Pros and Cons of Horizontal and Vertical Analysis Essay

Pros and Cons of Horizontal and Vertical Analysis - Essay Example The above table presents the horizontal analysis of Nike for the three quarters such as Q2, Q3 and Q4 ending November 2012, February 2013 and May 2013. In the horizontal analysis, each line item of income statement is divided by the total revenues figure in order to check the percentage of that line item with respect to sales. If cost of sales of Nike is considered, it can be observed that it has remained quite consistent in all the three quarters and remained around 56% of sales (Nike Inc., 2013). Accordingly, the gross profit margin of the company is around 44%. Nike incurs substantial expenditure over its demand creation activities such that this expenditure covers around 10% of sales every quarter. As far as operating overheads of the company are concerned, the company absorbs the expenditures at around 20% of sales level which remained consistent in previous three quarters. Similarly, selling and administrative expenses of the company are around 30% of the turnover of in each of the three quarters. Other incomes and interest incomes are nearly negligible such that they do not even constitute to 1% sales level. Income before taxes has been improved by 2% in third and fourth quarter as compared to second quarter. Income tax expenditure of the company is also improving, i.e. showing a very minute decline on quarter-level percentages. Net income of the company has increased to double figures especially in third and fourth quarter. Overall, from the horizontal analysis of income statement of Nike, it is quite evident that the company has performed well and maintained consistent percentages of sales in the last three quarters. Vertical Analysis – Balance Sheet    May-13    Feb-13    Nov-12 ASSETS    Current assets: $ in million % change $ in million % change $ in million Cash and equivalents 3,337 30.50% 2,557 11.61% 2,291 Short-term investments 2,628 76.97% 1,485 20.34% 1,234 Accounts receivable, net 3,117 -3.56% 3,232 1.38% 3,188 Inventories 3,4 34 3.15% 3,329 0.33% 3,318 Deferred income taxes 308 12.00% 275 -15.90% 327 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 802 -9.07% 882 20.33% 733 Assets of discontinued operations 0 -100.00% 29 -91.57% 344 Total current assets 13,626 15.58% 11,789 3.10% 11,435 Property, plant and equipment 5,500 2.42% 5,370 1.13% 5,310 Less accumulated depreciation -3,048 -1.99% -3,110 1.90% -3,052 Property, plant and equipment, net 2,452 8.50% 2,260 0.09% 2,258 Identifiable intangible assets, net 382 1.60% 376 0.53% 374 Goodwill 131 0.00% 131 0.00% 131 Deferred income taxes and other assets 993 -6.23% 1,059 8.84% 973 TOTAL ASSETS 17,584 12.61% 15,615 2.93% 15,171

United States Dominance After Civil War Essay Example for Free

United States Dominance After Civil War Essay The American Civil War, also known as the â€Å"War Between the States† was a war between the Confederate States and the Union. The Confederacy was composed of eleven states which supported slavery, while the Union was comprised of all free American states and five states bordering the slave states. The American Civil War became one of the most important events that led into the emergence of the United States into world dominance. The development of the American nation as a world leader came after a series of events and wars being won. The Civil War all throughout was highlighted by the intense social, political and economic conflicts and differences between Northern and Southern States. The war commenced in about 10,000 states and more than 3 million American people have been involved in it. The years between 1861 to 1865, the war has escalated between American states and resulted to the destruction of peace and unity among fellow Americans. The war made the American nation ironically more oblivious to the concept of freedom and individual rights, given that the civil war was fought on the basis state rights and freedom in America. However, by the end of the Civil War, the American nation took the whole experience as a â€Å"new birth of freedom† for the people and the government. And as such, the years following the end of the Civil War marked the start of the American dominance in the international community. America After the Civil War: Unification, Expansion and Industrialization Despite the destruction, the death toll, and the chaos that the Civil War has drawn upon the American society, nonetheless, it has become as one of the focal points for world domination for the United States. The separate states which used to be hostile to one another due to their differences, became a single united and strong nation The end of the war marked the new era of expansionism for the United States of America. Indeed, the start of the 19th century was highlighted by the intensifying of the American expansion. Alongside America’s move to industrialize and urbanize its territory, the American exploration pushed further to the west. In 1803, Louisiana was obtained from the French government; and during the period between 1816 to 1821, a total of six states were added to the American territory. Aside from the westward expansion, in 1865 the American government also took control of eastern states. This westward and eastward expansion of the United States territory became strategically beneficial to the industrialization in the United States. And as such, the strength of the United States industrialization became one of the strongest points of the United States emergence as a world superpower. Although the industrialization in the United States before the Civil War was largely preempted and minimal due to the political and social conflicts of the time, the end of the war and the emergence of the new American society greatly hastened the industrial development in the United States. And despite the fact that industrialization has been an old trend in other advanced countries such as England, Belgium, France, Germany and Japan, the United States transformation was more profound, developed and powerful. In addition to United States’ more sophisticated and impressive industrialization, the American government was able to carefully and strategically utilize its unique advantage over its colonies and among those less developed and powerful countries. The American government used its sphere of influence in order to drive economic advantages and power towards them. Moreover, the United States territory, given the vastness of its newly acquired areas and colonies were greatly endowed with raw natural resources that once tapped, can be used to generate a large amount of benefits and profits. The states acquired by the United States became its focal points of industrialization, modernization and development. Some of these states served as main centers for finance, manufacturing and commerce. Other states were also suitable for agricultural growth and revolution in the transportation sector. In addition to these developments, the wave of immigrants between 1840 to 1860 also strengthened manpower stability in the country. As such, by the end of this period of expansionism and industrialization, the United States emerged as one of the most successful countries in the world. The American government grew extremely confident of the stability of their economic, political and military strength. In addition, the wide sphere of influence that it was able to establish became one of the assets that qualified United States as one of the strongest country in the world. Threats to American Power and Leadership A series of American war involvement has been etched in the world’s history. And as such, each war wherein the American nation has took part in signified a threat against the United States’ dominance. The First and Second World War, though commenced between a large gap that went for years were fought on almost same reasons. Economic imperialism, military conflicts, trade barriers, proliferation of weapons, political rivalries and balance of power were among the main cause of the first and second world wars. During these wars, the world was divided into two spheres. And of which, both wars were won distinctively by the side that the United States has taken. The victorious emergence of the United States and its allies in these wars has further established its government as one of the strongest leaders in the world. During the Second World War in particular, the victory of the United States, the Soviet Union and their allies became the closest call to the American dominance. At the end of the Second World War, the United States and the Soviet Union emerged as two world leaders, and as such, became the pillars for balance of power. The end of the Second World War and the emergence of two dominant states resulted to another series of conflicts and hostility. After the Second World War, the Cold War commenced and a series of indirect confrontations took place between the United States and the Soviet bloc. The Cold War served as a proxy war between the two states wherein instead of a direct confrontation, their allies became more involved in the war. The Cold War became the measure of stability, leadership and influence of the two world superpowers. Political ideology became the main focus of the rivalry between the United States and the Soviet bloc. During this period, the American government was largely threatened by the spread of communist ideology within the European states. As such, the antagonism between capitalism and communism became the root of the conflict between the two states. In addition to this antagonism, nuclear arms race, espionage, economic rivalry and the Cuban missile crisis were among the issues that further intensified the conflict. Despite the absence of direct confrontation between the Americans and the Soviet bloc, the outcome of the Cold War still became one of the most important factor in the emergence of a lone world superpower. As such, by the end of the Cold War, the Soviet bloc disintegrated and the communist ideology became less influential. Although the American government and its allies were not successful in fully containing the communist ideology, the Soviet disintegration became a step to weaken communist states. In addition, the disintegration of the Soviet bloc marked the end of the Cold War. And the triumphant emergence of the United States in the Cold War automatically rendered the United States as the lone world superpower. United States in the Present Era Following the end of the Cold War and the demise of the biggest threat to United States leadership, the American government is now considered as the lone hegemonic power in the world. The establishment of international organizations such as the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Center to name a few, strengthened the American hold on world dominance and leadership. In the present generation, the most probable threat against the American government is the current proliferation of terrorist organizations posting terrorist activities that might induce chaos and fear amongst the citizens. However, despite these threats and current economic and political dilemma experienced by the American nation, United States still stands as one of the strongest, influential and stable countries in the international community. Bibliography AE Television Networks. â€Å"The American Civil War.† History.com. (2008). Database on-line. Available from http://www.history.com/minisites/civilwar/ (accessed October 10, 2008). American Information Resource Center. â€Å"History of the United States.† The United States Diplomatic Mission to Poland. (n.d). Database on-line. Available from http://www.usinfo.pl/aboutusa/history/slavery.htm (accessed October 10, 2008). Burns, Ken. â€Å"The Crossroads of Our Being.† The Civil War. (2002). Database on-line. Available from http://www.pbs.org/civilwar/war/ (accessed October 10, 2008). Mabry, Donald J. â€Å"Triumph of Industry in the United States.† Historical Text Archive. (2008). Database on-line. Available from http://historicaltextarchive.com/sections.php?op=viewarticleartid=597 (accessed October 10, 2008). Nosotro, Rit. â€Å"The Cold War.† HyperHistory. (n.d). Database on-line. Available from http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/big/w30coldwar.htm (accessed October 10, 2008).

Anti-Japanese Propagnda of WW2 in America Essay -- essays research pap

World War II Anti-Japanese Propaganda   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.† (Declaration of War Against Japan) These words were said by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his declaration of war on Japan on December 8, 1941. The attack on Pearl Harbor marked the official entry of the United States involvement in World War II and sparked a barrage of anti-Japanese propaganda. From posters to leaflets, radio messages to the attack on Pearl Harbor, the public of the United States was constantly the center of attention for psychological warfare. Propaganda of the World War II period reflected the American people’s anti-Japanese sentiment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Twenty years after the conclusion of World War I, Germany, Italy, and Japan started an international aggression campaign that would eventually bring the United States into a second global conflict. â€Å"Let’s Put the Axe to the Axis† was a popular wartime propaganda song pushing action toward breaking the Axis’ power (The Enduring Vision 910). The Axis was the name given to the German, Japanese and Italian alliance. The Allied powers were the United States, Great Britain, France, and later, Russia. The Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis, as it is called, formed in 1936-1937, and the Allied countries came together shortly after. The United States did not want to enter the war, and as late as mid-November in 1941, the US felt â€Å"the most essential thing now, from the United States standpoint, is to gain time.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  December 7, 1941, the â€Å"date which will live in infamy,† the United States was attacked by Japan at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Until December, the Japanese had pursued two courses of action for the current situation. They attempted to get the oil embargo lifted without giving up the territory they wanted, and to prepare for war. On the other side, the US demanded the withdraw of Japanese troops from Indochina and China. All of this became irrelevant by mid-October. Japan’s new premier, General Tojo Hideki secretly set November 29, 1941 as the last day Japan would accept a settlement with the United States without war. Since the deadline was kept secret, it meant war was almost certain. The Japanese felt very confident with their plans for war. The army and navy had proposed to ma... ...ds, throw reason out the window, and follow courses of action we may regret later† (http://newdeal.feri.org).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Works Cited Boyer, Clark, Kett, Salisbury, Sitkoff and Woloch.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Enduring Vision Second Edition â€Å"Declaration of War Against Japan†, World War II,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Microsoft Encarta   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Encyclopedia Delwiche, Aaron   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.propagandacritic.com http://orpheus.uscd.edu/speccoll http://web.mit.edu/21h.153j/www The Independent Institute   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.independent.org Johnson, Paul   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.auburn.edu/~johnspm/gloss/propaganda.html Merriam-Webster Dictionary National Archives and Records Administration,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/Japanese_relocation.html Pearl Habor, Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia Rense, Jeff   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.rense.com  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thurston, Thomas   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://newdeal.feri.org â€Å"Wartime Propaganda†, Propaganda, Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia

Renaissance :: European Europe History

Renaissance The Renaissance has been described as consisting of "a rebirth of the human spirit, a realization of the human potential for development." This quote, as well as the word, "Renaissance" imply a massive change in society and tradition. Contributing to this change was 17th century poet, John Donne. His style, combined with intellectual thoughts and ideas, set the foundation for what would become known as metaphysical poetry. Donne's style of writing was not only a significant factor in the Renaissance, but also the transition into "The Age of Reason". In Sonnet 10, from Holy Sonnets, he is able to contribute to the Renaissance ideal described in the preceding quote. "A rebirth of the human spirit...," describes a change in emotion that stems from a religious belief. Before the Renaissance, life and death were thought to be predetermined. Towards the end of the Renaissance, poets began to question parts of this belief, and as a result, the value of life came into question. In Sonnet 10, John Donne questions how powerful death is. He first challenges "Death" as he says "Death, be not proud, though some have called/thee/Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;" in lines one and two. Yet, in lines seven and eight, Donne declares the power of "Death" by saying "And soonest our best men with thee do go, /Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery." These two quotes contradict each other, however, the question is clear: What is the power of death? Donne answers this question in the last line: "And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die." However, the reader at that time had his/her own answer to find. Donne had introduced a new thought. He spoke of "death" as a noun, yet spoke to "Death" as a being, without relating it to God. To dissociate God and Death, and then treat Death as an entity was indeed a new idea. "A rebirth of the human spirit" may have been the realization of the value of life, as a result of the questioning of the set belief. "...A realization of the human potential for development," is an accurate description of the Renaissance. People were beginning to accept change in social institutions as well as in many traditional beliefs. Poets, such as John Donne, were questioning ideas that seemed to be set in stone. They were also changing the structure and style of poetry.

Corporate social responsibility motivations and country factors Essay

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an increasingly important issue for all businesses around the world. CSR covers economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic responsibilities of firms. Explain the factors that may motivate an MNE to adopt CSR in its international business strategy and operations. How might the country context influence the types of CSR initiatives undertaken? Support your answer with real world examples or cases. While corporate social responsibility (CSR) has existed for a long time, it has garnered attention only in the last two decades as an important aspect of doing business. Academic research on CSR has evolved over the years, indicating a change in how CSR is viewed as time goes by. In the earlier years of CSR research, academics sought to identify a link between CSR and financial performance (Aupperle et al. 1985; McGuire et al. 1998), as though CSR had to be rationalised in order to exist. But moving forward to the present, CSR has been undoubtedly recognised as a need by many organisations, and research has shifted from discussing â€Å"macro social effects to an organisational-level analysis of CSR and its impact on organisational processes and performance† (Lindgreen and Swaen 2010, p. 1). In other words, CSR research has moved from questioning the â€Å"why† to â€Å"how† of doing CSR, reflecting the growing prominence of the practice. CSR involves the â€Å" economic, legal, ethical, and discretionary expectations that society has of organizations at a given point in time† (Carroll 1979, p. 500). These programs are designed to fulfill a basic economic or social need as expected by the community, honoured by the company in goodwill so as to position oneself as a positively value-driven entity (Swanson 1995; Wood 1991). CSR initiatives can be derived out of self-interest, or external pressure from institutional economics (Meyer and Rowan 1991; North 1992) or when a company decides to rise above its economic function to help and aid stakeholders (Trevino and Nelson, 2004). While there are many reasons for a company to engage in CSR, it ultimately assists the corporation in enhancing its legitimacy (Wood 1991) and fit with society at large (Zensisek 1979), creating a symbiotic relationship between stakeholders and companies (Tuzzolinio and Armandi 1981). Unfortunately, CSR has no consensus definition (Dahlsrud, 2008). It is important to recognise from this that CSR  is a complex and multilayered concept that requires examination from various angles. In this essay, CSR will be understood as a firm’s obligations to act responsibly to all possible stakeholders in the market environment. This essay will now seek to explore the motivations behind pursuing CSR programs by a business organisation, d etermining how various stakeholders and the general public can influence this decision and how the broader country context can affect how a company participates in CSR. In the corporate world, companies are fully engaged in CSR initiatives, with more than 80% of Fortune 500 companies addressing CSR issues (Esrock and Leichty, 1998), reflecting that CSR is more than an ethical or ideological necessity, but also an economic one. As such, more companies today have realised that â€Å"not only doing good is the right thing to do, but it also leads to doing better† (Bhattacharya and Sen 2004, p.9). While it was infamously argued previously that the main purpose of a company was to make profits and thrive economically (Friedman 1970), enterprises now have the option to do so and at the same time, contribute meaningfully to society at large. The reasons for a MNE to engage in CSR initiatives are multiple. Stakeholder theory (Donaldson and Preston 1995) can be used as a skeletal framework to understand where demands for CSR arise. Demand derives from two main groups: consumers and stakeholders. Stakeholders of a company include its investors, employees, suppliers and even the local environment that it is located in. The consumer demand for CSR will be addressed first. CSR engagements may result in producing a good that has socially responsible attributes, such as dolphin-free tuna or a non-animal tested product. It could be in less obvious means, such as a clothing company not ultilising sweat shops or child labour in producing its goods. When consumers buy products that bear such attributes, they believe they are â€Å"indirectly supporting a cause and rewarding firms that devote resources to CSR† (McWilliams and Siegel 2001, p. 119). Consumers are able to identify better with a company that engages in CSR activities and feel a stronger connection or attachment to such firms. Consumer oriented CSR also involve intangible attributes, such as reputation. Having a strong reputation has been linked to attracting more customers, retaining and motivating employees, gaining favour with analysts and the media amongst many more reasons (Bhattacharya and Sen 2004). CSR has come to matter in building a reputation for corporations. The Reputation  Institute ranks the world’s most reputable companies based on the RepTrak ® system. RepTrak ® analyses seven dimensions of corporate reputation: Citizenship, Innovation, Governance, Workplace, Leadership, Products/Services and Financial Performance (Reputation Institute 2013). Of which, three of these dimensions (citizenship, governance and workplace) fall into the CSR category, and analysis has shown that â€Å"42% of how people feel about a firm is based on their perceptions of the a firm’s CSR practices† (Smith 2012, para. 6). The Body Shop, Patagonia and Ben & Jerry’s are some examples that stand out in their respective industries having built reputations centring on socially responsible practices. Hence, it is easy to see why consumers drive the demand for companies to engage in CSR activities. Stakeholders too, demand for CSR for various reasons. McWilliams and Siegel (2001, p.122) have posited that employees will support  "progressive labour relations policies, safety, financial security, and workplace amenities, such as childcare. Workers are searching for signals that managers are responding to causes they support†. Nintendo has numerous employee well-being programs in place where all employees can receive support in various aspects of their lives. Free training in life-saving skills and first aid, and subsidies for work safety shoes, transportation costs and even gym memberships are provided to help employees achieve work-life balance and a better well being (Nintendo, 2013). It has been observed that CSR initiatives in a firm typically lead to greater employee work satisfaction where job attitudes are improved and productivity is increased, and is used as a way of attracting talents to a company (Bhattacharya, Sen and Korschun 2012). Valentine and Fleischman (2008) have observed that CSR also plays a part in mediating the relationships between ethics programs and job satisfaction. Taken holistically, effective organisational ethics and CSR activities will incite more â€Å"positive beliefs in the fir m, as well as the immediate work context and culture† (Valentine and Fleischman 2008, p. 167). As observed then, employees play an important role in creating a demand for CSR in firms as they stand to benefit from such programs intrinsically. For both stakeholders and consumers then, CSR programs create an organisational identity that becomes relatable. When companies engage in CSR that underpins their mission and values, stakeholders are able to see an element of themselves in the organisation,  which leads to increased support for the company. As already observed, this can lead to stronger purchase intention in customers, or increased job satisfaction in employees. The largest motivation to pursue CSR for a company though could lie in developing a competitive advantage. While CSR could be executed simply by donating to charities as corporate philanthropy, some firms have recognised CSR as a strategic tool to use and develop in order to answer not only a societal need, but a business issue as well. Strategic CSR is now a form of social innovation, and by answering crucial problems in society that leads to real, long-lasting change; a company will reap the benefits of a better workforce, a new market or higher consumption while adding value to society (Kanter 1999). The need to recognise that economic and social objectives are not distinctively opposing but complementary will lead to CSR that can potentially bring about a social benefit and improve competitiveness (Porter and Kramer, 2002). There are two main business advantages that arise from CSR. Firstly, it presents an opportunity to test out a new technology. Secondly, it provides the opportunity to build political capital by influencing regulations, presenting itself as a market leader or to strengthen relationships with government officials (Kanter 1999). This was exactly what Bell Atlantic did through Project Explore by going into schools to test out their new High-bitrate Digital Subscriber Line (HDSL) technologies with personal computers in the early 1990s. This provided a test ground that would get their technology into the real world and also presented itself as a demonstration site to political leaders for Bell Atlantic to petition favourably for their proposed statewide technology communications plan (Kanter 1999). Bell Atlantic managed to help schools by providing them with computers and new technologies, bettering education and technology literacy, while still achieving a business agenda. The competitive context of a company and its business environment can benefit greatly when economic and social goals are seen as mutually linked. Porter and Kramer (2006) identify four key areas strategic CSR can affect competitive context positively: factor conditions, demand conditions, context for strategy and rivalry, and lastly, related and supported industries. Improving education, in the case of Cisco, enabled them to educate students in computer skills that resulted in a high quality, yet cost effective curriculum due to Cisco’s expertise. Whilst all students from Cisco’s Networking Academy may not work for Cisco, the industry at large benefits. Furthermore, well-trained network administrators who graduate from The Cisco Network Academy create demand for higher quality service and solutions (Porter and Kramer 2006, p. 85). CSR can influence in the creation of a more productive and transparent environment for competition (Porter and Kramer 2006, p. 85), such as Transparency International, where corporations have pledged to disclose and deter corruption in the world. This aids in building fair competition and higher productivity. Finally, a company can benefit by supporting a related industry. For example, American Express funds travel and tourism academics in the recognition of its reliance on the hospitality industry for travel-related spending on its credit cards (Porter and Kramer 2006, p.85). These examples show how CSR can result in tremendous payoffs when executed effectively. While immediate stakeholders c an drive the motivations for CSR initiatives, it is important to consider how the country a company is operating in can affect how CSR activities are chosen and implemented. The different social and cultural differences in each country should be salient enough for managers to acknowledge that CSR cannot be entirely universal, especially in the case of global MNEs. Furthermore, different social needs and problems will be inherent in each country. For example, the prevalence of AIDS/HIV is critical in South Africa. As such, it is only appropriate that companies with a presence in South Africa address this issue; with the likes of Toyota, Sappi and Mercedes-Benz deploying CSR programs that help employees tackle the pandemic of AIDS/HIV. British Petroleum (BP) (BP 2013), a global oil company, undertakes CSR initiatives that are identified as locally relevant, tailoring to the needs of their host communities and societies. A quick glance of their case studies shows various CSR programs ranging from workforce rights in Brazil to community relations in Turkey. While addressing locale-specific issues would be the most effective method of CSR, other factors may e ncourage or hinder such intention. The legal environment can affect the way CSR is implement in a country greatly. It changes either through strong intervention whereby social responsibility is legally stipulated, or a severe lack thereof, which leads to voluntary action by other players (Campbell 2007). France and Brazil are two examples par excellence of how the government can play a key role in creating CSR  demand, albeit in opposite directions. The French government has influenced how CSR has developed and emerged greatly by playing an active role in passing legislation, amongst other policies that requires French companies, including subsidiaries of international firms, to be socially responsible and accountable (Sobczak and Martins 2010, p. 448). On the other hand, Brazil’s history of a military government has fostered a passive environment where innovation is stifled, including that of encouraging improvements for society (Sobczak and Martins 2010, p.449). As such, private actors such as Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are most active in Brazil to encourage CSR programs to Brazilian companies. While the legal environment can affect how CSR is implemented in a country, it can also affect what type of CSR is initiated. Although France has passed mandates to enforce listed companies submit reports on social and environment impacts, the main area of concern belies in employment rights (Sobczak and Martins 2010, p. 450). Similarly, Brazilian companies are also strongly focused on employee relations and well-being, that being the key principle of CSR in Brazil (Sobczak and Martins 2010, p. 451). CSR then is only translated into one dimension of obligation and other dimensions, though equally pressing; take a backseat in the case of France and Brazil. Different priorities in a country culturally can affect how CSR is implemented. In such scenarios, international NGOs come in and encourage other concerns to be addressed. This helps to bring harmony to the imbalance within the CSR activities focused in countries such as France and Brazil. For instance, international environmental NGO, the World Wildlife Fund, has collaborated with French companies to allow the use of their logo, one of the most recognisable brands in the world, on products that meet their standards (Sobczak and Martins 2010, p.452). This has encouraged firms in France to meet environmental standards that was not previously crucial in CSR portfolios. Through this, French companies are more receptive to practicing CSR that is not inherent to their usual procedures. Despite the particularity of each country and how CSR is ideally done based on local demands, the reality of the matter is that CSR is not always practiced this way. Global MNEs typically have general and universal guidelines on what CSR activities should be undertaken in host countries, and most managers have to be given permission to pursue local CSR from the parent company . Universalism in CSR practices by MNEs creates linearity and  coherence for all stakeholders, but can result in less powerful CSR practices. On the other hand, localised programs may end up being fragmented or ad hoc. There is undoubtedly differing perspective on which approach is preferable, as each holds its argument convincingly (Muller 2006). As suggested by Husted and Allen (2006) then, the key difference between global or local CSR is the community that demands it. Another key factor that affects the way CSR is conducted is the development of CSR in a globalised world. It has been recognised by scholars (Gugler and Shi 2009; Jamali 2010) that CSR is fundamentally Anglo-Saxon both in history and development. Hence, CSR has a strong presence in the United States and United Kingdom, but is still lacking in both conceptual and practical thinking in countries based in the Southern hemisphere. Jamali and Ramez (2007) has noted that numerous issues with CSR in the Lebanon context. Firstly, CSR is typically executed in tangent to the parent company’s mission and values. While it is not necessarily a bad move to have a universally applicable CSR issue identified by a parent company, this may lead to a lack of agency by foreign subsidiaries to pursue CSR that is truly important in a specific context. Hence, CSR in Lebanon is still largely based on altruistic means and charitable giving, which is considered a low-level and basic method of implementing CSR. Interviewed companies by Jamali (2007) did not track the performance of its CSR outputs, showing that CSR is not implemented for a genuine purpose of serving a long-term positive impact to society, but to address the obligatory needs in order to build a positive corporate image. Due to the lack of understanding from global perspectives and North-driven ideology, countries may derive value and meaning from CSR in their own terms (Gugler and Shi 2009). China has come up with their own standards because of the dilemma of being the â€Å"world’s factory† and cannot comply with various standards demanded from different suppliers, it becomes too costly to be effective. In this instance, the Chinese government has developed various rankings and best practices for Chinese companies, and goes as far as prohibiting international certifications unless approved by the right local authorities (Gugler and Shi 2009, p.15). By doing so, Chinese companies do not face foreign pressure to comply with standards that are unfeasible for their modus operandi. Overall, this essay has shown that there are numerous motivations for companies to practice CSR. Answering demands to  achieve higher satisfaction in consumers and employees, helping to build a reputation and in its most strategic form, creates a competitive advantage for companies are some of the benefits that a company can yield through effective CSR. While there are numerous ben efits of conducting CSR, CSR implementation is highly diverse due to the various legal, socio-economic and cultural factors that each country brings. Furthermore, due to the development and history of CSR, CSR is still very much in its infancy stage in the Southern hemisphere and pressure to develop a CSR programs similar to current ones in the Northern hemisphere becomes unrealistic and untenable. As such, other actors such as international NGOs may step in to realign and create focus for different needs, or countries may come up with their own compliance standards as a global benchmark to ease doing of business internationally. This has shown thus far how CSR is highly complex as a practice, varying from simplistic to more complex approaches, and once again changing within localities due to the needs and issues to be addressed. As CSR continues to develop, one should take notice of how CSR might change in developing countries and how globalisation continues to affect how companies may choose to conduct CSR. References: Aupperle, K. E., et al. (1985). â€Å"An empirical examination of the relationship between corporate social responsibility and profitability.† Academy of Management Journal 28(2): 446-463. Bhattacharya, C., et al. (2012). â€Å"Using corporate social responsibility to win the war for talent.† MIT Sloan Management Review 49. Bhattacharya, C. B. and S. Sen (2004). â€Å"Doing better at doing good: when, why and how consumers respond to corporate social initatives.† California Management Review 47(1): 9-24 BP (2013). â€Å"Sustainability.† from http://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/sustainability.html. Campbell, J. L. (2007). â€Å"Why would corporations behave in socially responsible ways? An institutional theory of corporate social responsibility.† Academy of Management Review 32(3): 946-967. Carroll, A. B. (1979). â€Å"A three-dimensional conceptual model of corporate performance.† Academy of Management Review 4(4): 497-505 Dahlsrud, A. (200 8). â€Å"How corporate social responsibility is defined: an analysis of 37 definitions.† Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management 15(1): 1-13 Donaldson, T. and L.  E. Preston (1995). â€Å"The stakeholder theory of the corporation: Concepts, evidence, and implications.† Academy of Management Review 20(1): 65 Esrock, S. L. and G. B. Leichty (1998). â€Å"Social responsibility and corporate web pages: self-presentation or agenda-setting?† Public Relations Review 24(3): 305-319. Friedman, M. 1970. The social responsibility of business is to increase profits. New York Times Magazine, September 13: 32–33, 122, 124, 126. Gugler, P. and J. Y. Shi (2009). â€Å"Corporate social responsibility for developing country multinational corporations: lost war in pertaining global competitiveness?† Journal of Business Ethics 87(1): 3-24. Institute, R. (2013). â€Å"Reputation Institute – The Reptrak system.† from http://www.reputationinstitute.com/thought-leadership/the-reptrak-system. Jamali, D. (2010). â€Å"The CSR of MNC subsidiaries in developing countries: Global, local, substantive or diluted?† Journal of Business Ethics 93(2): 181-200. Jamali, D. and Ramez, M. (2007). â€Å"Corporate social responsibility (CSR): theory and practice in a developing country context.† Journal of Business Ethics 72(3): 243-262. Kanter, R. M. (1999). â€Å"From spare change to real change: The social sector as beta site for business innovation.† Harvard Business Review 77. Lindgreen, A. and V. Swaen (2010). â€Å"Corporate social responsibility.† International Journal of Management Reviews 12(1): 1-7 McGuire, J. B., et al. (1988). â€Å"Corporate social responsibility and firm financial performance.† Academy of Management Journal 31(4): 854-872. McWilliams, A. and D. Siegel (2001). â€Å"Corporate social responsibility: A theory of the firm perspective.† Academy of Management Review 26(1): 117-127. Muller, A. (2006). â€Å"Global versus local CSR strategies.† European Management Journal 24(2): 189-198 Meyer, J. and B. Rowan. (1991). Institutional Organizations: Formal Structure as Myth and Ceremony, in P. J. DiMaggio and W. Walter (eds.), The New Institutionalism in Organizational Analysis (University of Chicago Press, Chicago and London), pp. 41–62. Nintendo (2013). â€Å"Nintendo of America – Employee Welfare and Well-being.† from http://www.nintendo.com/corp/csr/#welfare. Porter, M. E. and M. R. Kramer (2002). â€Å"The competitive advantage of corporate philanthropy.† Harvard Business Review 80(12): 56-68. Porter, M. E. and M. R. Kramer (2006). â€Å"Strategy and society.† Harvard Business Review 84(12): 78-92. Smith, J. (2012). â€Å"The companies with the best CSR reputation.† from

Analysis of various forms of Anarchism

Analysis of various forms of Anarchism Free Online Research Papers Anarchism. It’s a subject of intense interest, especially among people of more liberal standpoints. There are those of the persuasion that says that human beings can exist without some appearance of a central governing body. This ideology says that human beings can police themselves and are fully capable of living without prejudice towards any other living being. The anarchist belief in a cooperative society is a wonderful theory, putting much faith in human character. Unfortunately, with the current state of human reaction, I would have to strongly disagree with this confidence. First and foremost, it should be stated that anarchism is a very commonly used misnomer, generally attributed to someone who uses chaotic, and often times, destructive means to rebel against a chosen political standpoint, generally one which said person feels undoubtedly has been corrupted. They (that is to say, the anarchist) are often considered non-patriotic, standing against all forms of judiciary structure. Most think of anarchists as wanting nothing more then to cause the break down of human society, leading us to a proverbial â€Å"dark age,† where you have no claim over anything you cannot maintain with force. Still other’s think of them as rabble rousers, indulging in drugs, sex, alcohol, and a hedonistically unclean lifestyle, with no regard for safety. The truth is much less sinister. The word anarchy is derived from the Greek words â€Å"an,† meaning without, and â€Å"archos,† meaning leader, governance, or ruler ship. In essence, it does mean a break down of human society, but not to a state of absolute depravity, simply to a much more primitive, simplified state. The process of a removal of all governing bodies, either religiously, politically, or economically, is a definite cause of the anarchist movement, while the maintaining of ones self image is also an important aspect of many of the various types of anarchist progression. Anarchism, and what it means, is a highly debated topic, especially among the different architectures of anarchism. These organizations are all different and in each group there are many different views on what the true meaning is. Some of the more prominent of these configurations of thought include, but are not limited to; Anarcho-Collectivism, Anarcho-Communism, Anarcho-Syndicalism, and Individualist Anarchism. Anarcho-Collectivism, an early 19th century anarchist doctrine, supports the abolishment of the state and private ownership of the means of mass production, instead wishing to give ownership to the producers (those who actually create the product). Worker’s would be compensated on the basis of how much labor they put into the mass production of the product. The creation of this movement is most commonly affixed to Mikhail Bukanin, the First Internationals, and the early Spanish anarchist movement. The name we now use, collectivism, was first coined to separate the collectivist anarchists form the state officials who were associated with Karl Marx. A problem that should be noted with this particular branch of anarchism is the fact that who dictates the amount of compensation per labor hours? Also on that point, who dictates what kind of labor is worth exactly how much compensation? If you have a council gather and speak of the value of wages and labor, then you default as a republic, and you automatically fail at the abolishment of state. The same can be said for if you choose to have all individuals vote on the amount of wages and compensation of labor, except you are a democracy instead of a republic. On the later, you have someone making the decisions for you, completely over riding the concept of lack of governing body. On the other hand, if you have all members vote, then who shall make sure the vote was honest and fair? If you choose people to watch the ballots, then you are in the same quandary as you where in the beginning, and you have made no progress. Volunteers would work, but then who would watch their actions, to make sure they weren’t tipping the proverbial scale? Anarcho-Communism is similar in several ways to the fore mentioned Collectivism approach, adding the abolition of capitalism. It does so by using a network of voluntary associations to allow everyone free to satisfy their own needs. It stresses egalitarianism (equality in all things, from wages to economic position), believing that every human being is equal, no matter race, age, or gender. This belief includes that all people who do the same career should be paid the same wage. It also believes in the distribution of wealth based on personal need. Anarchist Communists are commonly called libertarian communists. This is due to the two groups very similar beliefs. However it is good to note that while all anarchist communists are libertarians, not all libertarian communists are anarchists. What distinguishes the two groups is that anarchist communism has an opposition to all forms of political hierarchy. Any form of communism is flawed in one fact: It leaves no reason for improvement. If you knew you could get the same wage for repairing automobiles as a man with twenty years experience, a certification in the field, and a college education, then most human beings would rather not bother with the post high school training, if high school was even a requirement. Its also flawed in the fact that it gives no reason to excel. If mediocrity is awarded the same as excellence, then why be excellent? Personal satisfaction only goes so far with most people. The distribution of wealth based on personal need is conceptually sound, but ultimately flawed as well. Who would dictate need? As above, any group of people chosen to make decisions is a governing body and who can tell if the volunteers who watched the ballots aren’t crooked? Anarcho-Syndicalism is a branch of anarchism focusing on the labor movement, which supports the creation of unions and uses the labor unions as a replacement for capitalism and state. After usurping these forms of economic and political oppression, they wish to replace them with democratically controlled unions with the hopes of putting power back into the workers. They seek to abolish the wage system and in the process hope to remove division of social classes. Oddly enough, Anarcho-syndicalism is viewed as a anachronism (something that doesn’t belong in the time it is presented). However, the belief remains a popular and active school, and has many supporters. They also have many currently active groups. Many anarchists argue that this belief is more of an anarchist social structure then an economic system.. The problem with this is the use of the unions. In electing officials to represent you in the union, you have created a governing body, and a potentially one dangerous at that. They have the power to dictate wages, benefits, and hours. They could easily abuse their powers and blackmail, or bribe, people. If they did abuse their powers, the general populous would of course strike, but history has shown that there are people willing to take advantage of the situation, known as â€Å"scabs† (non-union workers) The tradition known as Individualist Anarchism is known for its emphasis on individual sovereignty (the belief that only you have control over you) and non-aggression principle (the belief that to initiate violence is wrong). It is also against all forms of capitalism and emphasizes ones self over the group. This last part makes it in conflict with socialist anarchism, which believes in the betterment of all (rather then the self). There is also a belief that you have the right to be petitioned to buy from multiple vendors of an item you are interested in. Individualist anarchism is the form of anarchism most prevalent in the United States. This is one of two branches of anarchism considered to be the main one, with the other being collectivist. This particular class of anarchism is sometimes seen as an evolution of classic liberalism, and is often called â€Å"liberal anarchism.† Many anarchists who follow this particular train of thought follow the â€Å"law of equal liberty,â€Å" a belief that whatever makes man happy is good, and whatever makes man sad is bad, and the pursuit of that is a human right. It is also said in this doctrine that if you interfere with another’s pursuit of said happiness, you have overstepped and abused that right. There are several offshoots of individualist anarchism, the most common of which would be anarcho-capitalism. This is the form of anarchism that most people find most easy to follow, but most fail to see the inherent problems in their chosen belief. In accentuating the self over others, you are in essence placing yourself above all others, something that anarchists generally frown upon. The belief that you are better then someone else just because you are you is an assault to the beliefs of most anarchists, who (usually) believe that everyone should have a fair chance at life. It should be noted that a constant problem when using the classifications listed above, and the many others attributed to anarchist beliefs, is the complete lack of uniform opinion on what the true beliefs are. If you fill a room with two thousand anarchists you will have two thousand very different opinions. This is a cause of endless frustration to scholars, causing much debate on the topic. Fundamentally, there is a flaw in all types of anarchism. If you have a lack of authority, then are there no laws? If there are no laws, then you merely have survival of the fittest. People are tempted by what others have and this causes them to lash out with greed. People also have a tendency to fear what the do not, or refuse to, understand and that which they cannot control. This causes mass hysteria, making people react in ways that they would normally abhor, (i.e, Salem witch burnings and the Catholic Inquisition). The way people react means there would need to be someone who could keep the perpetrator from hurting anyone and anyone from hurting the perpetrator. In so doing you would have to establish a law system. This system of legislation would need marshals to enforce the laws. From there you would need taxes to pay for the training of these wardens. After that you would have to set up someone to keep track of the taxes, and the road would continue on. It would eventually lead to the creation of a governing body. The real problem arises when you consider the social impactions of an ungoverned land. People generally act in a way that benefits them, with mild to no concern of those around them. This action leads people to react in a way sometimes referred to as â€Å"dog-eat-dog,† especially in situations where they view a possible gain or have no reason to be courteous. If someone came to your house with the intent of robbing it, how would you react? Most would defend themselves, but if they were over powered, the attacker would take anything and everything they wanted, and you could do nothing. Eventually this would lead to much vigilantism, which would in turn lead to people killing others, sometimes without proof of any misdeed. From there it would grow, until a form of control was brought to them, ending the warranted and unwarranted killings. In the end, anarchism would revert to some other form of governance. It might be a republic, if there is a need for representatives to be the eyes and ears of the people. It might be a dictatorship, as the strong and persuasive take power over the docile. It might be a democracy, in which every person gets a say and has their voice heard. Ultimately, however, an anarchist world, country, or even village, would not last. The volatile nature of human beings, coupled with there want for bigger and better possessions, has made it so we are eternally going to have the proverbial â€Å"Big Brother.† What we need to consider as a species is quite simple. Why can’t people come together in harmonized unity, without the need for some overpower? Why are we unable to govern ourselves? And, most importantly, why can’t there be a need for peace, instead of a need to be better then all those around us? Research Papers on Analysis of various forms of AnarchismAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 Europe19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andBringing Democracy to AfricaGenetic EngineeringTwilight of the UAWEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenThree Concepts of PsychodynamicThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug Use

How to Tame a Wild Tounge Essays

How to Tame a Wild Tounge Essays How to Tame a Wild Tounge Essay How to Tame a Wild Tounge Essay English: The Dominant Language In the essay, How to Tame a wild Tongue, Gloria Anzaldua the author, states the importance of maintaining ones native tongue. She believes that people should speak whenever or however they please given that it does not harm anyone. Anzaldua does not want to escape her Mexican ways such as speaking Spanish. It is a vital part of her life because she communicates with her family members speaking a variety of Spanish dialects. Since she has no other way to show her Mexican ways, it is key that she speaks Spanish to maintain her Mexican pride. People take pride in the languages that they speak and its not right for others to tell them they are not allowed to express themselves in those foreign languages. On the other hand, it is important that to speak English in order to communicate with her classmates, teachers, and anyone around her. English is fast becoming the dominant means by which the world is able to communicate. It is being referred to as the global language as it is seen as a common means for interaction between different countries. This new phenomena can be seen in a positive light because the use of English as a ommon language brings efficiency and greater understanding. Nevertheless there some people who believe that this fact has changed and that now it is more important to learn Spanish and Mandarin than the English language. Anzaldua dealt with this issue on a consistent basis in her school life. Though she was not told to lose her Spanish ways, she felt that speaking English would not allow her to express herself. Especially in the American culture, it was necessary for her to learn English to communicate with her peers. Furthermore, the English language is the number one lingua franca no other comes close. At the moment about 1.113 million people speak Chinese as their mother tongue, whereas about 372 million speak English. Following this criterion Chinese must be the worlds global tongue; and yet analysts considered English to be the global language of the century. Imagine if Chinas economy takes flight in the coming few years, enabling the country to replace the United States as the greatest economical power, there would be a possibility that China could take over in the next couple decades. In fact, reports have shown that the number of Chinese learners is increasing dramatically. Chinese learners in Africa, for example, have increased to 8,000 in the year 2005. The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation published the statistic in a 2005 report. The report also says that in Sudan alone, Chinese learners have amounted to 450, and many have come to China to learn on Chinese government scholarships, according to Peter Nyot Kok, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Sudan. According to the U. S. Bureau of the Census, ten years ago about one in seven people in this country spoke a language other than English at home. Since then the proportion of immigrants in the Southwest are heavily Spanish speaking. Hispanic people make up 30 percent of the population of New York City, and a television station there that is affiliated with a Spanish-language network has been known to draw a larger daily audience than at least one of the citys English-language network affiliates. According to the census, from 1980 to 1990 the number of Spanish-speakers in the United States grew by 50 percent. Statistically, more people in the world speak Mandarin than English, but Mandarin is not spoken much outside Asia. A global language is a language spoken internationally. A global language is not only a majority people spoken, but also use in international organization or international event. Its a well-known fact that there is huge demand for English speaking professionals in China who can facilitate international business. There is also acute demand for English teachers who can make the Chinese students better equipped for modern-day business and life. Chinese has more native speakers, however, it also has simplistic grammar, and it lacks articles, prepositions, verb conjugation and tense, singularity and plurality of nouns making it less effective than English at expressing complex meanings. It is also tonal, which limits the speakers use of tone for emotional and conceptual expression. Furthermore most Westerners find the Chinese writing system difficult to grasp. So from emerging trends, it seems evident that Chinese is not more popular than English as a global language. English is widespread largely due to the fact that it is used so heavily in television, film and music. Hollywoods global spread has contributed strongly to the international popularity of English. It is also the predominant language on the Internet. Web pages in other languages often tend to ave an English translation. The British Empire and the dominant nature of American popular culture have contributed overall to the spread of English across the planet. Because of this many young Hispanics have favored adopting the English language into their culture. In South East Asia, as a result of English becoming a kind of global currency, there is a large turn towards acquiring language skills not in any language but most specifically in English. As the world becomes more globalized or as corners of the planet open up for trade relations with other countries and tourism ooms, the need for English increases. Hotels, shops and schools have a desperate desire to sell their services and make a living. Peoples ability to survive is strongly linked to their ability to communicate in English. Consequently native languages become redundant and even endangered. People focus on learning English over learning other languages and also in many cases need to use their individual languages to a lesser degree. In fact more Asians speak English than anyone else. One of them is that it facilitates the exchange of information from one part of the world the other with ease. It is through the existence of a global language like English that peace and trade has been enhanced between dissimilar countries. It has also facilitated the mobility of people both in their physical terms and also electronically. Sufficient statistics indicate that most trade is done electronically and this is greatly facilitated by English as a global language. Finally, there are economic advantages connected with a global language. Crystal claims that the more a community is linguistically mixed; the less it can rely on individuals to ensure communication between different groups (Crystal 2003:11). ending large sums of money on translations and interpretations in order to reach its citizens. A global language known and spoken by everybody would undoubtedly lower these costs, and the spared money could be used in other important areas instead, for example in humanitarian aid. In fact, during the last decades the need of interpretation and translation in international organizations has progressively has been decreasing thanks to the expansion of English. Many international organizations find it necessary that all people involved speak English, since the translation expenses would be too high. According to Crystal half the budget of an international organization could easily get swallowed up in translation costs if there was a lack of a common language (Crystal 2003: 12). Mutual intelligibility, great career opportunities and reduced administrative costs are some of the advantages a global language would give. We are in need of an international language for communication, politics, trade and security, but at the same time we are worried about language death, the advantages native speakers will have and all the disadvantages non-native speakers will face. English is growing, it is strong language, and its future seems bright. My opinion is that if there will ever be an official international language English is the best option. It is a strong, well- developed language with millions of speakers. Even if a global language might be important, different languages are of importance for their culture and for the development of their native speakers. Anzaldua wants to maintain her heritage by speaking her language constantly. She is in fear that speaking English will lead to the death of her heritage, but the integration of her heritage with English will only allow er to have communication with more people around her. Languages make the world more interesting and more alive. Alatais, J. , Straehle, C. (1997). The universe of English: Imperialism, chauvinism, and paranoia. In L. Smith M. Forman (Eds. ), World Englishes 2000 (pp. 1-20). Honolulu: University of Hawaii. Brutt-Griffer, J. (1998). Conceptual questions in English as a world language: Taking up an issue. World Englishes, 17(3), 381-392. Crismore, A. (1996). Attitudes toward English in Malaysia . World Englishes, 15(3), 319-335. Crystal, D. (1997). English as a global language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Cost-Effective vs. Cost-Efficient

Cost-Effective vs. Cost-Efficient Cost-Effective vs. Cost-Efficient Cost-Effective vs. Cost-Efficient By Maeve Maddox A reader has asked about the use of these two terms: I was wondering if you would care to comment on the difference between cost-efficient and cost-effective. In both, Oxford and Webster (the free online versions), cost-effective is properly defined while the cost-efficient page points to that of cost-effective. It looks like cost-efficient is a tolerated synonym of a lesser status. As always, my starting place is The Oxford English Dictionary. There I find a reference to cost-effective in the entry for cost: cost-effective adj. designating or pertaining to a project, etc., that is effective in terms of its cost. The first OED citation given for cost-effective is dated 1967. I find no entry for cost-efficient. Merriam-Webster Unabridged provides entries for both terms: cost-effective adjective:  economical in terms of tangible benefits produced by money spent. cost-efficient adjective: cost-effective. M-W gives 1970 as the â€Å"first known use of cost-efficient.† I conclude that there is no difference of meaning between cost-effective and cost-efficient. Is one term of â€Å"lower status† than the other? The most that can be said is that one is more common than the other. The OED and M-W date the terms from 1967 and 1970, but the Ngram Viewer shows that cost-effective was present in printed sources as early as 1836. Both terms are documented in works printed in 1887. Cost-effective shows a bump on the graph in the 1940s, but then both terms remain more or less even until the 1960s, when cost-effective soars ahead. A Google search also shows a preference for cost-effective: â€Å"cost-effective†: about 83,600,000 results â€Å"cost-efficient†: about 7,840,000 results   My advice is to use the more common term: cost-effective. 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 Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Signs and Symbols You Should Know15 Types of DocumentsWords Often Misspelled Because of Double Letters

Culture Of China Regarding Religion, Food, Communication, Time, And Term Paper

Culture Of China Regarding Religion, Food, Communication, Time, And Space - Term Paper Example The following discussion is an effort to highlight the exceptional and distinguished aspects of Chinese culture regarding religion, cuisine, communication, time, and space. The Chinese culture is largely influenced by ancient Chinese philosophies that have been practiced in China for thousands of years. Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism are the three major religions that are practiced in China by a majority of people. Myriad differences that appear too subtle to the common public exist between these three major religions. The general public is way much oblivious to these distinctions and thinks that the religious teachings and moral values originating from these different religions is more or less the same. Intricate differences between these religions are obvious to a minimal percentage of Chinese public. Still, religious practice is still fervently adopted by many people in China, which is a heavily optimistic sign in today’s much industrialized and modernized world that is too materialistic and ignorant of religious restrictions. Actually, it is those distinctions existing between the three major Chinese religions that have evolved the Chinese culture which is so dynamic and vibrant. One common and enthralling aspect of the Chinese culture that is acquired from the fusion of ancient religions is that it is required of every person to live in harmony with all the other people, no matter if that other person is a friend or a foe. This is one profoundly appreciable aspect of the Chinese culture, which demands every person to seek and spread love regardless of societal, ethnic, or racial pressures. The Chinese cuisine is overwhelmingly popular around the globe among all age groups and bags huge appreciation almost every year in myriad prestigious annual global food contests. Much of the Chinese cuisine is derived from the cooking practices that were significantly vibrant in the Dynastic ruling period. It is worth mentioning here that ancient Chinese rule rs used to host large meals consisting of hundred of traditional dishes at one time. (Ling, 2002, p. 34). It is from this traditional hospitality of hosting large banquets that a whole wide array of variations exist in Chinese cuisine that appeal hugely not only to the Chinese people but by almost everyone around the world. These variations in cuisine also originated and prevailed in the Chinese culture because the Dynastic period was open to many enriched influences from the surrounding countries. China’s gourmet culture and true connoisseur experience has been creating waves of innovation and taste around the world for many past years. The up side about the Chinese cuisine is that it offers extremely stomach friendly food and this fact is acclaimed by all the nutritional specialists around the world. This is because with the cooking oil that is pretty scarce in the country and expensive meat, Chinese food experts have diverted the taste of the Chinese public towards inexpen sive but nutritious and heavenly tasty foods. An important and interesting fact regarding the Chinese communication is that it can be both verbal and non-verbal, and both modes of communication are very important when

Leadership and ethics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Leadership and ethics - Assignment Example There is no doubt therefore that any leader who takes an ethical approach will enjoy the support of employees and easily lead them in sharing the common organisational goals both short and long term. Today’s business leaders have no option other than embracing ethics in their leadership styles so as to appeal to the employees, investors and even the general public. The first pillars of ethical leadership or more related to the moral person element of leadership requiring that leaders should poses traits like trustworthiness and fairness which are desirable. The other pillar focuses on the moral manager aspect thus requiring ethical leaders to foster normative behaviour at the expense of what is unethical among followers through transactional efforts that clearly communicating ethics and rendering their support for ethical behaviours (Brown &Trevino 2006). It is imperative therefore ethical leaders stress the importance having a two-way communication; apart from airing their ideas and opinions they must also listen to their followers (Brown et al, 2005). The two-way communication is particularly crucial in ensuring information flow in the organisation.The leaders inspire norms on how to handle colleagues and this greatly influences team relations in the affirmative (Mayer et al, 2012). Ethical leadership therefore not only motivates employees b ut also saves the company of financial issues and helps grow the organisations reputation outside. Additionally, ethical leadership has immense power of eliminating tensions, personal attacks and resolving conflicts in the place of work (Mayer et al, 2012). It encourages freedom of expression and respect for diverse opinions. Thus rendering employees free and ready to listen & respect what colleagues have to air. Ethical leaders are role models in the organisations are they are capable of commanding

Industrial safety engineering (safety in work enviroment) Term Paper

Industrial safety engineering (safety in work enviroment) - Term Paper Example The government regulations on organizational safety and health (OSHA) demand that organizations maintain health and safety standards to ensure that their employees work in a minimum risk working environment. Failing to comply with these regulations attracts legal penalties that often are consequential to the organization. One of the superior ways of maintaining health and safety within an organization is educating the employees on the need for safety in a working environment and the minimum safety level requirements demanded in the organization. The management should thus be aware of how to induce effective training programs and how to align the employees towards the managerial objectives as far as health and safety is concerned within the work place. In reality, employee training is a key strategy to minimization of accidents, illnesses and death in work environments. Safety and health are two closely related terms yet very distinct in an industrial setting, hence the need to separa te them. Goetsch (2008), an industrial and safety professional, define safety in an organization as the ability to keep the employees away from the accident-causing situations that might cause damage, injury or even kill the employee. For instance, in an engineering firm, engineers have to operate electrically driven machines such as conveyor belts and grinders. When such machines come into contact with human beings, they are likely to cause accidents, some of which may be fatal. As such, it is crucial to safeguard the life of an employee from such machines to avoid unnecessary accidents in an organization. On the other hand, health maintenance refers to the ability to protect employees from disease causing environments. In industrial organizations, say a manufacturing plant, employees are exposed to smoke that may cause lung diseases. In this light, organizations have a core responsibility to avoid accidents and industrial related diseases within the employee population. In the Uni ted States the Organizational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) provides the standards that industrial organizations should comply with. The OSH Act provides that each business organization has a general duty to ensure that their employees are safe and free work environment hazards. Each year, the federal government, through their safety supervisors, conduct random safety inspections to observe whether organization have applied safety programs that comply with the OSHA standards. Over 50, 000 organizations are scrutinized and failure of compliance attracts fines, penalties and even temporary or permanent closure of organizations. One requirement of the OSH Act is that the employees have the â€Å"right-to-know† the health risks and conditions of the organization before they are assigned to their duties (United States Department of Labor, 2013). Resultantly, the act recommends that every organization implement an employee training program to ensure that employees are aware of the d angers that they risk in their working conditions. In essence, the implementing a health and safety training program is a compulsory requirement for every organization. Putting the legal side of organizational health and safety aside, a healthy working environment has many economic benefits to the organization. Burton (2008) points out to the high financial cost that organizations pay for failing to implement standard work environment conditions. First, unhealthy employees are likely to absent from

Strengths and Weaknesses of Different Analytical Frameworks to Global Essay

Strengths and Weaknesses of Different Analytical Frameworks to Global Supply Chains - Essay Example This paper illustrates that in today’s competitive scenario, competitive advantage can be developed and customers can be satisfied through managing transportation, production schedules and plans, information flow and inventory. There are organizations competing on the global platform by collaboratively working with various international suppliers, outsourcing as well as marketing to consumers located across the globe. The global reality puts more emphasis on supply chain management to be successful. Global supply chains mainly focus on global business and there are different analytic frameworks that support the process. There is the operational and strategic way of thinking about supply chains so as to identify the appropriate mechanism in a particular context. For an entrepreneur or an organization to be successful, it is essential that innovation is incorporated into supply chains in order to achieve desired outcomes. This study will focus on three major analytical framework s related to global supply chains such as supply chain management, global commodity chains, and global production networks. Their respective internal strengths and weakness justify their suitability in a significant global business framework. When organizations get involved in supply chain they need to make effective decisions regarding ways of handling primary supply chain activities. For instance, Toyota is an ideal example when it comes to describing the concept of supply chain management. This company outsourced certain factors of a supply chain in which they were not proficient. Toyota was able to design a JIT system since it had a strong relationship with its suppliers. Often for an effective supply chain management, it is essential to have all components aligned with common goals and objectives. There are certain major strengths associated with supply chain management such as it enhances the level of profit margins. Due to supply chain management, an organization can coordina te well with its suppliers and end customers to achieve high margins of revenue. A supply chain management even facilitates less of time delays that help in sustaining business operations in a competitive environment. On the other hand, flexibility can be regarded as other strength of supply chain management.

How to Become More Effective Within the Organization Essay

How to Become More Effective Within the Organization - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that people in organizations spend over 75 percent of their time in an interpersonal situation. Thus, it is no surprise to find that at the root of a large number of organizational problems is poor communications. Effective communication is an essential component of organizational success whether it is at the interpersonal, inter-group, intra-group, organizational or external levels (How-to Books, online). For human communication to be high in quality or effective, it must take into account not only the choice of language but also the movement of vocal cords, the reception of sound and its translation into neural signals, syntactic and phonological processing. Even facial expressions and gestures influence the quality and outcome of communication. As for the communication message, social psychologists give it three components: content, context, and treatment. Content is the essence of what one person desires to communicate to another, while the context is the way the communicator presents the content of his message to his audience. As for treatment, it is how communication is arranged and conducted by the speaker, which supports the content and context of the message. In a business setting, empathy is vital in communication. Lack of this element is said to be holding down the success of most organizations, where people spend 75 percent of their time in interpersonal, intra-group, inter-group, organizational and external communication.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Different Analytical Frameworks to Global Essay

Strengths and Weaknesses of Different Analytical Frameworks to Global Supply Chains - Essay Example This paper illustrates that in today’s competitive scenario, competitive advantage can be developed and customers can be satisfied through managing transportation, production schedules and plans, information flow and inventory. There are organizations competing on the global platform by collaboratively working with various international suppliers, outsourcing as well as marketing to consumers located across the globe. The global reality puts more emphasis on supply chain management to be successful. Global supply chains mainly focus on global business and there are different analytic frameworks that support the process. There is the operational and strategic way of thinking about supply chains so as to identify the appropriate mechanism in a particular context. For an entrepreneur or an organization to be successful, it is essential that innovation is incorporated into supply chains in order to achieve desired outcomes. This study will focus on three major analytical framework s related to global supply chains such as supply chain management, global commodity chains, and global production networks. Their respective internal strengths and weakness justify their suitability in a significant global business framework. When organizations get involved in supply chain they need to make effective decisions regarding ways of handling primary supply chain activities. For instance, Toyota is an ideal example when it comes to describing the concept of supply chain management. This company outsourced certain factors of a supply chain in which they were not proficient. Toyota was able to design a JIT system since it had a strong relationship with its suppliers. Often for an effective supply chain management, it is essential to have all components aligned with common goals and objectives. There are certain major strengths associated with supply chain management such as it enhances the level of profit margins. Due to supply chain management, an organization can coordina te well with its suppliers and end customers to achieve high margins of revenue. A supply chain management even facilitates less of time delays that help in sustaining business operations in a competitive environment. On the other hand, flexibility can be regarded as other strength of supply chain management.

The Continuum From Legitimacy To Fraud Research Paper

The Continuum From Legitimacy To Fraud - Research Paper Example The archival research employs the use of secondary data, making it difficult to determine proxies for managing of earnings. Several models developed for this proxy are unable to distinguish accurately amid opportunistic behavior of managers and true performance. Another archival research limitation is the inability to tap the managers’ incentives into earnings management. This research type has founded its argument on economic theory in an attempt to explain the occurrence of earnings management (Cozby, 2009). It is hard to confirm beyond doubt that firms with the motivating factors such bonuses, debts covenants and political reasons undertake earnings management because of these factors. Behavioral researchers have tried to handle these shortcomings by giving proof of the behavior of earnings management, which has greater construct validity (implying easily to measure and define) than archival perspective. Several methods can detect and measure earnings management empirically . The most discretional method is the discretional accrual, which assumes that managers can depend on their discretional ability concerning some accruals to use as the proxy testing of earnings management (J. W. Creswell & J. D. Creswell, 2009). Another method is single accrual where only one of accrual types, say depreciation estimates, exists. This method is ineffective because of difficulty in establishing the exceptional accrual required to manage earnings. In the distribution method of earnings management testing, loss reporting is avoided (McKee, 2005).... Earnings Management Stimuli Motivation of capital markets The accounting information is useful in the capital markets in influencing the stock price in the interim, and for this reason, managers alter the information to influence their firms’ performance in the stock market. The key incentive for earnings management is to promote investment in a firm through purchase of shares in the capital market. Many firms post unanticipated positive accruals, which enhance prior to initial public offer (IPO) and acquisition financed by stock. These situations increase the use of earnings management to boost incomes, making them more viable than those of other firms (McKee, 2005). Past studies of firms indirectly concur with this argument by stating that ownership of lower institutions represented by interim oriented investments with much stress on stock prices over lasting gains. In opposition, some studies illustrate the inducement of understating earnings before a management buyout. Ron en and Yaari in their study support a hypothesis showing that unanticipated negative accruals depict a decreasing income, making the buyout cheaper and easier. This permits the management of a firm to propose a price that emerges as reasonably beyond the market price but beneath the actual worth of the firm. This market price does not show the real firm’s economics (Ronen & Yaari, 2011). Another motivation reason for capital markets is to show that the earnings of the firm have met the requirements of financial management or analysts. There are firms that hardly meet or surpass the forecast of a financial analyst; hence, the management alters the earnings upwards in order to satisfy the forecast (Trochim & Donnelly, 2008). Besides, firms should avoid loss making and

Everyone Has The Right to Privacy Essay Example for Free

Everyone Has The Right to Privacy Essay Everyone has the right to privacy. This is the right to not have details about our lives to be held or circulated without our knowledge/consent. Data of personnel nature are collect every so often by organisations. For example: * Employers hold personnel records that include data on address, age, qualification, salary, sick leave and so on. * Stores hold detail on credit card payment, accounts history, items purchased; * Banks hold details on salary, income and withdrawals, direct debits to various organisations; * Insurance companies hold detail on property, cars, accidents, claims and health. This list is endless. Modern technology has made it possible to store vast quantities of data, so that it can be viewed from all over the world and so that it can be used to create a profile of an individual. Threats to information Systems Organisations can protect the integrity of data (by preventing inaccurate data entry, malicious or accidental alteration), and simple measures can be taken to protect the security of data form theft or destruction. Data Integrity This refers to the correctness of data. The data held on a computer may become incorrect, corrupt or of poor quality. This could happen at different stages of data processing. 1. Errors in the Input. Data may be keyed in wrongly. 2. Errors in Operating Procedure. An update program may be ran twice in error, thus the master file would be updated twice. 3. Program errors could lead to corruption of files. A new system may have errors in it which may not surface for some time, but they may be introduced during program maintenance. Standard Clerical procedures To protect against input and operating, procedures can be documented and followed for both input and output. Input * Data entry must be limited to authorized personnel only * In large volume data entry, data may be verified (keyed in twice), to guard against keying errors * Data control totals must be used wherever possible to verify the completeness and accuracy of the data, and to guard any copying/duplication or illegal entry. Output * All output must be inspected for reasonableness and any inconsistencies investigated. * Printed output containing sensitive information should be shredded after use. Write-protecting Disks Write-protecting disks and tapes can be used to avoid accidental overwrite on a disk or a tape. This can be effective against an operator error. Both disks and tapes have write-protecting mechanisms. User IDs and passwords Each user in an organisation who is permitted to the access of the company database is issued with a user id and a password. In most cases there are certain levels of access at which employees can access data. Some of the most common password rules are: * Passwords must be at least six characters * The password display must be automatically suppressed on the screen or printed output * Files containing passwords must be encrypted * All users must ensure that their password is kept confidential, not written down, not made up of easily guessed words and is changed at least every three months. Access rights Even authorized users don not normally have the right to see all the data held on a computer. e.g. A hospital receptionist may have the right to view and change some patient details, such as the name, address, and appointments. But they may not have access to the patients medical file. Access rights to data could be set to read only, read/write or no access. This way a user in a company can gain access to data which they are permitted to see and can only change data if they are authorised to do so. Likewise, the computer it self can be programmed to allow access to data from a particular terminal, and only at a certain time of day. The terminal in the administrators office may be the only terminal which has authorisation to change the structure of a database. An access directory can be made, which shows each users access rights. Securing against fraudulent use or malicious damage Organisations are often exposed due to: * The possibility of fraud; * The deliberate corruption of data by unhappy employees; * Theft of software or data which may fall into the hands of their competitors. Measures to oppose these risks are as follows. * Careful selection of employees * Immediate removal of employees who have been sacked or who hand in their resignation, and the cancellation of their passwords and authorisation. * Separation of duties. This is to ensure the involvement of two or more people to defraud the company. * Prevention of unauthorised access by employees and others to secure areas such as computer operations rooms, by the use of machine readable cards/badges or other types of locks. * The use off passwords to gain access to databases. * Educate staff to be aware of security breaches, and to be alert in preventing them or reporting them. * Appointing a security manager who can, with the use of special software, monitor all computer screens. The special software can also be used to record all logins at each terminal, time of logins and the number of times particular software is used. It will even log the security managers activities. Protection against Viruses Steps can be taken to minimize the risk of suffering damage from viruses: * Making sure that all software which is purchased is in sealed, tamper-proof packaging; * Not permitting floppy disks carrying software of and kind to be removed from or brought into the office; * Using ant-virus software to check all applications brought into the office. Biometric security measures Biometric methods of identifying an authorised user are fingerprint scanning, voice recognition and face recognition. One such system uses infra-red scanners to capture the unique pattern of blood vessels under the skin. This system can even differentiate between identical twins by comparing the scans. Communications Security Telecommunications systems are vulnerable to hackers who discover user ids and passwords and can gain access to a database from their own computer. One way to avoid this is to use call-back procedure. This is when a remote user logs on, the computer automatically calls that user back on a pre-arranged number to confirm the log on. Data encryption can also be used to scramble highly sensitive or confidential data before transmitting it. Disaster Planning No matter what precautions are taken, the possibility of data being destroyed is always great. A simple disk head crash can destroy a disk packing a fraction of a second. System designers must provide a reasonable backup facility that does not degrade the performance of the system and is not very expensive. The cost of lack of planning for a computer failure can be ruinous. Periodic Backups The most common way to ensure that data is not lost is to make regular copies of files into a safe place. This is called Periodic Backups. This scheme has several weaknesses: * All updates to a file since the last backup may be lost; * The systems may need to be shut down during backup operations; * Backups of large files can be time consuming; * When a failure occurs, recovery from the backup can be even more time consuming. A benefit is that files which may have been fragmented can be reorganised to occupy smaller amounts of same, resulting in faster access time. It is important to store copies of data in secure areas. One copy of data can be held in a fire-proof safe in a building and another off-site. Recovery procedures A contingency plan needs to be developed to allow rapid recovery of major disruptions. It is necessary to do the following in backup procedures: 1. Identify alternative compatible equipment and security facilities, or implement a service agreement which provides equipment when needed. 2. Have provision for alternative communication links.

The role of technology in business success

The role of technology in business success Technologys recent evolution has created several opportunities for organizations to improve their performance and achieve their goals. Organizations have been trying to understand how technology will add value to their operations and how they can apply it to their advantage. This essay focuses on the importance of technology, as well as on challenges faced in managing technology and, most significantly, in aligning it with business strategy and leading the organization to business success. INTRODUCTION In recent decades, evolving technology has played a crucial role to business success and in fact, sometimes, even in business survival; it has been necessary for organizations to incorporate technology, in order to survive in an ever-changing environment and to increase their competitiveness (Pan et al, 2008). According to Sauer and Wilcocks (2003), technology is the most important influence in the evolution of the organization of the future. But why is technology important and what actions do the organizations have to take in order to improve their performance and to achieve their goals? IMPORTANCE OF TECHNOLOGY TO BUSINESS SUCCESS In a global market where information flows rapidly, it is strategically significant to manage technology that is able to transform products and services, operations and processes, companies and even competition (Porter and Millar, 2001). As Floyd (1997) argues, technology is important for two reasons; first, it is important to the success of every business activity, as a company is not able to deal with competition without use of technology. Secondly, it is technology-driven innovation that can lead an organization to long-term growth. In terms of business activities, organizations can benefit from technology by differentiating their products and services, reducing their operating costs, taking advantage of new opportunities and supporting change processes. As for technology assisted innovation, it seems that those organizations that do invest in technology and become innovative increase their market shares, financial figures and overall competitiveness. Having identified the importance of technology, managers should take actions of managing technology and adding value to their organizations. In this sense, contemporary organizations, and especially large corporations, invest huge capitals on the implementation of technology over the last decades, for example CRM and ERP systems. Information technology in most business areas facilitates the control of corporate activities, improves operations and helps in gaining the competitive advantage (Lollar et al, 2010). In industries, technology is a key component in order to meet market needs and customers expectations. In general, apart from achieving their goals, all the organizations need to focus on their customers needs. Leading companies in the market take initiatives by using technology to improve their operations, for example marketing and sales, as traditional approaches to these functions seem to be ineffective. As an example, the increasing power of the Internet (including social networking) has forced many companies to change their strategies with the aim of turning this power to their advantage (Bernoff and Lee, 2008). CHALLENGES IN MANAGING TECHNOLOGY Implementing technology in a complex business environment is challenging and requires a number of management tools and processes in order to incorporate changes that will occur (Phaal et al, 2005). Introducing a new technology should be combined with a strategic plan which involves a number of factors and challenges, as Haywood (1990) suggests; first, top management commitment to the technological plans is crucial. Secondly, the identification of appropriate technology and the selection of its source are two further challenged for organizations. Moreover, people within the company should be able to take advantage of new technology and become engaged with the aim of increasing value. Organizations should be organized and structured in a way that allows technological change and advancement. Last but not least, companies should be able to benefit from this change in order to become more competitive and achieve their short and long-term goals. The most significant of the aspects mentioned above is that technology initiatives should align with the overall business strategy; organizations should use technology according to business imperatives instead of technical criteria (Bensaou and Earl, 1998). There are multiple challenges in selecting and applying the most appropriate technology that will improve operational performance and utilize resources, people and their knowledge more efficiently. As Bensaou and Earl comment, there are several examples of organizations that either discovered that their technology did not support their business strategies or selected complex technological solutions, instead of simple ones that could be more effective. To conclude, it is necessary to take all the aspects of technology into account, so as to implement it in ways that will add value to the business. Managers who are responsible for technology should take initiatives and make the right choices, which reflect the organizations strategy and can lead to business success. ZARA CASE STUDY: LESS IS MORE Zara is one of the largest international fashion companies and part of one of the worlds largest distribution groups, Inditex. Zaras approach to technology is based on the principle of low IT investment that can deliver maximum value to the company. Despite being an information-intensive business with dynamic global operations and millions of customers, there is remarkably little information technology (MacAfee, 2004). Zara focuses on the human factor instead of technology, allowing people to make all the decisions; there are no CRM systems, no scheduling software and no ERP platforms involved in their operations; there are no intranets or online connections among stores, production units, distribution centers and the headquarters; computers are used in a limited and standardized manner. Despite all these facts, Zara has achieved better performance and higher profits than its competitors, thanks to its targeted technology strategy and alignment of the limited implemented technology w ith the companys flexible business plan. CONCLUSION Technology is one of the most crucial factors for business success. However, it is not the only factor; it should be an enabler for the organizations strategic plan. As a result, there is a need to find a balance between technology and business strategy, with the aim of addressing the organizations needs and achieving business goals.

The Victorian Butler :: Victorian Time Period

The Victorian Butler Colonel Mustard: â€Å"Are you the host?† Wadsworth: â€Å"Me, sir? No, I'm just the humble butler.† Colonel Mustard: â€Å"And what exactly is it you do here?† Wadsworth: â€Å"I buttle, sir.† In Victorian times having a house full of servants at the owner's command was quite common for upper and middle class families. Some job titles included footman, cooks, maids, butlers, coachman, and cooks. Among these servants, the highest ranked and paid was the butler. While we all may have a stereotype of a tall, skinny man that opens the door and says, â€Å"You rang?† the actual list of duties and responsibilities of a butler express he is a man of high demand. The Butler of a home was expected to be present during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He was to serve the meals and drinks to each member of the family and to wait on them for any requests. He also had the responsibility to oversee the kitchen and make sure it was in order. This included choosing fine wine, managing the wine cellar and the inventory of liquors. The Butler worked closely with the cook and not only assisted with preparing a menu for everyday meals but also for upcoming events and parties the master may present. He was expected to set the table and the decorations for all parties. During these events the butler was always present awaiting any requests from the guests and served them drinks and their meals. The Butler also was responsible for other servants in the home and acted as a manager for the property. The average pay for a Victorian butler was between 40 to 100 pounds per year, which converts to about 2600 to 6500 today. Charles Dickens, Jr. gave this advice in 1879: â€Å"Give good wages, and let it be clearly understood before hiring that no perquisites are allowed. A serious mistake, and one too often made, is to lay down the hard-and-fast rule 'no followers allowed'. Servants always have had and always will have followers, whether their masters and mistresses like it or not† (n.pag.). In Vanity Fair, we read that Miss Horrocks also serves in the house because she is the daughter of the butler. Miss Horrocks acted as a maid in the Crawley's home. Housemaids during the Victorian times were responsible for keeping the home clean and tidy. They did the â€Å"cleaning, scrubbing and dusting† (Roberts 206). The number of housemaids was determined by the size of the home.