Life Without Plastics Essay Example for Free

Life Without Plastics Essay The product, webcam 7 (in whole or in part, including all files, data, and documentation, from here on referred to as Software) is  © Copyright 2012 Moonware Studios, all rights reserved, and is protected by Switzerland copyright laws, international treaties and all other applicable national or international laws. The sole owner of this product is Moonware Studios. License Agreement. Title, ownership rights, and intellectual property rights in and to the content accessed through the Software is the property of the applicable content owner and may be protected by applicable copyright or other law. This License gives you no rights to such content. The Software is provided on an AS IS basis, without warranty of any kind, including without limitation the warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement. The entire risk as to the quality and performance of the Software is borne by you. This disclaimer of warranty constitutes an essential part of the agreement.   Either party may terminate this Agreement immediately in the event of default by the other party. Upon any termination of this Agreement, you shall immediately discontinue the use of the Software and shall within ten (10) days uninstall the software and delete all copies of the Software and Documentation. You may also terminate this Agreement at any time by destroying the Software and Documentation and all copies thereof. Your obligations to pay accrued charges and fees shall survive any termination of this Agreement. This Agreement represents the complete and exclusive statement of the agreements concerning this license between the parties and supersedes all prior agreements and representations between them. It may be amended only by a writing executed by both parties. Headings shall not be considered in interpreting this Agreement. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed under Switzerland law. This Agreement will not be governed by the United Nations Convention of Contracts for the International Sale of Goods, the application of which is hereby expressly excluded. Restrictions You may not use, copy, modify, translate, or transfer the product or any copy except as expressly defined in this agreement. You may not attempt to unlock or bypass any copy-protection or authentication algorithm utilized by this product.

Benefits of the Eclectic Paradigm

Benefits of the Eclectic Paradigm The usefulness of the eclectic paradigm as a framework for combining and relating alternative theories of international business, and in coping with changes over time in the practice of international business Introduction The eclectic paradigm, namely the OLI paradigm was put together by the economist John Henry Dunning (1927-2009) in the late 1970’s. Dunning’s early research focused on American owned affiliates in the UK and their higher productivity compared to their local competitors. He wondered how and why these firms were able to compete locally with indigenous UK firms and started to raise questions about the advantages of multinational firms as an outcome of their activities abroad. He identified certain firm specific advantages and also advantages derived from the country of origin (Dunning, 2001). These are first two components of the later assembled paradigm, the O which refers to Ownership advantages and the L which refers to locational advantages. These early works and the early identification of the O and L and their mutual interaction are initially reflected in the book American Investment in British Manufacturing Industry (Dunning, 1958). This stream of research continued through the 1960’s when Dunning was working on American firms in Europe. Later during the 1970s, influenced by Buckley and Casson, Dunning started to address transaction cost explanations in an internationalization perspective (the I component of the paradigm) in addition to the previously identified O and L advantages. He was concerned about why firms decided to generate and exploit their specific advantages internally rather than through the open market forces. This broadened his perspective and articulated more clearly the early view he had on the O and L components. And by the time he was putting together the rest of the paradigm at the end of the 1970 ´s, he looked back to the 50 ´s and 60’s and the theories of Vernon, Hymer and others and interpreted them from within this framework and elaborated on how their ideas were expressed from the eclectic paradigm. Intellectually, he brought everything together, not just contemporary but also past theories, bringing all these explanations together in some sort of rubric that allows to connect the m. Since then, the eclectic paradigm’s simplicity and yet its thoroughness smoothly integrates international business theories and allows researchers from different fields and disciplines to systematically explain the growth of multinational activity (Cantwell and Narula, 2001). The Eclectic Paradigm Revisited The eclectic paradigm itself is not an explanation of the MNC rather it helps explain the level, determinants and patterns of the foreign value added activities (international production) of firms, and or countries. The paradigm offers a framework from which an explanation can be obtained. It is not itself a predicting theory but it is a way of connecting different theories which can be then used to help understand different types of foreign production according to their specific contexts and motivations (Dunning, 2001). The Eclectic Paradigm and its OLI components have gone through different revisions and are defined as follows: O: Ownership advantages. These are firm net competitive advantages that companies from one country possess over those firms from other countries when servicing a specific market. L: Location advantages. The degree to which companies decide to locate abroad value added activities. These value added activities can be the result of internalizing. I: Internalization. The degree to which companies add value to their output by identifying as more profitable to internalize the generation and exploitation of their ownership advantages rather than through the open market. (Dunning, 2000, 2001; Ietto-Gillies, 2012) An interesting aspect of the OLI elements is that they are not independent from each other but that they interact. For example, the value added activities generated by locational advantages feed back to the O advantages. That is why an often misunderstood and controversial element is the O, because of the fact that it is called ownership, scholars like Rugman relate it only to firm specific advantages. However, the O also refers to advantages that come from the institutions of the country of origin (home country). In other words, what Dunning (2001) initially meant by (O) Ownership referred to the nationality of ownership as opposed to the ownership of assets by a firm. It was later on that Dunning acknowledged and expanded the Ownership advantages to include firm specific and other types of advantages such as the ones resulting from engaging in foreign production. Another reason why this is so important is because it does not necessarily imply that the MNE has to be legally defined by the ownership of assets, but if instead there is an international business network that is not entirely owned, it could still be consistent with the notion of capabilities generated within such a network associated with firms of a certain nationality of origin. On the other hand the L element has to do with host country advantages and it is just not necessary to compare the host with the home but different host countries with one another in determining where the firm goes to produce. OLI: Combining and relating IB theories The eclectic paradigm comes from other international business theories which are themselves influenced by economic and organizational theories. The paradigm draws from theories of the individual firm such transaction cost economics (internalization) and market power theories and their relationship with markets and integrates them with macroeconomic approaches to foreign production such as the product lifecycle theory (Cantwell and Narula, 2001). This encompassing aspect of the paradigm has brought many criticisms, one of the most popular ones calls it a â€Å"shopping list of variables†. Dunning (2001) responded to this criticism by clarifying that each variable of the paradigm is constructed based on well-known and accepted economic and organizational theories. In addition, he clarifies that the objective of the paradigm was not to explain all kinds of international production but to offer a framework that helps organize a methodology that can lead to a better explanation of different kinds of foreign production. Vernon’s product lifecycle theory is the most inherently dynamic or evolutionary in character of all the theoretical approaches of the paradigm. Hymer’s market power and Buckley and Casson internalization theories were limited to the period in which they were writing about them, during which an evolutionary perspective of the MNE was not yet explored. On the other hand the product life cycle theory was contemporaneous to the conditions of the 1960 ´s and therefore Dunning included this evolutionary character in the paradigm. This became an important part of the paradigm in the sense that it gave it an evolutionary and dynamic perspective on how firms grow over time, which is an integral part of the way the eclectic paradigm should be interpreted and used (Dunning, 2001). In addition, from an evolutionary approach, the Eclectic Paradigm’s internalization advantages are attributable to the conditions of improved organizational learning and technology creation, rather than to the conditions for a more efficient cost-minimizing organization of an established set of transactions. This opens up the possibilities of alliances in order to increase ownership advantages through cooperation. This takes the paradigm beyond a basic transactions costs perspective and expands the types of ownership advantages, from advantages in line with Bain -which assumes advantages to exist be prior to going abroad- to cooperative and interdependent generated ones (Tolentino, 2001). The Future of the Eclectic Paradigm in IB The eclectic paradigm has not only faced criticisms but also faces the challenges of an increasingly changing international business environment due to globalization and technological advances. In the last decades MNC activity has increased both in extent, intensity and form. There is also increased global interconnectedness and interdependence which makes inter firm alliances more common and necessary (Cantwell and Narula, 2001). RD is more complex and costly also increasing the way it is undertaken. Asset exploiting FDI is still present but asset augmenting and knowledge seeking FDI are increasingly important. All of this has created new ways of performing cross border activities and different strategies that MNCs use to pursue them. Additionally, the field of IB has also evolved. It has moved from a market driven view to a more knowledge driven one. Moreover, the level of analysis has changed as well. In the 1990’s there was a shift from the macro level approach in which countries were the unit of analysis to a more micro approach with the firm as the unit of analysis. Lately the field is going even more micro by also paying increasing attention to behavioral (individual) considerations and therefore allowing it to use the individual as the unit of analysis. Actually nowadays, the direction of the field International Business studies is becoming more multilevel in character, allowing for different levels of analysis including the countries, firms and individuals. The field has also become more interdisciplinary by drawing from other disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, biology, geography and history. Therefore taking in to account all these changes the following question arises: Is the eclectic paradigm going to hold with the external changes related to globalization, technological change and the new directions in the field of international business? I believe it will. So far the paradigm has held for the last two decades (since the 1980’s) and it seems to be getting stronger as a guiding framework in international business studies. All its components are articulated in a way that allow all the aforementioned changes. For example the Ownership component has always been relational in character and has included different interactions and levels of analysis (Ietto-Gillies, 2012). Therefore this does not present a threat to the paradigm but it actually increases its relevance because it allows for multilevel analysis by combining the different units and elements of analysis and allowing them to interact. And even though there are not many discussions of the eclectic paradigm today, the paradigm is increasingly relevant now in relation to where the international business field is going. Additionally, the paradigm has successfully embraced phenomena such as Alliance Capitalism, technological accumulation, international networks and dynamic capabilities, by which firms cooperate and mutually increase their ownership advantages. These are areas of research that according to the critics are not addressed by the paradigm. Moreover, the Location element of the paradigm increases in importance in the sense that subsidiary location has become important because they are embedded in their foreign locations and can benefit from their networks and national innovation systems and therefore adding value to the MNC. On the other hand, dynamic capabilities are created not just within firms but by interacting or cooperating with other firms and actors (Knowledge enhancing technological dynamism) and they become part of the O advantages. These ownership advantages also come from the interaction with locations with which initial ‘O’ advantages are crucial for the development of absorptive capacity. Dunning argues that capabilities or ownership advantages are a condition for internalizing. This is a dynamic view in which advantages are an evolutionary concept. Critics say that some strategic considerations may not be covered by the OLI and that routines and processes should be added (OLMA). However, even though the paradigm does not specifically address routines and processes it addresses the ownership advantages that may result from them. Every day problem solving activities create unique core capabilities that are idiosyncratic of each firm, therefore giving them or enhancing existing ‘O’ advantages. This means that the OLI paradigm still holds for strategy considerations, especially in terms of capability development (in terms of O). Also in some way in ‘L’ with economies of location and experiences of location. Finally also with the interaction between O and L which creates a complex interaction at different levels and interactions. For example in the case of subsidiaries, competence creating subsidiaries actually enhance Ownership advantages therefore giving strength to the argument that O advantages are not only originated in the MNE ´s home country but also arise in subsidiaries as well. Today we can apply this also to international business networks, so rather than a legal definition of the firm, the MNE per se, the OLI paradigm can used as a method to analyze international business networks and also the MNE firm as a strategic coordinator of such networks. In other words the subject area moves on but the paradigm remains relevant, partly because of the degree of flexibility which is built in some of these characteristics, especially in the Ownership advantages, which is by the way, the most important component of the paradigm, because it is the one that ties everything together, since it is the properties of learning that define the location or the transactional network basis of the firm. Conclusions The objective of the eclectic paradigm is not to explain the multinational firm but the level and pattern of foreign value added activities of firms. It helps explain not only the initial act of foreign production but also its growth. The eclectic paradigm overcomes the limitations of partial theories of international production and provides a holistic framework in which existing alternative and complementary theories of international production coexist (Tolentino, 2001). In the international business field a systemic approach is now more needed than ever, in addition it must be inherently interdisciplinary. At the beginning the eclectic paradigm had a more descriptive approach. It was originally developed by integrating some international business theories that come mainly from economics. Theory of trade in Vernon ´s case, theory of the firm of the industry in Hymer ´s case and again theory of the firm in Buckley and Casson’s case. Nowadays it is relevant to combine theories taken from different disciplines. Different ways to think about the world, new perspectives. That is why a systemic approach is needed. The eclectic paradigm is now it is an umbrella that handles a range of theories, a framework that enables the understanding of how these theories are tied and work together. Therefore what is happening is that the discipline is moving away from some of the earlier theories that were essentially theories of discrete individual choice, s uch as whether to export or not, or whether or not to locate production abroad, and in the case of having located production abroad, whether to license to and independent firm or produce internally with through a subsidiary. Those were firm level choice decisions, but if instead a system is wanted and the knowledge on how it evolves through time. Therefore the eclectic framework is precisely the right way to approach a complex system, because a paradigm like the eclectic paradigm provides a broader context, providing progressive interaction between different factors and actors giving it present and future relevance. References Cantwell, J.A. and Narula, R. (2001), The eclectic paradigm in the global economy, International Journal of the Economics of Business, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 155-172; revised version reprinted as Revisiting the eclectic paradigm: new developments and current issues, chapter 1 in J.A. Cantwell and R. Narula (eds., 2003), International Business and the Eclectic Paradigm: Developing the OLI Framework, New York: Routledge. Dunning, J.H. (1958).American investment in british manufacturing industry.George Allen Unwin Ltd. Dunning, J.H. (2000), The eclectic paradigm of international production: a personal perspective, chapter 5 in NTF. Dunning, J.H. (2001), The eclectic (OLI) paradigm of international production: past, present and future, International Journal of the Economics of Business, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 173-190; revised version reprinted as chapter 2 in J.A. Cantwell and R. Narula (eds., 2003), International Business and the Eclectic Paradigm: Developing the OLI Framework, New York: Routledge. Ietto-Gillies, G. (2012), Dunnings eclectic framework, chapter 9 in TCIP. Tolentino, P.E.E. (2001), From a theory to a paradigm: examining the eclectic paradigm as a framework in international economics, International Journal of the Economics of Business, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 191-209; revised version reprinted as chapter 7 in J.A. Cantwell and R. Narula (eds., 2003), International Business and the Eclectic Paradigm: Developing the OLI Framework, New York: Routledge.

Methodology And Benefits Of Ecotel Hotels Tourism Essay

Methodology And Benefits Of Ecotel Hotels Tourism Essay ECOTEL ®? ECOTEL ® is an environmental certification that enables hotels to be truly green, socially responsible, and sustainable over the long term by involving the entire value chain of owners, architects, operators, employees, suppliers and hotel guests. What is the ECOTEL ® Methodology? The ECOTEL ® methodology evaluates a hotels systems, processes and practices for environment friendliness through a stringent assessment of its range, scope and results across five crucial parameters, known as The Five Globes. These are: Environment Commitment, Solid Waste Management, Energy Management, Water Management, and Employee Education and Community Involvement. To be certified as an ECOTEL, a hotel must score the minimum qualifying percentage on each of the globes. What are the benefits for ECOTEL ® Hotels? †¢ Lower operating costs, greater profits through a focused effort on reducing waste generation and increasing operational efficiencies. †¢ Enhanced visibility for members through the ECOTEL ® website who also gain access to the reservation engine and other marketing features. †¢ Publicly recognized branding for hotels that may have/not have partnered with international chains. †¢ Value for money, as the cost of certification is comparatively lower than others to enable hotels to truly benefit from the transfer of knowledge. HISTORY of ECOTEL ECOTEL ® was developed by HVS in association with the Rocky Mountain Institute, USA with the help of engineering and hospitality experts. Conceptualized in 1994 by HVS the worlds leading consulting and services organization focused on the hotel, restaurant, shared ownership, gaming, and leisure industries ECOTEL was a pioneering program specific to hospitalityWhy should you choose to be an ECOTEL ®? Rigorous standards used for the certification methodology that are regularly updated to keep current with scientific advances and international thinking. Specific to hospitality as ECOTEL ® is managed by HVS, a global consulting giant in hospitality. Recognition of hotelà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ specific green operations with hotels demonstrating substantial such evidence encouraged to seek certification, instead of just those who could build in the features. Broader in scope than other certifications as it enables a hotel to function responsibly while positively impacting the local community. Handholding throughout certification period, as clients are updated and assisted to improve their performance through consultation, training and identification of operational areas where they can improve efficiencies and cut back consumption. Spans the positioning spectrum, recognizing high levels of environment commitment and environmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ friendly operations in hotels irrespective of size, positioning, or profile. How to be an ECOTEL ®? Hotels seeking the ECOTEL ® Certification are assessed for their environmental readiness through a property walkthrough, which entails inspection of different departments and random interviews with hotel staff. As per their status, they are either awarded the specific certification or enabled through a customized blueprint to achieve a specific level. In case of the later, the hotel is finally audited after the intervention and awarded the certification The Five Globes The methodology for the ECOTEL Certification is centered upon the idea of the Five Globes or five areas of certification, which together encompass the processes, systems and practices that ensure an environmentally responsible hotel operation. An audit is undertaken in each of these globes based on an audit checklist. The audit checklist for each of the globes is very well researched and based on scientific and technological advances and international charters and treaties specific to saving the environment. Environment Commitment A hotel demonstrates its environmental commitment through wide ranging programs and best practices that minimise its impact on the environment throughout its value chain while lowering overall business costs. Solid Waste Management For the hospitality industry, the waste created by daily operations is an ongoing challenge. In addition to incurring the costs of waste disposal, hotels need to also allocate valuable back-of-the house space for waste to be stored and sorted. For hotels, a good waste management strategy results in greater operational efficiencies, keeping waste out of the landfill, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Energy Management Energy is among the fastest-growing cost items for the lodging industry worldwide. In India, it approximates 8-15% of a hotels gross revenue. While design and operating system-improvements provide the framework for conservation of resources, large energy savings and thereby economic efficiency results through the switch to low-cost, easy-to-implement alternatives and a regular maintenance schedule. Water Management The rampant overusing and wasting of water along with global warming has led to a water-scarcity challenge that has serious implications for the global community and economy. A good water management strategy includes conservation of water through Efficient technology and programs, recycling through measures like grey water treatment, as well as earth-friendly practices like ground water recharge and rainwater harvesting. Employee Education and Community Involvement Motivating employees to understand the need for a change to environment-friendly practices, believing in them, and adapting them is a necessity for environmental initiatives to be both successful and sustainable. A well-thought out and well-executed education and training effort enables this. ECOTEL hotels also raise eco-consciousness in the community through either awareness campaigns or practices that can be built into the community, thus truly facilitating a change for a better environment. The graphic on the right shows the ECOTEL logo represented by the Earth in the centre, surrounded by the five globes or areas of ECOTEL Certification. Together, these five globes encompass the processes, systems, and practices of environmentally responsible hotel operations. Thus, the image conveys that ECOTEL through its five globes is a Certification that cares for the WORLD. Certification Details The certification is valid for a period of one year only, after which members must reapply. It is applicable to hotels irrespective of a member hotels country of origin since it is designed specifically for recognizing environmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ friendly systems, operations, and practices in hospitality. The Process The Process for Certification is typically undertaken in three steps, which are: D:Z-ArenaSIMSR AssignmentsPOMECOTELFlowChart.gif Step One: Property Assessment: In an effort to understand the current standards observed by the hotel, an in-depth assessment of the property is conducted covering all the relevant areas of focus. The inspection includes: Interviews with the management and staff to comprehend the propertys commitment to environment. Physical inspection of the subject property including back-of-the-house areas to evaluate the systems employed for undertaking environment friendly operations. Collating data on consumption of various resources such as electricity, water, diesel, and chemicals among others to assess the processes for environment friendly operations. Interviews with the staff to assess their knowledge, attitude, and training levels to carry out environment friendly operations. This stage of the certification process culminates in generation of a Property Assessment Report that details the propertys baseline status as regards achieving minimum standards considered essential for an ECOTEL. Step Two: Roadmap for Certification:- If the hotel wishes to certify itself as an ECOTEL, our team prepares a detailed blueprint for the certification in conjunction with the hotels management team. This Roadmap for Certification includes mutually decided targets, technology, and training workshops that will enable the hotel to become an ECOTEL. The process is estimated to take upto 5-6 months and will include training initiatives, inclusion of best practices as part of the hotels standard operating procedures and the necessary capital infusion where required. Phase Three: Audit: A final audit of the property shall then be conducted and a certification awarded on its successful completion. Rating System: The hotel is rated on the parameters defined in our checklists covering the five globes. Our methodology rates every standard on a Likert scale, assigning weights to them based on their contribution. The checklists have a predefined minimum standard, Primary Criteria, which every participating hotel has to clear before being certified as an ECOTEL.

Brave New World :: essays research papers

Brave New World   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is an excellent book. The story accurately depicts the variation between a fictitious â€Å"utopia† and our present world. His vivid descriptions of the events and rituals of the utopians make the story a very quick read.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story starts out with a group of students learning about the way each member of the population is produced. The DHC explains how each person is predestined for a certain class and job and throughout the fetal growth time, you are conditioned to the environment that job entails. At certain points of their â€Å"assembly line† each embryo is exposed to heat or light to condition the body for certain environments. After birth, the babies are conditioned to like or dislike certain things like books or light. By doing this, the Utopians believe that they will have happy workers and prevent revolutions. The children are constantly exposed to messages that are imprinted in their mind. These messages are designed to have an impact on their thinking and are more mechanical than mental.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lenina Crowne and Bernard Marx come into the picture after learning how things work. They both work at the hatchery and have been dating, but she starts dating Bernard Marx instead. Bernard is a deformed but highly intelligent man who takes Lenina to a savage restoration. At the reservation, they meet John and his mother Linda, whom was the girlfriend of the DHC and John is his son. Lenina and Bernard take, with permission, Linda and John out of the reservation. Bernard and a friend introduce John to the new world. Lenina tries to make advances toward John but his savage attitude doesn’t allow it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The downfall of John begins with the death of his mother in the new world. John goes crazy and tries to induce a revolution among the utopians that work at the hospital. He leaves to escape his nightmare, but cannot avoid the people. The Utopians drive him to suicide, which was his only option to escape the new society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most scientifically interesting parts of the book is the description of the Bokanovsky process. The process allows one egg to multiply into 96 other eggs. This is the basis for a society like this one.

H.J Heinz Company :: essays research papers

H.J. Heinz Company   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  H.J. Heinz Company, commonly known as Heinz, famous for its â€Å"57 Varieties† slogan, was founded in 1869, by Henry John Heinz, in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania. In 1869, the 25 year old Henry went into business with L. Clarence Noble as â€Å"Heinz & Noble.† The first product they launched was none other than horseradish. The sauce was unique in that it was sold in clear glass bottles to display its purity, whereas competitors used colored glass to hide the poor quality of their products. There was a reason that founder Henry John Heinz displayed his product in transparent bottles. He took a stand on quality and proudly displayed all of his products to the people and his competitors by using a clear bottle to show that his products where the real deal and the best. From the beginning of Heinz, the driving idea was quality, and quality is what made Heinz the company it is today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After horseradish came pickles, sauerkraut, and vinegar, delivered by horse-drawn wagons to grocers in and around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Processing, packing and the headquarters offices shared a two-story farmhouse in Sharpsburg, at the city’s northern edge. But within five years, Heinz and partner L. C. Noble had to relocate to larger quarters because of their massive growth. They were on their way to becoming one of the nation’s leading producers of condiments. Heinz & Noble could count among its assets a hundred acres of garden along the Allegheny River – 30 acres of horseradish – along with 24 horses, a dozen wagons and a vinegar factory in St. Louis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After initial success, the company was forced into bankruptcy in 1875, a year of economic downturn and crop surplus. However, this successful young enterprise was not going to let the banking panic of 1875 stop it from becoming the world’s leading tomato processor.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After the banking crisis, Heinz started over with brother, John and cousin, Frederick, in 1875. The new partnership with his brother and cousin, â€Å"H. & J. Heinz†, came into being. In the depression brought on by the banking collapse, it was a difficult first year, but one in which a new product was introduced and would become its most well-known product – tomato ketchup. Red and green pepper sauce soon followed, then cider vinegar, apple butter, chili sauce, mincemeat, mustard, tomato soup, olives, pickled onions, pickled cauliflower, baked beans and the first sweet pickles ever brought to market.

Ben Cohen’s “Ben and Jerry’s”

Due to the societal shift in the twentieth century toward material gain and capitalism, there has been an overwhelming emphasis put on monetary accrual and the pursuit of wealth. To generalize, people are no longer satisfied with familial happiness and achieving status through such things as cars and clothes has become the norm. Due to this, the job market has become increasingly more competitive, which in turn has given tremendous power to business. Corporations have all but taken over control of the distribution of assets. Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben and Jerry's writes, â€Å"Corporations have been granted the right to become the major depositories and bestowers of wealth in our society.† Businesses, whether they want to or not, have a tremendous impact on the economic and social status in the world. The underlying problem with this relatively recent shift is that too often is the case that larger corporations neglect to acknowledge the potential danger they pose to the environment and the society as a whole. Therefore, it is the duty of each and every enterprise to take into account the tremendous power it possesses and act in such a way that is not detrimental to society. Unfortunately, as history teaches us, too many businesses take the â€Å"its not my problem† attitude and the result is often times irreversible. Since 1978, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield have accepted the fact that indeed companies have the capacity to have a tremendous influence on the economy and ecology, and done everything possible to make theirs a positive one. To run a successful business, several factors must be kept in mind at all times. The business must function efficiently and at the same time produce a quality product. The consumer's interests also must be taken into account, and too often overlooked is the necessity to maintain a satisfied work force, making them feel important and needed. The Ben and Jerry's corporation, but a small two man operation running out of a gas station twenty years ago, has always rendered these qualities vital, no matter what their circumstance was. The two men met in 1963 as seventh graders in a small Long Island gym class. Ben, a native of Brooklyn, New York, attended Colgate University for only a year before dropping out to return to his high school job as a neighborhood ice cream man. He had a brief stint at Skidmore College as well as NYU, and moved to upstate New York before going into business with his partner and long time friend Jerry Greenfield. Jerry was also born in Brooklyn and after high school attended and graduated from Oberlin College. After being rejected form medical school twice and moving to North Carolina, he and Ben decided to make their dream a reality. They decided to move to Vermont, and with a $12,000 investment opened a small homemade ice cream shop in downtown Burlington. When the business began Ben and Jerry sat down and had rather basic goals. Their credo was â€Å"If it's not fun, why do it?† They wanted to enjoy themselves while earning a living, and at the same time give something back to the community. As business began to take off, they needed to set down guidelines in order to achieve all three goals. Ben and Jerry execute what is referred to as a values-led business. â€Å"Values-led business is based on the idea that business has a responsibility to the people and the society that make its existence possible. More all-encompassing and therefore more effective than philanthropy alone, values-led business seeks to maximize its impact by integrating socially beneficial actions into as many of its day-to-day activities as possible*By incorporating concern for the community – local, national, and global * into its strategic and operating plans, the values-led business can make everyday business decisions that actualize the company's social and financial goals at the same time.†(Ben and Jerry's Double-Dip, p.30) Their mission statement, due to the type of company they desired was broken down into three separate parts (p.46): Product Mission: to make, distribute and sell the finest quality product Social Mission: to operate the company in a way that actively recognizes the central role that business plays in society by initiating innovative ways to improve the quality of life of the local, national, and international community Economic Mission: to operate the company on a sound fiscal basis of profitable growth This method of business and sense of mission allows Ben and Jerry's to do several things. The business naturally holds profit and success as a priority, but at the same time acknowledges and does its best to help the community and its surroundings. Ben and Jerry's current CEO, Perry Odak, says that he originally â€Å"sought out the company because of its excitement about combining social endeavors with a growing, profitable business.†(p.188) The management in Ben and Jerry's is very people oriented. If run properly, values-led businesses often yield an incredibly motivated workforce. â€Å"If people understand that the work they do produces more than just profits, and they're in alignment with the values of the company, there's no end to what they can contribute.†(p.165) The management at Ben and Jerry's has always strived to keep the employees happy and emote a real sense to the staff that indeed they are important. â€Å"Values-led management aspires to respect employees and seeks to meet their needs as well as the needs of the company.†(p.167) Instead of having top level management be distant and authoritative, the management at Ben and Jerry's is very involved with the employees. Their employees are often surveyed, every eighteen months in fact, on how they feel the company is doing, their thoughts on improving products and management, and how happy they are. Because of this, the workforce at Ben and Jerry's remains quite content, and never feels too distant from top level executives. Management in 1985 implemented what they call a five-to-one salary ratio, which limits the top executive salaries to five times the lowest salary. This idea ensured that as the company prospered, so too did everybody working for the company. Management at Ben and Jerry's has established a list of what they call â€Å"Our Aspirations,† in order to constantly remind themselves not only their goals but what they are in business for. They are fourteen mini-objectives that clearly exhibit to the management what needs to get done and the way in which to do. Briefly, each one(compiled from pp.173-175): To Be Real * actions speak louder than words; be the company that they claim to be To Be the Best * plain and simply, want to be the best ice cream company in the world; if the customers are satisfied with the product, the company will prosper and they'll outperform the competition To Improve Continuously * each time a goal is accomplished, a back check should be done to look for ways of improving upon methods for next time To Learn Continuously * employees constantly should receive training in all areas so their contribution to the company increases To Be Inclusive * people of all backgrounds work for Ben and Jerry's and each one's individuality is embraced and creates a tight knit group To Be Creative * creativity excites customers and naturally helps business To Build Community * no employee of Ben and Jerry's feels alone and everyone on the staff would extend a hand to another employee To Be Open and Trusting * if everyone trusts one another, people feel a lot safer about sharing their opinions and ideas, therefore strengthening the company To Celebrate and to Give Meaningful Recognition * when goals are acomplished, they should be acknowledged; recognition of achievements will only lead to more achievements To Use Consultive Decision Making and Active Listening * people of certain expertise are often employed to help make decisions; leaders of the company also must be take into account employee opinions To Hold Ourselves Accountable * if everyone does their job and takes care of their responsibility, the company will run smoothly To Be Great Communicators * leaders of the company always need to make sure that their staff is well informed of whatever needs to be done To Be Upfront * people need to be directly told what to do and avoiding roundabout communication is vital To Be Profitable by Being Thrifty * when the company invests, they need to be careful about how mow and where they invest. Saving the company money is beneficial to stockholders and employees Rather than hiring outside help for new job openings, Ben and Jerry's hires from within the company, promoting people up through the ranks and delegating more responsibility. In the beginning, when new employees were being hired, management demonstrated the company's goals and methods to the new members, and let them know what their particular responsibilities were to be. In this way people had a clear understanding of the company's direction and what they needed to do in order to be promoted. Unlike many big companies, Ben and Jerry's recognized that the most important asset to their company was its employees, and that is one of the biggest reason that they became so successful (see graph at end). Because of this, Ben and Jerry's offers a wide array of benefits to its employees, realizing the high costs of living in this day and age. Because Ben Cohen and Jery Greenfield believed in themselves and their ideas, their company as become quite successful, accumulating numerous accolades. At the same time, they have not neglected their social duty and have contributed greatly to the society. In 1985, they established the Ben and Jerry's Foundation which is allotted 7.5% of the company's annual pre-tax profits for supporting various community oriented projects. Because of this foundation, they were awarded the Corporate Giving Award form the Council on Economic Priorities in 1988. In '91 held voter registration in their stores and got 1500 more Vermont residents to register. When the Newport Folk festival was in danger due to a lack of a sponsor, Ben and Jerry's took up the reins. They helped to establish a movement to redirect 1% of the U.S. defense budget to fund peace-promoting projects. They received Columbia University's Lawrence A. Wien Prize for corporate Social responsibility. They supported family farmers by printing an 800 number to call on their pint cups. Frankly, the list goes on and on. By sticking to their preset guidelines and objectives, Ben and Jerry's was and still is able to maintain a lucrative business that is great to its employees and beneficial to society.

Flannery o conners writings

Writings For readers why are not familiar with Flannels O' Connors writings, they tend give the reader emotional devastation because If all the gothic elements such as the violence and the messed up religious elements. The short stories that she creates give off an uncongenial feeling and possesses the readers feelings towards the stories. Many of these stones have both violence and religious aspects to them.Fate plays a big role In the stories climaxes. Either the mall character or the antagonists encounter what seems to be fate and start off violent but end up as If they saw the errors of their ways or felt as of a higher power has accepted them. In the end of AGAINST the characters encounter the misogynist right after they crash. They meet him by fate. Fate is not always a good thing. Later on the violence in the story happens when the whole family is murdered by them.The antagonist in this story understands that what he did is not right and he can act as a Christ figure because h e brought the thoughts of people out of them as if they were confessing something to him. In The Circle in the Fire the antagonists violently burn down everything around the barn, and then danced around it as if they felt like they needed to do and if a higher power has accepted them. The impact her endings give off are disastrous and thought provoking leaving the reader in awe.