Free Essays on Saturn

Introduction How did Saturn become a strong brand in only a few years? What were the key decisions, policies, and programs? Below is a description of some areas of strategy that were potential contributors. The goal is not only to describe what was done but also to suggest the logic behind the strategies, why they were pursued, and how they were intended to contribute to the brand. Although certainly some elements of the Saturn strategy may have been critical, it was the union of the total program rather than the power of any single element that led to its success. THE MISSION: A WORLD-CLASS PRODUCT From the beginning, the driving concept behind Saturn was to create a world-class compact car that could match or exceed such Japanese imports as the Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla in quality. The car needed to have the reliability, safety, feel, appearance, and overall excellence that people expected in the top imports while remaining competitive in price. This quality was one of the defining dimensions of Saturn's corporate culture and brand identity. Too often there is an illusion that brands can be created by advertising without a product or service that really delivers quality and value. In reality, the product drives the image. The Edsel of the 1950s would have been a symbol of quality today if it had been an excellent product in that key first year; some very good Edsel advertising and marketing was wasted because of a shoddy product. The Volkswagen Beetle phenomenon of the 1960s very likely could have been transferred to the Rabbit in the mid-1970s if it were not for the initial mechanical problems that plagued the Rabbit during its early years. These problems doomed the effort to use advertising and the rabbit symbolism to transform the Beetle equity to the Rabbit. Saturn did not make the mistake of the Edsel or the Rabbit; its product was good from the outset. Reviews in car magazines provided objective judgments th... Free Essays on Saturn Free Essays on Saturn Introduction How did Saturn become a strong brand in only a few years? What were the key decisions, policies, and programs? Below is a description of some areas of strategy that were potential contributors. The goal is not only to describe what was done but also to suggest the logic behind the strategies, why they were pursued, and how they were intended to contribute to the brand. Although certainly some elements of the Saturn strategy may have been critical, it was the union of the total program rather than the power of any single element that led to its success. THE MISSION: A WORLD-CLASS PRODUCT From the beginning, the driving concept behind Saturn was to create a world-class compact car that could match or exceed such Japanese imports as the Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla in quality. The car needed to have the reliability, safety, feel, appearance, and overall excellence that people expected in the top imports while remaining competitive in price. This quality was one of the defining dimensions of Saturn's corporate culture and brand identity. Too often there is an illusion that brands can be created by advertising without a product or service that really delivers quality and value. In reality, the product drives the image. The Edsel of the 1950s would have been a symbol of quality today if it had been an excellent product in that key first year; some very good Edsel advertising and marketing was wasted because of a shoddy product. The Volkswagen Beetle phenomenon of the 1960s very likely could have been transferred to the Rabbit in the mid-1970s if it were not for the initial mechanical problems that plagued the Rabbit during its early years. These problems doomed the effort to use advertising and the rabbit symbolism to transform the Beetle equity to the Rabbit. Saturn did not make the mistake of the Edsel or the Rabbit; its product was good from the outset. Reviews in car magazines provided objective judgments th...

3 Sentences That Lack Just One Word to Be Correct

3 Sentences That Lack Just One Word to Be Correct 3 Sentences That Lack Just One Word to Be Correct 3 Sentences That Lack Just One Word to Be Correct By Mark Nichol The solution to problems of parallel structure, in which a sentence’s syntactical elements are not quite balanced, is often simply a matter of inserting one missing word. That’s the case in the following examples, each of which is followed by a discussion and a revision. 1. The industry uses decades-old technology that is very expensive, very slow, and provides no tracking capabilities. Because as the sentence is written, the verb is cannot apply to all three characteristics listed after it, one of two one-word changes must be made. The first solution is to share the verb between â€Å"very expensive† and â€Å"very slow†: â€Å"The industry uses decades-old technology that is very expensive and very slow and provides no tracking capabilities.† The alternative is to insert a second is into the middle phrase in the list: â€Å"The industry uses decades-old technology that is very expensive, is very slow, and provides no tracking capabilities.† 2. The diversity of participants and energy evident at the event underscores the massive disruption that’s taking place in this business sector. This sentence reads as if it refers to the diversity of two things- participants and energy. But the diversity refers only to the participants, so energy needs its own preceding article to set it apart from that idea: â€Å"The diversity of participants and the energy evident at the event underscores the massive disruption that’s taking place in this business sector.† 3. Formally assess the risks associated with each third-party lending relationships when initiating the relationship, when the third party’s operations change significantly, or the institution’s own lending operations change over time. The three elements in the second half of this message must match syntactically, but only the first two include when, so another reiteration should occur: â€Å"Formally assess the risks associated with each third-party lending relationships when initiating the relationship, when the third party’s operations change significantly, or when the institution’s own lending operations change over time.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:35 Synonyms for â€Å"Look†8 Writing Tips for BeginnersPersonification vs. Anthropomorphism

(Organizational Behaviour) You are asked to write an essay focusing on

(Organizational Behaviour) You are asked to write an focusing on ONE of the themes explored in the course. In support, you should make reference to at least two of the exhibits reproduced below - Essay Example This paper intends to deal with the issue of post bureaucratic organizations and the concern of flexibility with them. This new form is defined as a hybrid form of organizational structure and offers â€Å"insight into the intrinsic difficulties involved in the refurbishment of large complex organizations† (Josserand, Teo & Clegg, 2006, pp. 54-55). The form of post-bureaucratic organization has grown significant in the recent years (Erickson et al, 2009, p. 144). This term had been devised in the 1980’s (Corporate Planning and Strategic Human Resources Management, n.d). The structure of a post-bureaucratic organization exceeds the traditional bureaucratic organizations in the sense that in these newer structures facilitate the handling a vast range of conditions. Post bureaucratic organization allows a â€Å"flexible and self-(re-)fashioning enactments of work and self† (Iedema, 2003, p. 53). The â€Å"elements of an organic structure† (Josserand, Teo & Clegg, 2006, pp. 54-55) are combined with more internalized as well as indirect forms of control. Post bureaucracy is no t entirely achievable in its pure form. Some organizations adopt a post-bureaucratic rhetoric as well as maintain the traditional structural hierarchies. But it often creates â€Å"tensions between post-bureaucratic aspirations and traditional work practices† (Iedema, 2003, p. 2). Enhancement of the transparency of work is one of the key goals of the post-bureaucratic organization. This is to be achieved through â€Å"knowledging, communication and interaction† (Iedema, 2003, p. 193). It is aimed at changing the practices that lead to the maintenance of preset benchmarks, standards and other meta-discursive constructs. This calls for proper communications within and among teams and verticals. This increases the credibility of the organizations and improves the level of efficacy of

The Difference between Writer's or Reader's Role Essay

The Difference between Writer's or Reader's Role - Essay Example The printed expression is not anything additional than dark scribbles on a white sheet, and hitherto it is those scribbles that posses the influence to yield functional replies in the humanoid frame. I gained this knowledge, this experience prematurely in life, and I cannot ever, ever disremember it. I reason to myself that I have to be a writer since I relish writing. I am delighted to type and I appreciate knowing the fact that I am not dull but imaginative being.I am inclined to develop my notions by looking at the realm surrounding me, from the dreams inside of me. I make an effort to write in not one continuous time-slot a day but in fact in one unrelenting moment when motivation stirs me. I consider that adverbs and adjectives should not be used frugally but instead should be used robustly, profusely, and without dry spells. They bring the writing to life and invoke the readers to feel like a part and live in the script. To me, personally, a real writer has the impulse to scribble, affection towards linguistics, a class on the use of sentence structure and figures of speech, a varied association with inscription in diverse genera and from dissimilar ancient eras, colossal know-how of the use of jargons, collected with a disposition for selecting words fitting to perspective and spectators, and the talent to inscribe in spite of hindrance and interferences. Impartially placing verses on paper (or onto a computer folder) ensures not that ‘writing’ has occurred.â€Å"Being talented in very simple terms means that you were born to write. You have the gift of the muse, and whatever you might do for a living, you simply have to write something every now and then. To some extent, all of us have that gift, or at least most of us. This is the most probable reason why blogging has become so popular today†(Panter). For a ‘genuine writer’letteringshould not bean activity to do sometime or the other, a flair to be engagednow and then, but in fact a compulsion that boils itself and issensed as instantly as hot and cold.

Environmental Impact of Prescribed burning in the United States Essay Example for Free

Environmental Impact of Prescribed burning in the United States Essay The term prescribed burning refers to a management practice in which fire is used to burn a predetermined area under specified environmental conditions.   Burning in this case is used as a management tool in areas that are vulnerable to catching fire due to the ground cover that acts as fuel load. In addition, burning is considered to be the most environmentally friendly and cheapest method of having woody growth in an ecosystem controlled.   Prescribed burning in the United States is common. In this form of burning, controlled fires are used to burn a specified land area after proper planning which ensures that the present weather conditions are favorable for the burning. When weather conditions are not suitable for the burn, negative impact of the fire in the burnt areas is likely to be witnessed (Dale et al, 2009).   In the United States, prescribed burning is considered to be a very important management tool due to the benefits associated with it.   Both the landowners and the United States National Forest System have been using prescribed burning for many years. According to the United States fire policy in relation to the forest ecosystem, there is need to undertake prescribed burning in order to enhance the growth of commercial forests, prevent wildfire damage and to enhance fire dependent ecosystems.   However, prescribed burning has been criticized for its negative impact on the environment. For instance, prescribed burning results to the clearing of land or use of land for agricultural activities that have negative effects on the environment.   In this paper, the impact of prescribed burning on the environment in the United States will be discussed.   The paper will focus on the effect of prescribed burning on land after it is cleared by prescribed fires.   Land clearing that results from the burning impacts negatively on the vegetation, soil, water and biodiversity. Thesis In the United States prescribed burning is made necessary by the conditions in the forest ecosystems or ranches. The burning aims at preventing wildfires that can damage properly or lead to death of the people if the fuel load on the ground encourages wild fires.   In addition, the United States national forest system undertakes prescribed burning activities due to the ecological benefits that burning gives to the forests.   The national forest system associates prescribed burning to the reduction of wildfire hazards, land improvement, game habitat enhancement, insect and disease management and site preparation for reforestation (Biswell, 1999). Examples of areas that have undergone prescribed burning activities include the California wild lands, Florida Flatwoods and the Southern eastern US National Forest.   It is important to realize that although prescribed burning in these areas has its benefits to the ecosystem and the people; it also impacts negatively on the environment over time. Negative environmental impact of prescribed burning occurs despite the fact that prescribed burning is planned in a manner that minimizes negative effects of burning on the environment.   This has made the issue of prescribed burning to become a subject of debate in the country .While some consider prescribed burning to reduce negative impact of wild fires on the environment, burning can also impact negatively on the environment.   Land clearing that result from the burning has negative effect on the environment. Discussion Negative impact of Prescribed burning on vegetation after clearing of land Prescribed burning results to the clearing of land in a predetermined area as the fire burns the fuel load.   The burning has both indirect and direct negative effects after land clearing by the fire.   Land clearing in turn has negative effects on the vegetation, water, soil and wildlife. The negative impact of prescribed burning in the United States has been witnessed in some areas because prescribed burning has become a very important activity in the country. Every year, hundreds of thousands of hectares are burned. Although various methods of burning are used burn the vegetation cover in the predetermined areas, fires destroy the existing vegetation by either injuring or killing the entire plant or parts of the plant.   This depends on the duration that the fire burns or the intensity of the fire.   Prescribed burning based on the slash reduction method results to the reduction of debris. This method is also used to reduce debris in case of a natural event or road construction.   When management ignited fire is used, the burning of a stand that has been established is done while ensuring that fire does not spread beyond the predetermined area. While small trees are completely burned during the burning, larger trees may survive the fires but some of their trees may be destroyed.   When fires are ignited, the burning forest fuels increase the temperatures which make it difficult for the vegetation to survive. Since when it comes to burning the temperature of the vegetation and that of the air are very important, people who have the responsibility to ignite fires should do it when the air and vegetation temperatures cannot encourage fires that can have adverse effects on the environment.   For instance, prescribed fires in the United States during winter top kill the hard woods while hardwood rootstocks are killed by summer burns. In areas where burning has not been done for a longtime, deep organic layer that accumulates during prescribed burning leads to the cambial damage of trees. Because only little heat is required to destroy the plant cells in growing plants, burning the vegetation kills growing plants. This leads to the short and long term destruction of the vegetation which over time exposes land to changes that impact negatively on the good conditions of the environment. One short term and long term impact of prescribed burning in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National parks in the United States is the change in species composition (Mary Berth, 2000).   This change alters proper functioning of the ecosystem since it leads to the growth of new species while those that earlier existed and are not tolerant to fire before the fire fail to regenerate. These two parks are located in California’s South Nevada areas.   The parks cover about 864, 383 acres of land and prescribed burning in these two parks was made necessary by the desire to initiate ecological benefits in the parks.   The two parks prescribed fire programs were developed in 1969 and continues to be implemented in order to reduce fuel hazard problem that may result from heavy surface fuel loads.   Though the fires have been used to reduce the damage that may result from severe wild fires, change in species composition due to the clearing of land by fires has over the years been witnessed in the parks. Fires have limited the growth of species that are not tolerant to the fire ignited over a long time.   For instance, the increase in relative density of the giant Sequoia due to prescribed fires over a long time has altered the growth and survival of some other plant species.   The successful fire regimes restoration in the parks has encouraged the regeneration of the species that are fire-adapted at the expense of the species that are less-adapted to fire.   The reduction of fuel load and the restoration of forest structure after the fires alter the number and pattern of growth of plant species.   The parks have conifer forests dominated by the sequoia species. The change in the species number in a forest ecosystem affects the proper functioning of the natural ecosystem and this may lead to bare ground and soil erosion when plants and animals that promote proper functioning of the ecosystem are eliminated from the environment. In ecologically sensitive habitats in the United States, prescribed fires have had adverse effects on the regeneration and survival of plant species.   For example, the riparian areas in a forest system.   A study carried out to determine the effect of prescribed fire on the riparian areas in the Dark Canyon area showed that the fire consumed 90 per cent of the ground fuel, 79 per cent of the riparian zone pre-fire fuel, and 34 per cent of the total surface fuel.   The fire significantly reduced the percentage cover of the surface vegetation (Beche et al, 2005). As compared to the unburned areas, the burned area showed a change in the plant taxa richness after the regeneration of vegetation.   The reduction in plant taxa cover and richness changed the under story riparian vegetation community composition. These changes show that when an area experiences prescribed burning for a long time, disappearance of some species can lead to reduction in the percentage of vegetative cover. In the California Oak woodlands, the Native Americans used fire to have the Oak woodland vegetation altered.   Prescribed fires are considered to reduce the under story woody vegetation and have the tree density is lowered.   After the fires, regeneration may result to growth of vegetation in patches.   Since the settlement of Euro-Americans in the area, prescribed fire ignited in an ecosystem to create land for livestock ranches has removed the vegetation cover and instead encouraging the growth of plant species that are good for forage production. The woody vegetation in the area has been affected.Eventually, reduced vegetation cover has made it easy for soil to be exposed to either wind or rain erosion.Prescribed fires in Oregon’s Mixed – conifer forests of Crater Lake over the years have altered species composition by killing species that are not fire resistant while providing favorable conditions for the regeneration of fire-resistant species (Agee, 2003).   The Crater Lake National park has in the past prescribed a fire program that aims at increasing growth of pine trees and killing of the white fir tree species in the park.   Natural ecosystems can undergo succession to form forests that are dominated by the hardwood. The southeast region in the United States is considered to be the most fire dependent area in the country.   The removal of fuel loads in burned areas impacts negatively on the environment when over time plant species that support proper functioning of an ecosystem are eliminated. This makes an ecosystem to be vulnerable to changes that have adverse effects on the environment.

Charles Dickens :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

Charles Dickens (1812-1870) is one of the greatest and most popular writers in the history of literature. In his novels, Dickens combines masterly storytelling, humor, pathos, and irony with sharp social criticism and acute observation of people and places, both real and imagined. On February 7, 1812, in Portsmouth, England, Charles Dickens was born to John and Elizabeth Dickens. Charles was the second of eight children. He spent most of his childhood in London, the setting for many of his novels. He lived in a middle-classed family that, but his father was incapable of managing his own finances. Dickens started school at the age of nine, but his education was interrupted when his father was imprisoned for debt in 1824. He was then forced to work at Warren’s Blacking Factory, a shoe-polish factory, to support himself. His experiences of trying to survive in the slums of England haunted him all of his life, and he would later devote many of his books to the retelling of his experiences. Dickens was saved from this situation when his father was released from prison. From 1825 to 1827, Dickens again attended school for two years of formal schooling at Wellington House Academy in Hamstead. For the most part, however, he was self-educated. In 1827, dickens took a job as a legal clerk. By 1829, he had become a free-lance reporter at Doctor’s Commons Courts. He had become a very successful shorthand reporter of Parliamentary debates in the House of Commons and began work as a reporter for a newspaper, in 1832. During his time as a reporter he would develop his skills to write very detailed and factual-like stories. In 1833, Dickens published his first of a series of original descriptive sketches of daily life in London. By 1834, he and adopted the pseudonym â€Å"Boz.† His Sketches by Boz was published in 1836. During that year he would marry Catherine Hogarth on April 2, 1836. In 1836, Charles dickens published his first novel The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club. The success of the Pickwick Papers made him famous. At the same time it influenced the publishing industry in Great Britain, being issued in an unusual form, that of inexpensive monthly installments that would run in literary magazines.

Business and Virtue Ethics Essay

Abstract For the purposes of this assignment we will analyze the Mattel case and discuss the actions of the company regarding the behavior and actions in conjunction with the Global Manufacturing Process that was implemented. Breaches of the two business ethics elements of integrity and egoism will be assessed. Within the discussion I have identified the virtues prudence, justice, fidelity, and courage that were largely violated by the Mattel organization and how it affected the employees of Mattel. We will discuss the implications of virtue, deontological, and utilitarian ethics regarding their potential usefulness in evaluation of the Mattel case. Introduction Mattel’s concept of Global Manufacturing Principles (GMP) was not a novel concept. The many forms of GMP including International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) have been around for decades and have worked to insure that specific industries are held to a standard that is industry wide. ISO’s model is â€Å"Say what you do, and do what you say†. When a company endeavors to become ISO qualified, it is required to document every activity (as a standard operating procedure, SOP) that occurs within the company and adhere to that process without deviation. ISO qualified companies are always subject to audit by other ISO registered companies and is initially audited by four such companies in order to acquire certification. Having been directly involved with ISO implementation at a former employer that supplied fasteners for manufacturing, I am fully aware of how involved the certification is. The company SOP was over 1000 pages. Additionally, another ISO company can and will come in and audit your company prior to electing to conduct business with your company. In some instances, ISO qualification is not enough to be awarded the business. The nutrition industry also adheres to the Good Manufacturing Practices, of which I was required to be certified in every year. Each department of the nutritional company I worked for had its own GMP standards that we were to adhere implicitly. The nutrition industry, while not regulated by the FDA, is controlled indirectly by the FDA. GMP is an FDA requirement. Having worked in two industries where the concept is not only expected, but required in some instances; I was not impressed by the fact that Mattel implemented GMP of their own volition for the sole purpose to improve public perception after misconduct was exposed by the media. Business Ethics Issue The one word that I found that resonates throughout the article, whether spoken or implied, is â€Å"integrity†. The incoming CEO stated that Mattel would behave in all actions with â€Å"unwavering integrity† and that the company’s commitment to the GMP remained unequivocal and undiminished. (Sethi, Shapiro, Emelianova, pg.490) Ironically, I identify the most noticeable and important business ethics issue as just that; a lack of integrity. Merriam Webster defines integrity as â€Å"the firm adherence to a code of especially moral value, the quality or sate of being complete or undivided, and the quality of being honest or fair. Mattel exhibited none of these traits insofar as where their GMP’s were concerned. In fact, there were numerous infractions regarding the non-enforcement of their GMP’s across the board in the Asia and Mexico based manufacturing facilities. The second ethics issue I identified was narcissism. Mattel implemented this GMP program with the attitude of ‘look at what we’re doing’ but with minimal effort to ensure the success of the program. According to Duchon and Drake (2009) extreme narcissistic organizations will establish these formal ethics programs but will not have much effect on hindering unethical behaviors. This was evident in that the supervisors at the factories knew what they were supposed to be doing; but found ways to circumvent the system and there were no reprisals as a result of their nonconformance. Ultimately, it was a program of words and not deeds. Three Virtues Prudence â€Å"Careful good judgment that allows someone to avoid danger or risks. † (M-W, 2013) In my opinion, a great deal of misfortune and hardship could have been avoided if Mattel would have practiced a modicum of prudence before ever moving their manufacturing to Asia. In a perfect world, and especially in a modern world we do not expect children to work. However, when dealing with underdeveloped countries; it is normal for children to work in conditions that would be an affront to any American’s moral nature having abandoned child labor decades ago. If Mattel had done due diligence, they would have known that the facility in Indonesia was operating in an unacceptable manner (Sethi, et al. pg. 486) and could have implemented working conditions and requirements from the get-go. Then the exposure by the media would have never been an issue. I have no doubt that the draw of paying lower wages and increased productivity was the catalyst to overlook the conditions in those overseas factories. Justice â€Å"The quality of being just, impartial, or fair. Conformity to truth, fact, or reason. † (M-W, 2013) The concept of justice was completely lost on Mattel. While the implementation of the GMP program was comprehensive; the execution and enforcement was unconscionable. The last paragraph of the GMP, exhibit 1 says that if â€Å"Mattel determines that any of its manufacturing facilities or vendors violate these principles, we may either terminate our business relationship or require that facility to take corrective action. If corrective action is advised and not taken, Mattel will immediately terminate current production and suspend placement of future orders. †(Sethi, et al.pg. 487). However, when audits were performed; the facilities were rife with infractions but there was no follow through when corrective actions were required. The facilities were allowed to continue to operate unhindered. Astonishingly, the 20 plus companies that were not owned by Mattel were allowed to operate without any disciplinary actions imposed by Mattel for infractions if any auditing was conducted at all. Considering the fact that both Mattel owned and vendor factories employ some hundred thousand plus employees; Mattel’s actions were nowhere near impartial, fair, or conforming to fact or reason. Fidelity â€Å"Quality or state of being faithful, accuracy in details. †(M-W, 2013) For this virtue, I am concentrating on the act of being faithful to the employees. Whether or not the GMPs were self-imposed or not, Mattel had an obligation to the people it employs. Throughout the article, it was found during audits that the employee’s time cards would systematically be incomplete where they were not being allowed to clock-out. This resonates that these people were being required to work overtime ‘off the books’. Employees were not being given the appropriate days off or vacation time. Some living conditions and canteen conditions were substandard. Fines were being imposed. (Sethi, et al. 2011) The list goes on and on. In my opinion, Mattel should have had impartial representatives on the ground in these factories to ensure that the rules for payment, working overtime, and work conditions were being upheld. There should have been constant supervision and vigilance on a corporate level. To think that audits that were being conducted every three years was comprehensive enough to get the job done was blind and narrow minded. Courage To go one step further. A virtue is an attitude. Courage is measured when there is risk involved; but also rationality. To be truly courageous there needs to be a clear picture of what a person’s values are. Courage does not need to be proven beyond a doubt. (Hartman, 2008) In the case of Mattel, I feel it was courageous to implement such a comprehensive GMP program although it was misguided and ultimately failed. An even more courageous act would have been to rehab the program and bring it to its full potential and fruition. The article does not mention whether Mattel experienced any loss of revenue as a result, but public perception is a fickle entity and once all of the attention over sweat shops and child labor overseas died down, Mattel was no longer under the microscope. Financially, Mattel was spending money it perceivably no longer needed to spend. Since their program was self-imposed; it is no surprise that Mattel just unceremoniously abandoned the GMP program after nine years. When some organizations implement and enforce codes as part of a self-regulation process and others do not, those who self-regulate invariably incur greater costs. These costs are usually passed onto the consumer who subsequently (and sensibly) choses the organization which offers the cheaper product. (Blackburn & McGee, 2004) Virtue Ethics â€Å"Virtues† are attitudes, dispositions, or character traits that enable us to be and to act in ways that develop this potential. They enable us to pursue the ideals we have adopted. Honesty, courage, compassion, generosity, fidelity, integrity, fairness, self-control, and prudence are all examples of virtues. (Andre, Meyer, Shanks, and Velazquez. 1988) Virtue ethics indicates that business decisions should be made in a manner that attributes to the overall goals of the professional. It stresses activities and motives, what we do and why. Virtue ethics proffer that action and motive are connected to character and disposition. Actions are taken and decisions made because they are linked to a certain character. (Blackburn and McGee. 2004) â€Å"That â€Å"ought† does not imply â€Å"right† can be seen in another sort of case as well, namely, when what one ought to do in one’s circumstances results from one’s own prior wrongdoing. In such a case, doing what one ought to do may not be the same as doing a right act or a â€Å"good deed†. In fact, the same prior failure may both increase one’s level of obligation to do a given act now and decrease one’s level of praiseworthiness. † (Russell, 2008) The above quote is especially poignant in the Mattel case. Because Mattel implemented the GMP program on the heels of a media expose, the intentions were not solely based on the ‘right’ thing to do, but on what they ‘ought’ to do. Mattel probably did not get the recognition or good press they were looking for and therefore had no proclivity to ensure that the plan was a success. Utilitarian Ethics â€Å"Actions are approved when they are as such to promote happiness and disapproved when they have a tendency to cause unhappiness. † (Driver, 2009) We also know that utilitarian ethics work for the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Mattel directly employs over twenty thousand people throughout Asia and Mexico. If the happiness of those employees would have been considered; the pay, working conditions, time off, and canteen programs would have never been an issue. If the executives of the company would have experienced any of those adverse conditions, they would have cried â€Å"foul† all the way to an attorney. The employees are ultimately left without a voice and no recourse. Deontology â€Å"To act according to the maxim that you would wish all other rational people to follow as though it were universal law. † â€Å"Never treat a person as a means to an end. † (Pecorino, 2000) Kant contends that where morality is concerned, it is guided by law and therefore judgment is not necessary to fill in the blanks, because there are no blanks. He believed that people can conform to duty and not be morally limited. He believed that we could use indeterminate action-guidance for imperfect duties, and I’m paraphrasing; to weigh the moral options for decisions regarding duty towards others. Because that decision requires the minimum of our morality. Kant rejected virtue ethics. (McAleer, 2001) My opinion is that deontology would not work in the Mattel case. There are too many variables to consider in order to narrow down the maxim that will be comprehensive enough to include thousands of people over a number of cultural variances. Conclusion While the design of Mattel’s Global Manufacturing Principles may have been well intended and meant to improve the working conditions of the employees, the implementation was short-sighted and poorly executed. All too often when the few aspire to set standards for the many, the end result is a miscalculation. GMP’s are not a one size fits all type of endeavor. Each facility should have had a program that was custom to their country and working conditions. The ethical treatment of employees was the intention; but the ultimate governance was not enforced. The aftermath was the abandonment of the program due to the lack of interest and participation on the public and other companies in the industry. References Andre, Claire, Meyer, Michael and S. J. , Shanks, Thomas, Velasquez, Manuel. (1988) Ethics and Virtue. Issues in Ethics, V1 N3. Retrieved from http://www. scu. edu/ethics/practicing/decision/ethicsandvirtue. html on November 4, 2013 Blackburn, M. , & McGhee, P. (2004). TALKING VIRTUE: PROFESSIONALISM IN BUSINESS AND VIRTUE ETHICS. Global Virtue Ethics Review, 5(4), 90-122. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/235113539? accountid=28844 Driver, Julia. The History of Utilitarianism. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2009 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed. ), URL = . Duchon, D. , & Drake, B. (2009). Organizational Narcissism and Virtuous Behavior. Journal of Business Ethics, 85(3), 301-308. Retrieved from ProQuest on June 1, 2012. Hartman, E. (2008). Socratic questions and Aristotelian answers: A Virtue-based Approach to Business Ethics. Journal of Business Ethics, 78(3), 313-328. Retrieved November 19, 2012 from ProQuest. McAleer, J. S. (2001). Kant and virtue ethics. (Order No. 3019123, Syracuse University). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, 336-336 p. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/304750337? accountid=28844. (304750337). Merriam-Webster. Retrieved on November 4, 2013 from http://www. merriam-webster. com/prudence Merriam-Webster. Retrieved on November 4, 2013 from http://www. merriam-webster. com/justice Merriam-Webster. Retrieved on November 4, 2013 from http://www. merriam-webster. com/fidelity Merriam-Webster. Retrieved on November 4, 2013 from http://www. merriam-webster. com/integrity Pecorino, P. A. (2000). The categorical imperative. Retrieved on November 19, 2012 from: http://www. qcc. cuny. edu/socialsciences/ppecorino/intro_text/Chapter%208%20Ethics/Categorical_Imperative. htm Russell, D. C. (2008). That â€Å"ought† does not imply â€Å"right†: Why it matters for virtue ethics. The Southern Journal of Philosophy, 46(2), 299-315. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/218153933? accountid=28844 on November 4, 2013.

Comparing Two Poems

Monday, 27 September 2010 Compare the similarities and differences between two Ballads, Charlotte Dymond and John Lomas. Charlotte Dymond and John Lomas, are two poems which share several techniques. They also, however are different in many ways. This essay will explore their similarities and their differences and explain reasons why the two ballads are different or similar. For example, both poems have a theme of murder. Ballads normally have a sad or shocking story, so this is very common. In both poems the murderer is always hanged after murdering another person. In Charlotte Dymond, the murderer is her lover.In John Lomas, the murderer is John Lomas. The murder controls the ballads and there is no point in the ballads which are happy, this means that the ballads can be quite depressing because they are so sad. John Lomas is quite sad because the murderer John Lomas is telling the story with a great amount of regret. In both poems a razor is used to kill the victim. Razors come ou t of a small wooden holder, so it would be easy to hide at your wrist, or like in Charlotte Dymond, Matthew had the razor ‘waiting at his wrist’. A difference between the two poems would be; in Charlotte Dymond the writer uses a range of different languages.For example, similes are used a lot, like in stanza fourteen there are two similes, they are; her skin was soft as sable, and her eyes were wide as day. Whereas in John Lomas, there is only one simile in the whole ballad, that simile is; my conscience did like fuel burn. That simile is in stanza nine. In comparison Charlotte Dymond has four similes and John Lomas has one. Similes are when you say something is like another thing or when someone says some as so for example the tree was like a wall, or the journey was as long as a mountain.The writer could of not wanted more similes in John Lomas because maybe he didn’t want things to be referred to as something else. Another difference is that in Charlotte Dymon d the writer uses lots of alliteration, they use alliteration twelve times in the whole poem an example would be; why do you sit so sadly, your face the colour of clay, and with a green gauze handkerchief, wipe the sour sweat away? That is actually the whole of stanza eleven. In contrast to in John Lomas, where there is only one line of alliteration. This line is in stanza nine and it is; my crime was of so deep a dye.This is quite a significant difference. Some people think that alliteration is when two or more words in a sentence, line have the same starting letters. But it’s not that simple, the words have to have the same sound to go with the same letters. The writer may not have wanted alliteration because he thought that it was hard to find two words with the same letter and sound. A similarity between Charlotte Dymond and John Lomas is both poems have four line stanzas. The number of stanzas is different John Lomas having fourteen stanzas and Charlotte Dymond having tw enty three stanzas.This is important to know, because generally four line stanzas is a usual number of lines, but you can get stanzas with more than four lines. Having more stanzas increases the space for a range of language, and it also increases the space to describe the story in more detail. Maybe the writes had a list of key points during writing the ballad which were the key points of the story and they decided that the list was finished after fourteen or twenty three stanzas, maybe the writer couldn’t add any more detail to the stanzas without making the rhyme scheme change or the amount of stanzas change.If these two things were to happen it would mean that the rhythm would ‘go out the window’ because it would no longer work as it did before. A difference between the two poems is that Charlotte Dymond uses metaphors for example; her cheeks were made of honey and; her throat was made of flame. Whereas in John Lomas there are no metaphors in the whole ballad . This may be because the ballad only has fourteen stanzas and the poet could not fit any metaphors in or it could be because, he chose not to put any metaphors in the poem.A metaphor is when you say something is something for example ‘my dog is a great big ball of fluff’ in this I am saying that my dog is actually a great ball of fluff not as or like when you use a simile but he is a ‘great big ball of fluff’ this is very direct and as though the writer is actually talking to you as a reader if the writer is talking in third person like in Charlotte Dymond so the writer may not want to write something so direct.Whereas in John Lomas the writer is talking about when he killed the victim and so he might want to be direct when he is talking to the reader. Another difference between the two poems is that in Charlotte Dymond the poet writes in third person as in talking about something happening in this case the murder of Charlotte Dymond. This means that the m urder could be changed to fit the criteria of what the murderers friend or the victims friend.This means that the poem could have been changed to fit what the writer wanted for example the writer might be the murderer’s friend, so he might want to make the murder not seem as bad as it actually was. Or the person might be the victim’s friend so they want to make the murderer look as bad as possible. Whereas in John Lomas the writer is actually the murderer. He is talking about the murder whilst he is in prison waiting to be hung. This means that his mind might be somewhere else which might be the reason that there is not a lot of detailed description.But that might not be the only reason that there isn’t a lot of description because the ballads were written in the eighteen hundreds, then it might have been more important to have a regular rhythm and rhyme scheme than to have extremely detailed stanzas. I think that I prefer Charlotte Dymond to John Lomas because I like the way it is more detailed, and I prefer the ballad being in third person, and the way the poem has a lot of similes and metaphors and alliteration.

Welcome to Reedsy

Welcome to Reedsy Welcome to Reedsy Hi! Welcome to Reedsy.At the London Book Fair this past April, I heard a bit of wisdom worth passing along: The bigger the ship, the more difficult it is to change its course. It’s easy to see the truth of that when you consider that of the 600,000 to 1 million books published last year in the US, more than half were self-published. And the authors of those books actually earned more than those whose books were released by big-ship traditional publishers.As you might have guessed, I’m a big fan of little ships. Especially those setting sail in this vast ocean we call â€Å"the self-publishing industry†. You don’t have to study the waters for long to see that most companies are taking the â€Å"self† out of self-publishing- they are optimizing services for speed and profit, rather than focusing on developing authors and their books.At Reedsy, we focus on authors. The whole idea behind self-publishing is to bring power and freedom back to authors, so it only makes sense to make authors our focus. But the more I spoke to authors- traditionally published, self-published, not-yet-published- the more I realized that authors don’t churn out books in a vacuum. They have help. Sometimes, lots of it.The authors I interviewed couldn’t stop talking about their fabulous editors, creative cover designers, layout artists- one writer even told me about his â€Å"book shepherd†. Taking all of this into consideration, combined with countless hours of research about what authors need, where they struggle, and what they have to do in order to be successful, led to Reedsy. And Reedsy led to this blog.Here, I’ll focus on topics like how to write, self-publish, and market books. What services to get, where, and how much to pay. In short, I’m here to offer impartial advice if you’re new to self-publishing.So what is Reedsy? Well, it’s a publishing marketplace with a carefully curated pool of freelancer s. We’re not just another freelancer free-for-all focused on high-volume projects and outsourced bids; in fact, we’re the complete opposite of that. Reedsy is populated by professionals focused on authors and their books, ready to take you from shore to shore- from the germ of an idea to a published book.There is no big secret in self-publishing, no method that will turn a lousy manuscript into a best-seller- or even a great manuscript into a best-seller. It’s all about tips, little things to know, lots of common sense and, more importantly, having the right people to help you. The crew you’ll need varies from author to author, genre to genre. But that’s the power of Reedsy: we’ve found the best people out there, and they’re all waiting to hear from you.I’d just like to say thanks for stopping by the Reedsy blog. I’m here to help you navigate the vast waters of self-publishing aboard the SS Reedsy. I guess the only quest ion now is, where do you want to go?RicardoFollow our Facebook page for daily updates and tips on self-publishing!We’re also on Twitter!   Follow Ricardo, Emmanuel, and ReedsyClick on these links  to learn more about editing, design or publicity  on Reedsy!

Computer Ethics Essay Sample

Computer Ethics Essay Sample Computer Ethics Essay Computer ethics entails practices, values, and procedures that rule the process of access and consumption of computing technology and the linking disciplines without distorting the moral beliefs and values of people or the entire community. It is a concept in ethics that mainly focus on the ethical issues and challenges that result from the use of computers and strategies to curb them. Computer ethics majorly enforce the implementation of ethical computing procedures and usage of the computing materials and outlines the required methods that curb unauthorized transfer of digital contents. The discipline also helps to minimize other unethical processes, for instance, infringing copyrights as well as trademarks. The major aspects that relate to computer ethics mainly base on cases regarding the use of the internet, for example, privacy and user interactions with software, websites and other connected services. The common aspects of a computer ethics are such as privacy concerns, the intellectual property rights, and the impact of computers on the society. Personal data is vital when engaging in any business and thus available to other people as well as organizations. Privacy should, therefore, be upheld to protect this personal information through a technique called encryption. Privacy entails the ability of an individual to make reproductive and personal decisions w ithout any interference that is, freedom from any form of surveillance. Computer ethics describes information technology and the way to explore this technology to the users. Computer ethics also outline the challenges of running computer software and hardware as a result of misuse by the users. The modern society depends vastly on the computer networks to leverage the social and business life and thus there erupts both personal and social ethical concerns. Lack of computers would halt most of the industries today. However, most of the electronic communication between individuals and businesses, for instance, do not guarantee any privacy and security. Initially, when the computer technology was established, there was an absence of ethical standards regarding their use which resulted in challenges. However, the discussion in computer ethics brought a consensus and had solved the computer related problems. Some of the commandments regarding computer ethics dictate that one is not allowed to use a computer to harm others as it is highly unethical. It is ther efore immoral for one to access and distort other people’s files. Computer ethics also dictates that one should not interfere with another person’s work and therefore spreading and generating computer viruses to others is considered unethical. Snooping around files that do not belong to you means invading other people’s privacy and this is similar to break into others people’s rooms which are considered unethical. Using computers to steal or log into other people accounts, bank or company is similar to robbery thus ethical.It is against computer ethics to use computers to bear false witness against someone or copy any software without paying for it first. No individual is allowed to access other people’s resources without being authorized to do so and appropriating somebody else’s intellectual output is against the commandments of computer ethics. It is ethical for one to consider the consequences of any program they write and individuals are encouraged to think about computers in a broad social perspective. Compu ter ethics dictate that every person should use a computer in a way that enhances respect and consideration to ensure safety and satisfaction. Currently, we live in an era where computers are vastly used, and almost every individual has a chance to explore the internet before they commence their formal education. In this way, computers can be described as electronic devices that are human-made with the aim of maximizing welfare and convenience, with no thoughts process internally regarding moral actions.

Importance of Writing in Business Profession Essay

Importance of Writing in Business Profession - Essay Example   According to her, students should be versed with the current trends in the industry by reading widely something that also contributed to her success.   In addition, she also states that â€Å"working in other industries including service industry also helped† her develop experience in writing.   On the other hand, Jane Zhao also experienced challenges in different writings that have to be done in her job. Due to the kind of operations that take place in Dell Incl., writing and presenting departmental reports were challenging to her. In this regard, Jane Zhao had to be trained on various but relevant technical issues that were necessary for her to carry out her duties effectively. Therefore, she further advises that â€Å"students pursuing business major have to be flexible† in whatever field they get an opportunity in order to learn new writing skills necessary for their success.   The future of business major student is going to be tough because of several re asons. To start with, there are many graduates of business major than are the job opportunities. Jane Zhao explains that every year she receives thousands of applications from graduate students in the business major yet there may be no single opening. According to her, â€Å"students should develop a good network with professionals† in order to increase their chances of getting a job after their graduation.   Secondly, many industries are diversifying their income avenues while streamlining their expenditure hence reducing the number of employees.

Buying a home vs renting a home Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Buying a home vs renting a home - Research Paper Example Whether one decides to purchase or rent a place, a person has to be very smart to prevent any losses. However, if a person intends to stay for long, buying a house proves to be cheaper and better compared to renting a house. The issue of buying or renting a house is complex and there are many factors which affect ones choice and buying is a suitable option in cases where an individual wishes to stay for a long period at one place. Analyzing one’s current financial position and future prospects is perhaps the most important factor that impacts the decision of buying or renting a house. A person needs to think and act wisely before coming up with a conclusion. He must also know that whatever his decision is he should keep in mind the size of the place and the rent or cost which is asked for it. So, if he is looking forward to buying a house he will have to take mortgage into account and other expenditures which accompany it. When thinking about buying a place he should know that he is building equity. Furthermore, one should know what to do when property prices rise and when they lower. Hence, an awareness of the prevalent market rate is an excellent idea. And most importantly whether one rents or buys a place, he needs to keep in mind his financial situation and then make his decision (Quealy, and Archie np). Furthermore, other factors affecting the decision must also be considered. Some of these factors include how quickly the prices of houses rise and how fast the rents are going to rise in the future. Also one’s decision depends on how long he plans to stay in the house which he is willing to rent out. In order to make a decision, quite a lot depends on the customer comparing the prices of the rent and that of the cost of actually buying the house. Ideally, if he intends to stay in the same house for more than 6 years, it is advisable to buy a property instead of