Staffing for Global Operations free essay sample

In 21st century, we are seeing a big leap in the globalization of business and with this, the ability of management of an organization to work effectively across the cultural and national borders is playing a critical role in business success. Staffing management of multinational companies is a complex issue to the international human resource management (IHRM). With this stated, the statement, â€Å"Culture is a major variable for international management† is true in every sense.Keywords: expatriate, ethnocentric, polycentric, regiocentric, geocentric ? Introduction Culture generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activity significance. Different definitions of â€Å"culture† reflect different theoretical orientations for understanding or criteria for valuing human activity. It refers to an ideal of individual human refinement, of the best that has been thought and said in the world (Wikipedia. org). In management, culture has a slightly different meaning.It can be explained as a set of policies, values, beliefs, and attitudes learnt and shared by the organizations member (Naylor, 2004). We will write a custom essay sample on Staffing for Global Operations or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page For this project, I will evaluate at how different kinds of management cultures in managing subsidiaries, which are located all over the world, can influence the development and growth of an organization in the modern era of globalization. International Business In the past, when people talked about international business, it only means that they exported their products to other countries.Nowadays, because of the development of free trade, any countries reduce their trade barriers in order to attract foreign companies in, to invest to and drive their domestic economy. Whenever people think about international business, it is no longer only trading from one place to another – they are thinking in terms of globalization. This means not only having investments, offices and businesses in their own country, but having similarly offices in different parts of the world as well (Citehr. com). In today’s global world, most big companies have their offices or business in many di fferent countries. Multinational enterprises often have their headquarters at their home countries and all their other offices, which may include offices in the same country but not at the headquarters and those located in other countries, need to report to them on a regular basis. Because culture is so different from one person to another and from one country to another, when an organization decides to open an office in a foreign country, they need to decide how they are going to manage their employees in the foreign country.Professionals sent a by their companies to work abroad and has been working and living in a foreign country is called an â€Å"expatriate† (Wikipedia. org). Company managers need to consider what kind of policies they should use within their subsidiaries. There are four main types of staffing for global operations: Ethnocentric, Polycentric, Regiocentric, and Geocentric approach. Ethnocentric Approach The definition of ethnocentric is â€Å"characterized by or based on the attitude that one’s own group is superior†(Merriam-webster. com, n. d. . Companies following the ethnocentric approach assume the home country approach is best and that employees from other parts of the world can and should follow its policies.Local companies may think that parent companies do not trust them and this may disincentive effect on local management morale and motivations. High costs, parent companies need to pay travel, residential, salaries, and other such expenses for expatriate employees and in most cases, the salaries for expatriate employees are much higher than salary for someone local. After assignments, normally a long-term oversea assignment is several years. The corporations need to have necessary arrangements on where the expatriates will go, and what they will do when they finish their assignments.Expatriate may not be able to adapt back to their original culture as they were away for too long (citehr. com). Polycentric Approach Polycentric staffing is an international staffing method in which multinational corporations treat each subsidiary as a separate national entity with some individual decision-making authority and hire host-country nationals as managers. This approach can minimize the dangers of cultural myopia, but it can create a gap between home and host-country operations (uslegal. com). Corporations use people from the countries in which their subsidiaries are located to fill management roles. General decisions and policies are made by local subsidiaries, which are suitable for their local environments and cultures to help them to achieve their parent company’s goals. Core strategic and functional capacities planning remain at headquarters (Marcbowles. com) Advantages of polycentric approach are low cost all the positions are recruited from the country where the subsidiaries are located. Organizations do not have to pay for travelling and accommodation expenses for the expatriate and his/her family. Increase acceptance. Government and people widely accept organizations that are willing to employ from their culture.They recognize this type of organization as legitimate participants in the local economy. It also demonstrates the business trust in the local population. Harmony, because all employees are also from the same country, they have similar culture which can reduce conflicts among the work force (Wikipedia. org) Disadvantages of polycentric approach are: Reduce of control of parent company, in this type of staffing, control exercise by headquarters may be reduce. This could make it difficult to balance local demands and global priorities.Different standards, each subsidiary have their own policies, which suit their cultures, but the standards will be different from one to another. This may lead to difficulties in achieving the organizations international goals. Short of communication. Communication between headquarters and subsidiaries is mainly just reporting. Headquarters may not know what is actually happening within the subsidiaries. This may lead to the postponement of difficult local decisions or problems as the local branches would try to solve it by themselves unless it is unavoidable (Wikipedia. rg) Regiocentric Approach Regiocentric approach is a philosophy of management whereby the firm tries to blend its own interests with those of its subsidiaries on a regional basis (College of Business Administration, 2007). A multinational corporation who has a regiocentric approach will divide parts of the world into regions. For example, a multinational company may divide Europe into different regions – Eastern Europe and Western Europe. Each corporation may have different definitions of the size of region, and which countries are in specific region. A company who adopts this approach selects suitable management level personnel within the region where the subsidiary is located. The regiocentric approach can be seen a development from ethnocentric or polycentric approach. It is similar to geocentric approach, but is limited to within different regions instead of the whole world. A regiocentric manager can be said to have a worldview on a regional scale, which could mean that the world outside the region in question might be viewed with an ethnocentric or polycentric orientation, or maybe a combination of two (marcbowles. om). Advantages of Regiocentric approach are effective; staff from the region where the subsidiaries operate will be more sensitive to regional needs. In general, people from the region will more in touch with the needs and concerns of the region and can make more suitable decisions based on this. These needs and concerns can also be communicated more effectively back to the company headquarters. Free movement, potentially, there are fewer difficulties in acquiring visas and work permits for staff moving from one part of the region to another.This will depend on the size of the region and the laws governing movement of people from one part of the region to another. Subsidiaries operating in Europe as a region should find it easy to relocate their expatriates from one part of the region to another without having to acquire work permits or Visas (ihrm. com). Some drawbacks of Regiocentric approach includes high cost, adaptability, social problems, and after assignments. Like in the case of ethnocentric approach, there is a high relocation, travel, and accommodation expenses incurred as staff are moved from one part of the region to another. Adaptability, managers who located within the region still encounters some difficulties adapting to the way of living in a different country within the region. For instance, people from Spain normally are more laid back, the pace of living and work is slower. They may find difficulties in working in fast-pace London. Social problems even though the expatriate employee(s) is not as far from home as those with ethnocentric or geocentric business, they still have to worry about how to bring their families with them or how to deal with being away from them.After assignments, as with the ethnocentric approach, the multinationals need to decide what they are going to do with the expatriates, whether or not they will have their original jobs back, and how well they can adapt to their home country after being away for a while (ihrm. com). Geocentric Approach A geocentric staffing policy seeks the best people for key jobs throughout the organization, regardless of their nationality. This approach is consistent with building a strong unifying culture and informal management network and is well suited to both global and transnational strategies.Immigration policies of national governments may limit a firms ability to pursue this policy (mhhe. com). Organizations that approach geocentric are focusing on commonalities across markets that allows corporations to take advantage of economies of scale in ways that polycentric corporations with decentralized operations cannot. Advantages of Geocentric approach are having the best employees, partnership relationship with parent companies and subsidiaries, and help in globalization. Best employees. Most of the employees that had been chosen are the most suitable person for the job. They have the knowledge and experience for the area in which they are recruited. Partnership relationship. The relationship between the parent companies and their subsidiaries are in partnership form. They are interdependent on each other. This kind of relationship is of more value due to each other’s presence. Help in globalization. Organizations recruit people from all over the world, which can help them to develop their business worldwide. Personnel are from every part of the world; their different cultures can help organization to achieve their goal and their local objectives (Wikipedia. rg) Just like the other approaches geocentric approach also have its own drawback, which includes, high cost and social problems. The regiocentric approach allows interaction between managers of an organization’s subsidiaries transferred to their organization’s regional headquarters. Managers have more sensitivity to local conditions as locals mostly staff the subsidiaries. It works in a similar way as the polycentric approach but towards a geocentric direction. The geocentric approach develops practices for worldwide use, which could be seen as seeing the global workforce as a whole. (ihrm. com) Which approach is the best? From the findings I got, there is no one best method.Organizations need to understand their aims and goals in order to decide which approach is the most suitable for their business. An organizations strategy on globalization strongly influences the approach it takes to management. It involves looking out and seeking competitive edge over other organizations by emphasizing and providing training for gaining insightful understanding of their global markets across different cultures and hence mobilizing the motivation triggers of their staff.

Principles of Ecotourism Analysis Essay

Principles of Ecotourism Analysis Essay Main Principles of Ecotourism Analysis Essay Example Main Principles of Ecotourism Analysis Essay Example Ecotourism is an environmentally stable form of nature-based tourism, which is primarily focused on life in the wilderness and learning the environment. It is organized in accordance with the ethical standards so as to minimize the impact on the nature, consumption, and costs, and focused on the local level (with control perspective, the benefits and scope). Normally, this form of tourism is developed in the protected territories and is intended for contributing to their conservation. It is generally accepted among the majority of nations that approximately 8 to 10% of their land area is to be preserved for maintenance of their native habitat (Ballantyne Packer, 2013). The major function of this policy is ensuring that the historic environment in the country is protected as part of its heritage, and a variety of flora and fauna within the state is stored. It is assumed that these conserved regions may function without undue human interventions. However, ecotourism can promote not on ly the conservation and development of nature; it also includes positive synergistic relationship between tourism, biodiversity, and the local population, which is supported with the appropriate organization and management of these activities. Ecotourism occurs in relatively undisturbed natural areas and does not lead to the destruction of the environment and deterioration of its quality. In opposite, it contributes directly to the protection and management of the used natural areas. Ecotourism should be a subject of adequate and competent management. Thus, the sphere includes three key criteria. Principles of Ecotourism The main destinations attractive for tourists are primarily natural (characterized with specific flora, fauna or geological features). The next important component is a feature of the cultural environment; the emphasis is put on the study and understanding of the resources themselves, and the activities of tourists and other participants have a mild effect on the physical and cultural environment in the visited region. Eco-tourism should be linked with the concept of sustainable tourism, without exceeding the recreational capacity of the visited areas by being acceptable to local communities and supporting them. Sustainability in this sphere implies a positive overall balance of the environmental, socio-cultural and economic impacts of tourism, as well as the positive influence of visitors on each other. Thus, those types of tourism activities that have the highest positive summary effect in terms of environmental, economic and social development can be considered more stable. Ecotou rism is an important component of the sustainable development of natural areas. It is easy to determine that the basis of most definitions of ecotourism are aimed at achieving sustainability or are the means of achieving this goal, whether it is minimizing the negative impacts on the natural and cultural environment, strengthening of economic returns for the benefit of nature protection or environmental education. Obviously, such travel, in which only a few principles of ecotourism are carried out, cannot be considered ecotourism. The direct result of ecotourism is not an improvement and the protection of the environment. This paper will examine the four ecotourism destinations Kangaroo Island in Australia, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Penang National Park in Malaysia, and Costa Rica, which present the perfect examples of proper compliance with the conditions of eco-travelling, and evaluate on these instances whether ecotourism can be considered sustainable with regards of its environmental, social, and economic aspects. The modern concept of ecotourism can be narrowed to a set of principles applicable to all types of tourism related to nature. The basic principles of ecotourism include: Travelling in nature. The main purpose of such trips is acquaintance with wildlife, as well as local customs and culture; Minimizing the negative environmental and socio-cultural effects; maintenance of ecological sustainability of the nature; Promoting conservation of nature and local socio-cultural environment; Environmental education; The participation of local residents and opportunity for them to receive income from tourism. It is creating for them the economic incentives for conservation; Cost-effectiveness and contribution to sustainable development of the visited regions (Ballantyne Packer, 2013). Demand on Ecotourism, Trends in Its Global Growth and Likely Impacts upon the Future Development of the Industry Increased demand for ecotourism is defined with the general growth of the number of tourists, an increasing popularity of the trips to special destinations, and rising of public awareness of environmental conservation. Another important trend which underlies the demand for ecotourism is the fact that the industrialized countries of the West have reached a point where the driving force of economic growth is not the desire of people to consume more goods, but their aspiration to real impressions and experiences (Cater, 1997). Recently, tourists from developed countries are increasingly looking for this form of travelling, which would contribute to their personal growth and enrichment of their knowledge of nature and human. Another important trend in the global growth of ecotourism is an increase of caring about health and maintaining physical fitness that resulted in active recreation in the open air becoming fashionable. This trend coincided in time with the saturation of the market w ith the traditional beach-resort areas (Chen, 2015). Thus, tour operators began to offer their customers new, exotic destinations and forms of recreation. Preservation of ethnic rural landscapes is directly linked with the development of landscape tourism. At present, this factor becomes the only real brake on industrial expansion in many regions. The development of ecotourism becomes an additional (or sometimes major) means of economic revitalization of depressed areas. The tendency of attraction the travelers to the best preserved natural landscapes is accompanied with changes in tourist specialization, development of the infrastructure of tourist zones, the creation of a network of national parks and game farms, introduction of special conservation regime of exploitation of forests. Unique Tourism Supply Kangaroo Island in Australia Kangaroo Island is situated on the southern Australian coast. The island is considered a classic example of tourism development involving local community and ecologists of the wild nature. Its natural resources were designed as tourist products in many ways. The market of the island changes constantly in order to improve access from the mainland of South Australia, ensure more foreign arrivals and a significant number of daily visitors. The destination is developing through the introduction of the innovative mode of planning and management of health, tourism industry, and resources of Kangaroo Island. Kangaroo Island is situated nearly ten miles away from the coast of Southern Australia. It offers for tourists to spend time in a rural location of pristine wilderness. Twenty four national parks or nature reserves embrace about a third of Kangaroo Island territory. The remaining part of the island is covered with well-watered woods and agricultural lands. The primary reason why people come to Kangaroo Island is to have an opportunity to see rare wild animals, national parks and the island itself (Moore, 2009). Neighboring Brownlow Beach offers diving, yachting sports and sea fishing from the pier. The main attractive point for tourists is kangaroos which come out to graze at sunset. One is able to observe most of them from a distance. Other rare animals still survive on the island. In addition, to the west along the south coast beaches there is a pretty Vivonne Bay, beach with pure white sand, known as the Little Sahara. Kangaroo Island also has Kelly Hill Conservation Park, which is famous for its limestone caves. It can be concluded that Kangaroo Island is a little business owned and operated by local naturalist experts. Dubai in the United Arab Emirates The government of Dubai is committed to the preservation of the ecosystem of the emirate. Within the new strategic development plan of Dubai, a special attention is paid to ecotourism, which will contribute to the conservation of nature, the Islamic cultural heritage, and local traditions. In 2003, the government adopted a policy of the development of ecotourism and has signed a number of legal acts, directing the activities of the country in this way. In this region, which has both desert and water ecosystem, there is plenty of opportunities to explore the local nature and fauna. The main focus of ecotourism activities was put on the creation of nature reserves and opening them for visitors. The biggest of them is called Ras Al Khor and covers six square kilometers. There one can admire a local flora and fauna, watch birds and enjoy the wonderful view from the high towers for bird watchers, two of which have been specially created for tourists. Besides, one of the best places for ob serving the nature is Dubai desert reserve which is called Al Maha Desert Resort. Al Maha has been designed with the key principles of eco-tourism in the framework of consolidation of its commercial success. In total, eco-zones in Dubai, including reserves, cover more than three hundred million square kilometers. They present eighty eight species of birds, three hundred and thirteen of fauna, and amazingly beautiful nature. However, eco-tourism in Dubai is not limited to the reserves and green areas. Those tourists who are interested can visit the desert for safari to observe rare Arabian Oryx. One can also fly over it in a balloon or take an off-road car tour. In addition, travelers can go to a pilgrimage to the mountain springs and use other opportunities. Moreover, Dubai officially announced the establishment of six new nature reserves in order to preserve the environment and promote ecotourism. These new measures will positively affect the nature. Creating of reserves will help to ensure the environmental safety of Dubai in the future and will have a significant impact on the development of ecotourism in the emirate. Penang National Park in Malaysia Penang National Park is the smallest of the national parks of Malaysia, which covers an area of two thousand five hundred sixty two hectares. Despite this, these park is the only one reserved territory in Malaysia, where one can found six different ecosystems: the seasonal lake, wetlands, mangroves, watts (coastal strip, drying during low tides), coral reefs and sandy beaches. There are about a thousand species of plants, one hundred forty three species of animals and forty six species of birds (Kaffashi et al., 2005). From April to August, green turtles and olive sea turtles swim to the beaches of the park to lay their eggs. This reserve, which lies on the northern tip of Penang Island at the end of the famous Jalan Batu Ferringhi over fishing village Kuala Bahang, offers visitors several hiking trails. National Park gives great opportunities for recreation and ecotourism, including climbing, hiking, swimming, wildlife watching or simply enjoying the unique natural environment. Local people are involved in touristic activities, too. Fishermen offer a ride on the boat and cooking dinner on the grill. Several companies of Penang organize regular trips to the park trails. A favorite place of tourists is a wide bay Teluk Duyung, which is also nicknamed Monkey Beach because of the large flocks of these animals that live here. In the district of the beach, there is a meromictic lake Pantai Kerachut. There are only several such lakes in the world. Water is clearly stratified in them: the upper layer of fresh water is fed from the 5 surrounding creeks and always stays cool; the bottom layer of salt water is fed from the sea and always keeps warm. In addition, tourists are offered to pass the suspended trail (Canopy Walkway). It is the shortest route connecting the two main trails of the national park. It is hovering at a height of fifteen m above the ground. The interesting fact which motivates tourists to see it is that it was built on the trees using ropes withou t a single nail, screw or bolt (Kaffashi et al., 2005). Costa Rica Costa Rica is Mecca of ecotourism. This is one of the few countries in Latin America, which made a bid for ecotourism. Forests and all animals are protected by law. Perhaps, it is the only country where any hunting is prohibited. And it gives the results: there is a large number of animals and they allow tourists to come close to them. The diversity of the country’s flora and fauna attracts tourists here. Seventy of a hundred per cent of the Earths plants are available in Costa Rica (Dasenbrock, 2002). In addition to the parks and reserves, tourists can visit one hundred and twenty active volcanoes. Seventy of them are acting. Arenal Volcano is acknowledged the most active. Here are also situated numerous hot springs, which attract tourists from all over the world. It is the perfect place to relax and unwind being surrounded by wonderful nature. In 1964, world-famous park of cypress sculpture of Evangelist Blanco Brenes appeared in Zarkero (Dasenbrock, 2002). He has been working on the maintenance of the ideal state of his masterpieces for 37 years. In Costa Rica, there are twenty four magnificent national parks, thus, it can be considered as the concentration of the world of ecotourism. Here, on a fair distance from each other, is a large number of ecologic houses. Many of them, in addition to standard tours, offer special programs of yoga and wellness treatments. These parks are supposedly the most prominent representatives of the natural diversity on earth. Tortuguero National Park is a complex system of canals and mangroves and is a haven for the four species of turtles, which chose this place for the annual egg-laying and are close to extinction. Santa Rosa National Park is very different from others since it is very dry in summer and very windy in winter here; this area is blown with severe winds Papagayo. It is the largest protected land of dry forest in Central America. Here, the extraordinary beauty of the flowers and heavenly beaches is presented (Dasenbrock, 2002). Sustainable Tourism Principles Sustainable tourism meets the needs of todays travelers and the local population and, at the same time, preserves and increases the possibilities for the future. This notion involves the ability to create long-term conditions for the proper development of both tourism and conservation of natural resources, social and cultural values of society. However, its goal is to achieve higher standards of living for the native population through economic growth and conservation of environmental benefits and natural capital for future generations. This approach fits into the global tourism trends, determining the formation of a new tourist brand, which involves the situation when the high preservation of natural and cultural complexes is a prerequisite for sustainable development. Sustainable tourism is the youngest concept of environmentally friendly tourism. It is essentially a particular application of the concept of sustainable development which implies the integration of social, economic a nd environmental aspects in decision-making and action. The concept of sustainable development has become the central idea of the UN Conference on Environment and Development (Rio de Janeiro, 1992) and has been recognized as an effective model for the development by an absolute majority of the countries whose representatives signed a number of international documents directly related to the practical implementation of the concept of sustainable development (Marzouky, Froger Ballet, 2012). The ten principles of sustainable tourism adopted by the Swedish Agency for Environmental Protection can help to understand better the essence of sustainable tourism concept: Inexhaustible, sustainable use of natural resources; Reducing excessive consumption and waste; Ensuring the preservation of natural, social and cultural diversity; Careful planning, an integrated approach, the integration of eco-tourism into regional development plans; Support for local economies; Participation of local populations in tourism development and sharing of financial and other benefits from such activities; Consulting stakeholders and the public; Training of staff; Responsible tourism marketing. Thus, one can say that ecotourism is at the crossing of nature-friendly and sustainable tourism (Higginbottom, 2004). Assessment on the Sustainability of Ecotourism in Terms of Environmental, Social, and Economic Aspects Economic Aspect of Ecotourism Kangaroo Island Charging fees on visitors is a method of capturing income that may be sent back to realization of environmental objectives. Visitor fees include park admission tickets and excursions fees on users of the district of or object. Sales and royalties are fees charged as a percentage of earnings received from using the activities or products on the site, such as crafts, souvenirs, photos and greeting cards and others. Taxation is an additional cost of products and services bought by tourists. Thus, the power supply inputs and other charges are added to the income of local labor and their total is added to the local tourism industry and estimated to be at least $ 1.5 to $ 2.0 million a year (Moore, 2009). Dubai Tourism is now the fastest growing sector of the economy of Dubai. It has become possible due to constantly increasing number of tourists. About 3.6 million people visited Dubai in 2003; more than seven million came in 2007. In 2008, Dubai received about 6.5 million visitors, which contributed to getting $ 3.5 billion for the local economy. Dubai is one of the few international destinations, which see an increase in the number of visitors compared to previous year, successfully maintaining its position as a world-class tourism center. Despite the complex economic climate, the number of visitors of Dubai has reached an unprecedented level of 11,996,449 in 2014, although the growth rate slowed (Hazbun, 2008). Penang National Park In cases where ecotourism is originally not a highly profitable enterprise on the local level, some states often stimulate its development through subsidies, taxes and other incentives since indirect benefits on the regional and national levels, makes its development preferable. That is the way Malaysia acts in order to maintain the growth of ecotourism in Penang National Park. Its socio-economic importance reaches the highest level primarily on the local and regional level since it provides jobs to the local population and revenue to the local economy. Among the channels and forms of financial flows the most common are: Allocation of tourism revenues to the local budget and special funds as compensation for the exploitation of natural resources; The fee for the transfer of rights of use from local governments to nonresident travel agencies (rent, and other); Providing a preliminary service for travel agencies (such as the supply of food, construction materials, handicrafts, and other); Employment (professional employees of travel agencies) (Kaffashi et al., 2005). Costa Rica The dynamic development of ecotourism brings the state large revenues. Nowadays, it is a major source of Costa Rica’s income. Ecotourism is especially popular among wealthy citizens of the USA and Canada. Since Costa Rica has no army, which in other countries is a significant part of public funding, its government has invested in the protection of a large part of the jungle and the other forests. Meanwhile the nearest neighbors of Costa Rica Panama and Nicaragua have sold their timber to the United States, Costa Rica nationalized nearly 25% of the territory, maintaining and ensuring the future of one of the most biologically diverse environments on the planet. Years of political stability and the success of the democratic process also served as the promotion of Costa Rica as the best country for tourism in the region of Central and South America. Now, ecotourism is overtaking coffee and banana business and plays a dominant role in the economy, bringing about $2 billion a yea r (Zambrano, Broadbent Durham, 2010). Social Aspect of Ecotourism Kangaroo Island The local people make a profit from tourism activities, such as the restaurants, souvenirs, transport, local guides, and other. In the Kangaroo Island, ferry services are operated by the local people. Kangaroo Island Regional Transport Strategy Report emphasizes that the majority of visitors travel to Kangaroo Island on the ferry (92%) and approximately 15% of the revenue is gotten from the Sea Links revenue from cargoes. In connection with the tourism, the local community receives more profit from the availability of labor, equipment and resources to provide assistance in the management of fire and economy, the use of infrastructure and services provided because of tourism and local employment opportunities (Moore, 2009). Dubai The positive impact of ecotourism in Dubai is based on changing the behavior of tourists and representatives of the tourism industry by increasing their level of environmental education, the use of the impact tools (environmental PR, branding strategy, and others), environmental education of the local population, developing a culture of dialogue between people of different social strata, the formation of respect for the local people, creating a culture of environmental recreation (Hazbun, 2008). Penang National Park Today, life on the island is in full swing mainly due to the development of tourism. There are many night clubs and places of entertainment, the streets abound with restaurants, shops, markets and night bazaars. Ecotourism provides a source of income for local communities, for example, it concerns the food services, services of hotel accommodation, work of guides and sale of handicrafts, which cause less environmental damage than other sources of income, such as slash-and-burn agriculture, extractive industries and industries that pollute environment (Kaffashi et al., 2005). Costa Rica A local community is actively involved in ecotourism. People own eco-hotels and restaurants for tourists. Developing of ecotourism created proper environmental behavior among Costa Ricans. They honor all the animals in the jungle and are proud of the abundance of birds in the woods. Every Costa Rican, even a teenager, is well-versed in plants and working in the garden. Even residents of large cities are working in the gardens and cultivating ecological products. Any tourist can enjoy an abundance of fruits and vegetables in the backyard of a city dweller (Gale Hill, 2012). Environmental Aspect of Ecotourism Kangaroo Island Kangaroo Island has been saved as eco land for centuries. There is an amazing variety and abundance of birds on Kangaroo Island. The state provides policies including plans for ecotourism in order to maintain the sustainable development strategy. These policies are dealing with the positive and negative impacts of tourism and making sure that this industry helps to protect areas. Such model is applied to the island managing and positioning it as relatively unchanged rural and natural landscapes, rich and highly visible wildlife, safe, clean, and healthy environment, and strong sense of community and unity to the land and its heritage in order to save the environment (Moore, 2009). Dubai The entire infrastructure is used for access to the natural objects, like the desert, Wild Wadi, a zoo, Al Maha Desert. The natural life of Dubai consists of desert and animals. Their protection is important so they will not be endangered or extinct. Hunting these species is not allowed due to development of ecotourism. However, the growing demand for tourism is a major threat to land and other resources in the country. Building in the desert will affect the habitat of many species, and their existence would be affected. Air pollution, whether dust, debris or the sound of tourists, will also show the failure of the local tourism council to prevent the negative impacts of tourism (Green Higginbottom, 2001). If the beaches and deserts are contaminated it will lead to the development of the hatred of the local population and conflicts will occur. Penang National Park Unfortunately, ecotourism does not quite live up to the ideals of preservation. Ecotourism is a highly consuming activity. Although it is proper for small groups, even slightly population growth leads to additional pressure on the local environment and creates a need to develop additional infrastructure and facilities. Due to the construction of sewage treatment plants, sewage systems, and using of non-renewable sources of energy the already limited local resources are used more actively (Kaffashi et al., 2005). Costa Rica Ecotourism provides a direct source of income for conservation of protected areas. Costa Rica, perhaps, is one of the countries in which ecotourism contributes to the preservation of the environment. If selected by the government of Costa Rica ecotourism course would continue to develop and bring considerable income to the country. The principles of conservation of environment always bring revenue to the state that seeks to live in harmony with nature (Henly, 2011). At the junction of the most important environmental, economic, and social problems of our time, the concept of ecotourism appears as one of the most important means of sustainable development of natural areas. Today, ecotourism is a comprehensive interdisciplinary direction ensuring the relationship of the interests of tourism, environmental protection and culture. Ecotourism has become popular as the form of tourism, which focuses solely on the wild or exotic cultures. Some examples show that such tourism can actually benefit native communities. Kangaroo Island in Australia, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Penang National Park in Malaysia, and Costa Rica are ones of the most popular ecotourism destinations in the world. Examining these examples in terms of environmental, social, and economic aspects, one can conclude that ecotourism creates a firm base for the sustainable development of environmental activities. It also can strongly contribute to economy of the country as well as ensure a more complete awareness of visitors and host communities in regard to the quality of the environment and its social, cultural and economic impact, which should lead to increased interest and support provided. Thus, ecotourism destinations under consideration reveal the progressive power of ecotourism and show that these touristic directions can be confiden tly considered sustainable and must develop all over the world.

1the Humiliation of Elizabeth Bennet

Fraiman claims that Elizabeth is a surrogate-son to her father trapped inside her female body during an age when gender roles were rigorously fixed. Judith Butler in her essay of 1990 called â€Å"Performative Acts and Gender Constitution: An Essay in Phenomenology and Feminist Theory, â€Å"states that performing one’s gender wrong initiates a set of punishments both obvious and indirect. Through the contribution of Butler’s theory, this essay aims to demonstrate that it is not only, as Fraiman claims, Elizabeth Bennet who is punished by society for performing her gender wrong, but also Mr. Darcy. In respect to convention, Mister Darcy performs his gender wrong as well as he goes by a feminine name and is often passive, â€Å"unsocial† and â€Å"taciturn† as Elizabeth puts it. He admits: â€Å"I certainly have not the talent which some people possess of conversing easily with those I have never seen before† He admits to Elizabeth at the very that he was embarrassed when she asks him why he was â€Å"so shy of [her]†. It must be considered then that Darcy does not want to â€Å"humiliate? Elizabeth with his â€Å"extensive power† of a â€Å"paternalistic noble† but is rather humiliated by it himself. after all he has many â€Å"feminine† characteristics: He waits to be approached; he prefers listening to talking; e is receptive rather than aggressive; he is anxious about his reputation and judges people according to their manners; he is the person his friends come to for advice, and he writes letters instead of personally confronting people. To perform one’s gender right, as Judith Butler asserts in â€Å"Performative Acts and Gender Constitution,† means to perform one’s gender in accordance with hist orical and cultural sanctions that change over time. Butler’s essay deconstructs society’s belief that gender is a fixed natural given. She questions if and how we exist before societal ideology’s imposition by observing gender in a phenomenological way and finds that gender is always performed, but the performance varies according to time period. What does not vary, however, is society’s punishment of people who don’t perform their gender according to the current convention. Elizabeth Bennet has aligned herself with her father and his male, independent perspective. Mr. Bennet bequeaths [to Elizabeth] his ironic distance from the world, the habit of studying and appraising those around him, the role of social critic. Therefore Lizzie is less a daughter than a surrogate son, who by giving up the mother and giving in to the father, reaps the spoils of maleness. In regards to society, however, Lizzie’s male independence is dangerous. She does not behave like a gentlewoman of her time who was expected to draw and do needlework indoors while waiting for a suitor to whisk her off to the altar. Ex. *The haughty Bingley sisters immediately declare her behavior unsuitable: â€Å"To walk three miles, or four miles, or five miles, or whatever it is, above her ankles in dirt, and alone, quite alone! What could she mean by it? It seems to me to show an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country-town indifference to decorum† (Austen 25). *When Mr. Collins proposes to Lizzie, she doesn’t employ â€Å"the usual practice of elegant females, but declines his offer as a â€Å"rational creature speaking the truth from her heart† (Austen 75). While Lizzie’s decision to refuse the buffoonish Mr. Collins is justified, it is nonetheless precarious in her situation. If she and her sister Jane hadn’t married Darcy and Bingley respectively, which can be regarded as the exceptions to the rule, they would have lost their parents? ntailed house to Mr. Collins. Lizzie, within Regency England society, is performing her gender „wrong? by not accepting a promising proposal. Instead, she displays typically male behavior: â€Å"You mean to frighten me, Mr. Darcy, by coming in all this state to hear me? But I will not be alarmed though your sister does play so well. There i s a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises with every attempt to intimidate me† (Austen 115). Obstinacy and audacity are not socially scripted feminine qualities. Lizzie turns down Mr. Darcy’s proposal in an equally confident manner: â€Å"Every time Darcy opens his mouth, he is superseded by a speech of greater length and vehemence;† â€Å"Her language, her feelings, her judgments overwhelm his† (Fraiman 361). Elizabeth here not only matches Darcy in intellect, she tops him. Many of her characteristics would be highly-regarded in a man, but not in a woman. While letter-communication was common practice in Regency England for both women and men alike, the letter Mr. Darcy writes to Elizabeth is not a regular correspondence letter, but a letter that deals with his strong emotions in a very feminine fashion. In his need to justify himself for Elizabeth’s accusations, he bares his soul in such a forthcoming, dignified, and eloquent manner as only a woman’s love letter would be expected to accomplish. His letter is so well-composed that he likely dedicated hours of drafts to it. Austen emphasizes the uniqueness of Darcy’s letter by putting male letter-writing into perspective. Charles Bindley’s letters are described as chaotic, correspondence-related and short: â€Å"Charles writes in the most careless way imaginable. He leaves out half his words, and blots the rest,† claims his sister Caroline (Austen 33). Meanwhile, she employs feminine terms to depict Mr. Darcy’s writing: â€Å"do you always write such charming long letters† (Austen 32-3). The boyish Elizabeth, in contrast, writes two letters in Pride and Prejudice: both are addressed to Mrs. Gardiner and are simple correspondence letters. Mr. Darcy’s letter therefore is less of a hostile takeover of authorial power, as Fraiman calls it (â€Å"her authorial powers wane†), but rather his only means of expressing himself to Elizabeth (Fraiman 377). He is not a â€Å"controlling literary figure† (Fraiman 383) that replaces Elizabeth’s father, but someone who takes a great risk by revealing sensitive personal details which could be used to destroy him socially to a woman who has just refused him as a husband. In a very feminine way, Mr. Darcy gives Elizabeth power over his family’s reputation and himself. Darcy’s behavior so far has, as Butler puts it, â€Å"initiate[d] a set of punishments both obvious and indirect† (Butler 279). Elizabeth especially, as a member of her society, misreads him repeatedly and therefore indirectly disempowers him because he cannot make himself heard by her. Mr. Darcy’s passive feminine side is generally misread by society as pride, which shows that to perform one’s gender „wrong? results in punishment. Darcy doesn’t court Elizabeth in the way she and society expect; therefore he, just as much as Lizzie, suffers â€Å"a loss of clout† (Fraiman 377). The gender-performance that is expected of Elizabeth and Darcy by society runs anathema to their original one and they realize toward the end of the novel that they have to succumb to society’s gender-script if they want to be together. As Susan Fraiman argues, Elizabeth, as a woman, has to relinquish some of her power: â€Å"Elizabeth marries a decent man and a large estate, but at a certain cost;† â€Å"Darcy disempowers Elizabeth if only because of the positions they each occupy in the social schema: because he is a man and she is a wife† (Fraiman 384). The cost is her compromise, but Darcy has to make it as well; the cost might even be a gain if Darcy respects Elizabeth as a wife, and there is no evidence in the novel that he won? t. Conclusion: Fraiman’s blame of Mr. Darcy disempowering Elizabeth is misdirected in that she reads him solely as a man, not as a person who has as much trouble performing his gender right as does Lizzie. Darcy has to give up passive observing and letter-writing in favor of action, such as saving the damsel in distress Lydia. Fraiman’s critique of Elizabeth marrying Darcy also does not invoke singleness as a liberating alternative, in which case Lizzie would lose even more power. The novel rather reveals the limits of everyone’s personal autonomy in a society where gender roles are fixed. Mr. Darcy never sought to take Elizabeth’s power or independence away-quite the opposite- they caused his falling in love with her. If Elizabeth is disempowered after her marriage, the blame must be directed at Regency society, not Mr. Darcy; marriage itself is always a compromise, after all. Mr. Darcy, just as much as Elizabeth, sacrifices a great deal of his original individuality by aligning his gender-performance with Regency society’s convention. But, as Lizzie says: â€Å"We do not suffer by accident. † 1the Humiliation of Elizabeth Bennet Fraiman claims that Elizabeth is a surrogate-son to her father trapped inside her female body during an age when gender roles were rigorously fixed. Judith Butler in her essay of 1990 called â€Å"Performative Acts and Gender Constitution: An Essay in Phenomenology and Feminist Theory, â€Å"states that performing one’s gender wrong initiates a set of punishments both obvious and indirect. Through the contribution of Butler’s theory, this essay aims to demonstrate that it is not only, as Fraiman claims, Elizabeth Bennet who is punished by society for performing her gender wrong, but also Mr. Darcy. In respect to convention, Mister Darcy performs his gender wrong as well as he goes by a feminine name and is often passive, â€Å"unsocial† and â€Å"taciturn† as Elizabeth puts it. He admits: â€Å"I certainly have not the talent which some people possess of conversing easily with those I have never seen before† He admits to Elizabeth at the very that he was embarrassed when she asks him why he was â€Å"so shy of [her]†. It must be considered then that Darcy does not want to â€Å"humiliate? Elizabeth with his â€Å"extensive power† of a â€Å"paternalistic noble† but is rather humiliated by it himself. after all he has many â€Å"feminine† characteristics: He waits to be approached; he prefers listening to talking; e is receptive rather than aggressive; he is anxious about his reputation and judges people according to their manners; he is the person his friends come to for advice, and he writes letters instead of personally confronting people. To perform one’s gender right, as Judith Butler asserts in â€Å"Performative Acts and Gender Constitution,† means to perform one’s gender in accordance with hist orical and cultural sanctions that change over time. Butler’s essay deconstructs society’s belief that gender is a fixed natural given. She questions if and how we exist before societal ideology’s imposition by observing gender in a phenomenological way and finds that gender is always performed, but the performance varies according to time period. What does not vary, however, is society’s punishment of people who don’t perform their gender according to the current convention. Elizabeth Bennet has aligned herself with her father and his male, independent perspective. Mr. Bennet bequeaths [to Elizabeth] his ironic distance from the world, the habit of studying and appraising those around him, the role of social critic. Therefore Lizzie is less a daughter than a surrogate son, who by giving up the mother and giving in to the father, reaps the spoils of maleness. In regards to society, however, Lizzie’s male independence is dangerous. She does not behave like a gentlewoman of her time who was expected to draw and do needlework indoors while waiting for a suitor to whisk her off to the altar. Ex. *The haughty Bingley sisters immediately declare her behavior unsuitable: â€Å"To walk three miles, or four miles, or five miles, or whatever it is, above her ankles in dirt, and alone, quite alone! What could she mean by it? It seems to me to show an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country-town indifference to decorum† (Austen 25). *When Mr. Collins proposes to Lizzie, she doesn’t employ â€Å"the usual practice of elegant females, but declines his offer as a â€Å"rational creature speaking the truth from her heart† (Austen 75). While Lizzie’s decision to refuse the buffoonish Mr. Collins is justified, it is nonetheless precarious in her situation. If she and her sister Jane hadn’t married Darcy and Bingley respectively, which can be regarded as the exceptions to the rule, they would have lost their parents? ntailed house to Mr. Collins. Lizzie, within Regency England society, is performing her gender „wrong? by not accepting a promising proposal. Instead, she displays typically male behavior: â€Å"You mean to frighten me, Mr. Darcy, by coming in all this state to hear me? But I will not be alarmed though your sister does play so well. There i s a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises with every attempt to intimidate me† (Austen 115). Obstinacy and audacity are not socially scripted feminine qualities. Lizzie turns down Mr. Darcy’s proposal in an equally confident manner: â€Å"Every time Darcy opens his mouth, he is superseded by a speech of greater length and vehemence;† â€Å"Her language, her feelings, her judgments overwhelm his† (Fraiman 361). Elizabeth here not only matches Darcy in intellect, she tops him. Many of her characteristics would be highly-regarded in a man, but not in a woman. While letter-communication was common practice in Regency England for both women and men alike, the letter Mr. Darcy writes to Elizabeth is not a regular correspondence letter, but a letter that deals with his strong emotions in a very feminine fashion. In his need to justify himself for Elizabeth’s accusations, he bares his soul in such a forthcoming, dignified, and eloquent manner as only a woman’s love letter would be expected to accomplish. His letter is so well-composed that he likely dedicated hours of drafts to it. Austen emphasizes the uniqueness of Darcy’s letter by putting male letter-writing into perspective. Charles Bindley’s letters are described as chaotic, correspondence-related and short: â€Å"Charles writes in the most careless way imaginable. He leaves out half his words, and blots the rest,† claims his sister Caroline (Austen 33). Meanwhile, she employs feminine terms to depict Mr. Darcy’s writing: â€Å"do you always write such charming long letters† (Austen 32-3). The boyish Elizabeth, in contrast, writes two letters in Pride and Prejudice: both are addressed to Mrs. Gardiner and are simple correspondence letters. Mr. Darcy’s letter therefore is less of a hostile takeover of authorial power, as Fraiman calls it (â€Å"her authorial powers wane†), but rather his only means of expressing himself to Elizabeth (Fraiman 377). He is not a â€Å"controlling literary figure† (Fraiman 383) that replaces Elizabeth’s father, but someone who takes a great risk by revealing sensitive personal details which could be used to destroy him socially to a woman who has just refused him as a husband. In a very feminine way, Mr. Darcy gives Elizabeth power over his family’s reputation and himself. Darcy’s behavior so far has, as Butler puts it, â€Å"initiate[d] a set of punishments both obvious and indirect† (Butler 279). Elizabeth especially, as a member of her society, misreads him repeatedly and therefore indirectly disempowers him because he cannot make himself heard by her. Mr. Darcy’s passive feminine side is generally misread by society as pride, which shows that to perform one’s gender „wrong? results in punishment. Darcy doesn’t court Elizabeth in the way she and society expect; therefore he, just as much as Lizzie, suffers â€Å"a loss of clout† (Fraiman 377). The gender-performance that is expected of Elizabeth and Darcy by society runs anathema to their original one and they realize toward the end of the novel that they have to succumb to society’s gender-script if they want to be together. As Susan Fraiman argues, Elizabeth, as a woman, has to relinquish some of her power: â€Å"Elizabeth marries a decent man and a large estate, but at a certain cost;† â€Å"Darcy disempowers Elizabeth if only because of the positions they each occupy in the social schema: because he is a man and she is a wife† (Fraiman 384). The cost is her compromise, but Darcy has to make it as well; the cost might even be a gain if Darcy respects Elizabeth as a wife, and there is no evidence in the novel that he won? t. Conclusion: Fraiman’s blame of Mr. Darcy disempowering Elizabeth is misdirected in that she reads him solely as a man, not as a person who has as much trouble performing his gender right as does Lizzie. Darcy has to give up passive observing and letter-writing in favor of action, such as saving the damsel in distress Lydia. Fraiman’s critique of Elizabeth marrying Darcy also does not invoke singleness as a liberating alternative, in which case Lizzie would lose even more power. The novel rather reveals the limits of everyone’s personal autonomy in a society where gender roles are fixed. Mr. Darcy never sought to take Elizabeth’s power or independence away-quite the opposite- they caused his falling in love with her. If Elizabeth is disempowered after her marriage, the blame must be directed at Regency society, not Mr. Darcy; marriage itself is always a compromise, after all. Mr. Darcy, just as much as Elizabeth, sacrifices a great deal of his original individuality by aligning his gender-performance with Regency society’s convention. But, as Lizzie says: â€Å"We do not suffer by accident. †

Volcanoes Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Volcanoes - Research Paper Example As pressures from constricted inner layers proved too much to contain, they look for relief, hence, the formation of volcanoes. Moreover, initial volcanic construct is also attributed to tectonic plate motions--termed tectonic plates. This creates â€Å"zones of weakness in the crust,† paving way for molten magma to rise and manifest themselves through volcanic eruptions (Lopes & Lopes, 2005, p. 19). Basically, volcanoes originate from these procedures. In further discussions, there are several types of volcanoes identified: â€Å"shield, cinder cones, composite, domes, etc. (â€Å"Volcano,† n.d.). All of them, as illustrated in Figure 2 (please see Appendix B), apply the basic principles of pressured gases and plate disruptions, but along the way, several phenomena account for features that are unique in each types. In this discussion, three types of volcanoes are presented in detailed account, exemplifying particular volcanoes as the paper progress: cinder cone (Paricutin volcano), composite volcano (Mount Rainier) and lava dome volcano (Mount Unzen). Although the danger posed by each of these types possesses similar intensity, in more ways, their individualized attributes make them profoundly different from one another. As the simplest type of volcano, Paricutin volcano is a formation that fits the description of a cinder cone. Cinder cones are identified by the type of material emitted by volcanoes, where substances are of similar property with cinders seen at vents of volcanoes (Monroe & Wicander, 2008, p. 116). Named after the village of Paricutin in western Mexico, the volcano rises to about 2, 820 m and is prominent in â€Å"Michoacan and Guanajuato volcanic field...(that) belongs to Quaternary Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB).† Specifically, it is flanked by Angaguan Hills at the northern area while in the south, the volcanic rise of Pico de Tancitaro is the nearest structure (Migon, 2010, pp. 59-60). As depicted in Figure 3

Inovation 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Inovation 2 - Essay Example In addition to that, the model looks very stylish and conforms to the modernistic standards and trends of furniture. This product was introduced to the market through an entrepreneurship approach, though the product itself was intrapreneurial. The workstation was developed by a student in his research that made part of his Masters program. When he developed the model in the research, it was introduced to the market through his university because the research had become the property of his university when his degree was conferred. This approach had many advantages for both the intrapreneur and the entrepreneur. The approach saved intrapreneur all the cost of launch and advertisement. On the other hand, the gained credit for the model developed by the intrapreneur. However, such organizations as universities do not as such launch a product. Instead, the research makes part of their library and is only consulted when required by the future researchers. When entrepreneurship is used to l aunch an intrapreneurial product: Launching an intrapreneurial product using an entrepreneurship approach is quite advantageous for both the intrapreneur and the entrepreneur in many ways. ... Poor planning becomes the root cause of most product launches that fail to bring the desired results to the entrepreneurs. In order to make a launch successful, the business entrepreneurs need to have certain skills. They have to gain education on methods that have historically proven to be successful. The best source of knowledge is people with past experience. Entrepreneurs need to consult them for launching strategies. Experienced entrepreneurs can offer good advice to reduce the cost of launching. In order to make the launch effective, it is imperative that it is given sufficient time. Rushing the process can make it meaningless. Since the product is intrapreneurial, the intrapreneurs must have conducted sufficient research to develop innovative product because they have to secure their job. If they develop faulty product, their own career is endangered. Therefore, in this approach, there is little to no risk of faulty design, though entrepreneurs are themselves responsible for t he marketing and advertisement of the product which is just as critical and important as the product’s design. The entrepreneurs assume risk of marketing, and also have to invest in it, thus assuming financial risk as well. Organizational assets like logistics are involved and the payment is made by the entrepreneur. When intrapreneurship is used to launch an entrepreneurial product: In many ways, it goes in the favor of entrepreneurs to adopt an intrapreneurial approach to launch their products. Company’s staff is the most concerned about the successful launch of the product because it is not only the matter of the company’s success, but it also plays a decisive role in

Organizational Structure and Culture Essay Example for Free

Organizational Structure and Culture Essay Knowledge – Mastery of facts, range of information in subject matter area. Skills – Proficiency, expertise, or competence in given area; e.g., science, art, crafts. Abilities – Demonstrated performance to use knowledge and skills when needed. KSA Definitions Interpersonal Skill Is aware of, responds to, and considers the needs, feelings, and capabilities of others. Deals with conflicts, confrontations, disagreements in a positive manner, which minimizes personal impact, to include controlling one’s feelings and reactions. Deals effectively with others in both favorable and unfavorable situations regardless of status of position. Accepts interpersonal and cultural diversity. Team Skill Establishes effective working relationships among team members. Participates in solving problems and making decisions. Communications Presents and expresses ideas and information clearly and concisely in a manner appropriate to the audience, whether oral or written. Actively listens to what others are saying to achieve understanding. Shares information with others and facilitates the open exchange of ideas and information. Is open, honest, and straightforward with others. Planning and Organizing Establishes courses of action for self to accomplish specific goals [e.g., establishes action plans]. Identifies need, arranges for, and obtains resources needed to accomplish own goals and objectives. Develops and uses tracking systems for monitoring own work progress. Effectively uses resources such as time and information. Organizational Knowledge and Competence Acquires accurate information concerning the agency components, the mission[s] of each relevant organizational unit, and the principal programs in the agency. Interprets and utilizes information about the formal and informal organization, including the organizational structure, functioning, and relationships among units. Correctly identifies and draws upon source[s] of information for support. Problem Solving and Analytical Ability Identifies existing and potential problems/issues. Obtains relevant information about the problem/issue, including recognizing whether or not more information is needed. Objectively evaluates relevant information about the problem/issue. Identifies the specific cause of the problem/issue. Develops recommendations, develops and evaluates alternative course of action, selects courses of action, and follows up. Judgment Makes well reasoned and timely decisions based on careful, objective review and informed analysis of available considerations and factors. Supports decisions or recommendations with accurate information or reasoning. Direction and Motivation Sets a good example of how to do the job; demonstrates personal integrity, responsibility, and accountability. Provides advice and assistance to help others accomplish their work. Directs/motivates self. Decisiveness Identifies when immediate action is needed, is willing to make decisions, render judgments, and take action. Accepts responsibility for the decision, including sustaining effort in spite of obstacles. Self-Development Accurately evaluates own performance and identifies skills and abilities as  targets of training and development activities related to current and future job requirements. Analyzes present career status. Sets goals [short and/or long term]. Identifies available resources and methods for self-improvement. Sets realistic time frames for goals and follows up. Flexibility Modifies own behavior and work activities in response to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles. Views issues/problems from different perspectives. Considers a wide range of alternatives, including innovative or creative approaches. Strives to take actions that are acceptable to others having differing views. Leadership Ability to make right decisions based on perceptive and analytical processes. Practices good judgment in gray areas. Acts decisively. KSA Definitions {General Supervisory/Manager Competencies} Problem Solving and Analytical Ability Identifies existing and potential problems; notes, understands, and includes the critical elements of problem situations; obtains and evaluates relevant information; demonstrates awareness that new and/or additional information sources are required; notes interrelationships among elements; identifies possible causes of the problems; recognizes the need to shift to an alternative course of action including innovative or creative approaches; and appropriately terminates information collection and evaluation activities. Planning and Organizing Identifies requirements; allocates, and effectively uses information, personnel, time, and other resources necessary for mission accomplishment; establishes appropriate courses of action for self and/or others to accomplish specific goals; develops evaluation criteria and tracking systems for monitoring goal progress and accomplishment; and specifies objectives, schedules, and priorities. Decisiveness Makes decisions, renders judgments, and takes action on difficult or unpleasant tasks in a timely fashion, to include the appropriate communication of both negative and positive information and decisions. Judgment Develops and evaluates alternative courses of action; makes decisions based on correct assumptions concerning resources and guidelines; supports decisions or recommendations with data or reasoning; defines and implements solutions to problems; and recognizes when no action is required. Communication Skill Presents and expresses ideas and information effectively and concisely in an oral and/or written mode; listens to and comprehends what others are saying; shares information with others and facilitates the open exchange of ideas and information; is open, honest, and straightforward with others; provides a complete and timely explanation of issues and decisions in a manner appropriate for the audience; and presents information and material in a manner that gains the agreement of others. Interpersonal Skill Is aware of, responds to, and considers the needs, feelings, and capabilities of others; deals effectively with others in favorable and unfavorable situations regardless of their status or position; accepts interpersonal and cultural differences; manages conflict/confrontations/ disagreements in a positive manner that minimizes personal impact, to include controlling one’s own feelings and reactions; and provides appropriate support to others. Direction and Motivation Motivates and provides direction in the activities of others to accomplish goals; gains the respect and confidence of others; appropriately assigns work and authority to others in the accomplishment of goals; provides advice and assistance as required. Supervisory role Performance Displays knowledge of the roles, responsibilities, and duties of supervisors and managers; accurately assesses the impact upon others of role performance; and supports and promotes organizational decisions, policies, programs, and initiatives such as EEO and Affirmative Action. Specialty Competence Understands and appropriately applies procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies; maintains credibility with others on specialty matters; uses appropriate procedures or systems in the operation and/or staff environment as the position requires. Organizational Knowledge Demonstrates knowledge of the department’s or agency’s organizational components, the mission[s] of each relevant organizational unit, and the principal programs in the organization. Leadership Establishes work standards and expectations for self and others. Appropriately assigns/delegates work and authority to others in the accomplishment of goals. Keeps goals and objectives in sight at all times, monitors progress toward goals, and works to overcome barriers and obstacles. Provides coaching, advice, and assistance as required; e.g., helps subordinates overcome obstacles and deal with problems. Appropriately assesses contributions and p performance of employees; provides appropriate recognition, and deals with problems as they arise. Instills in others a sense of pride in the job at hand. Executive Core Competencies [ECC] ECC #1Leading Change ECC #2Leading People ECC #3Results Driven ECC #4Business Acumen ECC #5Building Coalitions/Communications ECC #1 Leading Change This core qualification encompasses the ability to develop and implement an organizational vision which integrates key national and program goals, priorities, values, and other factors. Inherent to it is the ability to balance change and continuity – to continually strive to improve customer service and program performance within the basic government framework, to create a work environment that encourages creative thinking, and to maintain focus, intensity and persistence, even under adversity. Key Characteristics: 1. Exercising leadership and motivating managers to incorporate vision, strategic planning, and elements of quality management into the full range of the organization’s activities; encouraging creative thinking and innovation; influencing others toward a spirit of service; designing and implementing new or cutting edge programs/processes. 2. Identifying and integrating key issues affecting the organization, including political, economic, social, technological, and administrative factors. 3. Understanding the roles and relationships of the components of the state or regional policy making and implementation process, including the Governor, legislature, the judiciary, local governments, and interest groups; and formulating effective strategies to balance those interests consistent with the business of the organization. 4. Being open to change and new information; tolerating ambiguity; adapting behavior and work methods in response to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles; adjusting rapidly to new situations warranting attention and resolution. 5. Dealing effectively with pressure; maintaining focus and intensity and remaining persistent, even under adversity; recovering quickly from setbacks. 6. Displaying a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment to public service; being proactive and achievement-oriented; being self-motivated; pursuing self-development; seeking feedback from others and opportunities to master new knowledge. Leadership Competencies Creativity and Innovation – Develops new insights into situations and applies innovative solutions to make organizational improvements; creates a work environment that encourages creative thinking and innovation; designs and implements new or cutting-edge programs/processes. Resilience – Deals effectively with pressure; maintains focus and intensity and remains optimistic and persistent, even under adversity. Recovers quickly from setbacks. Effectively balances personal life and work. Continual Learning – Grasps the essence of new information; masters new technical and business knowledge; recognizes own strengths and weaknesses; pursues self-development; seeks feedback from others and opportunities to master new knowledge. Service Motivation – Creates and sustains an organizational culture which encourages others to provide the quality of service essential to high performance. Enables others to acquire the tools and support they need to perform well. Shows a commitment to public service. Influence others toward a spirit of service and meaningful contributions to mission accomplishment. External Awareness – Identifies and keeps up to date on key national and international policies and economic, political, and social trends that affect the organization. Understands near-term and long-range plans and determines how best to be positioned to achieve a competitive business advantage. Strategic Thinking – Formulates effective strategies consistent with the business and competitive strategy of the organization. Examines policy issues and strategic planning with a long-term perspective. Determines objectives and sets priorities; anticipates potential threats or opportunities. Flexibility – Is open to change and new information; adapts behavior and wok methods in response to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles. Adjust rapidly to new situations warranting attention and resolution. Vision – Takes a long-term view and acts as a catalyst for organizational change; builds a shared vision with others. Influences others to translate vision into action. ECC #2 Leading People This core competency involves the ability to design and implement strategies which maximize employee potential and foster high ethical standards in meeting the organization’s vision, mission, and goals. Key Characteristics: 1. Providing leadership in setting the workforce’s expected performance levels commensurate with the organization’s strategic objectives; inspiring, motivating, and guiding others toward total accomplishment; empowering people by sharing power and authority. 2. Promoting quality through effective use of the organization’s performance management system [e.g., establishing performance standards, appraising staff accomplishments using the developed standards, and taking action to reward, counsel, or remove employees, as appropriate]. 3. Valuing cultural diversity and other differences; fostering an environment where people who are culturally diverse can work together cooperatively and effectively in achieving organizational goals. 4. Assessing employees’ unique developmental needs and providing developmental opportunities which maximize employees’ capabilities and contribute to the achievement of organizational goals; developing leadership in others through coaching and mentoring. 5. Fostering commitment, team spirit, pride, trust, and group identity; taking steps to prevent situations what could result in unpleasant confrontations. 6. R3solving conflicts in a positive and constructive manner; this includes promoting labor/management partnerships and dealing effectively with employee relations matters, attending to morale and organizational climate issues, handling administrative, labor management, and EEO issues, and taking disciplinary actions when others means have not been successful. Leadership Competencies Conflict Management – Identifies and takes steps to prevent potential situations that could result in unpleasant confrontations. Manages and resolves conflicts and disagreements in a positive and constructive manner to minimize negative impact. Integrity/Honesty – Instills mutual trust and confidence; creates a culture that fosters high standards of ethics; behaves in a fair and ethical manner toward others, and demonstrates a sense of corporate responsibility and commitment to public service. Cultural Aw3areness – Initiates and manages cultural change within the organization to impact organizational effectiveness. Values cultural diversity and other individual differences in the workforce. Ensures that the organization builds on these differences and that employees are treated in a fair and equitable manner. Team Building – Inspires, motivates, and guides others toward goal accomplishments. Consistently develops and sustains cooperative working relationships. Encourages and facilitates cooperation within the organization and with customer groups; fosters commitment, team spirit, pride, trust. Develops leadership in others through coaching, mentoring, rewarding, and guiding employees. ECC #3 Results Driven This core competency stresses accountability and continuous improvement. It includes the ability to make timely and effective decisions and produce results through strategic planning and the implementation and evaluation of programs and policies. Key Characteristics: 1. Understanding and appropriately applying procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise; understanding linkages between administrative competencies and mission needs; keeping current on issues, practices, and procedures in technical areas. 2. Stressing results by formulating strategic program plans which assess policy/program feasibility and include realistic short and long-term goals and objectives. 3. Exercising good judgment in structuring and organizing work an setting priorities; balancing the interests of clients and readily readjusting priorities to respond to customer demands. 4. Anticipating and identifying, diagnosing, and consulting on potential or actual problem areas relating to program implementation and goal achievement; selecting from alternative courses of corrective action, and taking action from developed contingency plans. 5. Setting program standards; holding self and others accountable for achieving these standards; acting decisively to modify them to promote customer service and/or quality of programs and policies. 6. Identifying opportunities to develop and market new products and services with or outside of the organization; taking risks to pursue a recognized benefit or advantage. Leadership competencies Accountability Assures that effective controls are developed and maintained to ensure the integrity of the organization. Holds self and others accountable for rules and responsibilities. Can be relied upon to ensure that projects within areas of specific responsibility are completed in a timely manner and within budget. Monitors and evaluates plans; focuses on results and measuring attainment of outcomes. Entrepreneurship – Identifies opportunities to develop and market new products and services within or outside of the organization. Is willing to take risks; initiates actions that involve a deliberate risk to achieve a recognized benefit or advantage. Customer Service – Balancing interests of a variety of clients; readily readjust priorities to respond to pressing and changing client demands. Anticipates and meets the need of clients; achieves quality end-products; is committed to continuous improvement of services. Problem Solving – Identifies and analyzes problems; distinguishes between relevant and irrelevant information to make logical decisions; provides solutions to individual and organizational problems. Decisiveness – Exercises good judgment by making sound and well-informed decision; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; makes effective and timely decisions, even when data is limited or solutions produce unpleasant consequences; is proactive and achievement oriented. Technical Credibility – Understands and appropriately applies procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise. Is able to make sound hiring and capital resource decisions and to address training and development needs. Understand linkages between administrative competencies and mission needs. ECC #4 Business Acumen This core competency involves the ability to acquire and administer human, financial, material, and information resources in a manner which instills public trust and accomplishes the organization’s mission, and to use new technology to enhance decision making. Key Characteristics 1. Assessing current and future staffing needs based on organizational goals and budget realities. Applying sound human resource principles to develop, select, and manage a diverse workforce. 2. Overseeing the allocation of financial resources; identifying cost-effective approaches; establishing and assuring the use of internal controls for financial systems. 3. Managing the budgetary process, including preparing and justifying a budget and operating the budget under organizational and legislative procedures; understanding the marketing expertise necessary to ensure appropriate funding levels. 4. Overseeing procurement and contracting procedures and processes. 5. Integrating and coordinating logistical operations. 6. Ensuring the efficient and cost-effective development and utilization of management information systems and other technological resources that meet the organization’s needs; understanding the impact of technological changes on the organization. Leadership Competencies Financial Management – Demonstrates broad understanding of principles of financial management and marketing expertise necessary to ensure appropriate funding levels. Prepares, justifies, and/or administers the budget for the program area; uses cost-benefit thinking to set priorities; monitors expenditures in support of programs and policies, Identifies cost-effective approaches. Manages procurement and contracting. Technological Management – Uses efficient and cost-effective approaches to integrate technology into the workplace and improve program effectiveness. Develops strategies using new technology to enhance decision making. Understands the impact of technological changes on the organization. Human Resource Management – Assesses current and future staffing needs based on organizational goals and budget realities. Using merit principles, ensure staff are appropriately selected, developed, utilized, appraised, and rewarded; takes corrective action. ECC #5 Building Coalitions/Communication This core competency involves the ability to explain, advocate and express facts and ideas in a convincing manner, and negotiate wit5h individuals and groups internally and externally. It also involves the ability to develop an expansive professional network with other organizations, and to identify the internal and external politics that impact the work of the organization. Key Characteristics 1. Representing and speaking for the organizational unit and its work [e.g., presenting, explaining, selling, defining, and negotiating] to those within and outside the office [e.g., agency heads and other government executives; corporate executives; Department of Administrative Services budget officials; legislative members and staff; the media; governor’s office; clientele and professional groups]; making clear and convincing oral presentations to individuals and groups; listening effectively and clarifying information; facilitating an open exchange of ideas. 2. Establishing and maintaining working relationships with internal organizational units [e.g., other program areas and staff support functions]; approaching each problem situation with a clear perception of organizational and political reality; using contacts to build and strengthen internal support bases; getting understanding and support from higher level management. 3. Developing and enhancing alliances with external groups [e.g., other agencies or firms, state and local governments, legislature, and clientele groups]; engaging in cross-functional activities; finding common ground with a widening range of stakeholders. 4. Working in groups and teams; conducting briefings and othe45r meetings; gaining cooperation from others to obtain information and accomplish goals; facilitating â€Å"win-win† situations. 5. Considering and responding appropriately to the needs, feelings, and capabilities of different people in different situations is tactful and treats others with respect. 6. Seeing that reports, memoranda, and other documents reflect the position and work of the organization in a clear, convincing, and organized manner. Leadership Competencies Influencing/Negotiating – Persuades others; builds consensus through give and take; gains cooperation from others to obtain information and accomplish goals; facilitates â€Å"win-win† situations. Partnering – Develops networks and builds alliances, engages in cross-functional activities; collaborates across boundaries, and finds common ground with a widening range of stakeholders. Utilizes contacts to build and strengthen internal support bases. Interpersonal Skills – Considers and responds appropriately to the needs, feelings, and capabilities of different people in different situations; is tactful, compassionate and sensitive, and treats others with respect. Political Savvy – Identifies the internal and external politics that impact the work of the organization. Approaches each problem situation with a clear perception of organizational and political reality; recognizes the impact of alternative courses of action. Oral Communication – Makes clear and convincing oral presentations to individuals or groups; listens effectively and clarifies information as needed; facilitates an open exchange of ideas and fosters an atmosphere of open communication. Written Communication – Expresses facts and ideas in writing in a clear, convincing and organized manner.

The Combining of Cable TV and the Internet Essay -- Television Technol

The Combining of Cable TV and the Internet The Telecommunications Act of 1996 opened the way for cable TV (CATV) companies to become full-fledged telecommunications companies, offering two-way voice and data communications services, in addition to television programming. After passage of the Act, the cable companies were eager to expand into the new fields of business that had been opened to them, especially the rapidly growing Internet Service Provider (ISP) business. The biggest hurdle facing the cable companies is that cable television systems were designed for one-way traffic, and must be upgraded into modern two-way networks in order to support advanced communications services. This is an expensive and technically complex undertaking. In addition, interfaces allowing subscriber’s PCs to access the Internet via the CATV cable had to be developed. These interface devices are called cable modems. Cable modems are designed to take advantage of the broadband capability provided by the cable TV infrastructure, ena bling peak connection speeds many times faster than conventional dial-up connections. Cable Modems, Cable TV Meets the Internet Cable modems have only recently been introduced for private commercial use. Cable modems and the cable data networks they are a integral part of hold the promise of providing a great deal of communications bandwidth for the private user. Greater bandwidth equals greater speed in the realm of the Internet. The Internet has only been around for private use for a relatively short period of time, nonetheless, it has grown quite rapidly. It appears that the Internet will continue to grow at a rapid pace. People will begin to use the Internet for more and more applications. Network... ... (1996, September). Break the bandwidth barrier. Byte. [No pagination]. Retrived September 16, 1999 from the World Wide Web://http://www.byte.com/art/960910/sec6/art1 Medin, M., Rolls, J. (1999, October). The internet via cable. Scientific American, 100-101 Ostergard, R.V. (1998). ABC of cable modems. Cablemodems.org. [No pagination]. Retrieved September 7, 1999 from the World Wide Web: // http://www.cablemodems.org/tutorial/01.htm Salent, M.D. (1999) Cable modem technical tutorial. Cable Modem Information Network. [No pagination]. Retrieved September 20, 1999 from the World Wide Web:// http://www.cablemodem.net/tt/primer.html Van Matre, D.L. (1999) Overview of cable modem technology and services. Cable Data Communications. [No pagination]. Retrieved September 20, 1999 from the World Wide Web://http://www.cabledatacom.com/cmic/mic1.html

Business Ethics in Bangladesh Essay

Social responsibility requires individuals engaging in business endeavors to behave in an ethical manner. Ethics are principles of behavior that distinguish between right and wrong. Ethical conduct conforms to what a group or society as a whole considers right behavior. People working in business frequently face ethical questions. Business ethics is the evaluation of business activities and behavior as right or wrong. Ethical standards in business are based on commonly accepted principles of behavior established by the expectations of society, the firm, the industry, and an individual’s personal values. Critically, â€Å"Business Ethics† can be defined as the critical, structured examination of how people & institutions should behave in the world of commerce. In particular, it involves examining appropriate constraints on the pursuit of self-interest, or (for firms) profits, when the actions of individuals or firms affects others. (9) With unethical business practices o ften receiving publicity, the public sometimes believe that people in business are less ethical than others in society. But ethical problems challenge all segments of our society, including government, churches, and higher education. Most business leaders realize their firms cannot succeed without the trust of customers and the goodwill of society. A violation of ethics makes trust and goodwill difficult to maintain. In thousands of companies, executives and employees act according to the highest ethical standards. Unfortunately managers in some firms behave unethically, and these instances are often highly publicized. Personnel executive say the major reason managers behave unethically is to obtain power and money. Business ethics is a wider term that includes many other sub ethics that are relevant to the respective field. For example there is marketing ethics for marketing, ethics in HR for Human Resource Department and the like. Business ethics itself is a part of applied ethics; the latter takes care of ethical questions in the technical, social, legal and business ethics. Origin of Business Ethics When we trace the origin of business ethics we start with a period where profit maximization was seen as the only purpose of existence for a business. There was no consideration whatsoever for non-economic values, be  it the people who worked with organizations or the society that allowed the business to flourish. It was only in late 1980’s and 1990’s that both intelligentsia and the academics as well as the corporate began to show interest in the same. Nowadays almost all organizations lay due emphasis on their responsibilities towards the society and the nature and they call it by different names like corporate social responsibility, corporate governance or social responsibility charter. Primary and Important Sources of Business ethics Ethics in general refers to a system of good and bad, moral and immoral, fair and unfair. It is a code of conduct that is supposed to align behaviors within an organization and the social framework. But the question that remains is, where and when did business ethics come into being? Primarily ethics in business is affected by the following sources – family, religion, culture, legal system, codes of conduct, and personal experience. It is for this reason we do not have uniform or completely similar standards across the globe. These factors exert influences to varying degrees on humans which ultimately get reflected in the ethics of the organization. For example, ethics followed by Grameen Phone Ltd. are different from those followed by Square Group or Unilever for that matter. Again ethical procedures vary across geographic boundaries. Family A person’s values is the source of their ethics, and it is their philosophy, spiritual or religious beliefs that usually help mold and shape those values, but most of all it is how a person is raised by his family that sets the foundation for his ethics in later life. It’s the basic source of business ethics. Religion It is one of the oldest foundations of ethical standards. Religion wields varying influences across various sects of people. It is believed that ethics is a manifestation of the divine and so it draws a line between the good and the bad in the society. Depending upon the degree of religious influence we have different sects of people; we have sects, those who are referred to as orthodox or fundamentalists and those who are called as moderates. Needless to mention, religion exerts itself to a greater degree among the orthodox and to lesser extent in case of moderates. Fundamentally however all the religions operate on the principle of reciprocity towards ones fellow beings! Culture Culture is a pattern of behaviors and values that are transferred from one generation to another, those that are considered as ideal or within the acceptable limits. No wonder therefore that it is the culture that predominantly determines what is wrong and what is right. It is the culture that defines certain behavior as acceptable and others as unacceptable. Human civilization is fact has passed through various cultures, wherein the moral code was redrafted depending upon the epoch that was. What was immortal or unacceptable in certain culture became acceptable later on and vice versa. During the early years of human development where ones who were the strongest were the ones who survived! Violence, hostility and ferocity were thus the acceptable. Approximately 10,000 year ago when human civilization entered the settlement phase, hard work, patience and peace were seen as virtues and the earlier ones were considered otherwise. These values are still in practice by the managers of to day. Still further, when human civilization witnessed the industrial revolution, the ethics of agrarian economy was replaced by the law pertaining to technology, property rights etc. Ever since a tussle has ensued between the values of the agrarian and the industrial economy! Laws or Legal System of a Country Laws are procedures and code of conduct that are laid down by the legal system of the state. They are meant to guide human behavior within the social fabric. The major problem with the law is that all the ethical expectations cannot be covered by the law and specially with ever changing outer environment the law and specially with ever changing outer environment the law keeps on changing but often fails to keep pace. In business, complying with the rule of law is taken as ethical behavior, but organizations often break laws by evading taxes, compromising on quality,  service norms etc. Business Codes of Conduct A business code of ethics is a series of established principles an organization uses when operating in business or society. Organizations often develop these codes to ensure that all individuals working in the company operate according to the same standards. Most individuals have an internal code of ethics or moral principles they follow in life. A situation one individual finds ethically reprehensible may not seem so to another individual. Using a code of ethics in business attempts to create a basic understanding of acceptable ethical behavior to be used when handling situations involving the company, government agencies and the general public. Past Experience If an individual is rewarded or is not punished for behaving unethically, the behavior will probably be repeated. This type of experience encourages other to do unethical things in future. Likewise the threat of punishment and the lack of reward for unethical activities encourage that particular person and all others to behave ethically. Factors Influencing Ethical Behavior To encourage ethical behavior, executives, managers, and owners of firms must understand what influences behavior in the first place. The several factors that affect individuals’ behavior in business: the business environment, organizational factors, and an individual’s personal moral philosophy. The Business Environment Almost daily, business managers face ethical dilemmas resulting from the pressure of the business environment. They are challenged to meet sales quotas, cut costs, increase efficiency, or overtake competitors. Managers and employees may sometimes think the only way to survive in the competitive world of business is by deception or cheating. In some instances, an organization may use someone else’s successful work without the permission of the owner or originator. Conflict of interest is another common ethical problem stemming from the business environment. Often an individual has a  chance to further selfish interests rather than the interests of the organization or society. To gain favor with people who make purchasing decisions for their companies, a seller may offer special favors or gifts, ranging from a metal to clothing to trips. Some offer cash-a kickback-for putting through a contract or placing orders with a company. Others offer bribes. Such illegal conduct will damage the organization in the long run. In order to limit unethical behavior, business firms must begin by expecting their employees to obey all laws and regulations. The international business environment presents further ethical dilemmas. Business people and government officials in different countries and cultures often operate according to different ethical standards. The Organization The organization itself also influences ethical behavior. Individuals often learn ethical or unethical behaviors by interacting with others in the organization. An employee who sees a superior or co-worker behaving unethically may follow suit. An organization can also use rewards to influence the behavior of its members. If an individual is rewarded or is not punished for behaving unethically, the behavior will probably be repeated. Likewise the threat of punishment and the lack of reward for unethical activities encourage ethical behavior. The severity of punishment also sends a message to other individuals who might be considering similar activities. The Individual Values A person’s own moral philosophy also influences his or her ethical behavior. A moral philosophy is the set of principles that dictate acceptable behavior. These principles are learned from family, friends, co-workers, and other social groups and through formal education. In developing a moral philosophy, individuals can follow two approaches: The Humanistic Philosophy focuses on individual rights and values. Individuals and organizations adopting this philosophy would honor their moral duties to customers and workers. Individuals and organizations following the Utilitarian Philosophy seek the greatest good for the largest number of people. Importance of Business Ethics Most of us would agree that it is ethics in practice that makes sense; just having it carefully drafted and redrafted in books may not serve the purpose. Of course all of us want to be fair, clean and beneficial to the society. For that to happen, organizations need to abide by ethics or rule of law, engage themselves in fair practices and competition; all of which will benefit the consumer, the society and organization. Primarily it is the individual, the consumer, the employee or the human social unit of the society who benefits from ethics. In addition ethics is important because of the following: 1. Satisfying Basic Human Needs: Being fair, honest and ethical is one of the basic human needs.  Every employee desires to be such himself and to work for an organization that is fair and ethical in its practices. 2. Creating Credibility: An organization that is believed to be driven by moral values is respected in the society even by those who may have no information about the working and businesses of that organization. British American Tobacco, for example is perceived as an organization for good corporate governance and social responsibility initiatives. This perception is held far and wide even by those who do not even know what business the organization is into. 3. Uniting People and Leadership: An organization driven by values is revered by its employees also. They are the common thread that brings the employees and the decision makers on a common platform. This goes a long way in aligning behaviors within the organization towards achievement of one common goal or mission. 4. Improving Decision Making: A man’s destiny is the sum totals of all the decisions that he/she takes in course of his life. The same holds true for organizations. Decisions are driven by values. For example, an organization that does not value competition will be fierce in its operations aiming to wipe out its competitors and establish a monopoly in the market. 5. Long Term gains: Organizations guided by ethics and values are profitable in the long run, though in the short run they may seem to lose money. For Example, Tata group, one of the largest business conglomerates in India was  seen on the verge of decline at the beginning of 1990’s, which soon turned out to be otherwise. The same company’s Tata NANO car was predicted as a failure, and failed to do well but the same is picking up fast now. 6. Securing the Society: Often ethics succeeds law in safeguarding the society. The law machinery is often found acting as a mute spectator, unable to save the society and the environment. Technology, for example is growing at such a fast pace that the by the time law comes up with a regulation we have a newer technology with new threats replacing the older one. Lawyers and public interest litigations may not help a great deal but ethics can. Business Ethics- Practice in Bangladesh In Bangladesh, though practice of Business ethics is still not so commendable in public sector and small companies, but business ethics has been an increasing concern among larger companies, at least since the 1990s. Major corporations increasingly fear the damage to their image associated with press revelations of unethical practices. The following information about the functions relating ethics and social responsibility of 2 reputed companies of our country will give a brief idea about the practice of Business Ethics in Bangladesh. ACI Limited Advanced Chemical Industries (ACI) Limited is one of the leading conglomerates in Bangladesh, with a multinational heritage. They have a mission to achieve business excellence through quality by understanding, accepting, meeting and exceeding customer expectations. They follow International Standards on Quality Management System to ensure consistent quality of products and services to achieve customer satisfaction. They are focusing on improving the food habit of consumers through providing more ready to cook products and ready to eat as well. Their visions are to establish harmonious relationship with the community and promote greater environmental responsibility within its sphere of influence. Their Values are Quality, Customer Focus, Fairness, Transparency, Continuous Improvement, and Innovation. Ethical Approaches: Societal Development through Educational Programs: ACI’s guiding principle in all its operations is to be a responsible corporate citizen. Thus Social Responsibility is a top priority for every individual at ACI. Their Initiatives and significant contribution to societal development is Continued Medical Education (CME) for medical professionals and Children’s Education Programs. ACI has also undertaken an English Education program in Faridpur, one of the remotest districts of Bangladesh. This provides support to teach English Language to school going children. Doctors in Bangladesh who are not living in the metropolitan cities have very limited access to the Internet or any other sources of information. In order to keep them updated on the developments in the medical practices regularly, the CME program has been proven highly effective. ACI believes that by promoting education of children, they are contributing to societal development by shaping the minds of their futur e leaders. Environment Friendly Practices: ACI has undertaken extensive programs to educate crop farmers all over rural Bangladesh in Good Agricultural Practices. They have a team of agricultural experts working at the field level all across the country, holding a range of technical trainings and field demonstrations. ACI also has similar education programs for animal and poultry farmers. These include, Technical trainings on diverse aspects of farming, and on application of new technologies, Farmers‘ group meeting for sharing of learning and experience, Free visits to farms by veterinarians, to identify problems and give advices to individual farmers. Most importantly, making the farmers aware of ways to protect the environment from hazardous uses of chemicals on their farms, allowing them the opportunity for informed decision-making. ACI hopes to continue to play a leading role in promoting greater environmental responsibility among farmers in Bangladesh. Unethical Approaches: ACI Company produces some products which do not work properly, like ACI Aerosol. It is mainly produced for killing mosquitoes, but that’s not true. Most of the mosquitoes go away for sometimes but not killed. Sometimes some  products like ACI Atta, ACI Maida, etc contains 1975 grams instead of 2000 grams but they fix their prices for 2kg of the products. These are unethical for their marketing practices. Unilever Bangladesh Limited Over the last four decades, Unilever Bangladesh has been constantly bringing new and world class products for the Bangladeshi people to remove the daily drudgery of life. Over 90% of the country’s households use one or more of Unilever products. They aim to give everybody a little something to celebrate about themselves every day. They believe that to succeed in business, it is essential to maintain the highest standards of corporate behavior towards everyone they work with, the communities they touch, and the environment on which they have an impact. Ethical Approaches: Effective Code of business principles: Their code of business principles describes the operational standards that everyone at Unilever follows, wherever they are in the world. It also supports their approach to governance and corporate responsibility. Code of business principles are- Standard of conduct, Obey the law, employees, consumers, shareholders, business partners, community involvement, public activities, the environment, innovation, competition, business integrity, conflict of interest, compliance, reporting, monitor. Women Development and Women Empowerment: Unilever strongly believes in the importance of empowering women in Bangladesh, because the progress of any society will be constrained if a significant part of its population is neglected and excluded from the benefits of development. They believe, with economic and educational empowerment, women can become more vocal about their rights and become stronger in withstanding repression in any form. So they have established â€Å"Fair & Lovely Foundation†. The mission of this foundation is to encourage economic empowerment of Bangladeshi women through information and resources in the areas of Education, Career and Enterprise. It is this realization that has brought about the Fair & Lovely Foundation Scholarship Program. Under this scholarship scheme, women who have passed their HSC each receives a Taka 25,000 scholarship to support her tertiary level education. Unethical Approaches: Unilever produces Fair & lovely fairness cream, lotion, etc and they claim that skin color will be white after using this product. But that it is not true. There are no scientific values about whiteness. This is totally unethical performance in marketing activities of this company. Comparative Customer Evaluation on Ethical Performances of 3 Reputed Companies of Bangladesh Figure – Customer Response on Maintenance of Ethical Procedure by the Companies (1) Figure – Customer Response on Deceptive Practices Used by the Companies (1) Figure – Customer Response on Significant Contribution toward Ethical Marketing (1) Figure – Customer Response on Satisfaction through Using Products of the Companies (1) Figure – Customer Response on Changing of Defective Products by the Companies (1) Bribery & Nepotism- A Curse against Ethical Practice Corruption is a very strong example of unethical behavior and it is still prevailing in different business sectors of our country in the form of Bribery and Nepotism. Nepotism is the way in which someone approaches and compels a person of power and authority to take necessary steps to get his work done by capitalizing kinship, friendship or political lobbying. Bribery means offering gifts, money etc. to get a work done in unethical way. Often public officers are infamously alleged for taking bribes to award public contracts using their power. Bribery and Nepotism also exist in the corporate world, which is very harmful for ethical practices and creates hindrances in building proper and ethical business environment. Managing or Encouraging Ethical Behavior Managing the financial operations of a company can be a complex effort. Companies need to balance their desire to grow with the realities of maintaining their financial relationships, satisfying their investors and making a profit. Government Regulations: The government can do so by legislating more stringent regulations. But, rules require enforcement and when in many cases there is evidence of lack of enforcement even the ethical business person will tend to â€Å"slip something by† without getting caught. Increased regulation may help, but it surely cannot solve the entire business ethics problems. Trade Associations Setting Guidelines: Trade associations can and often do provide ethical guidelines for their members. These organizations within particular industries are in an excellent position to exert pressures on members that stoop to questionable business practices. Companies Providing Code of Ethics: Employees can more easily determine and adopt acceptable behavior when companies provide them with a â€Å"code of ethics.† Such codes are perhaps the most effective way to encourage ethical behavior. A code of ethics is a written guide to acceptable and ethical behavior that outlines uniform policies, standards and punishments for violations. Because employees know what is expected of them and what will happen if they violate the rules, a code of ethics goes a long way towards encouraging ethical behavior. However, codes cannot possibly cover every situation. Companies must also create an environment in which employees recognize the importance of complying with the written code. Managers must provide direction by fostering communication, actively modeling and encouraging ethical decision making, apart from investing in training employees to make ethical decisions. Whistle Blowing Technique: Sometimes, even employees who want to act ethically may find it difficult to do so. Unethical practices can become ingrained in an organization. Employees with high personal ethics may then take a controversial step called â€Å"whistle blowing.† Whistle blowing is informing the press or government officials about unethical practices in an organization. Whistle blowing could have averted disaster and prevented  needless deaths in the Challenger space shuttle disaster, for example. How could employees have known about life-threatening problems and let them pass? Whistle blowing on the other hand, can have serious repercussions for employees; those who make waves sometimes lose their jobs. Conclusion The main objective of business is to serve people with their every need for the well-being of human being and to ensure that, there is no alternative of following business ethics. Since the practice of business ethics in our country is still not ubiquitous, we are not getting the proper environment for the business, and thus often we are facing some crisis situation and it is hampering our total economic development. Our policy makers and the top executives of the organizations should give more concern in making ethical policies and take proper steps to encourage business executives and service holders to follow them. References 1) â€Å"Ethics In Marketing On Bangladesh Perspective: Study on Few Companies of Bangladesh†- collected from â€Å"World Journal of Management Volume 2. Number 2. September 2010†, the direct link- http://wbiaus.org/10.%20Tajmeela-FINAL.pdf 2) â€Å"Business for the 21st Century†- Skinner & Ivancevich 3) â€Å"An Integrated Approach to Business Studies† (4th edition)- Bruce R Jewell 4) â€Å"Business Studies† (4th edition)- Dave Hall-Rob Jones-Carlo Raffo- Alain Anderton 5) www.managementstudyguide.com 6) www.smallbusiness.chron.com 7) www.cwafford.conveycontent.com 8) www.sagepub.com/upm-data/10923_Chapter1.pdf 9) www.businessethics.ca/definitions/business-ethics.html