College Entrance Essay Essay

Over the past few years I have increasingly become confident that a career in psychology is the right path for me. I am by nature a very caring, helping person, a good listener and someone who enjoys being able to connect with others. My friends and family see me as the kind of person they can go to when they need to talk about their problems, and they know that I am someone that they can trust. To me, there is nothing more fulfilling than the feeling of reaching out and connecting with an individual, and being able to offer them support. Both my parents were clinical psychologists, and undoubtedly this influenced my desire to become a psychologist. They exposed me at an early age to psychological ideas and the practice of psychotherapy. I could see the passion they brought to their profession, and the satisfaction they experienced by helping others. I believe also that my mother’s death when I was ten helped influence my interest in psychology. My mother’s death was a traumatic event for me and my family, and when she passed away I had to help emotionally support my younger brothers. Our subsequent participation in family therapy showed me how important it is to talk about feelings and problems, and how families can heal and move on from even the most traumatic experiences. In order to make a career of my interest, I will need both undergraduate and graduate training in psychology. If I should choose to open up a practice, I will need business training as well. My choice of college is based on finding a strong psychology program and an environment where I can feel like I can make a personal connection with my professors and my peers. In addition to having a strong psychology department, I am looking for a college or university in New England with a small faculty/student ratio. I want to feel like I can personally connect with my professors and peers, and not be just a number in large classes. Castleton State College meets all of these requirements. To me, Castleton State seems to be more then just an  institute of learning, it’s a place where the students are able to experience new ideas and encounter new challenges that will later help them learn critical skills needed to be successful in a diverse and interdependent world. In addition to a good education, I feel that Castleton State is a place that will allow me to grow intellectually, socially, and spiritually. The health field, and mental health in particular, is becoming increasingly challenging and competitive. After my bachelor’s degree, I plan to pursue either my master’s degree or my doctorate in psychology, and I know that I will need strong undergraduate training to be effective at the graduate level. I believe that Castleton State College will provide me with the training and perspective on myself and my career that I will need to be successful and to pursue my dream.

It’s Not Child Labor, its Child Abuse Essay

Patrick Kearny, a nine and a half year old boy died in a horrible mine accident (Freedman 52). He’s not the only one. In the 20th Century, many children got physical deformities and were in accidents while they were working their tough, harsh jobs. Many young working children got diseases. Others got severe burns. Cuts and physical deformities were popular as well. Imagine that you are working at night, a tall big man screaming at you to not stop and you are just getting little pay. On top of that you just accidentally burned your legs. This was very popular. Burning occurred in coal mines and glass factories. In the mines, children were not protected very much. They barely wore gloves, so their hands were at risks. Accidents happened often. In 1911, Lewis Hine was photographing in a mine. He observed two young children accidentally falling onto burning hot coal and died, right there. â€Å"â€Å"While I was there, two breaker boys fell or were carried into the coal chute, where they were smothered to death,† Hine reported from a Pennsylvania Mine† (Freedman 48). Many children lied about their age when working like Patrick Kearny and Dennis McKee. He was a 15 year old boy who lost his life by falling into a chute at an Avondale Mine (Freedman 52). Also, 15 year old Arthur Albecker burned and injured both of his legs. So, not only do these young children work in a horrible environment, but accidents happen a lot in mines. Also, burning happened frequently in glass factories. â€Å"†¦minor accidents from burning are common. â€Å"Severe burns†¦are regular risks of the trade in glass-bottle making,† says Mrs. Florence Kelly.† (Spargo 2). These accidents happen because the jobs include use extremely hot glass. Also children, have to heat glass near flames. Not only did these small, poor, innocent children get burned, but many children got terrible diseases while working tough jobs. Spinners commonly experience disease. â€Å"The hot, steamy air was filled with dust and lint that covered the workers’ clothes and made it hard to breathe. Mill workers frequently developed tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis, and other respiratory diseases.† (Freedman 35). Those weren’t the only respiratory diseases children got. In 1902, several miners got miners’ asthma now known as pneumoconiosis (Derickson 4).That is a disease of the lungs caused by inhaling mineral or metallic dust over a long period of time. This comes about by a lot of exposure to mine dust while the workers are still children. (Derickson 4). Also, children got tuberculosis, rickets, and other diseases like the common hookworm disease. (Derickson 4). Hookworm disease, which is widespread among farmers, is a blood-sucking, nematode worm (found in textile plan ts) that goes through the skin, attaching itself to the intestinal walls with its hooked mouthparts. Rickets is a disease, especially of children, caused by a lack in vitamin D that makes the bones become soft and prone to bending and structural change. In addition, children popularly got rheumatism. It is a disease which joint or muscles pain. Also the common cold was frequent. This happens when being in two extreme temperatures. In glass factories, young boys are next to a scorching furnace to a freezing room where they cool off glass (Spargo 3). Young children had to work harsh jobs that aren’t safe at all. They may get diseases. It is simply immoral. Lastly, children got dreadful cuts and physical deformities. Cuts were common in farming. â€Å"In the fall, the mature beets were pulled from the ground and were â€Å"topped†. Topping required holding a beet against the knee and slicing off the top with a sixteen-inch knife that had a sharp prong at one end. Accidents happened all too often. â€Å"I hooked my knee with the beet knife,† a seven-year old boy told Hine, â€Å"but I just went on working.† (Freedman 67). So, very young kids of age, 5, 6, 7, handled one foot and a half long knives. You can guess that accidents happened often. Also, doffers got cut plenty. (Freedman, 35)A young boy tripped into a spinning machine. (Freedman 35) He accidentally tore out two of his fingers. (Freedman, 35) This was very common. Also, physical deformities happened. Reformers found that premature employment shortened normal physical development. (Derickson 4) So if young children worked, they became short, underage adults. (Derickson 4) They also found that children that worked had flat feet by standing and walking all day with improper footgear and a curved spine by bending while working for several hours. (Derickson 4) In conclusion, accidents and physical deformities happened very repeatedly in the early 20th century. Accidents like burning were twice as common in children as with adults. Diseases were popular too. Lastly, physical deformities affected these children for the rest of their already short lives. Spine-curving and flat feet were common. Risks of pesticide intoxication occurred too. The list is endless. So as you can see, child labor is unhealthy, unfair, unjust, and immoral. It should be called child abuse, as that’s what it is. Don’t you think that children deserve an education? Children deserve better than working in an unhealthy and hazardous place. Children deserve to live longer. Children deserve to be children. Works Cited Cleland, Hugh G. â€Å"Child Labor.† Encyclopedia Americana. 2008. Grolier Online. 19 Oct. 2008 http://ea.grolier.com/cgi-bin/article?assetid=0090989-00 Derickson, Alan. â€Å"Making Human Junk: Child Labor as a Health Issue in the Progressive Era† SIRS Knowledge Source, 1992.19 Oct. 2008 http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=SMIAMIDADE-0-5114&artno=0000270 Freedman, Russell. Kids at Work: Lewis Hine and the Crusade Against Child Labor. New York; Houghton Mifflin Company.1994 Spargo, John. â€Å"The Bitter Cry of the Children (excerpt)† American History Online. 1906. Facts On File, Inc. 19 Oct 2008 http://fofweb.com/NuHistory?default..asp?ItemID=WE52&NewItemID=True

Global Marketing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Global Marketing - Case Study Example It has already made an unplanned foray into India, but is not finding the move very successful. This is despite the fact that the mobile communication market in the country is huge and the potential to grow exists especially in the larger towns (not the four big metros in the country) and semi urban areas. This report is a global marketing opportunity analysis for entering the Indian market. This is a preliminary to a full fledged marketing plan which will be prepared at a later stage. Political Factors: The following political factors is the key concern; Current / future taxation policy to be monitored. Current and future Political supports will render a great control to the regulation of business of a country and add value to clients and other business also. Bank loan facility such as bank guarantee to be made in between employers and bankers and the bankers provide the finance on a instalment basis i.e. on the basis of work progress. Trade bodies to be complied with such as trade license to be provided by the Government bodies to start the business and the license to be renewed periodically (yearly). To be make sure, concerning the war effects and related draw back on the affected Country. Stability of political environment also another important factor. Government policy i.e. rules and regulations influence the business requirement. Government's role on marketing principles should be evaluated. Look at the Government policy on the financial end. Government vie w of point on cultural and religion environment to be analyzed. Economic Factors: Traders has to consider the situation of finance in the business if it is short or long term. Strength of sale i.e. is another important factor which is applicable for current and future levels of Government spending. Access of loan feasibility has to be considered. It is really a fact for doing an international marketing. You have to be particular about the interest rates as such current and future level, because the fluctuation in exchange rates has a great impact on the market now days. Due to the current global recession unemployment also badly effected at present. Price rises also another impact on the employment level per capital also to be considered the price rises how it affects the domestic product so. Tax levies and market trends is to be followed. Socio-cultural Factors: To look at the influential part of society and culture of the country on the business which varies from county to country. Another important factors are to be considered is dominant religion and the effectiveness of foreign products and services and mother tong (language) of that particular county is another factor which will have a great impacts for communicating of products in their markets. Timing is also considered as per the requirement / availability of Clients. Majority of roles of men and women to be identified. Population of that country is to be considered whether the older generations are wealthy or not. Religious customs of that particular Country and community to be respected so. Technological Factors: Current and future technology innovations is important for competitive benefit and is major guider of globalization. Fund status is concerned with by viewing technologically. The technology is deeply affected the products and services to produce more cheaply and to a prime standard of quality. Internet services and advanced mobile and

Health Information Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Health Information Technology - Essay Example The health care plan was implemented at Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform at Brookings. The project increased the ability of the center with regards to taking care of patients (Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform, 2010, p.1). HIT is useful to collect health information stored in EHRs such as registries, data, and inpatient billing systems that are used in facilitating patients care at the center. The development of Electronic Health Record project was facilitated by a variety of institutions, such as the Institute of Medicine increases the learning of health care systems. Besides, the use of the project was useful to enhance a broad range of clinical and public health activities critical to improving patient care. The project enhances applications such as quality measurement and reporting and public health surveillance of patients by the use of electronic health records (Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform, 2010, p. 1). The key stakeholders in the implementation of the project include the cancer care outcomes research and surveillance consortium (CanCORS) and federal health information experts. CanCORS facilitates the use of EHRs to develop demographics, medical information and contact in five states.Moreover, CanCORS promotes study patterns of decision-making and treatment for colorectal cancers and lung patients while federal information technology experts focus primarily on the creation of incentives for health care provision by the use of EHRs (Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform, 2010, p. 2). The stakeholders assist in moving the project forward by facilitating the utilization of the electronic health record systems in various health care centers. Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform. (May 2010). Using Information Technology To Support Better Health Care: One Infrastructure With Many Uses: Brookings, Washington, DC. Retrieved June 25, 2015 from

The Analysis of the Theories of Prebles Art Forms Term Paper

The Analysis of the Theories of Prebles Art Forms - Term Paper Example There are three theories that will be discussed as they come out clearly in the book. It is also important to highlight that chapter five of the book majorly deals with the evaluation of art. The three theories that are the points of focus, as well as attention in the book, are well discussed below: In this theory, the point that it focuses on so much and that it explains as well as envisages is the makeup and the constitution of the work of art. The theory tends to explain much on how the piece of art could have possibly having been affected in one way o the other by the earlier artisans in their creativity and artistic works. It, therefore, gives what made the piece of art be the way it is and why it was designed in the particular form that it is (Patrick 2009). This theory as the name suggests is quite axiomatic and obvious that the theory is focusing on expression. Under this expression, it is to say that the expression is with the aim of worldwide marketing as well as publicity. It, therefore, deals with the expression of personality for the popularity and to make the piece of work well known to the whole world (Patrick 2010). This theory focuses on the contemporary aspects of society. In the discussion, the theory discusses the various environmental issues that influence the works of art, the effect of culture (way of living) on art as well as the effect of the political state or the ruling class on art. It is also important to highlight that economic factors are also having a significant influence on the pieces of art (Suzzane 2010). In the second part of the paper, the paper will delve so much on the one art that is designed and match very well the various theories that have been well discussed in the earlier parts of the paper.     

Performance Rights Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Performance Rights Act - Essay Example It is actually one of nine bills headed for the same thing but with a little different wordage. The plan is to require all radio performances including terrestrial radio, to pay performance license fees to artists for the broadcast of music (ecoustics.com). At this point in time webcasters , satellite companies, and cable companies all pay artists and others for the right to play recorded music but terrestrial radio is not required to do so. The nine bills that are now in Congress are meant to try to equalize this situation. Some of those bills are HR4788 sponsored by Representative Howard Berman, HR 848 presented by Representative John Conyers and another by Senator Partick Leahy. Senator Leahy states that presently it is very unfair and unjust for the radio companies not to have to pay for recordings. To them, it is there livelihood and it is unjust to not get paid for what they do as artists. The Performance Rights bill is meant to stop that unfairness(ecoustics.com). The Performance Rights bill will close an ancient loop hole in the copyright law that was created and allowed AM & FM radio stations to earn $16 million a year in advertising revenue without compensating the artists and musicians who have brought them the music in the first place. These artists bring the music to life and the music brings the listeners to the radio dial (ecoustics.com). AM & FM radio becau AM & FM radio because of the loop hole is the only platform of music that does not pay the artists and musicians a fee for the use of their music, in fact this is the only country in which this occurs. According to the artists, AM & FM radio have received a free pass. Sam Moore says, that American broadcasters have earned billions of dollars by playing the music created by these artists and all the artists want is to receive what artists in every other country around the world receives when their recordings are broadcast, fair compensation for the performance of their work. All the Performance Rights Act does is to bring the United States into line with other countries in the world. The major provisions of the act include providing a statutory license for making one payment annually under a set rate through negotiations or by the Copyright Royalty Board for all the music they play. This would be in place of the original thought of having to negotiate every copyright owner for each use of their music. This Act would accommodate small broadcasters and others by assuring balance and fairness that is not presently there. More than 75% of all commercial radio stations would pay only $1,000 per year. People like talk radio who only use music incidentally would not have to pay the fee and neither would religious radio. Most of the other 8 amendments read very close to the same way. The Future of Music Coalition has many issues going on at this point and only one of those is the Performance Rights Act. The future of the web and what it means to the music industry is part of their concern at the moment. Many artists are now using the internet to do their own open bookings of live concerts as well as selling merchandise, and booking tours. Almost all of them are building fan bases on the web. The Live Nation and Ticketmaster controversy and merger has concerned many of the artists enough to cause them to find ways to take on some of this business venture themselves. This

The Trouble with Scotland Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Trouble with Scotland - Essay Example The background score in this scene, just prior to the "They'll never take our Freedom!" Exhortation while not misplaced in terms of cinematography at that moment the musical choice does not seem to be evocative of the type of emotions that would rouse reluctant men to battle and death. Rather the total quality or we use an emotional tapestry of soothing memory and simple pleasures when one might argue that a harder-edged sound choice might better foreshadow the carnage to come. But one might argue that the message being portrayed by the particulars of the musical undercurrents in this scene being that for untrained men to rise up as one and engage in a peril-fraught, blood-soaked exploit of such deadly danger they require something other than themselves for which they are fighting. Even as Wallaces speech would seem to evoke personal pride within them, to spit in the devil's eyes. Asking them if they would truly trade all of the potential days and years of complacent old age for one chance, just one chance, to defy the great Martial might of England's professional army. Here we have a juxtaposition between the selfless need to fight for something greater, while at the same time asserting a piss&vinegar, devil may care disregard for mortality. The portrayal of the larger war against the British is structured during the film to grant a pivotal role to the French-born princess. (played by Sophie Marceau) integral to this war effort and to the film, on the whole, is the Princess's journey. Her transformation from Royal pawn of perpetually feuding nations bartered away as a living stamp of approval upon a flimsy peace accord between Britain and France - to become a traitorous, adulterous Queen. In the betrayal of her unwilling vows, she discovers the means to become true to herself; her personal journey of becoming.

Opportunities and challenges by multi-national companies in setting an Essay

Opportunities and challenges by multi-national companies in setting an appropriate transfer price - Essay Example One of such implications that come with inappropriate transfer pricing, as mentioned above, is the possibility of the transfer-in subsidiary making a loss or just no profit at all on the sale of the products received from the parent subsidiary. If for example the parent subsidiary manufactures a certain product at a cost of say $700 and transfers it to the distributer in another country at a cost $800, it shall have made a positive contribution of $100. Depending on the market price, the distributer may incur another variable cost of $100 and sell the product at $1000. In this case, the manufacturer has made a profit while the distributer has not. Therefore, one side will be motivated while the other will be demoralised. Nonetheless, both sides will be required to pay tax. There is, therefore, a need to set up an appropriate transfer price that does not favor one side of an enterprise. The fact that these subsidiaries exist in different locations with different tax jurisdiction creates a complex puzzle for the MNE. It has always been a challenging task to come up with a plausible method of setting up the most appropriate transfer pricing that accommodates all these contrasting tax jurisdictions. In most host nations, when a subsidiary transfers goods to another, the local governments usually view the buy-in subsidiary as a target customer from whom to siphon revenues. This perception has led to mandatory taxation on the sales of such goods even if no considerable profit has been realised. It should be noted that the subsidiary from which the goods were transferred had also been taxed the authority under which it operates. Therefore, these two corporate have been taxed for the very product. This is called double-taxation. Double taxation is a liability to any MNE and may deter the realisation of net profit (ACCA, 2009). The principle of Arm’s Length had been proposed to resolve

Music and Social Change Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Music and Social Change - Research Paper Example This paper will examine the reggae music genre, discussing its impact on society. Bob Marley, as well as other notable reggae artists, has a definite influence on the society as they advocate for social change through their music. During his brief life (1945-1981), Bob Marley rose from obscurity and poverty to international superstardom. Bob Marley remains the single third world artist to attain such worldwide acclaim. Bob Marley attained this status through charisma and ambition, and was it, not for these traits, reggae music would still be restricted to Jamaican ghettoes, which was its origin. Bob’s life changed when Haile Selassie visited Jamaica. Haile Selassie, the Ethiopian Emperor, was a cherished savior of Africans in Jamaica. Bob’s ideologies shifted after spending one year in America where he witnessed the evils of the free market, as well as the oppression of capitalism while working at a major corporation (Stephens 34). After returning to Jamaica, Bob established the Rastafarianism religion, which entailed wearing his hair in dreadlocks. Rastafarianism had a significant influence on Bob’s music as he sang about how the white race oppressed Africans. Bob’s main songs that speak to social change are Buffalo Soldier and Could You be Loved. Bob’s reputation transcended the controversy associated with his practice of Rastafarianism. He was regarded as a peacemaker, which is notable through his Smile Jamaica concert that sought to reduce tensions between rival gangs associated with two of the main national parties during an election period (White 124). Bob and his best friend Bunny wrote many songs that had a monumental impact on the Jamaican and global society. Bob used his music to send off messages of hope, love, and peace (Jah). At the end of all his songs, Bob Marley used the words â€Å"Jah Rastafari† to show his belief in Jah, i.e. peace and love.  

Basant as a Cultural Heritage of Lahore Essay Example for Free

Basant as a Cultural Heritage of Lahore Essay Basant as a cultural heritage of Lahore by Yasir Raza Naqvi Lahore is an exceptionally festive city. The people of Lahore commemorate many festivals and events throughout the year, amalgamating Mughal, Western and current trends. This blending is extended to include the grand and historically significant festival of Basant. Though religiously not a Muslim cultural event, it is widely celebrated by the Muslim majority population Lahore. It is precisely due to the same reason coupled with other ‘non-Islamic’ practices that it has come under severe criticism by the mullahs. The celebration of Basant grew at an increasing rate in the late 90’s till 2005 where it suddenly came under ban due to an increasing number of deaths caused by highly tensile glass coated threads. Due to the official recognition during Musharraf’s early regime, kite making had become an industry, employing hundreds of thousands of people. The implementation of ban of kite flying followed by the ban on kite making left almost 500,000 families employed. Political turmoil followed by the ban on Basant added misery to the already crawling economy of Pakistan as the number of tourists who came to Lahore just to see the magnificent event of Basant fell tremendously. Therefore, In this essay, I tend to analyze the tri fold significance that Basant holds for Lahore. I would briefly shed light on the history of Basant and its transformation over the years till today coupled with the criticism it faced by religious elements of Pakistan. I would later explain how Basant becomes the center of tourist attraction, and generates a lot of revenue for the local industry thus securing an important position in translating the cultural heritage of Lahore. I would also seek to mention the reasons for the implementation of ban on Basant and propose solutions to uplift it. In the pre-partitioned Punjab, Hindus, especially of Lahore- celebrated Basant by flying kites. It was precisely during that time that the Muslims of Lahore, almost equal in number-comprising of the 48% of the population of Lahore, were instructed by the mullahs of that time to refrain from celebrating the event as it was typically a Hindu festival. However, the youth of that time did take part in the event by flying kites. After partition, almost all the Hindus had left Lahore for India but their tradition of Basant remained; and even today Lahoris take pride in Basant and fly kites from their rooftops with the same enthusiasm. Being the historic capital of Punjab there is no other place where Basant is elebrated with as much vigour and enthusiasm as the ancient city of Lahore. Traditionally, a festival confined to the old-walled city, it has now spread throughout the city. The celebration of Basant is incomplete without the kites and it is for the same reason that Michael Palin in his book Himalaya says: â€Å"Everyone in Lahore flies their kites for a day. † (Palin) Marshall Cavendish in his book People of Western Asia briefly states about the history of Basant and its celebration in the following words: â€Å"Lahores spring festival, Basant (buh-SAHNT): also known as Jashen-e- Baharan), is celebrated in February or March each year. It is an ancient festival that has become increasingly popular in recent years, attracting visitors from other parts of the country. Basant is celebrated with feasting, music, dance and crafts, and the wearing of yellow costumes or scarves, a symbol of the new spring. The most striking feature of the festival is the kite flying. Thousands of kites of all shapes, sizes and colors fill the skies and soar from parks and city roofs. At night, music rings and while white kites are flown, which reflect lights and fireworks. Throughout Pakistan there are local spring fairs with folk dancing; feasting; fairground attractions, such as swings and ferries wheels (sometimes made of wood in rural areas); music; and sporting contests. † (Cavendish) The celebration of this event which includes the spending on the purchase of kites has constantly being termed by the mullahs as un Islamic. In an interesting piece written by Roy McCarthy in The Guardian (17th May 2003), a young woman supporter of the Jamiyat (religious party) is reported as vehemently arguing against Basant. It is not Pakistani culture. Pakistanis don’t need new festivals. The most obnoxious part of the Basant is that it encourages young men and women to dance together and drink alcohol. This is not Islam. This is not Pakistan. This is not part of our civilization. † (The Guardian) The cry by the Jamiyat and other religious parties to impose ban on purely religious grounds, that is, Basant being a Hindu festival and thus unIslamic; therefore it should not be celebrated for the same reason might not be a reasonable argument. Firstly because, Basant is more of an ethnic event and it was celebrated by the Hindus and Muslims (the younger lot) alike by flying kites on Basant day and kite flying is more of a sport in the contemporary world, so the question of kite flying being Islamic or unIslamic does not arise . Secondly, ‘there is no denial to the fact that religion is very important and integral part of the culture of Pakistan but we should remember that cultural traditions are also a cause to celebrate and if nothing else the celebration of Basant can be viewed by the specific gathering of the ethnic group. This is further strengthened by the statement made by Sheikh Saleem, lahori and a local kite maker, eid musalmanon ki hoti hai or Basant lahoriyon ki. Thus it is purely a cultural event and Basant and kite-flying contrary to fundamentalist perceptions had nothing to do with religion. Thirdly, Basant has always been supported by the sufis of the past who were the early preachers of Islam in the subcontinent and were all very close to religion of Islam. However, during times when the state comes under religious influences (MMA had an impressive victory in October 2002), there are efforts to discourage what is, after all, not a religious festival. Pakistan† (Rengel) Sufis of Sub-Continent have a convention of adjusting to the local culture and language of the places they visited to spread Islam. The Chishti sufis, have not only tried to relate to the South Asian culture and music, they even tested and developed different cultural forms. Basant is a living example of religious open-mindedness and respectfulness of other creations of God. Previously, it was these Dargahs and Khaneqahs, which served as basis where people could share equal liberty, message of transparency and oneness. Basant is a tradition initiated eight hundred years ago by the famous poet Amir Khusro. Thus, the sufis of the past, namely Nizamuddin Auliya, Baba Zaheen Shah, Amir Khusro also took part in celebrating the event of Basant through songs. The song sung on Basant commemorates a special event in a saint’s life. Blum and Neuman) Kite-making and kite-flying interdependent on one another spread from the confines of undroon sheher across Lahore, and as the city of Lahore expanded, so did the trade. It grew to such a degree that it attracted people from around the world and made Lahore a place of great tourism for Pakistan and a dynamic source of income for its residents. The festival of Basant transformed over the years due to the introduction of kites of different shapes, sizes and colors and as Saeed writes â€Å"Kite Fighting is an integral part of the Basant Kite festival. Saeed) It is precisely this magnificent display of kite flying on Basant day that made Lahore famous and thus it became the center of tourist attraction. People belonging to upper as well as lower economic classes from around the country and beyond packed city hotels for a few days of late-night festivities. Thus, as the celebrations of Basant got bigger and bigger, more and more support started coming in the form of endorsements by the government, and sponsorship and advertisement by multi-nationals in the private sector such as Coca Cola, Pepsi and Nestle. Official statement of District Chief Nazim of Lahore, 2003, Basant had created a business of Rs. 2 to 3 billion in the province and provided lot of opportunities to common people and owners of cottage industries in the country. To some independent estimates overall euphoria of Basant would generate economic activities of Rs. 4 to 4. 5 billion in the province in 2004†. (Khan) Gradually, the event which was once a general celebration of spring became overly competitive and transformed from being a fun sport to a killer sport claiming hundreds of innocent lives. As the nature of Basant changed so did the demand for the kinds of kites needed and thus new models, enormous kites and dors toughened with steel wire, chemical and glass to have room for the kite-fighting of Basant replaced the traditional kite design, size and thin dors that never utilized anything more than starch. These changes are in-fact the root of the present dilemma. â€Å"Kite flying on Basant has taken 505 lives in the last two years. The supreme court of Pakistan has mentioned 45 kite-flying related deaths in city over the last six months and 460 last year†. Zia) The factor that makes this activity even deadlier is that the dangers to human life from this commotion are multi pronged. In simpler words, the group of people affected by this cannot be specified. Actually, it is so large and all-around a group that the risks seem horrendous. Unlike other hazardous sports, the activity of celebrating Basant and more specifically more often than not, affects people who ar e not even slightly related to kite flying. The deaths quoted above are a testament to this argument. A majority of these deaths were of the unfortunate motorcycle riders who couldn’t endure the wounds after the stray strings, used for kite flying, cut open their throats. Then there were deaths due to the distraction caused by these stray strings. Young boys running after and chasing kites also add up to to this very ill-fated club. The number of wounded people and the number of accidents that kite flying on Basant has been causing is alarming to say the least. But the horror doesn’t end here. Many kite flyers were victims themselves; deaths caused by falling off rooftops, electric shocks due to the use of metal strings and obviously they too have the hazard of the stray thread slitting their throats. The killing of innocent people was not the only reason that the government imposed at a ban on basant. The monetary losses caused by kite-flying are astonishing. Fluctuations in the power supply and frequent electricity trippings have become identical with Basant. Pakistan Times show a grim picture: â€Å"As many as 48,173 power trippings were caused by kite flying were recorded in different parts of the provincial metropolis during the first quarter of current fiscal year. † (Pakistan National News Desk). Every year, the Basant days in Lahore are like a mini-blackout. And the people who have to take the toll are the people who have to work through days and nights to ensure that the people get uninterrupted power supply. The sharp strings and metal twangs can cut through the insulation of wires and every day, hundreds of transformers are left burnt and rendered useless. LESCO: â€Å"The losses suffered by LESCO 350 million rupees during the last 4 years ending 2003 out of which a loss of Rs. 20 million was caused in 2002 by metal wires. Moreover, one grid station had been damaged by metal wire every year during this period resulting in a loss of Rs. 8 to Rs. 9 million and the destruction of 210 feeders. † (LESCO) It is estimated that if there are 50 one-hour breakdowns, it costs Rs. 2. 5 million to WAPDA Steel and glass-edged wires are banned but manufacturers still report roaring trade. (Pakistan times†¦) Kite making is traditionally a family enterprise. Behind every kite is the effort of a minimum of six people. The skill is one that they acquire in their virasat as Baqir Ali Butt stated. In some ways kite-making has been altered by the changing circumstances of Lahore but in other ways it has stayed the same. It continues to provide employment for men, women and children, including handicapped persons and the incomes of 500, 000 people are dependent upon the trade â€Å"Around 500,000 families, directly related to the kite flying business, have lost their sources of livelihood because of the ban on Basant†¦[†¦] The ban is costing them Rs 200 million annually, and at the same time damaging other businesses that are indirectly related to the festival. They said that the people related to the industry, including kite makers, twine (dor) makers, wholesalers and retailers, had lost their means of earning a living. The cost of the paper used in kite making is estimated at around Rs 90 million and the cost of the twine used for flying kites is estimated at around Rs 40 million. The process of making kites involves around Rs 40 million, said Lahore Kite Flying Association General Secretary Sheikh Muhammad Saleem. â€Å"These were taken two years back. Now the number must have jumped,† he said, adding that 500,000 families had suffered because of the ban. † (Dawn International) (Tasleem) â€Å"The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Punjab police to register and take affidavits from the manufacturers of strings for kite flying in the province that they would not produce metallic and other dangerous strings which play havoc with human lives and power lines during Basant festivities. The National Assembly was recently informed that Wapda lost Rs30. 2 million in revenues due to Basant-related mishaps in the Punjab from 1999 to February 2004.

The Background On Corporate Social Responsibility Management Essay

The Background On Corporate Social Responsibility Management Essay This study will argue against the neoclassical view of Milton Friedman on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). First of all it is essential to familiarise with the concept of CSR, this includes background information on the topic, than discuss the transformation of CSR over the years and the reasons for the changes. Than defining the concept as it is seen now. Additionally to familiarise with the literature used, two sources used in this study were evaluated under origins, values and limitations. Later the study will introduce the main argument of the study on the CSR, which will be separated into two parts. First part will analyse the traditional view of Milton Friedman and other economists and try to find out if the main responsibility of the company is to maximize profits. The second part will talk about the traditional view of the CSR which is opposing the neoclassical view. In conclusion I will try to argue Milton Friedmans case of neoliberal position on CSR. Background on Corporate Social Responsibility The concept of social responsibility was traced back to the ancient times. The first stage of the CSR development happened thousand years BC where authorities introduced different rules and regulations where the workers were severely punished for being careless and injured someone during their work. Or In Ancient Rome senators grumbled about the failure of businesses to contribute sufficient taxes to fund their military campaigns.(History of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability) During the industrial revolution the concept grew to a whole new level and the significance of business in society started to increase exponentially. By the 1920s the new stage began that social responsibility was not seen as an ethic but became a whole new concept, however the magnitude of the concept was undervalued. As Dean of Harvard Business School Wallace B. Donham: Business has not learned how to handle these changes, nor does it recognise the magnitude of its responsibilities for the fut ure of civilisation.(History of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability) The ideology of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has emerged as a response to pressure from the business side of growing leftist sentiment and the trade union movement in the last third of the XIX century. Incurred if the institutions of civil society demanded from businesses providing social guarantees to the workers and to ensure protection of their labour and the decline of trade unions in the mid XX century for business owners updated the task of preserving and maintaining the loyalty of motivation of subordinates, which again forced them to turn to CSR. It was then that the concept has become firmly established in the theory and practice of corporate governance in the U.S. However the effect of globalization cannot be under estimated as it played a significant role in CSR, which forced companies to look for more creative ways of positioning information in a crowded world. Thus, CSR was the result of deep transformation of relations of private business and society in a post-industrial economy. Definition Searching for the most precise definition in the least amount of text, the definition by Lord Holme and Richard Watts in The World Business Council for Sustainable Development in its publication Making Good Business Sense (Baker 2004) they defined Corporate Social Responsibility as: the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large (Baker 2004) In essence CSR is a concept that reflects the companys voluntary decision to participate in the improvement. An important remark to make before defining CSR is that it is a very broad topic with no clear-cut definition; this creates a lot of uncertainty. In order to reduce some uncertainty it is essential to divide CSR into two different parts and look at it in a more detailed manner. First part that will be looked at is the internal CSR, which is limited by the scope of the company, it deals with social policies of the employees. The second part is the external CSR, which is responsible for the outside framework and therefore deals with a much broader spectrum than the internal, as it takes into the account all the social and environmental factors, in some cases it helps eliminate the failures of the authorities in the social sphere, shifting a significant share of burden to the corporations. Additionally there are different principles of the CSR that will be mentioned later in the study including: Transparency this deals with publicity and the reliability of the company, significance deals with the scale and the effectiveness of the policies and prevention of conflicts among other parties. Evaluation of Sources In order to examine the two sides in more depth sources with different views and opinions were used. For a more critical evaluation two books have different perspectives on the case of CSR which helps the study answer the question from different viewpoints. First book, The Debate over Corporate Social Responsibility, by Steve May, George Cheney, and Juliet Roper answers the question in a theoretical and practical perspectives on Corporate Social Responsibility. The books value lies in the fact that this book is based primary on facts and is independent from views, which is perfect for this study. Another important aspect to mention is the relevance of the book to the current situation in business as it was published 5 years ago which is relatively recent. The Second book Corporate Responsibility and Financial Performance: The Paradox of Social Cost  by Moses L. Pava and Joshua Krausz. This book is very different from the first one as it focuses more on the performance of the company based on CSR. It contains empirical studies on the correlation between the CSR and performance that will be used further in the study. The limitation of this book is that it was published in the 1995 and the concept of CSR changed since then. Introduction Currently the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility is a subject of debate and criticism. Defenders argue that it has a solid business case, and corporations receive many benefits because they work for a broader and more long-term than their own short-term gain momentary. Critics argue that social responsibility moves away from the fundamental economic role of businesses, and distracts the company form its main goal. Thus, there are two main approaches to the study of corporate social responsibility. On one hand we have the notion of M. Friedman, who relies on formal rationality. On the other hand, we have representatives of the second approach, the liber idea of CSR. The researchers are relying on objective research. They recognize that the social responsibility of business is complex and cannot be reduced to the bare economic interest of profit maximization. In analysing both views this study will find out to what extend does Milton Friedmans traditional view of the CSR increase financial profits of the company. Before we elaborate on these two opposite approaches to the study of corporate responsibility, it should be noted that the leaders and managers of todays companies are increasingly aware of the positive impact of socially responsible behaviour to achieve not only strategic but also financial goals of the business. Milton Friedmans view on Responsibility of Corporations Nobel Prize winner, a supporter of the policy of monetarist Milton Friedman in his book Capitalism and Freedom published in 1962 there is one and only one social responsibility of business-to use it resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud.. Similarly,  the social responsibility of  labor  leaders  is  to  serve  the  interests  of  the  members  of  theirunions.  It  is  the social responsibility  of  the  rest  of  us  to  establish  a  framework  of  law  such that  an  individual  in  pursuing  his  own  interest  is,  to  quote  Adam  Smith  again,  led  by an  invisible  hand  to  promote  an  end  which  was  no  part  of  his  intention (Friedman Friedman, 1982, p. 133) The essence of this argument is that the direction of the profits for social goals reduces the volume of profit, which violates the principle of profit maximization, which is fundamental to the business. Note that in the short term deductions from profits related realization of a social responsibility goal in business does reduce profits. Additionally if, for example the price of a companys products would be reduced, this would really cheer the consumers who can buy more for lower price thus increase purchasing power; it will have the same effect on the shareholders if the value of dividends grow. Therefore, installation of additional environmental equipment, of course, is a positive impact on the environment and the society; however who will have to pay for this? Eventually, the consumers as the improvements will increase the cost of production and consequently, the prices of goods and services, reducing the purchasing power of the consumer. Milton Friedman backed his arguments with a number of arguments. For example he used the concept of comparative advantage in order to argument the fact that social programs should not be implemented by the managers as they do not have the comparative advantage and the know-how in that field, instead they should be engaged in maximizing profits for the company. Friedmans argument was based on one of the most influential classical economists David Richardo who argued that the flow of goods should not be interrupted by the government and should flow freely across the country and the boarders and therefore will be most efficient. In the book by Friedman makes a strong argument stating that corporate responsibility was initialised by leftists and socialists and any sign in directing the business in socially responsible direction will be seen as destruction of capitalism because evidently: the  manager  who  reduces  profit  for  social ends such as reducing pollution or  hiring  members  of  disadvantaged  groups  takes  over  the functions of government because  he  is  in  effect  imposing  taxes  and  deciding  how  to  spend the proceeds. The  corporate  executive  thus  becomes  a  civil  servant,  a  public  employee.  The result  is  thus  full blown socialism, the rejection of the market mechanisms in favor  of  political mechanism (Aune, 2007, p. 212) Moreover Friedmans financial statement analyst criteria characterises companies investments in the social field as inferior investments (Aune, 2007, p. 212) due to that Friedman increased his influence in the 1975, after the decline of support in Keynesian economics and increase in Milton Friedmans monetarist movement in the field of inflation and unemployment. This improved his position in the battle against CSR. And increased support from other economists including Henderson who backed Friedman on his arguments against CSR and based on his principles wanted to implement Friedmans idea to the new globalized economy. In addition many organizations were created in order to oppose the traditional idea of CSR. Here are some examples of the organizations mentioned above: Competitive Enterprise Institute or the Free Enterprise Action Fund. These organizations based on Friedmans arguments try to prove that CSR is a smokescreen for socialists and collectivist theme. (Aune, 2007, p. 208) which was a very strong argument after the Cold War bringing up the idea of Soviet Collectivisation policies. As mentioned before, Friedman was not the only advocate of the neoliberal view on CSR. Also people like J. Roberts argue that the corporation is an idea, an imaginary, without substance or sensibility and therefore incapable of anything like responsibility. Instead, corporate responsibility will always depend upon people using their frail and vital sentience and following the path that this assigns. (Christensen, 2007, p. 449) Or Greider states that business should be making money otherwise they will be less efficient if they will engage in CSR and take societys interest into consideration. Not only because of the opportunity cost of investing that money into something more profitable but also because they are no specialized in the area and therefore will waste the resources due to inefficiency. Furthermore presents Hawleys study in 1991 where he conducted a survey from 22 business textbooks to find out what is goal of the corporation his finds came to a common conclusion that The  typical  Introductory  Corporate  Finance  course  begins  with  the  instructorposing  the  following  question  to  the  students:  What  is  the  primary  objectiveof  financial  managers  and  the  corporation?  The  answer,  of  course,  is that corporate managers should seek  to  maximize  the  wealth  of  owners  by maximizing the price of the shares. That any government or corporate interference with the natural workings of the market prevents resources from flowing to their most valued uses. Government  intervention, beyond punishing fraud, introduces unnecessary friction  into  the  natural  and  smooth workings  of  the  market. (Pava Krausz, 1995, p. 17) In summary the first part of the study presents the main arguments of the neoclassical view on the Corporate Social Responsibility and on how the corporations should operate in order to be prosperous. First of all Milton Friedman argued that the only thing that should be of concern to the corporation and its managers are the profits. His arguments were based on the fact that the managers were hired by the shareholders to maximize profits and not to take over governments role and act like civil servants. In essence everyone has their own role in the society and everyone should do their role as best as possible as they are most efficient in doing that role and when someone from society tries to do the role that they are not designed to do than the denial of capital market mechanism occurs and what Friedman refers to this as is leftism and socialism. Further in the essay in order to validate the arguments presented by Friedman, other economists like J. Richards argued his notion on corp orations as being an idea and therefore not able to have responsibilities. Moreover Greiders and Hawleys counter CSR arguments were included in order to show the full scope of arguments against CSR. Limitations of Milton Friedmans Arguments There are many critics of the neoclassical view on CSR and Friedmans arguments. Number one is that Friedmans arguments are very subjective and are based on assumptions without any scientific facts or evidence that back his argumentation. This is a big disadvantage for his side as the lack of information and evidence that would act like a backbone and strengthen his position acts against him. As a result questions like does CSR really reduce the performance of the corporation? arise. Moreover, according to Friedman if corporations with money do not invest into the improvement of society and its employees, than who will? The main disagreement here between the two sides is that Friedman refuses to admit the fact that the economy, society, environment and the government are all interlinked between each other especially in the globalised economy, and you cannot view economy on its own without considering the other 3 factors. Friedman and many other economists tend to use of various economic theoretical models in order to illustrate their theories, however the models that apply to the economy usually do not apply to the real world as they tend to ignore many other factors like the government. In consequence he sees economy isolated from the society. Friedman stated that the corporation is doing well as long as they are conducting their business legally and are operating at profit maximizing level. The author in the book makes a very strong argument against Friedmans position as he states that his account on CSR in 1970 does not take the changing preferences of consumers and shareholders into account. What if the company is operating legally and maximizing profits indirectly with an enemy state during wartime? For example number of biggest U.S. Companies traded with Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Libya, due to the sanctions set by the Government they exported the goods to Dubai that were further re-exported the goods to Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Libya. (Aune, 2007, p. 215) Michael Scherer conducted a research on a number of US companies, he found out that for example: That the Canadian GE works on four new hydroelectric power generators at the Kurun River dam that will benefit the Iranian oil sector. Additionally they provide the Iranian oil sector with the latest equipment including pipelines, compressors and turbines. However the trade is not done directly, as they have an Italian company called Nuovo Pignone that acts like a middle man. Or another example: one of the largest oilfield companies Halliburtons subsidy helped building in one of the largest fertilizer plants near Iraq. They also provide Iranian National Oil Co. with $226 million drilling equipment, the CEO of Halliburton Richard Cheney also stated that U.S. the sanctions against Iran and Libya hurt business and failed to stop terrorism. There are number of other examples of the worlds largest companies including ConocoPhillips or ExxonMobil that at the end of the day trade with the Axis o f Evil (Aune, 2007, p. 215) According to Friedman and his idea of corporate capitalism as it should be all the companies that were listed above in the example are doing nothing wrong, as at the end of the day they first, maximizing profits for the shareholders and second, they are doing nothing illegal. (Aune, 2007, p. 216) Therefore, according to Friedman all that matters is profit maximization, even over consumer interest and the public. Friedmans logic is irrational; as we have seen from the example some profit-maximizing actions might threaten the security of the society which is far more important than the prosperity than any corporation. Summarizing the limitations of Milton Friedmans with globalisation developing the role of corporations changed since the time Friedman was studying economics, now with globalization it is far more integrated into the society and both of them have to work together in order to prosper as a whole, because a business will never be successful if the employers are unhappy and vice versa. Moreover, as specified above Friedmans arguments are based on assumptions and as in James Aune states the opponents of CSR [should] argue for their assumptions as well as their conclusions (Aune, 2007, p. 216) Or his assumption that Market capitalism working by managers of corporations doing their role of satisfying the shareholders by creating profits. However at the same time he discounts the fact that social justice as an essential part of the utility many consumers or shareholders may wish to maximize (Aune, 2007, p. 213), again assuming that all shareholders do not wish to maximize utility but instead want to make profits. Traditional View of Corporate Social Responsibility Expectedly not everyone agrees with the views of M. Friedman on CSR among scientists, and entrepreneurs. In recent years, the social responsibility of business is seen as social advantage of the company. This idea was first suggested a professor at Harvard Business School, author of the theory of competitive advantage by Michael Porter in his article in the Harvard Business Review  «New issue of philanthropy the creation of value in 1999 Porter points out that social programs are now used mainly by companies as a form of  «public relations » or promotional purposes. For example, the tobacco digging Philip Morris (USA) in 1999, has spent $ 75 million to various donations, and then spent another $ 100 million on their advertising campaign. However, there is another way in the implementation of socially responsible business: companies can also strengthen their competitive position by improving the quality of the business environment in the places where their activities are unfolding. As noted by M. Porter, using philanthropy as a competitive advantage of the company allows you to link social and economic goals and improve the long-term prospects of its development. Corporate Social Responsibility and Performance Friedman argues in his essay that companies are better off when they are maximize their profits, however this is not always the case. The image of a socially responsible company an investment in its business reputation. In fact, all other things being equal, people are more willing to go to work in a socially responsible than a socially irresponsible company, will buy its products, services, or actions. Suppliers and business partners will also be more interested in cooperation with the firm, which has a high reputation. Thus, in the long term, when various groups, ensure the correct behaviour of the company, it is likely to increase its income. As written before, economy is interlinked not only with the society but also with the government and the fact that companies that behave in a socially responsible economic manner, not only improves the society, but also has some other benefits, such as, participation in the implementation of government orders. Additionally, due to growing environmental and social problems CSR will always be a big topic, therefore more and more enforced regulations will be implemented like for example production standards or service quality or pollution quota, companies that are more socially responsible will therefore be prepared and would not need radical structural changes like the companies that did not engage in socially responsibility. Finally, company that is socially responsible towards its employees will benefit from the favourable working climate and higher motivation that will further increase efficiency and output of the company. Moreover many texts argue that companies, especially large MNC have the financial resources to be more socially responsible. However in my opinion this argument is flawed as the availability of the financial resources does not necessary indicate the incentive to spend them. Finally an example where CSR and Performance are positively correlated is in an article on Corporate Social Responsibility (Todd, Kristin, Baylor Business Review) Hollender CEO of Seventh Generation who was voted the best Social CEO of the year talks about transparency of the companies as the main stepping-stone towards social responsibility, he says that Greater transparency is just the first step towards taking greater responsibility for the future that all of us are creating and Whats  true  of  transparency  is  likewise  true  of  Seventh  Generations  effort  to  not  onlysucceed  in  the  marketplace  and  contribute  to  society,  but  to  influence  others  to  contributeas  well,  he  writes.  Its  a  challenging,  sometimes  even  bewildering  odyssey  that  tests  thespirit  and  will  of  each  and  every  one  of  us. (Todd, 2009) There are limitations with defining CSR and there is no specific line that can be drawn to separate socially responsible and non-socially responsible companies, and the extent to how socially responsible the companies are. Therefore it is very difficult to see the effect of CSR on the performance on the company. Table 2.1 (Corporate  Social  Responsibility  and  Traditional  Financial  Performance:  Summary  of  21Empirical  Studies  Ã‚  Principal  Findings) (Pava Krausz, 1995, p. 21) below, however, tries to demonstrate the effect of CSR on the financial performance. A study of 21 companies was conducted to see the correlation, if there is any, between CSR and financial performance. TABLE  2.1   Direction  ofAssociation 1993  Results* Ullmann  (  1985)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚   Positive  Association 12 8 Negative  Association 1 1 No  Association 8 4 Totals 21 13 From the following the main observation that is visible is that from the 21 one studies conducted more than half, 12 studies showed a positive association between CSR and financial performance, only 1 showed a negative association and 8 showed no correlation between the two. From this table we can conclude that CSR Firms do not perform worse than non-CSR this already goes again Milton Friedmans theory that firms maximizing profits would do better than firms engaged in CSR. As he argues that any action that benefits the company cannot be socially responsible. However we have a different view from a professor of University of California in his article: CSR Doesnt Pay, he looks at we have previously discussed in the essay, the correlation between CSR and performance of the corporation. He writes that The  good  news  is  that  firms  with  superior  CSR  performance  have  notperformed  any  worse  than  their  less  virtuous  competitors.  But  the  disappointing  news  isthat  neither  have  they  done  any  better.  For  most  firms,  most  of  the  time,  CSR  is  largelyirrelevant  to  their  financial  performance. Vogel  gives  Starbucks  as  an  example.  Starbucks  provides  an  example  of  the  limitedimportance  of  CSR  to  financial  performance,  he  writes.  The  firm  enjoys  a  strong  CSRreputation  due  to  its  generous  labor  policies  and  its  commitment  to  i mprove  the  earningsand  environmental  practices  of  coffee  growers  in  developing  countries.  Yet,  since  thebeginning  of  2008,  its  shares  have  recently  declined  nearly  50  percent. (Todd, 2009) ,To  assume  that  the  business  environment  has  fundamentally  changed  and  that  we  areentering  a  new  world  in  which  CSR  has  become  critical  to  the  success  of  all  or  even  mostfirms  is  misinformed.  The  market  has  many  virtues,  but  reconciling  corporate  goals  andpublic  purposes  is  unfortunately  not  among  them. (Todd, 2009) What Vogel says in this example is that CSR is completely irrelevant with the performance of the company and has no effect on the stock performance. Finally Vogel states that there is no karma in business and that good things will not happen to those who do good Managers  should  try  to  act  more  responsibly.  But  they  should  not  expect  the  market  tonecessarily  reward  them-  or  punish  their  less  responsible  competitors. (Todd, 2009) Summarizing the part performance and CSR, first the study talked about the positive aspects of the CSR and how it could help the corporations improve. Second part presented a study that demonstrated that companies involved in CSR do not do worse than companies that maximize profits. Finally the third part shows Vogels interpretations of CSR in terms of financial performance and that showed us that there is no correspondence with between the two. (Todd, 2009) Conclusion Social changes in society are successful when they consciously and responsibly involved the most significant force. Interaction of political, social and economic subjects, based on the principles of social partnership, ensures stable and gradual development of the state. With the increasing importance of non-financial factors of sustainable development, such as social stability, environmental safety, updated theoretical and practical aspects of social responsibility. Relevance of research associated with the processes of globalization, reinforcing the role of large companies in the economic development. Nation-states are gradually yielding to pressure multinational corporations and economic independence, and social policy. Counter this trend is to be co-ordinated action, ensuring the achievement of indicators of social responsibility, which comply with international standards and principles of sustainable development. Market globalization, the transformation of the national in the world, identifies the need for an economic entity of innovation in engineering, technology, labor and management, based on the use and application of science and best practices. At the center of all these phenomena is the intellectual capital the quality of the labor force and motivation. The lack of comprehensive scientific developments in the field of modern management, social technologies complicates the interaction of domestic enterprises, government and society. In the implementation of socially responsible policy, the role of corporate governance, ensuring the achievement of social, economic and environmental goals of the enterprise. Science-based decision management problems can provide an enabling social and psychological conditions of the enterprise, to influence the development of relations with stakeholders in a timely manner to prevent social tensions, without violating the principles of economic efficiency. Social responsibility is also manifested in the implementation of commitments made at the level of functional units of the organization, especially top management. Develop procedures for social policy, social programs, the performance criteria must comply with the rules and principles of public law. One way of forming objective information about the social impact of the company is to evaluate the effectiveness of non-financial risks, including social. Actual development of common approaches to assessing the effectiveness of the implementation of socially responsible policies. Evaluation of the quality management affects the position of the company in the financial markets, maintaining a conflict-existence of society, sustainable development. (CSR)Vogel  says,To  assume  that  the  business  environment  has  fundamentally  changed  and  that  we  areentering  a  new  world  in  which  CSR  has  become  critical  to  the  success  of  all  or  even  mostfirms  is  misinformed.  

Camping †My Only Refuge :: Personal Narrative Writing

Camping – My Only Refuge Every night when I lie down to sleep, I can hear the continuous, buzzing echo of the day's residue. The cacophony of sound that gets trapped in my head all day long begins its slow release: the ringing of phones like calculated screams, the falling of fingers on key boards like pelting leaden raindrops, people barking orders at me as if they were the only masters I am obliged to serve. The faces of these monsters I see in my mindwarped and twisted, still yelling, demanding, screeching. They circle around and taunt me. It is guilt that makes it so my eyes are wide and bloodshot while my mind throbs and my body aches for sleep. I should stay awake longer. . .there is more I can accomplish, more work to be done. I can push myself just a little bit moreand I should. A go-getter wants more from herself than others expect, and the monsters are an ample challenge; they're insatiable. There is a fun house in my mind and all I want to do is sleep. Every day my alarm sounds, my eyes crack open. I throw the covers off and feel the surge of frigid air, tired and grumpy and cursing the day for its fast arrival. It seems as if I never slept...all my days are like those before them, separated only by the nightmares that mirror them. My body craves a shower but the clock on the wall says "No." I gather together the assignments that kept me up well past the change of day and hope they are as good as they seemed at 3:45 a.m. My stomach rumbles with indigestion from the 2 a.m. pepperoni and olive pizza. I grab a stale but clammy slice from the card board box on the floor and head out the door. This is the start that propels me into my day. By 7:30 am I am roaming the streets, video camera in hand, searching for the latest news. It is my job to pry into miserable people's lives to disclose the boring facts about their boring lives. And they get frustrated and angry with me? Deadline is 11:30, but my six-hour class marathon begins at 10:00; at best I'm allotted two and a half hours to film, script, and edit a news package for the class that will make or break me as a broadcast journalism major.

Essay on Edgars role in King Lear, Act 3, Scene 4 -- King Lear essays

Edgar's role in King Lear, Act 3, Scene 4 In Act 3, Scene 4, Edgar takes on the roles of a madman, and a spirit. In counterfeiting madness, he not only hides from an unjust death, but also serves as a character that resembles King Lear: (1) Both are deceived by family; (2) Both are outcasts of Gloucester's castle; (3) Both are threatened with death; and (4) Both enter into a form of madness. But, whereas King Lear actually becomes mad, Edgar only feigns madness. As Edgar takes the role of a "spirit" (3.4.39), he reveals: (1) Edmund's moral condition, by prescribing moral laws that he will break (3.4.80-83); and (2) that Gloucester will be blinded by Edmund (3.4.117). This essay will begin by examining how Edgar's role, as an outcast feigning madness, resembles the life and fate of King Lear, and then will show how his role as a spirit, reveals future events that will come to pass. Edgar's role, as an outcast and madman, corresponds to King Lear in four ways: (1) they both are deceived by family. Edgar is deceived by his half brother, and King Lear is deceived by two of his daughters. Edgar babbles about how Edmund deceived him: "Who gives anything to Poor Tom? whom the foul fiend hath led through fire and through flame" (3.4.51-52), and reveals his plan "to kill [the] vermin" (3.4.51-52). And by calling Edmund a "foul fiend" who had "course[d] his own shadow for a traitor" (3.4.57-58), he parallels Edmund with a devil, which is trying to make him commit suicide by laying "knives under his pillow" (3.4.54). And because King Lear's madness begins to be revealed after realizing that he'd been fooled by his daughters (2.4.273-286), he asks Edgar if he became mad due to daughters too (3.4.49-50). (2) The... ...hom] squinies the eye" (3.4.115-117). These lines suggests that Edmund, the foul fiend, will cause someone's eye to squint. And it's only a couple scenes later that Gloucester's eyes are blinded because of Edmund's report to Cornwall. Thus Edgar's lines in this scene are prophetic and further his role as a spirit. This small essay only touches on some of the important lines that fulfill Edgar's roles as a spirit and an exiled madman in Act 3, Scene 4. His lines are hard to follow and are meaningless at times because he's pretending to be mad. It's not until the play is over that Edgar's wisdom and insight can be understood in this scene. As a madman, his role foreshadows King Lear's fate, and as a spirit, he is able to predict Edmund's moral condition. By counterfeiting madness, Edgar's wisdom and insight are shown, and Edmund's corruption is exposed.

Report of Investigation: Aldrich Ames Essay -- Case Review Spies

In 1986, the Central Intelligence Agency began to notice its agencies contacts and operations within the Soviet Union began to spoil at an alarmingly rate. The Soviet KGB, a national security agency, was eliminating these Soviet â€Å"Double Agents† seemingly instantaneously after meeting with CIA agents. Initial brought about the thought of KGB interception of field communication. Security measures were put in place where select few knew of these field operations yet the KGB still continued to pursue its current mission of eliminating CIA contacts. Ideas of a mole within the Agency became more and more apparent. In mid 1986, the Chief of Counterintelligence Staff created a special task force within the Counterintelligence staff. This task force consisted of four members but none of which had investigative or financial investigation backgrounds. All members were seasoned officers who were tasked with discovering full detailed analysis of compromised operations; this included investigating how many cases was relevant Edward Lee Howard betrayal. In late 1986, the FBI joined the investigation after two Soviet contacts that had worked very closely with the FBI were arrested and executed. The CIA special task force was soon pulled astray following the confession of a marine security guard who confessed to KGB ties while stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. Investigations hit a standstill and did not continue until 1991. In late 1989, a tip was received by the Counterintelligence Center that Agent Aldrich Hazen Ames was living well beyond his finances could support following his return from Rome, Italy. (FAS) The information was reported by another CIA agent that was personally close to Ames. The informant also stated to hav... ...ited An Assessment of the Aldrich H. Ames Espionage Case and Its Implications for U.S. Intelligence. (1994, November 1). Federation of American Scientists. Retrieved May 28, 2012, from www.fas.org/irp/congress/1994_rpt/ssci_ames.htm JOHNSTON, D. (1995, January 27). How the F.B.I. Finally Caught Aldrich Ames - New York Times. The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. Retrieved May 29, 2012, from http://www.nytimes.com/1995/01/27/us/how-the-fbi-finally-caught-aldrich-ames.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm Lerner, A. (n.d.). Ames (Aldrich H.) Espionage Case - . Internet FAQ Archives - Online Education - faqs.org. Retrieved May 27, 2012, from http://www.faqs.org/espionage/A-An/Ames-Aldrich-H-Espionage-Case.html Trahair, R. C., & Miller, R. L. (2009). Encyclopedia of Cold War espionage, spies, and secret operations (1. pbk. ed.). New York: Enigma Books.

Information Systems In Business Organizations Essay

The website of PC Magazine, upon looking at its physical makeup, and design, was designed to entice and provoke consumers all over the world, some of them, I assume, are hooked on online shopping, to purchase products featured on their website. The home page of the website appears to be patches of commercial billboards as it is occupied by advertising ads publicizing their line of products. Some of the wide variety of products presented in the website includes printers, digital cameras, laptops, mobile phones, software and hardware products for computers, mp3 players, to flash drives, speakers, projectors, subscriptions for PC magazine as well, and many more. There is also a broad range of links that you can visit that depends on your fields of interest. For online window shoppers, there is a link for product guides and reviews. Products available in the market, including all brand names, companies and corporations who pay Pcmag.com for advertisements, and product partners, are reviewed and rated. The reviews are useful enough, containing the positive and negative feedbacks of each product. The ratings on the other hand are based on the features, compatibility to other gadgets, design, and the price of the product. There are also software products, for shareware, demo trial, and freeware that the online client can sample and access. As tagline of the Pcmag.com goes, their website is intended for an independent individual. To prove their claim, they have provided links for how-to’s, do-it-yourself’s, tips and guides, and video blogs. For the online information-seeker, there are links for news updates and columns about products in the market, whether these are upgrades, new product launches, additional reviews, comments, etc. Aside from the advertisements plaguing the website, there is also a separate link for online shoppers, which constitute numerous merchandises that are available for purchasing, shopping options, and technology solutions. Moreover, there are discussion boards for online clients who wish to communicate with other online clients about gadget finds, current trends, and other issues about technology and its advances.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Overall, the website of PC Magazine spells out the words â€Å"to sell.† There isn’t any link in the website which does not feature an advertisement or stimulating signs such as low prices, sales, and discounts for products. For each mouse click, there is always a provocation to purchase gadget items. The website accommodates online shoppers, online window shoppers, and consumers deciding on what products to purchase for their particular needs and why. However, pcmag.com primarily caters to businesses or corporations that are planning advertising strategies for the promotion of their products. In as much as the website would want to display themselves as a consumer-centered community, it is likely that business corporations are more benefited by them than their consumers. People who are knowledgeable about management and marketing issues or even rational consumers who are not easily swayed by advertising would know this. Advertising is a very powerful and persuasive tool in stimulating consumers to believe what they are trying to sell. It does not even contribute much to information technology because it is only concerned with the promotions of software and hardware products. Although there are links provided for how-to’s and such, it still lacks depth and beneficial information to sustain the demands of learning information technology. The extensive amount of information provided in each link would be a subject of interest to you if you are a techie and gadget-dependent or if you want to learn how to operate gadgets that are widely used nowadays. If these are your objectives in visiting the sites, then it would be an advantageous and helpful thing for you to do. The product guides and reviews would prove to be the most interesting and valuable links for consumers, as it has the most consumer-centered feel to it. In general, the usefulness and value of the website depends upon your needs and concerns.

Ben Bernanke and Sub-prime

Considering Ben Bernanke’s statements and economic forecast one year later, the downside has occurred. He mentioned the effect of consumer confidence and attitude about the possibility of inflation. Since that forecast was made attitudes across the board have shown no confidence in an economic upturn, or at least a belief that the economy is less than stable. The federal government has responded with the Economic Stimulus Package designed to increase consumer and business spending. The Stimulus Package will put actual dollars into the hands of consumers hoping to cause a real increase in consumer spending.Bernanke stated that business capital expenditures should at least remain stable. However, an extra push was given in the form of additional tax writeoffs for large capital expenditures. In other words both consumer and business spending were leveling off or decreasing and needed a boost. Gas prices have remained unstable, rising and falling by nearly $1 per gallon in many ar eas. This constant fluctuation makes it difficult to assess the long term affect of gas prices on the economy. However, gas price fluctuations may not be as large of a downside as some other issues in the economy.Consumers can shop long distance without using any gasoline. With the internet people can shop online eliminating to drive across town for a day of shopping. Employment and trade deficits continue to be of concern to economists, however these issues have been overshadowed by continuing developments and downturns in the housing and mortgage industries. The Downside At the time of the 2007 economic forecast, the housing market had already entered a slump. Bernanke stated that the subprime effect may be contained. However, that has not been the case.The subprime debacle has remained in the headlines under many terms including: the housing crisis, the subprime mortgage mess, the foreclosure crisis, and the credit crisis. The housing crisis began after the price and sales boom i n 2005. As housing prices began a rapid decline over one year, it became evident that the problem was due in part (if not in full) to the recent developments in the subprime mortgage market. Many subprime mortgages had adjustable rates which were unaffordable when the rate adjustment increased those monthly mortgage payments.This was compounded by the fact that housing prices had begun a rapid decline. There was no way for homeowners to get out of those rising payments either by selling or refinancing. Homes no longer had the equity or value that they were expected to have. The Spillover and Its Affect The first spillover from the housing price decline was directly to the subprime mortgage market. Two years after the housing market meltdown, it has been discovered that the entire subprime market was the result of the collective genius of Wall Street investment firms.Subprime mortgages had become a complex range of securities including bonds, hedge funds, mortgage-backed securities, collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) and other such terms that we now hear everyday on the news. Many have found that their personal investments – pensions, IRAs, as well as bank and corporate investments were heavily invested in subprime mortgages at least indirectly. What has resulted is a breakdown of the financial markets, both in the United States and internationally.Daily news reports show that international investors and banks have been exposed to or involved in the U. S. subprime markets. Credit ratings on many investments have been lowered to the point of declaring some bank securities worthless. When banks have no collateral to borrow against, they have no funds to lend to their banking customers, even the ones with good credit. When investment houses get lower credit ratings, the value of a shareholder’s’s investments becomes worthless as well. As a result, the U. S.dollar has lost footing against foreign currencies. This caused the government and t he Federal Reserve to step in and literally change the way they put money into the economy. Until very recently, the Federal Reserve, the U. S. Central Bank, did not lend money to Wall Street investment firms. Realizing that the developments in the subprime market and the widespread use of subprime mortgages as investment vehicles, the Federal Reserve has come to understand that the subprime mortgage industry is at the very heart of our economy.Changing key interest rates several times did not help, so the Fed had to put money into the area that is most likely to bring the economy into a recession. In other words, there has been a change in the banking and financial systems. Lending and borrowing fuel buying and selling, and saving and spending in the economy. Commercial deposit banks are no longer the primary source of capital to businesses and consumers, but investment banks are. To support this new source of business the Federal Reserve has begun lending to investment houses by t he same means that it lends to banks – through short term loans.Investment houses have also began offering smaller consumer based deposit and credit products such as money market deposit accounts and credit cards available at many major investment brokerages. Analysis and Conclusion The reason for the subprime spillover into other segments of the economy is because the economy and the way it operates is shifting. The U. S. economy, and the international economy may no longer be bank based. As governments begin to privatize certain operations, the way these organizations seek funding or capital becomes a private matter.For example, when the Unites States government chartered private companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to essentially operate the mortgage market, Fannie and Freddie raised capital on the U. S. financial markets as opposed to borrowing through banks. Right now the U. S. is at the downside of a bank based economy. What the upside will be is the complete shift to a n investment based economy. As the Federal Reserve continues to support the investment houses, those will become our deposit institutions of the future. Once that shift is complete, the economy will stabilize and grow, even though it will be completely different.

Human Resource Management. Motivation. Maslow.

Motivation- Having the will or desire to go ahead and do something or to work that little bit harder. Why we need motivation? Motivation may come from a person’s own interest such as their safety or other things not so personal like praise or reward. Different theorists have proposed that there are many different ways to motivate people. Pay is considered a main type of motivation in a work environment and outside a work environment. Pay however is not the only way of motivation.There are other ways that people may be motivated and things that will keep them motivated. These types of things are appreciation of work, opportunity to advance, responsibility and empowerment, a sense of achievement and the sense of challenge and enjoyment. A motivated workforce will work harder and together achieve more resulting in the whole workforce having a greater output in much less time, resulting in lower labour costs. It also doesn’t need much supervision. An unmotivated workforce w ill do the opposite.This work affects the amount of work and its quality. How to motivate is a difficult topic with everyone looking for something in a job sometimes not just pay. So a number of theorists have researched how this should be done. Frederic Taylor motivation in the late 1800s at the Bethlehem steel company in the USA. He believed that employees could be working more efficiently using their shovels. He figured out that 21. 5 pounds of weight was the best weight of material for an employee to lift in order to work at their full potential creating the best output.He recommended that they use shovels that could lift that amount. So Rewards that would be part of Taylor’s theory are things such as: * Pay :-For many employees the reason they go to work is for pay. They need money for bills and other expenses involved in everyday life. Some organisations will use pay as a reward for employees. They may be given additional pay in the form of a one off bonus or by giving employees a pay rise. However pay not be the key motivator to employees and some employees will work for low pay but may have job satisfaction.Tesco uses this form of reward to all employees. * Performance related pay :- This is a way for employees to be rewarded dependent on their performance in the last three, six, or twelve months. Lots of types of businesses use this type of reward and so will Tesco to its higher job roles such as management and so on. It is very common for manufacturing and sales jobs where the more products or sales the employees make the more they are paid. Area managers at Tesco will be paid more if their area is performing faster and of a higher standard. Profit sharing :- Profit sharing is when a business gives its employees a share of the businesses profits depending on how well the business is doing. Shares are divided between employees depending on how many years the employee has worked at the organisation and their level in the organisation. If the bus iness is doing well the employees will see great benefits but if the business isn’t doing too well the payment will be small. Tesco will once again offer this to much higher staff such as managers and directors. * Employee Share options – Share options, like profit sharing are a way to reward employees based on a company’s performance. Share options can be given to employees free shares that they can sell after a set period of time or as an option to buy shares at a lower fixed rate than what the general public would pay. It can be quite difficult for employees to see how their individual commitment will affect the overall running and company performance. * Staff discounts :-Businesses such as Tesco and other businesses in this type of sector may offer discounts on products to their staff. Elton Mayo.In the 1920s and 30’s a theorist by the name of Elton Mayo set out about perfecting the ideas of Taylor and explored them in further depth he realised there was more to employee motivation than just pay. He created a study known as the Hawthorne Study, he carried out some experiments in the USA, Chicago to investigate motivation further. His study discovered a number of factors by testing incentive schemes, rest periods, hours of work, and changes in lighting and heating. Mayo’s whole study uncovered that rises in productivity were not only due to financial rewards, but also due to management involvement, team working and communication.So Rewards that would be part of Mayo’s theory are things such as: * Company Vehicles :- Company vehicles may be given to employees as a reward. They can use these vehicles in both their working and their personal lives and do not need their own vehicles for evenings and weekends. This kind of benefit like bonuses is taxed. Higher employees in Tesco may receive a company car this is good for both employee and employer, because the employee feels a sense of belonging and the employer will usu al have free advertisement because the company car will have the logo of the organisation just like Tesco’s does. Childcare :- childcare is another reward that employers may offer to their staff. The childcare may be within the building with something like a nursery or creche, whilst other employees may pay toward the fees of a private or council nursery. For older children after school activities or holiday clubs may be paid for or subsided Tesco offers childcare schemes to most Tesco staff. * Corporate clothing :- Corporate clothing may be a uniform that an employee wears during their working hours as part of their job. Employers might also offer their staff a discount on clothing they can buy from the business.Some organisations use staff as Part of their identity, for example you can recognise staff from Tesco by their work apparel. * Flexible working :- Organisations like Tesco can offer employees special working hours which can be more motivating for staff helping them balance their working lives and their personal life. Work –Life balance can be very important to employees, especially if they have people to take care of or other personnel commitments. Flexible working hours usually makes employees feel more valued and less stressed. * Leave – offering yearly paid leave to employees is another form of a reward that is offered by Tesco. As of the 1st of April 2009 every full time employee is entitled to 5. 6 weeks paid leave per year as part of the working time regulation. * Cafeteria incentive schemes :- The name is a reference to the way you can pick what you want from a selection of different rewards and benefits and chose the ones they want. Making these rewards more personnel and motivating. The employer therefore, avoids spending money on rewards that are not wanted or needed. A sample of the type of benefits offered is things such as: Holidays * Company car * Bicycle loan * Insurance, e. g. medical cover * Loans * Childcare * H ealth screening * Season tickets for sporting events * Computers * Discounts * Pensions. Abraham Maslow suggested needs of individuals can be ranked into a hierarchy. The lowest ranking needs are basic needs and they must be fulfilled before any other needs can be fulfilled So Rewards that would be part of Maslow’s theory are things such as: * Pension schemes :- Some organisations like Tesco offer pension schemes such as rewards to employees these are usually one of two types.Contributory and non contributory. A contributory pension scheme is one that both the employee and employer put into, whilst a non-contributory pension scheme is one where only the employer puts money in to. Tesco employees all have the option of opening a contributory pension scheme they can open but also have the choice not to have one. * Health care :- many employers offer free or subsided health care to their employees and often their families as well. This means that if they are ill they can claim f rom organisations such as BUPA to have treatment privately.Health care may be given in the form of discount vouchers for treatments such as massages or beauty therapy. * Extended parental leave :- Extended parental leave is the amount of leave that can be taken by employees to look after their children in addition to what they are entitled to by law so tesco must offer leave however they also offer extended parental leave to higher management or skilled staff. – the work and families act 2006 ensures that all parents can take a certain number of weeks off work however it is not paid and neither is extended parental leave.But some employees may choose to pay full wage or half wage to employees who are taken leave and the organisation must keep their job position open for them until they return. * Career Breaks :-Employees are not entitled to a career break and they are also unpaid. They cannot also be guaranteed that once they return they will be placed in the exact same Job. Some organisations such as Tesco can offer these types of breaks because they may also bring benefits to the organisation.Key staffs are not lost, employees may return to work refreshed and happier and therefore more motivated also the organisation is seen to be caring for the well being of their employees. It is more common for employees over the age of 35 to take a career break rather than younger employees. * Salary Sacrifice schemes :- These schemes enable employees to give up some of their gross salary to receive a form of a reward or benefit instead. The advantage of using this scheme is that the employee or employer will not have to pay as much tax or national insurance.Tesco can offer salary sacrifice schemes to all levels of employees for example the options for floor staff to have a pension scheme or not. Frederick Herzberg Frederick Herzberg had close links with Maslow and believed in a two factor theory of motivation. He argued that there were certain factors that a busi ness could introduce that would motivate employees to work harder, these are called motivators. But on the other hand there were also factors that would de-motivate an employee these are called hygiene factors So Rewards that would be part of Herzberg’s theory are things such as: * Bonuses -Bonuses can be a god way of rewarding employees with extra money. When they are paid a bonus this doesn’t have to be done every year. They are a reward that many employees like to receive however bonuses like pay do require tax and national insurance to be paid. Other forms of rewards that tesco do not offer but could are things such as * School Fees :- some employers will offer to cover or contribute to school fees as areward to the employee. This happens especially if the employee teaches or works for the school that their child attends.If an employer had a number of employees that’s children went to a particular school the employee may be able to gain a discount. Loans/ ad vances :-sometimes employees may have large expenses they have to pay for in their personal life so employers may offer part of their future wages (an advance) to be paid in to their account. Employers may also offer loans, often with a special low rate interest. * Mortgage subsides :- mortgage subsides are payments that are given to employees to pay toward their mortgages.This reward scheme is usually used in areas where the housing is very expensive. Some organisations such as banks offer mortgage subsiders as part of their employee’s benefits. * Relocation Fees :- A relocation fee is the money that is paid to relocate an employee as part of their new or current job. There is no automatic right to receive relocation fees and some organisations will willingly pay for all expenses. This option will be placed on the type of position that the employee has in the organisation and how long they have worked for the organisation.