Education and Recess Essay

Since public schools have started recess it has been set in place to allow students time to express their energy, become active and socialize. Although within the past years, most schools have removed recess from their schedules. School administrators argue that recess wastes time, causes problems and is dangerous. But it is actually a good thing for students. In most schools, the average school day is about eight hours long. During the elementary school year especially, students are bursting with energy that causes their minds to wander. Recess is a great way to allow students to wind down and expel some of their pent-up energy. Also during this time it was usually the teacher who went outside with the class. So while the kids are taking a breather the teachers can too. A growing problem in America today is obesity. Many school cafeterias have switched to a healthier menu and schools have removed snack machines, in an attempt to improve students eating habits and weight. Meanwhile, the same school boards are removing recess from their schedules As a result, obesity rates have tripled in the past forty years. School administrators believe that recess is not needed because the students are required to take Physical Education. Although P.E. is physically active it does not give students many options. Students are graded on their performance and participation so P.E. is not much of a relax and recoup time. In school, it is important for students to develop necessary social skills. In class, students are unable to communicate because they are busy doing their work. Recess allows students to develop relationships, experience and deal with confrontations and learn about other people. These skills will be extremely important in almost every job. You may have noticed all of the big time business men or woman, and they got that job by being a good people person. That’s because when they were kids, recess was an every day thing. In conclusion, recess should be a thing student’s experience everyday. It should be something students think back on as adults and think of how it helped them. If schools go on with out recess for too much longer the obesity and people skills of the future could not be good. If I ever become  an important member of the school board you know what my vote for recess is going to be. What’s yours?

Corporate Governance Essay

In a commercial organisation, the board of directors is typically charged with the key responsibility for corporate governance – protecting the rights of shareholders and creditors, ensuring contractual obligations and regulatory compliance. In the public sector, the elected government is typically responsible for corporate governance, and in semi-government and statutory bodies like State Rail, Sydney Water, the Australian Broadcasting Authority, the University of NSW, etc – and in not- for-profit organisations – governments will usually mandate a body similar to a board of directors with the responsibility for corporate governance. What does corporate governance involve? In a recent article, Gomez & Korine (2005, pp. 739-752) propose that: Corporate governance can be understood as a set of contracts that defines the relationships among the three principal actors in the corporation. To simplify what this actually means, corporate governance is the set of relationships where: †¢A key stakeholder whom they refer to as the sovereign (in the case of commercial organisations this would be the shareholders; in the case of public sector agencies, the elected government; for not-for-profit organisations this is often the ‘members’ or other key stakeholders as defined by legislation) †¢sets in place a governing body (eg, board, council, senate, etc) with responsibility for overseeing the actions of the governer (management, staff, employees, volunteers, players, etc) Increasingly, societies and governments are reacting to a rapidly changing world surrounding them, and modifying the regulations affecting ‘corporate governance’ accordingly. The numbers and interests of stakeholders who are affected by the actions of organisations is expanding. Organisations are being seen to impact on: the economy the natural environment society through opportunities for work and employment conditions of work family life, etc Consequently, there are increasingly complex expectations placed on organisations of all sizes to consider and take responsibility for decisions and actions beyond simply their ‘money making’ or other purposes and goals. Corporate governance covers a large number of distinct concepts and phenomenon as we can see from the definition adopted by Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) – â€Å"Corporate governance is the system by which business corporations are directed and controlled. The corporate governance structure specifies the distribution of rights and responsibilities among different participants in the corporation, such as, the board, managers, shareholders and other stakeholders and spells out the rules and procedures for making decisions in corporate affairs. By doing this, it also provides the structure through which the company objectives are set and the means of attaining those objectives and monitoring performance†1. From this definition we see that corporate governance includes the relationship of a company to its shareholders and to society; the promotion of fairness, transparency and accountability; reference to mechanisms that are used to â€Å"gov ern† managers and to ensure that the actions taken are consistent with the interests of key stakeholder groups. The key points of interest in corporate governance therefore include issues of transparency and accountability, the legal and regulatory environment, appropriate risk management measures, information flows and the responsibility of senior management and the board of directors. Harshbarger and Holden (2004) point out that while many of the governance issues that organizations face are not new, the environment in which they confront them is more challenging than ever: State and Federal law enforcement have applied significantly increased resources and a more aggressive philosophy toward confrontation of governance lapses; the media spotlight has increased awareness among those constituents directly affected as well as the business community as a whole; shareholder proposals are taken more seriously; and the judiciary has demonstrated its willingness for a more stringent definition of good faith. As well, there are a number of factors that have brought ethical issues into sharper focus, including globalization, technology and rising competition. Van Beek and Solomon (2004) also note the ability to deliver a professional service will necessarily take place in an environment in which there is an increasing tendency towards individuality, while society as a whole becomes more global. The new realities of corporate governance show that no entity or agent is immune from fraudulent practices and have altered the way companies operate; they have re-defined the baseline for what is considered prudent conduct for businesses and executives (Dandino, 2004). CORPORATE STRATEGY Strategy can be developed at many levels – in a multi-layered organisation there may be: †¢Corporate level strategy – decisions made for the whole corporation or organisation to gain the better of adversaries or attain ends. Business unit or divisional strategy – decisions made for the business unit or division to gain the better of adversaries or attain the business units end. Functional strategies – such as marketing/finance/huma n resources/IT/technology/ operational/production/etc. strategies. There would be marketing decisions (or finance or HR decisions, etc) designed to get the better of an adversary or attain a marketing/finance, etc, end. †¢So what do we mean by ends? Other terms that are frequently used here for the same concept are goals or missions or visions. Organisations typically have (or should have) a set of goals, desired outcomes or a view of their purpose (mission), or their future achievements and positions (visions) in mind. Ideally these are clearly articulated and understood by everyone in the organisation. When these ends (goals, mission, vision) are clearly understood, then the board, management, staff and partners of the organisation are able to ‘develop’ strategy to achieve these. What is a strategic plan? A plan, whether strategic, tactical, operational, marketing, finance – or whatever – is really just a set of decisions that have been captured in some form (document, web page, PowerPoint presentation, video, etc) that set out the answer to three key questions: 1. Where are we now? 2. Where are we going? 3. How will we get there? Accordingly, a plan is formed by: †¢analysing the existing and ex pected future trends and factors affecting the organisation/business unit, etc †¢setting down clear statements of the outcomes that will help to achieve the ends that the organisation has set itself (these statements of outcomes are commonly called objectives) †¢describing some tactics and actions that will lead to achieving the outcomes ETHICS IN A GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT The dawn of a global knowledge society with information-driven economies and expansion of cross-border trade as consequences of liberalization and globalization policy is placing new demands on business organizations for more innovative approaches in business ethics at both local as well as global business environment (Nissanke and Thorbecke, 2005). This premise is consistent with Brownlie et al. (1999) who indicate that; â€Å"What is it like to think new thoughts†¦ to undo the fragile web of assumption†¦ to render new images to the familiar†¦ to look anew at the world†¦ to see the ordinary and everyday from a fresh perspective?† Many research scholars today share this view and indicate that what they took for granted, assumed, believed and worked towards has been upended by those who argue that in order to ‘get it right’ in a global business environment, organizations must rethink their business ethics approach. Sheth and Sisodia (1999) also support this hypothesis by asserting that, the context of ethics in global business environment is changing in fundamental ways. The acceptance of law-like generalizations has to be, as they suggest, â€Å"Either enhanced or modified†. The old opinion of business ethics as â€Å"an oxymoron†, or that â€Å"business organizations do not have ethics† (Laczniak and Murphy, 1993) is being re-thought. The business ethics is increasingly being called into question from various quarters (Brownlie et al., 1999) and research scholars are developing the discipline in order to challenge the ethical complacency that existed in the past. Business ethics is ultimately the ethics of power, of how to handle the power of business and how that power is acquired, increased and exercised. The need for ethics in business has never been greater, precisely because the power of business was never so manifold and as extensive as it is today (Mahoney, 1997). The term ‘ethics’ has generally been used to refer to the rules and principles of right and wrong conduct. It therefore boils down to morality and good or bad conduct. Business ethics are a set of rules that stipulate how businesses and their employees ought to behave (Aldag and Stearns, 1991). DiPiazza (2002) says â€Å"I see ethics as a mission-critical issue†¦. deeply embedded into who we are and what we do. Its just as important as our product development cycle or our distribution system†¦its about creating a culture based on integrity and respect, not a culture based on dealing with the crisis of the day†¦We speak to ourselves every day, ‘Are we doing the right things?† Sheth, Gardner and Garret (1988) opine that ethical decision-making in a business environment is very complex, and that allegedly â€Å"guilty business practitioners have quite sincerely stated that they honestly did not realize that their actions could possibly create ethical problems†. Business organizations operating at international levels often find that many countries differ in what is considered wrong or right in a business market. IN TERMS OF SONY: ETHICS Ethical business conduct and compliance with applicable laws and regulations are fundamental aspects of Sony’s corporate culture. To this end, Sony has established a Global Compliance Network comprised of the Compliance Division at the corporate headquarters, a global compliance leadership team, and regional offices around the world; adopted and implemented the Sony Group Code of Conduct; and set up Compliance Hotline systems through its Global Compliance Network — all in order to reinforce the Company’s worldwide commitment to integrity and help assure resources are available for employees to raise concerns or seek guidance about legal and ethical matters. In July 2001, Sony Corporation established the Compliance Division, charged with exercising overall control over compliance activities across the Sony Group, to emphasize the importance of business ethics and compliance with applicable laws, regulations and internal policies. The Compliance establishes compliance policies and structures for the Sony Group and performs crisis management functions. In July 2003, Sony established a regional compliance network comprised of offices in the Americas, Europe, Japan, East Asia*1 and Pan-Asia,*2 which are charged with exercising regional control over compliance activities to strengthen the compliance system throughout the Sony Group. Officers responsible for compliance in each region have the authority to issue instructions concerning compliance to Sony Group companies in their respective regions and, by cooperating with one another, are working to establish and maintain a comprehensive global compliance structure. To further reinforce global compliance efforts, a Compliance Leadership Team was formed in September 2009 as an additional component of the global compliance organization. The Compliance Leadership Team assists the Sony Corporation General Counsel and Compliance Division in identifying, developing and implementing key compliance strategies and compliance-related measures; encourages more active participation in Group-wide compliance activities from a larger group of key Sony personnel by involving not only the Regional Compliance Officers but also experienced legal/compliance personnel from Sony Group companies; and creates a global framework that by its very structure highlights the company’s compliance priorities and commitment to best practices. *1Coverage area of East Asia compliance office: Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea *2Coverage area of Pan-Asia compliance office: Southeast Asia, Middle East, Africa and Oceania *3 The Americas Office is responsible for Sony Corporation of America, the Sony Pictures Entertainment Group, and the Sony Music Entertainment Group, in addition to the Electronics Group companies in the America ’s Region. The Sony Europe, East Asia and Pan-Asia Offices are responsible for the Electronics Group companies in their respective regions. The Japan Office is responsible for Sony Corporation, the Sony Computer Entertainment Group, and Sony Financial Holdings, in addition to the Electronics Group Companies in Japan CORPORATE GOVERNANCE: Sony is committed to strong corporate governance. As a part of this effort, in 2003, Sony adopted the â€Å"Company with Committees† corporate governance system under the Companies Act of Japan. In addition to complying with the requirements of applicable governance laws and regulations, Sony has introduced its own requirements to help improve the soundness and transparency of its governance by strengthening the separation of the Directors’ function from that of management and advancing the proper functioning of the statutory committees. Under Sony’s system, the Board of Directors defines the respective areas for which each of the Corporate Executive Officers is responsible and delegates to them decision-making authority to manage the business, thereby promoting the prompt and efficient management of the Sony Group. Sony Corporation is governed by its Board of Directors, which is appointed by resolution at the shareholders’ meeting. The Board has three committees (the Nominating Committee, Audit Committee and Compensation Committee), consisting of Directors named by the Board of Directors. Corporate Executive Officers are appointed by resolution of the Board of Directors. In addition to these statutory bodies and positions, Sony has Corporate Executives who carry out business operations within designated areas. Board of Directors: Determines the fundamental management policies of the Sony Group Oversees the management of Sony Group’s business operations Appoints and dismisses the statutory committee members Appoints and dismisses Representative Corporate Executive Officers and Corporate Executive Officers Nominating Committee: Determines the content of proposals regarding the appointment/dismissal of Directors Audit Committee: Monitors the performance of duties by Directors and Corporate Executive Officers (with respect to processes in place to ensure the adequacy of the financial reporting process, to enable management to ensure the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, to ensure timely and appropriate disclosure, and to ensure compliance with applicable law, Articles of Incorporation and internal policies). Monitors the status of any other items described in the â€Å"Internal Control and Governance Framework† determined or reaffirmed by the Board of Directors in accordance with the Companies Act of Japan. As part of its monitoring, attends the Nominating Committee and Compensation Committee meetings. Oversees and evaluates the work of the independent auditor (including to evaluate the adequacy of its independence and its qualification, to propose its appointment/dismissal or non-reappointment, to approve its compensation, to evaluate the appropriateness of its audit regarding the financial results and internal control over financial reporting, and to pre-approve its engagement for any services other than audit services to be provided) Prepares the Audit Committee Review Report in which the Audit Committee expresses its opinion on the performance of duties of Directors and Corporate Executive Officers, on the Business Report and on the independent auditor’s audit procedures and results based on its review activities including review of the matters subject to the Committee’s opinion in the Audit Committee Review Report. Compensation Committee: Sets policy on the contents of individual compensation for Directors, Corporate Executive Officers, Corporate Executives and Group Executives, and determines the amount and content of individual compensation of Directors and Corporate Executive Officers in accordance with the policy Corporate Executive Officers: Make decisions regarding the execution of Sony Group business activities within the scope of the authority delegated to them by the Board of Directors Corporate Executives: Carry out business operations within designated areas, including business units, h eadquarters functions, and/or research and development, in accordance with the fundamental policies determined by the Board of Directors and the Corporate Executive Officers

Cause-Effect

A couple of weeks ago, my grandmother passed away. I was at my lowest point in my life. I was extremely sad and depressed. However, I knew I could always rely on Salsa. I would call her In the middle of the night and she was there to pick up my phone calls. When I needed someone to express my emotions to, she was there. She always encouraged me to look on the bright side of things. She always ensured me that better days were going to come because death is a part of life that we simply have to deal with. She helped me cope and deal with the loss of my grandmother.We loud do activities such as working out and cooking together to keep my mind off the death of my grandmother. Salsa comforted me by having a shoulder to cry on when I didn't have anyone else. She was the only person that could understand my feelings and what I was going through. Salsa also supported me emotionally. There were times when I had difficulties in school and I felt like giving up. However, she encouraged me keep pushing harder to accomplish my goals. She helped me understand that there are going to be struggles that we face In this world but we cannot give up and run from our problems.She supported me by Glenn me great advice and pushing me to do my best with my academics. Her words of encouragement boosted my self-esteem to accomplish my goals. I am extremely grateful to have someone like Salsa in my life. She has always been there for me when others did not understand. She is honestly one of the sweetest people I have met in my life. Salsa helps me stay grounded and humble. She supports me emotionally by always being there for me in times of difficulty, making me laugh when I am sad and encouraging me to try my best with everything.Her physically and emotional support has helped me get through the most hardest times In life. I know I can always count on her to cheer me up. By Handmaiden Cheddar Suffix Abdul Caked Two years ago, I met a beautiful young girl name Salsa. I met her at a famil y Salsa. I would call her in the middle of the night and she was there to pick up my that we face in this world but we cannot give up and run from our problems. She supported me by giving me great advice and pushing me to do my best with my times in life. I know I can always count on her to cheer me up.

Organization behavior Essay

1.) Critically review learning theory. Learning theory is a routine that is carried out on a daily basis in order to have an experience in various fields of work. There are several theories that explain learning theory. One of the theories is Maslow’ Hierarchy of needs which explains that, when the need level is satisfied, it ceased to become a motivator and fulfillment of higher level is the next goal. (Francesco and Gold, 2005).The second theory is Hertzberg’s motivation hygiene theory which states that, employees’ growth and esteem needs are driven by the motivation factors, responsibility and achievement. This wills results into a job satisfaction at work place. (Francesco and Gold, 2005). The third theory is McClelland’s learned needs theory which explains that needs is learned through Childhood environment, social norms and assists in the understanding of individual motivation (Francesco and Gold, 2005). The last theory is ERG theory which contributes on Maslow theory. It has three categories of needs. Existence which is the physical and psychological need, relatedness which is the need to share ideas with others and feel secure and growth is the need to achieve to fulfill of self esteemed needs. The learning theories have assisted very many people at work place especially the people who are working in the organizations. (Francesco and Gold, 2005). There have been several philosophers who have tried to explain what is learning. Various theories of learning have been therefore have been discussed. Learning theories are the ideas about why or how changes occur. There has been a theory on the behaviorist orientation to learning .This theory is from theorist such as Thorndike, Pavlov and skinner. (Smith, 1999).This theory argues that people change their behavior from the kind of learning they get. People according to the theory are stimulated by the environment they live in. When people live in a good environment they learn to be good and vise versa. Behaviorists argue that people can be taught to produce behavior change in the desired direction. An educator trying to teach people to change should arrange environment of the person to get the desired response. People can learn through skill development and training as well as behavior according to behaviorists. (Smith, 1999). There is another theory on cognitive orientation to learning. Cognitivist such as Piaget, Bruner and Gagne believe that learning process is an internal mental process. Internal mental process includes receiving insight about information, processing the information, memorizing it and finally making a perception. (Smith, 1999).That is how the learning process is according to Cognitivist. People according to the cognitivist learn through the internal cognitive structuring. This structure helps people develop skills and capacity to learn better. Cognitive structure if followed can help a person develop intelligence learning and memory as function of age as well as learning how to learn. Whichever the theory that is followed learning is an important aspect of human being and people should strive to learn more to improve themselves. (Saljo,1979) 2. Positive and negative reinforcements, punishment and extinction in shaping behavior There are many types of positive reinforcements that Godot can use. First Godot can reward excellent behavior. This is normally a very effective method of reinforcing good behavior. (Verddelho, 1999)The implication here is that when an employee is rewarded for good performance, the employee feels motivated to do even better the next time. In the end this will lead to an improved performance which is good not just for the individual but also for the organization. The second positive reinforcement is recognition. Recognition here implies acknowledging excellent behavior of good work. In this case the meaning for this is that supervisors like Godot can simply acknowledge and commend a well performing employee like Diane. Recognition of good work has the implication of having positive congratulatory words for a job that has been well accomplished. This can simply be achieved by a simple word of mouth like ‘well done.’ Unknown to many supervisors, this simple act of recognition normally has a very positive effects on the motivation of an employee of an individual and can result in positive work behavior. (Francesca & Gold, 2008) The use of incentives is another positive reinforcement that can result in improved positive behavior. In this case incentives can be in form of extra or bonus pay for exemplary performance. Incentives can go along way in improving an individual’s performance on the job. (Francesca & Gold, 2008)This is more so if an individual is capable of making more money by displaying good performance method. In this case the issue of a tip was a good gesture to the employees since those with exemplary performance would feel encouraged to do more. One negative way of reinforcing behavior is through harshness. In this case, the employees will only perform well because of fear of reprimand by Godot and not because they feel a compelling need to work hard. This is a negative reinforcement because positive organization behavior should be forced but should come spontaneously. The implication here is that employees should not be coerced into behaving well but rather positive behavior should just come naturally. This therefore means that these employees should not work hard because of fear of being reprimanded by the supervisor but instead should do so because of a need to do so. (Dwyer, 2005) 3. Discuss the impact of these reinforcements and punishment has on behavior and on Diane’s behavior specifically Reinforcement theory suggests that a reinforcement/reward and punishment of certain behavior will most likely result in a repeat of that particular behavior. That is to say that if behavior is not recognized or appreciated chances of it being repeated will be low. . (Francesco & Gold, 2005)   However, the consequence of reinforcement is determined by whether it is negative or positive. Positive reinforcement will motivate employees and result in behavior that will increase an organization’s output and the opposite is true. . (Francesco & Gold, 2005) Diane works hard and her output is great. However, when she breaks a plate one day, Godot yells at her and even makes her pay for the broken plate and the cost of cleaning up the messed caused. Diane has been waiting all along for recognition but she only gets a negative reinforcement for her good output. As it is, it is better to motivate people for the right reasons rather than to punish them for the wrong reasons. (Skinner, 1957). Diane is punished for the wrong reason and fails to get reinforced for the right reasons. Negative reinforcement is not likely to motivate individuals and therefore this will in turn lead to them slacking in their work and thus the overall out put will be low. (Skinner, 1957).   It is because of this that she relaxes when carrying out her duties. Reinforcement suggests that behavior determines outcome and a person will be motivated to seek reinforcement and avoid punishment. When she got a chance to work at a fancy French restaurant at Sydney known La Maison, Diana a University Student could not spend her vacation at her parents home Queabeyan, since she needed money to change on her diet during her next semester . (Skinner, 1957). Ready to prove how good she was, she would balance several plates on her arm and the customers would compliment her on her efficient service, but one day she dropped a bowl of bouillabaisse appetizer on the carpet and hurriedly went for sponge while apologizing but   Godot shouted at her that he would deduct $24.95, $20 from her pay to compensate for appetizer and cost of cleaning rugs respectively, out of anger and confusion, next day Diana slowed down to avoid recurrence of same incident thus she carried   no more than two dishes at a time thus slugging her tips down (Skinner, 1957). Q4 .Effectiveness of hourly pay rates and tips as a method for reinforcing desired behaviors. Tips and hourly rates have been used as a mode of payment against other methods of payment like piece rate and monthly payments. There is a big variation in the effectiveness of the methods. When hourly rate is used as the mode of payment, it has been found to have an effect on quality and speed. These two factors are the one that determine the output of any activity (Encina, 2000). Payment in work acts as an incentive to the worker. Whenever the worker is paid well he will work well and poor pay means poor jobs. It is noted that the worker will always optimize what he has at hand. When he is paid hourly he will do he/her work according to the hour he is being paid. This will spoil the consistency (Encina , 2000). When tips are added to the hourly rate, the worker will optimize on the tips and he/she will improve on his hourly work to get more tips. Things are different when hourly pay is made without the tips as there will be no motivation. Paying on an hourly rate together with the tips may improve on speed but destroy the quality. The use of tips and hourly rate need a balance as what motivate the worker are the conditions of work. Diane on his part was being motivated tips (Encina , 2000). Apart from the pay, there are other factors that motivate worker during their work. Recognition during work is another factor that lender the effectiveness of work. A worker may improve his effectiveness due to tips. This will improve his/her efficiency. When a worker feels that his efficiency has improved, he will look for recognition.   Payment on hourly rates can improve the behaviors of the worker but additional inputs like recognition should be added. Diane opted to work in the right he will perfect the work and in return he will be recognized to get a better pay. For the behavior of an hourly paid worker to improve, incentives have to be added. This will help in improving the efficiency of work and altitude towards work will improve (Schildkraut 2003). The behavior of workers depends very much on the pay and recognition. As much as workers are paid hourly tends to improve the output, their behavior depends much on the supervision. Workers will always maximize on their man hours instead of employers manpower (Schildkraut 2003). Therefore to ensure that the behavior of the worker is good requires supervision. The supervision should not oppress the worker but instead it will help improve his behavior. The role of the supervisor for hourly paid worker is to help the worker to improve in his productivity. Though the supervisor will optimize on production, it should not destroy the quality of the work (Schildkraut 2003). In conclusion hourly rates can improve on the worker behavior but proper measures should be put in place to ensure that the objectives of the company or organization are met. The measure can include recognition after improvement, controlled supervision, and improvement after achievement. There should be no mistake of paying hourly for organization benefit but it should be to the worker (Schildkraut 2003).

KU Consulting Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

KU Consulting - Case Study Example Moreover, the company’s surroundings and equipments used for the manufacturing process are also old-fashioned, technology-deprived and unhealthy as well. Consequently, the company with its obsolete plant and pathetic surroundings fails to satisfy the US safety and environmental standards. Contextually, the company is required to improve and upgrade its plants and equipments substantially in order to ensure greater profitability along with increasing production of quality products. Competitiveness of Albatross Anchor 1. Cost A) Cost of Production Cost of production can be sub-divided into two general categories namely, fixed costs and variable costs which accumulatively represent the value of total costs. Different companies operate in a market place; however they can be distinguished upon their level of cost efficiency examining their variable and fixed cost attributes which further determine their production efficiency. For instance, a higher level of cost-efficiency can be d etermined with the assistance of a comparatively lower cost of production. Contextually, Albatross’ current manufacturing costs of mushroom anchors and snag hook anchors are accounted to be $8.00 per pound and $11.00 per pound respectively. It is in this context that the company charges the same per unit as that of its competitors. Notably, the profit margin of the company in certain instances is recorded to be approximately 35 percent less on its outputs produced. The major cause behind the limitation of the company to earn adequate profit can be identified with reference to its operational inefficiencies (Article Directory, 2012). B) Economies of Scale in Material Purchasing The company purchases the required raw materials in bulk from its suppliers that help in acquiring advantages in terms of discounts. The bulk purchases of the raw materials also assist the company to attain competitive advantages from economies of scale. However, the current limitations of the company h as been witnessed to incur large volumes of wastes as the raw materials purchased in bulk remain unused for a long time period owing to its inefficient and time consuming production process. Hence, the company can avail the benefits of bulk purchase if it is able to produce products at faster rates (Byrns, 2001). C) Cost of Raw Materials Sitting Idle In the Warehouse The production process of the company is witnessed to be quite time-consuming, as a result of which, the only small units of outputs are produced at a given period of time. This leads toward increased volumes of unused raw materials. Consequently, such activities contribute towards an increase in costs as well as wastage of raw materials to a substantial extent. In such circumstances the company should strive to avoid the unnecessary costs associated with the raw materials and its deterioration. The company can thus invest in productive equipments and raw materials preserving efficient inventory system that can ultimate ly enhance the production process, rather than investing in unnecessary purchases of raw materials which are kept idle for a long period of time. D) Cost of Finished Goods Sitting Idle In the Warehouse The company’s warehouses are located far away from the main production area that contributes towards an increase in the carrying costs and thereby consumes substantial time and efforts of the

Critical commentary about Ludwig Wittgenstein's view of 'hinge Essay

Critical commentary about Ludwig Wittgenstein's view of 'hinge propositions - Essay Example When what is considered known turns out to be false, it is a shattering experience that can change the perception of life and the worldview of those who are then enlightened by new truths. The idea of what is known is absolute is an important premise upon which entire belief systems are built. Wittgenstein, when he wrote about the theory of hinge propositions that ended up on a consolidated volume called On Certainty, he was searching for a way to eliminate scepticism from the general belief systems that exist within philosophy. Although the theory of hinge propositions appears to have a solution for the subject of scepticism, the idea that there can be ‘knowns’ has been historically refuted, changing the world view and the position of human beings through profound changes which prove that absolutes are not always absolutely true and are dependent upon cultural belief systems. There are many problems with the exploration that Wittgenstein has made on the concept of hinge propositions. In his search for an answer for scepticism, he made copious notes on the topic which is what have been put together in order to create the volume of work that is known as On Certainty. Moyal-Sharrock criticizes it as not being a work because it was never composed into a true book or volume, but rather it is a group of notes that are not well organized and they were never polished. Still, they have a thematic continuity that allows for an overall impression of the thoughts that Wittgenstein was having about certainty without the benefit of cohesion created by placing them together to form theoretical foundations.1 Prichard goes on to discuss how Wittgenstein is not trying to highlight something that is not accessible but is trying to shed light on what is familiar, creating a discourse on the nature of language and the way it is not only an activity, but a form of life. Language only has value as it is in use.2 How humans express their lives and what they know is centr al to creating socialization and culture, giving meaning and frameworks within which a certainty of knowing develops and creates a foundation for other theories and belief systems. Theory of Hinge Propositions The last year and a half of Ludwig Wittgenstein’s life produced a series of writing on philosophy that proposed great number ideas about the concept of what is known. As an example, Wittgenstein established that he knows that he has one hand and that he also has another. He established that â€Å"the earth existed a long time before my birth† as an assertion that this was another concept that was known (OC Preface). His purpose in bringing forward the ideas that seem so simple as truths was to create an awareness that there are always ideas that are a given and are the basis upon which theory is built. He states â€Å"That is to say, it belongs to the logic of our scientific investigations that certain things are in deed not in doubt† (OC  §342). He uses the idea of the hinge as a way to define what he means. He states â€Å"If I want the door to turn, the hinges must stay put† (OC  §343). In order to create inquiry, there are stabilities in belief that are maintained to make those theories work. There are absolutes that create a sense of stability upon which the world operates, those beliefs creating a solid platform from which to situate all other belief systems, some of which must then take leaps based

Same Business, Different Countries Research Paper

Same Business, Different Countries - Research Paper Example It has a unique status in the consumer market due to the continuous inventions and introduction of latest technology. For instance, it is acknowledged for inventing light bulbs, audio cassettes, C.T. scan machines etc. (Company Profile, 2013). In comparison to this Hitachi is located in Japan and it typically deals in electronic systems in trains, power tools, elevators, construction machinery, medical equipment etc. The core values of the company include harmony and sincerity within the corporation and with the outside world. Moreover, it aspires to make an immense contribution to the society through facilitating its members with the latest technology. Both companies commonly deal in televisions, refrigerators, multimedia projectors etc. (Hitachi Group Identity, 2013). Comparative Analysis One of the biggest challenges faced by both the organizations is that of technology. In the contemporary world, technology has taken precedence over every other business issue due to the fact that today companies dealing in electronic products need to bring an innovation far before their competitors. In addition to this once the new technology is introduced by either Hitachi or Philips, it becomes easier for other competitors to produce its replica (Dubbink, 2011). Although both the organizations are located at entirely different places since the world has now become a global village, companies operating even at different places but with similar products face same problems. This is primarily due to immense competition and same consumer market. For instance, home appliances of Hitachi and Philips are available in western and eastern countries with the same frequency. Therefore when one of them introduces a new technology the competitor has to come up with more advanced products so as to maintain its market share and profits. Otherwise, the competing organization would lose its consumers which can also destroy the overall prestige of the company (Dubbink, 2011). Excelling in t he current business environment needs extra managerial skills and abilities. Although Hitachi and Philips are operating in the same industry on the international level both of them have distinctiveness on the country level and therefore their decision-making style and management strategies vary from one another. Following are most common differences between them: Social: As discussed above Hitachi gives huge importance to the social welfare and overall progress of the society. In Japan, they work while considering the future issues of the society and its variable needs hence when it comes to decision making Hitachi considers the benefits of its society, employees and other related members of the organization (Hitachi Group Identity, 2013). In contrast to this Philips has a major focus over the improvement of lives all over the world which means that their business strategies do not only cover the homeland rather they plan for the welfare of people across the borders (Company Profile , 2013). Political: Political conditions in Japan and Netherlands are better than the eastern parts of the world. However, the political turmoil in countries with consumers actually influences the overall strength and managerial decisions of Hitachi and Philips (Ferdinand & Grapperhaus, 2009). Ethical: Business ethics play a vital role in the overall success of any organization.  Ã‚