The Olympics: Ethical Issues

The Olympics: Ethical Issues Olympics is considered as one of the biggest international events in the history of sports. It stages athletes from countries all over the world. It is held every four years and the complete event would last for more than two and a half weeks. It is considered as one of most popular sporting event in the world, with over a thousand sportsmen taking part in more than twenty sporting events. The audience wide worlds which are viewing the Olympics are over a billion. The Olympics was started nearly 3000 years ago in Greece, this was done to honor the greek gods, athletes would train over a period of time to compete against other athletes to compete in Olympia where the winners are rewarded with a crown of olive eyes, which would bring fame, victory and respect. New events were introduced as time passed, and a huge range of sporting events came into place which encouraged more people to take part in the events. Despite earlier struggles, the Olympic Games have developed into one of the w orlds most recognizable global brands, and a key event on the international sporting and events calendar, anticipated by athletes, sport enthusiasts and coach potatoes alike ( Amis and Cornwell , 2005) Olympics is hosted once in every four years and its hosted by a specific city , not a country . Olympics are divided into special Olympics like Winter Olympics, Paralympics and the special Olympics , which are specifically designed for people with disabilities. The city in which the Olympics is hosted , it would have various sites in and around the city where different sporting events would be taking place, it also has to provide an Olympic Village where the competitors and their coaches would be living . Every country has its own Olympic organization which has the responsibility for looking after its team. Olympics which is seen as the biggest event with tremendous amount of time spent in planning and designing and the implementation. Attributes most closely associated with the Olympic image are positive, aspirational and emotional; such as being the best, trustworthy, inspirational, peaceful, honorable, participation and striving (International Olympic Committee 2001, p. 9). One of the important powerful symbols for the Olympics is the Olympic torch, representing freedom, a lack of cultural barriers and harmony Olympic Marketing Marketing is one of the most powerful tool used in Olympics with the help of corporate sponsorship. Corporate sponsorship have been divided into various categories like the official sponsor, official license and the the official license which are given to sponsors who invest in this mega event for a month. The income which they earned was over 215 Million US dollars. Huge corporate sponsorship was seen during the event in 198 when the games where held in Los Angeles, that when Olympics was recognized as a competition which earned a multi million pound and everyone wanted to be a part of the event DRUG USE ETHICAL ISSUES IN OLYMPICS The use of drug to enhance the performance in sports has been from long hisrory . In the greek society , the role of sports have prominent from 400 BC. Victory in ancient Olympics gave the winners lot of fame , money , house, exemptions from tax and army service. From those people have been taking enhancing drugs in form of plant extracts and mushroom , it was one of the major reason why dissolution of ancient Olympics happened. In roman empire chariot racers fed their horses with enhancing drugs so that they could run faster and gladiators were doping to make the entertainment vigorous and bloody for the paying audience. it is relevant to note a recent initiative to better link sports management and ethical sustainable development. Industry bodies are encouraged to take up ethically considered action that will strengthen the field and enhance the use of sport for education and economic development purposes whilst safeguarding future generations from the identified threats existing in the sports environment ( T. Eleni,pp. 48 ) Self regulating and incitemen mechanisms for athletes sponsors and the media must be established inorder o fight the lethal dangers in sports permitting sports to remain safe for those who practice it, for society in general and to serve harmonious human development everywhere , as the preample to the Olympic charter states ( T. Eleni, pp. 48) It has become more important to keep the notion of the sport which is supported by the slogan as safe . In broader term which mean sports which is sustainable, which is addiction free, fair and ethical. It should be sustainable by which sports should not lead to construction of facilities which are inappropriate or organizing events which are gigantic which on the contrary helps the sports to create development which is balanced. Sports should be addiction free by which it avoids the use of all of enhancing drugs but instead promoting sports which in turn contributes towards better health. Sports should be fair by not allowing it to be turning into physical or moral violence, but making it more effective as an educational tool which is incomparable, and Ethics in sports should contribute towards sound and effective economy, by not allowing it to become corrupted or criminal in nature. By promoting, managing and financing a SAFE sport managers and planners can contribute to a harmonious human development everywhere and meet the needs of the present sportsmen/women, athletes and fans without further harming sport or compromising the ability of future generations to enjoy sport at its best ( T. Eleni, pp. 49).The call for a social responsibility is a must, it ranges from responsibilities which is contractual, for stakeholders development and considerations of economic, ethical and legal have to be made. It is done for effective relationship between employees , customers, community, competitors, government and investors who have interest in the particular event or company. The use of drugs in sport has been widely reported by the media in recent years to the extent that many people consider it to be a modern day phenomenon. There is evidence , however , of a long history of the use of drugs in sport to enhance performance that can be tracked to Greek times ( Cahmore, 1996) Political Scandals Surrounding the Olympics As the Olympic Games were increasingly become popular, the games have become a tool of political nature. Most of the countries use special competitors as political ambassadors. One of the objectives in charter of Olympics, the IOC ( International Olympic Committee) is to oppose any abuse of political nature in sports and athletics. Over the years 3 major Olympics have been cancelled during the world wars and due to this in the year 1920 countries like Austria, Hungary, Germany and Turkey were not allowed to participate In the event due to their role in the world war I . Of all the Olympic games which took place, the Berlin Game which took place is 1936 was the most influenced game as the games were awarded to Berlin which was quite evident that Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany would have complete control over the Olympic Games, it was a total display of political strength . However Hitler failed in the proving the theory of superiority of race when he was frustrated over black athletes like Jesse Owens winning four gold medals in different events. The Olympic Games are not new to criticism, controversy and negative connotations, most commonly relating to perceived commercialism and the politicising of the event itself (Roche 2002; Lenskyj 2000) Another example of the Political events linked with the Olympics when a group of terrorists attacked the Israeli headquarters during the Olympics in Munich and killed two people instantly and murdered another 9 during a failed rescue attempt by the German police at the airport. All of these examples show how different countries use Olympics as a venue for making their Political stand DRUG USE A MORE CONTEMPORARY PHENOMENON ( Coakely , 1994) Use of amphetaminine abuse in 1960s which indicates how widespread drug abuse had become , which led the authorities to attempt to eradicate he problem. 1960s the use of widespread drugs was due to the following factors More liberal approach to experimentation of drugs in the society which caused the attitudes of the drug users more socially acceptable Advances in the medical science have made drugs more widely available Since the event being commercialized and with huge increase in the media coverage which has resulted in higher financial rewards for participants which has paved the way for the change in the attitude among the athletes to attain victory through drug use. Due to this widespread use of drugs in the modern era and the difficulty faced in controlling the use of drugs many people have raised a question as to why the purpose of sports or sporting events itself. The whole emphasis on winning a gold medal in the Olympics has completely lost the real values behind such a great sporting event. The fundamental principle of any sporting event is that it should promote fair play and there should no discrimination between different people . This is one of the highest ideals which they should follow. When the rules are followed, the sporting events become a human activity which is worthwhile , when this activity is just associated with goal for result than the process itself, thats when it is simply corrupted. The ethics of Olympics promotes equality and fair play . Participants who with the complete knowledge of the ethics use drugs then they use it which becomes a ethical and moral issue. Olympic motto which says that taking part is more important than the winning . Many people in sports today considers ethics as integral part in the meaning of sports and they are unhappy about the degrading part about the sport. Professionalization and commercialization of sporting events in last 40 years have seen a gradual drop in the ethics of traditional sports and its replacement by upgraded new ethics which promotes winning by any means and not any more participation. Use of Drugs in sporting event is justified by new sports ethics Sacrifices made by athletes in the name of sport Athletes in order to excel used deviant methods to succeed even if it means that they have to pay a price Accepting any kind of risks which includes use of drugs to reach excellence Athlete accepts no limit to performance when the medical science and technology field has improved to such an extend Sporting events in this modern era are so rewarding that many new athletes follow the new sporting ethics without questioning different risks associated with their health and safety without questions the actions morally. Sporting events have become so entertaining and expectations from the society are so high that expectations from the athletes are over the human performance. Olympic Marketing Marketing is one of the most powerful tool used in Olympics with the help of corporate sponsorship. Corporate sponsorship have been divided into various categories like the official sponsor, official license and the the official license which are given to sponsors who invest in this mega event for a month. The income which they earned was over 215 Million US dollars. Huge corporate sponsorship was seen during the event in 198 when the games where held in Los Angeles, that when Olympics was recognized as a competition which earned a multi million pound and everyone wanted to be a part of the event Corporate Governance:- It is defined as a system by which an organization is controlled and directed even the distribution of rights and responsibilities among participants of the organization . Organizations who stage the sport and events also have the responsibility to ensure that they comply with requirements of legislation which is relevant. Legislation is in place to ensure that people should abide by standards of behavior which is ethical in nature and at the same time sporting events should become aware of the legislation applicable. Ethical concept An overview Ethical approach is a concept which is a key factor in performance of organization, business or event. Ethics in the management is focused on the organizational and moral standards which exist in all situations. Decision making in any organization or event should consider the range and pressures which are of ethical nature. Assessment in an ethical focus will consider different interrelationship of activities, products and services of different ranges, and relationships between different community and environment. Ethical issues which concerns the business sectors and the public level organizations exist at three levels which is individual , macro and corporate level. At the individual level it basically deal with the behavioral pattern and actions pertaining to the certain individual within the organization. In the macro level , it is the role of the business in the international context of the society, in the corporate level , it deals with the corporate social responsibility which studies the ethical effect it has on individual and corporate entities. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN MAJOR EVENT: OLYMPICS FAIR PLAY Olympics which is seen as a large event promotes fair play as one of the ethics. it refers to a certain conduct specifically for the individuals involved in the ethics of the game . It can be also defined as benchmark principle or value to be followed during and after an event, match or game. All the organizations involved with the sporting events should ensure that these principles and values are understood clearly by every individual and these values are promoted and understood by all the individuals involved in these sporting events and the consequences they have to face if they do not adhere to these ethics. Consistency is very vital as no individual because of their popularity or position in that particular sport would have an added advantage. Fair play can be promoted through specific codes of conduct, a code which does clearly define the specific practices that captures ethical values of sports. HUMAN RIGHTS Its in a major aspect in sporting events as it is in all the aspects of life that individuals do respect each other and they are aware about the rights they have. The human rights come under one of the ethical considerations as it covers main areas including freedom of thought, liberty, Protection of property and special requirements needed for the hearing procedures and tribunals. By identifying the diversity of those who are planning, competing and attending the event, it would be easier to meet the needs of those who are involved , avoid the legal challenges and ensuring fairness. EQUITY It is fundamental to the participation in the governance, delivery of sport and organization. Equity in sports protects all individuals equally and it basically upholds the social justice so as to ensure everyone is respected and their rights are being protected, it is a critical element in the diversity of sporting events and it is no longer acceptable for people to discriminate people or put down others on basis of difference in the name of religion , sex, ethnicity , culture, disability etc. Major event host have an important responsibility to provide access not only to athletes, but also to spectators, employees, service providers and volunteers . Access refers to aspects of events which are physical example, wheel chair access or signage being placed which is Braille. Creating a suitable environment in which people feel safe and free from any danger makes events accessible . DISABILITY SPORT As human beings , we often come across people of certain age group who are affected with certain illness, health problem or disability which hold them back from doing any activity or restrictions from full participations. As a result of their condition , they should be given special assistance to in order to participate in that particular environment. In major sporting events there are so many way in which assistance can be given to people with disabilities like changes made to buildings design , use of specialist equipment and training given to the members who would be providing them with special assistance. Helpful understanding staff ,volunteers as well as facilities which are modified which will make the event a memorable experience whatever the roles that they hold in these events. ETHINCITY , RACE AND SPORTS Racisim is very sensitive issue, it can be explained as discrimination against an individual in respect to their colour, racial origin ,ethnicity ,ancestry or even place of birth. Racism of any nature is not welcomed in any society and it should not be kept prolonged in any form of sport. The use of positive images in advertising or promoting the event in a specific way or translation of important information will keep away racism and ensure that environment is quite welcoming for different nationalities and communities. STAKEHOLDERS THEORY APPLIED TO OLYMPICS Everyone who comes into contact with the event assesses the event in one or other way. There is a list of people who would assess the success of an event Staff all the people employed for this event and this also applies to people who are sub contractors and other potential staffs. The audiences- who has the made event so lively by providing the active viewership Local Communities- This relates to the staffs employed and people living in the local communities who have showed their esteem support by welcoming a huge crowd for this mega event Sponsors- Major sponsors who has financially helped the event Suppliers suppliers relate to all people who provided material for staging different events at different arenas Media- Whole event coverage has been done by the media and they would assess it in their own way by promoting the event in large scale all over the world. Performance would be calculated according to each of these groups depending on their interests, it is therefore necessary to identify the group who has a genuine interest in the event and all the necessary steps should be taken to see that the stakeholder groups and parties interested in the event are well informed and satisfied with all the services being provided as far as possible. Ethics have played an important role in the Olympics as it has laid down rules covering areas of subjects which has improved the games experience in a total way. Ethical guidelines are a must for such an event which covers a wide area of people from different regions of the world. As the Olympics have progressed over the years several issues affecting different classes of people and country as a whole have been eradicated and methods are devised to curb any area of the event which is ethically degrading the Olympic image. With all this commercialization in place and urge of the new media coverage reaching millions of viewers across the globe, Olympics should emerge as even a cleaner sporting events promoting true sportspeople and enhancing new technologies to curb the use of drugs and blocking the threat of terrorism attacks through further security screening in place. References Amis, J., and T. B. Cornwell. 2005. Global Sport Sponsorship: Berg Publishers. Cashmore, E. ( 1996) Making sense of Sports, London : Routledge Coakley , J . ( 1994) Sports in Society : Issues and Controversies, London : Mosby Theodoraki, E (2007) Olympic event organization, Elsevier International Olympic Committee. 2001. Olympic Marketing 1980 2001. Marketing Matters 19: Roche, M. 2002. The Olympics and Global Citizenship. Citizenship Studies 6 (2): 165-181 REFLECTIONS Business Ethics Business ethics is shared norms of those who run a business , which is controlled by the social, cultural ,religious, philosophical, geographical , political, economic, legal norms . Business ethics change with the changing value system , moulding and recreating to fit the current need of the society. Though business relates to profit and ethics to morality, literally they contradict each other.With the business group gaining lots of money from the market, it needs to follow these ethics , which do have moral component . These ethics are there to please the individual and group morals in the society so as to win the market, otherwise business if only guided by profit motives can prove dangerous to the society so business group have to realise their social responsibility, through this social responsibility the businesscommunity share their profit for the wellbeing of society that is for educating youth, running awareness campaigns on social issues etc . The sense of right and wrong ke ep changing with change in: Time : beliefs and ways of life change with changing time. Modern business is far more different from the past exchange system and had been changing till since then. Place: different countries have different business ethics depending on their local scenario. Political parties: the liberal , socialist, communist ideology of the political party in power would control the business scenario Legal system: Business Ethics which are prescribed right by the state are strictly followed, their violation amounts to punishment. Culture and religion believes : ethics change with change in culture eg Islamic culture believes that doing business for making money is moral prescription whereas Hindu culture believe that one has come with nothing and would go with nothing so profit making is not considered moral rather giving alms and donations are prescribes, whereas in USA Calvinism prescribes working for making money S. Carmichael (1995) states that Business ethics is a wider concept , which not only includes ethics on product development and marketing but ethical issue such as Employee conflict of interest, inappropriate corporate gifts, sexual harassment, Unauthorised payments, affirmative action, employee privacy, environmental issues, employee health screening, conflict between companys ethics, foreign business practice, security of company ethics, workplace safety, advertising content, product safety standards, corporate contribution, shareholders interests, social issues raised by religious organisations, product pricing, executive salaries etc Thus Business ethics are important for the wellbeing of society on the whole and profit companies too. Profit of business ethics is sense of being right, which gives market reputation and confidence of the consumers. Thus better business locally and internationally. REFERENCES S. Carmichael (1995), Business ethics: the new bottom line, Demos, 1995 Sustainability Sustainable development is a development is that meets the needs of present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Martin . w. Holdgate, 1996) Business has played a big role in the destruction of the environment and now it has become the responsibility of the business to curb its destructive practices and move towards revival of environment. Sustainability is a big challenge for the business community. Sustainability has social, economic and environmental parameters. That signifies that its a social responsibility that all the resources available on earth are to be preserved for future generations and the economical usage is need of the hour or resources would soon deplete. The processes , material used and the waste produces by the industries can have direct link with environmental stability. The gases released by the industries is increasing the global temperature and thus participating in global warming. Air, water, soil pollution effecting the ecology and disturbing the whole ecosystem. The principles of sustainability include keeping account of the needs of the people specially deprived and poor people, having a long term vision with corporate and government participation, integrated strategy with collective efforts ,keeping in view social, political, economic factors, financial resources should be chalked out in anticipation along with the plan of action, access l to information and putting it to practice, proper monitoring of the strategy, keeping up with the latest information and updating and modifying the sustainability plan according to need, good communication system , initiative should be taken by all countries to have their own action plan instead of working with international pressure, need is of strong commitment of the government and leading corporate groups ,capacity building, local and national integration and meaningful participation at all levels. Problems faced in sustainable development is lack of financial backup, lack of public awareness, limited time and lack of up-to-date technology and infrastructure. The long term environmental health and store of resources for human consumption in future is the ultimate benefit. References:- Martin . w. Holdgate, 1996, From care to action: making a sustainable world, Taylor Francis Conflicted Events Conflict is a universal , conscious phenomenon in human relation. Gillin and Gillin says Conflict is a social process in which individual or group seeks their ends by directly challenging the antagonists by violence or threat of violence, Marx says conflict is a class phenomenon, there is conflict between upper class and economically poor class, where poor are exploited by rich, leading to frustration and finally class solidarity and conflict between these classes Causes: Acording to Darwin Struggle for exsistance and survival of the fittest is the cause of conflict. Frued says clash of interest within groups and societies leads to conflict. Other causes of conflict are individual differences, cultural differences, clash of interests and social change. Effects of conflict: Integrative Effects : It stiffens the morale and promote ingroup solidarity, redefines value system, resolves crisis, leads to new consensus, keeps group alert about members interests Disintegrative effects: conflicts increase bitterness. It leads to destruction and bloodshed, it leads to tension, it disrupts normal channels of cooperation , it diverts members attention from group objectives. Theories of conflict: Marxian theory of conflict talks about the development of economically dominant class, which goes for accumulation of wealth and property by exploiting poor people. This resulted in wide economic gap i.e. polarisation of clases. The dominant class kept accumulating wealth on cost of poor leading to poor becoming still poorer, that is termed as pauperization, poor when work constantly like a machine without proper rewards and he did not get credit and name for the product he produces. This leads frustration. The frustrated deprived group develops common consciousness and they stand against the dominant class and finally revolution occurs, leading to strength in voice of poor. This is the start of the communist society. Functional theory says conflict is universal and is useful for the society. Conflicting values lead to development of new value system, replacing the old one. Thus conflict becomes a basis for change. New believes replace the conflicting old believes and thus keep pace with the changing world. Conflict in event management: Conflict between the government policies and the corporate policies, local conflicts affecting the event, internal conflicts of the firm, conflict on event ownership, conflicts in the crowd due to miscreants and other antisocial elements , the events related to minority group, religion, sensitive social issues etc are more prone to conflict. Supply chain management Supply chain management is defined as asset of three or more companies linked by one or more of the upstream and downsteam flows of products, services, finances, and information from a source to a customer. Or supply chain management is defined as systemic, strategic coordination of traditional business functions within a particular company and across businesses within the supply chain, for the purpose of improving the long-term performance of the individual companies and supply chain as a whole. ( John T.Mentzer,2001) Main Purpose of supply chain management is to give contentment to the customer, to be placed higher in the competition, to be highly efficient via cost leadership. Functions of supply chain management is to implement the plans, upgrade the system of purchasing and keep an account of all purchase , create supply sources, receive supply, facilitate movement of goods to the customers and control the transport and delivery, monitoring the whole supply chain. Benefits of supply chain management is the manufacture can upgrade the product according to the demand of the market. The feedback from the customer, the team work of the company and regular communication at both ends result in better customer services and satisfaction of customer. The skill on the manufacturing end, requirement design , ideas from within the company brings a novel product. Regular contact with the supplier would keep manufacturer informed about the time and mode of availability of raw material, this helps company to plan accordingly saving time and avoiding undue delay in delivery of goods to the customer. Coordination of different parts via supply chain management would result in enhanced efficiency. Strategies of supply chain management: lean, agile and integration strategies. Lean strategy cuts on waste procedures, curbs delays, eases the movement, simplifies procedures, use latest technology, reduces cost and provides services close to the customers location. Lack of flexibility, ow customer satisfaction and inability to stand market competition are possible limitations. Agile strategy on the other hand brings complete customer satisfaction with adjustability and flexibility in response to market demands, its stands high in the competition, communication between the customer, supplier and the competitors is maintained. Scope: supply chain management has functional scope and organisational scope as well. The functional scope is the wide range of traditional business and the relationship with the other companies working in coordination with the firm denotes organisational scope. Thus supply chain management is significant to bridge the gap between supplier and manufacturer, manufacturer and customer and manufacturer and changing market demands. It enhances customer satisfaction and help producing up-to-date products. Reference:  · John T.Mentzer, ( 2001) Supply chain management,second edition, Sage publications, India Ltd  · Sunil chopra, P. meindl,(2000) Supply chain management strategy, planning and operations, third edition. ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE Environmental change with global warming is an issue of international concern. Rising levels of gases like carbon dioxide of temperature leading to melting of ice, resulting in increase in water level in the oceans, affecting climate zones all over the world. Change in climate zone would lead to extinctio

Bill Gates :: essays research papers

Skinny, shy and awkward, teenaged Bill Gates seemed an unlikely successor to his overachieving parents. His father, powerfully built and 6'6'' tall, was a prominent Seattle attorney, and his gregarious mother served on charitable boards and ran the United Way. While he showed enormous talent for math and logic, young Bill, a middle child, was no one's idea of a natural leader, let alone a future billionaire who would reinvent American business. Born in 1955, Gates attended public elementary school, and enrolled in the private Lakeside School at age 12. The following year, Gates wrote his first computer program, at a time when computers were still room-sized machines run by scientists in white coats. Soon afterwards, he and his friend Paul Allen wrote a scheduling program for the school—which coincidentally placed the two in the same classes as the prettiest girls in school. Still in high school, Gates and Allen founded a company called Traf-O-Data, which analyzed city traffic data. Gates set off for Harvard University intending to become a lawyer like his father. Still shy and awkward, he rarely ventured out to parties unless dragged by his friend Steve Ballmer, whom he later repaid by naming him president of Microsoft. One day in December 1974, Allen, who was working at Honeywell outside of Boston, showed Gates a Popular Mechanics cover featuring the Altair 8800, a $397 computer from M.I.T.S. computing that any hobbyist could build. The only thing the computer lacked, besides a keyboard and monitor, was software. Gates and Allen contacted the head of M.I.T.S. and said they could provide a version of BASIC for the Altair. After a successful demonstration at the company's Albuquerque headquarters, M.I.T.S. contracted with Gates and Allen for programming languages. The pair moved to New Mexico and started Micro-soft (they dropped the hypen later). Although the company's first five clients went bankrupt, the company struggled on, moving to Seattle in 1979. The following year, IBM asked Gates to provide an operating system for its first personal computer. Gates purchased a system called QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System) for $50,000 from another company, changed the name to MS-DOS, and licensed it to IBM. The IBM PC took the market by storm when it was introduced in 1981—and licensing fees streamed into Microsoft, ensuring the company's survival over the next several years. Microsoft continued concentrating on the software market, adding consumer applications like Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel.

Organizational Change and Development

In the past, people have been treated the organization as a closed system, that is to say, organizational behavior and performance are the results from unilateral decision by managers, ignoring the existence of the environment. However, as an open system, the organization and its external environment are interaction and mutual penetration. Environment should be seen as the organizational material, energy, the ultimate resource of information and the key to organization renewal. This paper will discuss the contribution of environmental determinist theories by interpreting Institutional Theory, Population Ecology, Resource Dependence Theory and Business Ecosystem Theory. 2. Institutional theory Starting from the sociological system theory, institutional theory focuses on the isomorphism and similar between organizations, and put it down to the requirements of the institutional environment outside the organization. (Tidd, 2001) In institutional theory, the organization faces with two different environments: technical environment and institutional environment. Technological environment requires the organization must be efficient and organized by the principle of maximum production, while the institutional environment requires organizations must be legitimacy. Meyer and Rowen pointed out that many organizations even had to have the internal operations separated from organizational structure in order to reduce the negative impact from the institutional environment requests on the efficient operation. DiMaggio and Powell further put forward three mechanisms lead to convergence of the organizational type and organizational behavior. Camarinha-Matos, & Afsarmanesh, 2007)The first one is forcing mechanisms, such as government regulations and cultural expectations. The second one is imitation mechanism. When faces with uncertainty problem, organizations tend to adopt the solution used by other organizations in the same organizational field. The last one is regulatory mechanisms, which comes from development and complication of professional networ ks in professional training, and organizational field. Sequential studies take a large number of empirical analyses on the mechanism above. Take Galaskiewicz and Wasserman for example, they confirmed the importance of networking to the mechanism of imitation. They noted that, although the successful organization may be easy to become the object of imitation, the organization managers tend to imitate the organization they trust, such as those that have the interpersonal association with their own organization.

Binders Bookstore essays

Binder's Bookstore essays As partners of Binders Bookstore, we have collectively chosen to automate our business. There is a need for our company to be computerized; the manual approach is not cohesive. We need to investigate our needs and evaluate the products available to suit our company. It is imperative to move our bookstore into the technological age due to the high volume of sales, and competition. The management team at Binders will create an information system that will more than double the productivity and revenue. Dont be caught unaware. In todays business world, being on top of things is the name of the game-and online competitive intelligence is the winning play. (Carroll, 2002) Binders Bookstore is at a major crossroads with their business practices. After being in business for 15 years, they need to reevaluate their current situation in regards to office automation. The three owners have chosen to create a business plan to facilitate this process. As a planning tool, the business plan guides you through the various phases of your business. A thoughtful plan will help identify roadblocks and obstacles so that you can avoid them and establish alternatives. (SBA) In the first phrase of planning, Binders identified its background, business needs, purpose, constraints and assumptions. Currently, the second phrase captures the business requirements that include: inventory; customer database and marketing. Binders vision will aid in the success of reaching projected revenue targets while competing with the large retails. We opened Binders 15 years ago with a vision, to provide our local customers an inviting atmosphere and a variety of reading material. We know our customers by name and can always suggest new arrivals. However, our staff of three and our manual cash register can just not keep up with the business any longer. We need to do more than revamp; we need to i...

Narwhal Animal Facts - Unicorn of the Sea

Narwhal Animal Facts - Unicorn of the Sea The narwhal or narwhale (Monodon monocerus) is a medium-sized toothed whale or odontocete, best known for its long spiral tusk that many people associate with the unicorn myth. The tusk is not a horn, but a protruding canine tooth. The narwhal and the only other living member of the Monodontidae family, the beluga whale, live in the worlds arctic waters. Carl Linnaeus described the narwhal in his 1758 catalog Systema Naturae. The name narwhal comes from the Norse word nar, which means corpse, combined with whal, for whale. This common name refers to the mottled gray-over-white color of the whale, which causes it to somewhat resemble a drowned corpse. The scientific name Monodon monocerus comes from the Greek phrase meaning one tooth one horn. Fast Facts: Narwhal Scientific Name: Monodon moncerusOther Names: Narwhal, narwhale, unicorn of the seaDistinguishing Features: Medium-sized what with a single large protruding tuskDiet: CarnivorousLifespan: Up to 50 yearsHabitat: Arctic circleConservation Status: Near ThreatenedKingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: MammaliaOrder: ArtiodactylaInfraorder: CetaceaFamily: MonodontidaeFun Fact: The narwhals tusk is on its left side. Males have the horn, but only 15% of females have one. The Unicorn Horn A male narwhal has a single long tusk. The tusk is a hollow left-handed spiral helix that grows from the left side of the upper jaw and through the whales lip. The tusk grows throughout the whales life, reaching a length from 1.5 to 3.1 m (4.9 to 10.2 ft) and weight of approximately 10 kg (22 lb). About 1 in 500 males has two tusks, with the other tusk formed from the right canine tooth. Around 15% of females have a tusk. Female tusks are smaller than those of males and not as spiralized. There is one recorded case of a female having two tusks. Initially, scientists speculated the male tusk might be involved in male sparring behavior, but the current hypothesis is that tusks are rubbed together to communicate information about the ocean environment. The tusk is rich with patent nerve endings, allowing the whale to perceive information about the seawater. The whales other teeth are vestigial, making the whale essentially toothless. It is considered a toothed whale because it does not have baleen plates. Description The narwhal and beluga are the white whales. Both are medium-size, with a length from 3.9 to 5.5 m (13 to 18 ft), not counting the males tusk. Males are typically slightly larger than females. Body weight ranges from 800 to 1600 kg (1760 to 3530 lb). Females become sexually mature between 5 and 8 years of age, while males mature at around 11 to 13 years of age. The whale has mottled gray or brown-black pigmentation over white. Whales are dark when born, becoming lighter with age. Old adult males may be almost entirely white. Narwhals lack a dorsal fin, possibly to aid in swimming under ice. Unlike most whales, the neck vertebrae of narwhals are jointed like those of terrestrial mammals. Female narwhals have swept-back tail fluke edges. The tail flukes of males are not swept back, possibly to compensate for the drag of the tusk. Behavior Narwhals are found in pods of five to ten whales. The groups may consist of mixed ages and sexes, only adult males (bulls), only females and young, or only juveniles. In the summer, large groups form with 500 to 1000 whales. The whales are found in the Arctic ocean. Narwhals migrate seasonally. In the summer, they frequent coastal waters, while in the winter, they move to deeper water under pack ice. They can dive to extreme depths up to 1500 m (4920 ft) and stay under water about 25 minutes. Adult narwhals mate in April or May offshore. Calves are born in June or August of the following year (14 months gestation). A female bears a single calf, which is about 1.6 m (5.2) feet in length. Calves start out life with a thin blubber layer that thickens during lactation of the mothers fat-rich milk. Calves nurse for about 20 months, during which time they remain very close to their mothers. Narwhals are predators that eat cuttlefish, cod, Greenland halibut, shrimp, and armhook squid. Occasionally, other fish are eaten, as are rocks. It is believed rocks are ingested by accident when whales feed near the bottom of the ocean. Narwhals and most other toothed whales navigate and hunt using clicks, knocks, and whistles. Click trains are used for echo location. The whales sometimes trumpet or make squeaking sounds. Lifespan and Conservation Status Narwhals can live up to 50 years. They may die from hunting, starvation, or suffocation under frozen sea ice. While most predation is by humans, narwhals are also hunted by polar bears, walruses, killer whales, and Greenland sharks. Narwhals hide under ice or stay submerged for long periods of time to escape predators, rather than flee. At present, about 75,000 narwhals exist worldwide. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies them as Near Threatened. Legal subsistence hunting continues in Greenland and by the Inuit people in Canada. References Linnaeus, C (1758). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Holmiae. (Laurentii Salvii). p. 824. Nweeia, Martin T.; Eichmiller, Frederick C.; Hauschka, Peter V.; Tyler, Ethan; Mead, James G.; Potter, Charles W.; Angnatsiak, David P.; Richard, Pierre R.; et al. (2012). Vestigial tooth anatomy and tusk nomenclature for Monodon monoceros. The Anatomical Record. 295 (6): 1006–16. Nweeia MT, et al. (2014). Sensory ability in the narwhal tooth organ system. The Anatomical Record. 297 (4): 599–617.

Buying decision making process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Buying decision making process - Essay Example Product specification: Product specification may be defined as statement of need by the consumer. It states what the consumer wants to buy and what the supplier is required to offer. Specifications may be simple or complex depending upon the nature of the product. The success of the buying depends much on his / her correct statement to buy the product. Some times the product specification may be used as form of contract to buy in bulk or regular quantity. Supplier selection: Supplier selection is one of the basic and crucial decisions that a buyer has to take considering supplier’s many performance and relationship factors. A number of criteria may be used for evaluation of supplier like reliability of the source, correctness and competency of design, capacity of the product, production rate, quality control, lead time, trouble shooting facilities, etc. A questionnaire covering major and important factors is recommended to facilitate evaluation of supplier. Commitment: No commitment is a state of wish and hope and may lead to illusion. Commitment throws responsibility on supplier to supply the correct product as per agreed specification on time, render after sales service etc. The commitment brings not only development but success of the supplier for strengthening long business relationship, opening for repeat purchases etc. The supplier takes challenges to test himself / herself and brings self-discipline through commitment. Participation (decision making): Participation or decision making is nothing but the behavior of the train operating company of buying and using the rolling stock. The train operating company can buy the rolling stock through established commercial process like direct advertising in news papers, magazines etc. inviting tenders, through sales person or authorized agent / representative etc of the supplier company of

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS AND FINANCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS AND FINANCE - Essay Example The exchange rate of the local currency comes down due to interplay of demand and supply. The floating exchange rate system based on demand and supply is a self-adjusting mechanism in market economy. But, stability in exchange rate is very important for the growth of the economy. Therefore, the central bank of a country exercises its monetary authority to ensure that the local currency is traded around the desired or target exchange rate. The central bank closely monitors movements of exchange rate of the country’s currency. It will intervene in the market by resorting to open market purchase or sale of currencies to maintain stability or for influencing the exchange rate of the local currency in relation to foreign currencies. Spanjers (2009, p. 10) stated â€Å"As the expectation of stable exchange rates tends to promote trade and thus welfare, the monetary authority of each country commits itself to exchange rate targets.† Central bank also in its liquidity managemen t through monetary policies influences money supply in the country with a view to regulate interest rates and keep inflation under control. Money supply in a country will also influence the behaviour of exchange rates. The interest rates and inflation are closely linked to the behaviour of the exchange rate. Gold standard system In Bretton Woods Conference in 1914 the participant countries have agreed to adopt gold standard system which envisaged economic discipline among the nations. But, it could not succeed in achieving the objectives mainly due to currency devaluation spree post-World War-I by the countries to maintain or improve their exports. While devaluation strategy was adopted to make the countries’ products competitive in the world market, in order to make the local products more competitive locally, they also introduced trade restrictions which made the imports costlier. These measures taken by the governments for protecting their national economies had severe imp act on the international trade. To stem this tide in international economy, International Monetary Fund was created in Bretton Woods in 1944 with the aim of preserving global monetary order. The exchange rates of the currencies fixed in relation to US Dollar or gold could not work smoothly for a long period. Defending these fixed exchange rates has become increasingly difficult due to several factors. Under the fixed exchange rate regime the country has to continuously monitor the system and impose several restrictions on transactions involving foreign exchange. These restrictions are likely to encourage black market operations in foreign exchange. The question of devaluation of the currency for a country with fragile economy is the greatest cause for concern. The countries’ current account imbalances caused failure of the system because under consistent deficit in current account a currency cannot be kept artificially at a higher exchange rate. Stability in Floating exchange rates and economy The stability factor, being the major concern relating to exchange rates, could not be addressed in floating exchange rate system based on demand and supply for currencies as well. The process of self adjustment expected to come into play is affected by several factors. For example, when a currency becomes weak, the imports become costlier and exports more profitable and the volume of exports is expected to increase. The increased demand for local currency due to exports and