Mattel’s Toy Recalls and Supply Chain Management Essay

This case talks focuses on the event in the year of 2007 when Mattel – the leading global toymaker – voluntarily recalled its toys from worldwide stores. Mattel’s name is synonymous worldwide for its most famous product – the Barbie Doll. The recall was initially for 83 toys which had excessive lead paint and soon after 6 more products we recalled which had a design problem of small magnets coming off the toys in addition to the use of lead paints. The lead that was used could potentially be toxic for children and the magnetic parts that could come off the toys could potentially be fatal for the digestive systems of children if ingested. All the toys recalled were manufactured in China and in total more than 1.5 million toys were called back. The initial diagnosis was that the main cause of the problem was â€Å"Made in China† however the case explores that the root causes for the default were defective designs. Background – Mattel & China * China had become the leading manufacturer of toys by 2000 * 80 % of toys coming to US were manufactured in China * 65% of Mattel toys were produced in China * Most Chinese toys were made in about 5000 factories located in Guangdon province in China. These factories were majorly owned by Hong Kong Mattel’s Supply Chain Mattel’s product fell into two broad buckets. First was the core products like Barbie dolls which sold through longer periods and the second bucket comprised of the non-core products which comprised of seasonal toys like movie characters. By 2007, more than half of the revenues for Mattel came from core products that were manufactured in Mattel – owned plants in china. The remaining products which were procured from local Chinese licensed vendors. Mattel had an inspection program in place for its products. Off the 5000 products that it used to develop each year, it would randomly check products by taking them off the production line. In order to supply paint to Mattel’s supply chain a vendor had to be a certified one. The complication with this arrangement was that on many occasions Mattel’s direct vendors contracted down to other suppliers who in turn contracted to other suppliers and thus the origin of certain products were difficult to trace – for example the lead paint. Even though Mattel had not allowed its vendors to sub contract to other vendors without its permission, it was not sure how well Mattel’s suppliers were adhering to this. Ironically, 200 of Mattel quality and vendor assurance employees were located far away from the production facilities in Hong Kong. As a good HR practice Mattel had hired a professor with international reputation for being a critic of worker treatment to report independently of any malpractices in Mattel. Reasons leading to the event * Pressures on Chinese toy manufactures. Most toy sales were coming from big box stores like Walmart, Target etc. The business model of these big retailers revolves around extreme cost pressures. This led to a lot of bargaining with Chinese manufacturers to cut down their costs. At the similar time, the Yuan had appreciated and increasing costs of raw materials (such as fuel costs) left little room for Chinese manufactures to invest in significantly progressive quality programs. * Manufacturing Problems Lead in paint was a frequently occurring problem for toy manufacturers. Even though Chinese manufacturers had put processes in place that had checks to avoid having lead in the paints, it was increasingly difficult to monitor the quality of paints * Design Problems In 2007 many toy products had small magnetic parts attached to them which could potentially get detached from the toys and then they could be accidently be ingested by the children. These magnets, once inside the digestive system were toxic and could potentially stick together and harm the intestines. Another design problem was that some of the toys were susceptible to being broken. Most of the designs were made outside China and thus this was not a manufacturing problem. * Product Misuse Some recalls of Mattel’s products were because of the potential misuse by children. There were choking or strangling hazards associated with some of the products that made the products dangerous. Mattel’s Response The expected impact of Mattel’s recalls was to the tune of $30 million dollars which was about half of the operating income of that quarter. The media coverage and global attention aggravated the issue. In order to deal with this Mattel’s response was as follows. * Three point check system As the first point check – for the lead paint every batch of paint could only be acquired from certified vendors. Second, the controls for vendors and contractors were made more stricter and random checks were constituted. Thirdly, the finished products would be subjected to final checks before they reach the customers * Sub contracting policies Mattel reviewed it’s subcontracting policies to control excessive subcontracting * Purchase of new equipment to detect lead Mattel incorporated a plan to purchase more lead detectors * PR & Communications The company followed a proactive communication strategy to address the issue. Conclusion The consumers reacted strongly to Mattel’s response. The case elaborates how systemic failures can almost cripple a global leader. Most importantly, the ‘made in china’ brand lost significant reputation because of this episode. However, better measures and corporate controls resulted from this event and they eventually transformed the manufacturing world for the better.

Kung-Fu Panda 2 Belonging

In the film Kung-Fu Panda 2, the extended metaphor of â€Å"Inner Peace† in the film symbolizes the need for a person to acknowledge their own weaknesses, their past and their faults, which conveys the importance of finding and accepting one’s identity. Furthermore throughout the film, there are various scenes where water droplets are dropping and flowing in slow motion, combined with flashbacks of the past, demonstrates the power of spiritual connections and nature. The importance of belonging and loving your family is also emphasised in Kung-Fu Panda 2.Through the protagonist, Po’s, exploration of his true parentage, the power of common memories to influence the bonds between people is displayed. It is important to accept who yo9u are as it can affect where you belong and how you feel. When he questions his dad about his true parentage, saying he had a dream about his mother, his adoptive father, Mr. Ping, freezes and looks agitated, showing that he is scared t hat he will lose Po if the truth is revealed. Whenever Po questions his lineage, sad music is played, making the audience feel sympathy for Po’s turmoils.Even after all the events that happens throughout the film, Po comes home back to Mr. Ping he says to him â€Å"I know who I am now, I am your son, I love you dad. † While this is happening, there is soft and happy music playing in the background, showing that even though they aren’t blood related, they are still happy together. This is true belonging. Even though they have no blood relations, they are truly happy together and value each other’s company, showing that they belong together. This relates to belonging and accepting yourself.The importance of individuality in finding a role in society is emphasised heavily throughout the film. The film follows the growth of Po in his journey of achieving â€Å"Inner Peace†. In the film you see Po’s idolization of other Kung Fu legends displays h is own inner emotional insecurity and spiritual turmoil. This is also reinforced through the technique juxtaposition, shown through Po’s fatness and Tigress’s hardened self. The need for you to accept your true self in forming meaningful relationships is shown through this.It is shown through the dramatic irony of Po’s insensitive comment â€Å"I have to know, the hard-core wouldn’t understand† directed at Tigress, saying that she is unable to feel both physically and emotionally. The close-up shot of Tigress’s saddened and hurt face combined with the sad; non-diegetic music further incites the audience’s sympathy of Po trying to find out about his own individuality with Tigress stopping him. Throughout the film you also hear the metaphor of â€Å"Inner Peace† used excessively.The phrase â€Å"Inner Peace† means to be spiritually and mentally at peace, with enough knowledge to keep oneself strong when under great hardshi p and stress. Throughout the film, Po is plagued by nightmares of his past and his own insecurity compared to Tigress and the others. In the beginning, Po witnesses Master Shifu moving a droplet of water all over his body without it splashing or breaking its form. When Po inquires how he did this, Shifu responds by saying â€Å"Inner Peace†. It is implying that having inner peace allows you to do things that are impossible, which is also shown when Po catches a cannon ball and throws it back.In the film, having inner peace symbolises that you have accepted yourself for who you are, complete with strengths and weaknesses. By having inner peace, it is saying that you can achieve things that you couldn’t achieve before & to be able to find out where you truly belong. The director of this movie positions the audience to sympathise with Po through the demonstration of the fallibility of one’s memory, which is shown through the flashbacks and dramatic devices used as Po lies to himself. Po couldn’t accept his own self throughout the film, which draws in the audience to feel sorry and sympathise for him.The differing perspectives of Po and his companions are comically shown through his fights with them. However, the audience is positioned to support Po though the uses of Mise-en-scene, as screen elements’ visual size are diminished whenever Po is in the screen. As Po zooms towards the audience and takes the centre of the screen, it enables the audience to see things through Po’s perspective. At the end of the film, Po is hailed as a hero & feels that he has finally found that he has been accepted by Tigress and the others. He finally feels that he belongs.

Challenging Obstacles for Immigrants

Many people migrate to the USA for several reasons, to get better life. As we all know the USA is highly developed economically and technologically, and it can become a different world to most immigrants. Thus, immigrants face various challenges during the first and second year of their entrance in to the USA. Among the challenges, language, getting a job and culture are common for most of immigrants. The first challenge for immigrants is the language barrier. Since English is the second or third language for most immigrants, they face a lot of problems to communicate. Although, immigrants have some knowledge of English, the pronunciation of most words is different. So they can’t understand and communicate very easily. Furthermore, the accent of native speakers, Mexicans, Black Americans, and Chinese is different. This complicates the communication and creates stress for immigrants. For example, I came to the USA recently. I have some knowledge of English, but when I took my kids to the hospitals, go to shopping, and even when I was applying to this college, I found people who use different pronunciation and accent. Sometimes, I heard 50% to 90% of what people said and likewise they were not able to understand me, even though I was talking in English. As a result, â€Å"I’m sorry†, â€Å"say again†, â€Å"pardon† were my day to day words I used and heard for a couple of months. Therefore, language is the first big challenge that all immigrants face. The second challenging obstacle for immigrants is getting a job. Since language is a problem for immigrants, most of them failed in job interviews. Even though they are educated and professionals in their home country, it costs and takes time for their education to be accepted here. Thus, getting a job is tough. Especially now, following the economic crisis of the world, there are many layoffs and getting a job is like a miracle to most immigrants. In addition, the jobs available for immigrants are manual labor jobs that are tiresome. These jobs may also have fewer hours and surely have minimum pay. Therefore, immigrants will be forced to find another tiresome job to cover their living expenses. But getting another job is another worry for immigrants. Here I am going to give my husband’s experiences. As soon as we reached America and got our social security numbers, my husband tried to search and apply for jobs. After several months and trial, he got a part time job with minimum wage. His salary is not enough to cover our expenses, and now he is searching another job, but none has been found. Thus, following the language barrier, getting a job is a big challenging to immigrants. Culture is the third challenge that immigrants face here. Immigrants have their own cultures and living styles in their home country. The culture of dressing, talking, eating, social life etc†¦ is different here from immigrants’ home country. For example, here man and woman can kiss on the lips anywhere, but this is taboo in my country, Ethiopia. Another example is the way girls’ dress, here girls can wear whatever they like such as shorts and mini dresses. However, in my country, this is not accepted and girls should wear clothes that don’t expose their body. Thus, they should wear shorts and dresses which are below to their knees. The other thing here people eat their food anywhere; they can even eat walking on the street. However, in my country people, especially girls, cannot walk on the street while eating or drinking. There are several customs here that are counted as taboo in my culture. Therefore, the cultural differences make immigrants to be confused and shocked until they accustomed to it. As time passes, immigrants will manage and defeat the obstacles through several exposures and practice. Then, after passing through the obstacles, immigrants will enjoy a better life and even be in higher positions like senators, vice-presidents and also president of America.

Drescriptive Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Drescriptive - Essay Example After what seemed like a decade, the fateful morning arrived. I was awake before the sun rustling through my suitcase making certain mom packed the basics, my multi-colored swimsuit. As the sunlight softly pierced through my window the rustling became increasingly louder. I knew my brother had the same scheme in mind as I heard plates loudly clanging together in the kitchen. He was unloading the dishwasher, without being told to. It was a combination of nervous tension needing be released and a not so subtle way of waking the parents from their much deserved sleep. After several hours, actually a few minutes, they made their way out of their bedroom and towards the aroma coming from the coffee maker which had been set to brew as scheduled the night before. The car was already packed, my thumb bruised and throbbing from being in too big a hurry. Following a quick breakfast the journey began. The miles seemed especially long but a nap on the way helped somewhat. Finally we arrived. As dad slowed to park he loudly advised us to wait until he fully stopped. As we opened the door the experience was not what I had been expecting. It was almost overwhelming. The wind was so strong I need both hands to manage the door. As my feet touched the warm, and getting increasing warmer sand, the wind blew a constant stream of the hot sand in my face. The sun baked my face and the ocean waves were loud, alarmingly so. I wondered if we came on an unusually blustery day or if this was normal. Dad was shouting directions while standing just a few feet away but I did not hear a word. Had he not gestured toward a covered bench I would have had no clue what he meant. Hauling the umbrella, towels, cooler, ect., from the car to that bench was an ordeal while dancing across the sand against the wind. When we got settled I reached down to feel the light brown sand. Again, it was nothing like I expected. Instead of a

Women in American culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Women in American culture - Essay Example The various generations of women that persisted at the time began to see a gap because younger women were full of fresh energy and good vibes and wanted independence from the clutches of the patriarchal society that they lived within. In short, women yearned for a personal identity of their own and were finally able to get it. They began to have successful careers as well as flourishing families, in tune with the capitalistic spirit of the era. The First World War had allowed women to enter the industrial field and begin working in different factories and producing wartime goods. This change also saw a change in fashion because women took to wearing shorter, more comfortable and manly clothes. They adorned scarves, trousers and blouses and gave away their tight fitting corsets and long flowing gowns because they hampered work and productivity. At this time, designers like Coco Chanel began to pave the way for a new look for women; this soon became a part of a new movement as women we re interested in looking pretty, but not becoming slaves to their male counterparts at the same time. They took to fashion like a moth to a flame as they began to dress themselves in a very casual yet independent manner in order to make themselves feel good.Young women began to take claim of their own bodies and became part of the sexual liberation movement. They began to read secretly and understand the works of authors like Freud and Ellen Key. This helped to spark their sexual thoughts and provided them with a new meaning to life. They began to fight for their right to education and began taking on activities like dance, drama and music. Women began attending dance clubs and taking music as a career and they taught the world that these were not merely frivolities but beautiful talents that could be harnessed and shown to the world. (Woloch, Nancy.) Thus, in the ways mentioned above, most women changed as time changed and gained their own identity; it was not easy for them to break away from their husbands, fathers and brothers however they knew they had to, and they did it. They became a part of the changing pop culture that persisted in America at the time and gave something to their future generations to look forward to. The role of women went from simply nurturing children at home to being a part of music, movies, dance and fashion. As time passed women began to perfect other sources of life and took to arts which included things ranging from

The new way for process sales Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The new way for process sales - Essay Example oup-level resistance which includes resistance to change due to group norms, group cohesiveness and groupthink and escalation of commitment; as well as 3) individual-level resistance which includes resistance to change due to uncertainty and in security, selective perception and retention as well as habits (Bushman, M., 2008; George et al.). In an organization, when change threatens jobs, power or status in an organization, when threat is perceived to be so real and large, resistance can be expected. Absence of consultation before effecting change can result to negative acceptance of the proposed change. When introducing a change, it is important that it is properly communicated. Rewards and possible benefits for adopting change should be fair enough for the adjustments as well as investments involved. The common cause for resistance is the parochial self-interest. When this change deviates from the self-interest of the people involve, expect resistance to crop up. Another cause of resistance to change can be misunderstanding and lack of trust. People would usually look for hidden agenda in a change proposal. When there is misunderstanding on the objectives behind a change, increasing resistance can be observed (Rogers and Shoemaker, 1971). Another cause of resistance to change is contradictory assessments and low tolerance for change. When the proposed change conflict the assessments of the people, there is a tendency to prove that their assessment is the opposite of those proposing the change. There also people who have low tolerance for change. Once these people reach a level when they can accept change anymore, the tendency is to repel the change since they cannot take more of it (Worren et al., 1999). Other reason for resistance is when the elements of the organization feel threaten. If the elements in the organization feel that their status or security is threaten (loss of comfort, pay or status), they would naturally repel change. Another reason for

Roger Shimomuras Artwork Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Roger Shimomuras Artwork - Essay Example Examining the largest painting in the exhibition YELLOW TERROR, it is evident that Roger Shimomura uses the caricatures of Japanese soldiers, which are represented as individuals or types who crash, tumble and collide. Roger Shimomura himself is at the center of this chaos which pushes his eyes into a slant as if creating the nightmare mental picture of the Japanese caricatures done by his sight getting altered. The use of the First World War postcards shows how Roger Shimomura has copied caricatures in a precise manner to show how the postcards ridicule the Japanese army’s enemy as a fox, a snake, a beetle, a pig and a monkey. However, it is evident from the caricatures that Roger Shimomura has only borrowed the human caricatures and they exactly indicate how Roger Shimomura’s art relates to the sources of which they were found. Roger Shimomura has created a composition with the cartoon sources as the satire of a grand manner of the 1950s American art at a time when he was coming of age. However, it must be emphasized that the accumulation of the sources and the sources themselves in Roger Shimomura painting are representing more than a formal reference. The artwork also represents a social context. The YELLOW TERROR is a representation of how the society was racist against the Japanese and the Chinese to a point whereby they classified them into one class and making no good distinction between the Japanese and the Chinese but making the distinction only on racist’s grounds.

LEB2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

LEB2 - Essay Example However, foreign firms that organized under the laws of a state other than Alabama were forbidden from similarly negotiating its tax base. These disparities lead to the Reynolds Metal Company to sue the Alabama tax authorities. Reynolds Metal and other sought to be refunded for taxes paid to Alabama on the grounds the state discriminated against foreign companies under the Commerce and Equal Protection Clauses. The Alabama Supreme Court rejected Reynolds’s claim, citing additional burdens on foreign business offset the burdens placed upon domestic businesses. An Alabama trail court confirmed the franchise tax to be discriminatory, but dismissed their claims citing the precedent of the Reynolds case. The U.S. Supreme Court found the state’s franchise taxes against foreign firms to be discriminatory. Further, the U.S. Supreme Court concluded Alabama failed to justify its lack of tax negotiating ability for foreign firms when compared to the burdens placed upon domestic fi rms. Restrictions on freedom of speech On the 200th anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights (December 15, 1991), the American Bar Association conducted poll. A mere 33% of those polled successfully identified the bill of rights. (The New York Times) A decade later, sparring senatorial candidates flubbed the identification of elements comprising the First Amendment. (Johnson) In light of these egregious cognitive failings, the common American can identify with the concept of â€Å"Freedom of Speech.† However, these same failings in common constitutional education make it clear that few are aware of the existence of exceptions to freedom of speech. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states in part that â€Å"Congress shall make no law †¦ abridging the freedom of speech†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Contrary to popular belief, this does not provide the right for the individual American to say what he/she wants, when he/she wants, how he/she wants to. While freedom of speech exists, it is provided to the people with restrictions, conditions, and exemptions. The exemption of obscenity is unique in that the Supreme Court has denied First Amendment protections to obscenity without regard to whether it is, or is not harmful to others. It has been determined by the Supreme Court that obscenity â€Å"was outside the protection intended for speech† when the First Amendment was adopted. (ROTH v. UNITED STATES, 354 U.S. 476 (1957) ) This ruling has essentially banned obscenity in the interest of social order and morality. It is important to note that obscenity and pornography are not one in the same. As most pornography is not legally obscene, pornography enjoys First Amendment protections due to the fact it does not have to pass all elements of the Miller Test. (Miller v. California, 413 U.S. 15, 27 (1973)). One could argue that the Supreme Court has set some very profound precedents in the restrictions of freedom of speech, but the restriction s of speech are far more impacting long before the Supreme or any other court hears the case. The Supreme Court has made it clear employees of the government have the right to free speech when addressing matters of public concern. The Supreme Court has also determined it constitutional for the state to both suspend without pay and terminate employees under the guise of efficiency of service when the employee is making false statements against others in government. Many government

Love Canal The New YorkToxic Wasteland Term Paper

Love Canal The New YorkToxic Wasteland - Term Paper Example Love Canal and associated citizen action is a milestone in American history, it was the extensively publicized citizen action that proved to be the starting point of activism against people exposition to toxic and hazardous chemical wastes. It also drifted federal policy to provide Superfund for cleaning Love Canal and other hazardous waste sites (Brown and Clapp, 2002, p.95).According to Center for Health, Environment and Justice, history of Love Canal takes us back into 1892, when William T. Love put forth a proposal of connecting upper and lower Niagara River by a canal for generating cheap power. However, due to economic pressures, the project was abandoned and land was auctioned and until 1953, it is used chemical disposal site. Hooker Chemical Corporation that was a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum in addition to City of Niagara and United States Army used this site for dumping chemical to warfare materials. In 1953, Hooker sold this site to education board after covering the area with dirt and clay. In this way, the site became in direct use of unaware citizens and most importantly school kids who never imagined about living on 20,000 tons of toxic waste materials. Despite of citizen complaints of odors and health issues, no considerable action was taken until a female citizen and mother of two kids, Lois Gibbs took stand and rest is the history. This paper identifies the lessons learned in the whole journey of Love Canal, the hazardous waste site in New York (Love Canal, n.d.p.1). Love Canal became the typical example of hazardous waste and Superfund program. Surprisingly, it was not the top-ranked Superfund site of New York in 1983 when National Priority List was formulated. Even it was not the major dumping site of Hooker Chemicals. Hooker dumped their major wastes at three sites in Niagara County; 102nd Street Dump, Hyde Park in north and in S-area that was next to city’s water treatment plant. Love Canal has got edge over all these

Austrian Political Discourse Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Austrian Political Discourse - Case Study Example Since it was torn down in Austria there was adjustment that had to be made. It is important to know that politicians and the media were ecstatic about the changes yet they were not totally prepared for the changes, both good and bad, that would manifest in the future. Armed with wire-cutters, Austria's Foreign Minister Alois Mock was shown doing his part--literally as well as symbolically--to open the border between Austria and Hungary. 1 The end of 1989 witnessed the success of the Rumanian "revolution," and the fall of eastern European Stalinist regimes (or the death of Marxism, according to taste) was everywhere exuberantly acclaimed. As the first waves of refugees and immigrants seeking asylum and work made their way westward, however, this enthusiasm soon dampened.2 By the end of 1989 many changes had occurred. Included was the fall of eastern European Stalinist regimes. Other significant events that resulted from the fall of the wall were the success of the Rumanian "revolution," and the demise of Marxism, according to taste. 3 Many things of significance politically ensued he fall of the wall Power became an issue when these paramount events took placer. Racism also became a significant factor. Shortly after the fall of the wall in 1989 refugees and immigrants seeking both work and asylum began making their... The influx of immigrants set the basis for fight for power in the new found freedom. As well the large amounts of immigrants seeking new found freedom in the west set the stage for problem with racism and one of the new arenas for this was Austria. They became known as" political" and "economic" refugees. They elided rather quickly to these new parts. .Without a doubt, the patronizing acceptance in Austria of political refugees from Communist eastern Europe seems to have disguised more profound ethnic conflict towards these groups of immigrants. . The uncertainties of this new political configuration in Europe occasioned the emergence in Austrian public life of xenophobic discourses, fed by and couched in the terms of social anxiety. Those who even a few months previously would have been largely welcomed as heroic refugees from tyrannical regimes, suddenly became socially more threatening "economic immigrants," "spirit and salami merchants," "criminals," etc., too lazy and selfish to remain in their countries and solve their own problems. 3 3 van Dijk, Teun. 1985. Prejudice in Discourse. Amsterdam: Benjamins. An indication of the political implications of this transformation was given in the campaign preceding the 1990 elections to the Austrian National Assembly. Confronted by the obvious success which the Austrian Freedom Party (Freiheitliche Partei sterreichs, or FP), seconded in its effort by the Neue Kronen Zeitung, the largest selling newspaper in Austria, was registering with its more or less explicit appeals to these ethnic hostilities, politicians from the mainstream Social Democratic Party (SP) and the Christian democratic Austrian People's Party (VP) quickly accommodated their own electoral strategies and general political

Wuthering Heights Essay Example for Free

Wuthering Heights Essay The main thematic element of the famous novels Wuthering Heights and Frankenstein are inserted in a certain context, under a revenge and betrayal bias, which are ultimately the main triggers of the dramatic action. There are similar scenes in both novels firstly the way Heathcliff gets exploited by Hindley in similar how Victor abandons his ‘son’. They both had emotional experiences that triggered their desire for revenge. In Wuthering heights when Catherine declares she is going to get married to Edgar, Heathcliff’s plan for vengeance on Edgar and Catherine is to marry Isabella, ‘I love him more than ever you loved Edgar. This clearly suggests Isabella is ignorant of love and of men because she has never experienced either. Heathcliff wants to hurt Edgar because of his marriage to Catherine, also wants to get revenge on Catherine by making her jealous. This is similar to Frankenstein because the monster takes its revenge by killing Victor’s new wife because Victor refuses to make another companion for the monster because he believes it could be disastrous to make another monster like him. The monster becomes more furious and says to Victor, ‘I shall be with on your wedding night. ’ So he kills Elizabeth, for not making a companion for the monster.

Sigmund Freud Biography Essay Example for Free

Sigmund Freud Biography Essay Sigmund Freud believed that the unconcious is the motivation for all simple desires. He believed that an organism is special because of its need to reproduce, and its need to survive. He thought that they are guided towards their needs by hunger, thirst, and avoidance of pain and sex. Freud was born in Frieberg, Moravia. He lived there until the age of four, and afterwards, he and his family moved to Vienna. Later, he enrolled in the medical school in Vienna, and learned much about Biology, and Psychology. Freud learned much about psychology by watching the development of children and people. With his observations, he developed a theory of how people change, and the ways that people think. Freuds goal was to understand a persons instincts and drives, and to see what motivated people to do certain things. His beliefs were based upon the ID, which were a persons instincts or drives. The ID works with the pleasure principle, which is the demand to take care of things immediately. He believed that the pleasure principle could be so strong that it could force a person to only think about one thing. Freud believed that the ID soon becomes the ego, which relates to an organisms consciousness, and its search for its desires. This is a way of problem solving which is alernately known as the secondary process. The ego works on the reality principle, which is the motivation to take care of ones needs when there is an opportunity. The ego competes with the ID, to keep the organism happy, and occasionally, it achieves its goals in the world. They keep a record of the things to avoid, and strategies to fulfill desires, and soon becomes something known as the superego. There are two parts to the superego: the conscience, and the ego ideal. The conscience is a warning message of punishments and consequences. The ego ideal grows through rewards and positive role models for the child. Some of the instincts that are involved with a humans nature are called the life instinct, and the death instinct. These are the drives, which cause the desire for food, water and other necessary things for survival. Freud had also came up with something called the libido. The libido is the motivational energy for the life instincts. Throught Freuds research, the  term libido was generally associated with the sex drive. The death instinct was the drive that every person has the desire to die as well. Most people did not understand his theory of people wanting to die, but Freud explained that some people saw that death could end all of their hardship and suffering that they encountered in life, because sometimes, life can be troublesome and tiring. Freud believed that for some people, death promised the release from the struggle of life. Freuds theories were very complicated and are not accepted everywhere. It has caused huge debates and contraversy all over the world. Some saw his work as brilliant, while others saw his work as garbage. But psychiatric evaluation is still an experimental field, one in which no one is sure of the therapeutic effectiveness.

Strategic Management Nike | Case Study

Strategic Management Nike | Case Study Introduction: This assignment is about analyzing our own personality and behavior and focusing on developing the behavior which will help in building different characteristics that are needed to become an efficient strategic manager. We have taken Nike as the organization, where we will focus on different traits that are required to be developed in person to be a strategic manager for the particular organization. This assignment will bring into focus different skills and traits that will help an individual to build his managerial as well as leadership skills that are important for the success of an individual in an organization. LO1: Be able to identify personal skills to achieve strategic ambitions Analyse the strategic direction of the organisation Nike Inc. is worlds leading company in sports industry. The company was established in the year 1968 in the state of Oregon. It is one of the leading players in sports footwear, apparel, equipments and accessory products. Nike, the name of the company is taken on the name of the Greek Goddess of Victory. With its strong marketing strategy, Nike Inc. has been successful in stretching its reach globally. Nike has followed the innovative strategy and has captured the market by introducing different athletic brands such as Nike Air, Max Air, Zoom Air, Nike Golf, Nike Pro, Nike +, Air Jordan, Nike Skateboarding and Nike Shox. The company operates in over 170 countries globally with company operates retail outlets, and independent distributors and licensee. The principle activity of the company is design, development and worldwide marketing of its products which includes sports footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories. The company produces its footwear and apparel products outside Unit ed States, whereas the sports equipments are manufactured in United States as well as other parts of the world. With its highly recognized slogan Just do it and its distinguish swoosh logo (representing the wing of Greek goddess NIKE), Nike has been successful in building up a strong brand image which successfully captures maximum sports market and sponsors different athletes and sports teams around the world and has evolved into one of the biggest multinational corporation in sports industry. The strategic objective of Nike is to hold its position as the market leader in sports footwear sector with a strong focus on innovation, research and development. Company works on authenticity, honesty, athletic, competitiveness, performance and teamwork. These are the strategic objectives which the company follows so as to have a competitive edge in the market. Evaluate the strategic skills required of the leader to achieve the strategic ambitions Nike operates in highly competitive environment and needs to have a strong focus on innovation, research and development. To operate in highly competitive and a multinational organization it is very important to have strong communication skills, analytical skills, leadership skills, time management skills, problem solving skills and negotiation skills. Communication Skills: Communication is the base of an organization. It is one the most important skills which focuses on meeting the personal as well as organizational goals, it is one of the biggest driver which focuses on stimulating the behavior of an individual in an organization. It is very important for a manager to have effective communication skills as it helps in driving and motivating the employees behavior. It also helps in effectively expressing the feelings and emotion of the employee and the manager which helps in creating a bonding between the manager and the employee. Leadership Skills: Leadership is one of the most important aspect of an organization without leadership the organizational performance is minimal as it helps in increasing the efficiency and the working of the employees in the organization. It helps in influencing the people. Leadership can be termed as an interpersonal process that involves attempts to influence other people in attaining organizational goals (Hitt, 2009). Leaders help the employees and other members of the organization to focus on achieving the set goals and objectives of the organization. Leaders help in guiding and motivating their subordinates or followers to work on a certain perspective which helps in attaining productive results. Negotiation Skill: Being in a multinational organization it is very important for an manager to have negotiation skill as it is a skill that is needed on day to day working within the organization as well as personal working. It is important for a manager to have efficient negotiation skills so as to settle different arguments and conflicts in the organization. For being an efficient negotiator it is important for a manager to be open mindedpro active, empathic, good communicator, friendly, and intuitive. Problem Solving Skills: It is important for a strategic manager to have strong analytical and problem solving skill as the manager encounters different challenges in their day to day working where their analytical skill and problem solving skill playa a crucial rule which helps in achieving the organizational goals and objectives. Time Management: Time Management is very important tool which helps in developing the personality of the person. It basically refers to the skills, and techniques which help in managing the time in respect to accomplish the set goals and objectives. An effective time management is helpful in many ways such as effective time management helps in reducing stress and anxiety, builds a sense of achievement, helps in increasing the energy, helps in increasing productivity, helps in reducing avoidance, helps in building up the confidence. Time never stays for anyone. So time can only be managed, it cannot be controlled replaced or recreated. Assess the relationship between existing, required and future skills to achieve the strategic ambitions To achieve the strategic goals and objectives the strategic manager needs to have strong skills in respect to manage the team and their working. The manager needs to have strong analytical skills and technical skills which will help in nurturing innovation in the organization. The strategic manger needs have a strong focus on authenticity, honesty, athletic, competitiveness, performance and teamwork skills which are the pillars of Nike so as to focus on achieving the strategic objectives and goals of the organization. The manager needs to have strong leadership skills so as to achieve the strategic goals and objectives of the organization. LO2. Be able to manage personal leadership development to support achievement of strategic ambitions 2.1 Discuss the opportunities to support leadership development Nike is the organization which has a strong focus on research and development, for this the organization gives a strong focus to training and development of the employees. The organization strongly focuses on innovation, the employees are motivated to do different experiments in an innovative measure. The CEO of the company has focused on reorganizing the company into different units that are categorized in different particular sports. Mark Parker says, a conscious decision to sharpen each piece of the business so were not some big fat dumb company,. He has put strong emphasis in new global market and have made a strong emphasis on the nations like China and Japan because they are nations on low cost production, the CEO of Nike strongly focuses on eliminating the middle management and restructured the organization by down turning. This has helped in increasing the leadership skills within the organization. Nike also has an Innovation Kitchen, which is a think tank where all the desig ners work on their creativity and enhance their skills. The Kitchen is a free-range creative playpen, with every type of tool, material, machine, toy, instrument, software, game, and inspirational image at the ready. (McGrit, 2010). Kitchen is one of the most secured place in the organization where not all the employees are allowed to enter the organization. The organization focuses on open communication so as to facilitate innovation in the organization. He wants all his employees to share all their thoughts and imagination so as to build innovative company. These are different perspectives which help in developing leadership skills within the organization. The organization also urges the managers to work innovatively by collaborating themselves on different perspectives by focusing on nature, animal and building so as to inspire the employees in the organization to work innovatively and effectively. 2.2 Construct a personal development plan to direct leadership development For having effective leadership skills it is very important to work on different skills which help in enhancing the leadership qualities that are required in the organization. Nike being an organization which focuses on innovation, being creative is one of the most important perspective that is required for an efficient strategic manager, as creativity helps in building up new ideas for developing new products and will also help in facilitating the creativity within the organization. For facilitating a high creative perspective it is important for a manager to work on five P model of creativity i.e. Passion, Persistence, Persuasion, Playfulness and Positivity. It is important to have innovative thinking as well as strong visionary goals which will help in building a positive environment in the organization. For being an efficient manager it is important to have strong communication skill which will help in facilitating communication where employees share the problem with subordinates as a group, and together, they generate and evaluate alternatives and attempt to reach consensus on a solution. The manager needs to develop skills which include drive, the desire to lead, honesty/integrity, self-confidence, cognitive ability and knowledge of the business. It helps in enhancing the performance of the employees. The efficient strategic manager needs to be characterized by high Self-confidence, strong vision, ability to articulate the vision (speaking ability), strong convictions about the vision, highly creative and innovative, perceived as agents of change and Environmental Sensitivity (threats, opportunities). An efficient manager needs to ha ve enhanced time management and stress management skills which will help in increasing the efficiency of the managers and will help them in building different leadership skills which will help the employees and subordinates to work on different organizational goals and objectives. 2.3 Devise an implementation process for the development plan Improvement of skills: Time Management: For being an efficient strategic manager it is important for a manager to work efficiently on given time. It is important for a manager to set their priorities and work according to the set proprieties so that they are able to finish up the most important thing at the first stage and are able to manage the time effectively and efficiently. There are different techniques which help in setting the priorities such as ABC analysis, Pareto analysis, POSEC method, these methods helps in prioritizing different tasks by Organizing, Streamlining, Economizing and Contributing. With the help of these techniques the manager are able to manage their time effectively and also manage their meeting efficiently. With a strong focus on time management the manager will not work under stress and pressure and will have ample time to work on enhancing their creativity and building up new ideas for development of new products focusing on enhancing creativity and skills which will help the manager to achieve the set targets and goals. Stress Management:Working under a multinational organization creates stress. There are several techniques which help in managing stress, one of the most important being Yoga, yoga is one of the best exercise which helps in attaining mental peace. It helps in developing different skills and controlling different stress situation as a person is at mental ease when he does yoga. Eating healthy food is also important to minimize stress, healthy food helps in giving proper health to the person and he is able to work efficiently as healthy body helps in removing stress. Sports activities are also one of the important ways through which stress can be minimized, one can indulge himself in indoor or outdoor sports activity, it helps in relaxing the mind of an individual which in turn helps in increasing the mind power. Communication Skills: It is very important for a manager or leader to possess. They need to have strong communication skills so as to facilitate different information through different levels of the organization. To have strong communicator one need to be a good listener and believe in whatever he communicates. One should be clear in what he is communicating to the other person. Problem solving: to become a good problem solver, a person needs to be creative and innovative in every work he does, he must work on developing practical solutions so as to facilitate proper problem solving, Different strategies and methods must be used to solve problems pertaining to different areas. LO3. Be able to evaluate the effectiveness of the leadership development plan With a strong focus on enhancing the skills, the manager will be able to develop several skills which will help in enhancing the skills of the strategic manager. With adoption of the leadership development plan the manger will be able to build on Inspirational leadership quality with a strong focus on vision for the future, self awareness and empathy. The manager will also able to build on the traits of charismatic leaders, with the improvement on his communication skills, with enhancing and working on the communication skills the manager will be able to clearly communicate with the employees and maintain their enthusiastic and excitement level with a display of high level of self confidence and self esteem. With working on time management skills the manager will be able to adopt cost efficient and cost effective measures with a strong focus on increasing the productivity of the organization. The manager will focus on developing the skills of people by motivating them to accomplish t heir goals. The manager will focus on building the organization culture and environment that will help in building a strong and friendly environment. With enhancement on communication skill the manager will also focus on displaying participative leadership. The manager will focus on assigning their subordinates new tasks and involving them in new tasks enhances the performance of the subordinate. This will also help in enhancing the skills of the subordinates. LO4. Be able to promote a healthy and safe environment that supports a culture of quality 4.1 Assess the impact of corporate and individual health and safety responsibilities on the organisation Nike considers sustainability as one of the most essential part for the success of the organization. Today, the corporate responsibility approach has evolved from focusing on risk management, philanthropy and compliance to one that utilizes natural focus on innovation to transition NIKE, Inc. into a business that is more sustainable, by which it mean that it brings people, planet and profits into balance for lasting success. (Corporate Social Responsibility report 2009). Nike focuses on delivering innovative products in sustainable way. It focuses on recognizing the sustainability that routes to future profitability. With the increasing globalization and new demands across the market, according to him the company needs to focus on capturing the maximum market and provide its customers innovative and customized products. According to Mark Parker, the company needs to work innovatively which is possible only when the organization is able to succeed in a world where natural and human resources are constrained. There are several issues that will impact the business and the preferences of the consumer market, these issues concern the change in climate, depletion of natural resources, peaking oil prices and growth in population. The company focuses on working on the grounds in which it can survive in the changing conditions. With these changes around the world and economy, there will be potential effect to labor forces, working conditions, communities, dev elopment, youth, sport, supply chains, products and more. The company has built up a new strategy to focus on the coming future. It has built a new model and shift to sustainable business and innovation. The vision for SBI is to enable NIKE, Inc. and our consumers to thrive in a sustainable economy, one where people, planet and profit are in balance. To do this, the company will: Innovate to deliver enterprise-level sustainability solutions. Integrate sustainability into the heart of the NIKE, Inc. business model. Mobilize key constituents (civil society, employees, consumers, government and industry) to partner in scaling solutions. (Corporate Social Responsibility Report, 2009). The company focuses on designing products that are fully closed-loop: products produced using the fewest possible materials, designed for easy disassembly and capable of being recycled into new products or safely returned to nature at the end of their life. The company focuses on innovating its manufacturing, production, recapturing, recycling ad reusing. Nike focuses on building innovation lab focuses on delivering enterprise and industry level sustainability solutions. The company focuses on integrating corporate social responsibility to its organization on whole. This will help in upstream decision making and integrated sustainable thinking. The company has taken several efforts to improve the working conditions across its supply chain. This can be done through influencing policies in respect to improving the working conditions and encouraging collaboration between society, industry and government. Nike focuses n achieving sustainability across all its horizons of its operations. Nike has incorporated several steps so as to bring sustainable change in the working condition and for the workers of footwear, apparel and equipment industry. 4.2 Estimate an organisational culture of quality on the achievement of strategic ambitions Leadership and organizational culture are the most important part of an organization which helps in improving the efficiency and productivity of the organization. Organization culture can be termed as the set of values, and the beliefs that are shared by the individuals working in the organization whereas organizational climate is the environment of the organization, it affects the structure, performance and responsibility of the employees in an organization. It is oriented towards behavioral approach, which revolves around the creativity, innovation, and safety. Organizational culture is an element which brings into picture the organization climate and design. Organizational culture is the study of the psychology, attitudes, beliefs, values of an employee working in the organization. It encompasses personal as well as cultural value into consideration. Organizational culture is composed of three layers i.e. material culture which includes the characteristics of products, technology and equipment used in the organization, it basically represents the style of enterprise manager. Material layer is called the foundation layer of the organization. System layer which includes different code of conduct and regulations on which is there in the mind of the employees, it works as the key of the organization. The last layer of the organization is the spiritual culture which is the core of the organizational culture which includes the philosophy, strategy, value orientation, emotion of the employees. Leaders needs to set an example in an organization as being an element of culture, so as to enhance the productivity within the organization. Organization culture fosters an organization to achieve its business goals and objectives. The culture of the organization helps in increasing the efficiency of the organization as well as the employees.The corporate culture of the organization brings out the value and norms of the organization as well as the organizational behavior in respect of technologies, strategies, products and services that are used in the organization. The organizational culture also fosters changes in the organization like downsizing, technological advancement which is important for the growth of the organization. Seven dimensions of the organizational culture are attention to detail, innovation and risk taking, outcome orientation, stability, people orientation, aggressiveness and team orientation. The organizational culture can foster ethics as well unethical issues. Like Enrons leadership and organizational culture was unethical whereas 3M and apple fosters innovative organizational culture so as to improve its efficiency.Organizational culture of an helps in fostering the behavior of the employees and the future of the organization. Organizational culture helps in team building within the organization. As through the organizational culture helps in fostering creativity, innovation, and sharing of values.Organizational culture has become highly focused to innovation, through technological development and advancement the organizational culture helps in fostering change in the organization which helps in adopting total quality management. Organizational culture is one of the most important aspect of the organization which helps in fostering development and change in the organization as well as achieving the set strategic objectives and goals of the organization. It is the base of the organization which highly affects the behavior of the employees in the organization. The organizational culture can build positive behavior in an employee as well as negative behavior. It can be said that the growth of the organization highly depends on the organizational culture.

Free Essay: Analysis of Sonnet 64 :: Sonnet essays

Analysis of Sonnet 64 When I have seen by Time's fell hand defac'd The rich proud cost of outworn buried age; When sometime lofty towers I see down raz'd, And brass eternal slave to mortal rage; When I have seen the hungry ocean gain Advantage on the kingdom of the shore, And the firm soil win of the watery main, Increasing store with loss and loss with store: When I have seen such interchange of state, Or state itself confounded to decay, Ruin hath tought me thus to ruminate- That Time will come and take my love away. This thought is as a death, which cannot choose But weep to have that which it fears to lose. As A. Kent Hieatt did a great job in citing certain similarities in Sonnets to Spencer's Ruines of Rome: by Bellay, I was surprised enough not to dfind any parallels on sonnet 64 to that of Ruines of Rome. This sonnet delivers, moreso, the theme of Rome succumbing to time rather than textual correlations. I will provide a quatrain by quatrain explicaton that cites certain allusions to Spencer's text. In the first quatrain, time has destroyed Rome, the "buried age," having lived too long ("outworn") as a prosperous civilization. The "lofty towers" being "raz'd" echoes Rome being "Heapt hils on hils, to scale the starrie sky"; the first "hils" in Spencer refers to the Roman civilization and the physical buildings, whereas the latter "hils" refers to the mountains on which Rome was built. Thus, being "raz'd" are all of the monuments of Rome that are subject to mutability. Ambiguity in the second quatrain allows for two readings following the Roman theme. First, the "hungry ocean" is the sea itself which gains on Rome, "the kingdom of the shore," but if the ocean is rising against Rome, it is incongruous to say that the "firm soil" defeats the "watery main." A more appropriate alternate reading still refers to Rome as "the kingdom of the shore," but the "hungry ocean" refers to other civilizations that have tried to conquer Rome yet failed. 5-7: 'When I have seen usurping nations hostily advance towards Rome, and then steadfast Rome defeat the opposing navy,'. This latter reading more supports line 8, in which Rome 'increases [its] wealth through the gains of (Rome's) conquests [thus, "with loss"], and yet at the same time increases [its] loss "with store," (that is, time's store [of time])'.

White collar crime :: essays research papers

Welcome to the age of white collar crime. A time when the words thieves and businessmen go hand in hand. White collar criminals don’t get their hands dirty in their work. They use their heads to get what they want instead of using a little muscle. These criminals are just as dangerous as the rapists and murderers. In these times, even the most seemingly respectable people are suspected of white collar crimes. President Clinton and the first lady Hillary Clinton have been tangled up in the Whitewater and Travelgate business ventures. Although the two have not been formally charged with any wrongdoing, there is a committee currently investigating their dealings and charges are not out of the question for either of them. In Michael Isikoff’s and Mark Hosenball’s Newsweek article â€Å"Cracks in the Wall,† they describe the Clintons’ dealings with Whitewater and the possible consequences of them: â€Å"The Senate Whitewater committee is considering asking for perjury charges against Susan Thomas and Maggie Williams, Mrs. Clintons’ chief of staff, in connection with her testimony about the removal of documents from Vince Foster’s office† (Isikoff 29). This case goes to show that there presently a growing problem with our country, and it is called white collar crime. White collar crimes are very numerous in kind. New ones are always being invented by someone with a good scam. Embezzlement, tax evasion, and fraud are some of the more popular kinds. A person who has the power of controlling money in a business is most likely commit embezzlement. A shortened definition of embezzlement is â€Å"to steal money that is entrusted to Phillips 2 one.† This is one of the fastest rising crimes in the nation. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, embezzlement rose thirty eight percent from 1984 to 1993 (U.S. Dept. of Justice 239). Forgery is another growing form of white collar crime. This is defined as the act of imitating or counterfeiting documents or signatures for the purpose of deceiving someone. Forgery also shows the same growth trends as embezzlement. From 1984 to 1993 forgery and counterfeiting increased twenty-one percent (U.S. Dept. of Justice 240). Bogus ads, job scams, and telephone scams are all examples of fraud. Basically these scams ask you to send money for something that is non-existent. An example of a telephone scam would be if someone called to ask for donations for a phony organization or charity. White collar crime :: essays research papers Welcome to the age of white collar crime. A time when the words thieves and businessmen go hand in hand. White collar criminals don’t get their hands dirty in their work. They use their heads to get what they want instead of using a little muscle. These criminals are just as dangerous as the rapists and murderers. In these times, even the most seemingly respectable people are suspected of white collar crimes. President Clinton and the first lady Hillary Clinton have been tangled up in the Whitewater and Travelgate business ventures. Although the two have not been formally charged with any wrongdoing, there is a committee currently investigating their dealings and charges are not out of the question for either of them. In Michael Isikoff’s and Mark Hosenball’s Newsweek article â€Å"Cracks in the Wall,† they describe the Clintons’ dealings with Whitewater and the possible consequences of them: â€Å"The Senate Whitewater committee is considering asking for perjury charges against Susan Thomas and Maggie Williams, Mrs. Clintons’ chief of staff, in connection with her testimony about the removal of documents from Vince Foster’s office† (Isikoff 29). This case goes to show that there presently a growing problem with our country, and it is called white collar crime. White collar crimes are very numerous in kind. New ones are always being invented by someone with a good scam. Embezzlement, tax evasion, and fraud are some of the more popular kinds. A person who has the power of controlling money in a business is most likely commit embezzlement. A shortened definition of embezzlement is â€Å"to steal money that is entrusted to Phillips 2 one.† This is one of the fastest rising crimes in the nation. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, embezzlement rose thirty eight percent from 1984 to 1993 (U.S. Dept. of Justice 239). Forgery is another growing form of white collar crime. This is defined as the act of imitating or counterfeiting documents or signatures for the purpose of deceiving someone. Forgery also shows the same growth trends as embezzlement. From 1984 to 1993 forgery and counterfeiting increased twenty-one percent (U.S. Dept. of Justice 240). Bogus ads, job scams, and telephone scams are all examples of fraud. Basically these scams ask you to send money for something that is non-existent. An example of a telephone scam would be if someone called to ask for donations for a phony organization or charity.

The Inflexibility and Hubris of Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall

The Inflexibility and Hubris of Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart This novel is the definitive tragic model about the dissolution of the African Ibo culture by Nigerian author, Chinua Achebe. Okonkwo, a great and heroic leader, is doomed by his inflexibility and hubris. He is driven by fear of failure. He had no patience with unsuccessful men. He had no patience with his father. Unoka, for that was his father's name, had died ten years ago. In his day he was lazy and improvident, and was quite incapable of thinking about tomorrow. (Achebe,4). The reader gets a rare and exotic understanding of a totally foreign and ancient culture experiencing the growing pains of colonial expansion during the British domination of Nigeria in the late 1800's. Okonkwo's ferocity is demonstrated in the carrying out of his personal "dread" to the letter within his family, his community, and the invaders. His ferocity, born of fear, is his evil. During the Week of Peace, one of Okonkwo's wives, Ojiugo, has left the compound, ignoring her children and domestic duties, to "plait her hair." And when she returned, he beat her very heavily. In his anger he had forgotten that it was the Week of Peace. His first two wives ran out in great alarm pleading with him that it was the sacred week. (Achebe, 29) But Okonkwo was not a man to stop beating somebody half-way through, not even for fear of a goddess. (Achebe, 30) Being unable to bend, he loses self-control and eventually all he has once stood for. The novel examples rites, initiations, and tribal customs whose images can be disturbing to western mentality, but also stresses the parallels and need in all cultures to have such ceremonies acknowledging important events in... ... make interesting reading. One could almost write a whole chapter on him. Perhaps not a whole chapter but a reasonable paragraph, at any rate ... He had already chosen the title of the book, after much thought: The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes On The Lower Niger. (Achebe, 208-209) Achebe suggests that colonialism has led to this entire tragedy, but the seeds of dread and self-will are obvious in Okonkwo. He is not a survivor. Our goal is to survive. In our journey through this life of good and evil influences, we purposefully choose our own end by the choices we make along the way. Success can be defined as the acceptance of all of our experience that has led us where we are today. Acceptance of ourselves is the key to acceptance and tolerance of others. Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Oxford, Eng.: Heinemann Educational Pub., 1996.

Development of the learning process of students for progress through after school program Essay

The question of development of students in their childhood is extremely vital that has to be tackled carefully, if not various problems will arise not only at the individual level but also at the national level. To improve the condition, the sanction of fund by the government alone is not sufficient to solve the problems but question remains at the top for its use in right direction at the right time in right amount with consideration of grant, method of constructing the children in the limitation of time and space of adults, the capacity of the children for their success, the implementation of art in their education life with the question of implementation of their education in the development of the community with the help of after school program. If the problem is solved tactfully and effectively, the manifold benefit can be had for the development of the students. The proper implementation of the after school program will bring out the goodness in the students to the society in proper manner. The creativity, which is present in every student by birth, will come out to the society to give strength not only to the students themselves but also to the nation. The article ‘Children â€Å"At Risk†: Constructions of Childhood in the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Federal After-School Program’ by Sharon Verner Chappell is not only an informative one but also a fine creation of work of literature. This article may be termed as a vital literature, though it an article, in the contemporary situation due its wide range of data and analysis of the situation of the students of any country. The effectiveness of the article is without the any boundary of the community, language and the nations. The sanction of $4. 5 billion by U. S. government for after school programs through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (Chappell, S. V. 2006) is an independent variable if we consider the fact about the budget allocation. The amount is decided at the time of budget and at the time of budget preparation other needs are not taken into accounts. Though the actual amount spent will become dependent variable when the number of school and students are taken into consideration. Another example of dependant variable can be seen as the number of good performing students that is directly proportional to increased skill in study and inversely proportional to decreased number of adverse behavior like teen pregnancy. Sanctioning money is very much essential for any project to be completed, considering this assumption the US government has sanctioned the money amount. This may be considered as an important hypothesis. A hypothesis that â€Å"children are active and academically successful (i. e. productive) when they attend a state regulated educational program, whereas those children who do not attend such programs are passive, unproductive, unsuccessful, and by extension, perhaps, not good people† is cited in the article by Chappell (2006). This Operational Research Question is universally acclaimed and it is studied here in the context appropriately. â€Å"The students and the parents both are needed high attention of care and support when they are from high poverty family†. This thought is also implemented in the article. When students are in low-performing school their self-performance is also decreased. In addition to this hypothesis another one like â€Å"when art is introduced in the curriculum, the performance of the students are better many fold from previous†. Another citation by Chappell (2006) from Vadeboncoeur (2005,123), is as ‘notions of time and space can be used â€Å"to map institutional and narrative landscapes of students. â€Å"‘ This is also an important operational research. The definition of term by the article writer is provided in between the sentence by proper explanation in next step in the advancement of the description. After stating some policy, additional information is provided to describe the policy, which act as invisible definition of the term in the article. Some time the definition is given in bracket as in â€Å"reduce the number of children in self-care (â€Å"latchkey children† who take care of themselves)†. The meaning of implemented sentence â€Å"reduce the number of children in self-care† in given in the bracket in later part. Population and sampling procedure is informative and given in between sentence without any tabular form. This keeps the flow of the article readable and enjoyable. One example of this in article is â€Å" Since 2003, 6,800 rural and urban public schools have been served around the country†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Another sampling in the article is given at proper time and places with proper citation method to avoid the ambiguity due to copyright with gives the article a good ornamental decorating. Data source are very huge and the data are collected from the scholarly and valuable articles all related to the subject matter of the article. The tireless, extensive and enthusiastic efforts are given to collect the data from various books, magazines and the websites. The proper care has been taken to collect the data after exhaustive study of the collected materials to produce the article. The data are collected with proper estimation and measurement and the authenticity cannot be suspected as the whole matter is taken from the scholarly articles, authentic magazines and popular books. The psychological and mental estimation of the children are provided with the article with various hypothesis and theory. The data are not provided in any tabular form but are scattered throughout the articles in the manner of information with full lucrative and informative sentence. In the beginning of the article â€Å"amount of $4. 5 million† is mentioned as the sanctioned amount for 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC). Another data is â€Å"6800 rural and public school† but in no any data table. Presentation and interpretation of findings are in very intelligent and economical manner. The various divisions have been done with different sub-heading the article to provide the information in proper and chorological manner. The required data and information can be easily had due to the excellent presentation of the article. Findings have proper interpretation and placed at appropriate place. In this article main theme is the construction of childhood with the help of the ‘after school programs’ to be implemented with the help of various funds allocations by concerned institutions. The methods are described to obtained good results by good students. The need for improvement of economically improvised school along with the economically downtrodden family is emphasized. The need of arts is very much essential for the student to become a good student. Though the article is exhaustive in information and description in the problems mentioned in the titles, the need for further Research cannot be denied. There is a need to study the personal behavior of the students at the time of after school program. Many students may not be interested in such program. So they cannot be forced to do the implemented programs but s/he should be given proper attention to find out the actual need and interest of the students. There is need to conduct the research in the area of students behavior and their interests in the study at the very early age. Strength of the study remains in the area of research. The extensive and exhaustive research is done in proper subject matter. The method of citation is proper and the information put at proper places with the good structure of the paragraph with the flow of the information in one proper direction is always advancing. Weakness of the study is in the method of representation of the data in tabular forms without any comparison method. The compared data would have given better understanding of the situation of the students. The poverty level of the parents of the students and the economically degraded school with opposite situation could have been compared in tabular form for better understanding. The various opinions of the parents and the students could have given better improvement in the study.

How does Miller present the relationship between Abigail and Proctor? Essay

In The Crucible, we follow the adulterous and turbulent relationship between Abigail Williams and John Proctor, and watch it change and develop throughout the play, from Abigail trying to reinstate the affair in Act 1, to John Proctor confessing and therefore destroying it at the end of the play. John Proctor is an honest, plain-speaking local farmer. He is an impressive presence in the room, being described as ‘a man in his prime’ and ‘powerful of body’, illustrating his strength and independence. Although some people criticise his religious commitments, he is generally ‘respected and even feared in Salem’, again suggesting his position in the community. However, we then learn that he is a ‘sinner’. Although it may be easy, at this point, for the reader to judge Proctor, forming a negative opinion of him, we then learn that he sins ‘against his own vision of decent conduct’ and regards himself as a ‘fraud’, implying that he regrets and is ashamed of his sins. Proctor represents common sense and decency. He is not perfect, but is very aware of his own faults, unlike many others in the play. He is his own harshest judge. He believes very strongly in telling the truth but is tortured by the knowledge that he is living a lie. Although he is guilty of hypocrisy, he condemns himself for it. Here, Miller presents proctor in a more positive light and intends for the reader to empathise with Proctor, given that he regrets his mistakes and is burdened constantly by guilt. Abigail Williams is Reverend Parris’s niece and the leader of the girls and drives the witchcraft accusations. She wants revenge on Elizabeth Proctor for dismissing her and winning John Proctor back from her after the affair. She is shown has powerful when she says to the girls: ‘Now, look you, all of you’, asserting that she is very much in charge. She is also very controlling; when she tells Mary Warren to ‘Shut it!’ and slaps her, we see her taking advantage of Mary Warren’s shy and meek character by scaring and threatening her into doing what she wants. This is repeated when Abigail destroys Mary’s newfound courage against the girls by pretending to see her spirit as a yellow bird. Abigail also calls the good-natured Elizabeth Proctor a ‘gossiping liar’, signifying that she is sly and manipulative,  adjusting the situation in order to remain innocent. She is also cunning as well as manipulative, in that she realises that she can generate hysteria in the other girls and she uses this to defend and strengthen her own argument and accusations. She inspires fear in all of the girls and the entire town: this is illustrated when we learn that ‘where she walks the crowd will part like the see for Israel’, proving that even the senior townspeople of Salem are taken in by her power. In Act 1 we are given an insight into the complex relationship between Proctor and Abigail. It is the first scene in which we are given actual evidence of their affair, which (up until their conversation in Act 1) is only rumoured. In this scene John Proctor’s power is reinforced when Mary Warren ‘jumps in fright’ when he enters. It is clear that he has a similar effect on Abigail, who immediately flatters Proctor when they are alone, citing that she had ‘almost forgotten how strong [he is]’. She also gives a ‘nervous laugh’, showing that she likes him a lot and is slightly uneasy around him as she is always on her guard to appear more mature. She ‘feverishly’ looks ‘deep into his eyes’, showing that he has power over her, and suggesting that she is looking as deep as she can into Proctor, searching for some form of response or reciprocation of her feelings towards him. Abigail also stands ‘as though on tiptoe’, implying that she is trying to seem more mature and of better status than she is. When someone is ‘on tiptoe’, they are trying to be more than they are, be that taller, more confident or mature, but they are often unstable by doing this and they struggle to keep their balance. It is this that causes Abigail’s downfall in the end, in that she too becomes unstable by trying to be more than she is, throughout the play. Her plan to win John Proctor backfires as a result of accusations multiplying and, as hysteria spirals out of control, it is Abigail who loses control of the whole situation and (albeit unintentionally) causes Proctor’s death. In the same scene, we see Proctor’s attitude towards Abigail and their affair change. At first, he gives a ‘knowing smile’, suggesting that he may still have some feelings for her. Once Abigail has told Proctor that they danced in the woods, he replies in a somewhat playful tone, saying: ‘Ah,  you’re wicked yet, aren’t y’!’ giving the impression that likes her too and also wants to carry on with the affair. An alternative interpretation of this is that he encourages behaviour forbidden by Puritans such as dancing in the woods (which they believed to be full of evil spirits) because he knows that there isn’t really any danger in the woods, and that it will infuriate Parris, whom Proctor despises. He also jokes that Abigail will be ‘clapped in the stocks before [she’s] twenty!’ This ironic because Abigail is one of the only people who is not punished, despite being one of the only people who deserves to be. Abigail then begins to beg John for a ‘soft word’ with ‘concentrated desire’. The word ‘concentrated’ implies that her desire is very strong and intense, and that all the energy she has is focused on trying to seduce him. It is this that ‘destroys his smile’. It also destroys his happiness, in that he is tormented by guilt every day. It also destroys his relationship with Elizabeth as her ‘desire’ later involves targeting her at the trials and pretending that she sends her spirit to stab Abigail. It then, ultimately, destroys his life when she uses the power she has over the other girls to overpower Mary Warren’s argument against her, scaring Mary into going against Proctor and getting him arrested and hung. When Abigail ‘destroys his smile’, Proctor realises that what he is doing is wrong a makes the decision to reject Abigail. Miller uses short sentences to emphasise Proctor’s authority as a grown man, using a declarative to assert that ‘That’s done with.’ Speaking with â⠂¬Ëœfinal emphasis’, we watch as Proctor becomes frustrated that Abigail has clearly not got the message and will not leave. Miller uses another declarative when Proctor tells Abigail that she ‘will put it out of mind’, making it clear that Proctor is in control and reinforcing our idea of him as a headstrong man with good morals. Abigail’s desperation does not fade; we learn that ‘she cannot believe it’, insinuating that she has become so used to manipulating others that it comes as a shock when she herself is manipulated. Proctor rejects Abigail once and for all, using a violent image that he would ‘cut off [his] hand’ before he’d ‘ever reach for [her] again’. This image, suggesting punishment and physical harm is also symbolic of the terrible outcome of their affair. The affair causes tension between Proctor and Elizabeth. She is paranoid about what he may be up to, asking Proctor ‘What keeps [him] so late?’ John then asks Elizabeth: ‘Are you well today?’ showing that they are not getting on as well as they might, and Proctor is almost tiptoeing around her by trying to seem interested in her and make her feel valued. The tension increases further when Proctor says: ‘Cider?’, suggesting that he is tired of her and is growing impatient that she is forgetting things. Miller’s audience of the 1950s would have been horrified that Proctor orders Elizabeth around in this way, especially when she is innocent and he is the one in the wrong, though this would have been normal in the 1690s, when women were regarded as their husband’s property. Abigail does not appear in Act 2. Nevertheless, she has a strong influence over the course of events. Not only does she cause tension between John and Elizabeth, but her presence is felt when Proctor struggles to name all of the Ten Commandments. He names all of them but the adultery commandment, meaning Elizabeth has to ‘delicately’ remind him. Proctor tries so hard on a daily basis to forget about his affair with Abigail and move on that he has forgotten the only commandment which he has gone against. It is his only sin and the only thing that ruins his otherwise good character. Abigail also drives the scene by accusing Elizabeth of witchcraft. Mary Warren comes home from court with a ‘poppet’ for Elizabeth, which has a ‘needle’ stuck in it. We then learn that Abigail fell to the floor and a needle was found stuck into the flesh of her stomach. The reader is shown Abigail’s plot against Elizabeth and Elizabeth’s arrest is a turning point. When Proctor tells Mary that she must admit to the court how the poppet came to be in his house, Mary is frightened and says that she cannot do it as Abigail would kill her and ‘charge lechery’ on Proctor. In the context of the period, adultery was one of the worst sins and anyone found to be an adulterer would be heavily punished, possibly even killed, as John Proctor is. It is therefore through Elizabeth’s arrest that Mary reveals that she knows of the affair. Act 2 closes with Mary weeping that she cannot do what Proctor has asked her. Although Abigail is not there, her presence is felt yet again and the power that she has over the other girls is clearly shown in Mary’s terror at the prospect of having to denounce Abigail in court. Abigail and Proctor are both complex characters and Miller chooses the two  characters who the reader would think are the most unlikely couple. John Proctor hates himself for hurting Elizabeth and judges himself for being guilty of the very hypocrisy he despises in others. Abigail Williams, on the other hand, is not a good-hearted character who revels in her sins, and it is her lack of morals which allow her to hurt innocent people such as Elizabeth. An adulterous relationship would have been intensely frowned upon in Puritan times and could be viewed as either Proctor‘s or Abigail’s fault. It could be argued that Proctor, as a grown and married man, should have known never to begin the affair with Abigail. However, it could have been Abigail, their servant, who took advantage of a difficult time between John and Elizabeth and exploited Proctor’s only weakness: lust. Miller clearly wants the reader on Proctor’s side. We know already that he is plagued with guilt and is aware of his own faults. In the end, he eliminates his hypocrisy by finally telling the truth. He is the play’s tragic hero in that he sacrifices his life and good name in order to save Elizabeth, who forgives him, saying that ‘he have his goodness now’.

Gender Roles in The Thin Man Essay

The period of the 1930s was an offshoot of the â€Å"roaring twenties† or the â€Å"jazz age†, a time when women gained a heightened sense of prominence in the society after the First World War saw young men leaving their homes and their work in response to the nation’s call to arms (Freedman, 1974, p. 374). Towards the end of the war and at the beginning of the 1930s, women became more in control of their liberty, proof of which is their newly recognized right to suffrage (Murphy, 1996, p. 52). They became regular members of the social workforce, thereby giving them a renewed sense of control over their lives. The â€Å"flapper†Ã¢â‚¬â€young women who defied the norms of what a conservative woman is by engaging in casual sex and wearing short skirts, among others—took the center stage, so to speak. As for men, such circumstances only brought them closer to the temptation of pleasing the opposite sex. This is clearly portrayed in the 1934 film The Thin Man. In the film, Nick Charles and his wife Nora represent the life of married couples whose lives are characterized primarily by the attitudes of the social elites—fun meant enjoying martinis and sleuthing. In a way, the couple captures the gender roles of each partner during the 1930s. Nora was a wealthy heiress who had almost everything at her disposal. She was beautiful and seemed to have a passion for adventure owing largely to her living a life of liberty. She was the 1930s woman who saw life as the ultimate provider of adventure in all its daring forms. Nick was a handsome man and a retired private detective who previously investigated and solved murders. He was the 1930s man who was deeply entrenched with his passion for resolving issues no matter what it takes, much to the amusement of the female partner. In fact, Nora was more than delighted upon knowing that Nick accepted the task of investigating the disappearance of his friend Clyde Wynant and the death of Clyde’s former girlfriend, Julia Wolfe. It leaves little room to speculate that Nora was indeed the typical 1930s woman who seized her liberty as if it would never run out, putting her self to risky situations together with her man. She portrayed the woman who embraced the â€Å"flapper† culture with open arms, spending her time drinking alcohol or romantically engaging her partner. While she remained supportive of Nick like a female partner might usually commit herself into, she was on her own a liberal minded individual. For the most part, Nick played the role of the adventurous husband which perfectly complements Nora’s interest in the same. He was someone who lived every danger with such boldness. He was someone who sought the pleasure of his spouse—from accepting her request for him to take the case to completely allowing her to partake in his drinking sessions—no matter what the cost may be. It goes to show that Nick was a man who shared entirely similar interests with his spouse and will gladly fulfill whatever it is that will make his woman happy. It was his role to please his woman. On the other hand, it was the woman’s role to act is if she was herself a man, fully absorbed in exactly the same interests as the husband’s. Here we see the approximate gender roles prevalent during the 1930s. Men and women had more similarities than differences as far as their inclinations are concerned. To a certain degree, there was no â€Å"woman†. Woman drank, dressed and acted in an unconventional so that they may be desired by the opposite sex, and actively participated in fairly dangerous tasks. Her liberty stood at the very core of her character and this made her more appealing to every man. Towards the end of the film, Nick gives in to the implied gesture of Nora to spend the night together in the same bed. The scene is revealing insofar as it gives rise to the idea that women exerted a certain influence or power over men especially when it comes to passionate affairs. The 1930s woman had too much liberty, in fact, that she can do anything she pleases and become pleased in the end. Nevertheless, the 1930s man still had a lot to do with her sources of pleasure. References Dyke, W. S. V. (Director). (1934). The Thin Man. United States: MGM. Freedman, E. B. (1974). The New Woman: Changing Views of Women in the 1920s. The Journal of American History, 61(2), 372-393. Murphy, M. (1996). ‘†¦ And All That Jazz’: Changing Manners and Morals after World War I. Montana: The Magazine of Western History, 46(4), 50-63.

Diversity Training Essay

Diversity training is training intended to increase cultural awareness, knowledge and skills, and increase the inclusion of identity groups. This ultimately is designed to assist an organization promote a more diverse corporate culture, protect against civil rights issues, and promote better teamwork. This is accomplished through training in communications to all levels of an organization, reinforcement of policies and procedures to be more inclusive, design and implementation of strategies that limit the potential problems associated with lower diversity levels or diversity awareness. TYPES: Diversity Training Workshops * Diversity training workshops last about two to three hours, and courses last a minimum of four days. Workshops and courses teach conflict resolution skills, preparation for increases in racial and gender diversity, international work and safeguarding against harassment. Unfortunately, diversity training through workshops or courses produces only short-term positive effects. It seems that the â€Å"afterglow† of this type of training fades fast. Diversity Offices * Having a diversity office provides more training opportunities than a workshop or course does. Diversity offices can offer follow-up sessions in addition to the more extensive three-day to one-week diversity training sessions they conduct. Sojourner Training * Companies that compete in the international marketplace use sojourner training to help employees who will relocate to a foreign country. Once employees go through this type of diversity training prior to managing or working in foreign operations, their effectiveness increases. Sojourner training also provides counselling to help employees readjust to their return home. Ongoing Reinforcement * Rather than simply offering a short-term course or workshop, companies that make a real difference in diversity training are those that practice equality on an ongoing basis. In these companies, diversity is not just an add-on but also a major part of the corporate culture. In other words, to truly achieve diversity in the workplace, a company must practice what it preaches. Examples of ongoing reinforcement are hiring a diverse employee pool, recognition for diversity efforts, allowing minority groups to form support groups and celebrating cultures via special programs. How to Develop a Diversity Training Program Developing a diversity training program for your organization typically involves assessing your team’s needs, designing materials that reflect your training requirements, delivering workshops and reference materials and evaluating your efforts. Companies that implement diversity training programs to advocate workplace diversity tend to have higher employee retention rates, improved morale, reduced lawsuits and improved recruiting. Step 1 Initiate a diversity training program development project by identifying the project sponsors and stakeholders. Interview these people, conduct focus groups or conduct online surveys to gather input about the current environment in your organization and what behaviours need to change. Common topics include managing change, effective communication, cultural awareness, dealing with gender issues and conflict resolution. Step 2 Define objectives for your program. For example, you may want to minimize miscommunication and misinterpretation on the job. You may also want employees to recognize and value differences in age, experience, social customs, sense of time and demeanour. Achieving these types of objectives enables you to manage a culturally diverse and multi-generational workforce and resolve minor incidents before they become bigger problems. Step 3 Design your workshop. Prepare presentation materials to instruct participants about definitions and concepts associated with diversity. Intersperse long periods of instruction with interactive activities such as ice breakers, role-playing exercises and case studies. Ensure your content flows smoothly and covers all the relevant topics. Step 4 Deliver your workshop at team meetings, company events or separate training sessions. Decide how long your session should last, depending on the number of topics you want to cover, the number of participants and the participant’s familiarity with the content. Step 5 Create a quiz to test employees on their knowledge of diversity topics. Step 6 Evaluate your program’s effectiveness by creating an online survey to assess participant satisfaction. Talk with managers several months after your event to see if people have changed their behaviour and become more tolerant of people whose values may differ from their own. The Advantages of Diversity Training Fewer Lawsuits: One of main causes of concern in upper management is lawsuits filed by employees for discrimination, sexual harassment and wrongful dismissal. Diversity training helps all employees in a company to know what the laws are and what the company policies are. With training, people learn what acceptable behaviour is when dealing with a subordinate, peer or someone you feel is different from you in a way such as race, religion, nationality or physical abilities. In many cases, a situation is interpreted differently by the people involved, leading to misunderstandings and charges of wrongdoing. Once the employees have clear guidelines on how they should behave towards one another in the workplace, there are few misunderstandings and, subsequently, fewer lawsuits. Diversity training reinforces the policies that are already in place to protect employees and the company. Increased Job Satisfaction: When diversity training is successful, individuals are happier with their jobs. The training helps them to understand what is expected of them and what they can expect from their peers and supervisors. During diversity training, people get to ask question and discuss their concerns. Along with this knowledge and the feeling of being heard, people have a better understanding of the workplace environment and their role in it. This job satisfaction leads to a higher retention rate. Content employees are less likely to quit and look for new jobs. Employees happy in their jobs are more motivated and are more productive. These improved attitudes help the company as a whole to run more efficiently. More Diverse Workplace: Diversity training points out how alike people are, even if on the surface, they seem different. This knowledge leads to hiring managers and human resources personnel being more open to hiring people from all backgrounds and walks of life. Having a more diverse workplace makes the work place a more interesting environment. The training also unifies people with diverse backgrounds around a common goal. With proper training, a diversified workplace has everyone working together as a team to help the company succeed and grow. Disadvantages of Diversity Training Hiring Manager Authority: In the name of increasing workplace diversity, employers may feel pressured to recruit applicants from diverse groups. Many hiring managers believe that employer edicts concerning increasing diversity require them to overlook more suitably qualified applicants in favor of applicants who bring diversity — not necessarily talent — to the organization. In these circumstances, hiring managers may begin to resent how increasing workplace diversity affects their ability to exercise independent judgment, as well as their authority in making hiring decisions. Workplace Relationships: Employees who realize the company’s goal is to increase diversity may feel they are less important if they don’t represent the typical diverse populations that focus on race, sex, national origin, age and disability. In a workplace where employees don’t belong to diverse populations, these employees may feel undervalued and unappreciated based purely on the fact that they don’t represent diversity. They also might believe that employees from diverse groups have more opportunities for advancement, thus disrupting the working relationships they once had with colleagues and co-workers. Myriad Accommodations: Although the premise of workplace diversity is mutual respect, making accommodations for numerous diverse groups’ demands can become burdensome on employers, making diversity management difficult. Employee requests and work constraints based on religion, national origin, gender and race can become overwhelming if your workplace has so much diversity that it takes a full-time human resources staff member just to keep track of accommodating the needs of diverse groups in the workplace. Examples of accommodating numerous diverse populations include translating materials into multiple languages and having interpreters on hand for meetings with employees, accommodating employee absences due to religious practices or disabilities, as well as adjusting business hours to coincide with preferred schedules for employees with different work styles and personal obligations. Diversity Training at Infosys A global company must reflect the diversity of the world it serves. Their employees represent the widest possible variety of nationalities, cultures, gender identities, employment histories, and levels of physical ability. They recruit employees from global talent pools and provide paths for professional growth to all members of society. Within such a diverse company, people bring to the workplace contrasting opinions and worldviews. As these people interact, they develop new ideas, methods and perspectives. Infosys recognizes and promotes this power of diversity to drive innovation. Infosys actively fosters inclusivity across business units and company offices. They encourage employees to focus on their commonalities and de-emphasize differences. Inclusivity ultimately makes for more informed and sensitive teams that can serve customers better. Infosys was the first Indian IT company to establish an office for diversity and inclusivity. Their workforce comprises people from 89 natio nalities working from 32 countries, with 34.7% women on board and a multi-generational representation. Talent diversity is the key to propel their business growth engines and sustain momentum. Employee resource groups They work towards increasing employee motivation, their ability to collaborate and innovate with internal as well as external stakeholders and to have a positive business impact on their business success through various diversity and inclusivity programs. Creating Common Ground Highlights and educates employees about the values and cultural ethos. The program employs innovative approaches and communication campaigns channelled through live events, their intranet, their corporate TV channel, mailers and posters. Family Matters Family Matters promotes work-life balance among young parents. It also offers family enrichment programs and workshops, networking opportunities to employees for support and information sharing. IGLU Infosys Gay Lesbian employees and You (IGLU) creates a safe and respectful work environment for employees from the LGBT community. Awareness programs and exclusive events are held to create awareness and foster inclusion. Ineffability Ineffability creates a sensitive and inclusive workplace for differently-abled employees. Regular accessibility audits are conducted to ensure that their infrastructure is accessible to differently-abled employees. The World Disability Day is celebrated on all their campuses and policies are enhanced/ changed keeping in mind the special needs of differently-abled employees. IWIN The Infosys Women’s Inclusivity Network (IWIN), works towards creating a gender-sensitive and inclusive work environment for women employees and develop them for managerial and leadership roles. IWIN partners with gender networks and forums across the globe to benchmark. Samaritans Network Volunteers trained in barefoot counselling listen, empathize, support and counsel fellow employees and help them cope with life’s challenges, mostly personal in nature. This initiative is a first-of-its-kind in India and is active on their seven campuses and had positive outcomes for over 638 employees.