Giovanni's Room novel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Giovanni's Room novel - Essay Example It is said that this issue took a long time before Descartes decided to highlight the issue in the air. On the other hand Cartesian Dualism only works on a specific factor that is if there is dual existence of man. According to the philosophical view of mind, dualism puts emphasis on the difference of radical manner between mind and matter. The issue is that there is denial of some facts in the nature of dualism. An argument states that the mind is not the same as the brain while others say that the mind is not a product of the mind. Talking of dualism, according to Descartes, man is consisted of two aspects which are matter or body and mind. These are the main factors that keep the aspect of dualism to prosper in the real world. Body or matter is the physical substance that does several physical things such as walking, talking and playing the accordion. On the other hand, mind is known as the substance of non-physical nature that has a thinking capacity, a doubting capability and it has the ability to remember several issues. It is sometimes related to the soul. In the novel Giovanni’s room, Baldwin expresses the issue of body and mind in so many issues thus going hand in hand with the argument by Descartes. For example, in the novel, time is an important aspect that is brought to show how David is out of time in making certain decisions. This shows that David is unable to think so as to make the right decisions. This means that David’s mind is not representing the roles of the mind of having the capability of thinking. Baldwin uses this scene to give a show on the issue of mind and its roles. Additionally, it is also shown in the letters written by David’s father to David urging him to make up his mind on what he is doing for his life. At one time David’s father repeatedly reminded David of his age and urged him to go back to America. This means that David

Singapore's Macroeconomy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Singapore's Macroeconomy - Essay Example Singapore as a country is devoid of natural resources. In its foreign policy, Singapore has incorporated polices to strengthen its relation with the members of Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). Singapore also maintains a strong association with the United Nations Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC) to improve trade relations with Latin America and East Asia. So, from the very beginning, it had focused on the development of capital intensive methodologies for further growth (Australian Government, n.d.). The Nominal GDP of Singapore in the year 2012 was recorded as 276.52 billion dollars (International Monetary Fund, n.d.). This has even surpassed the prediction by IMF, which had forecasted the GDP to be around 270 billion dollars. Analysis of the country’s business cycle The GDP of the country is tabulated in the following table. Table 1: Real GDP of Singapore Year GDP current prices in US Dollars Growth Rate 2000 94.31 9.04 2001 87.70 -1.154 2002 90.64 4.202 2003 95.96 4.58 2004 112.70 9.159 2005 125.43 7.37 2006 145.75 8.764 2007 177.58 8.857 2008 189.96 1.701 2009 185.64 -0.98 2010 227.38 14.76 2011 259.85 4.889 Source: (Econ Stats, n.d.) The above table shows the GDP of Singapore at current prices in US Dollars. This paper has considered the GDP growth over the last ten years. The formula that has been used for the calculation of growth is: Rate of Growth of GDP in current year = (GDP value in current year – GDP value in base year)/ GDP value in year base year It can be clearly seen from the table that Singapore’s GDP has been following an upward trend throughout, except a little slump in 2009. The slump can be explained because of the adverse external environment in the World economy. Since then, the economy of Singapore has made a steady progress as can be seen from the rising trend in the GDP. Figure 1: Graphical presentation of GDP Source: (Authors creation) The graph above gives a visual representa tion of the GDP values. It can be seen from the figure that the economy of Singapore had faced a slump in the GDP growth in 2001. This is primarily because of the fact that the country went into recession in the middle of 2001. The chief reason behind this was the slower growth of the US economy, particularly in the electronic sector, which had slowed down the exports from Singapore to not only the US, but also the rest the European countries (Arnold, 2001). Since then, the economy of Singapore had shown a consistent performance. The main reason behind this exceptional growth was not the increase in total factor productivity, which had mainly driven the growth for other Asian countries. The root of growth and a stellar performance for the Singapore economy was the high level of capital accumulation. The growth can be mainly attributed to the mobilization of resources. The development strategies adopted by the government were strategic and vibrant which had mainly propelled the econo my to its growth. In a research conducted by Professor Vu he, it was found that the contribution of the capital-input in the growth process has been around 47%, while labor contributed to around 36% of

The Christian Church Essay Example for Free

The Christian Church Essay The Christian Church was born out of the legacies of the Greek, Roman and Jewish cultures. Through God’s providence and perhaps advantageous timing, the Christian Church entered a world prepared for the truth of God. The Greeks provided a universal language and philosophy that supported the acceptance of the Church. Roman laws, organization, and commitment to peace created proper surroundings for the Church to flourish. Lastly, the Jewish religious principles, helped form the backbone of the Christian Church. Through a detailed examination of the language and philosophy, organization and structure, and religions views of the early Christian Church we can determine that the Greek, Roman, and Jewish Cultures all contributed to the birth and spread of the Church. The Hellenistic culture of the ancient Greeks contributed its philosophy and language to the Christian Church. Alexander the Great built an empire united by a common thread: Greek ideology, language and culture. This process of assimilation by which Greek culture was transplanted to the east became identified as Hellenization. The popular Greek language became a medium on which the Christian religion could flourish, as the language created a disposition of acceptance. The Greek language was the contemporary language associated with a well-established culture. Though the Greek religion was considered one-dimensional and simple, its language allowed the Jewish and other eastern religions, which would eventually contribute to Christianity, to communicate properly. The dominant Greek philosophical ideals of the time, which where Stoicism, Platonism and Epicureanism, all contributed greatly to the evolution of the Christian Church. One early Christian by the name of Clement of Alexandria wrote: Philosophy has been given to the Greeks as their own kind of Covenant, their  foundation for the philosophy of Christ the philosophy of the Greeks contains the basic elements of that genuine and perfect knowledge which is higher than human even upon those spiritual objects. (Miscellanies 6. 8) Clements’ statement demonstrates how important Greek philosophy was to the Christian religion. Great philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato added important concepts and teachings to the Christian faith. The Greek culture was instrumental in providing a well-known and respected language for the Christian Church, as well as many significant philosophies, which contributed to the birth and spread of the Church. The Roman Empire provided efficient structure and organization, which catalyzed the growth of the Christian community. In the year 509 B.C. after multiple monarchs had failed to satisfy the Roman society, the Republic of Rome was founded. The republic divided the power of Rome among a group of Assemblies, two consuls and the Senate. The Republic government flourished for 376 years, but in 133 B.C. it collapsed to civil war. After years of fighting, betrayal and violence, a powerful authority named Augustus founded the Roman Empire. Augustus brought peace and prosperity to the Roman world. This great time for the Roman Empire was called the Pax Romana, a revolutionary era where the Christian religion gained the ability to expand its administration. During the times of the Pax Romana, travel across large distances became very efficient and safe for new public highways were introduced throughout the Roman Empire. Such highways made the spread of the Christian Church much easier than before. Suddenly, messages and people could travel vast lengths very quick. Direct highways in the Roman Empire enabled Christians to unite, communicate and gain power and information. Rome also served as a protected area for early Christians to live and worship God. The Empire’s structure and law under the reign of Augustus supported the importance moral conduct and justice, key concepts that would eventually become part of the Church’s purpose. The Roman structure and law was influenced by the dominant Stoic philosophy. Stoics believed that the highest good that man can achieve is to live a life of virtue in harmony with reason. This Stoic belief would ultimately aid in the Christian understanding of the Natural Law. It is true to establish that the Roman Empire’s structure, law and organization greatly helped facilitate the birth and spread of the Christian Faith. The Jewish culture formed the religious foundation of the Christian Church. The Jewish people were the chosen people of God, the true descendants of Abraham. The early Christians were originally members of the Jewish faith. Many of the Jewish principles of religion continue to exist in Christianity, such as their firm monotheistic belief. Perhaps the most important Jewish relation that helped initialize the Christian Church is the life of the Messiah Jesus. The word Christian did not exist until 40 years after the crucifixion, Jesus was born and died a Jew. The origins of Christianity evolved from the heart of Jewish culture. Jesus challenged the customs of the day by teaching revolutionary interpretations of Jewish scripture. Although they did not call themselves Christians yet, Jesus’ followers founded the beginning of the Church. Jesus used modified and logically understood Jewish scriptures to inform the people of God that salvation was at hand. The entire Old Testament originates from the Jewish written Tanakh. Much of our Christian models such as heaven and hell, angels and devils, and respect and love for human life come from Jewish tradition. Through Jewish religious conception and Jesus’s role in empowering and teaching early Christians, it is true to conclude that the Jewish faith directly aided Christianity to commence and develop. A clearer understanding of the Roman, Greek, and Jewish contributions to the Christian Church allows us to identify the significant impact such cultures have had on the Church. An analysis of the language and philosophy, organization and structure, and religions views of the early Christian Church enables us to conclude that the Greek, Roman, and Jewish Cultures all contributed to the birth and spread of the Church.

Corporate social responsibility motivations and country factors Essay Example for Free

Corporate social responsibility motivations and country factors Essay Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an increasingly important issue for all businesses around the world. CSR covers economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic responsibilities of firms. Explain the factors that may motivate an MNE to adopt CSR in its international business strategy and operations. How might the country context influence the types of CSR initiatives undertaken? Support your answer with real world examples or cases. While corporate social responsibility (CSR) has existed for a long time, it has garnered attention only in the last two decades as an important aspect of doing business. Academic research on CSR has evolved over the years, indicating a change in how CSR is viewed as time goes by. In the earlier years of CSR research, academics sought to identify a link between CSR and financial performance (Aupperle et al. 1985; McGuire et al. 1998), as though CSR had to be rationalised in order to exist. But moving forward to the present, CSR has been undoubtedly recognised as a need by many organisations, and research has shifted from discussing â€Å"macro social effects to an organisational-level analysis of CSR and its impact on organisational processes and performance† (Lindgreen and Swaen 2010, p. 1). In other words, CSR research has moved from questioning the â€Å"why† to â€Å"how† of doing CSR, reflecting the growing prominence of the practice. CSR involves the â€Å"economic, legal, ethical, and discretionary expectations that society has of organizations at a given point in time† (Carroll 1979, p. 500). These programs are des igned to fulfill a basic economic or social need as expected by the community, honoured by the company in goodwill so as to position oneself as a positively value-driven entity (Swanson 1995; Wood 1991). CSR initiatives can be derived out of self-interest, or external pressure from institutional economics (Meyer and Rowan 1991; North 1992) or when a company decides to rise above its economic function to help and aid stakeholders (Trevino and Nelson, 2004). While there are many reasons for a company to engage in CSR, it ultimately assists the corporation in enhancing its legitimacy (Wood 1991) and fit with society at large (Zensisek 1979), creating a symbiotic relationship between stakeholders and companies (Tuzzolinio and Armandi 1981). Unfortunately, CSR has no consensus definition (Dahlsrud, 2008). It is important to recognise from this that CSR  is a complex and multilayered concept that requires examination from various angles. In this essay, CSR will be understood as a firm’s obligations to act responsibly to all possible stakeholders in the market environment. This essay will now seek to explore the motivations behind pursuing CSR programs by a business organisation, d etermining how various stakeholders and the general public can influence this decision and how the broader country context can affect how a company participates in CSR. In the corporate world, companies are fully engaged in CSR initiatives, with more than 80% of Fortune 500 companies addressing CSR issues (Esrock and Leichty, 1998), reflecting that CSR is more than an ethical or ideological necessity, but also an economic one. As such, more companies today have realised that â€Å"not only doing good is the right thing to do, but it also leads to doing better† (Bhattacharya and Sen 2004, p.9). While it was infamously argued previously that the main purpose of a company was to make profits and thrive economically (Friedman 1970), enterprises now have the option to do so and at the same time, contribute meaningfully to society at large. The reasons for a MNE to engage in CSR initiatives are multiple. Stakeholder theory (Donaldson and Preston 1995) can be used as a skeletal framework to understand where demands for CSR arise. Demand derives from two main groups: consumers and stakeholders. Stakeholders of a company include its investors, employees, suppliers and even the local environment that it is located in. The consumer demand for CSR will be addressed first. CSR engagements may result in producing a good that has socially responsible attributes, such as dolphin-free tuna or a non-animal tested product. It could be in less obvious means, such as a clothing company not ultilising sweat shops or child labour in producing its goods. When consumers buy products that bear such attributes, they believe they are â€Å"indirectly supporting a cause and rewarding firms that devote resources to CSR† (McWilliams and Siegel 2001, p. 119). Consumers are able to identify better with a company that engages in CSR activities and feel a stronger connection or attachment to such firms. Consumer oriented CSR also involve intangible attributes, such as reputation. Having a strong reputation has been linked to attracting more customers, retaining and motivating employees, gaining favour with analysts and the media amongst many more reasons (Bhattacharya and Sen 2004). CSR has come to matter in building a reputation for corporations. The Reputation  Institute ranks the world’s most reputable companies based on the RepTrak ® system. RepTrak ® analyses seven dimensions of corporate reputation: Citizenship, Innovation, Governance, Workplace, Leadership, Products/Services and Financial Performance (Reputation Institute 2013). Of which, three of these dimensions (citizenship, governance and workplace) fall into the CSR category, and analysis has shown that â€Å"42% of how people feel about a firm is based on their perceptions of the a firm’s CSR practices† (Smith 2012, para. 6). The Body Shop, Patagonia and Ben Jerry’s are some examples that stand out in their respective industries having built reputations centring on socially responsible practices. Hence, it is easy to see why consumers drive the demand for companies to engage in CSR activities. Stakeholders too, demand for CSR for various reasons. McWilliams and Siegel (2001, p.122) have posited that employees will support â€Å" progressive labour relations policies, safety, financial security, and workplace amenities, such as childcare. Workers are searching for signals that managers are responding to causes they support†. Nintendo has numerous employee well-being programs in place where all employees can receive support in various aspects of their lives. Free training in life-saving skills and first aid, and subsidies for work safety shoes, transportation costs and even gym memberships are provided to help employees achieve work-life balance and a better well being (Nintendo, 2013). It has been observed that CSR initiatives in a firm typically lead to greater employee work satisfaction where job attitudes are improved and productivity is increased, and is used as a way of attracting talents to a company (Bhattacharya, Sen and Korschun 2012). Valentine and Fleischman (2008) have observed that CSR also plays a part in mediating the relationships between ethics programs and job satisfaction. Taken holistically, effective organisational ethics and CSR activities will incite more â€Å"positive beliefs in the fir m, as well as the immediate work context and culture† (Valentine and Fleischman 2008, p. 167). As observed then, employees play an important role in creating a demand for CSR in firms as they stand to benefit from such programs intrinsically. For both stakeholders and consumers then, CSR programs create an organisational identity that becomes relatable. When companies engage in CSR that underpins their mission and values, stakeholders are able to see an element of themselves in the organisation,  which leads to increased support for the company. As already observed, this can lead to stronger purchase intention in customers, or increased job satisfaction in employees. The largest motivation to pursue CSR for a company though could lie in developing a competitive advantage. While CSR could be executed simply by donating to charities as corporate philanthropy, some firms have recognised CSR as a strategic tool to use and develop in order to answer not only a societal need, but a business issue as well. Strategic CSR is now a form of social innovation, and by answering crucial problems in society that leads to real, long-lasting change; a company will reap the benefits of a better workforce, a new market or higher consumption while adding value to society (Kanter 1999). The need to recognise that economic and social objectives are not distinctively opposing but complementary will lead to CSR that can potentially bring about a social benefit and improve competitiveness (Porter and Kramer, 2002). There are two main business advantages that arise from CSR. Firstly, it presents an opportunity to test out a new technology. Secondly, it provides the opportunity to build political capital by influencing regulations, presenting itself as a market leader or to strengthen relationships with government officials (Kanter 1999). This was exactly what Bell Atlantic did through Project Explore by going into schools to test out their new High-bitrate Digital Subscriber Line (HDSL) technologies with personal computers in the early 1990s. This provided a test ground that would get their technology into the real world and also presented itself as a demonstration site to political leaders for Bell Atlantic to petition favourably for their proposed statewide technology communications plan (Kanter 1999). Bell Atlantic managed to help schools by providing them with computers and new technologies, bettering education and technology literacy, while still achieving a business agenda. The competitive context of a company and its business environment can benefit greatly when economic and social goals are seen as mutually linked. Porter and Kramer (2006) identify four key areas strategic CSR can affect competitive context positively: factor conditions, demand conditions, context for strategy and rivalry, and lastly, related and supported industries. Improving education, in the case of Cisco, enabled them to educate students in computer skills that resulted in a high quality, yet cost effective curriculum due to Cisco’s expertise. Whilst all students from Cisco’s Networking Academy may not work for Cisco, the industry at large benefits. Furthermore, well-trained network administrators who graduate from The Cisco Network Academy create demand for higher quality service and solutions (Porter and Kramer 2006, p. 85). CSR can influence in the creation of a more productive and transparent environment for competition (Porter and Kramer 2006, p. 85), such as Transparency International, where corporations have pledged to disclose and deter corruption in the world. This aids in building fair competition and higher productivity. Finally, a company can benefit by supporting a related industry. For example, American Express funds travel and tourism academics in the recognition of its reliance on the hospitality industry for travel-related spending on its credit cards (Porter and Kramer 2006, p.85). These examples show how CSR can result in tremendous payoffs when executed effectively. While immediate stakeholders c an drive the motivations for CSR initiatives, it is important to consider how the country a company is operating in can affect how CSR activities are chosen and implemented. The different social and cultural differences in each country should be salient enough for managers to acknowledge that CSR cannot be entirely universal, especially in the case of global MNEs. Furthermore, different social needs and problems will be inherent in each country. For example, the prevalence of AIDS/HIV is critical in South Africa. As such, it is only appropriate that companies with a presence in South Africa address this issue; with the likes of Toyota, Sappi and Mercedes-Benz deploying CSR programs that help employees tackle the pandemic of AIDS/HIV. British Petroleum (BP) (BP 2013), a global oil company, undertakes CSR initiatives that are identified as locally relevant, tailoring to the needs of their host communities and societies. A quick glance of their case studies shows various CSR programs ranging from workforce rights in Brazil to community relations in Turkey. While addressing locale-specific issues would be the most effective method of CSR, other factors may e ncourage or hinder such intention. The legal environment can affect the way CSR is implement in a country greatly. It changes either through strong intervention whereby social responsibility is legally stipulated, or a severe lack thereof, which leads to voluntary action by other players (Campbell 2007). France and Brazil are two examples par excellence of how the government can play a key role in creating CSR  demand, albeit in opposite directions. The French government has influenced how CSR has developed and emerged greatly by playing an active role in passing legislation, amongst other policies that requires French companies, including subsidiaries of international firms, to be socially responsible and accountable (Sobczak and Martins 2010, p. 448). On the other hand, Brazil’s history of a military government has fostered a passive environment where innovation is stifled, including that of encouraging improvements for society (Sobczak and Martins 2010, p.449). As such, private actors such as Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are most active in Brazil to encourage CSR programs to Brazilian companies. While the legal environment can affect how CSR is implemented in a country, it can also affect what type of CSR is initiated. Although France has passed mandates to enforce listed companies submit reports on social and environment impacts, the main area of concern belies in employment rights (Sobczak and Martins 2010, p. 450). Similarly, Brazilian companies are also strongly focused on employee relations and well-being, that being the key principle of CSR in Brazil (Sobczak and Martins 2010, p. 451). CSR then is only translated into one dimension of obligation and other dimensions, though equally pressing; take a backseat in the case of France and Brazil. Different priorities in a country culturally can affect how CSR is implemented. In such scenarios, international NGOs come in and encourage other concerns to be addressed. This helps to bring harmony to the imbalance within the CSR activities focused in countries such as France and Brazil. For instance, international environmental NGO, the World Wildlife Fund, has collaborated with French companies to allow the use of their logo, one of the most recognisable brands in the world, on products that meet their standards (Sobczak and Martins 2010, p.452). This has encouraged firms in France to meet environmental standards that was not previously crucial in CSR portfolios. Through this, French companies are more receptive to practicing CSR that is not inherent to their usual procedures. Despite the particularity of each country and how CSR is ideally done based on local demands, the reality of the matter is that CSR is not always practiced this way. Global MNEs typically have general and universal guidelines on what CSR activities should be undertaken in host countries, and most managers have to be given permission to pursue local CSR from the parent company . Universalism in CSR practices by MNEs creates linearity and  coherence for all stakeholders, but can result in less powerful CSR practices. On the other hand, localised programs may end up being fragmented or ad hoc. There is undoubtedly differing perspective on which approach is preferable, as each holds its argument convincingly (Muller 2006). As suggested by Husted and Allen (2006) then, the key difference between global or local CSR is the community that demands it. Another key factor that affects the way CSR is conducted is the development of CSR in a globalised world. It has been recognised by scholars (Gugler and Shi 2009; Jamali 2010) that CSR is fundamentally Anglo-Saxon both in history and development. Hence, CSR has a strong presence in the United States and United Kingdom, but is still lacking in both conceptual and practical thinking in countries based in the Southern hemisphere. Jamali and Ramez (2007) has noted that numerous issues with CSR in the Lebanon context. Firstly, CSR is typically executed in tangent to the parent company’s mission and values. While it is not necessarily a bad move to have a universally applicable CSR issue identified by a parent company, this may lead to a lack of agency by foreign subsidiaries to pursue CSR that is truly important in a specific context. Hence, CSR in Lebanon is still largely based on altruistic means and charitable giving, which is considered a low-level and basic method of implementing CSR. Interviewed companies by Jamali (2007) did not track the performance of its CSR outputs, showing that CSR is not implemented for a genuine purpose of serving a long-term positive impact to society, but to address the obligatory needs in order to build a positive corporate image. Due to the lack of understanding from global perspectives and North-driven ideology, countries may derive value and meaning from CSR in their own terms (Gugler and Shi 2009). China has come up with their own standards because of the dilemma of being the â€Å"world’s factory† and cannot comply with various standards demanded from different suppliers, it becomes too costly to be effective. In this instance, the Chinese government has developed various rankings and best practices for Chinese companies, and goes as far as prohibiting international certifications unless approved by the right local authorities (Gugler and Shi 2009, p.15). By doing so, Chinese companies do not face foreign pressure to comply with standards that are unfeasible for their modus operandi. Overall, this essay has shown that there are numerous motivations for companies to practice CSR. Answering demands to  achieve higher satisfaction in consumers and employees, helping to build a reputation and in its most strategic form, creates a competitive advantage for companies are some of the benefits that a company can yield through effective CSR. While there are numerous ben efits of conducting CSR, CSR implementation is highly diverse due to the various legal, socio-economic and cultural factors that each country brings. Furthermore, due to the development and history of CSR, CSR is still very much in its infancy stage in the Southern hemisphere and pressure to develop a CSR programs similar to current ones in the Northern hemisphere becomes unrealistic and untenable. As such, other actors such as international NGOs may step in to realign and create focus for different needs, or countries may come up with their own compliance standards as a global benchmark to ease doing of business internationally. This has shown thus far how CSR is highly complex as a practice, varying from simplistic to more complex approaches, and once again changing within localities due to the needs and issues to be addressed. As CSR continues to develop, one should take notice of how CSR might change in developing countries and how globalisation continues to affect how companies may choose to conduct CSR. References: Aupperle, K. E., et al. (1985). An empirical examination of the relationship between corporate social responsibility and profitability. Academy of Management Journal 28(2): 446-463. Bhattacharya, C., et al. (2012). Using corporate social responsibility to win the war for talent. MIT Sloan Management Review 49. Bhattacharya, C. B. and S. Sen (2004). Doing better at doing good: when, why and how consumers respond to corporate social initatives. California Management Review 47(1): 9-24 BP (2013). Sustainability. from http://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/sustainability.html. Campbell, J. L. (2007). Why would corporations behave in socially responsible ways? An institutional theory of corporate social responsibility. Academy of Management Review 32(3): 946-967. Carroll, A. B. (1979). A three-dimensional conceptual model of corporate performance. Academy of Management Review 4(4): 497-505 Dahlsrud, A. (2008). How corporate social responsibility is defined: an analysis of 37 definitions. C orporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management 15(1): 1-13 Donaldson, T. and L.  E. Preston (1995). The stakeholder theory of the corporation: Concepts, evidence, and implications. Academy of Management Review 20(1): 65 Esrock, S. L. and G. B. Leichty (1998). Social responsibility and corporate web pages: self-presentation or agenda-setting? Public Relations Review 24(3): 305-319. Friedman, M. 1970. The social responsibility of business is to increase profits. New York Times Magazine, September 13: 32–33, 122, 124, 126. Gugler, P. and J. Y. Shi (2009). Corporate social responsibility for developing country multinational corporations: lost war in pertaining global competitiveness? Journal of Business Ethics 87(1): 3-24. Institute, R. (2013). Reputation Institute The Reptrak system. from http://www.reputationinstitute.com/thought-leadership/the-reptrak-system. Jamali, D. (2010). The CSR of MNC subsidiaries in developing countries: Global, local, substantive or diluted? Journal of Business Ethics 93(2): 181-200. Jamali, D. and Ramez, M. (2007). Corporate social responsibility (CSR): theory and practice in a developing country context. Journal of Business Ethics 72(3): 243-262. Kanter, R. M. (1999). From spare change to real change: The social sector as beta site for business innovation. Harvard Business Review 77. Lindgreen, A. and V. Swaen (2010). Corporate social responsibility. International Journal of Management Reviews 12(1): 1-7 McGuire, J. B., et al. (1988). Corporate social responsibility and firm financial performance. Acade my of Management Journal 31(4): 854-872. McWilliams, A. and D. Siegel (2001). Corporate social responsibility: A theory of the firm perspective. Academy of Management Review 26(1): 117-127. 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Triggers of Energy Conflicts

Triggers of Energy Conflicts Title of Essay: Energy Conflicts are inevitable As the global prices for finite energy resources steadily increase, a proliferation of energy projects have sprung up in all regions across the world. Many of these high profile projects, most notably fracking in the U.S.A and Great Britain, have largely been the result of governmental plans for domestic economic development, with an end goal of â€Å"consolidating particular political agendas† (,). Other projects have focused primarily on bringing more renewable and suatainable resource solutions into play in regions where no previous exploitation had taken place. Such _ has noted that as the number of energy developments have increased, so too have â€Å"accompanying conflicts†, which are more often than not excaberated by external political, social and, of course, environmental factors. These conflicts quite often vary in their dynamics, however an underlying feature seems to be an inherent flaw in governance regarding the management of energy companies. Conflicts both at local and national levels have revolved around an array of issues, ranging from deep rooted opposition to the location of such energy projects to the very proceeses involved in harnessing particular resources. In less developed countries such as Latin America and India, the marginalisation of certain societal groups is strikingly apparent. However, as stated by Lustig (2011), â€Å"the last decade saw some improvements in terms of reducing the rising trend in inequalitythat could be traced back partly to improved education levels and increased transfers to the poor† (). Energy conflicts consistently relate back to these aforementioned social and political influences and can generally be divided into three major geographical categories: local, regional and national. All of these categories have implications on a geopolitical scale. For example oil projects is frequently used as a tool for building political alliances across borders. Sometimes conflicts, which are decades old, may re-ignite and therefore it is not always new investments within the energy sector that give rise to conflicts. On a national level, the exact distribution of energy revenues among institutions and/or economic groups fuel significant disputes. Local level disputes oftentimes offer up unique and insightful case studies on environmental conflicts. The reason being that, although these local conflicts unfold in the actual geographic sites of energy developments, the have been known to have national consequences if not dealt with in an appropiate manner. More importantly, these local conflicts tend to highlight existing failures within states, such as historic economic inequalities and weak insitutional frameworks. Unless addressed in a timely manner, these conflicts have pe rsistently presented awkward challenges for governmental energy policies and have even threatened the stability of some governments. Triggers of Conflict: A primary reason why environmental conflicts can be regarded as inevitable is due to the sheer mulitude of triggers that can ignite disputes. Oftentimes, these triggers are provoked simutaneously, which can pose difficulties in producing strategies for conflict resolution or mitigation. The foremost trigger to energy conflicts appears to be the level of opposition to a certain project. Such_ claims that this particular trigger is the most intricate of all, mainly due to the fact that the level of opposition with regard to energy developments frequently range from an absolute rejection to a total acceptance. In the case of fracking in Balcombe, opposition to the energy operations of the drilling company Cuadrilla was based solely on the negative environmental and social effects linked to fracking. On the other hand, approval on the pro-fracking side was spurred on by the prospects of econmic benefits and the creation of employment. However, as other energy conflicts, there exists move ments that occur in between the two extremities of approval and rejection. These frequently take the form of negotiations between the two opposing sides. Non-governmental organisations such as Greenpeace and the World Resources Institute are recent examples that have radicalised their direct actions across the world, while still gaining traction as negotiators for environmental issues. These, combined with non-homogenous views within the community vis-à  -vis the energy development on their lands, have often resulted in protracted conflicts. The level and nature of involvement of international non-governmental organizations in the conflict. International NGOs not only have grown in power and sophistication over the last twenty years but, because of their strong environmental focus, they have become particularly active in the Amazon. They have played a fundamental role in supporting communities in their negotiations with companies and governments. However, they have also at times be en accused of contributing to the escalation of conflicts through the imposition of agendas that did not fully represent the demands of local communities. Historical greivances, coupled with prior attempts at energy developments in an area or region, contributes significantly as an enerfy conflict trigger, especially in places that have experienced social or even enviromental damage as a result of such projects. In attempts to prevent history from repeating itself in cases Old grievances, or the history of previous energy projects in the area. In areas with a history of social or environmental damage from previous energy projects, local inhabitants tend to be more active in opposing similar new developments for fear of a recurrence of past negative externalities. Communities affected by old projects also tend to be more radicalized. The best example is widespread opposition to new dams, which builds upon the deep scars left by similar projects in the past. The Chixoy Dam in Guatemala, built in the 1970 to 1980s, entailed the forced displacement of more than 3,445 people, mostly indigenous, with no viable resettlement plan. That project also included allegations that the forced relocation included human rights violations by the then-military government. Another example is the legendary Yaciretà ¡ hydroelectric power plant built between Argentina and Paraguay in the 1970s; it displaced as many as 50,000 people. The environmental and social standards of the company involved in the energy projects. In the past decade, Latin America has seen a proliferation of both small oil companies and large national oil companies (NOCs), some of which have shown less stringent social and environmental safeguards relative to the big majors. Many of these junior companies are not publicly listed; this leaves them less concerned about their image and less subject to shareholder pressure to perform as well as the largest corporations do. Furthermore, they generally operate under more restricted budgets than their larger counterparts and the contractual span of their oil projects is much shorter, meaning that they may not have the time, the resources, or the interest in engaging in long-term relations with the local populations. The degree to which companies and governments comply with agreements reached with local communities. A government or a company’s failure to comply with a previous commitment with a community leaves locals feeling betrayed and is very often a source of conflict. Trust is eroded and difficult to rebuild. Communities often protest the breach of contract with force or violence. The extent of law enforcement. A brewing source of conflict is the improper enforcement of national laws or international conventions to which the country is a signatory. National laws may be either overlooked or not properly applied. Typical examples of this are oil projects developed in protected national parks, with full disregard for the laws that shield these socially and/or environmentally sensitive areas. At the same time, an overabundance of overlapping laws sometimes creates confusion as to their application, leaving them practically inoperative. These situations, combined with governments’ failure to comply with international legal standards—such as those imposed by the ILO 169 Convention and the U.N. Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (see box on page 5)—could lead populations affected by the energy developments to resort to violence as they seek answers to their problems. Indigenous communities often accuse governments of infringement of their right to free prior and informed consent, as granted by those international agreements. Very often, consultations are conducted after the license has been granted to the private energy operator and it is too late to object. Adding to the tensions is the slow pace of the legal system, which can take decades to settle a case, as illustrated by the lawsuit against Chevron that started in Ecuador 17 years ago and has still to be resolved. The availability of institutional mechanisms to mediate conflicts. More often than not, countries lack well-functioning institutions with the capacity to effectively mediate conflicts. An exception is the Peruvian Ombudsman Office, an organization with an unusually high level of legitimacy among all the stakeholders and with proven success in de-escalating conflicts. Local NGOs have also participated in mediating conflicts but usually with lower success rates. With all these triggers in mind, a so called elephant in the room still exists in relation to energy conflicts and that is the potential for economic and social disadvantages, which often leads to a political exclusion of sorts. This is more prominent in developing countries, whereby local communities are presented with the enormous task of bartering with global energy companies such as Shell and Chevron for healthcare and educational funding. These services, expected to normally be provided for by the government, is largely basic. Negogiating with energy companies therefore become the only method available to these communities in order to improve their living standards, or at the very least, gain access to basic state services. However the realistic results of such interactions are very seldom perceived as fair and as such, conflicts detroriate at local, regiona and national levels. Such_ has noted that unless these local conflicts are â€Å"addressed with the seriousness and depth they deserve†, then the ability of local communities to mobilise at national levels could be a major cause for concern for government stability. One need only look as far back as 2009, when the city of Bagua in Peru experienced violent conflicts between police and indigenous tribes, as a result of their oppostion to American resource exploitation in the Amzaon itself. This essay identified five triggers of energy conflicts as well as three major types of conflicts within this sector. The national and regional conflicts often receive the most attention from the public and from the media, however it is within local conflicts that the potential to reach national importance exists, unless the conflict is addressed properly. This paper identified four types of energy related conflicts in Latin America: geopolitical and border conflicts at a regional level; revenue conflicts at a national level; and local conflicts that carry the potential to reach national importance unless properly addressed. Geopolitical and border conflicts normally receive the most attention from the general public and the media. However, revenue and local conflicts carry a greater risk of destabilizing the region because they build on largely unresolved inequalities, weak governance, and increasing radicalization of the indigenous movement. Energy project expansion is necessary for economic growth in Latin America, where installed hydroelectric capacity remains very low and large oil and gas reserves await development. However, these infrastructure needs also constitute a tremendous risk factor as most of the still-untapped oil and water sources are in environmentally and socially sensitive areas. These social and environmental frag ilities, combined with a dire economic reality and historical marginalization of the communities affected by the energy developments, result in gradually increasing conflictive situations. Unless addressed rapidly and properly, these conflicts could pose important challenges to Latin America’s political stability and to the region’s economic growth prospects.

Human equality does not trump that of Nature Essay -- Persuasive, W

My argument that I will make will be that the speaker arrives at the conclusion that he, as well as the human race, is equal to nature. Through the use of a series of examples, I will make my point that both the human race and nature are considered to be equal in array of aspects that are debatable. Through a series of questioning from the child that is reflected back to the child by the speaker, the speaker attempts to take a crack at the meaning of nature’s evidence. E.g. in section 6 the child poses a question which seems to be directed at the speaker, " what is this grass?" Fetching it to me with full hands; How could I answer the child? I do not know what it is any more than he."(99-100) The tone the speaker held was once jubilant and self-praising that ousted the need for criticism of natures grass or it’s flags, and stated " I celebrated myself, and sing myself, â€Å"(1) He does not question and analyze the world as it evolves and blossoms around him until he m oves from his loafing phase. Instead the speaker insists upon observing the motions of nature for example " I loafe and invite my soul, I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass."(4-5) This simple observation is not matched with any sort of debate from the speaker. Instead the speaker leans and loafs and does nothing but enjoy himself in the whims of the summer grass. In the speaker’s effortless state, I would claim that he is similar to a child who coddles in the act of doing nothing. This glorification of the speaker goes out on a whim and outstretches to welcome a deserving partner to join in the loafing as specified in section 5 " Loafe with me on the grass, loose the stop from your throat, not words not music or rhyme I want, not custom or lecture... ... life. The life of a human is then set to change regardless of nature’s input or any other human’s inputs for that matter because every human life holds different meanings and routines. Whitman drives my point home in saying â€Å"And to die is different from what anyone supposed and luckier†. (130) Whitman seems to be implying here that no one can predict the way one person will die and in that sense we are lucky to live a life that is left unobserved on a constant basis and to be at peace is a true gift to be cherished, which goes hand in hand with our death. In the end I would say the speaker has come to recognize nature as having some amount of power, but an equalitarian outlook on life seems to be a viewpoint that Whitman peers through by posing a series of questions that are open-ended and aimed at checking and balancing the power of both humans and nature. Human equality does not trump that of Nature Essay -- Persuasive, W My argument that I will make will be that the speaker arrives at the conclusion that he, as well as the human race, is equal to nature. Through the use of a series of examples, I will make my point that both the human race and nature are considered to be equal in array of aspects that are debatable. Through a series of questioning from the child that is reflected back to the child by the speaker, the speaker attempts to take a crack at the meaning of nature’s evidence. E.g. in section 6 the child poses a question which seems to be directed at the speaker, " what is this grass?" Fetching it to me with full hands; How could I answer the child? I do not know what it is any more than he."(99-100) The tone the speaker held was once jubilant and self-praising that ousted the need for criticism of natures grass or it’s flags, and stated " I celebrated myself, and sing myself, â€Å"(1) He does not question and analyze the world as it evolves and blossoms around him until he m oves from his loafing phase. Instead the speaker insists upon observing the motions of nature for example " I loafe and invite my soul, I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass."(4-5) This simple observation is not matched with any sort of debate from the speaker. Instead the speaker leans and loafs and does nothing but enjoy himself in the whims of the summer grass. In the speaker’s effortless state, I would claim that he is similar to a child who coddles in the act of doing nothing. This glorification of the speaker goes out on a whim and outstretches to welcome a deserving partner to join in the loafing as specified in section 5 " Loafe with me on the grass, loose the stop from your throat, not words not music or rhyme I want, not custom or lecture... ... life. The life of a human is then set to change regardless of nature’s input or any other human’s inputs for that matter because every human life holds different meanings and routines. Whitman drives my point home in saying â€Å"And to die is different from what anyone supposed and luckier†. (130) Whitman seems to be implying here that no one can predict the way one person will die and in that sense we are lucky to live a life that is left unobserved on a constant basis and to be at peace is a true gift to be cherished, which goes hand in hand with our death. In the end I would say the speaker has come to recognize nature as having some amount of power, but an equalitarian outlook on life seems to be a viewpoint that Whitman peers through by posing a series of questions that are open-ended and aimed at checking and balancing the power of both humans and nature.

Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia in the Modern World :: Physician Assisted Suicide

Euthanasia and the Modern World      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A long time ago, culture was universal and permanent.   There was one set of beliefs, ideals, and norms, and these were the standard for all human beings in all places and all times.   We, however, live in the modern world.   Our ethics are not an inheritance of the past, completed and ready for universal application.   We are in the situation of having to form our own beliefs and meanings of life.   This struggle is now obvious in the contemporary discussions of euthanasia.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Of the controversial discussions involving euthanasia, the question of legalization is an often argued one.   Whether euthanasia ought to be illegal is different from the question of whether it is immoral.  Ã‚   Some people believe that even if euthanasia is immoral, it still should not be prohibited by law, since if a patient wants to die, that is strictly a personal affair, regardless of how foolish or immoral the desire might be. [Rachels, 56]   My position is almost identical.   I believe there are some instances in which euthanasia is immoral, but I believe it should unquestionably be legal.   In the following paragraphs, I will display the position of the opposition to the legality of euthanasia as well as the position of the supporters.   I shall attempt to prove that, yes, euthanasia should be legal. There is a strong opposition against the legalization of euthanasia.   The main argument against the legality of euthanasia is sometimes known as the slippery slope argument.   People argue that if euthanasia was legally permitted, it would lead to a general decline in the respect for human life.   It is professed that we would kill people in the beginning simply to put them out of extreme agony.   This is the ideal.   But the opposition states that the killing of people wouldn't stop here.   The killing could perhaps escalate to mass murder of innocent victims.   When would the killing stop?   This is what scares the opponent. The opponents argue that once something is accepted, we have no right to deny other similar practices.   This is when doctors and patients would start taking advantage of the new law. Therefore, the first step should not be taken.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I disagree with this notion and believe that there would hardly be any