Development of the professional role Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Improvement of the expert job - Essay Example I have chosen this scene of training, individualized consideration, since it is the area I took the vast majority of my time learning and had a tremendous experienced and contribution with different experts. I will utilize Gibbs Reflective Cycle to talk about this scene, my encounters, my activities, and exercises got the hang of during the training. Using Gibbs Reflective Model, I will address clinical dynamic, the executives, authority and cooperation, appointment and management of others, quality affirmation, and proceeding with proficient turn of events. I will address the previously mentioned topics corresponding to Gibbs Reflective Cycle of how I have created in these territories during my preparation to date. I will likewise utilize Gibbs Reflective Cycle to exhibit my wellness to rehearse and ponder my own and expert turn of events, and the abilities should have been used so as to upgrade my training. The Gibbs Reflective Model is a six stage cycle organized strategy which empowers the understudies to investigate their emotions and contemplations and supports an activity plan and examination with the point of testing practice and improving information (Brown 2007). The point of this reflection will concentrate on individualized consideration for a patient of a man, who I won't notice the name so as to ensure his namelessness. The reflection will similarly look at my emotions and musings, assessments, and basic examination of the consideration given to the patient in accordance with the National Health Service. While on situation in Emergency and Accident Department, I was doled out a patient under individualized consideration, to record his subsequent fundamental signs and archive my discoveries on a graph. I should watch any weakening and report and release or suggest referrals where conceivable as a wellbeing proficient accountable for guaranteeing sheltered and compelling release of patients from the medical clinic to their homes. This reflection is lined up with the strategies set up by the 2010 Quality Health Framework. The

Population Growth and the Arising Environmental Issues Essay

Populace is controlled by the relationship of two variables. One being birth rate and the other is passing rate. In the event that the quantity of passings is not exactly the quantity of births, at that point the populace is becoming bigger. In John Laffin’s tale The Hunger to Come information is available demonstrating that the populace will proceed to develop and not stop; â€Å"About 2050 the populace will be 15. 000 million, after a century 82. 000 million and by 2350 an alarming 440. 000 million will be reached†(Engelman, 47). Like every living life form, people develop and recreate; be that as it may, contrasted with the pace of which food is developed and provided, the birth rate ascends at an a lot quicker rate. This thought about pace of development is known as the Malthusian relationship. The Malthusian relationship presumes that human populace will in the long run develop to be too large, to where there won't be sufficient food flexibly and other crucial assets. At the point when this occurs, starvation or potentially demise will happen, except if an arrangement is established with respect to how to confine populace development. One principle issue which brings about the Malthusian relationship would be uncontrolled fruitfulness. Since the demise rate is diminishing because of clinical progressions it permits more births to occur. People without uncertainty will make a child quicker than the provisions expected to help them. This outcomes in birthrate being dropped down to zero populace development. This can occur from multiple points of view, furnishing ladies with contraception (anti-conception medication), fetus removal focuses and by making laws to keep couples from having all the more then two kids. Training on family arranging and conception prevention is an essential factor in controlling populace development. A typical issue that individuals believe is related with overpopulation is having no place to put everybody, except there are likewise numerous other ecological issues that it causes. More people will utilize more vehicles, consuming more fuel, eating more food and drinking more water. This causes more air contamination, more grounds are destroyed and more water and food to vanish. Consequently, populace control is essential on a worldwide level so as to ensure our condition. Populace development is demolishing the earth’s seas and water sources. This causes a lessening in earth’s water gracefully for what's to come. Because of the way that water is crucial to endure, the water sources being dirtied won't do people well. Other than water contamination, populace development additionally dirties the air, which causes the nursery impact and decrease of the ozone layer. The nursery impact is when gases develop around the earth’s external air which truly transforms the earth into a nursery. This means the warmth permitted into the earth’s climate is caught inside and not out loud pull out of the earth’s air. This outcomes in an expansion of the earth’s temperature, along these lines it causes cataclysmic events, for example, tropical storms and because of the expanded warmth, crops don't develop appropriately. With the nursery impact comes the vanishing ozone layer. The principle reason for the ozone layer is to direct the measure of UV light coming down to the earth’s surface from the sun. The substance chlorofluorocarbon which is found in cooling frameworks, when noticeable all around separates the ozone layer. This identifies with populace development in view of what number of families are being delivered regular which brings about more networks being assembled which implies more houses. In this manner, this implies more cooling units will be being used, which brings about the substance chlorofluorocarbon being let out into the air and separating the ozone layer. With the ozone layer being separated, more UV light enters the earth’s climate and makes people gain skin maladies, for example, skin malignancy. Subsequently, if populace development is controlled and there is less individuals, less cooling will be utilized, a worldwide temperature alteration and the breaking ozone layer could be forestalled. Fundamental driver of air contamination are the utilization of vehicles and modern plants, both which let free hurtful exhaust into the air. Corrosive downpour is a consequence of air contamination, it happens when an excessive number of poisons are discharged into the air. It is made by petroleum products being scorched at that point discharged into the air as a gas which at that point responds with daylight, oxygen and dampness. Corrosive downpour when hastened contaminates water and harms numerous materials and assets. Another destruction to vehicles with populace development is the reality of vehicles having cooling. This is on the grounds that more chlorofluorocarbon will be allowed into the air from the car’s cooling. With the populace expanding, it is making air contamination which is destructive to all living creature since they need clean air, one of the most significant necessities of life, to relax. Populace development additionally undermines the earth’s cultivating assets. For instance the desertification of land, this happens when rich land is transformed into fruitless land. This can occur from overgrazing of steers, or the topsoil being diverted (disintegration). In the event that an excessive amount of water is utilized, it can cause desertification which is generally brought about by a developing populace. The more individuals need food, the more land is being utilized in the incorrect manner to attempt to make food. Another way populace development influences our outside is deforestation. Woodlands are chopped down for the interest of kindling, farming space, paper items and more space to live. Be that as it may, backwoods are required for more than human needs, for example, to manage the measure of carbon dioxide let out into the climate. Leave it alone realized that populace control won't end all the issues, yet it would permit more opportunity for them to be fixed and estrange condition issues. The earth’s condition isn't unending and can reach a conclusion if populace control was not begun. Moves must be made presently to address the ebb and flow circumstances with the world including populace development, these activities are the expansion of deforestation and desertification, the decline of farmland, more water contamination, the breaking down ozone layer and the nursery impact. It is apparent that it is extremely unlikely our populace can continue developing at the rate it does now without contrarily affecting our condition.

Speed Reading Does it Actually Work

Speed Reading Does it Actually Work Speed Reading: Does it Actually Work? Speed Reading: Does it Actually Work? Speed reading (reading at an increased speed while maintaining a high level of comprehension) is certainly appealing to students. Think about it: mid semester when your professor has piled on yet another series of readings, you have the ability to maximize your digestion of literary texts or scientific papers with reckless abandon. In class you follow the professor’s line of reasoning with rigorous aptitude. You feel well prepared for your exams because you have managed to thoroughly read all the required readings for the semester. Have you ever been intrigued by the prospect of speed reading? The idea of speed-reading has been around for a long time. Evelyn Wood, an American educator and businessperson, was the first to introduce the concept in 1959 (Frank, 1994). Although there were individuals who were naturally gifted, fast readers, Wood developed and offered a program, which provided tools to individuals to increase their reading speed without the loss of retention (Wood, 1988). Although Wood’s work was made popular 60 years ago, the fundamental premises she introduced are still in use today. In an increasingly fast-paced world, it seems that speed-reading has increased in popularity. Speed-reading phone apps and Internet programs are being developed. Spreeder is a free app for iOS. It is a speed-reading training program, social media engagement platform, and machine assisted speed-reading tool. ReadMe! is an app that works with iOS as well as Android. It is an ebook reader with built-in speed-reading mechanisms. These new apps boast the ability to increase reading speed while allowing the reader to maintain a consistent comprehension level. Though there is much research, which exists to backup the benefits of speed-reading, questions remain about the reality of a training program that suggests you can enhance reading speed by over 500 words per minute. Perhaps you have seen advertisements on campus for speed-reading workshops or may you have downloaded a speed-reading app for your iPhone. Do you wonder about the legitimacy of using these techniques to increase your reading speed? If you have questions about whether speed-reading actually works, you’re not alone. The research on speed-reading indicates that there are tools we can use to increase our reading times, however, there are some caveats. In order to understand speed-reading and decide whether or not it is effective, it is necessary to first review the science of reading. The Science of Reading Eye movements are the foundation of reading. While this might seem obvious, it is important to understand that our eyes move in different ways that allow us to read. We use our eyes in all sorts of ways for different scenarios and there are several specific types of eye movements, which make up the process of reading. Reading involves a series of saccades, or quick eye movements (Rayner, 1998). A second movement common in reading is fixation, or when your eyes stop to focus on text (Rayner, 1998). Our eyes also have three ranges of vision. The Fovea is the area in the center of the retina; the parafovea expands on each side of the fovea; and the periphery is everything else inside the area of vision (Rayner, 1998). As you may know, the peripheral visual area is not very detailed. It is limited to some color and movement (Rayner, 1998). The fovea is the area of the eye, which picks up on detail. This makes it the ideal location for reading (Rayner, 1998). There is some detail picked up by the parafoveal area, however most reading occurs within the fovea. A third important component of reading is cognitive processing (Rayner, 1998). Whereas eye movements allow us to intake information, the brain must process the information producing meaning. In essence, we can break reading down into three steps: ? Saccades â€" rapid eye movements ? Fixation â€" pauses for in taking information ? Cognitive processing â€" making sense of the information (Rayner, 1998) There has been much research done on the time it takes for each of these steps to occur during the reading process. However, the time it takes us to read is more than just a sum of this process. In other words we cannot just add up how long it takes to do each of these steps to come up with our reading speed. There are two additional factors to consider: 1. We omit words when we read. This may be an effort on our brain’s part to naturally be more efficient. In general the words we tend to skip when we are reading are function words (Rayner, 1998). These are words like pronouns such as he, she, they, conjunctions, and articles. We also skip content words which make up the bulk of what we are reading, however this is less common than skipping function words. 2. A second process to account for in measuring our reading time is regression (Rayner, 1998). Regression refers to the way in which we go back to review material we have already read. For example, a regression may occur when a reader did not make sense of the material the first time they read it. When we consider all the factors involved in reading, how do we determine the time it takes an average person to read? According to much of the research, a university or college level reader can process words at 200-400 per minute, though there are the outliers who attain up to 1200 words per minute (Rayner, 1998). Take heart that if you are reading between 200 and 400 words a minute you are in the norm. Does Speed Reading Actually Work? The inevitable next question is whether speed-reading training programs actually work. This Guardian article provides some insight into the issue and suggests that it depends on what you are reading and why you are reading it. In essence, speed-reading touts the ability to increase reading time, however, it does so at a loss of comprehension. Speed-reading is most aptly considered skimming, because although the process allows people to read a certain number of words, they are doing so at a loss of comprehension. As discussed earlier, there are three portions to reading, and speed-reading focuses on the first two processes, saccades and fixation (albeit short), while minimizing the cognitive processing time. As Rayner, Schotter, Masson, Potter Treiman (2016) note, the quality of reading comprehension is a critical component when we attempt to assess the validity of speed-reading. There are many factors that are to be considered in relation to whether speed-reading is an effective tool. For example, it is essential to consider the goal of the reader. As a student, speed reading may be beneficial in order to digest the bulk of readings that professors assign, however it is likely best coupled with well-written notes and consistent class attendance. These contextual components will help to fill in some of the gaps the reader may miss by skimming the texts. The crux of the matter is that speed-reading can be used as a tool. However, students should take heed in relying solely on speed-reading as a means of study. Although the literature has shown that it is possible to increase reading speed over time and with practice, this occurs at a loss of comprehension. While it may help students to get through a heavy workload, speed-reading should be coupled with other complementary study techniques. Increasing your reading speed is one way to manage time while you’re in school. If you’re looking for other ways to find academic success and still have enough time to hit the gym or go for pizza with friends, check out our academic writing services. We are always available to help you make the most of your valuable time. If you are interested in learning more about speed-reading, please visit our YouTube channel, and view our video 5 Techniques To Increase Speed-Reading, Develop Reading Habits More. References: Frank, S. D. (1994). The Evelyn Wood seven-day speed reading and learning program. Cambridge University Press. Rayner, K., Schotter, E. R., Masson, M. E., Potter, M. C., Treiman, R. (2016). So much to read, so little time: How do we read, and can speed reading help?. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 17(1), 4-34. Rayner, K. (1998). Eye movements in reading and information processing: 20 years of research. Psychological bulletin, 124(3), 372. Wood, E. N. (1988). Reading dynamics. American Learning Corporation. Speed Reading Does it Actually Work Speed Reading: Does it Actually Work? Speed Reading: Does it Actually Work? Speed reading (reading at an increased speed while maintaining a high level of comprehension) is certainly appealing to students. Think about it: mid semester when your professor has piled on yet another series of readings, you have the ability to maximize your digestion of literary texts or scientific papers with reckless abandon. In class you follow the professor’s line of reasoning with rigorous aptitude. You feel well prepared for your exams because you have managed to thoroughly read all the required readings for the semester. Have you ever been intrigued by the prospect of speed reading? The idea of speed-reading has been around for a long time. Evelyn Wood, an American educator and businessperson, was the first to introduce the concept in 1959 (Frank, 1994). Although there were individuals who were naturally gifted, fast readers, Wood developed and offered a program, which provided tools to individuals to increase their reading speed without the loss of retention (Wood, 1988). Although Wood’s work was made popular 60 years ago, the fundamental premises she introduced are still in use today. In an increasingly fast-paced world, it seems that speed-reading has increased in popularity. Speed-reading phone apps and Internet programs are being developed. Spreeder is a free app for iOS. It is a speed-reading training program, social media engagement platform, and machine assisted speed-reading tool. ReadMe! is an app that works with iOS as well as Android. It is an ebook reader with built-in speed-reading mechanisms. These new apps boast the ability to increase reading speed while allowing the reader to maintain a consistent comprehension level. Though there is much research, which exists to backup the benefits of speed-reading, questions remain about the reality of a training program that suggests you can enhance reading speed by over 500 words per minute. Perhaps you have seen advertisements on campus for speed-reading workshops or may you have downloaded a speed-reading app for your iPhone. Do you wonder about the legitimacy of using these techniques to increase your reading speed? If you have questions about whether speed-reading actually works, you’re not alone. The research on speed-reading indicates that there are tools we can use to increase our reading times, however, there are some caveats. In order to understand speed-reading and decide whether or not it is effective, it is necessary to first review the science of reading. The Science of Reading Eye movements are the foundation of reading. While this might seem obvious, it is important to understand that our eyes move in different ways that allow us to read. We use our eyes in all sorts of ways for different scenarios and there are several specific types of eye movements, which make up the process of reading. Reading involves a series of saccades, or quick eye movements (Rayner, 1998). A second movement common in reading is fixation, or when your eyes stop to focus on text (Rayner, 1998). Our eyes also have three ranges of vision. The Fovea is the area in the center of the retina; the parafovea expands on each side of the fovea; and the periphery is everything else inside the area of vision (Rayner, 1998). As you may know, the peripheral visual area is not very detailed. It is limited to some color and movement (Rayner, 1998). The fovea is the area of the eye, which picks up on detail. This makes it the ideal location for reading (Rayner, 1998). There is some detail picked up by the parafoveal area, however most reading occurs within the fovea. A third important component of reading is cognitive processing (Rayner, 1998). Whereas eye movements allow us to intake information, the brain must process the information producing meaning. In essence, we can break reading down into three steps: ? Saccades â€" rapid eye movements ? Fixation â€" pauses for in taking information ? Cognitive processing â€" making sense of the information (Rayner, 1998) There has been much research done on the time it takes for each of these steps to occur during the reading process. However, the time it takes us to read is more than just a sum of this process. In other words we cannot just add up how long it takes to do each of these steps to come up with our reading speed. There are two additional factors to consider: 1. We omit words when we read. This may be an effort on our brain’s part to naturally be more efficient. In general the words we tend to skip when we are reading are function words (Rayner, 1998). These are words like pronouns such as he, she, they, conjunctions, and articles. We also skip content words which make up the bulk of what we are reading, however this is less common than skipping function words. 2. A second process to account for in measuring our reading time is regression (Rayner, 1998). Regression refers to the way in which we go back to review material we have already read. For example, a regression may occur when a reader did not make sense of the material the first time they read it. When we consider all the factors involved in reading, how do we determine the time it takes an average person to read? According to much of the research, a university or college level reader can process words at 200-400 per minute, though there are the outliers who attain up to 1200 words per minute (Rayner, 1998). Take heart that if you are reading between 200 and 400 words a minute you are in the norm. Does Speed Reading Actually Work? The inevitable next question is whether speed-reading training programs actually work. This Guardian article provides some insight into the issue and suggests that it depends on what you are reading and why you are reading it. In essence, speed-reading touts the ability to increase reading time, however, it does so at a loss of comprehension. Speed-reading is most aptly considered skimming, because although the process allows people to read a certain number of words, they are doing so at a loss of comprehension. As discussed earlier, there are three portions to reading, and speed-reading focuses on the first two processes, saccades and fixation (albeit short), while minimizing the cognitive processing time. As Rayner, Schotter, Masson, Potter Treiman (2016) note, the quality of reading comprehension is a critical component when we attempt to assess the validity of speed-reading. There are many factors that are to be considered in relation to whether speed-reading is an effective tool. For example, it is essential to consider the goal of the reader. As a student, speed reading may be beneficial in order to digest the bulk of readings that professors assign, however it is likely best coupled with well-written notes and consistent class attendance. These contextual components will help to fill in some of the gaps the reader may miss by skimming the texts. The crux of the matter is that speed-reading can be used as a tool. However, students should take heed in relying solely on speed-reading as a means of study. Although the literature has shown that it is possible to increase reading speed over time and with practice, this occurs at a loss of comprehension. While it may help students to get through a heavy workload, speed-reading should be coupled with other complementary study techniques. Increasing your reading speed is one way to manage time while you’re in school. If you’re looking for other ways to find academic success and still have enough time to hit the gym or go for pizza with friends, check out our academic writing services. We are always available to help you make the most of your valuable time. If you are interested in learning more about speed-reading, please visit our YouTube channel, and view our video 5 Techniques To Increase Speed-Reading, Develop Reading Habits More. References: Frank, S. D. (1994). The Evelyn Wood seven-day speed reading and learning program. Cambridge University Press. Rayner, K., Schotter, E. R., Masson, M. E., Potter, M. C., Treiman, R. (2016). So much to read, so little time: How do we read, and can speed reading help?. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 17(1), 4-34. Rayner, K. (1998). Eye movements in reading and information processing: 20 years of research. Psychological bulletin, 124(3), 372. Wood, E. N. (1988). Reading dynamics. American Learning Corporation.

Corporate Social Responsibility Essay - 1698 Words

In recent years, companies are becoming socially responsible and now stakeholders almost expect a company to have CSR policies. Therefore, in twentieth century, corporate social responsibility (CSR) became an important development in public life (Barnett, ND).Corporate social responsibility is defined as â€Å"the ways in which an organisation exceeds the minimum obligations to stakeholders specified through regulation and corporate governance† (Johnson, Schools and Whittington, N.D cited in March, 2012). Stakeholders can be defined as â€Å"those individuals or groups who depend on the organisation to fulfil their own goals and on whom, in turn, the organisation depends† (Johnson, Schools and Whittington, N.D cited in March, 2012). There are many†¦show more content†¦Also, the corporation should not put their customers into danger which lead to legal obligation in some countries (Johnson, Schools and Whittington, N.D cited in March, 2012). Starbucks is one of the examples of a company which has corporate social responsibility policies regarding its stakeholders. Starbucks is an international coffee company with 13,100 branches in 40 countries around the world since 1971. Their products are coffee, tea, beverages and baked food (Harris, ND).According to Article13 (2002) Starbucks started to be corporate social responsibility to make their brand to be recognized and respected around the world. To achieve their goal, Starbucks leads to expand their retails around the world and introduce new product. In 2001, Starbucks created a production supply chain for coffee. Starbucks also donate cash and product for other organizations. As a result, they are trying to make their reputation more respected. The first primary stakeholder is the environment. There are several factors which might have some impacts on the environment. Firstly, Starbucks depends on the agricultural products, such as coffee and beans. The corporation believes that it is important to keep the environment safe, clean and under protection (Brad S, 2012). However, according to (Sheri, 2009), Starbucks use 58 billion of paper cups every year; only 3 billion of their cups are non recyclable and thrownShow MoreRelatedCorporate Social Responsibility : Corporate Responsibility773 Words   |  4 PagesCorporate social responsibility may also be referred to as corporate citizenship and can involve spending finances that do not directly benefit the company but rather advocate positive social and environmental change. The soul in the next economy forum presentation made it evident that achieving corporate social responsibly in a company can reap major benefits in terms of finances, more inspiring workplace and customer s atisfaction. In the past, companies mistakenly thought that corporate socialRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility1990 Words   |  8 PagesCorporate social responsibility is becoming a key initiative and an essential tool in the growth of multinational corporations and the development of third world countries throughout the globe. The two concepts can work hand in hand to provide benefits for all; however difficulties in regulating and implementing corporate social responsibility need to be overcome before effective changes can be made. Definitions of corporate social responsibility can be somewhat varied depending on the perceptionRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility1904 Words   |  8 PagesCorporate Social Responsibility The different aspects of corporate social responsibility (CSR) have been the topic of considerable debate since the last decades of the twentieth century. Main factor for the increased interest on the part of stakeholders in this topic are the increased public awareness and interest in the corporate social responsibility following the Information Revolution. This essay will assess the dangers and benefits of the business ethics for most of the stakeholders – employeesRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility : Corporate Responsibility2819 Words   |  12 PagesIntroduction For the past years, corporate social responsibility also referred, as corporate conscience has been a respected subject for discussion. Corporate social responsibility, unquestionably, contains more viewpoint than simply worried about the ecological impacts of associations. It came in people groups mind at the later 1880, time of essential modern advancement that associations ought to think about the thought of social obligation. Associations that are near to social obligation issues got toRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibilities2100 Words   |  9 PagesSustainability requires monitoring and managing all the person to ensure that our economy and society can continue to exist without destroying the social and natural environment during development. The sustainability includes three pillars, which are economic, social and environment, forming a triple bottom line. The triple bottom line demands that a company s responsibility lies with stakeholder rather than shareholder. The stake holder is a party who can be affected or affect by the action of the company suchRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility15903 Words   |  64 PagesCORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR) is a term describing a company’s obligation to be accountable to all of its stakeholder in all its operation and activities. Socially responsible companies consider the full scope of their impact on communities and the environment when making decisions, balancing the needs of stakeholder with their need to make profit. A company’s stakeholders are all those who are influenced by and can influence a company’s decisions and action, both locally and globally. BusinessRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility3253 Words   |  14 PagesLiving Dangerously in Two Worlds In my paper I will be discussing the topics related to corporate social responsibility. Corporate social responsibility (CSR, also called corporate responsibility, corporate citizenship, and responsible business) is a concept whereby organizations consider the interests of society by taking responsibility for the impact of their activities on customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, communities and other stakeholders, as well as the environment. This obligationRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility : Corporate Responsibility2819 Words   |  12 PagesIntroduction For the past years, corporate social responsibility also referred, as corporate conscience has been a respected subject for discussion. Corporate social responsibility, unquestionably, contains more viewpoint than simply worried about the ecological impacts of associations. It came in people groups mind at the later 1880, time of essential modern advancement that associations ought to think about the thought of social obligation. Associations that are near to social obligation issues got toRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility : Corporate Responsibility2818 Words   |  12 PagesFor the past years, corporate social responsibility also referred, as corporate conscience has been a respected subject for discussion. Corporate social responsibility, unquestionably, contains more viewpoint than simply worried about the ecological impacts of associations. It came in people groups mind at the later 1880, time of essential modern advancement that associations ought to think about the thou ght of social obligation. Associations that are near to social obligation issues got to be worryRead MoreCorporate Responsibility And Corporate Social Responsibility Essay1867 Words   |  8 PagesStevan Jakovljevic Professor Laud MGT 3550 Values, Ethics and Sustainability 10/18/16 Chapter 3: Define corporate responsibility (CSR). Describe the benefits. Why do some executives support CSR while others find it troublesome and argue against it? Corporate social responsibility is what a company uses to self-regulate itself and refers to business practices involving initiatives that benefit society. A business’s CSR can encompass a wide variety of tactics, from giving away a portion of a company’s

Argumentative Essay About Drugs and Pregnant Women

Why are babies, who are born to drug-addicted mothers, more likely to abuse drugs as teens and how can this be prevented? Introduction The term ‘Mothering’ is a manifestation of all the best practices constituted in the well being of a child. The way mothers perform this behavior is largely influenced by the social norms, rituals and myths. Then, the outcome of Mothering is an amalgamation of social, economic and political influences reflected in the character of a child. Hence mothers should be really concerned about how they raise their children and who is accountable for them. Family and household further extend support to the mothers as mothers alone cannot provide for all the needs of the children. It is the family and society which sets standards for what is good and bad for a child and a mother should be mindful of these differences if she wants to return to the society, a responsible human being. This paper supports the argument that receptors of drugs, while in their mother’s wombs, develop higher chances of becoming drug addicts when they come into their adolescence. In this regard, the paper provides explanation to how this happens highlighting the withdrawal symptom that these children experience, what specific drugs causes this impact   over their lives and what is the after effects on their life. The paper also identifies which factors are responsible for pushing the teenage girls and women towards substance use and how can these women be saved from such a trauma. A comprehensive conclusion is provided at the end. Withdrawal symptoms Starting from the time since the baby is conceived in the mother’s womb, the baby is vulnerable to all the harmful things that the mother gets involved in, which may include taking drugs or consuming alcohol. As the baby is developing in the mother’s womb, the baby may get abused by the drug intake of mothers and hence may suffer from withdrawal symptoms when the mother cuts down on the quantity of drug consumed or when the fetus leaves the womb. This problem is also known as narcotics abstinence syndrome (NAS) and it basically explains the irritability, hyperactivity, and restlessness witnessed in newly born babies. These symptoms as provided by (Brownstein-Evans, 2) are: Difficulty with tone and movement: Infants facing this problem may have developed tight muscles and tremors and these problems can lead to difficulty in feeding, resulting in weight loss of the baby or in some cases, failure to survive. Difficulty in state regulation: Under this condition, infants face problem sustaining an alert state of mind which is essential to observe the ambiance, respond to care takers and demonstrate the need to be fed. They can also experience an issue transiting in different states like from wakefulness to sleep state and hence develop irritation associated with the lack of sleep. Difficulty in reacting to stimuli: Infants may demonstrate absurd reactions to different stimuli like touch, sound, movement. Their reaction may vary from being hyperactive to not responding at all or avoiding the stimuli altogether. Difficulty in autonomic nervous system control: If an infant develop a problem in its nervous systems than it will demonstrate an irregular functioning which may involve too frequent hiccupping, fast breathing and diarrhea/vomit. However, the withdrawal symptom exhibited in different babies may be different dependent upon the timing of exposure to the drug, the intensity or the dose. The timing of exposure is important as well because when the fetus is in 12th week than it’s highly vulnerable and so may get significantly affected by the drug in the blood. However, if the fetus is in its 37th week, than the effect will be minimal (Brownstein-Evans, 2). Also since the fetus doesn’t metabolize and can’t excrete compounds hence the level of drug in the fetus differs from the level in the mother. That is why the new born may demonstrate evidence of drug intake by the mother; even several days after the birth and the withdrawal symptoms may continue to show for months. There may have developed several ways to help the babies recover from the withdrawal symptoms but at the very heart of the cure, there should be immense attention that the baby should receive from the hospital staff. Medication that is used typically include morphine whereas the physicians may also recommend methadone or other soothing techniques (Beck, 1-3). Specific drugs According to (Chadwick, 2-3) Drug abuse is a practice seriously illegalized because almost all of the drugs have disastrous effects on the brain and the more they are use, the greater will be their damage over the nervous system. There are many drugs registered, that may cause harm to the fetus. These drugs may be categorized into prescription drugs, over- the-counter drugs, and illegal drugs. Alcohol, heroin and tobacco are some common drugs with well-documented effects. For example, Alcohol, when consumed in large quantity during the early stages of pregnancy can produce devastating effects over the fetus including birth defects and mental impairment. These problems will range from mild to moderate brain damage and will become apparent when the child is born with a disability or his mental capabilities are challenged at school. Another drug is heroine, which used late in pregnancy can boost up the severity of the withdrawal symptoms inflicting the baby after birth. There are many o ther drugs which may directly affect the fetus or may demonstrate their effects through the severe withdrawal symptoms inflicted upon the baby. These drugs may be cocaine, PCP or amphetamines. The effects of the substance abuse (Evans, 1) illustrates a scenario of the tumultuous life of a fetus trapped in its mother’s womb and unwillingly being subjected to high amounts of alcohol or other drug abuse. This scenario is in congruence to the life of passenger on a storm tossed ship without a rudder. The little fetus has to absorb the drug which will eventually be in higher quantity than the drug consumed by the mother and this drug will persist in the fetus’s bloodstream for a comparatively longer time. Hence the fetus will have to pay for sins which he didn’t commit. In most of the cases, the baby gets addicted to the drug and experience withdrawal at their birth. As (LaGasse et al, 64-72) summarizes the emotional instability in the following lines â€Å"An exposure is associated with increased emotional reactivity and anxious/depressed problems at both ages and externalizing and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder problems by age 5 years†. Furthermore (Olsen et al, 1-5) conte nd that the other defects which may accompany these babies for their entire life are the deformities like the facial deformity, the malfunctioning of the heart, mental retardation and other defects like low birth weight, coupled up with increased chances of infant mortality. The above mentioned were the effects which were personal to the baby. However, (Cornelius, Leech Goldschmidt, 45-52) further contend that the child may continue to witness neglect and physical abuse, if the mother continues her addiction to the drug. This may happen because mothers addicted to heroin would be too high to cater to services of the baby particularly during the night times and would not take appropriate care leaving the baby to its own self or to others. Fathers indulged in this behavior, experience zero level tolerance for normal stresses accompanied by a new born baby like waking up in the middle of the night and the repercussion of them being so aggressive is fatal abuse over the baby. Such mental disturbance cultivates a negative trait in the personality of the new born even if he weren’t affected earlier (Chadwick, 2-3). Another similar argument has been made by (Norris, 3) who highlights the study of Dr.Brook. Dr.Brook recognizes that the three influencing factors over the life of a baby are prenatal tobacco exposure, a physically abusive or stringent disciplinary style and a conflict behind mother and child. All these factors are solely responsible for   disrupting the neuro physiological functioning of the fetus,   which pushes the child in a tragedy of not being able to develop their brain functioning properly which will eventually cultivate into behavioral problems being exhibited by these kids such as mental illness, substance abuse or juvenile delinquency. In fact, a study by (Richardson et al, 37-46) reinstates the same findings that children exposed to prenatal methamphetamine exhibit behavior problems starting from the age 3 which is actually a cause of concern for the public. General Family Factors Leading to Addictions in Children and Adolescents There has been a network of factors behind the initiation and development of substance abuse among women and girls. As is anticipated, the initiation began after the substance was introduced by someone else who in most of the cases is by a boy friend or another male friend. (LaGasse et al, 64-72) has provided evidence for the notion that interaction, assistance and encouragement of other people is responsible for women engaging in substance abuse. They may get attracted to the offer made by the male partner in circumstances when the women may be suffering immense stress, heavy influence of the relationship or other psychological characteristics.   Some women also report that they took on to the drugs because it kills their hunger and hence help them lose weight. Other studies have reported the parental impact over pushing the child towards development of drug addiction. Parents who have remained regular users of alcohols or illicit drugs are not able to monitor their kids properly and protect them from being subjected to physical or sexual abuse by other family members. (LaGasse et al, 64-72) also contends that throughout the history, many examples have been proposed in which a child particularly female when tormented by physical or sexual abuse may develop the habit of consuming drugs to relieve them of this pain. It is tragic to realize that leaving their kids in worst possible conditions, parents are either savoring their own lives or may remain unavailable to cater the needs of their children. Alarming reviews provided by (Minese et al, 2-44) have registered that there is a direct link between alcoholic parents and children getting addicted to alcohol and an indirect link to less parental supervision, stress and other forms of emotional volatility because when a parent has substance abuse disorder, the child sees this as an acceptable behavior. This is the reason why good parental support is like a shield against this behavior. (Richardson et al, 37-46) h ave contended that around 4500 women interviewed have proposed the statement that good parental and marriage is protective against the development of substance abuse in women. Even if a woman is indulged in bad behavior such as this, good partners can act as motivators for women to escape this condition in which immense trauma and risk is involved. Why do adolescents possibly end up being substance users involuntarily? As much as the prospect of babies developing drug addiction due to prenatal exposure is alarming, how do they develop this addiction is a question of utmost significance. (Tom, 1-2)has answered that fetus start producing inhibitory/repressive chemicals once they cross their second trimester. Until then the baby is highly vulnerable to whatever the mother intakes. The evidence of this is provided by (Richardson et al, 37-46) as he quotes â€Å"First trimester cocaine exposure significantly predicted earlier adolescent marijuana and alcohol initiation†. Also until then the mother has to provide for the necessary serotonin which the baby demands. If the mother is low on the supply, then the baby will suffer the repercussions of that lack of serotonin. This notion of the fetus being completely vulnerable before the second trimester explains that when the mother takes the tranquilizers or other pain killers, she is actually forcing the fetus to adapt to the input. These continuous doses adapt the fetus to drug abuse before the development of inhibitory chemicals to restraint its use and so when the baby is born, he/she is in demand for these products. However (Tom, 1-2)provides a different side of the argument claiming that the drug abuse may develop tolerance in the baby so that they are least aggravated by the depressive moods and the potential of committing suicide is also low amongst them.   The only worst implication in the offspring of a mother who takes drugs would be the development of drug addictive behavior. the earlier proposition was made on the grounds that if mother was addicted to opiates or any other pain easing drug, then her baby will be capable of soothing the trauma is his life and hence would be capable of not becoming a suicide prone individual. In other words, when projected with feelings of hopelessness which can trigger the need to bring about an end to one’s life because it not only raised the hopelessness but also resonated the agony of the situation. In this circumstance the pregnant mother would resort to taking a drug to ease her pain which will also ease the suffering of the baby. Thus later on the baby will develop the habit of turning onto the drugs to ease the pain, a replication of the earlier event. The gravity of the issue can be determined by the statement proposed by (Beck, 1-3) that around 375,000 babies are born to drug addicted mothers every year and hence later in life these babies also develop the habit of injecting cocaine, heroin, methadone, amphetamines, PCP or marijuana because they can’t stand without its effects when they are vulnerable outside the womb. Another similar stance can be drawn from the article by (Munro, 35-47) which states that a large number of pregnant women in Canada are addicted to crystal meth, the evidence of which can be found after testing wisps of hair from days-old babies. The drug crossed the placenta and reached fetuses in the womb. Solution to the problem Given the devastating effects that drug addicted mothers impose upon their babies particularly the behavior of becoming addicted to the same drugs which the fetuses were exposed to while still in the womb, there is an immediate need to find out the resolution of this problem. (Nordberg Hellstrà ¶m, 289-293) has outlined some remedies which are a useful solution. First of all women with drug dependency should pursue drug abuse treatment, prenatal care and psychiatric treatment, from the time they conceive the baby so that can furnish their parenting skills. The medication usually provided in this circumstance is methadone or buprenorphine to help the women maintain their abstinence from illegal drug abuse. This problem also arises out of the lack of awareness of the repercussion of drug addiction of pregnant mothers hence the a major campaign should be undertaken to educate the people and spread the message far and wide about the risks of drug abuse in pregnancy. (Chadwick, 2-3) is of the view that this approach would require support from the government in providing funds for this campaign, and allowing it to run on the media. The government can also provide enhanced facilities for drug rehabilitation especially for young teens. Though this may cost a lot, but considerably lesser than the cost of all litigations against drug abuse. The benefits will be both at the individual level as the life of mother and the child will be protected and at the societal level for the society will no longer have to deal with these issues and will have responsible citizens directed towards their well being. According to (Turner, 5) the best treatment for mother on drugs is not to abstain from the drug usage immediately. Abstaining immediately is more harmful for the fetus and the mother always holds the potential of relapsing into this behavior later in their lives. Rather the doctors recommend that mother should sustain her usage of methadone or buprenorphine which controls their opium exposure and doesn’t pose any risk to the baby as well. This may reduce the withdrawal symptoms faced by the baby as well. The remaining symptoms can then be eliminated with the same drugs by which the mother was being treated. These drugs can be passed onto the infants through direct injection or through the mother’s milk while the mothers are nursing for their kids. Conclusion Based on the above discussion we can see that those women who have developed the habit of substance use hold a major risk for their unborn babies. This risk may demonstrate its dangers from the moment it enters the blood stream of the fetus for the fetus will cultivate a need for this drug due to which it may suffer withdrawal when the baby is born. The withdrawal itself is not a good sign because it can give rise to negative traits within the baby. Furthermore, more traumatic effects of this can be either mental or physical deformity. As the essay progressed, we identified that the factor for this substance abuse has largely been less parental support and supervision which can project the child towards isolation or physical abuse in the extreme case. Hence an educational campaign with the help of citizens and government is required to reduce such risk, educate the mothers and push them towards taking the remedial measures outlined above. Works Cited Beck, Joan. MOTHERS ON DRUGS THE UNBORN INFANTS HAVE NO CHOICE.  Seattle Times: 1-3. Sep 09 1988.  ProQuest.Web. 15 Nov. 2013. Brownstein-Evans, Carol. Reaffirming Motherhood: Mothers, Substance use, and Recovery. Order No. 3132683 Syracuse University, 2, 2004. Ann Arbor Chadwick, David L. Protecting the Unborn: The Problem of Expectant Mothers on Drugs. Los Angeles Times (pre-1997 Fulltext): 2-3. Oct 19 1986. Cornelius MD, Leech SL, Goldschmidt L, Day NL.â€Å"Prenatal tobacco exposure: is it a risk factor for early tobacco experimentation?† Nicotine Tobacco Research, 2, 45-52, 2000. Web. 15 Nov 2013 Evans, Joyce. Unborn Children are Unwilling Victims of Drug Abuse. Milwaukee Sentinel: 1. Sep 17 1990. Hellstrà ¶m, Lindahl. E Nordberg, Agneta. â€Å"Smoking during pregnancy: a way to transfer the addiction to the next generation?† Karger Medical and Scientific Publishers, 69(4), 289-293. 2002. Web. 15th Nov 2013. LaGasse, Linda L., Derauf, Chris., Smith, Lynne M., Newman, Elana., Shah, Rizwan., Neal, Charles., Arria, Amelia., Huestis, Marilyn A., DellaGrotta, Sheri., Lin, Hai., Dansereau, Lynne M. Lester, Barry M. â€Å"Prenatal methamphetamine exposure, home environment, and primary caregiver risk factors predict child behavioral problems at 5  years† American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 83:  64–72. 2013. Web. 15th Nov 2013 Minnese, Sonia., Singer, Lynn., Min, Meeyoung, O. Wu, Miaoping., Lang, Adelaide. Yoon, Susan., â€Å"Effects of Prenatal Cocaine/Polydrug Exposure on Substance Use by Age 15†.Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2-44. 2013, September 28, Web. 15th Nov 2013 Munro, Margaret. Crystal Meth Moms Pass Drug on to their Babies: Tests on Infants Hair show Exposure in Womb. Edmonton Journal: 35-47. Oct 31 2006. Norris, Michele L. Cries in the Dark often Go Unansweredl; for Drug-Addicted Mothers, Treatment is Hard to Find, Even Harder to Stick with Series: CRACKS CHILDREN Series Number: 3/3. The Washington Post (pre-1997 Fulltext): 3. Jul 02 1991. OLSON, HEATHER C., STREISSGUTH, ANN P.,   SAMPSON, PAUL D., BARR, HELEN M., BOOKSTEIN, FRED L. THIEDE, KEITH â€Å"Association of prenatal alcohol exposure with behavioral and learning problems in early adolescence† 2007,1-5 Web. 15th Nov 2013 Richardson, Gale A., Larkby, Cynthia., Goldschmidt, Lidush. Day, Nancy L. â€Å"Adolescent initiation of use: effects of prenatal cocaine exposure† Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 52(1), 37-46. 2013. Web. 15th Nov2013 Tom Philp Bee, Staff W. ALARM OVER METH BABIES STIMULANT ABUSE FRIGHTENINGLY COMMON, DOCTORS SAY. The Sacramento Bee: 1-2. Aug 06 1995. Turner, Robin. Major Conference to Highlight Dangers of Drug use on Unborn Babies ; HEALTH.  Western Mail: 5. Dec 11 2001.  ProQuest.  Web. 15 Nov. 2013  .

Literary Devices Used By Edgar Allan Poe - 986 Words

In poetry, everything has a meaning. Poetic writers use many elements to signal the audience in whichever direction they wish to. They use these elements to get their messages across so the readers understand the poem in a much deeper stance. One great poet that uses such intricate writing in his poems is Edgar Allan Poe. Edgar Allan Poe uses several different literary devices in his major 1849 poem Annabel Lee. In his text he incorporates theme with imagery, symbolism, and form. These literary devices help lead the audience to the understanding of the overall meaning of the poem. Edgar Allan Poe s use of symbolism allows for the audience to understand how this gentleman feels about Annabel Lee. In the poem, the author uses symbolism when the narrator states, â€Å"For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And the stars never rise but I see the bright eyes Of the beautiful Annabel Lee† (Poe 1849). By doing so, the narrator is using the moon and the stars as a symbol of the love he feels for Annabel Lee. The light of their existence is eternal as is the love this man felt for Annabel Lee. Tying into symbolism, the author uses the theme of love to get the message across that he loves Annabel dearly. He does this by using word repetition in his form of writing the poem. He repeats the words â€Å"love† and the name of his love, â€Å"Annabel Lee† along with the repetition of where this all took place, â€Å"in a kingdom by the sea†. He does this to getShow MoreRelatedLiterary Devices Used By Edgar Allan Poe1500 Words   |  6 PagesPoets use literary devices to turn their poems into a movie in the reader’s mind; to allow the reader to visualize the story unfolding before them, and maybe even have the reader feel like they are there in the story, witnessing the events firsthand. 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These death inspired elements within Poe’s writing were ahead of their timeRead MoreEdgar Allen Poe and His Dark Stories673 Words   |  3 PagesEdgar Allen Poe, an amazing writer and poet, known for his dark themes and use of literary elements. Many individuals read his stories and poetry, but do not k now who Edgar Allen Poe is, aside from being a writer and poet. They also do not know why he wrote this way. The amount of time it took for him to be able to publish his first book or how sad he felt when his wife died, people do not know these things. These are the events that helped him become so determined and write so sorrowfully. Read MoreEdgar Allan Poe Was A Master Of The Literary Elements And1092 Words   |  5 PagesEdgar Allan Poe was a master of the literary elements and used them greatly in all of his works. In the story, â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado,† Poe uses these literary devices to really grab the audience and keep them wanting more. This skillful building of suspense is what makes this story so interesting and easy to keep reading. Poe drops small hints throughout the story in order to give the reader a little glimpse of how the story will come to an exciting end. With all of these elements coming togetherRead MoreAnalysis of Edgar Allan Poe ´s Literature888 Words   |  4 PagesEdgar Allan Poe has a unique writing style that uses several different elements of literary structure. He uses intrigue vocabulary, repetition, and imagery to better capture the reader’s attention and place them in the story. Edgar Allan Poe’s style is dark, and his is mysterious style of writ ing appeals to emotion and drama. What might be Poe’s greatest fictitious stories are gothic tend to have the same recurring theme of either death, lost love, or both. His choice of word draws the reader inRead MoreEdgar Allan Poes The Cask of the Amontillado Essay1520 Words   |  7 PagesSomething Unexpected Poe has written a several different stories relating to being buried alive, â€Å"The Premature Burial† and â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† being the most popular. Edgar Allan Poe â€Å"was one of the seminal American poets and short story writers of the nineteenth century† he was an influencer for writers like Charles Baudelaire and Jules Verne. Poe lost both of his parents as a child and was raised with a foster family and lost his foster mom early, too. He lost many of his loved onesRead MoreLiterary Analysis : The Raven By Edgar Allan Poe727 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"The raven† by Edgar Allan Poe Example: â€Å"Once upon a midnight dreary while I pondered weak and weary (1); rare and radiant maiden (11); And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain (notice the deft use of consonance as well) (13); Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, / Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before (19-20)†. Analysis : â€Å"The raven† is a poem written by Ellan Edgar Poe. The reason why using alliteration is importantRead MoreLiterary Analysis of Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe Essay1313 Words   |  6 PagesAnalyzing of Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe in this poem â€Å"Annabel Lee† written in 1849, and first published shortly after his death in Sartain’s Union Magazine, is a story of true love and great loss where a man loves a woman so deeply and is devastated when she dies but holds on to that love even after death. No one really knows whom exactly Poe wrote this poem about, whether or not it was actually inspired by someone he truly loved due to his death right after he wrote it. ThereRead MoreLiterary Art : Edgar Allan Poe1195 Words   |  5 PagesEdgar Allan Poe is one of the best writers of any generation; he has contributed many devices such as â€Å"ratiocination† to the literary world (Corneilus 6). 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William Shakespeare Essay Example For Students

William Shakespeare Essay ShakespeareIn the year of 1564 the man known as William Shakespeare was born, in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. The exact date of birth is unknown but is traditionally celebrated on the 23 of April. To Englanders this day is known as The Feast of St. George. The third-born of eight children to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden Shakespeare, William was their eldest son. John Shakespeare was a glove-maker and a tanner. Earlier in his life John had served a term as the mayor of Stratford, was a town councilman, one of Stratfords justices of peace, and an ale taster. John, unfortunately, could not write. In 1601, when William was 37 years old, John Shakespeare died. William inherited what small portions of land John had come to own in his lifetime, being the eldest of John and Marys sons. Very little is known about Mary Arden Shakespeares life. Although, she is known to have come from a wealthy family. Marys family also paid John a very gracious dowry. William Shakespeare went to an excellent grammar school in Stratford-upon-Avon. Two Oxford graduates were instructors there. Shakespeare was fortunate to get both of them as teachers. Their names were Simon Hunt and Thomas Jenkins. William Studied the languages of Greek and Latin. He had also acquired a razor sharp awareness of both mankind and nature. This is believed to be his last type of formal education. On the day November 27, 1582, when Shakespeare was a mere 18 years of age, he was wed to Anne Hathaway. She was 28 when they got married. Their first child was a girl by the name of Susanna, born May 26, 1583. Two years later William and Anne had twins named Judith and Hamnet. Tragically, Hamnet died at the age of 11. It is not known why he diedBetween the years of 1585 and 1592 there is no evidence of Shakespeares or the rest of his familys lives. The Hidden Years are what many call this time period in Shakespeares life. It is believed that he may have been running from the law or was the apprentice of a butcher. A man named John Aubry was told by another man by the name of Christopher Beston that Shakespeare was simply working as a school teacher in London up until 1592. Beginning in the year 1592, in London, he was starting to become known as an established playwright. In 1593 Henry Wriothsley became William Shakespeares patron and sponsor. Shakespeare was also a writer, director, actor, and stockholder in The Kings Men company. William was acting for this company, which became the worlds largest and most famous acting company only because Shakespeare was acting and working for them. Written in 1593 was Shakespeares first long poem, called Venus and Adonius. Then in 1594 William wrote his second long poem called Rape of Lucrece. These two poems were written when the theatres were closed because of the highly contagious epidemic plague. William Shakespeare began writing plays in the late 1590s. Writing The Taming of the Shrew, The Comedy of Errors, As You Like It, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Most of these plays were comedies. The only tragedy he wrote at that time was Romeo and Juliet. 1599 brought the construction of the Globe, which was built by Shakespeares company. The most well-known of his tragedies were performed there. The plays acted out were Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, and King Lear. To be, or not to be-that is the question: Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune (Hamlet in Hamlet) and But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun. (Romeo in Romeo and Juliet) are two of Shakespeares most famous quotes. .u5f72d165ceefdec99cbf79ef1b8c7165 , .u5f72d165ceefdec99cbf79ef1b8c7165 .postImageUrl , .u5f72d165ceefdec99cbf79ef1b8c7165 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u5f72d165ceefdec99cbf79ef1b8c7165 , .u5f72d165ceefdec99cbf79ef1b8c7165:hover , .u5f72d165ceefdec99cbf79ef1b8c7165:visited , .u5f72d165ceefdec99cbf79ef1b8c7165:active { border:0!important; } .u5f72d165ceefdec99cbf79ef1b8c7165 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u5f72d165ceefdec99cbf79ef1b8c7165 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u5f72d165ceefdec99cbf79ef1b8c7165:active , .u5f72d165ceefdec99cbf79ef1b8c7165:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u5f72d165ceefdec99cbf79ef1b8c7165 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u5f72d165ceefdec99cbf79ef1b8c7165 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u5f72d165ceefdec99cbf79ef1b8c7165 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u5f72d165ceefdec99cbf79ef1b8c7165 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5f72d165ceefdec99cbf79ef1b8c7165:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u5f72d165ceefdec99cbf79ef1b8c7165 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u5f72d165ceefdec99cbf79ef1b8c7165 .u5f72d165ceefdec99cbf79ef1b8c7165-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u5f72d165ceefdec99cbf79ef1b8c7165:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Big Foot EssayEver since William Shakespeare became a well-known playwright he had been a wealthy man, bringing in money from many different sources. With all the money in his possession he had decided to buy a big house in Stratford for his family. This house was called New Place. In the year of 1610 Shakespeare retired from theatre and returned to Stratford to be with his family. His will was written on March 25, 1616. Nearly one month later, on his 52 birthday, William Shakespeare died. He was buried at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Stratford-upon-Avon. Like his son, Hamnet, Williams cause of death was unknown. Many friends and family believed that he knew that his life was coming to an end, but didnt want anybody to know. Seven years after Williams death, in 1623, he had his first folio published. It included 154 sonnets, 36 plays, and 2 two long poems. Friends of William Shakespeare put together his folio so that nobody could take his work as their own. BibliographyBIBLIOGRAPHY1. Torstenson,Casey. William Shakespeare. Internet 2. Shah, Ravi P.Life of Shakespeare. Internet,19973. Booth,Beth.Shakespeares Life. Internet4. Editors of the Grolier Universal Encyclopedia. Shakespeare, Stratford Press,Inc: New York,1966Shakespeare

Vietnam Essays (821 words) - Vietnam War, Indochina Wars

Vietnam Vietnam is a country 9000 miles away from the United States. Yet America felt that its national interest to protect the peace in south Asia and stop communist was threatened strongly enough to fight a war there. Therefore, American considered that the establishment of the Iron Curtain of Europe must be stopped to happen again in Asia. Meanwhile, the communist take over of China, the Korean War and the communist victory over the French in Vietnam all led many Americans to fear that The communists were taking over the world and America must dispatch force to stop their expansion. At that time, most American believed in the Domino Theory, suggesting that if one Asian country fell to the Communist the others would quickly follow. The U.S. government believed that by helping the South Vietnamese government to resist the invasion of the North Vietnam and prevent the spread of communism to throughout the world to stop advance of communist is the only one and most important perspective for A merican strategy in the Cold War. After the WWII, US government considered that the communism pose a great threat to world peace. For example, communist easily established so-called Iron Curtain in the east Europe and overthrew Chang regime in the China and drove out France from Vietnam. Therefore, with France withdrawal from Vietnam, American wants to prevent a Communist takeover as well as reluctance on apart of American presidents to assume of primary responsibility for fighting Vietcong and their North communist Vietnam allies. Meanwhile, From Truman, American presidents all had done enough to avoid charge as who lost Vietnam to communist. by 1954, instead of keep the promise of Geneva of taking place a free elections in order to elect a leader to rule the united Vietnam, American assisted Nyo Dinb Diem as the president of Vietnam, established American- style government in the southern Vietnam. By the mid-1950s, the Vietcong pose a great threat against South Vietnam, and the North began to pump weapons, advisors , and other resource into the southern cadres, which were reorganized as the National Liberation Front in 1958. At this time, losing the Vietnam to communist also strikes into American presidents heart, therefore, in the late 1950, US government dispatched hundreds of special advisers (later in war the numbers was up to thousands) to assist S. Vietnam military to fight with Vietcong. Vietnam had become entangled in the cold war maneuvers of the United States and Communism. With United States backing, American found out the president of Vietnam who didnt have ability to fight with communist in the countryside and to start social and economic reforms. Meanwhile, his repressive tactics directed not only against Communists but also against the Buddhist majority and other critics. Therefore, US government decided to overthrow Diem regime and support pro- America of generals regime. However, America also resolved on Americanize for Vietnam War, because most people believe American forc e could defeat the ill-prepared Vietcong and their North allies. However, it was also clear to Johnson and his government that American military involvement must not reach levels that would provoke the Chinese and Soviet into direct intervention. Therefore, although fighting with helicopters and gunship chemical defoliants, and napalm, became like the trench warfare of World war one ----a war of attrition. As Clark Clifford of new secretary of defense said: we have no military plan to end the war. The American intervention of in Vietnam in 1965, the danger and blind foolishness of ideological war become increasingly obvious for about 25 years. The US faced an internal crisis in anti-war and anti-government movement. As the war dragged on and opposition mounted students and others developed sophisticated ways to avoid evade, or resist the draft. Over 20000 young men simply refused to accept obey their draft notices and 4000 of those young men served prison sentences. Meanwhile, hundreds of young men instituted court challenges to the draft. The result was a much broader interpretation of them conscientious objector so as to allow exemption for those with moral and ethical objections to war rooted in secular rather than spiritual principles. Some 56,000 men qualified for conscientious objector status during the Vietnam War,

shroomy essays

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Career Exploration Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

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International and Comparative HRM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International and Comparative HRM - Essay Example HRM is a discipline that deals with the recruitment, management, training and promotion functions of people in an organisation. The expansion of operations for a business into the global sphere presents a number of issues that have to be adequately addressed by a business for it to succeed. Multinational organizations continue to handle challenging situations on their human resource management approaches as it varies significantly from the domestic market (Friedman, 2007). Globalisation and Human Resource Management Today, most organizations that are operating in the international and global markets have more employees on their foreign subsidiaries than at home (Poor, 2004). This calls for a change in approach used in the management of the people for the organization to grow and develop its people. This paper gives a detailed analysis of the implications that globalization and the advancement in the international has had on human resource management. The new trends and emerging manag ement practices that have been adopted because of globalisations will also be critically analysed and their potency evaluated. A number of factors have been attributed to the growing globalisation and the need for a larger scale of operation. With raging unemployment and financial crisis, the developed world has been faced with an acute shortage of qualified personnel. This has been attributed to the large number of retirees with fewer graduates into the job market. The emerging economies also provide a better source of low cost labour. This makes it cheaper for international organisations to recruit employees from developing economies (Ibrahim, 2004). The international market is currently characterised by an expanding pool of talented individuals who are more mobile and willing to take up jobs in various parts of the globe. The diverse trainings and educational curriculums of the diverse countries make the nature of training and exposure diverse. As a result, management graduates f rom the United States and those from the United Kingdom may have different approaches to the same management problem. Such scenarios present a number of challenges to international human resource managers who operate in different parts of the globe (Poor, 2004). Organisations, which decide to adopt polycentric approach in international human resource management practise, also have a number of changes that they must make to their policies. Polycentric approach involves the use of the locals from where the subsidiary is located in the management and operation of the unit as highlighted in the works of Howard Perrlmutter, a scholar in internationalization of multinationals corporations (Schuler et al, 2002). Such individuals are thus well trained and made to understand and integrate the organisational culture of the business into their business practises. Polycentric approach in international human resource management has been applauded as the best practise as it is far much cheaper to maintain and operate as compared to the use of expatriates (Kayode, 2012). However, polycentric approach also significantly affects the practises of the human resource managers. This is because the organisation has to come up with terms of engagement and remuneration according to an organisation’

Are Automotive Manufacturers more Socially Responsible?

Are Automotive Manufacturers more Socially Responsible? To what extent are car manufacturing firms operating in a more socially responsible manner when designing environmentally friendly cars? Abstract Social responsibility is one of the key differentiators between modern corporations, and is seen by many analysts as an antidote to the past few years trend towards the demonisation of corporate institutions. The recent economic crisis, in particular, has led many observers to argue that corporations that fail to address issues of social responsibility will struggle to survive. However, other observers question whether this phenomenon is anything more than a superficial consumer trend, and whether the world economy in general can seriously contemplate a corporate system in which the profit motive is subservient to the need for corporate social responsibility. This dissertation examines social responsibility in terms of the car manufacturing industry, and looks in particular at the question of whether or not the move towards environmentally friendly cars is anything more than a passing phase in an industry that is extremely sensitive to public opinion. Ultimately, the aim of the disse rtation is to determine whether or not corporate social responsibility within the car manufacturing industry is a genuine change, or whether it is simply a superficial response to a passing public trend. Introduction The concept of corporate social responsibility has been one of the dominant themes of the past decade, with consumer recognition of a corporations social responsibility being increasingly seen as a lucrative phenomenon. In the west, in particular, increasing levels of affluence have led to a trend that has seen more customers show willingness to pay more for products that are designed according to theories of social responsibility., and this shift has been nowhere more apparent than in the automobile manufacturing industry. This trend has inter-cut with a recognition (in some quarters) of the need to ensure a more environmentally-friendly approach to industrial production and consumption, and a number of corporations have secured dramatically enhanced public images through a focus on affordable but socially responsible products. However, critics argue that since the primary aim of these corporations is to increase their profits, the appearance of social responsibility has been more o f a cosmetic change than a substantial alteration of core business practices; many critics believe that corporations have, in most cases, merely become better at packaging their products as a more socially responsible, environmentally friendly alternative. Despite the recent financial crisis, the automobile manufacturing industry remains a bellwether for the global economy, and any genuine global industrial changes regarding social responsibility will likely be evident in the automobile industry at an early stage. This dissertation will examine the behaviour of car manufacturing firms and will ask whether they have genuinely become more socially responsible when designing environmentally friendly cars, or whether this is merely a superficial smokescreen designed to generate improved public exposure without leading to genuine changes in design and production philosophies. In particular, the difference between the industrys approach before and after the onset of the recent economic crisis will be examined, and these differences will be used to determine whether or not the move towards social responsibility represented a genuine change to production systems or was merely an attempt to capture the early twenty-first century zeitgeist. Furthermore, the dissertation will examine the extent to which social responsibility and environmental awareness have affected not only above-the-line (i.e. visible to the public) areas of the industry, but also below-the-line (i.e. internal corporate) systems; the d issertation will argue that firms can only be said to have adopted a greater level of social responsibility if their attempts to tackle this issue extend to below-the-line activities. The dissertation will use a series of core examples in order to determine both the hyperbole (i.e. the claims made to the public) and the core below-the-line changes that may, or in some cases may not, reflect the car manufacturing industrys more socially responsible, environmentally friendly approach to business and production. Literature Review Corporate Social Responsibility Social responsibility has been one of the key growth areas in recent years. Crane et al. (2007) define social responsibility, in the corporate context, as a companys ability to put aside the profit motive in order to perform tasks that have a beneficial effect not on the company itself in terms of capital but in terms of an entirely separate social group (Crane et al., 2007, p. 6). In this context, social responsibility can be seen as something that companies are expected to do unbidden, in much the same way as many people choose to donate their time and volunteer to help charities. In some ways, therefore, social responsibility can be seen as an attempt to anthropomorphise corporations by rendering them indebted to a cultural belief that they should act in a more ethical and moral manner. This is in some ways a cultural corrective to the idea of corporations as solely capitalistic, profit-orientated organisations. May et al. (2007) suggest that corporate social responsibility is a popular construct that seeks to imbue corporations with humanistic traits regardless of whether those traits are present or not (May et al., 2007, p. 118). In order for public recognition of these traits to be tangible, there must be a relative relationship between different corporations, so some must be seen to be exercising a great deal of social responsibility, while other must be seen to be doing very little. This is, in effect, the classic polar relationship between good and bad, and it allows consumers to associate themselves with positive, socially responsible companies purely by making certain purchasing decisions. Both sides therefore have a vested interest in social responsibility: consumers feel good if they reward socially responsible companies with their custom, and can use such purchases as a form of status symbol; corporations, meanwhile, can try to generate a larger, more loyal customer base. While some critics argue that social responsibility is a trend that will wax and wane according to various social and economic factors (May et al., 2007, p. 119), others believe that the emergence of social responsibility as a major business factor in the past decade is in fact a permanent change. Crane et al. note that growing awareness of environmental issues has led many people to recognise the importance of social responsibility (Crane et al., 2007, p. 10), and although the recent economic crisis may have led many to hold back on the spending that they would otherwise have directed towards socially responsible corporations, there still appears to be a broad consensus that social responsibility is one of the most important factors in modern business. Consequently, many companies have sought to strengthen their social policy credentials. Environmental Policy One of the key elements of social responsibility is the environment. For more than twenty years, there have been warnings about the effects of global warming. Many corporations choose to exhibit their social responsibility through one of a number of environmentally friendly policies: Reducing the environmental cost of production distribution. Reducing the environmental cost of consumption. Reducing the environmental cost of disposal. Using more environmentally-friendly materials. Reducing packaging and other superfluous elements of a product. Instigating specific environmentally-friendly technological elements. Funding research and education programs. Carbon and pollution off-setting. All of these options and more are regularly employed by companies that want to emphasise their environmental credentials. Large companies tend to focus on methods that require little more effort than throwing money at the problem, e.g. by funding research or off-setting their carbon emissions. However, some other companies are far more inventive, and genuinely try to reduce their environmental impact. Social Responsibility Aside from the environmental factors noted above, companies have found a number of ways of demonstrating their corporate social responsibility: Funding education programs. Providing services, e.g. transportation for school and disabled groups. Promoting volunteerism among their own workers. Donating money to charities. Working to eliminate abuse in the chain of production. The globalised corporate environment makes it more difficult than ever for companies to hide practices that might be unpopular in their domestic markets. For example, if a company seeks to use cheap labour in third world countries, it can make a short-term impact but will usually be exposed eventually. In other words, companies find it increasingly difficult to hide any non-socially responsible behaviour. The Car Manufacturing Industry The vast majority of manufacturers are global in terms of production facilities. The leading US and Japanese manufacturers, for example, tend to have dozens of factories, with at the top five companies all having at least one factory in each of North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australasia. As such, the industry can be said to be truly global in terms of both customer reach and production. Furthermore, companies often experience great success in non-domestic markets, e.g. Japans Toyota also sells many cars in the US, and Germanys BMW is extremely popular in the UK; the only major exceptions to this rule are two of the three big US companies, General Motors (GM) and Chrysler, both of which have been criticised for their focus on the US market. The Impact of the Economic Crisis on the Car Manufacturing Industry All the worlds car manufacturers have in recent years suffered from the global economic downturn. In the US, the big three manufacturers Ford, Chrysler and General Motors (GM) have all come close to bankruptcy, and GM has been forced to file for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Around the world, companies have suffered similar problems, although in most cases not to the extent of the major US companies. In Japan, both Honda and Toyota have suffered heavy losses and have been forced to reconsolidate their core business areas. As a result, the automobile industry has been undergoing a period of immense uncertainty, and this has led many consumers to believe that they can no longer rely on the continued presence of the big names. Apart from the well-publicised problems for the big three US companies GM, Ford and Chrysler, almost every other major car manufacturer around the world has suffered a slump in profits in the past two years, and many have incurred legacy debts during this period that will impact upon their performance for decades to come. Toyota reported a massive $1.7bn loss (Fackler, 2008) and, like most other manufacturers, was forced to re-focus activities on core revenue streams. As one of the key figures in the green car revolution, Toyota had been investing heavily in environmentally-friendly cars, and had been happy to make such investments since it believe there would be massive financial benefits in the long run. However, the financial crisis crippled Toyotas ability to consider the long term implications of its current activities, and forced the company to focus on its core business. As Satoshi Hino notes, Toyota has long been one of the more adventurous companies when it comes to placing substantial industrial bets on future changes in the automobile market, but these have always been backed by strong performances in the companys core activities (Hino, 2005, p. 41). The companys move into electric and hybrid cars seen by many as a key element in the push towards greener automobiles has largely been financed by success in core diesel machines, with the pay-off for this front-end investment expected to arrive between 2010 and 2015. However, with the core business model threatened by double-digit year-on-year sales drops, Toyota was forced in 2009 to consolidate its activities and re-focus on the most profitable elements of its production line. This decision by the company served as dramatic proof that while there was clearly a high degree of confidence in terms of the potential for socially responsible cars to provide a significant pay-off in the medium to long term, this confidence was not strong enough to allow the company to rely on such vehicles during a time of economic crisis. Clearly, therefore, market forces are not yet dictating the need for social responsibility in sufficient numbers, or with sufficient support via purchasing decisions . Research Methodology Research Approach The research will take two key approaches: a questionnaire will be used to conduct primary research into consumer awareness of the question of social responsibility in the car manufacturing industry, and two case studies will be used to determine how two of the worlds biggest manufacturers GM and Toyota deal with this issue. In order to assess the impact of the social responsibility policies of both GM and Toyota, the questionnaires will be designed to measure the impact of such policies (or the lack of them) and the degree to which they change public opinion and have the effect for which they were designed. These questionnaires will be vital in terms of bridging the gap between the theory and reality, and will expose the limitations inherent in this approach. In order to increase the likely response rate, and to comply with ethical considerations regarding privacy, the questionnaires were left anonymous and respondents were told that they could ignore any individual questions that they would prefer not to answer. The secondary research will focus on two case studies, one looking at the leading US car manufacturer (General Motors) and the other looking at the worlds leading car manufacturer, by sales (Toyota). These companies have been chosen for specific reasons. General Motors (GM) has had a difficult economic history over the past two decades, almost filing for bankruptcy in the 1990s before going on to enjoy considerable success with a series of non-environmentally friendly cars (SUVs) while professing to hold social responsibility as a key philosophical point, and then suffering a massive collapse that resulted in the company filing for the fourth largest bankruptcy in US history (see chapter 4). Toyota, meanwhile, has made a name for itself with a series of advanced hybrid cars, but has also suffered during the recent financial crisis (see chapter 5). In other words, GM is seen by many as one of the worlds least socially responsible manufacturers, and Toyota is seen by many as one of the worlds most socially responsible manufacturers. By comparing and contrasting their approaches and fortunes, it should be possible to develop a clear understanding of the extent to which major car manufacturers have been socially responsible in pursuing an environmentally friendly agenda. Research Questions The research is based on the following key questions: To what extent do car manufacturing companies act with a high degree of social responsibility when designing environmentally friendly cars? How important is consumer behaviour to car manufacturers interest in social responsibility? Do consumers drive companies behaviour, or vice versa? What different approaches to the subject of environmentally friendly, socially responsible cars have been taken by different companies? How has the recent economic crisis affected manufacturers interest in social responsibility? Is social responsibility progressing according to narrative trends? Is this a major change to business, or merely a passing trend? Research Limitations Any research project contains inherent limitations. If these limitations are ignored, they do not go away; rather, they linger and negatively impact the reliability of the overall project. Consequently, the best approach is to recognise these limitations from the start and to work to ensure that they are factored out of the equation as much as possible. As Saunders et al. note, its only by recognising the limitations of any research program that the problems that always affect any research project can be brought into the open, addressed and contextualised and, in some cases, turned into positives (Saunders et al., 2009, p. 51). The research limits of this project are as follows: Social responsibility is an inherently subjective matter. Something that is socially responsible in the view of one person may be socially irresponsible in the view of another. Many of the relevant subjects, such as global warming, are not universally recognised. Its therefore important to reflect the fact that there is ongoing debate. There is insufficient time and space to analyse the entire market. Therefore, key examples must be selected for the case studies. As noted in 3.1, the subjects for these case studies were chosen for very specific reasons. Questionnaires must be brief and simple to understand, yet they must also focus on the key points. Persuading respondents to fill in questionnaires can be difficult. All these limitations can be overcome, to various extents. The subjectivity inherent in the research subject is in fact relevant to the continuing social, cultural and political debates regarding the extent to which car companies should, and can, adopt socially responsible roles; some critics argue that this can only be achieved if consumers adopt socially responsible approaches to their purchasing patterns, which will inevitably force corporations to adapt to face this trend. Similarly, the continuing debate over global warming although settled in many peoples view continues to cause debate in many parts of the world. Finally, the limitations of time and space mean that the case study subjects must be analysed extremely closely, and the choices of company must be made carefully. Results Analysis Response 200 questionnaires were sent out. The expected response rate was 40-50%, as per the suggestion by Saunders et al. that any questionnaire-based research project that prompts between a third and a half of targets to respond can be said to have performed averagely (Saunders et al., 2009, p. 102). In the event, 81 questionnaires were returned, representing 40.5%, which is just within the expected range. This gives a statistically relevant sample group. Demographic Information Demographic details are important in research concerning attitudes to consumer activity and the environment, since both of these factors can impact upon an individuals view of these issues. Question 1 concerned the age of the respondents: How old are you? The majority of respondents were in their teens and twenties, with a total of three quarters being under 40. This makes the questionnaire more relevant in terms of analysing the attitudes of younger people. The second question concerned the occupation of the respondents. It was decided to provide broad categories rather than to request specific details. For one thing, this emphasised the confidentiality and privacy of the research, and for another it allowed for easy and effective categorisation of answers: What is your occupation? Around two thirds of the respondents were employed, self-employed or in part-time work, with the rest being students, retired or unemployed. Awareness of Social Responsibility among Car Manufacturers The next question asked respondents if they believed the car manufacturing industry, as a whole, to be socially responsible. A brief explanation was appended to this question, defining social responsibility as an awareness of their impact on society, including the environment, and their efforts to ensure that this impact has a positive rather than a negative effect: How responsible do you think car manufacturers are? An overwhelming majority (67.9%) considered car manufacturers to be either not very or not at all responsible. Breaking these results down according to age and occupation gave the following results: Appreciation of manufacturers social awareness, broken down by age range Clearly, levels of appreciation appear to be at least partly linked to age, with these levels peaking for individuals in their fifties. There are numerous possible reasons for this, including: Media exposure: different age groups are exposed to very different media forms and sources, each of which will likely carry very different stories concerning manufacturers levels of social awareness. Learned behaviour: older respondents will have spent longer living in a time when many of the relevant issues, particularly environmental impact, were not considered. Environmental awareness: some of the answers may be influenced by a lack of belief in the various arguments concerning the environment and, in particular, the car industrys contribution to global warming. Clearly, therefore, awareness of social responsibility is a dynamic factor that reflects a number of different viewpoints, and this factors is by no means viewed the same by different age groups. The clear correlation between age and awareness indicates that manufacturers must ensure that they operate multiple simultaneous social responsibility programs if they are to reach all these groups. However, the next question sought to determine whether or not it was strictly necessary for the manufacturers to try to appeal to everyone, and asked how important social responsibility is to purchasing decisions. First, in terms of the overall response, the result was as follows: How important is a manufacturers social responsibility for you when choosing what car to buy? Almost half (48.1%) claimed that social responsibility was either very or quite important, with just over half (51.9%) claiming that it was not very or not at all important. Given the relatively small sample group for this research project, the difference is small enough to be statistically irrelevant, and broadly indicates a 50-50 split in terms of opinion on this subject. However, looking at the results in terms of an age-related breakdown results in a very different set of results: Importance of social responsibility of manufacturers, by age The data shows a clear depreciation of the importance of social responsibility for older consumers, although there is evidence of an increase for consumers in their 50s and above. In order to determine a link between awareness of social responsibility in the industry and the importance of social responsibility in purchasing decisions, the results from figures 4 and 6 were then combined: Importance, and awareness, of social responsibility in the car manufacturing industry There is clearly an inverse relationship between awareness of social responsibility as a factor in the industry, and belief in the importance of social responsibility. For example, younger people are most likely to believe that social responsibility is an important factor when making purchasing decisions, but are the least appreciative of any efforts that have so far been made. To an extent, this can be seen to be a matter of perception, but theres also clearly a problem for the industry in terms of persuading parts of the consumer base that its intentions are genuine. In order to measure the degree to which various manufacturers have succeeded in their aim of seeming more socially responsible, respondents were next asked whether they thought the industry had become more socially responsible over the past decade: Do you think the car industry has become more socially responsible over the past decade, less socially responsible, or it has stayed mostly the same? The vast majority of respondents believe there has been no real change, strongly suggesting that either the message from the manufacturers has not got through to the public, or that there is a deep level of cynicism in terms of whether the public believe that the rhetoric has translated into genuine action. Finally, respondents were given a range of options and were asked to indicate which they believed were most important in terms of social responsibility. They were asked to tick two or three options, with the aim being to allow them to indicate the elements of corporate social responsibility that were deemed most important: Most important elements of social responsibility Clearly, the vast majority of consumers overwhelmingly equate social responsibility with environmental issues. The only other factor to come close to this in terms of relevance was making donations to charitable causes, which to an extent also involves the environment. Social responsibility is not purely about the environment, and encompasses a range of other activities that can improve society. However, for the consumers canvassed for this research project, environmental issues were by far the most important, and its therefore possible to argue that the environment has overtaken all other elements of social responsibility and has become the single most important issue. Although manufacturers could fight against this perception and attempt to focus attention on other factors, the best approach might be to accept that when it comes to social responsibility, most consumers overwhelmingly focus on the environment. Case Study 1: General Motors (US) Background General Motors (GM) is the largest US car manufacturer, and the second largest in the world (after Toyota) (Trott, 2009). The company relies heavily on four key brands: Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC. Each of these brands has a distinctive presence in the US market, but critics have argued that GM has lacked focus on the non-US markets, leaving it particularly vulnerable to domestic turmoil and economic volatility. In 1994, GM came close to bankruptcy following a $4.5bn loss, but cost-cutting measures and management changes ensured its survival. The company was one of the key instigators of the huge rise in sales for sports utility vehicles (SUVs) in the 1990s, a trend that was highly lucrative for GM but which resulted in criticism from environmental campaigners. Between 1998 and 2001, GM and Ford vied for the top spot in the US market, primarily through massively increasing sales in the SUV market. However, the downturn which followed the September 11th 2001 attacks saw GM suff er particularly hard, even compared to Ford, with the latter at least having a strong European heartland on which to rely during difficult trading conditions in the US. Nevertheless, GM bounced back and by 2005 was recording strong sales figures and was eyeing major expansion into overseas markets. However, the recent economic crisis virtually crippled GM, as well as its two key domestic rivals, Ford and Chrysler. GM lost $38.7bn in the 2007 fiscal year (Wearden, 2009), and an almost 50% drop in sales. The following year, GM predicted that it would run out of money in mid-2009 without a substantial re-financing program, and called for government help. In November 2008, the company joined with Ford and Chrysler in formally requesting help from the US government in order to stave off bankruptcy. Even in the context of the financial crisis, this move was massive, since it represented the genuine possibility of the USs three major car companies going bust almost simultaneously. Although the US government, under outgoing president George W. Bush, was initially reluctant to provide money at a time when many other businesses also had legitimate claims for government help, in December 2008 a bridging loan was finally offered. Despite numerous attempts to cut costs and reorganise the co mpany over the next six months, in June 2009 GM filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. After Lehman Brothers, Worldcom and Washington Mutual, this was the fourth largest bankruptcy filing in US history. Eventually, on July 10th 2009, the US government helped to finance a new company, NGMCO Inc., that took on the majority of the old GM assets. The old GM changed its name to Motors Liquidation Company, and the new Vehicle Acquisition Holdings company changed its name to General Motors Company, thereby bringing GM back to life. The new version of GM is mostly owned by the US government, while the old GM Motors Liquidation Company continues to go through the process of the bankruptcy filing. Social Responsibility Both the old and the new GM have been involved in programs to emphasise their social responsibility. Since 1996, GM has financed the Safe Kids USA Buckle Up program, designed to encourage children to use seatbelts. The company has also contributed to a consortium that has donated over $1.2bn to fund education for engineering graduates, a scheme that has recently been extended worldwide. GM has also donated more than $200m in the past decade to charitable causes, and has supported both Democratic and Republican presidential candidates often simultaneously. The companys more recent philanthropic activities include a new global aid program (GM, 2009) and a number of smaller, local community projects designed to improve provisions mostly for children in areas surrounding the companys main factories. These projects have, for the most part, been maintained despite the continued financial uncertainty and the chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings that took place in mid-2009. GM has also launched a major program called I Am GM, designed to showcase the companys strong workplace diversity policies. The program involves placing adverts in newspapers and magazines, and on television, in which GM employees from different ethnic backgrounds talk about their pride in the company. As well as reinforcing the idea of GM as an equal opportunities, ethnically diverse employer, the campaign is designed to show how GM works towards engineering a higher degree of diversity in society. Linked to this program is the companys renewed focus on safety, which has seen not only improvements designed to help children in the event of an accident, but also high-profile campaigns to reinforce the companys vehicles in order to make them withstand bigger crashes. The Buckle Up program has been maintained, and GM has expanded this campaign since 2008 by taking the message to schools around the US. The company claims that corporate responsibility is about more than just words its an acknowledgement that our actions shape our reputation (GM, 2009). Environmentally-Friendly Technology During the 1990s, a number of scandals saw the company accused of poor environmental management, including an accusation that sediments have been stored in unsafe conditions. In 2006, GM was one of a number of manufacturers from around the world named in a suit brought by the State of California over the issue of pollution. The case was dismissed a year later, but the damage to GMs reputation had already been done. In 2008, the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) ranked GM 18th on its list of the USs worst polluters, giving the company a toxic score of 73,248, set against the no. 1 polluter, E.I. du Pont de Nemours, which scored 285,661 (PERI, 2008). Meanwhile, in the same year, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) ranked GM 7th out of the worlds largest car manufacturers