Housing and environmental issues Essay

Community development officer: CDOs should have: †¢ the ability to communicate with a wide range of people †¢ the ability to manage a budget †¢ sensitivity in dealing with multi-cultural issues, such as religion †¢ networking skills and a good memory for names and faces †¢ the ability to work on their own initiative †¢ Commitment to social inclusion issues. CDOs may work for a local authority; he must also involve public decision in multi cultural communities housed by the associations. Public involvement in regeneration is widely held to be a good thing. There are very few who write about or comment on regeneration, however it is defined who do not claim that public involvement is an important if not essential component of effective and successful regeneration. And to a great extent this has been the position in the UK and elsewhere for well over a century. However, there are very few studies that have set out to measure and to analyse the impact of public involvement. In other words, few researchers have attempted to see what difference it makes in practice to involve the public and whether any such differences are positive, in the sense of being both anticipated and desired. There are, nevertheless, many studies that shed some light on the processes of public involvement and draw conclusions about its impact in specific cases. The conclusion of many of these studies is that public involvement did not work very well in practice: it was embarked upon too late; insufficient resources were provided to make it effective; the local environment was not very conducive; and key decisions continued to be taken by people not living in the areas affected. The importance of involving the public in attempts to improve and regenerate neighbourhoods has been recognised for many years. However, the consensus around the value and potential benefits of greater public involvement has probably never been stronger, not least because government has put it at the centre of its plans to modernise both the delivery of public services and the very processes of government. A simple theory of public participation The political imperatives driving forward the agenda of public participation are well established, but three stand out at present. First is the belief that participation is intrinsically good and worthwhile, and hence more participation is desirable. Second is the growing acknowledgement that many major policy issues do not appear to be capable of obvious resolution – they can be termed ‘wicked problems’ for this reason (Rittel and Weber, 1973). An obvious consequence of this recognition is to take a more open approach to their resolution, in other words to allow a wider range of partners into the arena of policy debate and hence to share the burden of resolution. Finally, there is a clear belief that greater participation is needed to stem if not reverse the apparent decline in social capital charted by Putnam (2001) and his followers (see DeFilipis, 2001). A slightly broader set of factors can be derived from the wider academic literature where at least four distinct explanations of or justification for greater public participation in government generally are apparent. Instrumentalist conceptions point to the fact that individuals are the best judges of their own interests and hence by participating in policy debates and political discussions they are best able to articulate and advance these interests. The job of government then lies in the aggregation of individual interests and the balancing of conflicting positions into a plausible public interest. Communitarian conceptions take a different approach and advocate a more collective or social approach among the participating public, such that a negotiated view of the public interest is provided to rather than by government. Of course government may then have to perform further rounds of aggregation or even facilitate further rounds of negotiation or consensus building, but the public plays a more prominent part in the social construction of their own idea of public interest. In this conception there is some degree of aggregation but government is still left to aggregate, adjudicate or reconcile the possibly conflicting views of different communities or even coalitions of communities. Educative approaches suggest that public participation helps in developing a more sophisticated understanding of the complexities of policy issues; of the ethical dilemmas and the need to make trade-offs for example between price and quality or between the achievement of short and long term priorities. Finally, expressive conceptions of participation emphasise the opportunity that political participation gives individuals to express their political identity. Through active campaigning, displaying posters, attending rallies, donating money or time, one is able to demonstrate to the world at large that fact that one is a feminist, a socialist, a conservative, a nationalist and so on. It is of course important also to bear in mind that political participation can involve much more than voting in periodic elections, or even campaigning in them. Attending meetings about issues of local or international concern and taking part in participatory events such as juries, consensus conferences or citizens juries are also important as is participation in ongoing campaigns or lobbies, again from local (save our school) to global (save our planet) issues. There is something of a paradox here, in that there is plentiful data available on formal political involvement in voting, but relatively little available on the more prosaic but nevertheless significant everyday acts of involvement, such as going to meetings or simply engaging socially and maybe politically with ones neighbours (Hoggett and Bishop, 1986). In recent years some regular and extensive surveys have begun to provide valuable data of this type, but it is still the case that many sophisticated models of community engagement, civic renewal and social capital, have been constructed on flimsy empirical foundations (Prime, Zimmeck & Zurawa, 2002). But to develop a simple model of participation we need to consider in some more detail questions along each of the three main dimensions implied in the expression: public participation in planning or policy making. Robert D. Putnam That Western society has changed dramatically since the middle of the 20th century. There is less agreement about what caused the changes, and whether they have been beneficial. One barometer of change in Western society is the level of ‘social capital’ (a concept popularised by Robert D. Putnam), which results from high levels of investment by citizens in their community. Putnam’s investigation of American society, Bowling Alone (2000), considers the full range of changes affecting America (and all western societies): declining participation in institutional Christianity; less involvement in sport and recreational clubs, politics, charitable causes, and volunteer work; and a radical re-shaping of the family though divorce, a lower birth rate, and a disinclination to marry at all. These trends, Putnam argues, result in diminished social capital. Putnam’s analysis of America holds for the three Anglophone members of George W. Bush’s ‘coalition of the willing,’ America, Britain and Australia, and may explain why hawkish, right-wing governments are the people’s choice at the start of the 21st century, despite an unprecedented liberality and inclusiveness throughout the second half of the 20th century. Putnam notes a range of factors responsible for civic disengagement: suburban sprawl; the popularity of television and electronic media; changed work patterns, including the large-scale entry of women into the workforce; and generational changes resulting in the ‘replacement of an unusually civic generation by several generations [Baby Boomers, Generations X and Y] †¦ that are less embedded in community life’ (p. 275). In the United States, where voting is optional, these developments dilute democracy, and societies with low participation rates tend to become distrustful. Untrusting citizens call for tougher; ‘law and order’ focused governments, resulting in the election of increasingly right-wing political parties. Social capital: 1. Definition The concept and theory of social capital dates back to the origins of social science; however, recent scholarship has focused on social capital as a subject of social organization and a potential source of value that can be harnessed and converted for strategic and gainful purposes. According to Robert David Putnam, the central premise of social capital is that social networks have value. Social capital refers to the collective value of all â€Å"social networks† and the inclinations that arise from these networks to do things for each other. Social capital refers to the institutions, relationships, and norms that shape the quality and quantity of a society’s social interactions. Increasing evidence shows that social cohesion is critical for societies to prosper economically and for development to be sustainable. Social capital is not just the sum of the institutions that underpin a society; it is the glue that holds them together However, social capital may not always be beneficial. Horizontal networks of individual citizens and groups that enhance community productivity and cohesion are said to be positive social capital assets whereas self-serving exclusive gangs and hierarchical patronage systems that operate at cross purposes to communitarian interests can be thought of as negative social capital burdens on society. 2. History of the research on the concept Robert David Putnam, if not the first one to write on the issue, is considered as the major author on the concept of social capital. He is a U. S. political scientist and professor at Harvard University, and is well-known for his writings on civic engagement and civil society along with social capital. However, his work is concentrated on the United States only. His most famous (and controversial) work, Bowling Alone, argues that the United States has undergone an unprecedented collapse in civic, social, associational, and political life (social capital) since the 1960s, with serious negative consequences. Though he measured this decline in data of many varieties, his most striking point was that virtually every traditional civic, social, and fraternal organization had undergone a massive decline in membership. From his research, a working group has formed at Harvard University and is called Saguaro Seminar. Most definitions around the social capital concept, notably those used by the World Bank, come from Putnam’s work and this research. 3. Measuring social capital The Saguaro Seminar, in the continuation of Putnam’s work, has been elaborating various means to measure the level of social capital in different contexts. It says on its website that measurement of social capital is important for the three following reasons: (a) Measurement helps make the concept of social capital more tangible for people who find social capital difficult or abstract; (b) It increases our investment in social capital: in a performance-driven era, social capital will be relegated to second-tier status in the allocation of resources, unless organizations can show that their community-building efforts are showing results; and (c) Measurement helps funders and community organizations build more social capital. Everything that involves any human interaction can be asserted to create social capital, but the real question is does it build a significant amount of social capital, and if so, how much? Is a specific part of an organization’s effort worth continuing or should it be scrapped and revamped? Do mentoring programs, playgrounds, or sponsoring block parties lead more typically to greater social capital creation? Measuring social capital: Towards a theoretically informed measurement framework for researching social capital in family and community life. by Wendy Stone. Research paper no. 24, Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2001, 38p, ISBN 0 642 39486 5 To inform the Institute’s Families, Social Capital and Citizenship project, this paper contributes to the development of clear links between theorised and empirical understandings of social capital by: establishing a theoretically informed measurement framework for empirical investigation of social capital; and reviewing existing measures of social capital in light of this framework. The paper concludes with a statement of guiding principles for the measurement and empirical investigation of social capital in family and community life. Social Capital as Credit Social capital, or aggregate reputation, is a form of credit. Some formal transactions can be supported by social capital. Informal transactions are rarely underpinned by financial credit or legal agreement and instead rely entirely social capital. We all have our internal calculators keeping tacit track of who is doing wrong and who is doing right, the health of the relationships and adjusting our actuarial tables according to experience. While undertaking government activities environment problems should also be considered. As it has became a global issue we need to take care of everything. Globalisation and cultural identity It is fair to say that the impact of globalization in the cultural sphere has, most generally, been viewed in a pessimistic light. Typically, it has been associated with the destruction of cultural identities, victims of the accelerating encroachment of a homogenized, westernized, consumer culture. This view, the constituency for which extends from (some) academics to anti-globalization activists (Shepard and Hayduk 2002), tends to interpret globalization as a seamless extension of – indeed, as a euphemism for – western cultural imperialism. In this discussion which follows we approach this claim with a good deal of skepticism. we will not seek to deny the obvious power of globalized capitalism to distribute and promote its cultural goods in every corner. Nor will we take up the argument – now very commonly made by critics of the cultural imperialism thesis (Lull 2000; Thompson 1995; Tomlinson 1991) that a deeper cultural impact cannot be easily inferred from the presence of such goods. What we will try to argue is something more specific: that cultural identity, properly understood, is much more the product of globalization than its victim. Identity as Treasure To begin, let us sketch the implicit (for it is usually implicit) reasoning behind the assumption that globalization destroys identities. Once upon a time, before the era of globalization, there existed local, autonomous, distinct and well-defined, robust and culturally sustaining connections between geographical place and cultural experience. These connections constituted one’s – and one’s community’s – ‘cultural identity’. This identity was something people simply ‘had’ as an undisturbed existential possession, an inheritance, a benefit of traditional long dwelling, of continuity with the past. Identity, then, like language, was not just a description of cultural belonging; it was a sort of collective treasure of local communities. But it was also discovered to be something fragile that needed protecting and preserving that could be lost. Into this world of manifold, discrete, but to various degrees vulnerable, cultural identities there suddenly burst (apparently around the middle of the 1980s) the corrosive power of globalization. Globalization, so the story goes, has swept like a flood tide through the world’s diverse cultures, destroying stable localities, displacing peoples, bringing a market-driven, ‘branded’ homogenization of cultural experience, thus obliterating the differences between locality-defined cultures which had constituted our identities. Though globalization has been judged as involving a general process of loss of cultural diversity, some of course did better, some worse out of this process. Identity as Cultural Power Let us begin with identity, a concept which surely lies at the heart of our contemporary cultural imagination. It is not, in fact, difficult in the prolific literature of analysis of the concept to find positions which contest the story of identity as the victim of globalization. Identity and Institutional Modernity This brings the central claim that globalization actually proliferates rather than destroys identities. In this respect we depart somewhat from Castells’s position: in setting identity as a sort of autonomous cultural dynamic, surging up from the grassroots as an oppositional force to globalization, Castells really fails to see the rather compelling inner logic between the globalization process and the institutionalized construction of identities. This, in other way, lies in the nature of the institutions of modernity that globalization distributes. To put the matter simply: globalization is really the globalization of modernity, and modernity is the harbinger of identity. It is a common assumption that identity-formation is a universal feature of human experience. Castells seems implicitly to take this view when he writes: ‘Identity is people’s source of meaning and experience’ (1997: 6). But whilst it is true that the construction of meaning via cultural practices is a human universal, it does not follow that this invariably takes the form of identity construction as we currently understand it in the global-modern West. This form of ethnocentric assumption has been recently criticized both by anthropologists and media and cultural critics. Globalization and Modernity To appreciate this, it is necessary to take a more complex view of the globalization process than is often adopted – certainly in the polemical discourses of the anti-globalization movement, where globalization is essentially understood as the globalization of capitalism, achieved in its cultural aspect via a complicate western dominated media system. This more complex, multidimensional conceptualization, which views globalization as operating simultaneously and interrelated in the economic, technological-communicational, political and cultural spheres of human life, is in fact relatively un-contentious – at least in principle – within academic discourses. But the cultural implication, rather less easily swallowed by some, is that globalization involves not the simple enforced distribution of a particular western (say, liberal, secular, possessive-individualist, capitalist-consumerist) lifestyle, but a more complicated dissemination of the entire range of institutional features of cultural modernity. References Putnam, R (2001) Bowling Alone: the collapse and revival of American community, Touchstone, London Tomlinson, J (1999) Globalisation and culture, Policy Press, Cambridge Social capital: http://www. jrc. es/home/report/english/articles/vol85/ICT4E856. htm http://www. envplan. com/ http://www. infed. org/thinkers/putnam. htm http://www. naturaledgeproject. net/NAON_ch11. aspx

Bad effect of modern technology Essay

Introduction: Metamorphosis is the only thing that is constant in this world. Everything is subjected to change, whether it’s small or huge. And these changes have its complementary effects, either good or bad. Technology is a concrete example of those things that are undergoing a huge change. It came from the Greek words: (1.) Techne, which means â€Å"Art, skill, cunning of hand†; and (2.) a prefix â€Å"-logia.† This only means that technology is a scientific progression and modification of tools, machines, techniques, systems, and methods of organization which helps in solving pre-existing problems of humans. Background of the Study In the era where in modern technologies still don’t exist, students rely mostly in educational materials such library, observations, notes, books just to review and study their lessons. They put a lot of extra efforts in order to gain information. Students are more focused and motivated in studying in order to attain good grades and better education. According to Daniels, 2002; Ganske et al., 2003; Harvey, 2002, technology motivates students to in having a choice in their assignments, see the relevancy, or can assess the teacher’s feedback intertwined, student motivation increases. Along with the rapid growth and change of modern technology, students become more dependent to electronic gadgets around them. Because the students believe in the power of gadgets, they all rely their works in them. As a result, they forget to be responsible in their own way and let themselves be controlled with by all the comforts that the gadgets give them. Unlike before, they allot less ti me in studying and putting more time in using the gadgets because they have this idea that doing researches and assignments can be easily done because of it. Modern technology causes great distraction in the study habits of students. Statement of the Problem 1.) What products of technology are affecting the students’ study habits the most? 2.) How often do students use the electronic gadgets? 3.) What are the advantages and disadvantages of modern technology to the studying habits of the students? 4.) How often do the aforementioned advantages and disadvantages occur to them while using these gadgets? 5.) In general, what is the effect of the advancement of technology to the studying habits of the students? Is it essential? Or detrimental? Hypotheses The following hypotheses will be tested for acceptance and approval: H0 : There is no significant effect of modern technology to the studying habits of the students of the selected students of Far Eastern University. H1 : There are significant effects brought by modern technology to the studying habits of the selected students of Far Eastern University. Scope and Limitation This research study gives emphasis to the possible effects modern technology to the studying habits, as well as the performance, of the selected students of FEU. The researchers conducted a survey through a questionnaire to the 100 students, randomly selected, who often use e-gadgets llike iPad, laptop, cellphone, etc. This is to verify their standpoint regarding the effects caused by technology to their performance in school and to obtain data that can be used in this study. This study will no longer altercate the new innovation. Although this can be a source of information which can be adapted to profound and maximize the use of e-gadgets. This study is focused on how modern technology affects students’ compliance to the requirements of their course description and relevant actions to determine how to efficiently use the e-gadgets. The effects that the researchers presented are either dreadful or valuable. Significance of the Study The Students a complete, balance, and proper usage of the gadgets they have. Through these, students can allocate their time more appropriately and they can prioritize the degree of importance of their tasks. The Teachers a  background on why the certain students are not able to accomplish their work. The Parents ideas on how are they going to minimize the bad effects brought about by these gadgets and through this, they can guide their sons and daughters on the limitations they should build to avoid addiction to these gadgets. Furthermore, this study will serve as a theoretical model for future studies of the same nature if ever the existing problem has penetrated in this case will exist in the future. Future researchers will benefit from this study, and it will provide them the facts needed to compare their study during their respective time and usability. Definition of Terms Technology is the making, modification, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems, and methods of organization, in order to solve a problem, improve a pre-existing solution to a problem, achieve a goal, handle an applied input/output relation or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, including machinery, modifications, arrangements and procedures Study Habits is a schedule in which you consistently use and perform for learning process. Gadgets are small specialized mechanical or electronic devices; a contrivance. Electronic Gadgets are the instruments which can perform many activities at a time with vast speedï  ¶ & makes the hard work efficient one Laptop is a portable personal computer with the same features with a desktop computer. It is lighter, smaller and cheaper compared to computers. iPad is a line of tablet computers designed and created by Apple Inc. it can shoot videos, take photos, play music, can install games, ebooks, etc. and it can perform internet functions like surfing the web and emailing. It is very handy, touch screen and has a light weight. iPod Touch is commonly known as iTouch stylized and created by Apple Inc. It is a handheld device that allows you to play music, take photos, shoot video, download apps, connects you to your email and is capable of wireless connection to the internet which enables the users to directly buy or download software. Smartphone is a mobile phone designed built on an operating system. It has a more advanced capability and connectivity. It is handy and convenient to use. Its functions are portable media player, high end cameras, GPS, high resolution touchscreens, and web browsers. Ex: Android, Apple, Blackberry,  Lenovo, Nokia etc. Ebook is a book-length publication in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, readable on computers or other electr Sonic devices. Social Networking site is a platform to build social networks or social relations among people who, for example, share interests, activities, backgrounds, or real-life connections. A social network service consists of a representation of each user (often a profile), his/her social links, and a variety of additional services. Far Eastern University in the University Belt area, West Sampaloc, City of Manila, is a nonsectarian, private university in the Philippines. Created by the merger of Far Eastern College and the Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance, FEU became a university in 1934 under the guidance of first president Nicanor Reyes, Sr. It has been noted as the leading proprietary (for profit) university in the Philippines. Wi-fi is a popular technology that allows an electronic device to exchange data or connect to the internet wirelessly using radio waves GPS is a space-based satellite navigation system that provides location and time information in all weather conditions, anywhere on or near the Earth where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites. Computer an electronic device for storing and processing data, typically in binary form, according to instructions given to it in a variable program. Apps are software applications designed to run on smartphones, tablet computers and other mobile devices.

Examine the Key Influence on Operations Which Contributes to the Business Success Essay

This Report will examine how the major influences on Operations which contribute to the success of the business with focus all of the major eight influences, these include Globalisation, Technology, Environmental Sustainability, Legal Regulations, Corporate Social Responsibility, Quality Expectations, Government Policies and Cost based Competition. This report will also examine the impact of the influences on businesses such as Billabong, Westpac, Holden, Woolworth and Coca-Cola. Globalisation Globalisation is the internationalization of trade and often forces businesses to adopt new strategies for operations to suit different cultures and economies. The often easily saturated domestic market has triggered many large businesses to expand globally for the purpose of increased sales and profits. Globalisation allows businesses to enter new markets, increase the size of their product range and the size of their operations, thus leading to the successful business. One such business that has successfully undergone the process of Globalisation is Billabong. Billabong’s approach in their expansion into foreign markets has allowed the stakeholders of the business to access to the numerous advantages of globalisation, such as the expansion through new markets. New Markets Billabong commenced with global expansion with the aim to increase revenue and profitability as their original domestic niche market became increasing hard to expand, as the surfing demographics geographically was limited to coastal areas. Today, Billabong is a major transnational surfing brand, producing mass customized outputs to meet the demand of the potential customers at the global market. This is done through the Global web strategy, which allowed Billabong to carefully select from a list of appropriate proximity global suppliers which can make up a predictable and reliable supply chain that is highly responsive to changes in demand that will be experienced by the business. It is evident that Billabong has successfully been influenced by Globalisation with over 70% of its revenue being generated from overseas markets. Technology Many business use existing cutting edge technology to design, construct and or apply innovative devices, machinery and methods upon the operations process. The goal is to provide opportunities for their businesses to apply new breakthroughs, innovations, and inventions to both administrative and processing level of Operations, with aims to increase efficiency and logistics in production process, lower prices, increase their market share and a higher return for the business’s shareholders and thus gain competitive advantage in their target market and leading the business a path to success. One particular business that has integrated very well with technology is Woolworths. Woolworths’s approach to technology, especially in its processing level has let opportunity for the business to increase efficiency of operations via improving the supply chain management. Woolworths Project refresh was put in place on the operation process in 1999 with aims to increase efficiency via utilising technology and is prove successful. An example of technology used in Woolworth is the IT system called AutoStockR. It is used to forecast when supermarket shelves need to be replenished. This type of technology can effectively prevent stock from running out, which leads to increase of customer satisfaction and reliability on the brand and ultimately leading the business to success. Quality Expectation Consumers are becoming increasing orientated to the marketing process of a business; as a result, customers began to have an expectation to the level of quality that they will receive from the product outputs by businesses. These expectations involve: *Quality of design *Fitness for purpose *Durability An operations manager needs to make sure that the goods produced are of the required quality that is expected by the consumers that is they are safe and reliable. For any businesses not able to achieve the expectations assumed by the customers on the quality of the product produced by the business, can lead to a decline in sales and ultimately business failure. Cost-Based Competition Cost has traditionally being a major influence on all business as all businesses desire to achieve maximum efficiency as it is a vital factor for businesses in order to reach the ultimate goal and success. Businesses sees cost as the key value to success and aims to become as much cost efficient as possible, by implementing a cost-leadership style approach to the operations variable cost or fixed cost ,while maintain the expected profit margin, business is able to gain a competitive advantage over their competitors in their target market. This is called cost-based competition. By determining the break-even point and applying cost saving strategies, to reducing cost, businesses who apply cost-based competition in their operations is able to maximize the profits and lead business to success. Government Policies Regardless of the nation of the business may be operating in, all aspect of any business must comply by the laws and policies of businesses set by the government of that nation in order to success. Political policies often alter business legal regulations and thus leading to business opportunity, such as taxation rates, WH&S standards, public safety and health policy, and environment policies all contribute to business success. An example of recent government policy is Carbon Tax. The introduction of the Carbon Tax in 2012 will see many carbon-intensive businesses, such as electricity companies, restructure their operations to more renewable energy sources, as this will reduce business costs and possibly allow them a competitive advantage thus leading business to success. Legal Regulations The legal influence on the business is a complex issue as the legal system with each nation has a fundamental difference on how the legal regulation influences on the operations of a global business. The range of laws set by each individual nation which businesses must comply is collectively termed compliance. The cost of expenses to meet and integrate the legal regulations to meet the compliance is very influential on the business’s cost and ultimately the operations process. In Australia, the legal system recognizes the contemporary issues exists many large industries exploiting their workers and place upon businesses to protect the labor market and the public health and environment. Some of these laws include: *Workers Health and Safety Act:  *Anti-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Act: *Fair work and Anti-discrimination law Environmental Sustainability As global consumers became increasing aware of the current environmental problems, such as pollution, global businesses are required to identify the key structural changes needed, which may affect demand and supply conditions for their products and eventually their success. This is done through integrating the goals outlined by the environment sustainability laws into their resources and operations planning and practices in order to receive a good image with their target market and maintain their market share which leads the business to success. One of the businesses has completely complied with the legal regulations to sustain the environment is Holden. Holden’s approach to sustain the world environment, such as the integration of the business goals with the goals outlined in the environmental sustainability laws has maintained a good image of the business assumed by the market.To comply with the legal regulations set by the government, and to maintain customer satisfaction, Holden focus on reducing energy, water and waste as operating performance indicators has successfully reduced their carbon footprint demanded by the government and consumers and maintained their market share. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Business in the modern global market extends their objectives from just complying with the legal regulations in their operations to reach maximum financial gain to â€Å"service to society and community† by taking account of their business practices based on the respect for people, community and the broader environment. Businesses who have that change of objectives are aiming to achieve corporate social responsibility. Formerly known as the triple bottom line, corporate social responsibility places same value on profitability with social justice and environmental protection. Businesses with a positive CSR image will gain high reputations among the stakeholders, thus leading to business efficiency and ultimately business success. However, the notion of CSR can also be exploited as a marketing ploy, thus criteria and measures have been established for prevention. Some of these measures are: *Ethical responsibility It is standard for many businesses to operate at the level of legal compliance permissible as it means to maintain cost efficiency and thus maintain profit at a maximum. However for businesses who truly integrate corporate social responsibility into their business practices aims to meet all legal obligations and taking into account broader social, community and environmental concerns. One of the businesses who have taken on ethical responsibility on their business operations practices is Westpac. Westpac demonstrate ethical responsibility in many ways, such as its target of 40% of senior management positions being held by women by 2014. *Environmental Sustainability As mentioned earlier the principle of ecological sustainability requires business to evaluate their operations strategies affected by the environment and produce new and better products in an ecologically sustainable manner as the business focus coincides with stakeholder expectations. For example; Coca-Cola demonstrates corporate social responsibility in regards to environmental sustainability through its extensive water recycling program, which has significantly reduced water wastage at the company’s production facilities in Australia and around the world. This type of CSR actions by Coca-Cola has led the stakeholders’ good impression of the business which ultimately leads to business success. Conclusion This Report has examined how each of the major influences such as: Globalisation, Technology, Environmental Sustainability, Legal Regulations, Corporate Social Responsibility, Quality Expectations, Government Policies and Cost based Competition on Operations contributes to the success of the business. This report also had examined the impact of the influences on the businesses such as Billabong, Westpac, Holden, Woolworth and Coca-Cola.

Figurative Language versus Literal Language Assignment - 2

Figurative Language versus Literal Language - Assignment Example Hence, it must be used in terms of financial stress, and not as a suffering. Analogy is a comparison between two things or their features, focusing on a certain kind of likeness, when they are otherwise totally different. For example, â€Å"My daughter moves like a butterfly flies.† Here, a girl’s movement is being compared to that of a butterfly due to the beauty they exhibit. Analogy can be misunderstood when it is used in sensitive subjects, like religion or science. Metaphor is a figure of speech which makes an â€Å"implied comparison† (Nordquist, 2012, par. 1) of two concepts; or, which explains one thing in terms of an unreal situation. For example, â€Å"I feel the breeze of love in your presence.† The metaphor is breeze of love, which is nothing in real. Again, a metaphor is misunderstood in sensitive subjects. For example, â€Å"The children of God† does not actually mean that God is a parent. Simile is a kind of analogy very similar to metaphor, with the difference that it uses words like ‘like’ or ‘as’ to show the similarity between two dissimilar things. For example, considering the example given in metaphor section, the simile would be: â€Å"Your presence is like a breeze of love for me.† A simile is very easily misunderstood with analogy or metaphor, due to the thin line of meaning between them. Clichà © is an expression that has been used very widely and very commonly, so much so that people start using it in their everyday language without going into the detail of meaning. For example, â€Å"History repeats itself†, or â€Å"All is well that ends well.† Clichà © is often misunderstood with proverbs, as some proverbs are actually clichà ©s. Amphiboly is a sentence that gives out a confused meaning due to its loose structure. The sentence can be justified in either way it is understood. For example, â€Å"I caught her with my new shirt on†, means â€Å"I caught her when she was wearing my new shirt†, and also

Analyse different representations of Australian colonial history, and Essay

Analyse different representations of Australian colonial history, and of the suffering of Aboriginal people - Essay Example I would agree that these are admirable goals. However this is still not enough in my view. I don’t see a definition of â€Å"Reconciliation† in either speech. Actually I don’t think it can be precisely defined in this context. However, I would argue that a degree of Reconciliation is achieved when (1) both societies are economically viable and one is not excessively dependent on the other, for example for welfare benefits and medical assistance for societal problems such as alcohol and drug abuse, (2) members of one society can move into the other if they chose, feel comfortable and prosper as long as they respect cultural differences, (3) while major criminal and civil laws must be universal, those that relate only to local community customs should be allowed some variance. For example if it is acceptable in aboriginal culture to go nude in public they should be allowed to do so within their communities and this should be accepted by visitors and (4) both societ ies actually but also perceive that they benefit both economically and psychologically by remaining in a unified Australia in spite of required compromises and accommodations.

Issues in strategic management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Issues in strategic management - Essay Example However, it is essential to distinguish the two basic differences in the strategic management research - while one focuses on the research of the content of the strategic management ideas, the other makes the process of strategic management its object, and also examines the factors, which influence this process. It is interesting to note the expression, which can give and explain the principal roots of the strategic management decision making: Thus, the aim of the research is not only to make the taxonomy of the decision making knowledge in strategic management, but to make it simple, understandable and practical for the use in the further similar researches. Taxonomy is the science of classification of any knowledge, and can be applied to any theoretical or practical field of science. (Porac & Thomas, 1990) Applying taxonomy to the area of strategic decision making has become popular in the recent years, though attempts to systematize the schools of the strategic decision making has been attempted earlier. It was a difficult task to accomplish, as strategic decisions have been described, as being unclear, complex, unpredictable and messy. (Schwenk & Dalton, 1991) The first attempt to create at least approximate taxonomy of the strategic decision making was performed in 1976 by Mintzberg and Theoret, who were able to define the three major phases in this process, and described them as the identification phase, the development phase and the selection phase. (Goodstein et al, 1994) Hart (1992) has also created his own system of strategic decision making processes, and has divided them into five different types - the command mode, the symbolic mode, the rational mode, the transactive mode and the generative mode. The systematization of the knowledge in the area of strategic management decision making is a difficult process, but we will here attempt to create a table on the basis of the existing theoretical schools and to describe them in more detail, which will assist in further application of the knowledge found in literature in future researches and the solution of the practical issues. Taxonomy of the strategic management decision making Name of the theoretical school The author The basic knowledge used The design school model Learned, Christensen, Andrews and Guth SWOT analysis; defines strategy as simple and informative process The planning school Ansoff Makes little emphasis on the concept of strategy as it is; is more concentrated on the detailed plans elaboration The entrepreneurial school Schumpeter Focuses on the CEO role in strategic decision making process The extended design school model Prescribes the CEO's vision to the building of consensus and commitment in the decision making The detailed discussion of the theoretical schools In the light of the abovementioned information and in the view of the table created on the basis of the already existing schools of strategic management thinking and decision making, it is interesting to note, that some strategies use the role of the

Interpretation of Ethical Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Interpretation of Ethical Systems - Essay Example Basing on ethical formalism, this act unacceptable because of the evil intentions and therefore, I would go ahead to fire him. The habit of employees stealing from workplace leads to losses. When this has happens, the employer is left with the burden of reviving the business alone or with the help of insurance companies, after a tedious and lengthy follow-up process. Being that the consequence of his action was going to hurt others, I will be justified to fire my classmate. All religions have some believes/commands that provide them with moral guidance. Despite the differences in these believes, all religions prohibit the willful commitment of wrong actions against others. My classmate is therefore not justified, no matter his type of religion. According to the natural law, what is good is what is natural and morality is what agrees with the natural world (Pollock, 2004). Stealing is an immoral act and therefore, an act against all people regardless of their