The Ideal Ruler Of Kant s Ruler - 1070 Words

The Ideal Ruler How should our ideal rulers and government behave? The question has been asked for centuries and is still asked today. In 1516, Niccolà ² Machiavelli attempted to answer this question in his work The Prince(Machiavelli 8). Centuries later a different view of an ideal ruler was proposed by an Enlightenment writer, Immanuel Kant. Although Niccolà ² Machiavelli and Immanuel Kant lived 250 years apart, both views have advantages and disadvantages in leading a country, Kant s ruler is a early model of a democratic ruler while Machiavelli s ruler was an ideal model for a absolute monarch. Immanuel Kant s view of an ideal leader is more beneficial to the European society during the Enlightenment since it reflect the characteristics of a democratic ruler. The ideal ruler Kant describes is fair, protects the freedom of man, and acts on the thoughts of his people. Insight about an ideal ruler can be gained by comparing and contrasting the views of these two great thinkers. Fairness in the treatment of his people is important to a democratic government and Immanuel Kant s described ruler. Immanuel Kant says an ideal ruler should treat a man according to their dignity (158). In contrast, Machiavelli s ideal ruler only must appear to be fair and compassionate. Machiavelli stated ruler must be Prudent in escaping the evil reputation attached to those vices (9). So a ruler only need the reputation of fairness and not the actual act itself. Fairness inShow MoreRelatedAn Analysis Of Euripides The Suppliants 1372 Words   |  6 PagesPlato describes the grave consequences of placing the power into the one or the few in his ideal yet authoritarian state. There are many issues with Euripides’ quote. Firstly, the term ‘proper judgment’ is extremely abstract. For instance, Machiavelli and Kant would have very different ideas on what ‘proper judgment’ may be, but both are thought to be notable political philosophers. The decisions rulers make will always be criticized by one group of people, so it is difficult to say for certainRead MoreFrench Revolution Vs. Immanuel Kant1265 Words   |  6 PagesDWC 201, Dr. Moffett Allison Lancaster Essay #1 French Revolution vs. Immanuel Kant In 1614, France’s Population changed dramatically. The citizens were placed in three classes of rank in society. These classes consisted of the Nobels, who were born of royal blood, the Aristocrats, who were independently wealthy, and then the rest of the population who were less fortunate in life. These non-aristocratic members made up 98 percent of the Third Estate, but even so, could still be outvotedRead MorePolitics, Society And The State Of Nature930 Words   |  4 PagesThough Rousseau and Kant state that civil society and humanity amongst citizens can only be found if they are not related to the state of nature, in their explanation of laws and society in their political recommendations, the visibility of the state of nature is evident. However, their ways of clarifying nature are not the traditional way. They took a more aggressive approach to defining the purpose of state of nature in relation to politics and society. The reason why Rousseau and Kant deny the conne ctionRead MoreThe Political Of Political Science Essay2347 Words   |  10 Pagespolitical philosophy has to have public face and public dimension.(Michael sandel)(Mughan,2012) Well,In my article I am going to present Plato,Thomas Hobbes and Jean Jacques Rousseau political thinkers their politiucalphilosophy,an analysis of their ideal state theory,their thoughts in practice. Theoritical Framework Political Theory and Political Philosophy Political Philosophy begins with the question what should be a person relationship to society?Although Political Theory and Political PhilosophyRead MoreWomen s Right For Equality1467 Words   |  6 Pagesachievements, as well as their missteps. Though we are making an effort to improve women s right for equality, the American dream is still yet to be achieved by many mothers, sisters, aunts, wives, and daughters. Yes all men are created equal but are women created equal as well? Their could be some discrepancy amongst the world that will say yes but women are a minority in this country. Men are the rulers over America, being very forgetful that because of women they live a productive lifestyleRead MoreTo What Extent Was The Enlightenment The Main Driving Force Behind The American And French Revolutions?1479 Words   |  6 PagesEnlightenment thinkers whereas the purpose of this investigation was to identify the Enlightenment s impact on the start of revolutions and explore oth er possible causes. Therefore, the scope of the source failed to agree with the scope of this investigation. Furthermore, the origin of this source is valuable because the authors have received education at prestigious universities and have earned degrees and PhD s in the fields of philosophy and political theory. Although the authors effectively assess andRead MoreThe Is The Choice For The Welfare Of All1919 Words   |  8 PagesIn an ideal world, democracy would stand as the preferable choice for the welfare of all. However, in the real world, this is not always the case. Today, the term dictatorship typically yields a negative connotation. Many associate this term with a ruler acting in force and in self-interest, with the governed body suffering as a result. On the contrary, the term democracy typically yields a positive connotation and evokes positive emotion. When evaluating these terms with respect to the philosophicalRead More Plato’s Republic: Justice and Injustice in Thrasymachus Account6580 Words   |  27 Pagesindividuals who are just and obey the laws of the society; (b) the tyrant or ruler who sets down laws in the society in order to exploit the many for personal advantage; (c) the stronger individual (kreittoon) or member of the society who is detached from the many and aspires to become the tyrant. Second, I argue that if Thrasymachus’s account of the perfectly unjust life of the tyrant is to be more than a theoretical ideal, then the stronger individual who aspires to the tyrant’s position would doRead MoreAre Democracies More Than Other Kinds Of Political Regimes? Essay2269 Words   |  10 Pagesof law protects the rights of citizens, maintains order, and limits the power of government. Every person is equal under the law (Barkawi and Laffey, 2001). Further, Democracy is largely supported by liberal thinkers such as John Locke and Immanuel Kant, and liberalism is the main theory, which supports democracy and identifi es the crucial aspects of democracy. Liberalism is considered as an alternative theoretical thinking to realism, which is regarded as the dominant theory in the internationalRead MoreCauses of 2003 Us Iraq War3883 Words   |  16 Pagesin order to determine the causes for war. Kant describes three conditions that are needed for perpetual peace, the first being that the citizens of a state will begin to demand economic and judicial rights. They will demand that their government be accountable for its policies and laws. This will establish the state as a liberal state and it will begin the process of becoming a democracy. A democracy with a republican constitution is preferred by Kant because, if fortune directs that a powerful

The Case For A Higher Minimum Wage - 1659 Words

Rachel Dorf The Case for a Higher Minimum Wage In 1938, the Federal Government established a minimum wage through the Fair Labor Standards Act, during the Great Depression. Its stated purpose was to keep American workers out of poverty and increase consumer purchasing power to help stimulate the economy. President Franklin Roosevelt, understood that the minimum wage should be a living wage, he stated â€Å"by living wages, I mean more than a bare subsistence level — I mean the wages of a decent living.† Today, the Minimum wage is critical for ensuring that hard work is rewarded with fair pay. However, its value has eroded substantially, factors such as inflation and rising prices are decreasing its purchasing power, and the minimum wage is no longer what it used to be, despite decades of economic growth. Today, a family can no longer live on minimum wage; and a single person working full time on minimum wage is barely above the poverty line. When President Obama gave his 2013 State of the Union address, he advocated raising minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $10.10-yet a year later, this still hasn’t happened. For many working Americans a higher minimum wage will make the difference between living in poverty or not, furthermore it provides a stepping stone into the middle class for many families. If the minimum wage is increased to equal a current living wage, the income inequality gap will decrease and the quality of life for those living on minimum wage salaries will increase,Show MoreRelatedPros And Cons Of Raising The Minimum Wage1122 Words   |  5 PagesSince 2009, the federal minimum wage rate for employees has been $7.25 per hour. In retrospect, this is hardly enough pay to take care of one’s self-- let alone a family with children. If a person were to add up the average cost of living for one week and then compare it to the average amount of money earned in minimum wage for that week, it would be apparent that there is little to no extra money for emergency situations. Increasing the minimum wage has been a major controversial issue; DemocratsRead MoreMinimum Benefits Of Minimum Wages1399 Words   |  6 PagesMinimum wages are described as  Ã¢â‚¬Å"the minimum amount of remuneration that an employer is required to pay wage earners for the work/services performed during a given tenure, which cannot be reduced by collective agreement or an individual contract†. Minimum wages can be established by statute, competent decision authority, a wage board, a wage council, or by industrial or labour courts.   The significance of minimum wages is to shield workers against disproportionately low pay. They help safeguard anRead MoreMinimum Benefits Of Minimum Wage1359 Words   |  6 PagesMinimum wage is described as  Ã¢â‚¬Å"the minimum amount of remuneration that an employer is required to pay wage earners for the work/services performed during a given tenure, which cannot be reduced by collective agreement or an individual contract†. Minimum wage can be established by statute, competent decision authority, a wage board, a wage council, or by industrial or labour courts.   The significance of minimum wage is to shield workers against disproportionately low pay. They help safeguard an equitableRead MoreThe Benefits Of Raising The Minimum Wage706 Words   |  3 Pages Minimum wage is a difficult number to decide on because it affects different income earning citizens in different ways. According to Principles of Microeconomics, by N. Gregory Mankiw, minimum wage is a law that establishes the lowest price for labor that and employer may pay (Mankiw 6-1b). Currently, the minimum wage in the United States is $7.25 per hour. For many years politicians and citizens have argued on what should be the minimum wage that would benefit the economy and society in generalRead MoreThe Price Of Minimum Wage1406 Words   |  6 Pagesanalyse and draw conclusions on minimum wage in relation to its standing in business law, we first of all need to define what the meaning of the term is. National minimum wage was introduced in 1998 through the national minimum wage act. This enforced that employers would pay each employee a set value set by the government per working hour. One of the main benefits of this was that the most low skills jobs within society received a fair wage. Setting the price of minimum wage is a complex task as the mainRead MoreThe Minimum Wage War1167 Words   |  5 PagesLabor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) or otherwise known as the Wages and Hours Bill. This new law created a maximum forty-four hour workweek, guaranteed â€Å"time-and-a-half† for overtime hours in certain jobs, banned oppressive child labor, and established the nation’s first minimum wage. By definition, a minimum wage is the lowest wage permitted by law or by a special agreement (such as one with a labor union). Throughout the years, the minimum wage has been a central debate topic for the socioeconomic worldRead MorePersuasive Speech Outline For Non Rising Of Minimum Wage Essay1228 Words   |  5 Pagessupport the non-rising of minimum wage. ___________________________________________________________________________ Introduction Attention getter (teaser): How many of you believe we in the state of California should have a higher minimum wage? Well we shouldn’t and I’m going to tell you why. Significance (why important to them?): A lot of people believe that because you re getting paid a higher minimum wage that it’s benefiting you but in reality that’s not the case. The purpose of my speechRead MoreThe Minimum Wage Debate1637 Words   |  7 PagesThe minimum wage debate brings about a range of reactions from different people. There are those who believe that there shouldn’t even be a minimum wage and that wages should be determined by the markets. On the other hand, we have those who vigorously argue for increasing the wage minimum citing inflation, the poverty line and worker productivity. Regardless, we do have a federal minimum wage rate in the United States at $7.25 per hour, with some states having a higher minimum wage than the federalRead MoreShould The Minimum Wage Be Raised?1307 Words   |  6 PagesSHOULD THE CURRENT MINIMUM WAGE BE RAISED TO $15.00? Fred Wehmer Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Author Notes Fred W. Wehmer, Professional Aeronautics, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Contact: wehmerf@my.erau.edu ABSTRACT Fred W. Wehmer Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Rolf Hemmerling /ECON 211 11 October 2015 This paper will explore the pros and cons of raising the current minimum wage to $15.00. It will start with the history and reasons for the minimum wage. It will cite theRead MorePublic Policy Is Minimum Wage1486 Words   |  6 PagesAn important matter in public policy is minimum wage. Researchers Neumark and Wascher states, â€Å"It has been one of the highest controversy topics in the political arena.† Laws regarding minimum wage have been imposed by the federal government and changed within the years since 1938 when former president Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Fair Labor Standards (FLS) from $0.30 to $7.25 an hour. Previously in the labor force, those in the mining, manufacturing, and transportation industries only compromised

Building Strong Relationships With Positive Energy

Question: The reflective journal provides you with the opportunity to reflect on your learning in this subject and its applicability to you as a manager and/or leader. In addition, it allows you to think about and comment on your learning in relation to the concepts, theories and practices presented and discussed in the course. Answer: Introduction Fostering the development of positive relationship within the workplace has been identified as a topic that is the focus of a number of researchers. Individuals in the setting of the society or the work place can be identified as negative energizers or positive energizers. The differences in these categories of energizers are known to be having extremely relevant implications on the settings they exist. Positive energizers contribute in creating and supporting vitality within the others in the settings (Domjan, 2009). They boost and uplift individuals. Interaction with positive energizers seems to be leaving the elevation and motivation in the feelings of others. Positive form of energizers have been identified for being optimistic, unselfish, trustworthy, and heedful. Interaction with them helps in building energy in individuals and in an experience of inspiration. Networks of Positive Energy Positive reinforcement is referred to as the practice to praise good efforts within the work place rather than, or along with it to criticize bad efforts. This has been identified as the tool of managers that can be used for the motivation of the employees for working in a well manner and fulfilling the expectations of the managers. Positive energy in the workplace are advantageous for the organizations not only by the performance being better but also helps to enable others for the performance in a better way (Harter, 2012). For an instance, studying the maps of network in the organizations that compare the position of people in the networks of information, influencing the networks, and positivity in the networks of energy. This contributes in revealing that a position of people within the network of energy seems to be highly predictive related to the success of the organization in comparison with his or her position in influencing the networks or the information. Maintaining a positive energy made people far better for succeeding in comparison with the center of influence network or the information. In addition to this, this success contributes in conveying towards the interaction with the ones creating the energies. Positive energy helps in making others better creators of energy (Iwata, 2007). As a matter of fact, it has been found that organizations with high performance have three times better positive energies in comparison with the average ones. Strong Interpersonal Relationships in the Organizations Leaders and managers influence interrelationships in the work place by the facilitation of positivity in energy, by both positive energy being modelled and to diagnose and build networks of positive energy amongst the others in the organization. As interaction with positive energy seems to be attractive in nature, more frequently, there is formation of positive relationships. Leaders may not only be radiating positive energy by themselves, but the identification of the ones presenting positive energies with whom work is being done, and recognizing, rewarding and supporting them. As sources of positive energy influence the activities being performed by the others, there can be placement of positive energies within the roles and tasks that assist others for interacting with the others (Mondadori, 2009). For an instance, this will result in the enhancement of performance related to widened segments, sections and fields of the employees and the work place. These sources of positive energ y can be referred to for coaching or mentoring the others, and the selection of these can be done for leading the initiatives of change in the organizations. Creation of Positive Strong Relations in the Workplace The first step in the development of positive and strong relationship in the work place is by providing supporting, honest, and direct feedback with respect to the negative attitudes and behaviors being presented and the influences these have over the business organization. Majority of the individuals are known for responding to the authentic feedback that is referred to as being helpful for the employees as well as the organization (Poling Normand, 2009). The second step that can be adopted by leaders of the organization is by the promotion of positive relationship focused on the reinforcement of organizational and individual strengths. By building and identifying the strengths of people can contribute in the production of higher benefits in comparison with correcting and finding their weak points. The relevance to enable positive relationships with the organizations is not a recent topic, but the influence of these types of relationships on a number of factors, have not yet been recognized in an appropriate manner in context with several researches (Skinner, 2008). These various factors include the physiological and emotional health of people, expectancy of life, and performance deviant in a positive manner within organizations and the relevant teams. Positive Reinforcement Positive reinforcement is referred to as the practice to praise good efforts within the work place rather than, or along with it to criticize bad efforts. This has been identified as the tool of managers that can be used for the motivation of the employees for working in a well manner and fulfilling the expectations of the managers. An entire system of rewards can be created by the managers of an organization favorable for the employees. It is not necessary that positive reinforcement can always be initiated on a large scale, a step in simple forms and gestures help in the formation of positive reinforcement anyways (Turner Zacharatos, 2012). Positive reinforcement is important and can be used for addressing an issue related to the organization as well. In consideration with positive reinforcement, it can be stated that the managers of the organizations must be avoiding favoritism. Focus must be created on rewarding the entire team rather than specific individuals. Conclusion Positive energizers contribute in creating and supporting vitality within the others in the settings. They boost and uplift individuals. Interaction with positive energizers seems to be leaving the elevation and motivation in the feelings of others. The relevance to enable positive relationships with the organizations is not a recent topic, but the influence of these types of relationships on a number of factors, have not yet been recognized in an appropriate manner in context with several researches (Zeiler, 2007). These sources of positive energy can be referred to for coaching or mentoring the others, and the selection of these can be done for leading the initiatives of change in the organizations. References Domjan, W. (2009). Aversive control: Avoidance and punishment, In: The Principles of Learning and Behavior. CA: Thompson Learning. pp. 302. Harter, J.K. (2012). Well-Being in the Workplace and its Relationship to Business Outcomes: A Review of the Gallup Studies, In C.L. Keyes J. Haidt (Eds.), Flourishing: The Positive Person and the Good Life, pp. 205-224. Washington D.C.: American Psychological Association. Iwata, B.A. (2007). Negative reinforcement in applied behavior analysis: an emerging technology. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 20, pp. 36178. Mondadori, C. (2009). Time-dependent effects of post-trial reinforcement, punishment or ECS on passive avoidance learning. Physiol Behav, 18, pp. 11039. Poling, A. Normand, M. (2009). Noncontingent reinforcement: an inappropriate description of time-based schedules that reduce behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 32, pp. 2378. Skinner, B.F. (2008). The behavior of organisms, New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts. Turner, N. Zacharatos, A. (2012). Positive psychology at work, In C. R. Snyder S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology, pp. 715728. New York: Oxford University Press. Zeiler, M.D. (2007). Fixed-interval behavior: effects of percentage reinforcement. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 17(2), pp. 17789.

Lenin Essay Example

Lenin Essay Name: Course: Lecturer: Date: We will write a custom essay sample on Lenin specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Lenin specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Lenin specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Lenin Lenin believed that revolution ought to be pursued on a much broader sense than the current way that the working class was trying. During this time, there was great disparity between the haves and the have-nots or as Lenin describes them, â€Å"the propertied and the non propertied† (Lenin, n.d.). To make the differences a little more even, the working classes were forming trade organizations to use them as their bargaining tools. They used these unions to ask for better wages, working conditions. He argued that this was not the most effective way of pursuing a revolution. He advised the working class to form political parties in order to advance their Marxist ideas. Revolutions can only be brought about by dedicated revolutionaries who formed political parties to fight the political battles. According to his thoughts, political battles could not be fought through economic means but by political means. Lenin was of the social democracy ideology. He believed in a revolution but also believed in a peaceful revolution. His thought was that revolutions ought to be advanced through political means and not with militancy, violence or totalitarianism to propagate the revolution. Lenin viewed trade unions as source of enlightment. He believed that the working class was still not ready for a revolution. He therefore advocated for the idea of trade unions during the early stages of labor movements. This is because they helped to educate the working class on the evils of capitalism. He went ahead to advised his fellow social democrats to gang up the masses and help them to organize and set up trade unions. This would do a great deal in educating the working class on how to organize them in fighting against their employers. Although he deemed a political struggle to be more effective, he recognized that under the current tsarist, autocracy regime made it impossible to have a pre-emptive political struggle. This led him to recommend an economic struggle first, which was the organization of trade unions. Lenin was of the thought that the working class could not develop and advance real socialist consciousness from among themselves but from without. This meant that he believed that trade union was the only vehicle that would help entrench the real socialist consciousness in the minds of the working class, as they were not mature enough (Lenin, n.d.). He however maintained that there is a distinct separation between the trade unions and the socialist party. This means that he did not believe in trade unions as the agent for change but as mere tool of enlightening the working class on the evils being committed against them and give them the necessary courage to fight against the oppression. The absolute vehicle for change he reserved for the establishment of political parties. He believed that the political party ought to be lead by professional revolutionaries. For the trade unions, he advised that their leadership be open to any worker who had the idea and knowledge of the need for organization in mind. Social democracy is a political ideology that advances a complete revolution of a nation or society from capitalistic form of governance to a socialistic one. This revolution is however advanced through political and peaceful means. Any forms of militancy, violence or totalitarianism are not incorporated as a means for transition. The change into socialism is a change into a form of governance where the all the powers and means of production and the goods produced are vested in the community. The community owns the total capital, the distribution processes and all the land together. Individual ownership of property is highly detested. Lenin was of the idea that social democracy was inevitable. He was against capitalism or any other form of system of social organization. He however was of the thought that this revolution would be spurred by the spontaneous growth of the labor movement. Works Cited Lenin, Vladimir. What is to be done (1902)? n.d. Web. 11 July 2011.

Social Constructionism essays

Social Constructionism essays This essay will illustrate the diversity and change within modern family structures over the past thirty years, whilst identifying ways in which these changes may have impacted upon young people and the subsequent implications for workers undertaking direct work with young people. It will demonstrate an understanding and offer examples of how social constructionism helps us interpret the meaning of the society we live in at any given time. Social constructionists argue that reality, the everyday meanings applied to our existence is constructed by social, cultural, economic, political and religious processes. These processes historically are changeable, giving different definition to society at different points in times. Therefore our attitudes, understanding and expectations of society and issues within it will be influenced by the meanings attached. Firstly there has been a marked increase in single parent families. In the UK in 1995 there were an estimated 1:4 families headed by a single parent, the majority (but by no means all) of whom are women in the 16:24 age group (Wilkinson and Mulgan 1995). Historically there have always been single parent families, but what has changed is societies attitudes, perceptions and beliefs attached to adults and children living within such units, whether through unforeseen circumstances, limited life opportunities or personal choice. In the 1950s and 60s young women who became pregnant outside of wedlock were considered loose and immoral with the child subsequently labelled a bastard. These linguistic terms are rarely used in the 90s with the younger generation being much more likely to view an upbringing in a single parent family as equally valid (ref course material). Although there has been a social shift in attitudes towards single mothers, politically the subject area continues to create much debate, Charles Murray ...

buy custom Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management essay

buy custom Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management essay Chapter 1 Introduction This section covers the background to the problem, problem statement, research questions, research objectives and the justification. 1.1 Background to the Problem Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to the concept whereby companies take some responsibility in developing the community around them and the environment of their operations (Bendell, 2005). This obligation can extend to comply with legislation and makes organizations voluntarily take further steps to improve the standard of life for the people in the community and society at large (Stiglitz, 2006). The issue about CSR begun in the 20th century, although it did not gain a lot of momentum at the time. However, there were growing concerns from the large corporations. Some believed that giving back to the community would dilute the company's targets causing a reduction in company sales. Some other companies felt that social responsibility was the governments job, and they should not be involves. However, these people failed to realize that giving back to the community that had given so much to them would boost their position in the market as it would gain competitive advantage over other firms. This move would also attract employees and other investors. CSR helps to upgrade the living conditions of the people living in the society. The company ensures that it maintains a healthy and happy, work force and a conducive environment to operate by elevating poverty, hunger and illiteracy.. The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) has also played a key role in increasing the awareness of CSR. The CSRs have helped to alleviate hunger and poverty, making the community aware of the impact the business has on the society.(Utting 2005). Garvey and Newell (2005) argue that CSR embraces the fact that all activities undertaken by a firm have an effect either inside or outside the company. Corporate Social Responsibility encompasses four distinct areas: The Workplace, The Marketplace, The Environment, and The Community. Many corporate continue to argue that their responsibility is to shareholders only. Stiglitz argues that companies are communities or people working together to achieve a mutual goal. The companies should care about each other and the community they operate in their production process. Chatterer (1994) defines community development as the process where people in a society organise themselves for planning and action; define their individual needs and problems; execute their plans while fully relying on the community resources and supplements from the government and non- government organizations. Chitere further notes that, in this connection, companiespracticingCSRs work towards an end that appeals to the community by development agencies or their clientele. It is now an accepted fact that poverty reduction and the sustainable development within the community may not be achieved through government action alone. Since the advent of the role of the market in development and characterised by the rolling back of the state, other players like the non- governmental organizations, the civil society and the private sector, play an increasing role in community development. Of late, policy makers paid additional attention to the potential input of the private sector to these policy objectives. Further, Utting (2005) notes that the private sector ought to play a key role towards achievement of MDGs especially in the developing countries. The foundations support communities in the areas of environmental conservation and provision of essential services such as education, health, water and economic development. CSR is associated with philanthropy, although the concept of CSR is gaining some prominence within policy debates in the UK. There are many private-related initiatives and business activities that might be described as expressions of CSR, and there are also emerging specialist CSR organisations Many CSR initiatives in South Africa operate through projects covering areas such as education, water, health and human capacity development through training. According to Kosura (2000) a project is a set of complex activities where community resources used yield expected returns. In addition, a project ensures that the involved parties commit themselves through the planning, implementation, financing and completion of the project. Kosura notes that a project must have a definite starting point and ending point. The object ive of establishing the progress of a project is to ensure the company achieves all the objectives set. A project will thus have the stages of identification, planning and designing, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Monitoring and evaluation helps determine the progress towards achieving the intended goals and objectives. 1.2 Problem Statement Corporate Social Responsibility has widely been used as a marketing strategy by the corporate world with the aim of increasing a firms profits (Utting, 2005; Bendell et al, 2005; Cappellin and Giulian, 2004). Though some studies conducted in the past suggest that socially responsible firms have better performance in the stock market, as opposed to their competitors, many firms consider social responsibility an ethical moral issue, as opposed to an economic one. (Stiglitz, 2006). Moreover, available literature shows that when split off from commodities and when done with the involvement of the local community, CSR can highly contribute to community development (U N, 1993; Bryame, 2003; Manokha, 2004; Utting, 2005). Newel (2001) further argues that CSR has got the potential to contribute to poverty alleviation and sustainable development, though with some limitations. Alyson (2001) notes the business world playsa strategic role in the development process by engaging in CSRs. More often than not, it is the corporate view of the initiatives made and thus the perception in the society. There are studies done at the macro-level focusing on what companies do to their shareholders, workers and activities touching on the community, but assessment of whether such initiatives require the involvement of the local community, more so their view of the extent of mutuality in such CSR initiatives, is scanty. Hence, the study sets out to establish the communitys view of mutuality in CSR initiatives through a case study of The Shell Foundations Flower valley project in South Africa. 1.3 Research Questions As noted in the study background and problem statement, the gap identified in literature on CSR in community development is the lack of documented community views on such CSR initiatives. The study thus aims to answer the question, what is the communitys view of mutuality in Shell Foundations CSR Flower Valley. The following questions will help answer the main question: 1). what was the contribution of the community at the conceptualisation of the Shell foundation project? 2). what was the contribution of Shell Foundation at the conceptualisation of the Flower Valley project? 3). what was the contribution of the community in resource mobilisation for the Flower Project? 4). what was the contribution of Shell Foundation in resource mobilisation for the CSR Flower Valley Project? 1.4 Research Objectives The main objective of the study is establishing the communitys view of mutuality in Shell's Foundation Flower Valley Project. The 1objectives helping feed on to the main objective includes: 1). to find out the contribution of the community at the conceptualisation of Shells foundation flower valley project. 2). to find out the contribution of Shell Foundation at the conceptualisation of the CSR Flower valley Project. 3). to find out the contribution of the community in resource mobilisation for the CSR Flower Valley Project. 4). to find out the contribution of Shell Foundation in resource mobilisation for Shell Foundation. 1.5 Justification In the past, scholars have expressed fears that the society only understood the corporate worlds view, as the players in CSR. The study will help in addressing such fears amongst scholars in their scholarly works and contributions to policy-making. It will highly contribute to the understanding of local-level development, especially the role of local community in such development. Recommendations of the study will be useful to policy-makers for better planning of companies engagement in CSR initiatives. Knowing the communitys view of their engagement by the companies will help companies adopt appropriate ways of engagements that help both the communities and companies, as well. The study will be useful to Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOS) and Community Based Organisations (CBOs) in designing community engagements in their various activities on the local-level development. CHAPTER TWO 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction This chapter gives an in-depth review of literature on corporate social responsibility; its origin and development, its prospects for community development, its theoretical underpinnings. It also gives an overview of the concepts community development, mutuality, and the theoretical framework revolving three theories of Alternative Development, Community Participation and Basic Needs Approach. 2.2 Corporate Social Responsibility The debate about CSR begun in the early 20th century, although it was not as common as the time. This was amid growing concerns that the large corporations would gain excess power and hold in the community. The concept of corporate charity and stewardship played a key role in shaping the early thinking and perceptions about CSR in the United States (Bendell, 2005). According to Ida Tarbell in his 1904 publications, the History of the Standard Oil Company inspired the Supreme Courts decision where the US attained the mandate to split the company on the grounds of antitrust. Similarly, Sinclairs ideas in the book, The Jungle, published in 1906 helped to influence the congress decision to pass the Pure Food and Drugs Act, and the meat Inspection Act in the United States. These case studies can be used to demonstrate the early attempts made to mandate corporate social responsibility (Utting, 2005; Newell, 2001). According to Bendell (2005), the initials, CSR itself came in to be applied in the business world in the early 1970s. The term stakeholder, on the other hand, meant those individuals directly affected by an organization's activities. This means it refers to corporate owners who are beyond the shareholders level. The new paradigm of alternative development, which stresses on, developing the capacity of local communities to meet their needs has seen the increased emphasis of CSR in development. The international CSR agenda mainly represented the investors, NGOs, consumers, business associations and businesses. In developing countries, CSR has in the past been criticized for being insensitive to the plight of the local people and the basic needs of people. Newell (2001) and Alyson (2001) are categorical that any CSR initiative directed to a group of people ought to be designed and implemented with the involvement of that group of people. Today, many large companies now print copies of t he corporate social responsibility reports alongside their annual reports. This helps the organizations to plan for future projects as well as follow up on previous projects. In addition, the report usually concentrates on what companies call the non-financial activities which are positive in nature. Such CSR initiatives usually target the development of the local communities. 2.3 Theoretical Underpinnings of CSR There are considerable challenges in the corporate world that limit the growth of the organizations by limiting the potential returns of the firm. Government regulations and restriction also play a key role in influencing trade in a region. The government regulates the business using tariffs and other forms of restricting barriers. Globalization, Environmental regulations, political interference and exploitation are problems organizations face costing them millions of dollars. Ethical implications are in some instances, used as a costly hindrance that drives businesses and investors to shift their view point. CSR can also be used as a marketing strategy for organizations. When an organization takes up community projects in the environs, it attracts workers from the community who would want to be affiliated with an ethical company. In addition, this gives an organization competitive advantage over its competitors in the region. Although initially it might be a costly affair, the end j ustifies the means. This means that a company might advertise itself subconsciously through the CSRs. (Utting 2005). Globalization, therefore, makes competitions steeper as other firms will emerge /acquiring other businesses with competitive and alternative core competencies (Stiglitz, 2006). Stakeholder and governance theory suggests that modern business should no longer be preoccupied exclusively with the interests of shareholders and relations with the state and trade unions, but must respond to the concerns of multiple stakeholders, including NGOs, consumers, environmentalists, and local communities. Business can be pro-active and work with civil society organisations, government and multilateral institutions (Alyson, 2001; Utting, 2005: Stigliz, 2006). 2.4 Concept of Community Development Chitere (1994) defines community development as a movement designed toimprove the living standards off the entire community. He also sees it as a form of social action where the people of a community organise themselves for planning and action; define their individual needs and problems; execute their plans using the community resources. The government and the NGOs also play a role in supplementing the resources required for projects. The two definitions above appreciate the role of the community coming together, mobilising resources available from within and without, and working together for the fulfilment of a common objective. Chitere (1994) observes that community development perceives projects as a process, a method, a programme, and a movement, with its conception also portraying it as a means and an end. As a method, community development is a means for accomplishing some end. Itere further states that corporations participating in CSRs gain the appreciation and admiration of development agencies and their clientele. 2.5 CSR and Community Development Bryame (2003) argues that there are three schools of thought in the practice of Corporate Social Responsibility in the development. These are neo-liberal, which is self-regulation, by industry according to risks and rewards of CSR; state-led, national and international regulation and co-operation; and the "third way" which is the role of profit and non-profit organisations in community development. However, the author argues that the three theories may be criticized using theories applicable to a broader field of development, hence the importance of contextualizing the concepts under discussion. According to Newell (2001) the relationship between companies and local communities helps to build trust. This in the long run boosts the company image in the community. 2.6 The Concept of Participation According to Chambers (1997) and Paul (1987), participation is an active process by which local people take part in the planning, acting, monitoring and evaluating activities touching on their day-to-day lives. However, Bamberger (1986) argues that a complete definition of community participation must take into consideration the agents or organisational groups used; the medium or methods used to participate; the stages of the project; the programs level or scope; the participants and the intensity of participation. Paul (1987) proposes five objectives to which community participation might contribute, namely: Sharing project costs- Participants contribute money or labour during the project process. Increasing project efficiency- Involves the beneficiary consultation and involvement in project planning, management, implementation and operation. Increasing project effectiveness- The greater beneficiary involvement to help ensure project achieves its objectives and that benefits go to intended groups. Building beneficiary capacity- This will be by ensuring participants participate in project planning and implementation, and through formal and informal training and consciousness raising activities. Increasing empowerment- By increasing the control of the available resources in the underprivileged sectors of society and ensuring that the decisions made benefit the society in which they live. CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.0 Introduction This chapter gives an analysis of the research methodology to be adopted by the study, and it includes the site selection, the sampling, data and its sources, data collection criteria and techniques of data analysis and presentation of the study findings. 3.1 Site Selection Flower Valley district is a district located in South Africa, in Africa. Though regarded as well-off region in resource endowment, access to quality education still remains a crucial problem amongst the local community. This paper will focus on the Flower Valley, a Shell foundation Project. 3.2 Sampling The study will assume the approach of a case study and mainly with a deductive thinking with the units of analysis being the local households who are beneficiaries of the water project. The chairman of Shell Foundation and Flower Valley project director will be the key informants in the study. All households within the Flower Valley Location benefit from the education project. The sample will involve 60 households. The method used to select households will be the Simple random sampling.. 3.3 The data and its sources The study will use secondary sources of data. Secondary sources will involve review of the Shell Foundation annual reports and the companys publications on CSR. 3.4 Data Collection The researcher prefers using both structured and semi-structured questionnaires as well as interviews to collect data on the communitys contributions during project conceptualization, resource mobilization and in the on-going operations. A structured questionnaire mailed to the director of Shell foundation will effectively collect information on the company contributions during Shell Foundations conceptualisation, resource mobilisation and in the on-going operations. Shell Foundation seldom allows face-to-face interviews with their employees, hence the decision to mail the questionnaires.. This will, however, be a challenge to study as there will be no chance to enquire further on the responses given. An interview with the chairman of Shell Foundation to get an in-depth analysis of the on-going operations of the water project- the roles of the community, Shell Foundation and any other party involved. 3.5 Data Analysis and presentation Data analysis wills both quantitative and qualitative techniques will be used for data analysis. Questionnaire information will be coded and entered in SPSS for analysis to generate percentage figures on the extent of mutuality at the three stages of the project and overall, as operational zed by the study- Not There, Less, Much and Very Much. Figures on Percentage contributions of the Shell Foundation, the Community and others, will also be generated. Data from interview schedules and secondary sources will be analysed qualitatively through description. Review of the project annual report will help review the success of the project, thus helping tell with some certainty the likelihood of the project being sustainable. The findings of the study will be presented using figures and tables showing the extent of mutuality in project conceptualization, resource mobilization and on-going operations. This summarized data uses frequency tables in the SPSS and results explained using inferenc es as peoples opinion. On the other hand, descriptive continuous prose is the best present secondary sources information. Buy custom Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management essay

How Firms Try to Extract Consumer Surplus Using Two-Part Tariffs Essay

How Firms Try to Extract Consumer Surplus Using Two-Part Tariffs - Essay Example This study declares that consumer surplus may be defined as â€Å"The difference between the price that a consumer is willing to pay for a good and the amount actually paid†. A two-part tariff (TPT) has many interpretations, one of which is: â€Å"A form of pricing in which consumers are charged both an entry and a usage fee† (ibid, 317). There is more to two-part tariffs than described. It is essential to understand certain associated economic factors before getting at the rather complex topic. In this paper, I will explain in brief Consumer Surplus; Consumer Surplus and Demand; Monopoly and Pricing Strategies with Market Power. Two-part tariffs and consumer surplus are closely linked; I will explain what two-part tariff means in practical terms and show how firms try to extract consumer surplus using it. This paper highlights the public purchases goods only if there is some benefit to be had. Consumer surplus is a valuation of how much benefit individuals gain as a total on completing their purchase of the product in question. Most people have differing methods of evaluating the intrinsic value of a good. Such extraneous factors, apart from purely commercial reasons, decide for these individuals the maximum price they are willing to fork out for an item. If an individual is willing to pay  £ 100 for a Liverpool vs Chelsea soccer match, but manages a ticket for  £ 40; his consumer surplus is  £ 60. According to Pindyk, Rubinfeld and Mehta, â€Å"A demand curve is the relationship between the quantity of a good consumers are willing to buy and the price of that good.† They add, â€Å"It is fairly simple to calculate consumer surplus if the corresponding demand curve is known and their relationship can be examined†. Let us do so for an individual, as advised by the a uthors.

The Border DisputeWar Between Umma and Lagash Essay

The Border DisputeWar Between Umma and Lagash - Essay Example The border dispute and war between Umma and Lagash has a prominent place in the history of mankind as this marked the only recorded dispute between two city states over the issue of water and agriculture. "The only recorded incident of an outright war over water was 4,500 years ago between two Mesopotamian city-states, Lagash and Umma, in the region we now call southern Iraq." (Postel and Wolf, 60) Umma is greatly famous for the important wars that it fought against Lagash and the chief motivation of these wars was to free itself from paying tributes to the other city state. Competition for the open areas in the Near East followed the expansion of the city state's zone of influence and the border dispute and war between Umma and Lagash is one of the finest illustrations of the intercity wars over agricultural land. In fact, the increased competition over land among these city states is explicit as demonstrated in the series of documents found in the southern state of Lagash. "Over a period of 150 years, from about 2500 to 2350, the kings of Lagash provided their accounts of a border conflict with their northern neighbor Umma. The war was described in terms of a dispute between Ningirsu, patron deity of Lagash, and Shara, god of Umma, over an area of fields called Gu'edena, 'edge of the plain'." (Mieroop, 45) This paper undertakes an analysis of the events that caused the dispute and war between Umma and Lagash which has got immense significance to the historians. The city states of Sumerian civilization began to build upin ancient Mesopotamia around the year 4000 BC and one of the most significant outcomes of these developments was the emergence of several conflicts among them. Following such crucial wars among the city states, the relevance of warfare also increased and factors such as wealth, the availability of transportation, irrigation, luxury goods such as timber, stone and metals etc determined the warfare of the city states. The importance of the conflict between Umma and Lagash is that it was the earliest recorded war between any city states. The city states of Lagash and Umma were on the competition the possession and agricultural usufruct of the fertile region of Guendena for several generations. The war was caused by the violation of an earlier boundary treaty by Umma and Lagash began the war with Umma. The king of Umma was defeated by Eannatum of Lagash in this war which is important for a commemorative stele known as The Stele o f Vultures. "Although it is not the earliest conflict, the first war for which there is any detailed evidence occurred between Lagash and Umma in 2525 B.C., two Sumerian cities located eighteen miles apart The importance of this war to the military historian lies in a commemorative stele that Eannatum erected to celebrate his victory." (Early Sumerian Warfare) The historical importance of The Stele of Vultures was that it corresponds to the first important pictorial of war in the Sumerian period and, thus, there are significant pictorial evidences of the border conflict between Umma and Lagash. The most important document illustrating the border conflict and war between the city states of Umma and Lagash is the account given by King Enmetena and the beginning of Early Dynastic III marks the best documented period for military history. The series of martial inscriptions by the warrior kings of Lagash (2495-2345 BC) provide a clear picture of the war history

Sir Francis Drake Essay Example for Free

Sir Francis Drake Essay Typically, Francis Drakes life begins with a mystery the date of his birth. 1540 is often mentioned, 1542 has been heard as has been 1538, and other years pop up here and there. Often the given date is based on a portrait which itself is dated and which includes the comment that it shows Drake at a particular age. The only safe conclusion is that he was born around 1540. His place of birth was Tavistock, in Devonshire, along the river Tavy (which eventually empties into the sea near Plymouth). Here his grandparents held a lease on about 180 acres of farmland and made what was probably a reasonably secure living as farmers. Here also Edmund Drake, who became Francis Drakes father, had been born. Some reports state that he was a sailor, but there are records that contradict this, and it seems likely that he too made his living from the land. Edmund Drakes wife, the mother of Francis, was of the Mylwaye family but her first name is unknown. The couple had twelve sons; Francis was the eldest. Papa Edmund had some difficulties, in part because he, not being an eldest son himself, did not inherit the bulk of the Tavistock lease. He also seems to have gotten into some legal trouble, perhaps involving petty crimes. Additionally, there have long been rumors that protestant Edmund was the victim of some sort of religious persecution. In any event, when Francis Drake was still a young boy the family left Tavistock and moved to Kent, nearer the sea, where they lived in the hulk of an old ship and where Edmund made a bare living as a preacher to the sailors of the navy. So, young Francis now was living (and learning) among the ships and seamen that would become the focus of his life. Francis Drake first went to sea sometime in the 1550s, as a young boy apprenticed to the elderly master of a small coastal freighter. He pparently did well both nautically and personally, because the old captain, having no family of his own, willed the little ship to Drake. This marks the beginning of Drakes nautical career, about which this brief sketch will say no more. Drake married Mary Newman, about whom little is known, in 1569 when he was still a young unknown sailor; they had no children and she died twelve years later, leaving the then-newly knighted Sir Francis Drake a widower. In 1585 the now-famous and wealthy Drake married Elizabeth Sydenham, some twenty years his junior, who unlike Mary Newman came from a wealthy and well-connected family. The couple moved into Drakes recently purchased estate, Buckland Abbey (which today is still a major monument to his memory). Again, there were no children. In 1596 Sir Francis Drake was stricken by a tropical disease the bloody flux (perhaps yellow fever) during a less-than-sucessful expedition against the Spanish in the Caribbean. On January 28, on board his flagship Defiance, in the pre-dawn hours and after rising from his sickbed intending to don his armor so that he would die as a soldier, Sir Francis Drake passed quietly from this world. He was buried at sea off Puerto Bello, Panama, in a lead coffin. there is not much known about sir francis drake as much of it was clouded by history and as one often chooses to remember the brighter side of things and not the true details of what happens in the world. the history of sir francis drake is not one to be sure of but the information that has been salvaged is enough to give us a clear picture of him at least and that counts for something. The sir francis drake died in 1569 and was buried at sea in a lead coffin probably to perserve his body as he was a great man in his own right.

The Red Cross in East Africa Essay example -- Red Cross Community Serv

The Red Cross in East Africa This report is about the Tanzania Red Cross written after community service fieldwork by eleven students from the East African Uongozi Institute, between 04th and 10th July , 2002. The Community service involved working with the Red Cross in the Dar es salaam International Trade Fair[DITF] which was on at the time and we were allocated to work at the Red Cross tents at the Fair ground to help administer first aid to any causalities. The East African Uongozi Institute is an international Cooperation and collaboration primarily involving four institution of higher learning. The University of Dar es Salaam, the University of Nairobi, the Makerere University and the University of California at Los Angeles. One of the main activities of the Institute is to conduct Uongozi School for leadership development. The ‘maiden voyage’ of the first Uongozi school took place in the summer of 1998. Every year, the school rotates between the three East African countries. University students from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, North America, and other African countries attend the programme each year. A community service component is included in the programme to enable students to translate theory into practice and to appreciate the fact that leadership is not just the exercise power but also to serve people. 1.1. Background to the study Red Cross is a worldwide movement working towards the alleviation of human suffering through the power of humanity .It was first established by Henri Dunnant, Swiss businessman. He was on a business trip, when he felt touched by the victims of a war between France and Italy. He saw how the soldiers needed treatment, the women and the children too were wounded and needed food and clothing. He took them to a nearby clinic for treatment at his own expense. When he returned to Switzerland, he sold the idea to his friends who also sold it to others. These initiatives resulted into a society aimed at helping people during war. Since the Swiss flag host a white cross they decided to symbolise the society by a red cross. Hence, the Red Cross Society is represented by a red cross inside a white background (see appendix 1). The headquarters of the movement is in Geneva, Switzerland. However, some countries especially those not of a Christian origin did not like to use the symbol of the cross. During the war between... ...APPENDIX 3 RED CROSS REGIONAL CENTERS IN TANZANIA KEY: q RED CROSS REGIONAL CENTER APPENDIX 4 REFUGEE STATISTIC IN KIGOMA AS EPR 31st DECEMBER 2001 (UNHCR) DISTRICT CAMP POPULATION ORIGINALITY KIBONDO MTENDELIKANEMBWANDUTAMKUGWAKARAGHO 47,74418,56947,811 1,72437,588 BURUNDIANSBURUNDIANSBURUNDIANSMIXEDBURUNDIANS KASULU NYARUGUSUMTABILA IMTABILA IIMUYOYOSI 52,18915,88339,89437,627 CONGOLESEBURUNDIANSBURUNDIANSBURUNDIANS KIGOMA RURAL LUGUFU ILUGUFU II 52,77618,131 CONGOLESECONGOLESE TOTAL 369,936 APPENDIX 5 ACTIVITIES PERFORMED BY THE RED CROSS IN KASULU OPERATIONAL BASE 119 KILOMETERS FROM KIGOMA TOWN CAMP REFUGEE POPULATION ACTIVITIES MUYOVOZI 37,627 Camp management, curative, reproductive Health education, Nutrition services, water and sanitation MTABILA I 15,883 Curative, community health education, reproductive health and Nutrition services. MTABILA II 39,894 Curative, water production and distribution sanitation (provision of latrine slabs) community Health education, reproductive health, and nutrition services. TOTAL 93,404

Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965

Abolition of The Death Penalty 1040 Words 5 Pages The Abolishment of the Death Penalty As Americans we live in a modern republic under a government constructed to secure the rights of the people. Today's government and judicial systems were forged by our founding fathers as they fought to establish a government free from tyranny and brutality and thereby forming a constitution based on civil liberties. Our country has grown and matured through the centuries and in effect has made changes and alterations as innovations and advancements have deemed necessary. One area where we seem to have evolved at a slower rate is in the archaic and often inhumane judicial laws of the death penalty. The death penalty, a law which strips the civil liberties and violates the human rights of the accused offender, needs to be abolished. If as a nation we are to uphold our integrity it is imperative that the United States embrace the worldwide movement toward the complete abolition of the inhumane act of capital punishment. Intense controversy over the legality of the death penalty in the United States has always been multi-faceted and emotionally charged. Constitutional lawyers insist the founding fathers made provision for the death penalty in the 5th amendment which guarantees â€Å"due process of law before a person can be deprived of life, liberty or property†, while ignoring the 8th amendment which bars cruel and unusual punishments (Singh, 2003). There is no constitutional amendment that gives state or federal governments the authority to proclaim death as a penalty. This is an assumption based on the methods of punishment used in the era of the first colonies. The archaic â€Å"eye for an eye†, â€Å"Annie get your gun† justice has regressed into a self-justifying realm of indecision where it is easier continue in conventional tradition. We need to demand the legal system be held accountable to constitutional laws as written not as interpreted based on history. Death by hanging, firing squads, electrocution, the gas chamber and death by lethal injection are all options still available to those on death row. Each one in progression a little more civilized then the one before it, or so society attempts to convince themselves. The courts, as well as society, need to stop accepting and allowing these gruesome acts of purposely killing another human in the name of justice. In recent centuries the majority of American citizens supported the death penalty believing it served both as a deterrent and as an appropriate response to particularly heinous crimes. Unquestionably, there are heinous acts of crime being committed. Yes, these crimes need to be addressed, victims and their families need validation and offenders needed to be prosecuted, punished and kept from harming others. Yet, in our imperfect legal system and often overzealous prosecution mistakes are inevitable. Seemingly conclusive circumstantial evidence, coerced confessions, emotionally biased witness testimonies, inadequate legal representation and community pressure all fatal ingredients that could lead to a life altering mistake by a jury of the accused peers or a presiding judge. It could be argued that death is what murderers deserve. However, requiring that the punishment fit the crime is an unacceptable principle, we would then have to apply this to all crimes such as rape, assault and torture. While punishment needs to be proportionate to the offense and retribution is sought, these are not sound and objective reasoning for the death penalty. Although some advocates for the death penalty would argue that its merits are worth the occasional execution of innocent people, to maintain the death penalty in the failures of the system is unacceptable (ACLU 2011). Eighty-four years ago, Judge Learned Hand said, â€Å"Our procedure has been always haunted by the ghost of the innocent man convicted† (Law ; Social Inquiry, 2009). The argument for a deterrent of violent crimes cannot be upheld consistently or statistically as a rational determinant. We need to stop allowing our legal system to play off of emotion and the human desire for retribution and begin to acknowledge alternative sentencing such as life in prison without parole. This is more humane as well as cost effective, due to less court appeal fees, separate housing and security costs, and the need for victim validation through life-long punishment is still fulfilled. The death penalty should no longer be a legal option. Once, unequivocally accepted worldwide for a variety of crimes, the death penalty has been widely outlawed in today's progressive society. The United Nations General Assembly imposed a policy that states throughout the world, it is desirable to â€Å"progressively restrict the number of offenses for which the death penalty might be imposed, with a view to the desirability of abolishing this punishment†. As of recent, 140 countries, more than two-thirds of the countries in the world have now abolished the death penalty in law or practice (Amnesty International, 2012). How can America remain influential in speaking with other nations about human rights and civil liberties while leading their own convicted citizens to death row? We need to step out of the hypocrisy and stand with these other countries worldwide and abolish the death penalty. Everyday American school children recite the Pledge of Allegiance in their classrooms repeating â€Å"for liberty and justice for all.† American junior and senior high school students are being taught the history of the United States, the Constitution and Bill or Rights. They learn about civil liberties, American freedoms and the justice of the legal system. Yet, we are not providing them with examples when we continue to implement the death penalty. In an ever advancing country where liberal thinking and tolerance, equality and human rights are encouraged by leaders, we still hold fast to an archaic and unthinkable law, the death penalty. We need to hear the truth in the words of the framers of the constitution, the voice of the world and the cry of those who are appalled by the violation of human rights. The people of this free nation need, with one voice, to call for the abolition of the death penalty.ReferencesAmerican Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation, 2012, Retrieved March 9, 2012, http://www.aclu.org/capital-punishment/case-against-death-penaltyAmnesty International, 2012,Retrieved March 9, 2012, http://www.amnesty.org/en/death-penalty/abolitionist-and-retentionist-countriesLaw & Social Inquiry, Volume 34, Issue 3, 603–633, summer 2009 Robert Singh, PhD, Governing America: The Politics of a Divided Democracy, 2003

Comparison between cat and human skeleton Essay

At first glance, it might look as if there are very few similarities between a human skeleton and a cat skeleton, However, when you look a little deeper, you find many similarities in shape, structure and function. Evolution has shaped the cat as a hunter and predator. Everything about a cat has been formed to shape a leathal, agile fighting animal. In contrast, the skeletons of humans have formed to provide strength and stability. There are many similarities between the modern-day cats and humans. Like nearly every land mammal, both cats and humans have a well-formed skull and jaw, a vertebral column and four appendages. The most obvious difference between a cat and human skeleton is the size. At nearly 20 times the size of the average domestic cat, a human is a lot larger and way more powerful. Humans are built to walk on two legs. Therefore, their hips and backbone are shaped much differently and are much more solid than those of the four legged feline. Although humans are much larger, a cat has roughly 250 bones in its skeleton, compared to the 206 bones of the human skeleton. The extra bones in the cat’s skeleton are found mainly in the backbone, which gives the cat its extra flexibility and agility. A cat has 52 or 53 vertebrae; humans have 32 to 34. These extra bones are spaced out and have more padding, giving the cat flexibility and the ability to twist, turn and spring. Humans have collarbones, while cats do not. However, cats do have a free-floating set of bones in their shoulders that allow them to squeeze into tight spaces. In both cats and humans, the skeleton provides the same basic set of functions. Because of the density and hardness of bone, the skeleton provides the rigid framework to which other body systems attach. The skeleton determines the basic shape of a body. The skeleton also serves as protection for vital organs, such as the brain, heart and lungs. Because of the structure of the skeleton, it is the basis of all movement. Functioning as an attachment point for all muscles, the skeleton serves as a series of levers and pulleys to push and pull the body into place. Far from being dead, the skeleton houses tons of things that help with production. Human bone marrow produces millions of red blood cells a second, and forms the  basis of the immune system. The skeleton of both cats and humans acts as a storage facility for minerals, such as calcium and phosphate. In the end, cats and humans may seem different but we have more in common than you might think. Stem cells are cells that can grow to become almost any type of cell in your body. They can be taken from different parts of your body and put to use wherever they’re needed. Since they are your own cells there is no chance of rejection. There are two types of stem cells, Adult Stem Cells (somatic stem cells) and Embryonic Stem Cells. Adult Stem Cells can come from the umbilical cord or cells found in bone marrow. Embryonic Stem Cells come from undifferentiated inner mass cells of a blastocyst. These cells are pluripotent, which means they can grow into any cell in your body. Stem cells are able to repair nerve fiber. Tests on rats have been proved successful. Scientists are trying to figure out how to make stem cells more potent. Experimental surgery has helped thousands on their quest to better health. Umbilical cord blood can be used just the same as regular stem cells. Stem cells can also be used to repair cardiac tissue after a major heart attack. Stem cells have endless potential with very low risk. I think you should be able to receive stem cells if you want. Anyone who needs it should have them readily available. There is basically zero risk and tons of benefit. Stem cells should be used by everyone.

Open Innovation Essays

Open Innovation Essays Open Innovation Essay Open Innovation Essay UNIVERSITY OF BATH, MSC IN INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT Connect and Develop PGs big stake in open innovation Limali Panduwawala Suvidha Venkatesh Pedro Parraguez Xiajing Zhang 27/11/2009 Abstract: This report explores Ps Connect and Develop open innovation initiative. Its focus is to analyse this innovation strategy in the context of the formal academic theory, other PGs programmes and the company situation. Its objective is to understand the impacts, challenges and problems of implementing a large open innovation initiative inside a corporate giant such as P. Keywords: Procter Gamble, P, Open Innovation, Connect and Develop, Innovation Networks Connect and Develop, Ps big stake in open innovation 1 Introduction Innovation is the main driver for economic growth and progress of companies. In the age of the internet, it assumes even greater importance as maintaining competitive advantage becomes tougher with technology that brings the world closer and collapses the concept of time and space. Procter Gamble is a company that has been a pioneer in this field of innovation. They are global manufacturers and marketers of consumer products with complex operational networks. PG have been able to maintain their position in the market by adopting various innovation techniques and strategies. This report looks at the innovation strategies adopted by PG, particularly with a focus on Open Innovation. The report describes the theoretical framework of the innovation model the company has used along with its Innovation strategy and its management, followed by an analysis of the PG Open Innovation model, its problems and challenges and our conclusions. 2 2. 1 Theoretical Framework Innovation networks One assumes that innovation is a stand-alone concept which works well independently. In reality this is not true. To convert a good idea into a profitable product/service a lot more input from different people and different perspectives is required. Making innovation happen is about bring people or teams together in a creative and productive manner. In the era of globalisation with access to high-speed infrastructure and with teams on the move all the time, building, maintaining and developing networks becomes the key issue in the process of innovation. Usually innovation is seen as core process with a defined architecture with external influences acting on it. However, in reality it is not such a simplified structure. It is far more complex than that. The path of knowledge around an innovation project is more complex and interactive, appearing like some kind of ‘social spaghetti’ where different people talk at different times about different issues. (Tidd and Bessant, 2008) A network can be defined as a complex interconnected system or structure, which is used to get work done. A network consists of nodes or points of action which are occupied by 2 Connect and Develop, PGs big stake in open innovation individuals, companies, research institutions, universities, governments, customers and so on. These networks are greatly affected by how economic activities are influenced by the social setup and the position that the nodes or points occupy in the network. Therefore, a network can be influenced in two ways, i. e. by the interaction within the network and through the differences in position of the nodal players, which can cause power and control imbalance. Networks work best when the advantages of Co-specialisation, sharing infrastructure and standards and other benefits outweigh the costs of network governance and maintenance. (Tidd and Bessant, 2008) The above mentioned innovation networks, are the conceptual grounds where the Open Innovation (OI) model emerges, thus they are a critical structure to understand Ps Connect and Develop model. 2. 2 Open innovation In the traditional model of innovation, the focus was mainly on research and development laboratories, where invention of new concepts and technologies were carried out using internal and external sources of information. These RD labs usually concentrated on bringing out new technologies for self-commercialisation. This process can be viewed in the form of a funnel, where a large number of varied ideas and concepts can be trimmed down to few of those concepts and ideas that best meet the requirements of the company. (OECD, 2008) In recent times, companies have become more open with their innovation process, leading to revolution described as â€Å"Open Innovation† by Chesbrough (2003). This ‘open innovation’ model is a more dynamic model when compared the traditional model as there is much more interaction between knowledge assets outside the company as well as inside. Henry Chesbrough (2003) in his book â€Å"Open Innovation: New Imperative for creating and profiting from technology† defines open innovation as a concept in which companies must use ideas from inside as well as outside sources and find internal and external ways to reach the market in order to advance their technological capabilities. Open innovation combines these 3 Connect and Develop, PGs big stake in open innovation concepts of inside and outside ideas into systems and structures so that there is some order in the chaos. In another book â€Å"Open Business Models: How to Thrive in the New Innovative Landscape† he defines open innovation as the flow of knowledge internally and externally such that it moves the process of innovation at a much faster pace and so that new markets can be found for the use of this innovation. Open innovation means that firms should start using ideas and technologies from external sources and knowledge assets to create new and improved products/services. In the process, they should let others use their unused ideas which in turn can become a profitable venture by itself. This process would require an open business model to be in place. 3 Innovation Strategy at P One of the core strengths of the company is its Innovation strategy. Its CEO A. G Lafley believes that innovation is at the heart of P business model. The company uses innovation to create value with retail partners, satisfy customers and to create new business models to maintain sustainable growth (Datamonitor, 2009). The company boasts of a range of industry firsts (Appendixes 7. 1 and 7. 2). P uses a unique design for innovation comprising of five major categories (Datamonitor, 2009): ? ? ? ? ? Defining innovation broadly Investing in innovation at industry levels Managing innovation with discipline Delivering innovation that builds consumer trust and loyalty over time Using global brands and an outstanding team of innovation leaders to lead innovation One unique feature in P strategy is that innovation is involved in every area of the product which makes contact with the customer, such as the packaging, the shopping experience, the in-home product usage experience as well as the product itself (Datamonitor, 2009). A good example is the company’s family care business where the innovations are customer focused rather than technology focused. This means that each product offers customized benefits to meet different consumer needs. The company also involves its customers in the innovation process on a daily basis. 4 Connect and Develop, Ps big stake in open innovation The company supports sustainable innovation, investing heavily in RD to bring better quality products to the market. PGs budget for RD amounts to nearly $2 billion an year: twice the amount spent by Unilever, PGs biggest competitor. This proves the company’s dedication towards sustainable innovation (Datamonitor, 2009). 3. 1 Managing Innovation at PG Historically PGs innovation strategy was focused on its internal capabilities. The company had minimal experience externally and was not involved with its competitors. The model used by the company was a traditional stage gate model (Heimberg, 2008). This model (See appendix 7. 5) helped PG until 2000 when the company faced major financial difficulties. With the increase in the pace of innovation, costs, fast followers, constrained resources and more consumer demands the traditional model was unable to deliver the required results (Heimberg, 2008). The company required a growth rate which exceeded the industry growth rate†. This Figure 2, Open Innovation Model (Heimberg, 2008) Figure 1, Stage gate Model (Heimberg, 2008) equired collaboration with external sources (Lafley, 2008); commonly known as Open Innovation. This initiative was named connect and develop where the company collaborates with external sources for innovative ideas and technologies. When the process began the 10-15% of the innovations at PG included ideas from external sources and today this has increased to 50%, resulting in the company achieving a 6% organic growth in an ind ustry, which is growing at 2-3 %. ( Lafley, 2008) 5 Connect and Develop, PGs big stake in open innovation The company today works on a ‘proudly found elsewhere’ culture which has opened the door for many innovations. Although Connect and Develop is now considered the major Innovation initiative taken up by the company, there are several other strategies which drive the success at P. 3. 2 Complementary P Innovation Strategies 3. 2. 1 User driven innovation: User driven innovation mainly focuses on developing products based on customer needs. P carries out user driven innovation by engaging their customers as co-designers (Datamonitor, 2009). 3. 2. The Corporate Innovation Fund: This can simply be described as an in-house venture capital firm which hands over successful innovations to the relevant business units in the company. The firm carries out the initial concept, design, engineering and qualifications work prior to handing over the ideas; and specializes in high-risk, high reward ideas (Datamonitor, 2009). 3. 2. 3 Innovation Net: A knowledge sharing solution at P, Innova tion net provides access to 18,000 knowledge workers at P from the R to the Patent/Legal and Business Information systems (AskMe, 2001). The main function of innovation net is to allow users to catalogue, locate and maintain employee knowledge. This provides employees with the ability to take immediate action when required. (Haimila, 2002) 3. 2. 4 Enterprise 2. 0: This is P version of web 2. 0 which is a set of web based software service that helps increase the involvement of employees in establishing and managing data. In addition to this, the company is also allowing its employees to personalize its web portal by adding RSS feeds of news and business information (Hines, 2007). This web-based service includes the customer and the suppliers web portals, online hubs for all the interactions with supermarkets, suppliers and technology providers around the world Recent research has shown that innovation within the business can only occur if the structure of the business and the internal talent of the organization are structured to encourage collaboration between the employees and knowledge sharing (O’Hara, 2009). 6 Connect and Develop, Ps big stake in open innovation Therefore, the above initiatives indicate the efforts taken by PG to promote successful innovation within the company. . 3 PG’s Connect and Develop Model Explained From RD to CD Besides all the innovations above, PG has given great attention to product innovation. At first, like every other company, they had an RD group which is good for exploiting knowledge and doing research inside the firm itself. However, the drawbacks are also obvious. There is no guarantee that all these blue-sk y researches will be a success and it has high risk and cost associated (Bessant and Tidd, Table 12. 2, 2007). Besides, only by getting out of the lab can researchers find and listen to customer wants and needs. Initially, less than 10% of PG technologies were being used in products. Which meant that many unused technologies were being kept hidden, much like antiques-valuable but useless. What’s more, with knowledge increasing and refreshing at an exponential rate and much important innovations being carried out in small entrepreneurial firms (Bessant and Tidd, 2007), PG realized it is impossible for them to complete everything alone while at the same time create satisfactory operating results for their shareholders. Things had to be changed. Therefore, PG decided to introduce a new business model to cope with both the desire for external ideas coming in and own ideas going out. Instead of the traditional inhouse research model â€Å"Research and Development†, they formed a department called â€Å"Connect and Development† which is based on â€Å"Open Innovation†. The idea was to bring together external research institutions, customers, suppliers, individuals and even competitors to develop the market for new products. They established a web site (www. pgconnectdevelop. com) to communicate with the resources outside. The mechanism works like this: they simply put all their needs on this website in classified categories, and then anyone who is interested or has the solution could propose their ideas and get assessed by a specialized team. Payments can range from US$10,000 to US$100,000 (Bessant and Tidd, 2008). After this model has been applied, PG is able to drive new innovation through collaboration with external partners in at least 50% of the cases (Sakkab 2002, cited by Dodgson, Gann, Salter 2006, P. 6). Furthermore, this model seems to work 7 Connect and Develop, PGs big stake in open innovation well: in 2004, P reported a 17% increase in volume, a 19% increase in sales, a 25% rise in earnings and a total shareholders return of 24% (ANOY 2005). Thanks to the invention of the internet, another way for P to gain more external resources is to find solutions in other technology brokers such as Innocentive, Yet2 and NineSigma. 4 Discussion: Connect and Develop problems and challenges Mixing elements from open innovation models, articulating multiple innovation networks and investing heavily in knowledge management tools, (i. . Innovation Net) P has created its own novel way to deal with the new challenges of generating growth in mature markets through innovation. Nevertheless, they are not exempt from problems and challenges. Below are briefly described some of the most critical issues identified, that if not addressed properly might put in risk P long term success. 4. 1 The dangers of â€Å"outsourcing† innovation Bein g able to access external knowledge and leveraging in this way, innovation sounds like a very reasonable strategy. Nevertheless, important risks lie behind it; Firstly Lean innovation might become fragile innovation and lead to a progressive loss of internal capabilities to develop their own innovations. This might damage in the long term their most important competitive advantage, their expertise to innovate. One example of this risk is in the aeronautical industry, were Boeing and Airbus are distributing their manufacturing and R capabilities so widely, that experts believe they might lose an important part of their critical knowledge over time. (Aron, Singh, 2005) 4. Managing the intellectual property and its negotiations in an open environment Although P believes that connect and development will become the dominant innovation model in the twenty-first century (Huston, Sakkab, 2006), the drawback is obviously about how to protect its intellectual property. Case becomes much more complicated after the open innovation model is applied. In the past, all the innovations were kept inside of the co mpany, and P only needed to decide whether to apply for the patent for a certain 8 Connect and Develop, Ps big stake in open innovation innovation or not, fairly simple. However, in this model, there are many in-licensing and outlicensing of innovation and technology, which makes the protection of the intellectual property a big problem. The company needs to consider the most appropriate way to protect their new inventions. For example if the inventor does not have good protection, they are creating something that others can have for free (Docherty, 2008). Therefore, patents should be looked at closely. Another problem that arises from this issue is how to manage hundreds or thousands of relationships with small technology providers (individual inventors, university departments, private RD labs, etc. that have no formal relationship in the long term with PG and do not share the same incentives. Internal success cases (shown in appendix 7. 3), like the Magic Eraser shows clearly the complexity of the Connect Develop programme and how it must deal in an ad-hoc way to handle every case. Thus to innovate systematically in an open environment, huge trans actional costs are usually incurred; cost that are not present when the innovation occurs in a closed fashion. 4. 3 Issues about how to select and filter really innovative ideas To cope with the complexity found in the CD model, PG tries to select technologies as mature and proven as possible (Huston, Sakkab, 2006). This is good to reduce implementation and technological risks, but it reduces the chances to customize and produce radical innovations because PGs R department intervenes only in the final stages. This filter certainly limits the potential of the open innovation model, adding a cap on it, and also generates a problem because internal R capabilities are less exercised, aggravating the issue expressed in point 4. 1. . 4 Identifying the Serial Innovators† According to the Pareto Principle (80-20 rule) we should expect that most of the valuable innovations come from a very reduced group of bright individuals. This is particularly important when the challenge is to identify the serial innovators in an open innovation environment. This is because of the high number of individuals involved and the fact that they are not inside the company. For PG identifying and nurturing this valuable group will became a key issue and an interesting potential competitive advantage. 9 Connect and Develop, PGs big stake in open innovation 4. 5 Connect Develop financial results In spite of the fact that sales and profits increased over time after the implementation of CD and some of its notorious success cases (Appendix 7. 4), it is still not clear if this strategy has given PG a significant advantage compared with their traditional model of innovation before the year 2000. Stock market trends indicate that PG has followed a very similar stock price trajectory compared with its industry (Figure YYY) and so the real effect of CD is difficult to calculate in financial terms. Regardless of all the original hype, CD does not seem to be a real game changer in this business arena, or at least not yet. Figure 3, PG stock price evolution, Yahoo! Finance 10 Connect and Develop, PGs big stake in open innovation 4. 6 The complexity of the system and its interactions Connect and Develop and all the other innovation initiatives inside PG, have created a complex set of structures and interactions, transforming the management of this system into a challenge by itself. At the heart of these interactions and the management of innovation, PG have two critical positions; The Technology Entrepreneurs and the Research Fellows, the first are the scouts, hunting new innovations outside of the company and later lobbying inside to bring them in. The second are in charge of the conceptual development and continuous refinement of CD, acting as the back office of this intricate system. To understand better this sort of spaghetti model of innovation and the challenges of its management a simplified overall view of the system is provided below in figure 3. PG’s Innovation Ecosystem User Driven Innovation Corporate Innovation Funds Innovation Technologies Connect Development Suppliers Networks Proprietary Innovation Net Technology entrepreneurs Research Fellows Open NineSigma (Multidisciplinary) Suppliers Portal Customers Portal YourEncore (senior RD talent) Selection usually restricted to mature technologies Enterprise 2. 0 Idea search focus: ? ? ? Top ten consumer needs Adjacencies Tech Game Boards Yet2. com (IP broker) InnoCentive (Specific problems) Figure 4, PGs ecosystem 11 Connect and Develop, PGs big stake in open innovation Conclusions PG’s Connect and Development programme has become a clear business case when it comes to implementing an open innovation initiative inside a large company. They have created a completely new set of complex tools, networks inside and outside their company and invested strategically in this specific option to drive a major part of their innovation in new products. Thus, Connect and D evelop represents a big stake and compromise in the long term, with a new business paradigm that has not fully been tested yet, and involves an intricate network of activities and concepts. On the Backstage of CD, we find several interconnected innovation networks with customers, suppliers, internal staff and external innovation agents. Knowledge management tools are also embedded deeply in the structure, supported by innovation technologies based on information and communication technologies (ICT) such as web platforms like â€Å"Innovation Net† and other special software that help the work of the research fellows and technology entrepreneurs, who are the vital links in the Open Innovation implementation of PG. All this involves great complexity, new risks and challenges. So far, in terms of financial growth (Appendix 7. ) it seems that Lafley (PG’s CEO) has chosen the right path. Nevertheless, this is clearly just the beginning of a long journey that depends greatly on the skills to manage a heterogeneous and worldwide network of innovators without losing the vital internal capabilities and competitive advantages in this process, something that is yet to be proved. 12 Connect and Develop, PGs big stake in open innovation 6 References ? Annon, 2005. Procter Gamble’s innovation success- new research, new products, new markets. strategic direction, VOL. 21 NO. 7 ,p. 13. Annon, 2009. Yahoo! Finance Website. [Accessed 26 november 2009]. Available from: http://uk. finance. yahoo. com/q? s=PGm=USd=. Aron, R. , Singh, J. (2005). Getting Offshoring Right. Harvard Business Review, 83(12), 135143. Retrieved from Business Source Premier database. AskMe, 2001. Procter and Gamble enhances innovation by purchasing another instalment of AskMe enterprise [Online]. Available from: realcominc. com/pdf/PGPressRelease. pdf [Accessed last on 16 November 2009] Bessant, J. and Tidd, J. , 2007. Innovation and Entrepreneurship. England: John Wiley Sons Ltd. Bessant, J. and Tidd, J. , 2008. Managing Innovation. 4th ed. England: John Wiley Sons Ltd. Carvin,N. 2009. PG: Look ahead to September 2009 quarterly results. [Online]. Available from financial-gauges. com/2009/09/pg-look-ahead-to-september-2009. html [Accessed last on 17 November 2009] Chesbrough, H. 2006. Open Business Models: How to Thrive in the New Innovative Landscape. Harvard business School press, Boston, Massachusetts Chesbrough, H. 2006. Open Innovation, The New Imperative for Creating and Profiting from Technology. Harvard Business School Press, Boston, Massachusetts Cooper, R. G and Mills, M. S. , 2005. Succeeding at new products the PG way: Work the Innovation Diamond[Online]. 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A vailable from kmworld. com/Articles/News/KM-In-Practice/ProcterGamble-pampers-RD8498. aspx [Accessed last on 17 November 2009] Heimberg, J. 2008. Open Innovation at PG from Research Develop to Connect Develop. Online]. Available from gdch. de/strukturen/fg/wirtschaft/vcw_va/heimburg. pdf [Accessed last on 20 November 2009 ] Hines, A. , 2007. Web 2. 0 inside Procter and Gamble. [Online]. Available from http://blogs. bnet. com/intercom/? p=394 [Accessed last on 24 November 2009] ? ? ? ? ? Huston, L. , Sakkab, N. (2006). Connect and develop –inside PG’s new model for innovation. (cover story). Harvard Business Review, 84(3), 58-66. Retrieved from Business Source Premier database. Learning Markets, 2009. Procter Gamble down but not out; PG, KMB, CL . [Online]. Available from earningmarkets. com/index. php/200908053510/News-Feed/NewsFeed/procter-a-gamble-down-but-not-out-pg-kmb-cl. html [Accessed last on 22 November 2009] O’Hara, J. , 2009. Sustainable Innovat ion. [Online]. Available from realinnovation. com/offsite. asp? A=FrUrl= busmanagement. com/p astissue/article. asp? art=26868issue=165 [Accessed last on 22 November 2009] Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2008. Open Innovation in Global Networks [Online] Available from:http://lysander. sourceoecd. org. ezp1. bath. ac. uk/vl=2368171/cl=13/nw=1/rps v/cgibin/fulltextew. l? prpsv=/ij/oecdthemes/9998010x/v2008n14/s6/p64. idx [Accessed last on 24 November 2009] Reuters, 2009. Warner Chilcott Ltd. To Buy Procter Gamble Co. Unit For $3 Billion. [Online]. Available from reuters. com/finance/stocks/keyDevelopments? symbol=PGpn=2 [Accessed last on 19 November 2009] ? ? ? ? 14 Connect and Develop, PGs big stake in open innovation 7 7. 1 Appendixes General Company Profile Procter and Gamble commonly known as PG started as a soap and candle company in Cincinnati, Ohio in the year 1837. Today it is a global manufacturer and marketer of consumer products. There are three main Global Business Units (GBU), the company focuses on: Beauty, health and well being, and household care (Datamonitor, 2009). The role of each GBU is to recognize common consumer needs, develop new product innovations. By successful innovations and marketing strategies GBUs also helps build the PG brands. The other main sector of the business is the Global operations group which is subdivided into Market Development Organization and Global Business Services. Being the world’s largest consumer goods company, PG markets more than 300 brands in over 180 countries and functions in Europe, Asia and he Americas (Datamonitor, 2009). Some of the company’s major products include Tide, Pampers, Pantene, Pringle, Gillette and Ariel (Carvin, 2009). The major strengths of the company include its focus on Innovation, Leading market position, strong brands portfolio and a diversified range of products. One of the major weaknesses of the company is its dependence on Wal-Mart. This can lead to a weakness in the bargaining power of the company especially considering that fact that 15% of PGs revenue since 2006 is through sales to Wall-mart (Datamonitor, 2009). An increase in PG product recalls were also noticed in the past couple of years and this can tarnish the brand image of the relevant products. The company should also expect to face difficulties due to Global economic changes, counterfeit goods and increasing regulations on products (Datamonitor, 2009). In the fourth quarter of the Fiscal year 2009 PG faced one of the most difficult financial periods in decades (Learning Markets, 2009). The company has sold off its Folgers coffee business and in August 2009, signed a deal to sell its Global Pharmaceutical business. (Reuters, 2009). 15 Connect and Develop, PGs big stake in open innovation PGs Major Competitors (DataMonitor, 2009) ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Unilever Avon Products, Inc. Colgate-Palmolive Company Henkel KGaA Kimberly-Clark Corporation Reckitt Benckiser PLC Energizer Holdings LOreal S. A. 7. 2 List of PG Innovations (DataMonitor, 2009) ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Tide: the first heavy-duty laundry detergent Crest: the first fluoride toothpaste clinically proven to prevent tooth decay Downy: the first ultra-concentrated rinse-add fabric softener Pert Plus: the first 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner Head Shoulders: the first pleasant-to-use hampoo effective against dandruff Pampers: the first affordable, mass-marketed disposable diaper Bounty: the first three-dimensional paper towel Always: the first feminine protection pad with an innovative, dry-weave top sheet Febreze: the first fabric and air care products that actually remove odours from fabrics and the air Crest White Strips: the first patented in-home teeth whitening technology â€Å"PG continues to be one of the few companies in the consumer product industry that create new categories and brands, new performance standards, and new definitions of consumer value. Swiffer and Febreze created entirely new product categories. Crest ProHealth, Olay Regenerist and Definity, Pampers Baby Stages of Development, and Tide with Bleach redefined high performance in their categories. Olay innovation has created new 16 Connect and Develop, PGs big stake in open innovation consumer experiences that are as good as/ or better than several-hundred-dollar department and specialty store brands† (DataMonitor, 2009). PG has formed a unique design for innovation which has helped them maintain consistent innovations across the wide range of products the company manufactures. 7. 3 Successful cases Pringles potato crisps In order to make the potato crisps more fun and attracting, PG is thinking of putting animals, jokes on each crisp. One researcher suggested ink-jetting pictures onto the potato, nonetheless, it was very difficult because this need a very fast-processing printer and also provided different images and colours. For PG, they also have to negotiate with an ink-jet printer company which will take at least two years. However, they discover a professor from Bologna, Italy, has already invented an ink-jet method for printing pictures on cakes through their European network. It only takes less than a year for PG achieve double-digit growth from technology provided to market penetration. Pampers diaper Pampers diapers, with annual sales of more than 8 billion U. S. dollars, is the worlds first disposable diaper brand. Nonetheless, the none-leaking underlying coating technology was actually not first invented by Pampers. It is transferred from a U. S Navy department which researches in the submarine technology. Mr Clean Magic Eraser (The Osaka case) This interesting case shows how scattered the product development process can be. Everything starts with a PGs technology entrepreneur looking for new products in Osaka, Japan when he finds in the shelves and interesting new cleaning solution based on a novel sponge. After tracking the sponge providers, he ends up in BASF (German Chemicals manufacturer) who developed originally this solution as effective insulation for buildings. After negotiating directly with them PG starts commercializing an 17 Connect and Develop, PGs big stake in open innovation innovative new set of household cleaning sponges developed in close alliance with BASF. 7. 4 Financials All numbers in thousands PERIOD ENDING 30-Jun-09 79,029,000 38,898,000 40,131,000 30-Jun-08 83,503,000 40,695,000 42,808,000 30-Jun-07 76,476,000 36,686,000 39,790,000 Total Revenue Cost of Revenue Gross Profit Operating Expenses Research Development Selling General and Administrative Non Recurring Others Total Operating Expenses Operating Income or Loss Income from Continuing Operations Total Other Income/Expenses Net Earnings Before Interest And Taxes Interest Expense Income Before Tax Income Tax Expense Minority Interest Net Income From Continuing Ops Non-recurring Events Discontinued Operations Extraordinary Items Effect Of Accounting Changes Other Items Net Income Preferred Stock And Other Adjustments Net Income Applicable To Common Shares Figure 5, Income Statements 07-09, Yahoo! Finance 24,008,000 16,123,000 25,725,000 17,083,000 24,340,000 15,450,000 560,000 16,683,000 1,358,000 15,325,000 4,032,000 11,293,000 462,000 17,545,000 1,467,000 16,078,000 4,003,000 12,075,000 564,000 16,014,000 1,304,000 14,710,000 4,370,000 10,340,000 2,143,000 13,436,000 $13,436,000 12,075,000 $12,075,000 10,340,000 $10,340,000 All numbers in thousands 8 Connect and Develop, PGs big stake in open innovation PERIOD ENDING 30-Jun-09 13,436,000 30-Jun-08 12,075,000 30-Jun-07 10,340,000 Net Income Operating Activities, Cash Flows Provided By or Used In Depreciation Adjustments To Net Income Changes In Accounts Receivables Changes In Liabilities Changes In Inventories Changes In Other Operating Activities Total Cash Flow From Operating Activities Investing Activities, Cash Flows Provided By or Used In Capital Expenditures Investments Other Cashflows from Investing Activities Total Cash Flows From Investing Activities Financing Activities, Cash Flows Provided By or Used In Dividends Paid Sale Purchase of Stock Net Borrowings Other Cash Flows from Financing Activities Total Cash Flows From Financing Activities Effect Of Exchange Rate Changes Change In Cash and Cash Equivalents Figure 6, PG Cash Flow 07-09, Yahoo! Finance ,082,000 (1,265,000) 415,000 (742,000) 721,000 (728,000) 14,919,000 3,166,000 1,769,000 432,000 134,000 (1,050,000) (712,000) 15,814,000 3,130,000 921,000 (729,000) (273,000) (389,000) 435,000 13,435,000 (3,238,000) 166,000 719,000 (2,353,000) (3,046,000) (50,000) 547,000 (2,549,000) (2,945,000) 673,000 (211,000) (2,483,000) (5,044,000) (5,689,000) (81,000) (10,814,000) (284,000) $1,468,000 (4,655,000) (8,180,000) (2,815,000) (15,650,000) 344,000 ($2,041,000) (4,209,000 ) (4,079,000) (4,190,000) (12,478,000) 187,000 ($1,339,000) 9 Connect and Develop, PGs big stake in open innovation Last Trade: Trade Time: Change: Prev Close: Open: Bid: Ask: 62. 87 $ Nov 25 0. 07 (0. 11%) 62. 80 62. 94 N/A N/A Days Range: 52wk Range: Volume: Avg Vol (3m): Market Cap: P/E: EPS : 62. 70 63. 48 43. 93 64. 55 8,244,877 12,486,000 $183. 25 B 14. 65 x 4. 29$ 1. 72$ Dividend: 1y Target Est: 66. 25$ Figure 7, PG Long Term Stock price, Yahoo! Finance 7. 5 PGs Innovation or Initiatives Diamond Figure 8, PGS Innovation Diamond. Cooper Mills, 2005) The initiatives diamond is used by PG to guide their new product efforts and focuses the management’s attention on the criteria important for success. The diamond can be divided into two sections where the top half involves strategic aspects which identifies the product innovation strategy such as goals, the mix of new products required to meet the goals and the essential resources(Cooper Millsa,2005). The bottom half fo cuses on delivering specific new projects/initiatives. It is more operational and helps identify how the methods to manage projects successfully using PGs idea-to-launch SIMPL method (Cooper Mills, 2005). 20 Connect and Develop, PGs big stake in open innovation SIMPL: Successful Initiative Management and Product Launch Model This is PGs version of a stage-gate model and is a method used to impel products from the idea phase to the launch and post launch phases. Figure 9, PGs SIMPL Process (Cooper Mills, 2005) As can be seen from the diagram the SIMPL model has four main stages. These