home-based leisure and recreation that constraints and variations can be most easily accommodated. LEISURE AND RECREATION Violet Kolar Participating in leisure and recreational activity can foster a range of positive experiences: from simple relaxation, fun and enjoyment to personal development and fulfilment, and improved health. Choices about types of activity and extent of involvement are not unilaterally made but are influenced by the demands and practicalities of every-day life. This paper presents some of the findings from the Institute’ Australian Living Standards Study undertaken in an outer Melbourne area. Leisure and recreation constitute one of the 14 ‘spheres of life’explored in the study. Here, discussion focuses on the leisure and recreational behaviour of 1269 people, comprising 717 adults, 193 secondary school teenagers, and 359 primary school children. Adults and teenagers were asked to complete their own questionnaires, while children’ activities were reported on during interviews with parents. http://www.aifs.gov.au/institute/pubs/fm1/fm34vk.html Destinations of the World (DOTW- Qatar) performance is in keeping with the organisation’s long-term strategic plan, which focuses on continuously building and expanding its core business operations. The travel and tourism industries have suffered in current times due to poor world economic conditions and global uncertainty. Despite this downward spiral, in terms of  international visitors on a global scale, our results are more encouraging than ever. The recent inauguration of our offices in Europe (DOTW-London), (DOTW-Austria) and in the Far East (DOTW-Malaysia, DOTW-Thailand) have been largely successful and already show positive signs of proactive cost management and sound customer service. Services Offered Provide personalized touch to the trip by offering unsurpassed services such as Travel Insurance, Hotel Booking, Car Rental, . You can choose from Incentive Tours readily provided for a memorable trip ahead. Its services are majorly spread over world’s key destinations like Qatar, Australia, Uae, India, Pakistan, Austria http://www.hellotravel.com/destinationsoftheworld On the year anniversary of Qatar’s successful bid to bring the FIFA World Cupâ„ ¢ to the Middle East for the first time in 2022, the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee has started the process of distributing all ticketing proceeds from the international friendly match (Brazil v Egypt – November 14 2011) held in Doha last month to famine victims in Somalia. The Supreme Committee has partnered with Qatar Charity to ensure that the funds – totaling $400,000 (USD) – reach the people that are most in need in Somalia. The partnership was announced by Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee Communications Director, Nasser Al Khater and Director of Public Relations for Qatar Charity, Khalid Ahmad Fakhro. Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee Secretary General, Hassan Al Thawadi said: ‘One year on from what was a historic day for our country, we are pleased to announce this initiative for those in need in Somalia with Qatar Charity as our partner. During the bidding process we always stressed the importance of football and the FIFA World Cup as catalysts for positive change. This initiative is one of many initiatives that we will undertake with the goal of harnessing the power of football to make a difference in people’s lives – in our region and beyond.’ Commenting on the international friendly, Al Thawadi said: ‘The game demonstrated yet again the appetite for top-class football in Qatar and the  Middle East. Guests and media traveling from abroad were given a taste of what 2022 will offer – a full stadium with people from many different nationalities, coming together to create a carnival atmosphere.’ The match was held at Al Rayyan stadium on the outskirts of Doha on November 14, with Brazil beating Egypt 2-0 thanks to two goals by Valencia striker Jonas. http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/qatar2022/media/newsid=1552120/index.html The FIFA World Cupâ„ ¢ will be coming to the Middle East for the first time in 2022. Even before Qatarwas announced as hosting the World Cup, the country has been keen to stress the many legacies that the tournament will create in the region for the years after 2022. That legacy element in football has taken another great stride in Qatar as top U-17 teams from around the world compete in the first ever Al Kass International Cup. Emerging junior teams from top clubs such as FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Vasco Da Gama, Juventus, Ajax, Kashima Antlers, Al Jazira and Al Ahly and Qatar’s very own Aspire Qatar and Aspire International, will gather at Aspire in Doha to compete and display their skills for those seeking to witness the future global foo tball stars. Playing in the 2022 World Cup host nation is an exciting event for all the best young players in the world, as they dream to return in ten years to represent their national teams. In addition, the head coaches from each team have taken time out to visit the 2022 Legacy Pavilion that was visited by the FIFA Inspection Committee during the bidding process for the World Cup. Here they were provided an opportunity to see first-hand the great advances Qatar is undergoing to ensure the hosting of a truly spectacular World Cup. FIFA and the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee have held their first working meeting on Qatari soil this week, with members from both organisations coming together to discuss a wide array of subjects relating to the 2022 FIFA World Cupâ„ ¢ Qatar. The FIFA delegation headed by its Competitions Director Mustapha Fahmy, Marketing Director Thierry Weil, TV Director Niclas Ericson and Communications and Public Affairs Director Walter De Gregorio met with Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee Secretary General Hassan Al Thawadi and his team during the visit and attended a series of presentations by various  Qatari organisations engaged in projects directly and indirectly related to the preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cupâ„ ¢ Qatar. â€Å"It was FIFA’s first visit since the bid inspection. We are impressed by the overall vision developed by the Qataris and the first steps of the preparations taken already. It is great to see the commitment and excitement of the 2022 Supreme Committee and other key stakeholders to create amazing. We are looking forward to continuing the path started over the last few days and seeing these visionary projects coming together on the way to the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East,† explained Mustapha Fahmy. Commenting on the visit, Hassan Al Thawadi (Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee – Secretary General) said, ‘We are pleased to have held our first working meetings this week in Qatar with our counterparts from FIFA. There is no doubt in my mind that the discussions and presentations held this week were of mutual benefit in terms of aligning our visions for the journey toward 2022. We have always insisted upon the importance of taking the time to ensure the proper foundations are in place for the next ten years. After our meetings this week with FIFA and our appointment of our delivery partner early last month, we believe we are on the right track.’ Stakeholders involved in the presentations included representatives from the New Doha International Airport project, Qatar Rail, the Gulf Organisation for Research and Development, Qatar Foundation andQatar’s Central Planning Office. FIFA’s team also toured various facilities and sites in Qatar, including the Aspire Academy For Sports Excellence and the newly established Qatar National Convention Centre, which will serve as a key non-competition venue during the 2022 FIFA World Cupâ„ ¢ Qatar.

Pollution in Our seas essays

Pollution in Our seas essays Since the beginning of time, human beings have taken advantage of the oceans by using them as a dumping ground. Soda bottles, food wastes, plastic pellets, old tires, fishing equipment, and many other types of debris are dumped into the oceans. This senseless act is killing innocent sea animals at an alarming rate. In addition to harmless marine creatures dying off, our drinking water has become greatly affected as is our ability to use water for recreational purposes. In order to combat water pollution, we must understand the problems, how it affects the ocean, and become part of the solution. Water pollution is any chemical, physical or biological change in the quality of water that has a harmful effect on any living thing that drinks, uses or lives in it (Water...). There are several categories of water pollutants. The most damaging and most numerous of all are plastics. The problem occurs when we no longer need these items and we dispose of them especially the throwaway material used in wrapping or packaging. Plastic does not promptly break down in nature. Which means, the plastics that are tossed in the ocean today may still be around hundreds of years from now causing immense harm. It requires high ultra-violent lights in order for it to decay. One survey in the North Pacific found that 86% of the floating trash was plastics (Threatened... 40). However, the amount of plastic wastes found in our oceans is steadily increases. This plastic can affect marine life in two significant ways: by entangling creatures, and by fooling the predator into thinking that it is food. For example, a plastic bag looks like a jellyfish to a sea turtle. However, if consumed by the sea turtle, it could choke or it could cause a serious infection interna lly. Below is a picture illustrating what a six-pack ring (used to hold beverages) thrown into the ocean can do: In 1992, a group in North Caroli...

Are There Health Benefits to Wine essays

Are There Health Benefits to Wine essays More than 100,000 deaths per year are attributed to alcohol, in the United States. Alcohol-related auto accidents account for approximately 24,000 of these deaths (most often the victims are under 30 years of age), while alcohol-related homicide account for 11,000 and suicide 8,000 deaths. Certain types of cancer, which are partly associated with the consumption of alcohol, contribute to another 17,000 deaths. Alcohol-related strokes are responsible for 9,000 deaths. 25,000 lost lives are due to 12 alcohol-related diseases including cirrhosis of the liver. All these deaths combined are the equivalent of 200 jumbo jetliners crashing and taking the lives of everyone onboard, in just one year. Such numbers are staggering until you realize that it is Coronary Heart Disease that is the number one killer in the United States, not alcohol. There are roughly 900,000 persons admitted to U.S. hospitals for strokes annually and 830,00 admitted for Congestive Heart Failure. Though they are not always fatal, these diseases will leave its victims at varying levels of incapacitation. Looking at specific age groups, cardiovascular disease is the #1 killer of those age 65+ and #2 killer of those age 25 64 This is a political issue for the U.S. with so many lives lost to alcohol-related disease and accidents. Leaders will not be perceived favorably by designating research money to study the health benefits of a drug responsible for damaging so many lives. I believe it is this political climate which limits research in this area, and I believe it is this climate that limits the amount of coverage the media provides about its possible benefits. As I began to research this subject I was intrigued by the vast number of articles and studies on the health benefits of wine. The industry has submitted a number of press releases attempting to counter the negative social stigma alcohol had developed circa 1992 - 98. These articles asi...

Risk Management in the Health Sector

Risk Management in the Health Sector All organizations aim at making profits in the long run. In this regard, efforts are always directed towards the activities that can not only increase income to the organization, but also activities that reduce expenses. However, in doing this the organization comes across various risks that might be detrimental if they are not properly addressed. It is important to note that health organizations are not special as far as risks are concerned.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Risk Management in the Health Sector specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They are faced with a variety of risks that can negatively impact the organization or its clients. Therefore, health organizations have to choose the risks that they have to take in their endeavors to earn income. More importantly, the organizations need to implement mechanisms that will help in risk avoidance or control. As a result, risk management is an integral part in health care organizations throughout the process of health delivery. Arguably, the change in technology that has led to changes in the way health services are offered has greatly influenced the risks that health organizations face. It is becoming increasingly difficult to predict the costs that organizations will have to incur whenever they are offering health services because of the increasing number of services that are offered as well as the number of people covered. On the same note, there has been increase in health care service providers in recent times. This increase in competition within the health care sector has also increased the effects of risks while reducing income margins (Dyro, 2004). Health organizations have to make the decision of either avoiding risks which means reducing their profit margins or taking some risks and increase their chances of making high profits. The emergence of electronic medical and health records also poses a new challenge to health organ izations. Health organizations have to find a way of securing confidentiality of their patient’s health information while at the same time making it available to other authorized parties. It is important to note that electronic health records are susceptible to cyber criminals. Furthermore, it is important to ensure that patients and employees are safe throughout that process of health services delivery. Unfortunately, health mistakes occur more so due to the improved technology that is currently used in health delivery. Challenges are being witnessed in the efforts of health organization to reduce medical mistakes. Notably, the health sector is becoming even more fragmented as time goes by. This is in itself a problem because getting other services or information from other professionals is a challenge. Nonetheless, sharing of information is vital in enhancing health care quality. On the same note, policies have been implemented which define certain offences of health care o rganizations and define the civil and criminal penalties of each activity (Kavaler, 2012).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, not all organizational employees know which activities can be classified as civil or criminal offences. Similarly, health professionals are very scarce and shortage of staff is the order of the day for health organizations yet they are expected to provide services according to the health reforms. Moreover, operational efficiency has to be ensured yet the organizations are increasing in size. The increasing threats of terrorism as well as the probability of medical malpractice have to be taken into consideration. In a nut shell, the high rate risk dynamism is a risk in itself. Some people will ask why risk management is such an important issue in health organizations. To begin with, technology has advanced and many people are b ecoming technologically advanced (Youngberg, 2010). As a result, patient information especially the ones stored electronically can easily find their way to unauthorized hands if care is not taken. Cyber criminals are increasing their activities of hacking into various organizational systems and disrupting important functioning of these organizations. It is therefore crucial to have information systems security upgraded to avert any such attempt. On the same note, financial crisis has hit various health organizations in recent times. While the health care industry was assumed to be shielded from financial crises by the nature of its formation, increase in the health care cover has opened it to any kind of economic downturns. As a result, it has become important to have financial risks also included in the risk management process (Kavaler Spiegel, 2003). Moreover, increase in legal regulations in the health care sector is an issue of concern. Higher cooperate and ethical standards ar e the basis of evaluation not only for the government but also for the public. This restricts the operations of the health organizations and demands increased dexterity in operations. Similarly, people are becoming aware of the charges of each service and will like to receive services worthy their money. On the other hand, with the increase in number of health care organizations, people have expanded choices. This means that no organization can afford the laxity of billing without necessarily delivering equivalent services. Additionally, any mistake made can lead to legal actions or loss of clients. More importantly, the aim of risk management in health care organizations is to avoid loss of patients while receiving treatment (Hancock, 2008). Besides the legal actions that may result from this eventuality, loss of patients may lead to negative publicity. It should be noted that negative publicity can lead to high rate of patient exit thus financially crippling the organization. Safe ty of patients should be the main aim of any health organization.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Risk Management in the Health Sector specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In management of risks, various health organizations utilize different approaches. Nevertheless, all this approaches are designed to cover the whole process of health care delivery. To begin with, adherence to the professional principles and code of ethics is crucial in any business enterprise. However, the same does not come easy. Consequently, policies should be implemented to regulate and define what is expected of everybody at any given point in time (Kavaler, 2012). Instituting a culture of good conduct within the framework f organization culture will highly improve the services offered as well as the care accorded to each activity. This will in the end reduce various risks that would have occurred. On the same note, easy of communicatio n within an organization is vital in ensuring easy flow of information and rapid actions. In this regard, instead of having all the risk management duties handled by only the risk management department, it would be beneficial to have various departments handle certain risks management procedures. This will ensure involvement of the whole organization in risk management procedures increase reporting of any complicated case for timely action. Financial risks are likely to heavily harm any organization if not adequately addressed. It is important to note that even the management of risks itself can amount to a financial risk if not properly planned and budgeted for (Hancock, 2008). Having several risk management strategies within an organization is very important in ensuring that risks are as minimal as possible. However, with many strategies the chances of duplicating roles is very high thus bringing about unnecessary expenses. Therefore, it is advisable that to use only those strateg ies that do not have overlapping objectives in order to reduce spending. On the same note, it is important to note that there are no risks within a health organization that are only important to a specific unit. Each and every risk has the ability of causing harm to the whole organization. Consequently, the whole organization should be involved in the process of risk management. In this regard, a centralized department of risk management is crucial in ensuring that cooperation in risk management policies. It should be noted that inclusion of the employees whenever decision regarding risk management are made will highly encourage them to reduce or prevent any risk to the organization (Kavaler Spiegel, 2003). Automated reporting system is also instituted in some organizations to ensure that reporting of incidents as well as notification sending is done on time.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As a result, problem solving is enhanced while at the same time transparency and responsibility are upheld. It is important to note that imposing risk management procedures on staff will elicit objection and thus lead to ineffectiveness of the policies. It is worth noting that the traditional way of risk management where organizations aimed at addressing issues whey they occurred instead of endeavoring to control them is retrogressive. It is needless to take actions when the harm has already been done. Therefore, the method of categorizing risks of different departments differently is outdated. Consequently, health organizations need to look at the risks from an enterprise point of view. Enterprise risk management approaches all risk from a single point of views and comes up with strategies to approach them. To improve inclusivity in the process of risk management, staff should be well informed on the risks that face the organization as a whole both internal and external and their d uty in managing them. On the same note, members of staff should be educated to understand the environment in which the organization operates so that they can be aware of the severity of the risks involved. This will ensure that implementation of risk management policies is easier because every employee will be willing to adhere to the regulations (Hancock, 2008). The interrelationship between risks and organizations objectives should be made as clear as possible. Similarly, highly risk events should be highlighted and every employee made aware of them. This will increase awareness among members of staff on how the risks can prevent the organization from achieving it vision. All these should be included in the training that employees get when they join the organization. Moreover, periodical training should be conducted to educate members of staff on the possible risks and any role that they should carry out. This will highly prepare them to deal with any risk in their line of duty as well as enhance their cooperation with administration in risk management. It is important to note that risk management begins from the point of recruitment. While there is scarcity of health staff, not everybody should be recruited into the organization. Management should ensure that employee recruited to fill various vacancies are highly qualified and registered with relevant bodies where necessary. This will ensure that professional mistakes that can easily lead to negative impacts to the organization are minimized (Youngberg, 2010). Making each department part and parcel of the risk management program ensures that risks are identified and communicated in a timely manner. However, it is the responsibility of the management and risk management team to react to the risks. Evaluation of the risks is necessary to ensure that not only the effects but also the magnitude of their impact is established. This enables the management in prioritizing the risks and knowing which strategies to put in place. Continuous assessment of risks is essential to know which risks the organization is facing at each particular time. On the same note, it is important to note that an organization cannot operate without taking some risks. Consequently, risk assessment enables the organization to know the risks that are worthy taking at any stage of operation (Dyro, 2004). In their strategies of addressing the various risks facing the organization, management has four options to choose from. Firstly, the management may choose to avoid the risk. This involves strategies that are meant to ensure the risk does not occur and affect the organization. This is the main option that any organization explores whenever any risk is addressed. Secondly, the organization may choose to take the risk as it is. This option allows the risk to occur and organizations take no steps against the risks. Mostly the option is used when the organization has no way of avoiding the risks in question. However, an o rganization may also choose to take the option when effects of the risks are much lower compared to the benefits involved. Thirdly, an organization may decide to put the risk under control. This involves trying to mitigate the effects that the risks may have to the organization or regulating the probability of the risks occurring (Youngberg, 2010). Lastly, the strategies implemented by an organization may be aimed at transferring the risk to another party. It should be noted that there are other firms which are well prepared to tackle various risks. As a result when it is impossible to avoid a given risk, an organization will transfer the risk to these firms. For example, a health organization can insure some of its activities so that in case of any eventuality the insurance firm can reimburse the money lost. Information technology is very important in risk management because many operations use information systems. Moreover, incorporation of information systems in risk makes work e asier because the information systems have decision support applications (Kavaler Spiegel, 2003). Risk management is an integral part of any organization operations because risks are present in any economic aspect. In this regard, health organizations cannot avoid risks in their operations. Various activities that health organizations are involved in expose them to various risks. Moreover, the dynamics in the activities that various health institutions have embraced nowadays have brought into the question some new risks that require new strategies. In this regard, health institutions must incorporate the risks management in every department and this will ensure effectiveness in risk management. However, it should be noted that risk management requires some money and this should be included in the budget. Nevertheless, care should be taken to ensure that the costs of risk management do not exceed the benefits of avoiding the risks. References Dyro, J. F. (2004). The Clinical Enginee ring Handbook. Waltham: Academic Press. Hancock, C. (2008). Issues in Healthcare Risk Management. Raleigh: Lulu Press. Kavaler, F. (2012). Risk Management in Healthcare Institutions: Limiting Liability and Enhancing care. Burlington: Jones Bartlett. Kavaler, F. Spiegel, A. D. (2003). Risk Management in Health Care Institutions: A Strategic Approach. Burlington: Jones Bartlett. Youngberg, B. (2010). Principles of Risk Management and Patient safety. Burlington: Jones Bartlett.