Dracula Extension Speech - 1098 Words

From the ability to change physical form to a blood-thirsty nature society has always been morbidly fascinated with the concept of Dracula. It has not only seduced literature such as Bram Stoker’s Dracula but also infected mainstream music and film industries. Many composers have expanded and appropriated much of the vampire genre such as Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula and Slayer’s Bloodline. The ideas surrounding vampires has been of good versus evil, the nature of religion and immortality. It is due to these notions which allow us to assess the visual and literary techniques, and context of these texts where vampires have long grasped the general population’s interest. Bram Stoker’s Dracula deals with the concept of vampirism in a†¦show more content†¦This is evident as Stoker’s and Coppola’s Dracula grows stronger as Lucy’s health continues to deteriorate after his feeding on her. However society’s fascination is not based purely on the occult of the vampire but rather the more alluring attribute of being immortal. Stoker’s Dracula represents a creature that does not age nor fall ill, aspects which society today continues to strive to obtain. Thus a time limit is of no great significance to Dracula as he continues his attacks on turning many innocent people into vampires and in turn, inflict the same curse onto them as he states ‘My revenge has just begun! I spread it over centuries and time is on my side. Similarly, Slayer’s Dracula also deals with the concept of immortality where he also feels the desire to attack innocent people as he states ‘I will live forever†¦ in my veins your eternity.’ Both these characters are obsessed with turning masses of people into their own kind with the knowledge that immortality comes at a grave price- a trade up for the soul. This price however is acknowledged by Coppola’s Dracula as he cannot bring himself to completely turn Mina due to his feelings for her. This decision allows the audience to empathise with Dracula as he is given a human emotion of compassion where he cannot bear to let Mina be cursed to live a life of being hated, feared and soulless. This is shown during the scenes when Dracula has cut open his veinShow MoreRelatedCommunicative Language Teaching15330 Words   |  62 PagesGrammatical 2 Communicative Language Teaching Today competence refers to the knowledge we have of a language that accounts for our ability to produce sentences in a language. It refers to knowledge of the building blocks of sentences (e.g., parts of speech, tenses, phrases, clauses, sentence patterns) and how sentences are formed. Grammatical competence is the focus of many grammar practice books, which typically present a rule of grammar on one page, and provide exercises to practice using the rule

The Effects Of Divorce On Adolescent Development Essay

Context Throughout history, many parents go through a legal dissolution of marriage by court called divorce. According to Pickhard (2009) many statistics suggest around 50% of first marriages divorce. Divorce can have tremendous impacting effects on those experiencing it. Not only does divorce effect parents, but it furthermore impacts adolescents as well. Adolescents may sometimes have a hard time dealing with the separation of their parents as they are going through crucial life changes as well. It is a key concern of the influence divorce has on adolescent’s development and life. Current Research The Impact of Parents’ Divorce on Adolescents Development There are significantly increased risk factors for teens whose parents get divorced. Hudson (2010) states that there are significantly increased risk factors for teens whose parents get divorced. Risk factors for child of divorce parents range from teen delinquency to the use of drugs and alcohol. Though all adolescents may not go through the factors listed, most whose parents’ are divorced are at increased risk. Divorce is unquestionably tough for everyone who its impacts. Adolescents can have a hard time dealing with their parents separating and being torn between them. Hudson (2010) states research suggests that most adjustment problems occur within the first two years following their parent’s divorce or remarriage. The adjustments problems can cause an adolescent to spiral between internal emotions and externalShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Divorce On Child Development1194 Words   |  5 PagesThe Ef fects of Divorce on Child Development I met the love of my life in my financial accounting class. He was charming, and intelligent, and he carried himself well. Early into our relationship I realized underneath this assuring exterior, was a broken, unstable man. He had issues with trust, and he always took many health risks. He explained to me how hard it was for him to attach himself to people because he figured they would leave anyways. Nothing is forever. he seemed to believe. On topRead MoreNature Vs. Nurture : Nature Versus Nurture1678 Words   |  7 PagesNature Versus Nurture Personality development expands far past the environment. Environment contribute to most of the personality development when it comes to nature versus nurture. Nature versus nurture is a trait that is typically inherited in the human society. Humans see things good or bad within the environment and mimic it. There are questions that still remain about nature versus nurture and the environment. Research is still ongoing and theories are still being made or developed. ScientistsRead MoreLiterature Review On Divorce1010 Words   |  5 PagesREVIEW: Divorce is an event that can change the lives of all members involved. It is, most times, a series of negative events that eventually lead to the separation. Although it may be necessary in certain situations, separation can cause great stress and can impose harmful effects on children. As Aaron Brownlee stated in the Journal of Undergraduate Research, prior studies have shown that lack of cohesion and with no ability to express though ts openly in the family contributed to negative effects ofRead MoreThe Family Of A Family1373 Words   |  6 Pagesfamily members is ideal because minds that are open are more liable to preventing any anger that their adolescents might express. If these challenges get the best of a family, it has the potential to increase hostility and create remoteness between the adolescents. If a family resolves their disagreements, it can strengthen, enforce the family relationships and have a positive effect on the adolescents. Over the past centuries in the United States, the perfect American family was a father who workedRead MoreThe Effects Of Divorce On Children From Divorced Parents And Intact Families Essay1590 Words   |  7 PagesWith divorce rates rising over the years, over 50 percent of marriages will end in a divorce. Is this high divorce rate affecting the children from these divorced families, and if so how is it affecting the children? Or what if a married couple who is unhappy decides to stay together for the children? How does an intact but unhappy family affect the children? So to answer your questions Dr. Phil, I have put together a report from many different books, articles and studies on the effects on a childRead MoreDivorce Has A Huge Impact On My Life1668 Words   |  7 Pagesto a divorce. Since I was extremely young, I cannot remember how it affected me. But once I got into grade school, I was in great knowledge that something was different. I then started to understand the affects my parents’ divorce had on me such as anger, resentment, feeling of loneliness, and prob-lems with communication. Now that I am a young adult, I still feel like I am being affected by those same problems except now I am able to control myself when I start to feel the symptoms. Divorce has hadRead MoreFamilial Support For Children During The Stressful Period Of Divorce Essay1605 Words   |  7 Pagessupport for children. In many cases, parents or other family members are not able to be as supportive to their children during the stressful period surrounding divorce. One study by Amato (1993) noted that divorce is one of the life’s most stressful occurrences, and adults experience significant difficulty in their life adjustment after the divorce, which may impact their interactions with their children. Parents are less emotionally available during this time (Riggio Valenzuela, 2011), and the helpRead MoreEssay on Effects of Divorce on a Child1464 Words   |  6 PagesDivorce is a very common word in todays society. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, divorce is the legal dissolution of a marriage or a complete or radical severance of closely connected things(Pickett, 2000). This dissolution of marriage has increased very rapidly in the past fifty years. In 1950 the ratio of divorce to marriage was one in every four; in 1977 that statistic became one in two. Currently one in ever y two first marriages results in divorce. In second marriages thatRead MoreThe Effects of Unconventional Guardians on the Behavior of Adolescents900 Words   |  4 PagesThe Effects of Unconventional Guardians on the Behavior of Adolescents We live in a society in which the unconventional or non-traditional family has become more or less the social norm. More and more households are divided or consist of blended families, single parents, gay and lesbian couples, etc., and it can have a major effect on the behavior of youth of today. A predominant factor in all of this is the incidence of divorce. Two people get married too early and decide to have children, thenRead MoreThe Effects of Divorce on Children Essay768 Words   |  4 Pageswill experience the divorce of their parents before they reach age eighteen (D. Matthews). Research suggests that divorce creates harm to children and affects development of children in a variety of ways. Research also suggests that divorce also has both short-term and long term effects on children. This paper will focus on the history of divorce in our society and current statistics, how divorce affects the level of trust in familial and social relationships, and how divorce creates an u nhealthy

Managed Investment Liability Of Directors -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Managed Investment Liability Of Directors? Answer: Introduction ASIC v Australian Property Custodian Holdings Limited (NO 3)[2013] is one of the most famous case of Australian Federal Court where the organization has been found to breach the Corporation Act 2001(Cth). In this case, the plaintiff is Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and defendants are Australian Property Custodian Holdings Limited (ACN 095 474 436), Mr. Mark Frederick Butler, Mr. William Lionel Lewski, Mr. Kim Jaques, Mr. Peter Clarke and Dr. Michael Richard Lewis Wooldridge ASIC has alleged against the six defendants that they have contravened the CA. ASIC has been stated that the defendant has own responsibility entity towards the managed investment scheme under Part 5C of the act accounting to the section 601FC. The directors of the company also own the duty of the offices of the responsible entity according to the section 601FB of this act. The rule has prohibited the related party transaction for the responsible entity without approval of the members which is against of section 208 of this act. The prohibition upon the directors of responsible entity being has been involved has created the contravention according to the section 209 of the CA. Therefore ASIC has been alleged the contraventions of the sections and claimed for penalties as the punishment and orders prohibiting five former directors of Managing corporations of APCHL. The duties or responsibilities breached According to the fact of the case the first defendant is Australian property custodian Holdings Limited (Receivers and Managers Appointed in Liquidation Controllers Appointed APCHAL) has been found with the responsible entity under the managed investment scheme of the Aged Care Property Trust and Prime Retirement or Prime Trust or the Trust. From the second to sixth defendants are the directors of this company who have been alleged for the contraventions due to the relation with the company which inclusive in its capacity of responsible entity of the prime trust. However in this case APCHAL has not actively join in the preceding and effectively submitted to the judgment. However the court has been seeking damages against the organization and other five defendants who have been found to be related in the conduct of the breach of the duties. ASIC has been pleaded three groups of contravention in this case. The first group of contravention has been alleged about the meeting which has been held on 22nd August 2006 where the board has been resolved to lodge with ASIC which include: A consolidate constitution which is incorporating with the amendments so that it will be effective according to the section 601GC (2) The lodgment resolution it has been mentioned that while passing the lodgment resolution the company has been prevented the section 601FC (5) which breached their diligence and duty of care under section 601FC (I) (b). The company has failed to act with the best interest of the members of the trust according to the section 601FC (I) (c). They have also mentioned that according to the section of 601FC (I)(m) it is the duty of the organization that they must comply with the duty which has been imposed on it by the constitution and must not ready or attempt to vary in favor of any benefit to the organization itself (Langford 2016). ASIC has been also mentioned that the five directors of the company has been prevented The section 601FD (3) while providing their vote in favor of or otherwise it sent into the lodgment resolution where they have owned their duty towards the organization. According to the section 601FB (I) (b) the directors has owned the duty of care and diligence. The section 601FB (I) (c) is defines the duties to act for the best interest of the members of the trust. They have contravened the section 601FD (1) (e) for not able to use properly for the position as an officer which has been provided of the RE of the TRUST to provide advantage to APCHL. According to the section 601FD (1) (f), they must take all steps for being the director of the company to ensure that the organization must complied with the constitution and the act. Therefore ASIC has been declared the contravention pursuant to the section 1317 with these breaches. According to the second group of contravention, ASIC has claimed that while paying the listing fee of the company and to one of Mr. Lewis is associated entities the organization has breached the section 208 of this at which stated the prohibits payment which is related to the party without the approval of the members. Therefore according to this section, it provides that RE may pay their own fees from the scheme property where the constitution has given for the fees before the court has mentioned that the constitution has been controlled for privates APCHL from the formation of the amendments and they were made outside of the power. The statutory power of amendment in section 601GC (1) (b), it was not engaged as the board gave has not provided the consideration to the members right. They have been allocated with the scheme which is administered for the fees provided in the existing constitution. Therefore the amendments have been found as invalid. The directors of the company also co ntributed the section 209 due to the involvement in APCHL has been breached the section 208 (Langford 2016). According to the third group of contravention ASIC has been stated that the organization has been breached their duties while paying for the Listing Fee. The organization was found to contravene the section 601FC (5) of CA. the organization has been failed to acted with their best and give priority to the interest of the members of the Trust over the interest of APCHL according to the section 601FC(I)(C) of CA. They have also failed to ensure about all payments out of scheme property which are all have been made in accordance with the Constitution according to the section 601FC (I) (K) of CA. all of the directors have been contravened the section 601FD (3) while acted with their best interest and to take all the necessary steps for compliance with CA (Langford and Ramsay 2014). Analysis of the case The APCHL was incorporated in the year of 2000 where Mr. Lewski was the first Managing director until his resignation on 27th June, 2008. He and his other associated owned the organization and other directors are also incorporated in the company also. After his resignation, one of the corporate advisors of APCHL has been transferred control to Kidder Williams Limited and received the payment of the unpaid balance under the Listing Fee. The other directors are also taken the responsibilities within the years of 2004 to 2006. APCHL has been introduced the Trust by deed in the year of 2000 where it made the organization as a trustee and manager of the Prime Trust. It also holds the obligation towards the Trusts assets for the benefits of the members which has been provided for the specific asset class of retirement aged care facilities and villages. The organization has been applied for the registration of the Prime Trust under ASIC for managing the investment scheme under Part 5C.1 of the Act. After the registration, the organization has been consolidated the Trust Deed with ASIC which will work as the constitution of the Prime Trust Managed Investment Scheme under the registration (Langford 2016). However, in 2006 APCHL has been moved towards listing the Trust on the ASX. After such steps, the operations has continue to transfer the process systematically and prudently towards listing of the Trust for maximizing the benefits and returned to the unitholders. While from the registration of the organization, the Constitution has been set out the fees which can be charged against the Scheme Property. The Listing Fee was calculated with the amount at 2.5% of the gross asset value under the Trust payable in the event that the units in the Trust which were listed for quotation under the ASX. The new fee was not provided for any payable to the organization and the members of the company are bound to the entitlement that the organization will proceeds with their best interest. Along with the Listing Fee, a Removal Fee was also calculated at 5% of the gross asset value under the Trust payable Scheme. The organization has been removed RE due to the instigation of ASIC or the members whil e providing it was not proven as fraud activities, negligence or cancellation of financial service Licenses of APCHL (Langford and Ramsay 2014). On the date of 26th June of 2007, the organization has passed a resolution to pay the Listing Fee in tranches. In this meeting, the board of APCHL has been resolved the Prime Trust on the ASX. The directors of the organization have been passed a resolution for dealing with the manner and timing of payment of the Listing Fees to the organization itself. The issues have been resolved that the Listing Fee has been controlled by the Responsible Entity as Units under the Trust Scheme. It has been calculated with the amount of approximately ten percent which has been issued to the Responsible Entity at the time of allocation and official quotation under the Prime Trusts units on ASX. Therefore, the balance of the listing fee has been deferred and payable under the tranches to the Responsible Entity according to the achievement of performance. Later the Prime Trust units are officially listed under the ASX (Langford 2016). In this case, ASIC has been found that the organization and five former directors have been breached their duties while they have owned to the members of the Prime Trust. They have tried to resolve the resolution with ASIC purporting to amend the Prime Trust constitution in August 2006. They have been intended to pay the organization without the approval of the Unitholders or the payment to APCHL of a fee in the particular event which is the units under the Prime Trust which were listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. APCHL was directed to pay the listing fee of $33 million extra out of the scheme assets subsequent to the listing of Prime Trust on the ASX in August 2007. Therefore the issue has been raised that whether the directors Mr Lewski and Mr Jaques have been abstained in the voting process on the resolution by remaining silent or they have been voted in favor of the resolution (Langford and Ramsay 2014). It is necessary that each of the directors is entitled to have the opportunity to express their view on resolution. The relevance of the decision to the development of Australian Corporation Law In accordance with such issues, the court has rejected all the submissions of the directors. While the board has passed the Lodgment Resolution at its meeting on 22 August 2006, it was only conducted by each of the directors vote. The Deed of Varioation no. 7 was not come into effected and no pre-existing obligations have been found to lodge the Amendments. The five directors are found in relation with the conflict of interest and failed to exercise the standard of care take a cautious approach (Langford and Ramsay 2014). The court has found that while passing the resolution, the section 601FC (1) and 601FC (5) has been breached by APCHL. The five directors of APCHL have been contravened the sections 601FD (1) and 601FD (3) of CA. while providing the benefit of the Listing Fee to APCHL has been breached the section 208 and the directors have been contravened the section 209(2) and 208 for the relation with the organization. In the decision making to pay the Listing Fee, APCHL has bre ached the sections 601FC (1) and 601FC (5). The directors have been also contravened the sections 601FD (1) and 601FD (3). Therefore, the court has been made the following orders: Lewski has been disqualified for the failure from controlling the corporation for 15 years and pay a pecuniary penalty of $230,000 Butler has been disqualified for the failure from controlling the corporation for four years and pay a pecuniary penalty of $20,000 Jaques has been disqualified for the failure from controlling the for four years and pay a pecuniary penalty of $20,000 Wooldridge has been disqualified for the failure from controlling the corporation for two years and three months and pay a pecuniary penalty of $20,000 and Clarke has been ordered to pay a pecuniary penalty of $20,000. However, the court has been penalized the defendants with civil penalties. Reference ASIC v Australian Property Custodian Holdings Limited (NO 3)[2013]FCA 1342 Baxt, R., Wockner, T. and Janson, S., 2017. ANNUAL REVIEW OF CORPORATIONS LAW. Corkery, J., Mikalsen, M. and Allan, K., 2017. Corporate social responsibility: The good corporation. Centre for Business Law. Corporation Act 2001 (Cth) Donald, M.S., Ormiston, J. and Charlton, K., 2014. The potential for superannuation funds to make investments with a social impact. Company and Securities Law Journal, 32(8), pp.540-551. Langford, R.T. and Ramsay, I., 2014. Conflicted directors: What is required to avoid a breach of duty?. Langford, R.T., 2016. management Investment Schemes: Liability of Directors of Responsible Entities Where the Responsible Entity Breaches the Law.

Social Responsibility free essay sample

A small business, which shall be named for the purposes of this report SE Construction, will be reviewed in relationship to social responsibility in a business. In the corporate world this is called â€Å"Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)†. Corporate Social Responsibility â€Å"generally refers to the idea that corporations have broader responsibilities to society than merely maximizing shareholder value. Corporate sustainability is a specific framework for defining those responsibilities. One can think of a sustainable business as one that generates profits for its owners, protects the environment, and improves the lives of the people with whom it interacts† (MindEdge Inc. , 2013). Specifically, there are four areas that will be addressed in relationship to a business developing corporate social responsibility. These areas include considerations involved with the environment, ethics, organizational viability and legal compliance. The business will be reviewed in each of these areas and recommendations will be given to improve the businesses social responsibility in each of these areas. We will write a custom essay sample on Social Responsibility or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Environmental Considerations and Recommendations SE Construction is a general and electrical contracting business which focuses on construction in government markets including federal agencies, state agencies, school and college districts, and municipalities. In building for government markets the business has been involved in environmental concerns as part of many contracts. These environmental concerns include recycling and waste management, energy conservation, protection of endangered species, and safety programs related to hazardous waste and storm water pollution programs. Even though the business has always operated within the laws and regulations for environmental concerns to meet contractual requirements, the company has not always been diligent in JJT Task 1 – Social Responsibility Strategies 3 implementing continuing in-house programs other than meeting these contractual requirements. Therefore, recommendations will be made for three environmental considerations that should become a continuing practice within the company. These recommendations are related to a company Code of Environmental Conduct, a Company Waste Management Program, and setting company standards for suggesting and providing, where possible, greater energy efficient solutions in construction. The first recommendation is that the company create a Code of Environmental Conduct. This code will outline the overall company goals for involvement in environmental concerns. The following will be assessed in determining the company’s position on environmental concerns: †¢ The current environmental impact of all company operations. An example is the impact of waste disposal without the implementation of a recycling/reuse program. †¢ The current environmental concerns that have laws and regulations attached or the possibility of future laws and regulations that impact company operations. An example is increasing energy efficiency in operations above current standards. †¢ How the company is currently operating in relation to pollution prevention and product stewardship and how to increase efficiency and social responsibility in these two areas. An example of pollution prevention is a standard for control of fuel and oil products in relation to company equipment and machinery. An example of product stewardship is determining a standard for company participation in the life cycle of materials and supplies in company operations. This includes socially responsible recycling from the proper disposal of packaging of delivered materials, to the proper use JJT Task 1 – Social Responsibility Strategies 4 of the products or materials, to the proper end disposal or recycling when the usefulness is completed. †¢ What the benefits are to the company in implementing a code of conduct regarding environmental concerns. One benefit to the company includes avoiding fines or penalties by being aware of laws and regulations and implementing company policies of compliance. Another benefit is creating a competitive advantage by passing on suggestions for value engineering and energy efficiency to future customers. From this assessment, the company can determine specific areas in company operations where the company can be environmentally responsible and set goals accordingly. This vision or code of conduct can then be passed on to the employees with expectations for participation and implementation. The second recommendation is that a waste management plan become part of the day to day operations of the company within the office and all construction activities on all projects. The company has been required to provide a waste management plan for two construction projects over the past 3 years. These plans included a recycling/reuse percentage goal for the project, a list of the types of materials and waste that would be generated by the project,mwhat types of recycling, reuse, or disposal methods would be used and what vendors would be used to fulfill the waste management goals included in the plan. By implementing a waste management plan for all company operations the company isn’t just being socially responsible in this area due to a contractual requirement, the company is making a commitment to always be socially responsible by managing waste in an environmentally responsible manner. The plan preparation should include the following steps: JJT Task 1 – Social Responsibility Strategies 5 1. Preparing a list of all possible materials used in the office and on construction sites that become waste or need disposal. 2. Determining which materials on this list can be reused or recycled. 3. When materials can be reused, determining how, where and when. 4. Preparing a list of vendors in all locations of operations that can be used for recycling and determining all the logistics of making this happen. 5. Determining if any materials are considered hazardous and the correct disposal methods. 6. Determining the most responsible process of disposal of waste that cannot be reused or recycled. Set a waste management goal for the company for reuse and recycling. 8. Determine a tracking and reporting method for the program. The third recommendation to the company is to determine standards for providing energy efficient solutions. The company’s past performance has included providing more energy efficient electrical related systems such as energy efficient lighting packages with lighting controls systems. SE Construction has performed multiple solar installations over the past 10 years for government agencies that have provided renewable energy solutions. Mechanical systems have been provided on projects that provide increased energy efficiency for the buildings. These projects have provided increased energy efficiency due to contractual requirements with some value engineering by the company. By determining standards for providing energy efficient solutions the company can become more proactive with environmental concerns. By determining standards ahead of time, energy efficient solutions will become part of the bidding process and value engineering for the customer will be part of every construction project. The company can have a great influence on JJT Task 1 – Social Responsibility Strategies 6 the outcome of construction in relation to energy efficiency by bringing material suppliers on board with this vision and creating an expectation in supplier participation. The benefits for the company in this effort would include creating a strong reputation for being socially responsible and creating a competitive advantage in the construction market for providing value engineering for energy efficiency. The three recommendations create a unified package for the company to address environmental concerns. The first recommendation of creating a Code of Environmental Conduct brings all the possibilities to light for the company. The second recommendation of implementing a company Waste Management Plan provides a daily active approach to being environmentally conscious. The third recommendation of providing energy efficient solutions creates a proactive mindset for the company employees within the construction business. A2: Ethical Leadership Considerations and Recommendations  SE Construction is a small business with the employee count ranging from 12 to 35 depending on the work in process. Gross Revenue in a given year ranges from $2,000,000 to $7,000,000. The management of the company is controlled by the owner, who is the CEO of the corporation. Early on, as the corporation was formed and contracts were awarded through a bidding process, there were discussions on business ethics between the owner, project manager and office manager as different situations presented themselves. The ethical foundation for the company was formed during these discussions. Ultimately, however, the owner sets the terms of ethical behavior. Unfortunately, those terms are not always relayed and understood by all employees. There are three recommendations which will be discussed to help in providing an understanding to all employees on company ethics. These recommendations include creating a JJT Task 1 – Social Responsibility Strategies 7 written Company Code of Ethics, performing an ethics audit, and implementing an ethics training program. The company has an Employee Handbook which is presented and discussed initially with each new hire. There are sections in the handbook that address general and common ethics issues such as the company’s policies on harassment, discrimination, whistle blowing and the proper use of company property. Aside from the initial orientation, these issues are not discussed further with employees. In the past few years, as new employees have come into the company, the owner has not been present as much in the office or construction sites. As a result, the business ethics originally established have not been transferred as well to the more current employees. Due to this, problems have presented themselves which have cost the company time and money. One such problem recently arose in bidding a project. The project manager was also working on estimating the costs for a bid which was eventually won and awarded. The cost estimate included materials, labor, equipment, and subcontractor trades. This project manager was not aware of some laws that applied to the type of government bidding he was working on. Due to the lack of knowledge, a critical error was made in listing a subcontractor on the bid paperwork without actually using the subcontractor’s price. The project manager thought he could negotiate with the subcontractor later to bring the price down, which was not the case. Even if this had been possible, it would not have been ethical to shop the price of a subcontractor after naming the subcontractor on the bid. The decision of the project manager went against labor laws and the ethical policy of the company. However, the laws and the ethical policy were not understood by the project manager at the time the decision was made. JJT Task 1 – Social Responsibility Strategies 8 The first recommendation is to create a written Company Code of Ethics. This will start by identifying the ethical points that are already identified in the Employee Handbook and creating bullet point statements regarding each one. Next the ethical points that are not covered in the handbook will be identified, such as abiding by all labor laws and regulations. A few examples of ethical bullet points related to this and other important ethical issues include: †¢ Compliance: The Company shall research, understand and comply with government laws, rules and regulations and company management should be consulted when an employee is unsure. †¢ Fair Dealing: The Company will act honestly and will deal fairly with employees, suppliers, subcontractors and customers by not taking unfair advantage. †¢ Reporting and Accountability: The Company will follow a process to report possible violations of laws or ethical codes which includes detail on who to report violations to, the investigation procedure, and disciplinary actions. Details related to each ethical bullet point will be addressed further in the Employee Handbook. When the Company Code of Ethics is completed, it will be presented to the company employees followed by an open discussion and training for understanding. The second recommendation is to conduct an ethics audit which will include the company employees. After a written Company Code of Ethics has been created and presented, it can become the basis for the ethics audit. Since SE Construction is a small business, a method which could be utilized is to assign an employee from each company function area to an ethics audit team. The company function areas include administration, estimating and project management, so the team would consist of three members. The team could then assess the written Company Code of Ethics to determine whether all business practices are addressed. JJT Task 1 – Social Responsibility Strategies 9 Another method which could be utilized in an ethics audit is one on one discussions between the owner or an assigned representative and each employee regarding company ethics. These discussions would include such items as: †¢ How does each employee perceive the code of ethics in relationship to their role and job performance? †¢ How does each employee perceive the company’s ability to comply with the Code of Ethics? Does each employee have a clear understanding of the laws, rules and regulations that directly involve the employee and the company? †¢ Are there any past or current events or actions within the company that the employee would consider as a violation of the Code of Ethics? After the audit is performed, the information that is gathered can be used to revise and polish company policy on ethics. A third recommendation for the company is to provide each employee with an opportunity to participate in ethics training. There are online programs that provide ethics training for businesses. This would be especially helpful for employees that have any decision making power within the company. Each of these three recommendations build on each other to create a whole package. The goal of creating this package will be to instill the importance and the positive or negative effects of ethical social responsibility in each employee. A3: Organizational Viability Considerations and Recommendations There are three recommendations for SE Construction that will assist in the viability of the business. These recommendations include continuing to work toward a paperless office, continuing to pursue green building opportunities and determining ways to implement better JJT Task 1 – Social Responsibility Strategies 10 coordination and planning within the company. All of these recommendations stem from current goals in operations within the company. Finding innovation ways to implement these recommendations will not only assist the company in moving forward in these areas, but will assist in the sustainability of profits. The recommendation of continuing to support a paperless office is becoming easier as other associated entities also move in that direction. For instance, bidding a construction project generates a great deal of paper. Costs are estimated from endless pages of plans and specifications. The bid paperwork and proposals also generate pages of paper usage. Many users are providing the plans and specifications through online sources which can be downloaded. This allows files to be shared with suppliers and subcontractors without necessarily printing them. Many end users are allowing bid paperwork  or proposals to be submitted online, where in the past multiple copies were created and shipped. With the support of management in creating a company policy regarding paper usage and creating a paperless office, the employees will become more aware of their part in this process. This company policy can identify ways and offer suggestions as to how the employees can participate. A reward systems for meeting goals in this area could be included as a motivation. Participation in this recommendation will assist in reducing financial waste within the company. The second recommendation involves continuing to pursue green building opportunities. SE Construction has been involved over the past 10 years with sustainable energy construction involving solar, fuel cells, and wind energy. Green building opportunities have also included providing lighting and HVAC products that provide greater energy efficiency. Currently there are many opportunities to participate on the construction end with green building. To work toward this recommendation the company will create a business development plan on how to Strategies 11 pursue green building opportunities and set goals to meet regarding his recommendation will provide an avenue to generate future revenue for the company. The third recommendation is determining ways to implement better coordination and preplanning within the company. The way SE Construction operates is through a coordinated project management approach. There are usually multiple construction projects being performed simultaneously with more than one project manager overseeing the projects. This involves coordination between the field construction sites and the office. All materials and equipment are ordered through the office where purchase orders are generated. The office staff can then coordinate and track the logistics of delivery. The scheduling of manpower and subcontractors are similarly coordinated. Now, in theory, this approach is effective when pre-planning is part of the coordination effort. When pre-planning is not part of the effort, all processes become urgent and emergency situations. This creates higher costs for the company and lower profits on the projects. This also creates higher stress levels among employees. To implement this recommendation all parties involved in the coordination effort will come together to identify problem areas and problem solve resolutions. A benefit to bringing all parties together to create a more efficient system of coordination is that each party will gain a greater understanding of the domino affect one person’s poor planning has on another person and on the company as a whole. Implementation of this recommendation will provide a more cost effective environment for the company. Each recommendation will include statements regarding how implementation and employee participation will assist in the long-term survival of the company through creating sustainable profitability for the company over time. JJT Task 1 – Social Responsibility Strategies 12 A4: Legal and Regulatory Considerations and Recommendations In the construction industry there are many laws and regulations that need to be understood and followed. SE Construction not only provides construction services, the company is mainly involved in government construction contracts. This adds to the list of law and regulation compliance. Out of all these there are three groups of laws and regulations that are critical. These include following the safety guidelines of both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Safety regulations and the U S Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Safety and Health Requirements Manual (EM-385-1-1), following quality control compliance guidelines, and complying with prevailing wage labor laws. The following information will provide an overview of each group of laws and regulations to include a description, the significance to the company, what the company has done thus far to comply, and recommendations for improvement in compliance. The first group of laws and regulations involve safety in the office and on the construction sites. OSHA laws were enacted with the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. From this act came the Occupational Safety and Health Administration which directs national compliance. There was a need to enforce safety compliance due to the amount of deaths, injuries, and illnesses on job sites. A few of the main safety regulation categories include administrative safety, personal protection, tools and equipment, exposure control, facility safety, and behaviors and attitudes. OSHA conducts office and job site inspections and issues citations of safety violations, if necessary, which carry fines. In line with OSHA, many states have developed OSHA approved state safety regulations. A military version of safety regulations, the EM 185-1-1, is utilized mainly by the USACE and the Naval Facilities (NAVFAC). Both of these sets of safety regulations are significant to SE JJT Task 1 – Social Responsibility Strategies 13 Construction as the company must adhere to all of these safety regulations to continue providing construction services to government entities. The fines are costly and after multiple citations a contractors licensing can be suspended or revoked. The company has copies of all safety regulations saved in computer folders and as hard copies in the office and on job sites. Required posters are posted in the office and at job sites. Each job site is equipped with safety and first aid kits, personal protection equipment such as hard hats, safety goggles, dust masks and harnesses and the company’s Injury and Illness Prevention Program, with all required reporting forms. Safety tailgate meetings are held weekly at each job site. The company has a Master Safety System Manual and a template for a site specific Accident Prevention Program which is adapted to the trades and construction activities for each project. Employees are provided with a Company Employee Safety Manual which is reviewed with each employee upon hire. Project managers have attended OSHA 30 hour training certification courses and have been certified. Upon review of what is currently been done by the company to comply with regulations, the recommendation is that the company review all safety tailgate meetings to update them and expand on what is currently being used. The office safety administrator should be involved in this review and gain a greater understanding of this job role. The company has a set of safety tailgate meetings that were gathered a few years ago and are in need of being updated. The safety administrator in the office selects a meeting to be given each week and forwards this meeting to each job site. It is important that the meeting selected matches the activities that are happening on the job sites to truly be effective. This is not always possible due to the limitations of the current safety meeting selections. Also, a safety meeting selected for one job site may not JJT Task 1 – Social Responsibility Strategies 14 really apply to another job site. A more proactive approach in providing applicable, quality safety meetings each week will assist in job site safety. Federal construction projects require a Quality Control Plan (QCP) to be submitted as part of the preconstruction documents. A Quality Control Manager (QCM) is also required during construction to provide implementation of the QCP. The QCM is required to be certified by a government accepted program to act in this position. Quality control involves ensuring that the products and services meet the owner’s specifications in the quality of the manufactured product and the quality of the service being performed such as the framing of a wall meeting the specified quality criteria. Typically the QCP involves a three phase program which includes a preparatory phase, initial phase, and follow-up phase. Each phase includes meetings with all parties involved for understanding of requirements and expectations, inspections to ensure expectations are being met and reporting regarding  compliance. Testing is a large part of the QCP. This includes independent testing for materials such as concrete, steel, soils and masonry. When expectations in quality are not met, corrective actions are required to be taken. The QCP is significant for the company, as compliance saves the company money and creates increased profits on the job sites. As employees and subcontractors participate in the QCP and agree to comply with the set standards, the materials are correct and the installation of materials meet quality expectations. Therefore, mistakes are reduced, construction flows more smoothly and the construction schedule is met with less complications. The recommendation for the company is to provide more training for foremen and office staff on quality control processes and expectations. SE Construction has one certified QCM that has experience in implementing the QCP for federal projects. Preconstruction activities for the JJT Task 1 – Social Responsibility Strategies 15 QCM involves reviewing all the submittals (product cut sheets) for compliance before they are submitted to the government for review. This review process could become a team effort in the office if the compliance requirements were understood by the estimators who gather the submittals. The biggest part of implementation of the QCP is holding the required meetings and preparing the daily and weekly reports regarding compliance. By providing training for the foreman in quality control, the foreman can gain a greater understanding of their role and how they can assist in compliance to the regulations on the job site. This would make the job of the QCM less complicated and more of a project team effort. Prevailing Wage Labor Laws effect wages paid for various construction trades on public works projects. Public works projects include projects funded by state money such as schools, municipalities, state parks and special utility districts. An example of wage requirements for public works projects can be found on the California Department of Industrial Relations website: www. dir. ca. gov. Each construction trade is listed separately and many wages for the same trade vary by county. The list of wages for each trade is called a wage determination and is updated twice a year in California. For California, a 5 to 1 journeyman to apprentice ratio is also a prevailing wage requirement for many trades. Each state has its own prevailing wage website and wages and requirements vary in each state. Federal projects, which are any projects receiving federal money, also follow prevailing wage labor laws. These laws and regulations can be found on the U S Department of Labor website named Wage Determinations OnLine. gov: www. wdol. gov. On this website wage determinations can be found by searching by state, county, construction type, or wage determination number. These wage determinations are updated periodically and the correct JJT Task 1 – Social Responsibility Strategies 16 determination to use for a project is identified in the bid documents at the time of bidding a project. Understanding the prevailing wage laws associated with state and federal bidding is significant to the company because the wages used in creating an estimate vary depending on where the project is located and when the wages are updated. For example, a state project that has a two year duration may have wages that will increase a year after the project is awarded. Continual review of the websites will provide this important information. Also, there are important reporting requirements involved and some state projects include a Labor Compliance Program (LCP) which audits the weekly prevailing wage payroll reports to ensure that wages and benefits are being paid correctly and that apprentices are being used in the correct proportions. A recommendation for the company to improve compliance is too create a more organized system of tracking changes and updates to wages and meeting compliance requirements. SE Construction has expanded in the amount of different trades performed by the company. This means more wage changes to track. This information is not yet in a format that is quickly accessible for bidding and is not updated regularly. Currently the information is updated as needed and becomes a matter of urgency which can lead to mistakes. For each project award a wage listing is to be posted at the job site. This is not happening automatically due to the fact that the information isn’t consistently updated for all trades in an easily accessible format and the administrator in charge is not proactive in making sure this happens. The company’s constant vigilance in complying with government laws, rules and regulations in these three groups will create a safer working environment, provide a quality product for customers, provide stable wages and benefits for employees and create a competitive advantage as the company’s reputation for compliance is strengthened. Social Responsibility free essay sample â€Å"The social responsibility can be defined as the obligation of the organization to act in ways that serve both its own interests (making a profit) and the interests of its stakeholder. † (Sandy Millar, Christopher Theunissen, 2008, P69) Socially responsible organization takes action to ensure that their activities do not affect any of the stakeholders in a negative way. The McDonald’s is the leading global foodservice retailer with more than 30,000 local restaurants serving 52 million people in more than 100 countries each day. It is one of the worlds most well-known and valuable brands and holds a leading share in the globally branded quick service restaurant segment of the informal eating-out market in virtually. McDonald’s with a high level of social responsibility goes one step further, they take action to ensure that stakeholders benefit from their actions. They can use four different approaches, which include proactive approaches, defensive approaches, accommodative approach, and obstructive response to social responsibility. We will write a custom essay sample on Social Responsibility or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Moreover, the total corporate social responsibility can be subdivided into four criteria – economic, legal, ethical and discretionary responsibilities. â€Å"A stakeholder is any group within or outside the organization that has a stake in the organization’s performances. Each stakeholder has a different criterion of responsiveness, because it has a different interest in the organization (King Roberts, 1989; Donaldson Preston, 1995). † (Danny Samson, Richard L. Daft, 2005, P165) The need for a business to be responsible for its actions is widely accepted. Businesses do not exist in isolation; they provide goods and services to people and make use of materials and labor supplied by people. Businesses have responsibilities to stakeholders to ensure their actions do not cause harm. The McDonald’s organization, for example, has a responsibility not only to its customers, but also to the employee, shareholders, suppliers, community and competition etc. An organization’s customers play an important role in determining the products and services it will provide. Without customers, there would be no need for the organization. Then, of course, there are the staff, who provide the services to the customers. Food supply chain is the one of the stakeholder in McDonald’s organization. The McDonald’s organization works with suppliers to produce high standards of food. McDonald’s has to compete to some other fast food restaurants, such as KFC, Wendy’s etc. The McDonald’s organization is a good corporate citizen and works closely with local communities in the locations where it operates. McDonald’s adheres to laws regulating wages, hours and working conditions to the stakeholders of government. But these are only six of the stakeholders in the McDonald’s organization, there are many more. Therefore, stakeholder is the term used to illustrate the universe of people and organizations that have a vested interest in a particular effort. â€Å"The proactive response comes from firms that take the lead in social issues. They seek to learn what is in the public interest and respond without coaxing or pressure from stakeholders. † (Danny Samson, Richard L. Daft, 2005, P173) Proactive response is one of the four ways a management may choose to respond to environmental and social problems its activities have caused. Proactive responses have the highest degree of social responsibility. Organizations give responses before any issues addressed by the public and without any external pressures. They show a great interest in enhancing society welfare and very good social image. They integrate their interest with the public interest. â€Å"Asked why McDonalds was sponsoring Euro 2004 by a deal worth ? 15m, Jeff Wahl, the companys director of worldwide marketing, said: Its important that we build brand loyalty with kids, sponsorships like Euro 2004 are a great way to accomplish this. Moreover, we always see the advertising that McDonald’s organization supports kiwi kids’ football campaign. They always donate to sponsor kid’s football program. Sport is acknowledged by the junk food manufacturers as an effective means of reaching the crucial youth market. Thus, the organizations go out of their way to learn the needs of the different stakeholder groups. â€Å"Another strategic commu nication response involves defensive response strategic such as denial, excuse or justification, all of which involve the organization reacting less aggressively to criticism† (Ronald D. Smith, 2004, P104) When an organization has defensive responses, it only does what is legally required. When an issue is raised by the public, the organization usually admits the problem but denies it responsibility. It responses of the organization is often legal but not ethical. Few years ago, people blame McDonald’s food is not that health because they reuse the cooking oil many time for chips fried, fried chicken etc. However, McDonald’s didn’t break any rule and legal required on the cooking oil reused. Thus, managements admission of some errors and taking of only legally required steps to solve social and environmental problems caused by a firms activities. â€Å"When media attention is high, and organization must take some kind of public announcement, such as finding of internal and external investigations. It must, however, decide on one of two media strategies: whether to be accommodative or defensive. An accommodative approach is one in which apologies are made and intentions of instituting reforms and changes are announced. (Otto Lerbinger, 1997, P258) Organizations adapts this type of response show their socially responses. They admit to errors and take actions to correct them. However, in some circumstances, external forces push the organization to do so. In McDonald’s restaurant, they present the fat-free burgers and health breakfast to customers since most people complain that fast food is not good for health. The McDonald’s organization took this accommodat ive approach to paying its customers. That is why we say an accommodative response is positive; it tries to balance the needs of different stakeholder groups against one another. â€Å"Organizations that adopt obstructive response deny all responsibility, claim that evidence of wrongdoing is misleading or distorted, and place obstacles to delay investigation. † (Danny Samson, Richard L. Daft, 2005, P172) Obstructive response is reaction characterized by the elimination, hiding, or denial of the existence of incriminating evidence, or the adoption of delaying tactics. An obstructive response has the lowest degree of socially responsibility. For my research, it is no found McDonald’s organization did some obstructive response to social responsibility. Hence, we said obstructive response that organizations are trying to discard all the issues by all means such as hiding facts and deleting records. Managers decide not to act in a socially responsible way and try to hide their behavior from others. They show no interest to enhance community welfare. In some cases, it can lead to criminal. Companies have shareholders who demand a reasonable return on their investment; they have employees who want safe and fairly paid jobs; they have customers who demand good quality products at a fair price etc. † (By Andre Habisch, 2005, P337) Economic responsibility is the most basic social responses for a corporation. It is the basic criterion in evaluating a corporation’s social performance. Corporations adapting this type of responsibility ofte n purely focus on the profit and ignore everything else. In some extreme cases, this can lead to criminal. â€Å"A valid report talked about energy use in the restaurants, but not in the unsustainable food system McDonalds relies upon that uses 10 calories of energy for every calorie of good produced. Sustaining McDonalds requires a simple unsustainable formula: cheap food plus cheap non-unionized labor plus deceptive advertising = high profits. An honest report would tell stakeholders how much it truly costs society to support a corporation like McDonalds. It would detail the externalities borne by other people, places, and generations: The draining of aquifers, the contaminated waterways, the strip-mined soils, the dangerous abattoirs where migrant workers are employed, the inhumane, injury-prone dead-end jobs preparing chicken carcasses for Chicken McNuggets, the global greenhouse methane gas emitted by the millions of hamburger cows in feedlots, the impact of their $2 billion advertising and promotional campaigns to convince young people to demand their food, the ethics of using toys to induce small children into their restaurants. (FOODFIRST website, 11, May, 2008) From the above example, we clearly know some organizations often concentrate on the profit and neglect something else. â€Å"The responsibility of corporations in relation to law demands that they abide by its provisions and ‘play by the rules of the game’ † (By Andre Habisch, 2005, P337) Legal responsibility has a higher level than economic responsib ility. Corporations still have the profit-maximizing view. However, corporations are well disciplined and they behave with the law frame. McDonalds has known for decades that the food it serves harms people, promotes obesity, heart disease, and has detrimental effects on land and water. Addressing that one issue would make a difference. They have known about the detrimental effects of their food just as the tobacco companies understood the impact of their products. Yet they have done little to modify their menu. Therefore, they gain the profit even they provide kinds of fried and junk food to customers, however, they are follow the legal framework and never break the rule. This responsibility obliges corporations to do what is right, just and fair, even when they are not obliged to by the legal framework. † (By Andre Habisch, 2005, P337) When corporations take ethical responsibilities, they do a better job than just taking legal responsibilities. Corporations avoid unethical actions. However, they still only focus on things which are relevant to their goals and tasks. â€Å"McDonald’s switched from polyst yrene clamshells to paper products in packing its big Macs. It did so in response to heavy lobbying from a variety of groups, some of which even encouraged children to write to the corporation asking it to change. It own studies indicated that, all things considered, using polystyrene was environmentally preferable. Nonetheless, it switched to paper products to satisfy what it considered a popular demand or a social responsibility, since doing so enhanced its image. † (By John W. Houck, Oliver F. Williams, 1996) Thus, from the above example, we know McDonald’s did not break any legal if they keep using polystyrene to pack the big Macs, however they did the ethically right thing to social performance. The fourth level of CSR looks at the philanthropic responsibilities of corporations. This aspect of CSR addresses a great variety of issues, including things such as charitable donations, the building of recreation facilities for employees and their families, support for local schools, or sponsoring of art and sports events. † (By Andre Habisch, 2005, P337) Philanthropic responsibility is also called discretionary responsibility. Discretionary responsibility is the highest criterion of corporate social performance. Corporations voluntarily contribute to the society and quality of life with no payback. Most organizations are going to do some philanthropic, McDonald’s is one of the most of the organizations as well. McDonald’s organization is always sponsoring some kinds of sport events in order to attract people on McDonald’s. The Food Commission has been highly critical of the link between sport and fast food, and particularly the tactic of sponsoring grass roots and community events alongside marquee events such as the World Cup and the Olympics. McDonald’s used sport as a means of reaching young people, and both began by denying evidence that their food are harmful to health. To sum up, social responsibility is an ethical or ideological theory that an entity whether it is a government, corporation, organization or individual has a responsibility to society. This responsibility can be â€Å"negative,† in that it is a responsibility to refrain from acting or it can be â€Å"positive,† meaning there is a responsibility to act. McDonald’s success is based on its ability to meet and exceed the requirements of customers. The same focus on business efficiencies and customer satisfaction helps McDonald’s environmental program to reaching a new level of environmental consciousness when the magical strength of the McDonalds brand. It is very important to undertake those economic, legal, ethical and discretionary responsibilities respectively by sequential to develop an international organization from small every business. Social responsibility free essay sample Social responsibility is the responsibility of an organization that their decisions and activities affect on its society and environment with ethical behavior and transparent. Ethical behavior that is consistent with sustainable development and the welfare of society takes into account the expectations of stakeholders. (http://knowledge. sagepub. com. libraryproxy. griffith. edu. au/view/greenbusiness/n33. xml) . For Corporate Social responsibility, there are four types: Economic Responsibilities This is the responsibilities that offering services or product to customers with a fair price. Legal Responsibilities The responsibilities to abide by the law, which is determined by society about what is right or wrong Ethical Responsibilities The Responsibilities to do the right and fair decision without the law forcing you to do it. Philanthropic Responsibilities The responsibilities to invest money back into the society to upgrade and to provide a better living for the people in the society. We will write a custom essay sample on Social responsibility or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page With Corporate Social responsibility, company can show to the public that they care about the earth and they want to be a part of the group to help the earth environment which then can create a good image of the company and to increase its reputation in the society. Benefit And nowadays more and more business are working on their Corporate Social responsibility. Also many people are now starting a green life. Saving the earth and do less damage to the earth. Business start caring is not only because it helps to improve the environment. But also because what it can bring to the company such as things like trustworthy from the society. And also it can help the company to build up its reputation. With benefit of Corporate Social responsibility, the result can go beyond what the management expected. It can have positive effect on the company’s finance, its image, and can help to protect the environment. Pretty much there no negative impact of conducting Corporate Social responsibility. The Corporate Social responsibility’s idea is to invoke in people’s mind which can help the organization to promote its good image and create good wills. Chahaland Sharma, 2006; Galbreath, 2010; Weber, 2008). Also there are a lot of other benefits like reduce operational risks, motivate staff and reduce financial costs (Heal, 2004; Knoxand Maklan, 2004; Weber, 2008). http://search. proquest. com. libraryproxy. griffith. edu. au/docview/1019442816 Basically Corporate Social responsibility can help organization to increase its profit by customer’s satisfaction, maintaining current customers, attracting new customers and increasing staff productivity. Also cost will be reducing due to the low rate of turnover, lower energy cost and reduce wastage. However, implementing Corporate Social responsibility into an organization needs money. And if an organization took the wrong approach on Corporate Social responsibility, the result could be very different. In order the make the highest profit from Corporate Social responsibility, organization needs to find the optimum level that creates the balance between the need. Social responsibility free essay sample We as a society shouldn’t rely on the legal system to legitimize whether specific actions are right or wrong. The ability to determine an action is ethically or morally right or wrong; it should be an inept characteristic that is instilled into each of our moral compasses. The society that we live in today is completely different from that of 20 years ago. Today, it is frowned upon when an individual is treated unfairly based on his/her sex, age, race, and even a person’s sexual orientation more so than in the past. Not only do our morals and ethics gauge our individual actions, but so does the law. It seems as though that whether an action is ethically right or wrong is not the driving force that governs a business’s practices. It seems that some businesses today don’t use morals and ethics to gauge their actions. Instead, it seems some entities rely primarily on the legal system to legitimize their actions. We will write a custom essay sample on Social responsibility or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It was stated in the introduction of this performance assessment on TaskStream that â€Å"Many believe that business entities should have an ethical duty to be socially responsible, to work towards increasing its positive effects on society while decreasing its negative effects† (TaskStream EST1, 2008). The attitude and actions carried out by Company Q are both unethical and socially irresponsible on multiple levels. The recent actions of Company Q aren’t as unethical/immoral as other companies in case studies that we have read about throughout the course (i. e. Wal-Mart). Even though their actions aren’t as severe, their actions are still unethical on a variety of levels. There are three areas that could be improved regarding Company Q’s attitude toward social responsibility. First, there are other viable options a company can choose instead of closing a store entirely. Just because a business is in a less-than-ideal location doesn’t mean that a business should close its doors. Instead, Company Q could reduce its overall size of the locations that aren’t in the most pristine locations, or even readjust the products that it offers. Not only must Company Q listen to their customers, but companies in general need to put the customers’ wants and needs above the desire of money. Company Q should offer products that their customers actually use and consume. Along the same lines, Company Q has disregarded multiple requests of their customers. It seems that society has begun to realize the importance of healthy diet and exercise. Company Q must realize that offering healthier alternatives to mass produced foods will only appeal to the masses. Not only is Company Q’s blatant disregard for their customers’ requests assenine, but it is also poor business practice. The fact is that Company Q must offer their customers the products that they want. Finally, Company Q’s actions regarding it’s donation of day-old products is both dis-heartening and border-lined inhumane. Not only should we as individuals watch out for one another, but the capabilities and resources that larger businesses have should be used in a manner that positively impacts the society around them. The resolution to this poor business practice is simple. Company Q simply needs to willfully donate slightly outdated products to local food pantries and other organizations that focus on providing goods and services to those whom are less fortunate. Not only would this aid people in need, but it could also have a positive impact on their image to their existing customers which could in turn attract new customers. Company Q is lacking in multiple areas when evaluating the company’s social responsibility. Although it appears that Company Q is only focused on its own profit and success, they need to improve their view for the society around them. Company Q could have an overwhelmingly positive impact on the society around them, if they were only to make minor adjustments to some of their poor business practices.

Following categories to analyze the ways free essay sample

Use the following categories to analyze the ways in which African American created a distinctive culture in slavery:Family, Music, Oral traditions and Religions. By Cockleshells 997 use the following categories to analyze the ways in which African American created a distinctive culture in slavery:Family, Music, Oral traditions and Religions. Thesis:Len the sasss, enslavement didnt constrict African Americans but more so helped them to develop construct their culture. As in every ethnicity family was crucial to African Americans not even separation could tear them apart.Talons with that, the different ethnicities languages of the u. S. Assisted in making Creole, pidgin, other secret languages amongst slaves. Plus, the variation in religion allowed them to utilize Christianity, Protestantism, Catholicism when making their own religion helped with the creation of voodoo. However, when it came to music they used originality for oral traditions they used folk tales from back at home without U. We will write a custom essay sample on Following categories to analyze the ways or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page S. Influences. Family TTS:the worst part about slavery was no doubt the separation of loved ones;however, It did form hidden slave communities focused n matriarchy. Many families were broken up by the sale of a member of the family, and yet family connections were often preserved (and many rejoined after the Civil War). Slaves who were sold and moved on to new plantations/farms connected with others who had family members in previous settings from which they had come reinforced many such informal linkages. -Because of the breakup of many families, children were often raised primarily by the mothers, creating female-centered household traditions that persisted after slavery Music TTS:past times from field work household duties helped compose genres of dance music. Gospels, hymns, and spirituals created In religious settings; songs that evolved while working In fields (especially to provide work rhythms) and as expressions of resistance and protest, often In Creole or pledge English not understood by most whites. -Subsequent renowned styles of music, such as the blues and Jazz, evolved out of the various styles sustained during slavery, with reg ional variations. Oral traditions: in African American culture words are a powerful thing, slaves used that belief to their advantage.Heavy reliance on models of oral traditions brought over from Africa and further developed; spread by fugitives, grits, conjurers and shamans (thought to have spiritual or magical powers), slaves sold in the Deep South, and black preachers who embraced Christianity, especially because most white communities prohibited the teaching of literacy to slaves. -Use of folk tales, such as Beer Rabbit, that taught lessons about surviving under oppression. Religionists:African Americans used the diversity of tentacles when constructing their own religion culture.Ideas and practices were disseminated by African American preachers, rebel leaders, abolitionist, and groups such as the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel In Foreign Parts, as well as In churches begun by free slaves as demanding subservience and obedience, the slaves interpreted it as a message of liberation and understood Christ as ministering to the poor and oppressed, not to the rich and oppressive. Conclusion:Len all, the enslavement that African Americans had to endure ultimately made them use their creativity to develop their culture in the U.S. They meticulously merged religions, languages, other cultures from the Spanish, French, other U. S. Inhabitants. They developed dance genres musical genres while working over bearing exhausting Jobs. Their oral traditions were words of spiritual power and also amusing folk tales used for teaching African American youngsters. It ultimately less to famous African American writers speakers. Yet, through the trials faced by slaves in the assess they survived by utilizing what they had making it work for them leading to a distinct African culture.

Brazil and Italy Divorce Comparison Essay

Brazil and Italy Divorce Comparison Essay Brazil and Italy Divorce Comparison Sociology Essay Brazil and Italy Divorce Comparison Sociology Essay The main focus of this research is on the study of the dynamics of the divorce problem in Italy and Brazil. This study includes comparison of data associated with divorce issue, factors that contribute to divorce, and governmental efforts to solve the divorce problem. To have deep understanding of the topic, scholarly sources have been used, for example, â€Å"Marriage and Divorce: Changes and their Driving Forces† by Stevenson and Wolfers, â€Å"Socio-Economic and Cultural Correlates of Cohabitation in Brazil† by Covre-Sussai and Matthijs, â€Å"Legislative Changes and their Impact on Divorce, Separation and Marriage Rates in Brazil† Maristrello Porto and Butelli, and other works. The research presents the effects of legalization of divorce and describes the factors that account for divorce rate. Historical and cultural developments, rise of globalism, and introduction of new technology may lead to changes in people’s judgment, causing them to reconsider their choices concerning family life. The research also describes the role of the Roman Catholic Church in restricting divorce progression. Due to the significant influence of the Church in Italian and Brazilian societies it was possible to delay the legalization of divorce for a considerable period of time. Divorce in Brazil and in Italy For a long time family was regarded by many nations in the West as a very important social institution. Today, family has become a subject of controversy and discussion. Many researchers have raised questions about the functions of the family units in terms of husband-wife-children relationships. It became common to see women going outside the home to take income producing jobs rather than staying home with children. Many couples live together without a formality of marriage, and those who are legally married tend to separate or divorce. Italy and Brazil are not the exception in this matter. In these countries husbands and wives often share their responsibilities in domestic spheres and the market. Rearing their children is also included in those responsibilities. Gary Becker, in his Treatise on the Family explained this phenomenon and described it in terms of â€Å"production complementarities†. He also identified some reasons for this change: the emergence of new technology that can save labor in the home, availability of birth control and easy access to abortion (Stevenson Wolfers, 2007). All these forces made a significant contribution to a high divorce rate in many countries, including Italy and Brazil. Italy and Brazil have been selected for this research to learn the dynamics of the marriage failure in a deeper way. Such an approach will consider more cultural and social variables that can influence the divorce rate. Italy and Brazil are situated in different geographic regions and have different historical development. While Italy’s population is more homogenous, Brazil is an ethnically diverse country with 50% of mixed races, 42% of white people and 6.5% descendants from Africa (Covre-Sussai Matthijs, n.d., p. 6). The religious influence in both countries has been considerable for centuries. The dominance of the Roman Catholic Church significantly influenced Italy and Brazil. As it was mentioned before, family is a very important social institution. Families are not standing in opposition to the rest of the society as some people think. The truth is that the family units affect the values and structure of the whole society. Both, in Italy and Brazil, these units are the product of particular historical and social circumstances. They are intricately interconnected to other features in social infrastructure. For this reason, the problem of divorce should be a great concern to Italy and Brazil. This research will compare the dynamics of the divorce problem in Italy and Brazil. It will also discuss the initiatives of the governments of both countries to solve this problem. Magnitude of the Problem Italy was one of the countries that held the traditional view concerning marriage, and did not accept the legalization of divorce for a long time. In 1970 a divorce law was passed in Italian parliament. Mark Seymour in his book Debating Divorce in Italy (2006) made the following comment on this event, â€Å"after several deputies had collapsed from exhaustion, a parliamentary vote of 319 for divorce, and 286 against, made Italian history: The Nation now had a divorce law† (p. 211). But only in 1974 when the divorce referendum on this matter was held the Italian public voted for its legalization. Since then the divorce rate began to increase. In 1960s, before the divorce law was passed the divorce rate in Italy was zero. The research of Gonzalez and Viitanen (2006) showed the dynamics of the divorce rate in Figure 1 while comparing the rates in other European countries (p. 24). Immediately, after the passing the law the rise in divorce rate occurred. It reached about 0.7 per 10 00 population. In 1974 the rate began to decrease and it was at approximately 0.3 for more than a decade. However, in the late 1980s the divorce rate almost doubled. This phenomenon can be explained by the amendment of the divorce law passed in 1987. It made provisions for shortening the divorce process and allowed only 3 years of legal separation. Before the divorce process could last 5 or 6 years. Since the amendment was provided the divorce rate had been gradually rising and in 2008 it reached 1.3 per 1000 population (The United States Census Bureau, n.d.). In 2011, the Italian National Institute of Statistics gave more detailed information on separations and divorces in Italy. According to their data, â€Å"In 2011 separations were 88,797 and divorces 53,806; compared to the previous year a substantial stability is observed (+0.7% and -0.7%)† (Istat, n.d.). Total rates of separation and divorce indicate the rise of these phenomena. For example, in 1995 the numbers of separations and divorces for 1000 marriages were 158 and 80 respectively. In 2011 these numbers grew to 311 and 182. Recently the Italian Government has introduced another amendment that simplified the divorce process. The 3 years term of legal separation that had been required by the law, was reduced to 6 months. This initiative will probably contribute to the further growth of divorce rate. The historical development of divorce legalization in Brazil was similar to Italian. The Brazilian society was not willing to accept the divorce law for a long time. This phenomenon was attributed to the influence of Christianity represented by the Roman Catholic Church. Only in 1977 the divorce law became legal. In the 1960s and the early 1970s the divorce rate was zero, the same indicator as in Italy before the introduction of the divorce legalization. But since 1980 this dynamic has changed. The researchers Maira Covre-Sussai and Koen Matthijs, in their project on cohabitation in Brazil discussed the marriage trends. Their research covered different regions of Brazil inhabited by various ethnic groups. The graphs 1 and 2 show the dynamics of marriage and divorce rate in the period from 1980 to 2007 (Covre-Sussai Matthijs, n.d., p. 7). It is remarkable that soon after the introduction of divorce law marriage rate dropped by 4 – 6 marriages per 1000 adults in different regio ns during the next decade. Then the marriage rate stabilized. However, it never came back to the initial point. The divorce rate has shown an ongoing growth in all regions of Brazil since 1980. In the North this rate grew from 0.1 to 0.8 per 1000 adults in the period from 1980 to 2006. In the Central West the divorce rate rose 4 times within the same period. To be precise, if in 1980 the rate was approximately at 0.5, in 2006 it reached 2.00 per 1000 adults. It is also necessary to say that the initial rate 0.5 was more predominant in the Brazilian society. The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (2012) published average data on this issue. According to their data the divorce rate rose from 0.5 to 1.4 per 1000 adults from 1980 to 2006. But then, the graph showed a rapid growth from 1.4 to 2.6 per 1000 adults from 2009 to 2011. The Civil Registry 2011 revealed an astonishing fact: divorce rate rose to 45.6% in only one year. The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (2012) put it in more detailed way, The number of divorces in Brazil reached 351,153 in 2011, with increase of 45.6% over 2010 (243,224). As a result, the divorce rate reached its highest level since 1984 (2.6 divorces per 1000 inhabitants aged 15 and over), even more than in the previous year (1.8%). It is remarkable that the rapid growth of divorce rate occurred after the Brazilian Government provided the 66th amendment to the constitution. According to the new legislation a year period of separation was not necessary to be divorced any more. This event took place in 2010, just in the period when the rapid rise of the divorce rate occurred. Considering the fact that Italian Government has recently introduced an amendment that reduced a period of separation, a prediction can be made that Italy will soon experience a new rise of divorce rate. To have a full picture of the magnitude of divorce problem it is necessary to research structural factors that may count for it. The major factor that influenced marriage and family was globalization. Both, Italy and Brazil have been affected by the globalization process to a different degree though. Since 1960s many countries, particularly in Europe, have experienced the second demographic transition. In their research on socio-economics and cohabitation, Maira Covre-Sussai Koen Matthijs put it in the following way, â€Å"Secularization, privatization, individualization and urbanization seemed to contribute to the shifts from collective to individual behavior† (n.d., p. 9). These factors influenced human mind: people began to acquire critical thinking and evaluate current social and economic conditions. New motivations in social consciousness have been formed, such as equality, freedom and self-fulfillment. As a result, people began utilizing these ideas and standards as the y forged their families. Therefore, the growth of divorce rate, decline in fertility, cohabitation and economic autonomy of women are directly related to the 2nd demographic transition. In the social background there were changes, such as abandonment of previous traditions, beliefs and values. Under the influence of these changes couples began to consider new options in their life. For example, they may take the decisions related to legal marriage, living with a spouse and having children (Covre-Sussai Matthijs, n.d.). All these changes have affected people both, in Italy and Brazil. Today Italian people have been experiencing tougher demands in the course of their life. They can also have more opportunities for self-fulfillment. As a result their lifestyle is now very hectic. Both, men and women are professional and are capable of doing different jobs. But their busy life often prevents them from paying attention to emotional needs of each other and from showing care to their children. Therefore, the lack of affection led to relational problems and caused a separation and divorce. The upper middle class in Brazil has been experiencing similar relational problems, but since this social class is not large, Brazilians deal with these problems at a lesser scale than Italians. Unlike Italy, Brazil has never been the state with sufficient welfare that could provide all the necessary needs and proper education to people from all social classes. It is well known that poverty and low education do not encou rage people to get married. For this reason many Brazilian people cohabit instead of getting married. Poverty and low education may also contribute to divorce rate in Brazil (Covre-Sussai Matthijs, n.d.). Coming back to globalization impact on family it is important to note the role of new technology in divorce rate growing. The emergence of Internet and development of cell phones pushed the boundaries and allowed people quick and easy access to communication with each other. Social services gave more opportunities for connection with friends or making friendship. All these factors contribute to relational problems within the family unit significantly. For example, in Italy many young people tend to use the instant messaging service. The service allows people to send free messages via smartphones. Such a service often tempts Italians to converse with the opposite sex. These affairs via smartphone may result in divorce. In Brazil the society is poorer, and is affected by the social services via smartphones at a lesser level. However, the Internet is now available for many Brazilians and it gives them an opportunity to connect with the opposite sex in the Internet cafà ©s. It is also important to mention some historical developments in Brazil that influenced the attitude to the family in the country. Back in the 18th century, when the Catholic Church had control over marriage the slaves were not allowed to be married. The only option they had was to have informal unions. Portuguese colonizers who came to Brazil without their wives also chose informal unions taking indigenous women. Thus family organization in Brazil had a particular history that laid the foundation for interracial and patriarchal relationship (Covre-Sussai Matthijs, n.d.). However, in the modern Brazilian society authoritarian attitudes are tolerated less and they may lead to divorce. To complete the research on the magnitude of divorce problems it is important to mention one more reason that often cause divorce in Italy. The Italian family has a special tradition that is characterized by the close relationship and strong emotional ties between mother and her son (Straussner, 2001, p. 6). Thus when the son gets married these ties often interfere with his marriage relationships. Mother views her son’s spouse as a rival. She often visits the couple’s household and attempts to replace her son’s wife doing things in the house. These mother’s initiatives often cause conflicts between spouses, and ultimately lead to separation and divorce. Efforts to Reduce the Problem of Divorce It may sound surprising to the contemporary Italians but the Italian Parliament made great effort to prevent divorce problem. Their struggle against legalization of divorce had been going since 1860 until the popular referendum that took place in 1974. A lot of research on this matter has been done by Mark Seymour in his book Debating Divorce in Italy (2006). He did a very good job studying the efforts of Italian Parliament to prevent divorce law. During the period of 1860 – 1870 the divorce proposal was not included in the 1865 Civil Code. The proposal was not introduced during the period of the Historic Right either. Until 1901, all the attempts of divorce proposal were futile owing to deliberative procedures in the parliaments. Though some representatives kept introducing proposals for divorce they were always declined or postponed. After 1901, any initiative to allow divorce could not even pass the initial stages of the review in the Italian Parliament. Many historians tri ed to understand why so many divorce initiatives failed to pass. The historian Ernest Ialongo (2008) from CUNY Graduate Center, gave the answer in his review. Because the Church, through its Opera dei congressi, had successfully mobilized public opinion and parliament against divorce. Starting with the divorce proposal of 1881, the Opera began sending out petitions to parishes throughout the country that were then signed and forwarded to parliament. There was not any other non-governmental establishment that could contribute so much to preservation of the family institution. Secular organizations , were not usually interested in sacredness of the family and moral values. Secular Italian government and non-governmental organizations, such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank invested their funds into the economy system or social projects. But the measures on improvement of living standards were not sufficient to protect the family units. It was necessary to protect and cultivate moral values. The Church showed its concern when the morality was questioned by some representatives of the Italian society. Eventually, it managed to delay the introduction of divorce law and the gradual destruction of the family institution in Italy. In the 1960s the Italian nation was influenced by the secularization process that started in the Western societies. Secularization of the Italian state, the weakened influence of the Vatican in the Italian communities and the triumph of individual freedoms over religious and social traditions led to the legalization of divorce. As the result of this triumph, in 1970 the divorce law was passed. Four years later, public referendum supported the decision concerning the divorce matter made by the Italian Parliament. In Brazil the Catholic Church had a strong influence too. It managed to delay the introduction of divorce until 1977, seven years longer than in Italy. When the divorce law was introduced several amendments were issued that accelerated the divorce process. The Brazilian governments tried to reduce the divorce problem by the implementation of laws that prevented divorce. The evolution of laws that supported divorce began in 1916 when the Civil Code allowed marital unions to be dissolved after the death of the spouse. Litigious judicial separation was also possible. The law had specific requirements for judicial separation: mutual consent and willingness to be married for another 2 years. According to the research of Porto and Butelli (n.d.) In litigious judicial separation at least one of these must have occurred: adultery, insult, homicide attempt, or voluntary marital abandonment. However, even after judicial separation was granted, the marital bond was kept, impeding new marriages from both individuals. (p. 6) In 1977, the law 6.515 and the Amendment to the country’s Constitution n.9 allowed the dissolution of marriage but at the same time impeded new marriages. The new legislation also made a provision for prior separation that could take more than 3 years. However, a few months later there emerged the Divorce Act. This legal document provided not only separation but indirect divorce. In 1989 there the Law 1.841 was issued. It provided more freedom for those who decided to divorce: divorced individuals were allowed to remarry. As a result, successive divorces became possible. The Civil Code issued in 2002 modified the divorce process in Brazil. Marriage dissolution was provided in 2 ways: through judicial separation and divorce. In 2007 Law 11.441 was issued. It allowed the consensual divorce to be granted in the civil registry. Thus, divorce, separation and dividing the assets became possible whenever the spouses made agreements on its terms. As a result it became much easier to get divorced than before. Ultimately, Brazilian governments failed to reduce divorce problem. Non-governmental institutions, such as the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund, managed to assist the Brazilian society with reducing their social problem. Like in Italy, the finances were spent on economy system and some social projects, but not on preserving family values. Over time the divorce rate rose significantly, and statistics showed no evidence that the problem would be successfully dealt. It is really difficult to predict what the divorce problem in both countries will look like in 10 years as there are many factors that can influence the dynamics of this matter. For example, the introduction of new laws that simplify divorce process can trigger a new rise of divorce rate. The introduction of new technology will also affect the family institution and may contribute to divorce rate. Considering the reduction of the Church’s influence and the willingness of Italian and Brazilian governments to provide new laws encouraging divorce, this problem will only get worse over the next 10 years. The majority of population in Italy and Brazil had been family oriented before the divorce was legalized. Thus, legal restrictions on divorce helped to preserve families. The dominance of the Roman Catholic Church also served as a positive factor. The Church influenced both, society and government ensuring moral values in Italy and Brazil. It appears that specific historical developments, globalization process and the introduction of new technology may affect the family unit in a negative way. However, if legal restrictions and the Church’s influence remained it would be possible to avoid the rise of divorce rate and preserve family institution.

Emotional Intelligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Emotional Intelligence - Essay Example Emotional intelligence is defined as an ability to assess and control emotions of the other people alongside with emotions of oneself. This is now considered a great skill and almost an essential trait of a successful leader. Business environment has developed greatly in the past few decades and soft management practices are playing a huge role. It is no longer possible for managers to ignore the feelings or emotions of employees. Today employees are empowered to a great extent and therefore they cannot be treated like herds. This has made the role of emotional intelligence important. Any manager would be successful if he or she is able to understand and manipulate people (not always in bad way). Understanding emotions of others is a gift that can do wonders for managers in organizations. It can help the resolve disputes and motivate employees to work harder in the interests of the organization. Emotional intelligence can help a leader make informed decisions about all aspects of organizational work. Managers can assign jobs that are coherent with the emotions of the employees. This can make a huge difference for any firm as it will lead to maximization of employee productivity. Emotional intelligence also helps managers in assessing potential of an employee. For example an employee who is going through difficult times because of domestic issues might not be a good candidate for a creative job. Similarly an employee who is emotionally aroused might not be apt for forecasting of sales as he might overestimate figures. These employees might be good at other jobs but jobs discussed above are not appropriate for them. Emotional intelligence of a manager will tell him or her that which person is the most appropriate for which job and therefore emotional intelligence is helpful in assessing performance potential. Managerial success can also be achieved through emotional intelligence. By controlling one’s own emotions managers can make rational and objective