Julius Caesar Essays (1329 words) - Julius Caesar, First Triumvirate

Julius Caesar In my opinion, no other man in the history of the world symbolizes military and political strength as much as Julius Caesar does. Caesar was born on July 12, 100 BC in Rome, Italy (Encarta 2000). His father belonged to the prestigious Julian clan (Internet Explorer) His uncle by marriage was Gaius Marius, leader of the Populares which supported agrarian reform and opposed the Optimates (Comptons Encyclopedia). Marius saw to it that Julius Caesar was appointed flamen dialis which is a archaic priesthood with no power. Caesar's marriage in 84 BC to Cornelia, the daughter of Marius's associate was a political Match (Lindsay Salo). When Lucius Cornelius Sulla, Marius's enemy and leader of the Optimates, was made dictator in 82 BC, he issued a list of enemies to be executed. Caesar was not harmed but he was ordered by Sulla to divorce Cornelia. Caesar refused that order and left Rome to join the army (Lindsay Salo) (Comptons Encyclopedia). This was the beginning of an astonishing military career. He became second in command of the province Asia (Turkey) (Lindsay Salo). In two years he proved his bravery and superior skills at arms. After these years and Sulla's resignation in 78 BC, Julius decided to return to Rome. There he served as an officer in Crassus's army against Spartacus, Caesar climbed steadily in the government by serving as an official in many provinces (Internet Explorer). After the death of his wife Cornelia, Julius remarried a wealthy wife and allied with Crassus, who was the richest man in Rome at the time (Internet Explorer). Their opponent was Pompeius Magnus (the Great). Caesar wanted to become part of the consulate. The consulate was a governmental position where two consuls, nominated each year, held the power of the state. Caesar was hoping that he and Crassus would become the powerful consuls of the Roman Empire. However, the Senate tried to stop his efforts by pitting Crassus, Pompeius and Caesar against each other. Caesar noticed this and did something believed impossible. Julius created an alliance among himself, Crassus, and Pompeius (Encarta 2000). The alliance made it possible for them all to share power. This three way consulship was called a Triumvirate (Internet Explorer). This agreement dictated the Roman policy for the next decade. They shared all offices between them and their followers and that's the way Caesar became Governor of Gaul Transalpinia (Encarta 2000). He had three legions (15,000 men) under his command. Julius Caesar then marched into Celtic Gaul, defeated the Helvetii, and forced them to return to their home (Encarta 200). Next, he crushed Germanic forces under Ariovistus and further proved his excellent leadership. Julius Caesar now turned his mind completely on politics. In 51 BC, while still fighting some resistant clans, he proposed to the Senate to extend his governor-ship for another two years, which allowed him to run for consul in the year 48 BC (A consul could only become consul again after 10 years). He said that he earned it based on his presentations in Gaul and referred to Pompeius whose governor ship in Spain had been extended the year before. But the senate hesitated. In the year 50 BC, Caesar still tried to extend his governor ship, but to ensure the loyalty of his army he doubled their pay. Other huge sums went into public funds and the creation of his own silver coins: "CAE" on one side and "SAR" on the other, and a kneeling Vercingetorix before him (Encarta 2000). The two consuls of 50 BC were hostile to him, but he managed to bribe one of them. This caused a stalemate in the Senate. Then, late in the fall, the senate decide that Caesar and Pompeius were to relinquish control of their armies and provinces. Caesar's followers tried to veto it, but the hostile consul ordered Pompeius to defend the Republic with two Legions at Capua and the authority to raise more. Caesar thereupon gathered his own armies and went south. Both commanders were still on speaking terms and Caesar made another proposal. The proposal was that he would relinquish control of all but two of his legions and The province of Cisalpine Gaul (the part of Gaul lying in Italy). Pompeius agreed, but the senate ordered him to wait. Caesar then made an ultimatum. Julius summed up his services to the state and demanded that he could keep his legions and provinces till he was elected consul. In January 49 BC Mark Anthony, Caesar's trusted lieutenant, demanded that the ultimatum he read aloud in the

Free Essays on Website Evaluation

The following evaluates Honda.com, Coca Cola.com, CNN.com and BBC.com. The evaluation emphasizes on the homepage standards, graphic layout, web design and color and fonts associated with the each website. CNN.com Home Page As we know that first impression is always critical, a homepage of a website sets the standard to the user and gives an idea how the site is going to be. In the case of CNN, the homepage is well designed for targeted users. In this case, target users are people 18 years or older. This site does not contain very fancy or colorful fonts as there are in sites that targets people under the age of 18. Design Aspects of the Home Page One important feature of web site design is ease of navigation. In the case of CNN.com, the left navigation bar is visible to the user every time they browse through different pages. Another design aspect of the page is letting the user know where they are when they browse through the website. In this case, as the user clicks through the navigation bar, and reaches a particular section, they can easily see in bold red letters on the top of the page in which section they are at the present moment. Fonts One important part of any professional website is their choice of fonts on what they are trying to present. In the case of Cnn.com, the choice of fonts is very legible and perfect for the purpose it serves. There is consistent use of the same font through the site. Font sizes and colors are well used. The color is not very flashy or dull and it compliments the background and stands out for the user to read easily. The font size is increased to emphasize particular news and colors are appropriately assigned to the type of news. Flaws One of the flaws that could be pointed out in the homepage is the amount of information that is being thrown at the user. It can be observed in the pictures above (which is only the homepage), that the user has too much information to look t... Free Essays on Website Evaluation Free Essays on Website Evaluation The following evaluates Honda.com, Coca Cola.com, CNN.com and BBC.com. The evaluation emphasizes on the homepage standards, graphic layout, web design and color and fonts associated with the each website. CNN.com Home Page As we know that first impression is always critical, a homepage of a website sets the standard to the user and gives an idea how the site is going to be. In the case of CNN, the homepage is well designed for targeted users. In this case, target users are people 18 years or older. This site does not contain very fancy or colorful fonts as there are in sites that targets people under the age of 18. Design Aspects of the Home Page One important feature of web site design is ease of navigation. In the case of CNN.com, the left navigation bar is visible to the user every time they browse through different pages. Another design aspect of the page is letting the user know where they are when they browse through the website. In this case, as the user clicks through the navigation bar, and reaches a particular section, they can easily see in bold red letters on the top of the page in which section they are at the present moment. Fonts One important part of any professional website is their choice of fonts on what they are trying to present. In the case of Cnn.com, the choice of fonts is very legible and perfect for the purpose it serves. There is consistent use of the same font through the site. Font sizes and colors are well used. The color is not very flashy or dull and it compliments the background and stands out for the user to read easily. The font size is increased to emphasize particular news and colors are appropriately assigned to the type of news. Flaws One of the flaws that could be pointed out in the homepage is the amount of information that is being thrown at the user. It can be observed in the pictures above (which is only the homepage), that the user has too much information to look t...

Together at One Altar Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Together at One Altar - Essay Example It provides them a working catechesis on the Eucharist and also allows learning about new translation of Roman Missal. This understanding is necessary to enable students to take active and conscious role in the liturgical celebrations. The information provided at the resource has been grouped into four basic themes including Explore, Craft, Celebrate, Live and the visitors could get hold of the information according to the age group and topic. The resource helps the teachers and parents to make the children well inform and well aware about the concept behind the liturgical formation. It explains each and every step involved in the liturgical ceremonies and also tells them the concept behind all the activities. The resource helps in approaching the minds of the students for making them open to think about liturgy and importance of liturgical formation. It also allows the teachers and parents to explain wide array of information to the children in well-organized manner to eliminate the possibilities of confusing or missing any important related point. Important Features of the resource Understanding the Christian traditions of liturgical spirituality is very important for the children so that the people of today and tomorrow could understand the way of prayers with which the Christians are generally familiar (Bradshaw, 1995) but many still need information and guidance to develop their strong beliefs and concepts while participating in the liturgical ceremonies. For this purpose it is important to get access to the resources that can help teaching the students according to their mind sets and thinking levels so that they become able to understanding the soul of liturgical formation (Baldwin, 1993). The resource contains extensive information about liturgical formation well organized under different sections and topics. The use of graphics makes the information even more interesting and appealing. Since it has been designed for the primary and secondary school stu dents, the basic concepts related with liturgical formation have been explained and explored from the base so that the children could easily understand the basic principles of liturgy and could develop very clear and informed concepts about the liturgical formation. All the four major sections of the resource are devoted to specific themes and under each theme information has been presented in form of rich media focus elements, activities and supporting contents. Furthermore, the links to relate resources are also provides with each topic so that if the students still have some questions unanswered in their mind they can go through the provided links to seek detailed answers of their questions related with that topic. The discussion questions are interesting way to engage the attention of the students towards the resource because it makes them thinking more about the topic and seeking more information to find out the satisfying answer of the questions being asked. Use of Resource in Liturgical Formation Children must be made well aware about the central theme and concept behind the liturgical formation rather simply putting them to participate in these ceremonies. It is very important that right from the childhood individuals gain deep understanding about the soul

The Co-Teaching Model Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

The Co-Teaching Model - Research Paper Example Co-teaching model keeps the implementation of these policies intact. The discussion contained in this article shall emphasize on the nature of co-teaching, the mode of instructional delivery, and its effectives in general and special education. While there had already been signs of the implementation of co-teaching models during the 1950s, it was only recently that co-teaching models are much more adopted in private and public schools. Several reasons can be counted as substantial in transpiring the employment of co-teaching models in schools: (1) The No Child Left Behind Act, which insisted that educators must guarantee that every student, "including those with disabilities and other special needs", develops competitiveness irrespective of physical circumstances. (2) The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1975), which required educators to employ educational inclusiveness by providing less restrictive learning environment (LRE) especially for students with serious disabilities. In fact, many strategies have been fashioned to realize these policies including, but not limited to, co-teaching. Over the last few years, co-teaching has "surfaced as a topic of discussion in schools throughout the country" (Cook, 2004). Hence, Marilyn Friend (2008) expresses that with the incrementing prevalence of co-teaching and "implied legislative stimulus for it", educators should go beyond simply knowing that such practice exists; educators must improve their understanding and competence concerning this practice. Generally, according to Cook (2004), co-teaching is an instructional approach that comprises two or more educators or other certified staff contracted to share instructional responsibility, "primarily in a single classroom or workplace and for a specific content". In contrary to the prevalent misconception regarding co-teaching, it is not necessarily collaborative, a team teaching or an inclusion (Cook, 2004). The

Vulnerable Population Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Vulnerable Population - Research Proposal Example the highest teen birth rate in the country (63.4 per 1,000) in 2005, closely followed by states Texas and New Mexico at 61.6 each; New Hampshire had the lowest teen birth rate (17.9). The report states â€Å"in 2006, the overall birth rate for 15– to 19– year-old females was 41.9, but So, why are the statistics for adolescent pregnancy in the US more than most other countries like Canada, UK or Sweden where teens are considered to be more sexually active? In fact there are more reasons than one (Strasburger, 2006). The youth today are not educated about birth control in their sex education classes. Parents are uncomfortable to discuss it with their children at home; even the media does not help much in promoting the concept of safe sex. Those countries which are more vocal about the issue are rewarded with low cases of unwanted pregnancy and STDs (sexually transmitted disease). Research has shown that main causes of teenage pregnancy comprise the lack of a sense of personal responsibility, immaturity, and most importantly being oblivious about the outcome of sexual intercourse. An interesting fact is that the decision to indulge in sexual activity is a complicated one, influenced by family, peers, religion, and individual behavior. In most cases, teenage pregnancy has close links with poverty, limited education and employment opportunities. Being underage, teenagers often face significantly higher complications both during pregnancy and delivery. This may include biological immaturity or complications associated with poor preconception health and antenatal care. â€Å"So, when teens become pregnant or contract an STD, they, their children, and society at large often pay a significant price, both in human and in monetary terms,† according to Douglas Kirby (2007). Here are some statistics from his article that reiterate this fact: â€Å"Roughly half (47 percent ) of all high school students in the U.S. report having sex at least once, and close to two-thirds (63

Effectiveness of CSR in Achieving Sustainable Development

Effectiveness of CSR in Achieving Sustainable Development CHAPTER I 1. Introduction Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a concept that has acquired a new character in the global economy. â€Å"With the advent of globalization, managers in different contexts have been exposed to the notion of CSR and are being pressured to adopt CSR initiatives† (Jamali and Sidani, 2008; 330). Therefore, even more corporations are increasing conscience about the importance of matching their own interests and the interests of society by taking responsibility for the impact of their activities on employees, suppliers, customers, communities and other stakeholders as well as the environment. Although, this is an obligation that goes beyond economics or law, and in which companies have to act ahead in pursuing long term goals that can also be good for the society and the environment as a whole. Intrinsically related to the topic of CSR is the protection of the environment for future generations through Sustainable actions. Not only because there has been an enormous technological progress that means we are not as much dependent as decades ago of a wide range of natural resources such as air, energy, land, and minerals. On the contrary, driven by the growth of the population and the hectic globalization, competition for those natural resources has been intense. As a result, this competition also brought a powerful driver for both environmental conflicts and damage to our fragile, life-supporting environment. A range of environmental disasters, such as climate change, ozone layer depletion, and soil contamination, have been occurring along the past decades and which turned organizations and society more aware of practice such as recycling, energy consumption, preservation, among others. â€Å"Evolving from an attitude of simply reacting to such disasters and their effects on the physical environment, corporate concerns now include strategic planning and looking at the environment in its multiple social, cultural, political, and institutional dimensions† (Enriquez and Drummond, 2007; 75). Therefore, the instruments of corporative citizenship turned also to the preservation of the environment as a strategic element for enterprises in the whole world. Along with the development for part of the organizations of clean technologies, there is also the concern in getting a green image, which put organizations’ sustainable activities into practice calling for an Ecobusiness. Especially in the past two years, 2008 and 2009, the world was marked by a financial crisis that had an impact in economies of organizations in general. Nevertheless, the financial crisis is not causing firms or governments to abandon sustainable development. In fact, many business and government suggest that a ‘green solution’ can be found to both economic and ecological challenges, creating new jobs and markets by investing in new forms of energy, redesigning or retrofitting buildings and equipment, and managing forests and other ecosystems sustainably. Mineral industries, for example, are using the actual crisis on their own benefit, attempting to identify domains where actions are required and trying to shape a different future to this industry, taking advantage of the actual scenario. To achieve that they make use of available data and information to appreciate the mining sector’s impact, giving support to decision makers in their strategic choices. The actions of Alcoa Inc., for example, are impressive and unique, the company interplays among intangibles as leadership and innovation as well as a strong CSR strategy, wisingly aligning society, workplace and environment, productivity, and financial performance in the context of a traditional manufacturing company. This project research examines the existing literature in an attempt to create a more comprehensive perspective of what has been written about the topic of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development. The project’s approach was qualitative in nature and focused on discovering what researchers and authors have explored and understand about this complex subject. Besides, it looks at some of the principal favourable and unfavourable arguments to the social responsibility of enterprises, especially when they are being considered by multinational enterprises interested in initiating activities into developing countries, with focus into Brazil. We also propose some alternatives of acting in the area of Social Responsibility made by Alcoa Inc., considering the current Brazilian reality, with the aim of achieving Sustainable Development. This dissertation is divided in two parts. Part one will be based in secondary data and involves: Chapter II, which comprises the literature review that examines existent work in current trends involving the subject of CSR as well as paradigms as SD in order to help establish what values associated indicators could contain. Chapter III, the explanation of the methodology used along the development of the project. Part two, comprises Chapter IV, which examines factors involving Alcoa Inc., taking into account its current CSR and SD actions and strategies, making use of a questionnaire, answered by some of the organization’s managers, in relation to the issues encountered in the literature. Chapter V, will draw conclusions, make future recommendations and points out gaps for future research. 1.2 Research Title The Effectiveness of Corporate Social Responsibility as a means of achieving Sustainable Development: a case study of Alcoa Incorporation. 1.3 Research Background In the modern complex and dynamic business environment, most organizations are adopting a global attitude making sure that they are geared for being global. Furthermore, it is common knowledge that the world is constantly developing and changing and no change is permanent because any change is about to be further adjusted in the short or long run to suit the environment and the challenges they face. Organizations are now more powerful and have more influence in the society. Therefore, â€Å"The notion of corporate social responsibility today functions as an emblem, that the company themselves rise towards a consensual â€Å"social revolution† that will eventually benefit all the stakeholders of our society† (Habish et al, 2005; 271). Corporate social responsibility intrinsically relates to environmental issues faced globally, especially in the early stages of the twenty-first century and sustaining in a particular industry has become very difficult task for many businesses. â€Å"Employees, investors and consumers are becoming increasingly more aware of the social and environmental impact to people and planet that a company produces, which are both positive and negative. As consumers become even more aware of sustainable practices, there will be even greater demands for business communities to do the right thing, requiring enhanced ethical leadership and CSR to drive profits, and brand loyalty† (Mamic, 2004; Leffel, Sweeney, 2007 cited by Maass, 2007; 36) Alcoa is â€Å"the worlds leading producer and manager of primary aluminium, fabricated aluminium, and alumina facilities. In the framework of sustainability, Alcoa is considered one of the top three companies in the world in terms of commitment to sustainable development and has made use of an environmental strategy associated with a truthful social responsibility in order to gain competitive advantage and success in the marketplace. For example, for three years the Company has been sponsoring the Internethos program, directed at the development of Corporate Social Responsibility for Sustainability (www.alcoa.com). Moreover, â€Å"Recognition from the Covalence Ethical Ranking drives the company to intensify actions of engagement of strategic publics. In 2006, the company was indicated as world leader in ethics, in the mining and metallurgical Industry, according to Covalence Ethical Ranking† (Alcoa annual report, 2006/2007; 41) 1.4 Research Aims Analyse how corporate social responsibility can ensure competitive advantage and success in achieving sustainable development. To explore, analyze and identify the use of environmental strategy as a tool of achieving global success. Analyse the importance of achieving sustainable development in today’s global environment. 1.5 Research Objectives To evaluate, in an environmental perspective, the effectiveness of corporate social responsibility in today’s global business. To evaluate, in an environmental perspective, the effectiveness of corporate social responsibility on achieving sustainability. To establish the feasibility of using corporate social responsibility within the industry to align strategic planning with sustainable development. To analyse and find out the implications of corporate social responsibility in Alcoa’s Inc. environmental management. To identify the extent to which the environmental management is involved in strategic planning at Alcoa Inc. To identify how important is environmental sensitivity to a company that extracts natural resources. To analyse in depth the integration of sustainability to Alcoa’s overall business giving emphasis to Brazil. To investigate practices used by Alcoa Inc. in its implementation of corporate social responsibility as a means of achieving sustainable development. 1.6 Rationale of the project The objective of this project was to gather information that could be useful and benefit different organizations in engaging in environmental strategies by the concept of corporate social responsibility. Moreover, data collected can also guide corporations by providing them with an understanding of sustainable development and the resources they can make use of to establish a sustainable future for society and the environment. The information gathered for this present work was collected through an extensive literature review as well as the use of different sources of information, such as videos. In addition, a questionnaire was used in order to collect insight information on the organization’s management perspectives and its corporate social responsibility strategies for a sustainable development and prosperous business. CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction Social Responsibility actions are examples of a phenomenon of great proportions, which have been taken into more consideration in the business world, and reflect a new world-wide configuration. Historical recent events, in special environmental catastrophes around the globe, developed the academic discussion on the social paper of organizations, public and private, in the construction of the called sustainable development. Investors originated from richest countries have been realizing that economical survival and social balance is a long-term phenomenon more and more dependent of a constant preoccupation with levels of development of the least favoured areas of the globe (Parker, 1998). In the context of globalization, Social Responsibility has started to be understood as an essential instrument to be considered by organizations’ strategists in the sense of paying attention to the social demands of several economical agents involved. Apart from the internationalization strategy adopted, multinational enterprises installed in developing countries are under pressure in adopting an ethical and responsible posture. Meantime, many actions carried out by multinational enterprises, through their own foundations or partnerships with local agencies, have been questioned for disregarding the participation of local actors in the decision processes, in the resource allocation and in the evaluation of results. 2.2 Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility â€Å"Some vigorous critics and Marxists tend to dismiss the link between business and ethics† (Shaw, 2009; 2). For example, â€Å"It was widely assumed that business and ethics were radically different and that ethical behaviour had little or no return on investment† (Brenkert, 2004; 188). However, on current days, ethical issues are being one of the most important subjects concerning organizations across the world, which now view business ethics not only in terms of administrative compliance with legal standards, rules or regulations as they used to do in the past. Some corporations are even creating their own written and formal ethical codes in addition with the use of different systems, like corporate social responsibility, to help them to create and maintain an ethical organization culture. Accordingly, Shaw affirms, â€Å"Business ethics thus involves studying the ways to refine and reinforce the implicit norms of the business system† (Shaw, 2009; 3). Nevertheless, Corporate Social Responsibility is topic of great value in business ethics, as reinforced by Ghauri and Cateora (2006; 468): â€Å"Ethics and social responsibility go hand in hand†. Organizations are increasing conscience about the importance of matching their own interests and the interests of society by taking responsibility for the impact of their activities on employees, suppliers, customers, communities and other stakeholders as well as the environment. Kotler and Lee (2005; 161) argue, â€Å"The first ethical duty of business is to do not harm. Companies are responsible for minimizing stakeholder’s risks. This is the heart of business ethics.† In fact, when ethical issues come to the organization field, a question is raised: â€Å"Of all these stakeholders, which should or will have the most or least influence over the ‘ethical’ rules that will be applied by the organization?† (Buhalis and Laws, 2001; 88) Despite of all the suggestions given in relation to CSR and business ethics, Jones et al (2005; 19) points out the fact â€Å"†¦ whether business ethics will actually make business more ethical.† In a current globalized environment, companies play an important role in the social structure and more than ever before, are being encouraged to improve their business practices by emphasizing ethical behaviour, not only through the development of new technologies but also through social and environmental initiatives. Companies are increasingly being held accountable for their actions, especially with the growth in demand for higher standards of corporate social responsibility. Sims (2003; 8) links the concept of ethics and social responsibility saying that: â€Å"Being socially responsible, ethical, and a good corporate citizen is important to meeting and exceeding the expectations for any organization’s stakeholders†. And affirms: â€Å"Organizational management that truly cares about business and corporate social responsibility is proactive rather than reactive in linking strategic action and ethics†. The structure of society has changed due to globalization changes, and the importance of businesses impact in society forced organizations to rethink their actions towards profitability, also promoting the development of concepts like sustainability. Nisberg (1988; 43 cited by Kilcullen and Kooistra, 1999; 158) gives an important definition of business ethics, which according to the author â€Å"can be defined as a set of principles that guides business practices to reflect a concern for society as a whole while pursuing profits†. However, with the relentless pursuit of profit in this actual globalized situation, how to maximise profit and act as an ethical company at the same time? A good understanding of what exactly is the term Corporate Social Responsibility is essential in order to answer and explain this question through different perspectives and theories. 2.3 History and Definitions of Corporate Social Responsibility The history of Corporate Social Responsibility can be compared as being as old as the history of business; however, its concept has not been fully formulated until now (Asongu, 2007; 28; Crane et al, 2008). May et al (2007; 4) also adds â€Å"Questions regarding the nature, scope and impact of organizations have been present into various forms for centuries ranging across the ‘classical’, ‘medieval’, ‘mercantile’, ‘industrial’ and ‘corporate eras’†. Taking into consideration only the period after the Industrial Revolution, or better saying the 20th century, the first author who directly contributed to the responsibility issue was Clark (1916; 210 cited by Secchi, 2007; 351) when he affirmed that â€Å"The old idea of free will is giving way to determinism, individualism to public control, personal responsibility to social responsibility.† During the period of 1930s and 1940s, called as the ‘corporate period’ references about social responsibility can be found, for example: Chester Barnard’s, ‘The functions of the Executive’ (1938) and Theodore Kreps’s ‘Measurement of the social performance of business’ (1940). (Crane et al, 2008). Murphy (cited by Crane et al, 2008), on the other hand classified Corporate Social Responsibility in four eras as follows: Philanthropic era (up to 1950s), awareness era (1953 to 1967), issue era (1968 to 1973) and awareness era (1974 until now). According to Secchi (2007; 348), however, â€Å"One of the first attempts at classifying theories on CSR (business and society issues) was made by Preston (1975).† This shows that the concept of CSR has been discussed for long but in fact, has not yet been fully understood and placed among organizations. Recently, empirical research about Corporate Social Responsibility and its relation to Corporate Social Performance and Sustainability provokes many contradictions in the literature. Due especially to the occurrence of different scandals among enterprises as well as the movement towards an environmentalist society rather than materialist, competitive labour market and shrinking role of government, there were a rise of interest in Corporate Social Responsibility in the past decades (Carrasco and Yakovleva, 2007; 15-16). Many authors affirm that business and society are interrelated entities rather than being distinctively separated (Kotler, 2005; Wood, 1991 cited by Moir, 2001). According to Watts et al (1998; 3 cited by Yakovleva, 2005; 12) â€Å"Corporate Social Responsibility is the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well of the local community and society at large†. Corporate Social Responsibility, thus, reflect the responsibility or accountability of organizations in pro not only of its stakeholders but also of its surrounding environment, taking into consideration the various practices that can affect those. Carroll (1979), on the other hand, proposed a four-layered concept, which was the most accepted model, suggesting four corporations’ responsibilities related to their economical, legal ethical and philanthropic aspects. All those four aspects are of great meaning to the CSR concept, however, our current work focuses more on the top of the pyramid, which encompasses the philanthropic responsibilities. â€Å"Philanthropic responsibility: Interest in doing good for society, regardless of its impact on the bottom line is what is called altruistic, humanitarian or philanthropic CSR. â€Å"giving back† time and money in the forms of voluntary service, voluntary association and voluntary giving – is where most of the controversy over the legitimacy of CSR lies† (Shahin and Zairi, 2007; 755) According to Carroll, the philanthropic responsibilities are discretionary being, therefore, less important than the other categories; on the other hand, as said before, is the one that brings the most controversial issues. The definition proposed by Gauri and Cateora (2005) follows the same idea, where the role of a company in the society goes beyond its economic goals. As we can see, definitions relating CSR are various and contradictory among the literature which makes its study more exciting. 2.4 Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility Governance is defined by Dam et al (2007; 1333) as â€Å"the set of informal arrangements that are used in handling the consequences of these unforeseen states of the world†. As a result of globalization, different global governance structures have emerged, transforming the CSR concept more difficult to be understood. This new global governance brought about the participation by firms in tasks that used to be the government’s domain. (Cutler et al., 1999; Scholte, 2001 cited by Albareda, 2008). Corporate Social Responsibility, therefore, â€Å"can be seen as a new governance arena† (Haufler, 1999; Scholte, 2001 cited by Albareda, 2008; 434). Castka et al (2004 cited by Shahin and Zairi, 2007; 761) proposed a useful framework, based on three major assumptions: â€Å"(1) The CSR framework should be integrated into business systems, objectives, targets, and performance measures. (2) The governance system, whose purpose is to control, provide resources, opportunities, strategic direction of the organisation and be held responsible for doing so, is an integral part of business hence CSR system. (3) Central to the CSR framework is the transformation of stakeholders’ needs and expectation into business strategy, where the organisation has to balance the need for CSR from their key stakeholders with entrepreneurship.† Corporate Social Responsibility is considered deliberate governance, however, influenced directly or indirectly by demands from global civil society, Non Government Organizations, or even the government itself. Thus, Corporate Social Responsibility plays a major role in the global economic and political activities of corporations. â€Å"To exercise this political power in international society, companies as private authorities have adopted different mechanisms. The most important of these have been inter-firm cooperative instruments, fundamentally through the creation of CSR business associations† (Albareda, 2008; 434). The implications of poor corporate governance for people’s lives are tremendous, either in a developed or in a developing country, like Brazil for instance. Most of the Brazilian corporations are still dominated by a family-owned management, who are therefore, the main, if not the only shareholders of the company. This fact can interfere severely in the potential of corporate governance. â€Å"Brazil is a country with strong authoritarian traditions, and inadequate corporate governance laws make it possible to perpetuate authoritarian and concentrated influence over governance structures† (Oman, 2003; 35). Nevertheless, especially in the past decades, there has been intensification of businesses in relation to governance and sustainability in countries like Brazil. Paro and Boechat (2008; 533-534) illustrate it: â€Å"One of the most significant Brazilian non-governmental organizations with the specific mission to mobilize companies around this issue – the Ethos Institute of Business and Social Responsibility, founded in 1998 – had 1,266 member companies in November 2007. Around 74 Brazilian companies have published reports based on the Global Reporting Initiative guidelines (GRI, 2007), and the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange (Bovespa) launched in 2005 its own Corporate Sustainability Index (ISE), which now has 32 companies listed†. Well-managed corporate governance can have positive effects on socio-economic development; it also hence sustained productivity growth and reforms on regulatory practices, although its benefits cannot be taken into consideration without strengthening the examination of business practices and the government environment as a whole. 2.5 Building Corporate Social Responsibility into Strategy Corporate and business strategy according to Foss (1997) has different meanings in relation to the kind of decisions to be made. The first relates to decisions that determines the company’s goals and objectives, the latter though, determines how the company will position itself in relation to its competitors, defining its business and resources. McManus (2008; 1069) affirms: â€Å"The term strategy is derived from the Greek Strategia or generalship, sometimes translated as the art of war. The metaphor of business as war, a competition to be won, is pervasive.† The first author who actually exposed the link between strategy and Corporate Social Responsibility was Michael Porter. He argues that â€Å"corporate social responsibility can be a source of innovation and competitive advantage if incorporated into the framework of analysis that companies use to guide their business strategy† (Porter and Kramer, 2006 cited by McManus, 2008; 1077). Corporations have now added value-creation to their core business always considering its stakeholders’ needs to develop a strategy that is going to keep the company in a competitive advantage position. This is what drives a company to strive in management initiatives, especially if those initiatives are driven towards the achievement of sustainable development. Lee (2008, cited by McManus, 2008; 1075) argues, â€Å"There has been an evolution in CSR from the macro-societal level to the organizational level, with a greater emphasis on managerial, strategic, and ultimately financial issues to the point that the key issue in 2008 is how to integrate CSR into one’s core business.† Organizations integrated to societal aspects are trying to be aware of the implications of the environment they are in and building, therefore, its strategy based in a social/environmental mission and vision. On the other hand, â€Å"recent reports reveal that almost six out of ten organizations have no strategy for CSR while many companies are unclear as to how to adequately anticipate which social issues will affect their overall strategy† (The Work Foundation, 2002; McKinsey and Company, 2006 cited by Galbreath, 2009; 109) The importance of keeping the integration of a company’s core business and its strategy according to the society’s (stakeholders) needs determine the effectiveness of a business and its position in the marketplace. Galbreath (2009; 122) also draws a model of corporate strategy in relation to the society as follows: [image] Figure 2 Source: Strategy in the context of society (Galbreath, 2009; 122). Not only the strategy itself, but also a change on the decision-making framework plays an important role. The use of the classical American pragmatic decision-making is one example. â€Å"The use of pragmatic decision making would inherently lead to the consideration of ecological issues within the decision-making process while fostering competitive advantage† (York, 2009; 102) In conclusion, as McManus (2008; 1068) says, â€Å"Perhaps, the greatest contribution of the mash-up CSR and business strategy will be, not in the details of particular approaches to its realization, but rather the change in consciousness of individual business people its emergence may signal.† 2.6 Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility The first important point in the leadership context is to understand that ethics is not something we born with. Many authors say that along the years we are taught by the community conventions, norms, and regulations that guide our ethical behaviours (Trevinâ‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢o and Nelson, 2004). The same occurs with an organization, where norms, regulations, and values are drawn along the years, guiding their employees and creating its culture, but in this case, the founder has a crucial position, being the one who first underlie most of the organization’s ethics code. Another important issue consists in how hierarchy of power is distributed in the organization; this is explained because the flow of integrity and moral actions always comes from the top to the bottom of the organization hierarchy and this explains why the founder plays a key role in creating the culture and guiding decisions. This relates to the called learning theory, where leaders are perceived as role models. (Hind et al, 2009) Daboub et al (1995 cited by Hind et al, 2009; 8) â€Å"developed a model which suggested a relationship between the characteristics of an organization’s top management team and corporate irresponsibility, even criminality. The model holds that, other variables being equal, the greater the proliferation of formal management qualifications (e.g. MBA’s) in a top management team, the higher the chances of corporate criminality. The implication of this is that management educators do not seem to be addressing the current and future developmental needs of managers who are required to respond to changing social norms for higher ethical, accountable, and sustainable standards in business.† 2.7 Voluntarism and Accountability of Companies There are two contradicting views in the role of voluntarism in CSR: The first view is supported by Carrol and Buchholtz, (1999 cited by Yakovleva, 2005; 14) and suggests that â€Å"CSR refers to both types of corporate operations: operations towards compliance with legislation requirements and voluntary operations towards social benefit not stipulated by law or economic requirements†. The second view, however, suggests that the firm itself should call for the stakeholder’s interest voluntarily and â€Å"considers that CSR starts when law ends† (Yakovleva, 2005; 14). All those contradictions are part of the inconsistency in defining the term CSR. Corporate Social Responsibility according to Keinert (2008) is concerned to how corporations tackle external pressures responding to them accordingly. Moreover, she adds â€Å"It does not question the ‘rightness’ of social expectations from an ethical, theoretical point of view, but seeks way of implementing them† (Keinert 2008; 45) Apart from this point of view, corporations are responsible, nowadays, alongside the government, to the interests of its employees and society as a whole being also accountable for its actions. Thus, accountability is another important feature of Corporate Social Responsibility. Zadek (2007; 10) argues: embracing accountability for their actions, corporations â€Å"contribute to addressing societal needs and challenges in ways that could also deliver economic value and success.† According to the IPEA (Instituto de Pesquisa Econà ´mica Aplicada), â€Å"Social Accountability 8000 is the first norm turned to the improvement of the conditions of work, including the principal labour rights and certifying the fulfilment through independent auditors. The Social Accountability International LEAVES-, a non-government organization created in 1997 in USA, developed it and which has its action turned to the preoccupation of the consumers for the conditions of work in the world. The norm follows the standard of the ISO 9000 and of the ISO 14000, which makes its introduction easier for enterprises that already know this system†Ã¢â‚¬  (www.ipea.gov.br). â€Å"One of the basic propositions from social accountability favourable to the contemporary point of view is based on Keith Davis’ ideas† (apud Certo Peter, 1993; 281 cited by Souza, 2004; 31). According to them, â€Å"enterprises must operate as an opened system with two hands, with information reception from society and opened advertisement about their operations with the public.† (Souza, 2004; 31) In agreement with this proposition, the enterprise must be disposed to hearing the society and working in the construction of its well-being. 2.8 Corporate Social Responsibility and Profitability Whilst some authors defend Social Responsibility as a solution for organizations and society’s sustainability issues in the long-term, others are emphatic, affirming that it is not reasonable to imagine that the

Abortion In Our Modern Society :: essays research papers fc

I believe that it is a woman’s right to choose whether or not she shall have a child. The issue of abortion is widely disputed in our nation, and is considered taboo because it has to do with sex. Many people are against abortion because of religious or moral beliefs. However, most of the people who argue against abortion have no adopted children. The reality is this: if an unwanted child is born into this world, they will suffer a great deal throughout their life. Also, the abortion is performed when the child is not yet developed. Still, many persons throughout the United States consider abortion to be nothing but infanticide. Of course, there is a risk involved with abortion, but as science improves, so does the safety of such practices. There is a small chance that a woman undergoing an abortion will be subject to hemorrhage (a 1 in 14,799 chance), sepsis (a 1 in 4,722 chance), tetanus, and anemia. Such events rarely happen, though. So, besides health risks and moral and religious beliefs, abortions are a good thing for quite a few reasons.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First of all, in many scenarios, an abortion is necessary and it would be wrong not to let the mother choose an abortion. For example, if a woman is raped, is she expected to keep the child? Of course not! Even if the mother decided to have the baby and support it, for the rest of her life she will be burdened simply because she was a victim of a predator. Also, if a woman was being safe and using protection, and the protection failed, she should be given the chance to choose. Although it was partly her fault, she was being responsible for her actions and practicing safe sex. Finally, there is the circumstance under which tests prove that if the baby is born, it will be deformed or handicapped. Such a child will suffer for the rest of their life, however short it may be. Though the parents may choose to keep the child, if it will suffer physically, they might want to stop its suffering before it even starts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Plus, not as many people misuse the practice as we may think. After all, abortions are not cheap, anywhere from $300 to $2000. Surgical abortion in or before the first trimester can be performed by either menstrual extraction or vacuum aspiration.

Espionage Act 1917

Many historians, politicians, experts, believe that the Espionage Act of 1917 was one of the must controversial laws passed. This law was passed on June 15, 1917 shortly after the United States entered world war I. The reason why many people believe this law was so controversial, is that many argue that it directly affected the constitutional right of freedom of speech. The reason is because this act originally prohibited any attempt to interfere with military operations, to support United States enemies during wartime, it also prohibited promoting insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, refusal in the military, and or to interfere with military recruitment. The punishment for braking this law could be punishable by death or by imprisonment for not more that 30 years or both and fines up too $10,000. Moreover, many believed that this restrictions were unconstitutional, but later on in 1919 the U. S Supreme Court unanimously ruled in court case Schenck v. United States that the act dud not violate the freedom of speech of those convicted under its provisions. President Woodrow Wilson Attorney General Thomas Watt Gregory and Jon Crawford supported the pass of the act, however the viewed it as a compromise. This document it quite important to historians that would like to study laws related to people leaving in the United States during this era. This article helps historians understand the importance of the U. S trying to keep a sense of control on their own grounds. By the government implanting this law they can feel a little safer of retaliation. Regardless, people still protested and did things that opposed the law. However, by having the law it helps to keep that control. This shows historians that besides all the problems going on overseas, the president it still had and â€Å"urgency† of having some type of law protecting the U. S form any type of anarchy, or interference with the military. Moreover, this document can give a lot of insight to historians that study human group movements or the arrest of political figures. For example, anti-war groups like Frayhayt or â€Å"left-wing† politicians like Bill Haywood, Philip Randolph, John Reed. This document could be used for historians with a specialty in law, or historians that study political people and group organizations during this time

Business Studies Coursework

Business Studies Coursework Business Studies Coursework Business Studies Coursework Business studies coursework writing should start with the effective introduction presenting the reader to the topic, lead to well-developed and logically presented main points, and end with the relevant conclusion. Business studies coursework writing is not easy because in addition to following the academic standards of coursework writing, you must relate your writing to the real life examples. Sometimes, business studies coursework is to be presented in the form of the case study. Sometimes, you have a specific case to read and then provide answers to the questions on the case. Sometimes, you are required to conduct the research on the particular business issue and present your business studies coursework in the form of the report. There are many possible formats to follow, but the rules for successful business studies coursework writing are the same. If you need professional help with writing your business studies coursework, you may rely on our custom writing service and get a cus tom written coursework! Step 1: Choose the Business Studies Coursework Topic Do not think that having a general topic is enough to write a good coursework. The truth is that good business studies coursework are focused and narrow enough to exhibit your deep understanding of the issue. For example, if your teacher asks you write a business studies coursework about ethics at workplace, you should not try to cover all possible aspects of the topic. It would be much more effective to choose one aspect of workplace ethics (discrimination against female workers and the reaction of management to it, for example) to develop your writing. Of course, you need to ask your teacher about the specifics beforehand. It can be the case that you must cover the general topic of business ethics. Step 2: Include Evidence in your Business Studies Coursework It is of primary importance to support the ideas made in business studies coursework with factual reliable information. Rely on statistics, official reports, governmental publications, Harvard business case studies, etc. Here is the example of data to include in your coursework: It is estimated by Otto T. Mallery that government outlays in America have grown to about $900,000,000 a year, of which one-third or $300,000,000 might be set aside annually in accumulating a reserve for increased expenditures during periods of partial business collapse. The periods for reserve he concludes, are on the average about four years thus supplying a possible total of $1,200,000,000 public reserve fund to plump into the deepening trough of cyclical depression. Of this very tidy sum Mr. Mallery thinks two-thirds or $800,000,000 would normally be expended in wages. This, added to the non-reserve-year pay-roll of $600,000,000 offers a possible expenditure during one year when the effects of industrial depression become ominous-of $1,400,000,000 for direct employment. This would be of enormous benefit in avoiding acute distress. Step 3: Proofread your Business Studies Coursework This step appears to be evident but yet it is often ignored by the students. It is normal to make mistakes and mistype the words. However, it is unacceptable to submit business studies coursework without proofreading: It takes a lot of time and efforts to write a good business studies coursework while many students are not able to afford their time to coursework writing as there many other tasks to accomplish. We offer you an effective and working solution: custom coursework writing help! Our coursework writers are qualified to help you with writing and they will definitely follow all requirements. We deliver only custom coursework written from scratch and 100% original! If you need help with religious coursework writing or looking for paper editing help, our writers are always online to assist you with all types of assignments! Interesting posts: Political Science Thesis Parts of a Thesis Master Thesis Get Dissertation Help Dissertation Subjects

Making a Dissertation in Finance and Accounting

Making a Dissertation in Finance and Accounting Throughout your stay in college, you have faced different writing tasks and we suggest you managed to cope with them, but it is imperative for you to know that writing a dissertation is an entirely different task. Sorry to burst your bubble, dissertations are hard due to numerous facts which include: the necessity to write 100% for original, the use of extensive research and eliminating all fluff from your writing. Therefore, to help simplify your task, some important tips will be included here to reduce your workload. Dissertations are Original Pieces of Work The average dissertation is a lengthy, formal document that is written to argue a particular thesis or a subject. Its length connotes that you must make use of substantial information to discuss or defend the original thoughts related to your dissertation topic. Therefore, the essence of a dissertation is to judge your critical thinking abilities and your ability to state lessons learned not just an outpouring of facts in your paper. Ideas and Analysis must be backed with Facts Data or organized information provide the backbone for facts, and every dissertation topic must be illuminated with the use of supporting facts making your topic well-argued or providing a discussion through your thought patterns and the conclusion they lead to. Therefore, it is of great importance to do the needed work which may be scientific research or in finance and accounting, statistical research to come up with the facts needed to lend credibility to your work. Lastly, it is important to note that every statement in a dissertation must be backed-up with supporting data. Organize your Work Excellent dissertations are categorized by the amount of work you put into structuring the information you include into the final draft. Regardless of how good your research results are, if they are not presented in such a manner that enhances the readability of your dissertation, your results are automatically undermined. So creating an initial template for drafting your dissertation or using the assigned template provided by your school will go a long way in helping you organize the entire dissertation regardless of its word count. Grammatical Correctness is Key A dissertation is the crowning jewel of everything you have gone   through during the course of a school year or the entire pursuit of your degree. Therefore, you cannot afford being lackadaisical with your use of English when writing the most important piece of your college career. The key to staying on the right side of grammatical correctness  is to constantly edit your work as well as take advantage of the talents of an experienced writer by asking for help in editing your dissertation. In conclusion, the work you are expected to put in when writing a dissertation is a far cry from what you have previously done in your essay writing class. So, a little planning, perseverance and diligence wouldn’t go amiss if achieving the best score possible is your personal goal. To support the information provided here, extra reading materials such as 10 facts for a dissertation in finance and accounting should also be consulted. Finally, if you are having some challenges with coming up with a topic, the article 20 topics for a dissertation in finance and accounting will surely direct you.

Race and Ethnicity (population of the US) Essay

Race and Ethnicity (population of the US) - Essay Example The American colonies were based on social class and religion, not skin color, for their first 50 years (Adelman, 2003, p. 22). 1800 - 1810 - The second census was taken under the direction of the Secretary of State and included the states and territories northwest of the Ohio River and Mississippi Territory. The count included head of household, free white males, free white females, other free persons (except Indians) and slaves. The count was 5.3 million people and grew to 7.2 million in 1810. 1820 - The categories were expanded to include head of household, free white males and females by age group, foreigners not naturalized, free colored by age group, male and female slaves by age group, number of all other persons except Indians (not taxed). The total was 9.6 million people. 1830 - Blind persons, blind slaves and colored persons, deaf-mutes, deaf-mute slaves and colored persons, and white aliens were categorized, with a total of 12.9 million people. In 1828, Andrew Jackson had made removing all Indians east of the Mississippi central to his agenda, considering them inherently unable to be civilized (Adelman). According to Adelman, race is a concept that was invented to categorize the perceived biological, social and cultural differences between human groups (p. 20). 1840 - The census was expanded to include occupat... e, sex, color; occupation of males over 15; value of real estate, place of birth, change of status within the year, whether person could read or write if over 20, whether deaf-mute, blind, insane, an idiot, a pauper or a convict. Slave schedules were also included. Total was 32.4 million people. 1870, 1880, 1890- The census was expanded to include Chinese, mulatto and Indian, in addition to white and black. The Chinese had come to America to build the railroads in the west. The Civil War and Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation had ended slavery. The census was divided into citizens over 21 and whether their right to vote was denied. Total was 38.6 million people in 1870 and 63 million people by 1890. The industrial revolution was underway, increasing immigrant population, and a special census was taken in 1890 to count Civil War veterans and widows of veterans. 1900-1930 - The population grew from 92.2 million to 123.2 million and categories were divided into sub categories with the addition of employment status (during the Great Depression), whether occupant was a farmer or a homeowner, and citizenship was broken down into years in U.S., aliens applying for citizenship, naturalized citizens. Anyone with any black ancestry at all was counted as black (Wright, 1994). 1940-2000 - The current U.S. Federal Government's Racial and Ethnic Group Classification System is uniquely American and includes American Indian or Alaskan Native; Asian; Black or African American; Hispanic or Latino; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and White (About.com: Current, 2008). The more that is done to divide the population of the United States into groups, the more confusing these categories become. The concept of biological race calls for one ethnic origin, and there is no

Gender Gap Between Male and Female Obstetrics and Gynecology Essay

Gender Gap Between Male and Female Obstetrics and Gynecology - Essay Example This gender gap is not only in Britain but in the United States as well and hence making the gender gap continue to increase (Higham and Philip 142). Male as well as female medical students all receive the same kind of training in medical colleges on gynecological and obstetrician training and are therefore competent. This, therefore, means that female patients should not be afraid to be examined by the male doctors because they may even have more experience and expertise than some of the female ob-gyns when it comes to diagnosis and even treatment (Tseng and Jon Mark 17). The lack of involvement or totally keeping male students out of this field of medicine shuts men out of women’s health issues including the issues on reproduction especially relating to contraceptive which should be a shared decision between men and women (Boulis and Jerry 154). There will also be a lack of gender equality which is being advocated for in society in all careers and also there will be a lack of future role models in the society. Higham, Jenny, and Philip, Steer. â€Å"Gender gap in undergraduate experience and performance in obstetrics and gynecology: analysis of clinical experience logs.†