Home School Essays - Freedom Of Religion In The United States

Home School Before the beginning of American public schools in the mid-19th century, home schooling was the norm. Founding father John Adams encouraged his spouse to educate their children while he was on diplomatic missions (Clark, 1994). By the 1840's instruction books for the home were becoming popular in the United States and Britain. The difficulty of traveling to the system of community schools was provoking detractors. At this time, most of the country began moving toward public schools (Clark, 1994). One of the first things early pioneers did was set aside a plot of land to build a school house and try to recruit the most educated resident to be the schoolmarm. This led to recruiting of graduates Eastern Seaboard colleges to further the education oftheir children beyond what they could do at home (Clark, 1994). As the popularity of the public school movement began to rise behind Horace Mann many states soon passed compulsory-education laws. These were designed primarily to prevent farmers, miners, and other parents form keeping their kids home to work (Clark, 1994). Ironically another factor behind public schools was the desire to use them to spread Christian morality, with its concern for the larger good over individualism (Clark, 1994). Massachusetts enacted the first such laws in 1852 requiring children ages 8-14 to be at school at least 12 weeks a year unless they were too poor. The laws proved to be effective, from 1870-1898 the number of children enrolling in the public schools outpaced the population growth. Except for certain religious sects and correspondence schools home schooling remained limited for most of the 20th century. During the 1960's the hippie counterculture exploded into the scene. This culture led a revolt against the education establishment. Thousands of young Americans began dropping out of society and going back to the land to live on communes that generated the modern home schooling movement. Twenty years ago, many states did not allow home schooling. Constitutional protection has always been uncertain. The U.S. Supreme Court has never explicitly ruled on home schooling. Although in 1972, in Wisconsin v. Yoder, the Court did restrict compulsory school requirements in a limited ruling involving the right of Amish students not to attend high school (Lines, 1996). In Wisconsin v. Yoder, the Amish parents claimed that high school attendance was destructive to their children's religious beliefs and would interfere with their pursuit of the Amish way of life (Fisher, Schimmel, and Kelley, 1995). Since this ruling there have been many court cases dealing with the issue of home schooling. All 50 states allow home schooling ad 34 states have enacted specific home schooling statutes or regulations (Clark, 1994). What drives many home-schoolers are the well-documented social troubles and the declining test scores in the public schools. In 1991, the total number of children being home schooled was between 248,500 and 353,500. Many public educators feel that children who are home schooled are missing out on key learning situations that come from the public school. For instance the sciene experiments, these would be very costly to duplicate at home. Also they argue that home school children miss out on the social aspect of school. Very often they are not around many children their age and socialization does not take place. As the home schooling movement has become more widespread, state and local officials have responded with more vigorous enforcement of their compulsory education laws. As a result of this there is more litigation and new regulations. As both parents and school official's evidence increasing inflexibility, the statues play a central role in the battle over the education of the child. A secondary role is played by the courts which, in resolving the disputes between parents and the schools, must interpret and test the statutes (Chiusano 1996). Parents who are being prosecuted for instructing their children at home are attacking compulsory school attendance statues on constitutional grounds. Although no case dealing specifically with home instruction has yet reached the Supreme Court, the increased activism of the home school movement may produce a ruling in the near future (Lines, 1996). Constitutional challenges have been based on the First or Fourteenth Amendment. In many of the home instruction cases' parents have removed their children from school

Planning process in organization

Planning process in organization Introduction The business environment comprises of complex factors that require scrutiny before a decision is made concerning the environment. An organization must have a clear planning process in order to enhance its decision making. A clear planning process involves having an understanding of interrelated questions within a corporation.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Planning process in organization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Early organizational planning comprises of strategy drawing, where possible environmental occurrences are considered and an appropriate course of action is determined. Strategic planning seeks to maximize on the return of resources. There is need to constantly devise a tactical approach through which objectives can be achieved since resources are limited and competition is high. Several theories enhance the decision making process in organizations. The success or failure of decision ma king either directly affects an organization through improved performance or worsens the overall performance. Decisions require constant evaluation to enable an accurate and consistent appraisal. It helps in revealing existing gaps and determining their solutions to the benefit of the organization. The business environment is continuously changing, thus keeping a close check through constant evaluation and re-evaluation provides the opportunity to identify gaps well in advance. An evaluation of decisions over time equally helps in identifying alternatives that enhance the organization’s ability to cushion against performance risks. The Decision Making Process With the advent of globalization, market integration has been created through internationalization. Organizations, therefore, compete with each other for resources and market across the globe. Market consolidation and optimization must be achieved for organizations to succeed in such operation environments. Strategic fle xibility must be created such that the organization can instantly change its course of action to suit an equally complex and fast changing business environment. This is not an easy task because nobody fully understands what the external business environment will look like in the immediate future. Thus, although strategies may be formulated with the purpose of countering external environment changes, they may end up failing to capture the actual requirement needed to attain goals.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To build strategic flexibility, a long-term commitment is needed towards developing, as well as nurturing important critical resources. I will struggle to create a learning organization that offers room for development of great skill in creating, acquiring, as well as transferring knowledge. Behavior modification within the organization must be achieved in order to replicate insights and knowledge about its operations and environment. Particular problems afflicting an organization will remain to be of great concern as a way of integrating the learning process successfully. I will carry out experiments with new approaches with a view of improving the current approach, reflect on history and past experiences in order to learn from them, and be able to quickly transfer knowledge throughout the organization in an easy manner. Strategic management My strategic management will involve four important elements that include environmental scanning, strategy formulation, evaluation and control, and strategy implementation. My strategic decisions will focus on the future of the organization, beginning with evaluation of the current performance results, review of the corporate governance, and inspection and review of the external environment. Equally, an internal evaluation and review of the corporate environment are critical before carrying out a n analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with the organization. After exhausting the above activities, I will generate alternative strategies before evaluating each one of them to come up with the best alternative. This precedes the implementation phase, which is finally followed by the evaluation process. Strategic audit involves a systematic analysis of areas that encounter issues, including a question checklist comprising of the numerous functions and activities of the organization. Management and the Decision Process My decision making mandate will include executing four major functions. Other than leading the organization, I will lay out plans that will steer the firm ahead. My role will also aim at controlling the firm, as well as playing the role of organizing. I will continuously undertake the decision making process, where I will evaluate alternatives in order to achieve the set objective. The existing expectations concerning a given co urse of action will push my decision making into settling for the course of action that would most likely lead to goal attainment.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Planning process in organization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More I realize that as a manager, I will be operating in a highly uncertain environment that includes fluctuation in currency exchange, change in the political platform, and competitive actions, among many other aspects (De Bruijn, Heuvelhof Veld, 2010). The focus of my decision making will be on goal achievement, where I will mainly concentrate on challenges that have numerous alternatives. This will be by selecting an alternative course of action from among various alternatives (De Bruijn, Heuvelhof Veld, 2010). While doing this, I will pay attention to five important contexts, including the situation and location, the rationale, the methodology, as well as the type of decision and the parti cipants. Purpose of Decisions As a manager, I realize the fact that my role entails a rational activity that arrives at particular decisions depending on the surrounding circumstances. Past situations and experience are significant factors that shape decisions, and it is important for me to base decisions on such factors. Decisions also work towards aligning personal with professional goals to enhance organizational performance. I have to work hard to achieve this harmony because failure will imply the existence of a clash of interests. Decision making Approaches My decision making approach may borrow from two existing approaches. They include the normative, rational, or classical model, and the descriptive, bounded rational, organizational model (Flynn Currie, 2012). Following the normative approach, I will first recognize the problem, set up the objectives, and finally determine the available options. In doing this, I will evaluate the available options, select a particular optio n, and execute its implementation according to the intended objectives. After implementation, I must monitor and observe the implemented strategy closely. The cycle is a continuous one as it returns to the problem recognition stage because of the continuous nature of problems and challenges that are contained in the business environment. The figure below illustrates the working modality of a normative model. Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Source: (Flynn Currie, 2012), I will also use my cognitive talent to explore on the ability and capacity of bounded rationality. In particular, I will analyze the situation at hand before offering solutions to the problem. This will, however, require that I utilize all the available information to make quality decisions. There has to be adequate information available to make this a possibility. Both my rationality and that of the organization will be critical in achieving appropriate decisions using the bounded rationality model. Thus, the most challenging area for me will be balancing of my own rationality to ensure that the decisions I make reflect the objectives of the organization. Structure of Decisions As a human being, I realize the fact that the decision making process involves the brain, cognitive categorization, and assimilation or data integration. As a fact, the decisions that I will offer will likely be affected by factors such as emotions, intuition, stereotyping, and halo effect. However, I will always rely on critical thinking, which is an intellectual process and approach through which situations and ideas are evaluated. This will help me to counter the challenge and pressure of being personal in my thinking. I am equally aware of existing errors that may limit my critical thinking, including making quick decisions, lack of confidence in as far as decision making ability is concerned, and lack of desire and ability to think critically. Status quo stands in the way of thinking. It is the same case with anchoring, as well as framing. I have to devise ways of putting these issues into check. Ethics in Decision Making My obligation in decision making entails incorporating moral principles in the decisions they make. This will enhance benefit maximization for the prosperity of the organization (Ferrell, Fraedrich Ferrell, 2011). In particular, it implies that I have to be honest, trustworthy, and full of integrity when dealing with others, being attentive to all the stakeholders, building the community, and having respect for individuals. I can determine whether an act is ethical by establishing whether it is right in the first place, whether it achieves fairness, and whether it hurts others. Determining whether my own child would comfortably do the same thing, or if I would still be comfortable in case details of my decisions were made public are some of the best evaluations for ethics. Being unethical will affect my organization in several ways, including leading to bankruptcy, redundancies, loss of loyalty, and disillusionment of young talent (Ferrell, Fraedrich Ferrell, 2011). Theory Application on Improvement of Decision While applying theory, I will always remember the four major classifications that include virtue ethics, ethical learning and growth, deontological ethics, and teleological ethics. I will have to build principles or beliefs that disregard consequences. This will include building personal qualities tha t act as means to an end rather than ends to themselves. By considering virtue with great regard, I will often strive to do right things for the society and get the right balance between self and society’s qualities or interests. Deontological ethics If I can carry out an action as a duty, this will make it morally right. To achieve this, my main emphasis will be on duties, which refer to the actions that need to be undertaken or shunned regardless of consequences (MacKinnon, 2013). My morality is evaluated on the basis of whether the performance of the action can be done by everyone minus the occurrence of any contradiction, or whether the action considers everyone as equal entities who deserve respect other than considering respect only as a means (MacKinnon, 2013). The action rule is also subjected to scrutiny as to whether it can be accepted by rationality, both on the receiving and the giving end. Teleological or utilitarianism People will measure the good or bad in my a ctions basing on the outcomes of my acts. In this regard, more emphasis is placed on the end rather than the means to be used. There shall always be two sides in any argument that I will involve myself in. I will only develop knowledge through social dialogue and interaction with others (Graham, 2011). However, all the discourse I engage in will have to be formal in order to achieve validity. I have to maintain sincerity and truth about the content justice involved and the procedural justice. Sometimes I will be expected to rely on outcomes of an action in order to judge the action itself. Depending on the people involved in the process, I will sometimes be expected to explore how much pleasure is generated from an act because happiness or pleasure concerns the good often sought after. I also note the fact that according to Maximalism, right deeds lead to greatest good. The right deeds lead to the least undesirable result possible. This can only be achieved if I hold all individuals as equal, and when I determine the fact that they are all affected by consequences of an action or result (Graham, 2011). Ethical learning and growth There has to be change and development in my understanding for me to learn. Thus, it is not possible to achieve an ethical organization by decree. Measurement of the ethical performance is achieved through policies, ends, or outcomes. My ethical contribution will often be made in a group, while my own individual interest is what constitutes the Basic Good. Finally, covey hinges on the principle that it is always important to begin something while considering its end. Achieving public good would, thus, imply achieving a positive aspect that is considered as non-rival and non-excludable (MacKinnon, 2013). Conclusion As an organizational decision maker, the environment of operation is challenging and ever changing. The dynamic environment for business currently offers a lot of challenges to the attainment of the intended objectives. This complex environment includes political changes, economic situations, competition forces, and socio-cultural aspects. These are practical environmental factors that have a lot of potential in affecting a business positively or negatively. As a leader, I will deal with these challenges by formulating strategic plans that seek to apportion the limited resources effectively. My strategies are formulated out of decisions made in order to counter the challenges brought about by the complex business environment. Part of my decision making involves particular processes and steps, including reviewing the experiences encountered in the past and formulating alternative solutions before settling on the best suitable option. I will have to incorporate ethics in order to resonate well with the goals and objectives of the organization. This refers to the moral principles that also consider other people’s welfare within the decisions arrived at. I must consider the community and the shareho lders in my decisions in order to enhance the organization’s overall performance. I will focus on the four classifications of ethical decision making, which include deontology, ethical learning and growth, utilitarianism, and virtue ethics. As a deontologist, I will anchor my decision making on the principles of justice, fairness and rights. I will also give discourse a chance. I will need to build my arguments of ethics on ethical egoism and communitarianism in order to achieve ethical learning and growth. References De Bruijn, H., Heuvelhof, E., Veld, R. (2010). Process management: Why project management fails in complex decision making processes, 2nd Ed. Berlin Heidelberg: Springer Ferrell, O. C., Fraedrich, J., Ferrell, L. (2011). Business ethics: Ethical decision making and cases. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Flynn, J., Currie, D. (2012). Management decision-making in context, 2nd Ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Graham, G. (2011). Theories of ethics: an intro duction to moral philosophy with a selection of classic readings. New York, NY: Routledge MacKinnon, B. (2013). Ethics: Theory contemporary issues Concise edition, 2nd ed.: Theory and contemporary issues. Boston, MA: Wadsworth

Graduation Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Graduation Speech - Essay Example It has been fun attending most of the activities while some have been challenging. I, in particular, cannot forget how I have struggled with my science subjects. At first, they were hard to comprehend but all that is now behind me. High school life have taught me lessons that I will forever remain indebted. Being patient, hardworking, and putting God first in everything I do has seen me endure the long journey. I have severally found myself on the wrong path with teachers for poor performance and unfinished assignments. I acknowledge all actions you took and believe that all were meant to mold me to be a responsible person. To the students I leave behind, I urge you to work hard in your studies and you will also graduate in the years to come. Respect your teachers and do all they ask you. Remember your parents are sacrificing their resources to have you in school. Please do your best to avoid embarrassing them. I believe St. Gabriel High School students have the potential to succeed in everything. I indeed wish you

Technological and Economic Factors Affecting Business Environment Essay

Technological and Economic Factors Affecting Business Environment - Essay Example This paper will investigate the changing business environment of the travel industry over the last five years. It will further examine the technological and economic factors that affect the airline industry in UK. Technological Factor The first business in travel and tourism to embrace technological innovation is the airlines industry (Buhalis, 2004, p.1). Dale, et al. (2006, p.4) indicated in his book the early technology adopted by the air travel. Viewdata system was the first technology that connects â€Å"tour operators and travel agencies via terminals.† It grants travel agents to book flights based on the preferences of their customers. In the 1950s, they develop the Computer Reservation System (CRS) to make direct bookings via the system. With the development of Global Distribution System (GDS), travel agents across the globe can access the available flight and seats for travellers. The timeline of technological innovation of the airline industry shows of their early im provements. Therefore, by the year 2005, the airline industry has developed its own booking system to gain competitive advantage. Capoccitti, et al. (2010) indicate the operations improvement of the airline industry by using technology in managing the CO2 emission. The concern of stakeholders, which affects UK travellers, is on reducing the gases that harm the earth’s atmosphere. ... Currently, the travellers can utilise their mobile phone to check-in via the internet, which adds customers’ experience (Boyle, 2011). Hence, innovation and technological advancement are critical to the viability of the airline industry in the new global business environment. Impact of Technology The development of technology increases the competition among the airlines industry because it changes the processing method, the information dissemination, and communication process. With the evolution of technology, the business environment is rapidly changing, which tightens competition. According to Khosrowpour (2003, p.237), airline companies compete with travel agents to obtain a high market share because they refer other airline companies with available flight to customers. Furthermore, Doganis (2006, p.197) states that information technology aids companies in their distribution system and revenue management. The effective forecasting method of most companies is due to the impr ovement of technology, which allows them to predict sales based on the available seats. Hence, it stimulates other companies to adopt technology because it benefits both customers and companies. Moreover, the demand of customers changes. They want fast and accessible service, which motivates companies to improve services. Aside from accessibility, technology is essential for companies that cut cost or expenses. Economic Factor According to the Civil Aviation Authority (2008, pp.1-6), the decline of the traffic growth in UK commenced in the year 2005. This was affected by the 2001 bombings in the United States that instilled fear for most travellers. The security was stabilised to guarantee the safety of leisure and business travellers. Furthermore,

Target plc Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Target plc - Assignment Example The study provides the details financial analysis of the company. In the case study the financial and operational evaluation of the company in questions has been undertaken. For the purpose of operational capability of the company, its corporate strategy has been analyzed in addition to the competitive environment and other risks to which it is being exposed. Target Plc is not a new name in the retail, food and ingredients industry and is considered analogous to quality and premium branding. The company is a diversified conglomerate having five major strategic segments which are sugar, agriculture, retail, grocery and ingredients. As per the latest financial statements of the company for the annual year 2012, the company is operating in almost all of the major cities of the United States. The vision and mission statement of the company is to achieve strong leadership in the course of business which is sustainable and long lasting. The company always strives to provide quality product s to the individuals and other consumers and to become a necessary brand in the people’s day to day active life. Financial Highlight [Annual report Target, 2012 , Pg2] As apparent form the above financial highlight, the company presents a strong financial outlook and appears to be a lucrative company for the investors to invest in. The company has various revenue centers through which the company generates most of its revenues. During the financial year 2012, the highest earning revenue center for the company was heath, beauty and households which constituted about 25% of the total revenue of the company. Corporate Strategy Target Plc is now actively involved in acquiring new stores in order to capture a significant market share in the industry. Currently the company is facing tough competition in the market as new entrants are entering in the market and taking advantage of the new and improved industry state. The company current corporate strategy is to refurbish the acquire d stores and outlets so that they have fashionable, modern and attractive presented stores located in prime locations all across the region. The primary capital expenditure of the company consists of extending its stores portfolio. Competitive Analysis In order to analyze the financial outlook of a company, it is of prime importance that the cost leadership and differentiation strategies of the company are analyzed. In addition, the best method to assess the competitive advantage is through porter’s five forces model. The major competitors of Target Plc are as follows: Wal-Mart Stores Kmart Corporation Costco Wholesale Corporation Competitive Advantage Porter’s five forces model is an effective tool in exploring the competitive forces of the environment in which the organization operates. It allows the business to critically analyze its current business strategy and formulate one which can allow it to achieve a competitive position in the market. With the advancement i n Information Technology, it has been prominently observed that the businesses are now focusing more and more on implementing information system in order to make the best use of their resources. In the mentioned case, Target Corporation has several functional units carrying out activities related to the manufacturing and delivering of Sports merchandise. By integrating these units using information system, Target Corporation can gain competitive advantage in the market which can by analyzed in the light of Porter’s five forces model. The first competitive force according to the model is the entry of new competitors into the market. New entrants might be able to capture some of the market

Corporate Social Responsibility A Strategy For Inclusive Development Business Essay

Corporate Social Responsibility A Strategy For Inclusive Development Business Essay Events around the world over the last few decades have emphasized the need for corporate entities, their stakeholders, governments and international organizations to take the issue of Corporate Social Responsibility seriously. Incidents such as the explosion at the Union Carbide Bhopal, India in 1984, the oil spillage at Prince William Sound, Alaska USA in 1989, a few corporate scandals; for example the Mirror Group UK 1991, the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) 1991, UK, Polly Peck 1992, UK, Enron USA 2001, World Com USA 2002, Parmal at Italy 2003 remain fresh and indelible in our minds. Issues such as rampant poverty, climate change and global warming, human rights abuses, terrorism and the globalization of the world economy also affect how corporate entities conduct their operational practices. These operational practices consequently impinge on how corporate entities perceive their responsibilities to societies; and in turn societies expectations from corporate ent ities have increased. Societies give license to businesses to operate and consequently businesses have to serve society not only by creating wealth, but also by contributing to social needs and social expectations towards society. The current state of world affairs, calls for development that is inclusive. This paper delves upon issues such as the need for inclusiveness in development, the role of business in the contemporary society and its association with inclusive development, the Governments contribution towards CSR facilitation and the promotion of CSR by the corporate sector as a strategy for Inclusive Development. Inclusive Development Many people end up being excluded from the mainstream society; the reasons may be varied like gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation disability or the deprivation of basic human rights. This exclusion has resulted in making poverty and inequality a global challenge today, affecting nearly all countries of the world. The World Bank estimates for the year 2008 indicate that approximately 3 billion people or 45% of the global population is living below the international poverty line ($1-2 a day). If inflation is taken into account global poverty is on the rise. Poverty is a vicious cycle and the poor or unfortunate are in a way trapped in this cycle.   They lack access to good nutrition, health care and decent living conditions face barriers to education, employment and public services and are thus denied a dignified human existence.    Economic growth is an important factor in reducing poverty and generating the resources necessary for human development and environmental protection. The past fifty years have seen unprecedented global economic growth. This growth evidently has failed to bring about an overall development to societies across the world. The challenges discussed so far underscore the need for Inclusive development, an  emerging concept that recognizes diversity as fundamental to sustainable socio-economic and human development, based upon the notion that every human being can and should contribute to the development process where isolated policies be replaced by integrated strategy benefiting individuals and societies as a whole.   It is only right then that economic growth and development today is revisited by all actors in the society instrumental in generating this development. In order to structure such a strategy, all projects related to  education, health promotion, environmental and social protection need to consider those trapped in the vicious cycle of poverty. Development that is Inclusive reduces poverty where all groups of people contribute to creating opportunities, share the benefits of development and participate in decision-making. United Nations Development Programs human development approach complements Inclusive development as it integrates the standards and principles of human rights: participation, non-discrimination and accountability for all social and environmental concerns. Sustainability and Inclusive Development Sustainable practices encourage conserving, mitigating waste and enhancing our resource bases by gradually changing the ways in which we use natural resources available to us for industrial and personal consumption and the technologies we choose and the way we apply them. Nations strive to meet the basic requirements of their people for employment, food, energy, water and sanitation. To achieve this sustainably, there is need to balance economic, environmental and social goals so that prosperity is ensured not only for the current but future generations as well. Poverty eradication is an integral part of the goal of an environmental strategy for the world. The concepts of a shared planet, global citizenship, spaceship earth cannot be restricted to environmental issues alone. They apply equally to the shared and inter-linked responsibilities of environmental protection and human development. Restoring natural systems and improving natural resource management practices at the grassroots level are central to a strategy to eliminate poverty. It can be inferred that sustainable development is a precondition to achieving inclusive development. Role Of Business Corporate Houses have become powerful institutions on the planet in the last 50 years. Businesses have emerged stronger and more powerful when compared with Nation states. Willis Harman notes that the dominant institution in any society needs to take responsibility for the whole as the church did in the days of the Holy Roman Empire. The expectations from Business are indicating reflections of a demand for change. Business has been asked to be Inclusive and not just merit based; maximal and not just legal; to be ahead of law and not just run with it; to be consultative rather than just procedural; to meet global standards and not just local ones. In short, a large part of social responsibility is expected to be taken by corporate houses and therefore the concept Corporate Social Responsibility has emerged over time. Inclusive Development is to be shaped by various factors, such as; the functional definition of inclusive development, interventions that enhance governance and promote effective institutions, sound economic policies, and cultural and socio-economic considerations in policymaking and implementation. Inclusive development is an effective tool for overcoming social exclusion, combating poverty and ensuring social and economic sustainability, i.e. all sections of the society benefit out of such initiatives. Governance, trade, technology and financing practices determine social justice and protection of the rights of the underprivileged. It involves all actors in the society the government, businesses, public and private sector institutions, civil society or communities themselves. CSR as a strategic tool by companies with collaborative support of the above mentioned actors can and has become one of the important drivers to promote overall human development ensuring environmental protection. Such development is sustainable and leads to Inclusive Growth. CSR Models Today we have innumerable examples of Companies where Inclusive Development has been the guiding principle for Business in the long run. A few International names include Coca Cola, Starbucks, Johnson Johnson and Microsoft. In the Indian scenario we can begin with the legendry Tatas followed by Infosys, ITC, Bharti, Mahindra Mahindra, Wipro and many others. Initiatives of a few companies are covered underneath. The Tata Group Pioneers in the area of CSR in India, the TATA group has always played an active role in nation building and socio-economic development. Over the years, the Tata philosophy to Give back what you get has been followed by all their enterprises across India. Be it relief measures, rural development, health care, education, art and culture, they have been very forthcoming. As a result every year, the Tata Groups contribution to society has been phenomenal. Tatas spent Rupees 1 billion on 8 community development and social services projects during the fiscal 2001-02-the highest by any corporate house in India. ITC ITC partnered the Indian farmer for almost a century. They are now engaged in elevating this partnership to a new paradigm by leveraging information technology through its trail blazing e-Choupal initiative. Figure 1 : An ITC E- Chaupal In June 2000, ITCs Agri-Business Division conceived E-Choupal ( Figure 1) as a more efficient supply chain aimed at delivering value to its customers around the world on a sustainable basis. The model has been specifically designed to tackle the challenges posed by the unique features of Indian agriculture, characterized by fragmented farms, weak infrastructure and the involvement of numerous intermediaries, among others. E-Choupal also unshackles the potential of Indian farmer who has been trapped in a vicious cycle of low risk taking ability > low investment > low productivity > weak market orientation > low value addition > low margin > low risk taking ability. It makes the farmer and the Indian agri-business sector globally uncompetitive, despite rich abundant natural resources. Such a market-led business model can enhance the competitiveness of Indian agriculture and trigger a virtuous cycle of higher productivity, higher incomes, enlarged capacity for farmer risk management, larger investments and higher quality and productivity. Infosys Infosys, Mr. Narayan Murthy has been at the forefront to champion the role of good corporation He said we should look for public good and private good will automatically come. In March 1996 the Infosys Foundation was created in the state of Karnataka operating in the areas of health care, social rehabilitation and rural uplift, education, arts and culture. Since then, this foundation has spread to the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerela, Orrisa and Punjab. The foundation receives 1.5 % of the company after tax profits. In line with its stakeholder driven approach the allocation of funds is based on a participatory process. Since 2004, Infosys has embarked on a series of initiatives to consolidate and formalize its academic relationships worldwide under the umbrella of a program called the AcE ie Academic Entente. Through case study writing, participation in academic conferences and university events, research collaborations, hosting study trips to Infosys development centres and running the instep Global Internship program, the company communicates with important stakeholders in the academia promoting meaningful development. Starbucks Starbucks, a leading example of Environmental Sustainability has outlined a bold global environmental strategy that will help achieve a meaningful reduction in the companys environmental footprint. Starbucks has identified climate change as a key priority for the company and is in the third year of implementing its climate change strategy. The company has committed to significant renewable energy purchases for its stores and has also focused on ways to improve energy efficiency through store design. Starbucks also believes it has a role to play in consumer education and awareness, and is beginning to engage its supply chain partners on climate related issues such as renewable energy. In 2005, The Starbucks Emerging Issues Council, (a group 18 senior Starbucks executives) prioritized climate change as a key issue for the company in response to the environmental threats facing coffee growing communities. The council is also involved in determining what further measures are needed for the company to proactively and responsibly address the issue of climate change in a leadership capacity. The Starbucks three year climate change mitigation strategy includes the following steps to reduce the companys emissions: Purchasing renewable energy Focusing on energy conservation measures Educating and advocating the need for collaborative action Figure 2: A Starbucks Plantation The Starbucks three year climate change mitigation strategy includes the following steps to reduce the companys emissions: Purchasing renewable energy Focusing on energy conservation measures Educating and advocating the need for collaborative action As a responsible company, Starbucks is open and honest about the successes and challenges they face. Their Global Responsibility Reports give a clear picture of the progress theyve made in the areas of ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship and community involvement. Coca Cola Established in 1886, The CocaCola Company operates in more than 200 countries and markets nearly 500 brands. They are a global business that operates on a local scale in every community where they do business. The CocaCola system operates in the context of a broader value cycle: They work with others to source ingredients, create packaging, sell products, recover and reuse packaging materials and replenish the water used. Managing sustainability through a complex business cycle can be challenging, however collaborating closely with our business partners, communities and consumers, they seek to ensure environmental and social responsibility and are working to encourage consumers to recycle the packaging materials associated with their products. Global Sustainability select goals and targets for Coca Cola include: Active Healthy living, Energy management, Climate protection, Community, Sustainable packaging and Water stewardship. It is evident that a new paradigm for innovation is emerging: a partnership between private enterprise and public interest that produces profitable and sustainable change. Companies are moving beyond corporate social responsibility to corporate social innovation. Traditionally companies viewed the social sector as a dumping ground for spare cash, obsolete equipment and tired executives. This mindset could not create lasting change. Community needs are now viewed as opportunities to develop ideas and business technologies leading to both business and community payoffs. Government as a CSR facilitator Inclusive development requires that planning and interventions are state-led, with indispensable but ancillary engagement by the private sector and other stakeholders. CSR has not evolved separately from the public policy. Many governments have actively participated in encouraging corporations to voluntarily assume greater responsibility of the social/environmental aspects of their business policies by way of seeking to harness various market mechanisms to promote CSR. They have been promoted by various National governments, the European Union and several Inter-Governmental Organizations most notably the United Nations and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It is interesting to note the shift in the motivations of governments for encouraging CSR. For almost three decades now it has been associated with addressing corporate governance deficits but more recently improving corporate policies with respect to issues like social cohesion, national competitiveness and environmental stability have been emphasized. The interest of the Governments is not only to encourage CSR initiatives but also to build CSR capacity. Shift is also being witnessed from endorsing and facilitating CSR by corporate to including partnering and mandating CSR through soft legislation. In advanced capitalist countries governments are playing extensive roles in a variety of initiatives to encourage CSR. The last decade has seen developments of newer roles and relationships between Governments and corporations. The UK Government has created a ministerial portfolio of CSR; corporations have created forms of self reporting and self regulation for instance The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) ; NGOs such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Amnesty International, to name but just two have entered partnerships with corporations to help them improve environmental and social practices. There is evidence of substantial growth in the number of ethical or social mutual funds as well. In India, The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has issued CSR Voluntary Guidelines in 2009 for the Private Sector, to help encourage business entities formulate a CSR policy, guide its strategic planning and provide a roadmap for its CSR initiatives which are an integral part of the overall business policy and aligned with its business goals. The policy is expected to be framed with the participation of various level executives and approved by the Board. The Ministry of Corporate affairs has urged all companies to create a separate fund for their CSR activities in the interest of greater transparency. The recommendation is a part of Voluntary guidelines for companies especially those listed on the stock market. Core Elements of the Policy Guidelines include: Care for all Stakeholders: The companies should respect the interests of, and be responsive towards all stakeholders, shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, project affected people, society at large etc. and create value for all of them. Ethical functioning: Their governance systems should be underpinned by Ethics, Transparency and Accountability. They should not engage in business practices that are abusive, unfair, corrupt or anti-competitive. Respect for Workers Rights and Welfare: Companies should provide a workplace environment that is safe, hygienic and humane and which upholds the dignity of employees. They should provide all employees with access to training and development of necessary skills for career advancement, on an equal and non-discriminatory basis. Respect for Human Rights: Companies should respect human rights for all and avoid complicity with human rights abuses by them or by third party. Respect for Environment: Companies should take measures to check and prevent pollution; recycle, manage and reduce waste, should manage natural resources in a sustainable manner. Activities for Social and Inclusive Development: Depending upon their core competency and business interest, companies are expected to undertake activities for economic and social development of communities and geographical areas, particularly in the vicinity of their operations for disadvantaged population. The CSR policy of the business entity is also expected to provide for an Implementation strategy that includes identification of projects/activities, setting measurable physical targets with timeframe, organizational mechanism and responsibilities, time schedules and monitoring. The Implementation Guidelines: *Companies may partner with local authorities, business associations and civil society/non-government organizations. *Companies should allocate specific amount in their budgets for CSR activities. *To share experiences and network with other organizations the company should engage with well established and recognized program/platforms which encourage responsible business practices and CSR activities. *The companies should disseminate information on CSR policy, activities and progress in a structured manner to all their stakeholders and the public at large through their website, annual reports, and other communication media. In addition to the Voluntary Guidelines another Government initiative if materialized, would lead to a situation where Corporate Social Responsibility for a state-owned firm may no more be just a photo opportunity for its chairman but would involve people-centric projects to be funded by 2-5 per cent of the companys net profits. The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) is in the final stage of preparing guidelines for the Central Public Sector enterprises (CPSE s) to take up important CSR projects. The proposal, cleared by the Committee of Secretaries is awaiting approval by Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Ministry. It proposes a contribution of 3-5 % for enterprises with net profits of up to Rs 100 crore. Those earning net profit of more than Rs 100 crore may be asked to contribute up to two per cent of the amount. The Government has taken a very firm step and its regularization may see tangible impact on CSR initiatives undertaken by the companies. The CSR would inherit dimensions apart from traditional welfare related CSR practices like organizing blood donation camps charity events and the like. The CPSEs would be obliged to take up specific projects to help people affected directly or indirectly by their businesses. It would be the Companys primary obligation, to recycle part of their profits in order to help the society. While several CPSEs provide funds for CSR projects, it is not obligatory in nature so far. The guidelines would provide for measurement of the CSR. These obligations would be set in the Memorandum of Understanding, which sets targets for an individual CPSE. The performance evaluation of the companies would also have CSR performance as one of the parameters of overall performance of the company. The CSR Credits system that was proposed recently by the Corporate Affairs Minister Shri Salman Khurshid is a way forward where soft legislation will gradually facilitate CSR integration into the very core of corporate strategy. Mr. Khurshid believes that charity is rewarded in tax exemptions and other benefits however CSR remains unrewarded. Reiterating the idea of making CSR quantifiable he has urged corporate to debate the possibility of establishing a CSR exchange to deal in CSR Credits. Through the CSR exchange mechanism, companies would be able to trade in CSR credits, akin to trading in carbon credits. This is to be done through certification for their CSR activities by a government body. The credits could then be traded in a CSR credit exchange. The system translates into a situation where a company yet to engage in CSR may be able to compensate it through purchasing CSR credits from company that has already earned them. This would be quite similar to carbon credits where a polluting entity has to buy carbon credits from companies that have earned them through environment-friendly activities. In addition to this another issue under consideration is the conflict of interest where a company produces consumer products that are deemed harmful to consumption and health. Shri Khurshid said If there is a business that is inherently destructive and unwholesome, a way has to be found to offset the negativity of that business. The Governments are using CSR to complement Government policies in order to promote Inclusive Development. This system reflects new forms of Governance in which Governments employ a much richer and subtler array of mechanisms to affect business behavior rather than employing enforcement. The use of policies that endorse, facilitate and partner with firms is further characteristic of a new governance paradigm which emphasizes norms, networks, incentives and volunteerism. Government participation in promoting CSR may be an anathema to the business world as it may conjure up visions of control and constraints to operate competitively in a global world but positive though incipient signs of change are visible as we trace the evolution. CSR-Business Society Interface The phrase Corporate Social Responsibility originates with H. Bowen, who wrote Social Responsibility of Businessmen in 1953. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is used to describe businesses integration of social and environmental issues into decisions, goals, and operations. Other terms used in the CSR context are: Corporate Responsibility, Sustainability, Corporate Citizenship, Ethical Business Practices, Social/Environmental Responsibility, Triple Bottom Line and Environmental and Social Stewardship. The basic questions at the heart of CSR are as old as business itself, such as what is business for? What contribution does it make to society? Its rise to prominence however has not been a smooth one, as the concept has been frequently discredited, written off, marginalized or simply overlooked in favor of new or supposedly better ways of conceptualizing the business and society interface. Archie Carroll has provided an interesting overview of some of the prominent CSR Definitions. Milton Friedman (1970) contends that social responsibility of the firm is to increase its profit, Keith Davis (1973) supported the view that CSR requires consideration of issues beyond the narrow economic, technical, and legal requirements of the firm. Definition concepts in the Oxford Handbook range from CSR as an obligation to respond to the externalities created by market action to CSR as a discretionary spending in furtherance of an explicit measurable social objective consistent with relevant social norms and laws and CSR as an additional political responsibility to contribute to the development and proper working of global governance. Defining CSR is therefore not just a technical exercise but also a normative one in setting out what corporates should be responsible in society or an ideological one describing how the political economy of society should be organized to restrain corporate power. CSR is still a developing field of research as also Lockett et al concluded from a decade long study of CSR literature that CSR knowledge could best be described as in a continuing state of emergence. To sum up Corporate social responsibility (CSR) can most comprehensibly be called an approach through which companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis. The relative ambiguities regarding the definition and clear identity of CSR as an area of academic enquiry is also reflected in the institutional infrastructure of CSR, most notably in the Journals where CSR research is published, the societies and conferences which facilitate scholarly debate, and institutionalization of CSR as a field of academic teaching. The table below lists the Journals in the field of CSR. It can be noted that none of the CSR Journals have CSR as a title. Table 1: CSR Journals Journal Name Formation Date Editor Base Business Society (Sage) 1960 USA Business Society Review(Blackwell) 1972 USA Journal of Business Ethics ( Springer) 1982 Canada Business Ethics Quarterly(Society of Business Ethics) 1991 USA Business Ethics: A European Review ( Blackwell) 1991 UK Corporate Governance:International Journal of Business in Society(Emerald 2001 UK Journal of Corporate Citizenship (Greenleaf) 2001 UK Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management 2002 China CSR Evolution: The concept of CSR has long and wide ranging history, it is mostly the product of the 20th century especially since the 1950s. It was referred more as social responsibility (SR) than CSR for many years. Patrick Murphy in the University of Michigan Business Review, 1978 states that the period before 1950s was the philanthropic era in which companies donated to charities. Between 1953 and 67 was the awareness era during which there was more recognition of the overall responsibility of business and its involvement in community affairs. The period between 1968 -73 was termed the issue era in which companies began to focus on specific issues such as urban decay, racial discrimination and pollution problems. Finally the responsiveness era 1974-2008 and continuing beyond, companies began taking serious management and organizational actions to address CSR related issues. CSR Theories: Various CSR Theories have taken shape over time the most comprehensive are compiled by Garriga and Mele (2004) mentioning precisely four theories about the responsibilities of Business in Society: Corporate Social Performance Theory, Shareholder Value Theory, Stakeholder Theory, Corporate Citizenship Theory. Corporate Social Performance Theory has its roots in Sociology. It has evolved from several previous notions and approaches. It is a configuration in the business organization of principles of social responsibility, processes of response to social requirements and policies, programs and tangible results that reflect the companys relations with society, (Wood 1991). Archie Carroll (1979) was the first to introduce the concept of Corporate Social Performance. He made a synthesis of the basic principle of social responsibility. Carroll suggested that the entire range of obligations that business has to society must embody economic, legal, ethical and discretionary (philanthropic) categories. In 1991, Carroll first included them in a Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility, as shown in Figure3. Figure 3: CSR Pyramid The four classes reflect that the history of business suggests an early emphasis on the economic and then legal aspects and a later concern for the ethical and discretionary aspects. It was suggested that, although the components are not mutually exclusive, it helps the manager to see that the different types of obligations are in a constant tension with one another. More recently, Schwartz Carroll have proposed an alternative approach on three core domains (economic, legal and ethical) and a Venn model frame work. The Venn framework yields seven categories resulting from the overlap of three core domains. Wartick Cochran extended the Carroll approach suggesting that corporate social involvement rests on principles of social responsibility, process of social responsiveness, and the policy of issues management. In recent times more and more corporations are being proactive in publishing reports on economic social and environmental performance. The Global reporting initiative has become more and more popular as have certifications or reports, such as the UN Global Compact, AA1000, SA 80000 and others . All of this introduces more complexity into the corporate social performance models but in essence, the conceptual foundations remain unalterable. Shareholder Value Theory is based on Economic Theory. It is also referred as Fiduciary Capitalism and holds that the only social responsibility of business is making profits and as a supreme goal, increasing the economic value of the company for its stakeholders. In the 1960s and 70s there was a debate between Friedman and others who defended the business enterprise as being responsible only for making as much profit as possible, in contrast scholars including David and others argued that corporations had power and power entails responsibility, therefore corporations had responsibilities beyond economic and legal. Friedmans position was clearly against that of the concept of social responsibility. Theodor Levitt, (once the editor of HBR) wrote about the dangers of corporate social responsibility. In his words Corporate welfare makes good sense if it makes good economic sense, and not infrequently it does. But if something does not make economic sense, sentiment or idealism ought not to let it in the door Since then some economists have argued that the market, instead of managers, should have control over allocation of resources

The Economic Factors Involved with the Rising Price of Gasoline Essay

The Economic Factors Involved with the Rising Price of Gasoline The year 2004 has seen a steady climb in the price of gasoline. From January of 2004 to May of 2004 there has been a jump of approximately .50 cents a gallon (Energy Information Administration). For many Americans high gas prices have been a hot issue with them, and there seems to be no rhyme or reason to these fluctuations. With the continued popularity of the sport-utility vehicle and the high volume of gasoline it requires, the issue of high gas prices doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. Many factors go into determining the price of gasoline. This paper will explore the various factors involved to determine the price of gas and attempt to gain a better understanding on how it arrives at its decision. The gasoline industry is an oligopoly. In Mark Hirschey’s book called Fundamentals of Managerial Economics an oligopoly is defined as, â€Å"A market structure characterized by few sellers and interdependent price/ output decisions†. This market structure only allows a few large rivals to produce the majority of the industry’s output (404). The oligopoly controlling the gasoline industry is the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). OPEC consists of 11 oil producing countries: Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Qatar, Libya, United Arab Emirates, Algeria, and Nigeria (OPEC.org). These countries control gas prices by the amount of crude oil they produce. To gain a better understanding of how the United States gets its gasoline and who supplies it, we will have to take a closer look at the degree of competition. Because of the nature... ...uly 2004.Website. 6 Dec.2002. www.bradynet.com/bbs/russia/100226-0.html> Bonsor, Kevin. â€Å"How Gas Prices Work.† HowStuffWorks. 30 June 2004 Website. 29 June 2004 http://money.howstuffworks.com/gas-price.htm/printable â€Å"Strategic Petroleum Reserve-Profile† Office of Fossil Energy 1 July , 2004. Website. 1 July 2004 Mitchell, Andrew and Oweis, Khaled, Reuters â€Å"OPEC Prepares Oil; Deal to End $40 crude Prices.† AOL Business News. 3 June 2004 Website. 3 June 2004 http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/business/article.adp?id=200406020883009990015&_mp... Lott, Trent. â€Å"A $100 Fill-Up?† Truth News 30 June 2004 Website 28 May 2004 http://truthnews.com/world/2004050143.htm â€Å"US Fuel Tax Rates By State.† ClevelandGasPrices. 28 June 2004 Website.

The Patriot Film Analysis

The Patriot Film Analysis The Patriot is an American historical film starring Mel Gibson and directed by Roland Emmerich. It is set in South Carolina, one of the thirteen British colonies set in America. The film follows the story of a â€Å"Patriot† named Benjamin Martin. This character is a portrayal of American Revolution War hero Francis Marion. In the film Benjamin, is recognized as a war hero from the French and Indian War. However he has retired from a life of battle and is attempting to follow the virtues of pacifism, until his family becomes the target of war.After the death of Benjamin’s son and capture of another, he is thrown back into the life he thought he has left behind. The rest of the film portrays the drama and action that leads up to the climactic battle depiction of Battle of Cowpens and the victory of South Carolina in the Siege of Yorktown. Although the story of Benjamin is compelling and inspirational, it is based off of inaccurate historical ass umptions. The American Revolution portrayed in The Patriot was more about the war America wanted it be rather than what it was.The film glorifies American victories as well as American war heroes, while portraying â€Å"the redcoats† as sadistic, brutal, and abominable creatures. A perfect example of such bias is the film’s antagonist, Colonel William Tavington, who is a fictional representation of General Sir Banastre Tarleton. The film uses misconception and inaccuracy to portray the victory of America over the British, as a representation of a sanctified glory of angels over demons.The film starts with simple inaccuracies that can be excused, however these simple inaccuracies domino into great blunders that cannot be ignored: Some minor mistakes made by the film involve errors such as the materials used during the time period, do not actually belong to that time. For example in several action sequences of the film, weapons such as exploding projectiles or bombs are presented. Although canons were invented in this time period, none of the projectiles ever exploded (Canon link).Another flaw involves a major societal misunderstanding, when Benjamin goes to war, he sends his children to a slave colony for shelter, for which the slaves are honoured. In the Colonial Era, slave colonies, like the ones portrayed in the film, were secluded and protective from the â€Å"White colonists†. Therefore it was highly unlikely that a character such as Benjamin would send his children to a slave colony, let alone being treated kindly for doing so. One of the major inaccuracies is the slave and owner relationship portrayed by the film.For example during the colonists’ stand against the British Army the Continental Congress states an order. For any slave that serves â€Å"12 months† in the Colonial Army, will gain freedom and â€Å"5 schillings† per month served. When comparing this claim with other sources, it was discovered that no s uch claims were extended by the Continental Congress. Infact, The Patriot ignores slavery in total. Director Spike Lee was one of the many critics that were disappointed with the films inaccuracies. â€Å"For three hours The Patriot dodged around, skirted about or completely ignored slavery,† he wrote in a letter to The Hollywood Reporter. The Patriot is pure, blatant American Hollywood propaganda. A complete whitewashing of history. † (http://www. guardian. co. uk/film/2000/jul/06/news. spikelee) The director of the film, Roland Emmerich, misguides his audience into thinking that the British troops are monsters sent from hell. The film portrays the character of William Tavington as a merciless villain who commits intolerable atrocities. For example, a scene in the film depicts the redcoats gathering the entire village including women, children and unarmed men.They force all of them into a church for an interrogation about Benjamin, after which they lock the church from the outside and set the building on fire. Looking back into the American Revolution, such atrocities were never committed. Although the Sir Banastre Tarleton, portrayed by, William Tavington, is no saint, he wasn’t as evil as the film potrays him. A film critic and a historian, Stephen Hunter, told the Telegraph (magazine) that â€Å"Any image of the American Revolution which represents you Brits as Nazis and us as gentle folk is almost certainly wrong† (Cite this).The German director relates the actions committed by the Nazis in World War II, to those of British in the film. Another major flaw of the film is the protagonist, Benjamin Martin. The movie depicts Benjamin as symbol of goodness, a beacon of hope and a human vessel for an angel. However the character Benjamin Martin tries to portray Francis â€Å"Swamp Fox† Marion, a militia leader during the Revolution, from South Carolina. According to The Guardian, there were records of Marion persecuting and kil ling many Cherokee Indians.He hunted them as a source of entertainment and he raped many of his female slaves. However the movie simply depicts Benjamin Martin as the untainted hero. Finally the movie’s greatest flaw lies in its climatic battle, Battle of Cowpens. Where the tactics used by the militia were similar to that of the movie, however the results were nowhere in comparison of reality. During the Battle of Cowpens, militia was asked to play decoy. Although the film portrays General Nathanael Greene giving the orders, he was never present at this battle.The militia charged the battle, and after firing two shots retreated back to the hill, where the British troops were overwhelmed by the American Army. However the film portrays the militia firing more than two rounds before retrieval. Lieutenant-General Charles, Lord Cornwallis, commands his men to fire at the crowd of both British and American soldiers as a last resort to defeat America. However in reality Cornwallis n ever took such actions against his soldiers†¦ By: Ratna Emani

Womens Roles in Religion Essays

Womens Roles in Religion Essays Womens Roles in Religion Essay Womens Roles in Religion Essay Contemporary women are faced with oppressive traditions that restrict their roles in world religions, but notable women are taking steps to promote a more egalitarian future. Nick Maki Historically, women have held prominent and influential roles in several religions, but women have been deprived of these roles as the majority of religions have become increasingly institutionalized. In this analysis, I will review women’s roles in Indigenous Religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam to highlight how androcentric cultures have led to women’s diminished religious influence. I contend that women have been ostracized from religious hierarchies based on ancient cultural beliefs. Therefore, I will show that many misogynistic religious traditions have arisen primarily out of fear of female biology and subsequent attempts to control what was not understood. I believe that our collective human knowledge has advanced far beyond these early superstitions, but many religions still obstinately cling to these primitive traditions because they clearly benefit the ruling male hierarchies. First, I will give brief overview of each religion, and then I will discuss some of the notable women that are challenging these archaic traditions in order to attain equality in these religions. In order to understand the affect that culture has had on several of these â€Å"Great Religions† it is necessary to first examine the roles of women in non-institutionalized religions. These religions are often referred to as â€Å"Indigenous Religions,† however there are many other terms used to describe this vast group of disparate religious beliefs, practices, and oral traditions (Eller). Therefore, â€Å"indigenous religions† is merely â€Å"a catch-all term encompassing all remaining cultures, generally tribal, in which local religious practices and beliefs are still alive, usually in close relationship to the land upon which the people live† (M. P. Fisher 35). In these cultures, â€Å"[r]eligion and everyday life are often so intertwined that the people may have no word for ‘religion’ as a thing apart that occurs only sometimes in temples† (M. P. Fisher 35). Women in these cultures have traditionally held socially powerful roles and â€Å"[m]any Native American groups were apparently matrilineal† (M. P. Fisher 37). Furthermore, women in these cultures have often held considerable political power as well (M. P. Fisher 37). I believe that women in indigenous religions generally have more influence and power since most of these religions do not have religious texts. Instead, these religions are typically passed on orally and these cultures tend to rely on simple subsistence methods of survival. As such, these small tribal cultures must depend heavily on the equal cooperation of every member of its group for survival and I believe this has resulted in more egalitarian traditions. Paula Gunn Allen, a Native womanist believes that: ‘gynocracies’ by which she means ‘woman-centered tribal societies,’ in which matrilocality [the tradition by which the husband lives with the wife’s community], matrifocality [households consisting only of the mother and her children], matrilinearity [kinship traced through the mother’s side], maternal control of household goods and resources, and female deities of the magnitude of the Christian God were and are present and active features of traditional tribal life. . Some distinguishing features of a woman-centered social system include free and easy sexuality and wide latitude in personal style. This latitude means that a diversity of people, including gay males and lesbians, are not denied and are in fact likely to be accorded honor. Also prominent in such systems are nurturing, pacifist, and passive males (as defined by western minds) and self-defining, assertive, decisive women. . . (M. P . Fisher 38). Therefore, based upon many of the traditions of various indigenous religions, there is strong evidence to support the view â€Å"that the more religion is an integral aspect of life, rather than something institutionalized and separate from daily life, the more women are likely to be involved in it† (M. P. Fisher 39). As such, the lack of religious texts in indigenous religions has helped to prevent the androcentric interpretations that are ubiquitous in many of the institutionalized religions. Hinduism is considered an institutionalized religion, yet it â€Å"is not a ‘single’ unified tradition,† but rather a diverse group of beliefs that have primarily evolved from the Vedas (M. P. Fisher 64). While it appears that women were respected in ancient India, this respect has been slowly eroded (M. P. Fisher 67). As Hinduism evolved, male babies were increasingly favored due to the overwhelming burden of the dowry system. Around 400 BCE to 100BCE it is believed that Brahman men’s influence was threatened and previously independently worshipped goddesses were transformed into the wives of gods (M. P. Fisher 68). Further evidence of the erosion of women’s roles is found in the Upanishads, the latest of the Vedic writings, which advises â€Å"that if a wife refuses her husband’s sexual advances, he should try to persuade her by coaxing, then by gifts, and finally by beating her with his fists or with rods† (M. P. Fisher 67). However, there are contradictory views in the Laws of Manu that assert that â€Å"where women are honored, there the gods are pleased; but where they are not honored no sacred rite yields rewards† (M. P. Fisher 67). Therefore, since the Vedas are comprised of a multitude of various additions, there is no singular religious canon that comprehensively defines the religion. I believe that this religious subjectivity has resulted in traditions that are based as much on prevailing cultural practices as on any specific religious texts. As such, Hinduism is open to a broad variety of interpretations that have generally been defined by the ruling, Brahman class. Nonetheless, Hindu women have begun to take progressive steps to overturn these misogynistic cultural traditions. Perhaps one of the most influential of these contemporary female leaders is Sri Mata Amritanandamayi. She is an extremely popular guru who suggests that women must simply â€Å"wake up† and assert their roles in religion (M. P. Fisher 89). She further suggests that women have merely been conditioned to believe that they cannot overturn these outdated hierarchies. Amritanandamayi teaches that women and men can attain the state of universal motherhood which is a â€Å"love and compassion felt not only towards one’s own children, but towards all people, animals and plants, rocks and rivers- a love extended to all of nature, all beings† (M. P. Fisher 91). Therefore, she believes that women must simply awaken from centuries of conditioning in order to once again express their powers of the â€Å"Divine Mother. † (M. P. Fisher 91). Buddhism is an institutionalized religion that is based on the â€Å"Four Noble Truths† (Eller). These truths state that all suffering is caused by human desire; by overcoming human desire it is possible to end all suffering and become enlightened (Eller). Unfortunately, the Buddha never wrote down a comprehensive outline of his teachings. Therefore, his teachings were passed down orally for centuries. As any player of the â€Å"telephone game† can attest, the retelling of even simple information can lead to outlandish and entirely incorrect interpretations. Furthermore, if you consider the multiple language translations that were necessary, it becomes even more likely that there were at least minor discrepancies between the Buddha’s original teachings and the subsequent writings of the memorized texts three hundred years later. â€Å"In other words, as soon as the Buddha- who had apparently made it clear that women and men were spiritual equals- passed on, culturally-based negative views of women became apparent among the monks† (M. P. Fisher 104). It is written in the texts that a senior Theravedan monk destroyed a stupa dedicated to a revered sister (M. P. Fisher 105). The monk claimed that it was distracting him from his meditations, but I believe that jealousy was the more likely culprit. Also, the Thai nun Dhammananda points out that many of the weaknesses of women are actually the weakness of the men. She asserts that monks have subjugated women because they cannot control their own sexual desires (M. P. Fisher 118). Therefore, Buddhism, in its purest form, should not make any distinction between genders. Professor Gross states that â€Å"gender roles and gender privilege are matters of worldly thinking, not of enlightened thought. If ‘egolessness’ is the goal, then there is no argument supporting male dominance over women† (M. P. Fisher 119). Of course, this hypocrisy has been noted by women since the inception of the religion and many notable Buddhist women are striving for greater equality. Although there will not be a woman Dalai Lama anytime soon, it is important to note that Buddhism teaches that enlightenment is available to anyone regardless of gender (M. P. Fisher 119,123). I agree with the Venerable Tsultrim Allione, a Tibetan Buddhist nun, in that we are in a transition and we must facilitate the groundwork for those who follow (M. P. Fisher 120). As such, significant structural change within the Buddhist religion may take a long time, but some diligent women are currently laying the foundation for future changes. Judaism is considered an â€Å"ethnic religion† in that it is based as much on tradition as it is on scriptures (Eller). Therefore, Judaism is an epitome for how religions have been molded by culture. For example, it seems likely that early Jewish cultures were fearful of the female form because it was not fully understood i. e. pregnancy, childbirth, menstruation, sexuality. These fears resulted in misogynistic traditions, such as mikveh, that equate these natural processes with impurity. Furthermore, women were discouraged from studying the Torah so they could attend to other household duties (Eller). This resulted in deep-rooted, patriarchal, male-based interpretations of the Torah that have served to suppress female participation in religious ceremonies. Nonetheless, contemporary Jewish women are taking promising steps in gaining equality, such as â€Å"the right to be called up to the Torah, to be counted in the minyan, to initiate divorce, to have equal rights in carrying out the commandments, and to be rabbis and cantors† (M. P. Fisher 174). As such, â€Å"[w]omen are becoming active participants in midrash- the ongoing process of interpretation of the bible† (M. P. Fisher 177). This is a critical step toward long-term, structural changes in the religion, because female interpretations of the Jewish scriptures are finally being acknowledged and studied. Rabbi Patricia Karlin-Nuemann, who was ordained in 1982, believes that â€Å"there was always an attempt to minimize the differentness and the newness of what it meant to be a woman rabbi† (M. P. Fisher 184). However, she embraced these differences because they introduced a new and refreshing perspective to the religion. These new perspectives will provide a reassuring light for the next generation of Jewish women to follow in this religious evolution. Christianity is perhaps one of the most institutionalized of the â€Å"Great Religions. This has been a result of numerous divisions and a multitude of differing perspectives. For example, there are striking contradictions between the original teachings of Jesus Christ and the practices of the Roman Catholic Church. Mary Pat Fisher, author of Women in Religion, explains that: The movement that developed around [Jesus Christ] was unique in its outreach to people from all levels of society, especially those considered unclean by the Jewish temple priests and rabbis, who placed great emphasis on ritual purity and moral piety. These marginal people included the very poor, the physically handicapped, those suffering from skin diseases, the socially despised such as tax collectors, sinners, prostitutes, slaves, and women. Women had been considered impure because of their bleeding during menstruation and childbirth and were thought of as possessions of men. Collectively, Jesus referred to them all as the ‘poor. ’ He invited them all to eat together at the same table, as brothers and sisters in a community that excluded no one from God’s grace and recognized no hierarchy. However, the Roman Catholic Church is explicitly hierarchical â€Å"with traditionalist, male-dominant policies, such as its stands against birth control, divorce, and abortion, its resistance to liberation theology, and denial of priesthood to women† (M. P. Fisher 215). Further explicit misogyny is contained within the Malleas Maleficarum, a document that justified the torture and execution of millions of women who did not conform to church expectations. However, feminist biblical scholar, Phyllis Trible, believes that Christian sexism and faith are so deeply intertwined that few ever question it (M. P. Fisher 211). Contemporary women in Christianity â€Å"have tried to redefine the interpretation of Christianity so that it is true their understanding and experiences- not necessarily as historically interpreted by men† (M. P. Fisher 221). This shift toward theological feminism coincided with the feminist revolution of the 1960’s, and it focused on â€Å"re-evaluating the patriarchal language and patterns of power, as well as making their voices heard on other ethical issues (M. P. Fisher 222). These female interpretations are aimed at re-defining the patriarchal languagewhich portrays God as an aggressive male ruler- in favor viewing God as a loving figure. Sallie McFague, an American Christian Theologian, views â€Å"God as a lover, a mother, a friend,† while Dorothee Soelle, a German Theologian, argues â€Å"that a concept of God as male ruler supports oppression and violence by men against humanity† (M. P. Fisher 223). Islam is perhaps the most feared and misunderstood of the â€Å"Great Religions. † Ironically, Islam shares similar qualities with its rival, Christianity. First, both religions were founded by a prophet who had relatively enlightened views about equality between the sexes. Muhammad, like Jesus, shared many of his private revelations and visions with women, specifically his wives Khadija and A’isha (M. P. Fisher 237, 240). As such, these women were originally revered and celebrated with temples, but these temples have since been destroyed (M. P. Fisher 238,241). Second, the religion of Islam sustained a massive division early in its development i. e. Sunnis and Shi’as, similar to the split of the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox sects. The foundation of Islam is based on the Qur’an, but many of Islam’s anti-female traditions have been enacted by different legal schools (M. P. Fisher 243). As such, the Qur’an actually serves to protect the rights of women, yet cultural interpretations have taken it out of context in order to support cultural biases (M. P. Fisher 244). Islamic studies Professor, Riffat Hassan, believes that the Qur’an is inherently â€Å"open† and â€Å"strongly guarantees all fundamental human rights, without reserving them for men alone,† but, unfortunately, many Muslim cultures have chosen to â€Å"regard the Shari’a [the code regulating all aspects of a Muslim’s life] as fixed† (M. P. Fisher 245). Muslims form the majority in 44 different countries, and there are as many variations in the Muslim practices. Some cultures enforce very strict rules and regulations, such as the Taliban and Deoband reform movement, while other Muslim cultures have adapted a fairly liberal lifestyle (M. P. Fisher 253,254). Therefore, the religion of Islam does innately regard women as inferior, but various cultures have hijacked the Qur’an to further their own cultural beliefs. As you can see, nearly all religions have been molded by the cultures in which they have arisen. Most of these religions wish to convey absolute truth, but it is impossible to ignore how these truths have been molded by prevailing cultural biases. Therefore, I contend that culture and religion are intrinsically intertwined. These primary components of the human experience do not exist in a perfect vacuum. Therefore, they are not exclusive of each other. It is important to note that women have gained significant levels of equality in many cultures, but they have yet to attain comparable equality in any of the institutionalized religions that I have analyzed. I believe that misogyny is still prevalent in these religions, because we have been conditioned to believe that religion perfectly iterates the natural laws of the universe and that it is not overtly affected by prevailing cultures. However, religions are always evolving and I believe that as human cultures become progressively egalitarian, religion will eventually reflect these changes, too. Eller, Cynthia. (2004-2011). Revealing World Religions 4. 0 [computer software]. Thinking Strings LLC. Electronic. Fisher, Mary P. Women in Religion. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc. , 2007. Print.

Romeo and Juliet comparison essays

Romeo and Juliet comparison essays In Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, each character has their own different view of love, but Romeo and Juliets are the most different, with their thoughts, you can compare and contrast many different ideas... When Romeo first saw Juliet, he was stunned at her beauty, but did not take the time to see what kind of a person she was, and not even what her name was, for when he saw her he went up to her and explained what he thought, and only after she had to leave him did she ask someone what her name was. He went up to her right away, and seemed to be looking for a fast relationship, which is also shown when he asks the Friar to marry them only a few days after meeting. And although he may have wanted to have a physical relation, he respect Juliet when she said she would rather wait until she was married. Romeo also seemed to want to be with her all the time and needed to see her, such as when he climbed over the garden fence and listened in on her. While Romeo thinks that, Juliet has a very different opinion of love, although she also did the same to Romeo when they first met, she was more controlling, and didnt seem to care for his looks, like Romeo, as she did his personality. She clearly showed Romeo that she didnt want a physical relation until they were married, though they turned out to be marrying soon after. She did not seem to like it when Romeo followed her, when Romeo snuck in to her garden, she was not happy to find him eavesdropping on her, and at first wanted him to go away. So while both Romeo and Juliet love each other, they have different opinions on why they love each other, and we must understand their feelings to better understand the story. ...

Hiring in All 50 States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hiring in All 50 States - Essay Example In both states, public officers are required to hold high school diplomas or equivalent and one has to have completed the required training in relation to the nature of the job vacancy. Both states require one to be physically examined by a licensed physician or a registered nurse practitioner. Finger prints of the employee are supposed to be processed on the file of the hiring company. Both states require one to be fluent in the official language of the states before being hired to avoid communication barriers. For one to be hired in both states there is a requirement of following the application and recruitment procedures thoroughly. Unlike in Florida, hiring requirements in New York states that one should be a resident of the county in which the position exists and it is a requirement for one to have attained a maximum age of thirty five years and not more than twenty years if employed as a civil servant. In Florida, for one to be a certified officer, he/she has to attain a minimum age of 19 years. In positions like police officer, one must be a holder of high school diploma in New York or any equivalent diploma from education departments found in any state of the United States or any diploma that may be compared with high school diploma in any commonwealth country. Unlike in Florida, New York requires public officers and police officers to be citizens of the United States and reside in New York State. Florida requires one to be just a resident of United States and not specifically in Florida. The hiring requirements in both Florida and New York states are different because the two states follow different rules and regulations in regard to employment terms. They are also different because every state is conducted differently and with different laws. Law enforcement in the two states is done differently. The hiring requirements in the two states should be the same because they are under the government of the United States and all

Comparing Education System for Design in All Cultures Essay

Comparing Education System for Design in All Cultures - Essay Example The objectives of comparative education are: To describe educational systems, results or developments; To assist in the growth of educational practices and institutions; To highlight the associations linking society and education; To outline generalized reports concerning education significant in more than one nation. The letter Q represents the question while the letter R represents the response. Q What are the elements that contribute to an education system being suitable for all cultures? R There are five vital essentials that add to an educational system capability to become further culturally competent. The system should: Value diversity; Have the competence for cultural self-evaluation; Be aware of the dynamics inbuilt when the diverse cultures intermingle; Institutionalize cultural comprehension; Develop variations to educational practices depicting an understanding of the multiplicity connecting and within the diverse cultures. Moreover, manifestation these five fundamentals ought to be in each level of the educational practices and systems. The reflection of these fundamentals should be evident in policies, attitudes, structures and services. Q What are the new learning cultures that can be integrated into the educational systems? R The designing of improved education support systems for the prospect, requires conceptualization of both identity and cultural diversity, in minimal clear-cut terms and examine them entirely across multiple timescales. Educational support classifications for the most part, have overlooked the basic alterations to contemporary education cultures. School-based education severs off itself from the online communities, social networks, and peer and media foundation learning practices of learners. Non-school education might be far more successful in relation to students’ identities and consequently causative to long-term improvement. Community cultures and individual identities nowadays are dynamically receptive to interme diate opportunities. They are extremely adaptable collections of identification and affiliations, with threads of permanence that braid into exceptional life educational biographies. It is the personal and exceptional differences between participants, ensuing from their traversals across and involvement in other communities, which are subjects for the richness of education in whichever community. Q Describe the educational differences that may exist between different cultures, which may affect the learning of the students. R In most learning institutions, education is through comprehension of textbooks, asking questions and note taking. Teaching is consistent, and lecturing is universal. However, not all individuals are capable of learning through this technique. In some communities, learning is through spoken communication and course books might not be accessible. Furthermore, some cultural organizations do not emphasize the notion of the exact time. In other cultures, children lea rn by illustration, thus, may find it tough to study by rote memorization of hypothesis and facts. Consequently, some students whose cultural custom differs from a homogeneous educational system may be wrongly labeled, lose concentration and have difficulties learning. Q Highlight the factors that may impede the association of students from different cultures. R Biases that have