Global Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Global Strategic Management - Essay Example The transformation of local issues and phenomenon into the global ones are known as globalization. The process of unifying people of different culture identities and societies occur in the element of globalization. The entire process of globalization is basically a combination of different factors which are economic, socio-cultural, political and technological. However, globalization is usually referred to as economic globalization and it is related with the concept of integration of national economies into international arena where there are different factors like capital flows, mitigation, foreign direct investment and etc (Stiglitz). Strategists and economist suggests that organizations focuses a lot on globalization and international organizations which are termed as multinationals have to comply with the process of globalization because through this strategy they can enhance their profits and they can they experience growth in both the short and the long term. Different scholars believe that globalization is a wide spread term and this term can be taken and defined into number of ways. However, economic concepts of globalization depicts that the removal of trade barriers between different countries to initiate a proper flow of goods. This phenomenon is not new and it initiated in the 19th century but slowly and gradually this phenomenon gained momentum and different countries and organization started to adopt this phenomenon. Strategic management on the other hand is an important element for the organizations of today's world and strategic management allows the organizations to opt for new and modernized methods and how they can excel in this competitive world. Strategic management is the phenomenon of implementing decisions that are usually of cross functional nature and these functions enable the organization to achieve the long term goals of the organization. The organization's mission, vision and objectives are identified in the strategic management processes (Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson). Different approaches are used by different organization like business balance score card, situational analysis, matrices and etc. Globalization and its impact on businesses The effects of globalization are far reaching and it is considered as a complex phenomenon and it is considered as a hotly contested issue in global and corporate arena. This phenomenon is considered to be irresistible at one end and organizations and different companies have to campy with this but on the other this element is considered as a source of contemporary ill. The corporate effects of globalization are wide and varied and organizations have to transform themselves in order to face the challenges of globalization. Organizations have to adopt a novel approach because they have to comply with the changes (Steger). These organizations hav

Discuss the nature of dyslexia and implication for identification and Essay

Discuss the nature of dyslexia and implication for identification and assesment - Essay Example It is to be remembered that this is just only one aspect of the working definition, and this disorder is elusive in the sense that there are many differing opinions about the definition of this disorder in the literature, as a result many other different definitions exist. What all workers in this area accept comes from The Department of Education and Skills in their Framework for Understanding Dyslexia inform on theories and approaches to dyslexia. In it they have presented a practical approach to define dyslexia. Although literally, this word means difficulty with words or language, this literal meaning does not totally apply to the disorder of dyslexia at all. It is true that there are many reasons for difficulty to learn, read, or write. For these individuals, these difficulties "do not seem so easily explainable (DfES, 2004, 5). It has thus been defined by them as "a specific difficulty, typically characterised by an unusual balance of skills. Dyslexia affects information proces sing" (DfES, 2004, 5) in all the forms, receiving, holding, retrieving and structuring the information and this speed of information processing becomes very sluggish (DfES, 2004, 5). Skills such as reading, writing, using symbols, and carrying out calculations are all dependent on information processing system of the human brain. ... So, it would be worthwhile to examine the definition that is practically utilized while administering special education to these people. The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice refers to specific learning difficulties in a section considering 'cognition and learning'. The Code states: 'Children who demonstrate features of . . . specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia . . . require specific programmes to aid progress in cognition and learning. . . . Some of these children may have associated sensory, physical and behavioural difficulties that compound their needs' (DfES, 2001a, 7: 58). In this context it is of utmost importance to remember that it is not related to intelligence and may occur in different forms, mild, moderate, and severe. Consequently, their individual profiles vary from each other, with each having their unique strengths and weaknesses, and therefore uniqueness. In this assignment, the nature of dyslexia will be discussed in a greater detail in the fo llowing paragraphs so these attributes can be used for identification and assessment of this disorder. Nature With continuing research into the area, there has been considerable progress in identifying the causes of dyslexia so effective intervention could be designed to break into the cycle of failure (Fawcett, 2001, 25). This progress has been enormous since the usually grim outlook in such individuals is no longer hopeless. It has been noted that ""the stage is set for undertaking ambitious, multi-disciplinary, multi-perspective projects aimed at redefining the field of dyslexia and learning difficulties as the field of learning abilities"

Discuss the advantages of analysing organizations as incentive Essay - 1

Discuss the advantages of analysing organizations as incentive mechanisms - Essay Example In other words, it has been made clear that organizations can operate as incentive mechanisms for achieving the goals set by their strategic planners. Such perspective of modern organizations would be particularly important in order to understand the changes in organizational needs through the years and to identify an effective framework of action – meaning a plan for updating existing organizational policies – that would be best suit to the organizational aims; flexibility would be one of the key characteristics of such plan indicating the ability of the plan to be alternated in order to allow the development of the organization involved as an incentive mechanism. The terms and the characteristics of organizations as incentive mechanisms are presented in this paper focusing on the advantages of such perspective for both the organization, as an independent entity, and the organization’s stakeholders. 2. ... In accordance with Herbert Simon (1991) the organizational behaviour should be primarily based on the organizational loyalty (in Knack 2003, p.237); using the above view, the following assumption can be produced: organizations cannot act as incentive mechanisms if loyalty across their units is not strong. Another requirement of the development of organizations as incentive mechanisms has been introduced through the study of Ledgerwood et al. (2006). In the above study it is explained that organizations can operate as incentive mechanisms only under the terms that the communication in the internal organizational environment is at high levels. It is further explained that such organizations can be easily transformed as of their structure, goals and operational activities, without being negatively affected as of their performance. The transformation of an organization from a NGO to a Micro Finance Institution is used as an example of the above phenomenon (Ledgerwood et al. 2006, 292). A t the next level it is made clear that even when all measures have been taken regarding the quality of communication and cooperation within the organization, still it is possible that the organization fails to respond to its role as an incentive mechanism. In accordance with Ledgerwood et al. (2006, 292) one of the key reasons for this failure would be the inability of managers to identify the context of the organization’s incentives as being differentiated from the incentives of its employees. The incentives provided by the organization – acting as an incentive mechanism – are usually different from the incentives setting by individuals (employees) who are more likely to

Dissertation again Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7000 words

Dissertation again - Essay Example This study includes a content analysis based on the literature reviewed, and concludes that the global media in general and the American media in particular portrayed the Muslim world and Islam negatively; displaying a heightened fear, hatred, and hostility toward the said community. The terrorist attacks on the twin towers on September 11, 2001 changed, perhaps forever, the manner in which the world in general, and the Western world in particular perceived Islam and Muslims. As the media carried news about the terror attacks and the men behind it, the majority of whom were identified as Arabs from the Middle East, the perception of Muslims changed drastically. The sheer scale of the attack and extent of damage caused due to the attacks that deliberately targeted one of Americas greatest symbols of capitalism, power and world supremacy brought a relatively obscure facet of Islam to the forefront and in international spotlight. It now began to be perceived as highly violent, intolerant, and hostile to the western world. The cover story on News Week titled Muslim Rage, is a case in point. Islam has been depicted as a united group of people who share no similarities with the western world, and are intimidating, aggressive, intolerant and hostile to it. This image of Islam is drastically different to that of the educated, liberal, and secular West. The difference was apparent after the 9/11 attacks and the conflict inevitable. The events of September 11, only further highlighted it and resulted in differentiating the two and led to the battle of ‘them’ versus ‘us’ (Gunduz, 2007). The American Media increasingly began portraying Islam as intimidating and something to be feared, giving rise to Islamophobia. According to Seib (2004) news coverage of events especially those with political underpinnings thrives on events and

Post high school plan Essay Example for Free

Post high school plan Essay Youve just arrived at your office, which you share with a colleague, and it looks as if its going to be another frustrating day. Your side of the office is neat as a pin and incredibly well organized. You always arrive at work on time and you take care not to talk loudly when youre on the phone, so that you dont disturb your office mate.  Your colleague, however, is the exact opposite. Empty cups and stacks of dusty files litter his side of the office. He often rushes into the office late, and he sometimes puts the radio on while hes working, which breaks your concentration. You love your work, but dread coming into the office every day, simply because you dont like sharing your space with your colleague. He drives you crazy, and you often argue. If you thought about it, youd quickly recognize that theres conflict between you because the two of you have completely different working styles. Once youd realized this, youd have a starting point for thinking about how you could work together more effectively. All of us experience conflict like this at work. Conflict can be useful, since it can push conflicting parties to grow and communicate, and it can improve conflicting ideas. However, this can only happen if we understand why the conflict is there in the first place. Once weve identified the root of the problem, we can take the right steps to resolve it. In this article, well look at eight common causes of conflict in the workplace, and well explore how you can use them to manage conflict more effectively. About the Eight Causes According to psychologists Art Bell and Brett Hart, there are eight common causes of conflict in the workplace. Bell and Hart identified these common causes in separate articles on workplace conflict in 2000 and 2002. The eight causes are: 1.Conflicting resources. 2.Conflicting styles. 3.Conflicting perceptions. 4.Conflicting goals. 5.Conflicting pressures. 6.Conflicting roles. 7.Different personal values. 8.Unpredictable policies. You can use this classification to identify possible causes of conflict. Once youve identified these, you can take steps to prevent conflict happening in the first place, or you can tailor your conflict resolution strategy to fit the situation. How to Use the Tool Lets take a closer look at each of the eight causes of workplace conflict, and discuss what you can do to avoid and resolve each type. 1. Conflicting Resources We all need access to certain resources – whether these are office supplies, help from colleagues, or even a meeting room – to do our jobs well. When more than one person or group needs access to a particular resource, conflict can occur. If you or your people are in conflict over resources, use techniques such as Win-Win Negotiation or the Influence Model to reach a shared agreement. You can also help team members overcome this cause of conflict by making sure that they have everything they need to do their jobs well. Teach them how to prioritize their time and resources, as well as how to negotiate with one another to prevent this type of conflict. If people start battling for a resource, sit both parties down to discuss  openly why their needs are at odds. An open discussion about the problem can help each party see the others perspective and become more empathic about their needs. 2. Conflicting Styles Everyone works differently, according to his or her individual needs and personality. For instance, some people love the thrill of getting things done at the last minute, while others need the structure of strict deadlines to perform. However, when working styles clash, conflict can often occur. To prevent and manage this type of conflict in your team, consider peoples working styles and natural group roles when you build your team. You can also encourage people to take a personality test, such as the Myers-Briggs Personality Test . This can help them become more accepting of other peoples styles of working, and be more flexible as a result. 3. Conflicting Perceptions All of us see the world through our own lens, and differences in perceptions of events can cause conflict, particularly where one person knows something that the other person doesnt know, but doesnt realize this. If your team members regularly engage in turf wars or gossip, you might have a problem with conflicting perceptions. Additionally, negative performance reviews or customer complaints can also result from this type of conflict. Make an effort to eliminate this conflict by communicating openly with your team, even when you have to share bad news. The more information you share with your people, the less likely it is that they will come up with their own interpretations of events. Different perceptions are also a common cause of office politics. For instance, if you assign a project to one person that normally would be  someone elses responsibility, you may unwittingly ignite a power struggle between the two. Learn how to navigate office politics , and coach your team to do the same. 4. Conflicting Goals Sometimes we have conflicting goals in our work. For instance, one of our managers might tell us that speed is most important goal with customers. Another manager might say that in-depth, high-quality service is the top priority. Its sometimes quite difficult to reconcile the two! Whenever you set goals for your team members, make sure that those goals dont conflict with other goals set for that person, or set for other people. And if your own goals are unclear or conflicting, speak with your boss and negotiate goals that work for everyone. 5. Conflicting Pressures We often have to depend on our colleagues to get our work done. However, what happens when you need a report from your colleague by noon, and hes already preparing a different report for someone else by that same deadline? Conflicting pressures are similar to conflicting goals; the only difference is that conflicting pressures usually involve urgent tasks, while conflicting goals typically involve projects with longer timelines. If you suspect that people are experiencing conflict because of clashing short-term objectives, reschedule tasks and deadlines to relieve the pressure. 6. Conflicting Roles Sometimes we have to perform a task thats outside our normal role or responsibilities. If this causes us to step into someone elses territory, then conflict and power struggles can occur. The same can happen in reverse – sometimes we may feel that a particular task should be completed by someone else. Conflicting roles are similar to conflicting perceptions. After all, one team member may view a task as his or her responsibility or territory. But when someone else comes in to take over that task, conflict occurs. If you suspect that team members are experiencing conflict over their roles, explain why youve assigned tasks or projects to each person. Your explanation could go a long way toward remedying the pressure. You can also use a Team Charter to crystallize peoples roles and responsibilities, and to focus people on objectives. 7. Different Personal Values Imagine that your boss has just asked you to perform a task that conflicts with your ethical standards. Do you do as your boss asks, or do you refuse? If you refuse, will you lose your bosss trust, or even your job? When our work conflicts with our personal values like this, conflict can quickly arise. To avoid this in your team, practice ethical leadership : try not to ask your team to do anything that clashes with their values, or with yours. There may be times when youre asked to do things that clash with your personal ethics. Our article on preserving your integrity will help you to make the right choices. 8. Unpredictable Policies When rules and policies change at work and you dont communicate that change clearly to your team, confusion and conflict can occur. In addition, if you fail to apply workplace policies consistently with members of your team, the disparity in treatment can also become a source of dissension. When rules and policies change, make sure that you communicate exactly what will be done differently and, more importantly, why the policy is changing. When people understand why the rules are there , theyre far more likely to accept the change. Once the rules are in place, strive to enforce them fairly and consistently. Tip: Although Bell and Harts Eight Causes of Conflict provide a useful framework for identifying common causes of conflict in the workplace, they dont explore how to deal with conflict. So make sure that you know how to resolve conflict effectively, too. Key Points Psychologists Art Bell and Brett Hart identified eight causes of conflict in the early 2000s. The eight causes are: 1.Conflicting resources. 2.Conflicting styles. 3.Conflicting perceptions. 4.Conflicting goals. 5.Conflicting pressures. 6.Conflicting roles. 7.Different personal values. 8.Unpredictable policies.

Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Example for Free

Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is the idea that businesses conduct business practices for the social good while they pursue economic goals. It refers to operating a business in such a manner that all social environmental impacts that are created are then accounted for. Both market and nonmarket stakeholders expect businesses to be socially responsible. (Business and Society) It is a commitment to developing policies that integrate responsible business practices into daily operations, and to report on the progress made toward the implementation of these practices. (As you sow, 2011) So why is this so important? Some see this work as charity, philanthropy, or an allocation of resources that could better be donated by shareowners themselves, but to us, it is a vital investment in our future, essential to our top-line and bottom-line business success. Dunn, Hewlett Packard Senior Vice President for Global Citizenship Richard Murphy references a study, done in 2003 of buyer/supplier relationships, in his article â€Å"why doing good is good for business.† The study found a strong correlation between trust and procurement costs. The least trusted buyers in the study incurred procurement costs that were five times higher than the cost of most trusted buyers.† This statement alone shoes the value of social responsibility and how it now only impacts consumers views on the company but the relationships firms foster with suppliers. It is simply good for business. Throughout this report we will evaluate the importance of CSR and how it affects the firm and the impact the firm has on the community from and environmental perspective. A study performed in 2003, by researchers at the university of Iowa, evaluating the relationship between corporate social responsibility and firm performance; concluded â€Å"Corporate virtue, in the form of social responsibility and, to a lesser extent, environm ental responsibility is likely to pay off.† 1 After all it green is the color of money. It pays to go green this day in age. Going Green: Environmental Considerations Deseret Digital Media, also referred to as DDM, is an online internet conglomerate in the intermountain west. Being a media company, I’m sure much like others, environmental consideration are certainly a thought but not highly acted upon due to the â€Å"minimal† impact that online media has to the environment. While DDM has a strong company mission and culture, in which they excel and positively impact the community, they do little in means of protecting the environment. They are constantly in the public eye in their operation area due to their user base which leads me to believe that going â€Å"green† would only be a beneficial think for business. be good for business. Mark Orlitzky, Frank Schmidt, and Sara Rynes, â€Å"Corporate Social and Financial Performance: A Meta-analysis,† Organization Studies, 2003, pp. 403–41. Also investigating this issue are Marc Orlitzky and John D. Benjamin, â€Å"Corporate Social Performance and Firm Risk: A Meta-analytic Review,† Business Society, 2001, pp. 369–96; and for a contrarian view see Idris Mootee, â€Å"The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility—From Creating Customer Goodwill to Influencing Social Standards,† Futurelab, blog.futurelab.net/2008/12. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS We only have one earth, and one ecosystem. We each need to do our due diligence in protecting that ecosystem. Understanding the earth’s carrying capacity, how fast resources are being used and what we are doing to change that, can only positively affect our world ecosystem. Damaging any part of the ecosystem in one area can affect others in other parts of the world. (Lawrence Weber, 2010) Now human activity affects three major forms of natural resources; water, air and land. (Lawrence Weber, 2010) Deseret Digital Media can actively improve business practices and protocols to reduce the company’s impact on the usage of those three natural resources. Areas of impact below include but are not limited to: Water Resources: 3% of the water on earth is actually fresh. Only about one-tenth of 1 percent of the Earth’s water is in lakes, rivers, and accessible underground supplies, and thus available for human use. Water is, of course, renewable: Moisture evaporates from the oceans and returns to Earth as freshwater precipitation, replenishing used stocks. But in many areas, humans are using up or polluting water faster than it can be replaced or naturally purified, threatening people and businesses that depend on it. Humans are consuming/using water faster than it can be replaced or naturally purified, threatening those who depend on it. (Lawrence Weber, 2010) ï‚ § Considerations: DDM currently does nothing to maintain their water consumption. Currently the only consumption that is taking place is human usage by means of drinking water and restroom usage. Might not seem like a significant amount of consumption however; simple math, 100 employees x 64 ounces of drinking water = 6,400 ounces of water a day. While drinking water should not be regulated there are other ways to regulate water usage. ï‚ § Recommendations: A very simple concept used in all places, the restroom, can minimize water consumption quite significantly. Reducing the amount of usage by installing flushometeres. The current standard specifies that flushometers use no more than 1.6 gpf, though many manufacturers are shooting for 0.8 gpf (3 liters) 2. Urinals are also improving: The U.S. Department of Energys standards for urinals are currently at 1 gpf (3.8 liters)3. An important water-saving feature of commercial flushometers is that they can be designed to let users push a handle in one direction for liquid waste and another direction for solid waste. The latter would trigger a full flush while the former would trigger a partial flush. This dual-flush technology is becoming common other parts of the developed world, including the U.K. and Australia, though it has yet to become as popular in the United States. With wider use of these features, water efficiency is expected to improve for all toilet types. (Cancio, 2009) Air Pollutants/Energy Consumption: According to the American Lung Association (ALA) an estimate in 2008 reported that 125 million Americans, or 42 percent of the population, were breathing unsafe air for at least part of each year. (Lawrence Weber, 2010) This has to do with the pollutants that are being emitted into the air we are forced to breath. A major contributor the unsafe air and even more concerning; a major factor of Global Warming is the burning of fossil fuels that releases carbon dioxide. Not only do fossil fuels affect the air they also account for a huge percentage of the world’s energy source. 85% of the energy in the United States comes from fossil fuels by way of combustion of coal, oil and natural gas. (Lawrence Weber, 2010) Kohler. Power Lite Technology. (accessed December 11, 2009)http://www.us.kohler.com/tech/products/why_powerlite.jsp U.S. Department of Energy. Best Management Practice: Toilets and Urinals. Federal Energy Management Program. July 2009. (accessed December 16, 2009)http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/program/waterefficiency_bmp6.html Unfortunately the unlike water fossil fuels are nonrenewable energy sources. Even more concerning is that for every one barrel discovered for every three or four consumed. ((Lawrence Weber, 2010) 10) ï‚ § Considerations: When it comes to air pollution DDM luckily doesn’t have to worry about it as much, as say, a manufacturing facility. What needs to be considered more in depth is the amount of energy being used on daily basis. Being an internet company and hosting six websites 24/7, requires multiple servers and in turn a high consumption of energy. Along with traveling from coast to coast and using fossil fuel resources there are a few small â€Å"green† concepts that can be applied to reduce the amount energy being used. Deseret Digital Media has mentioned upgrading the hosting servers to protect the sensitive content, as well as, an energy saver. Recommendations: Something as simple as encouraging each employee to put their computers in an energy saving mode, turning computers in sleep mode or shut down when leaving for the evening. Updating IT equipment, and using energy saving light bulbs, are small changes that can make a sustainable difference. Land Waste: The United States produces an astonishing amount of solid waste, adding up to almost five pounds per person per day. Of this, 46 percent is recycled, composted, or incinerated, and the rest ends up in municipal landfills4. (Lawrence Weber, 2010) ï‚ § Considerations: While 46% is quite a large percentage there is more that can be done to protect the environment. Currently DDM has a small recycling program that is not widely publicized. While it is a great concept more needs to be done in order to encourage employees to use such programs. ï‚ § Recommendations: While having a small recycling program is a great concept more needs to be done encouraging employees. Posting flyers around the office, ensuring everyone is aware of the recyclable materials. DDM has numerous soda fountains throughout the building for their employees. Currently the drinking cups provided are Styrofoam that get thrown away regularly. Offering employees reusable hard plastic cups will help reduce the company’s carbon footprint and the amount of waste that is admitted into local landfills. ETICAL LEADERSHIP CONSIDERATIONS In simple terms what are ethics and how do they play a role in business? Ethics is a conception of right and wrong conduct. It tells us whether our behavior is moral or immoral and deals with fundamental human relationships—how we think and behave toward others and how we want them to think and behave toward us. Ethical principles are guides to moral behavior. (Lawrence Weber, 2010) Business ethics derive from the same moral compass. This generalized human trait is applicable to business and their ethical ideas and behavior within an organization. All areas of business, accounting, marketing and IT have to follow a certain standard of ethical considerations in operations. For this report in particular we will focus of ethical leadership and how they play a role in our green effort, with regards to social responsibility. Institutionalizing a code of ethics and ethical safeguards are grounds for encouraging environmental ethical performance. Institutionalizing a code of ethics encourages our employees to align with the company’s â€Å"green† mission (an articulation of our goals) and our societal obligations. By creating a strong code of ethics we are establishing expected behaviors among employees. Environmental Protection Agency, â€Å"Municipal Solid Waste in the United States: 2007 Facts and Figures,† www.epa.gov/epawaste. ethical behavior is extremely important because it will help to ensure that employees have predefined expectations of in office behavior and guidelines to follow in all functional areas of operation, as well as the companies green efforts. In the first line of the written mission statement form Deseret Digital Media (2012) it states, â€Å"The mission of Deseret Digital Media is to become the trusted digital voice in all of the markets we reach. This goal is part of our broader corporate mission to become â€Å"trusted voices of light and knowledge, reaching hundreds of millions people.†Ã¢â‚¬  They are trying to accomplish what any company is hoping to do as well, be a trusted place to come to for your product, service or information. To develop a strong presence in the market by adhering to the green policy suggested above, DDM can have a much greater impact on their local market. As much as it pays to be green, ethics pays as well. Below review the ethical leadership recommendations for each environmental issue discussed above. Water Resources: The water conservation suggestion presented above is a little bit more detailed and requires many parts in order to implement. To start management will need to get with building maintenance and even determine if this is possible to make such a change to the plumbing. From there the implementation process will take some time and patience leaving many toilets out of commission for a time. After the conversion process has been completed a company meeting will need to be held regarding how the new toilet process will work. It wont need to be in depth just a quick overview is needed and the importance and positive impact it will have on the community. Air Pollutants/Energy Consumption: With the recommendation above: Something as simple as encouraging each employee to put their computers in an energy saving mode, turning computers in sleep mode or shut down when leaving for the evening. Updating IT equipment, and using energy saving light bulbs, are small changes that can make a sustainable difference. A lot can be done by management’s actions. If management isn’t shutting down at the end of the night, and we have outdated equipment what makes employees inclined to want to save our resources. Leading by example and have management place their computers in an energy saving mode and sending a interoffice memo encouraging employees to do the same thing will definitely help reduce the amount of energy being consumed by DDM in a daily basis. As for updating the servers to be more energy efficient DDM is one step ahead of the game. They VP of Technology realized what an impact that would make and this suggestion is currently in process. Land Water: Since DDM has a tiny recycling program with limited recycling stations it would be suggested that management offer individual recycling bins to be stationed at each individuals workstation. This way it is more accessible/convenient for employees to recycle certain materials as opposed to throwing them into a waste bin, which will eventually be deposited into one of the nations landfills. This small step can mean great things for reducing the company’s carbon footprint. We want to accomplish just that by allowing consumers to feel safe buying our product and letting their children play with it. Their stakeholders are those who use media on a daily basis, while ours are children and parents of children who buy/use our toy collections. â€Å"All Deseret Media Companies are owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That ownership comes with a significant amount of trust and an expectation that we will align our actions to honor our owner. We want to work hard to demonstrate that we value our users and our marketplaces as well. To paraphrase the founder of largest the social media network in the world, We don’t create communities, they already exist. We know we have to earn the trust of the communities and individuals who choose to use our products. We are not perfect, but we want you to know that Deseret Digital is always working†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Deseret Digital, 2012) We need to align our actions much like Deseret Digital Media is order to grow a successful business and maintain employee and customer satisfaction. MEASURING SUSTAINABILITY TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE Now that we have a solid suggestion for the implementation of our green movement, we need to ensure that it â€Å"makes sense† for the company. Not only in a socially responsible manner but also from a fiscal stand point. A common and effective way to measure environmental impact compared to the company’s financials is known as Triple Bottom Line Accounting (TBL). Triple Bottom Line is a concept that was first coined by John Elkington of SustainAbility in 1994, and it referred to the interrelated goals of economic prosperity, environmental quality, and social justice. He developed the TBL concept in context of the growing concern centered around sustainability. TBL added the social dimension to the corporate sustainability framework which had previously focused mostly on businesses’ environmental impacts. The next year, SustainAbility developed the 3P (People, Planet, Profits) formulation of the TBL. Elkingtons 1997 book, Cannibals with Forks: The Triple Bottom Line of 21st Century Business, helped launch the concept of the TBL among corporate leaders. (McNulty , 2012) The TBL concept provided a means of incorporating sustainability concerns within the traditional accounting framework familiar to and accepted by corporate managers. While there is no universally accepted means of practicing TBL accounting and reporting, the TBL framework is widespread in the business world. A 2008 survey by KPMG of the 250 largest companies in the world found that nearly 80 % of them issued corporate sustainability reports and that the large majority (77 %) of the companies reporting did so using the TBL standards developed by the Global Reporting Ini tiative (GRI). (McNulty , 2012) This concept enables the organization to effectively assess sustainability movements and performance. Furthermore the metrics provide managers with feedback to make more informed decision and displays a picture for employees to see exactly hoe their green efforts contribute to corporate sustainability goals. When making a decision to use the TBL the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is a great way to benchmark performance indicators for all three aspects; people, planet, and profits. The â€Å"people† component of the TBL refers to the social aspects of the an organization’s activites and impacts. In short it is meant to gauge the organizations impacts on and relations with its own employees, its suppliers and contractors, the communities within which the organization operates, and the organizations customers or clients. (McNulty , 2012) Since this is much harder to determine the social impact the ‘people’ component is slightly less developed so we aren’t going to focus too much on that. Compare to the ‘people’ aspect, with the â€Å"planet† component it is easier to measure environmental impacts. (McNulty , 2012) There are many metrics that contribute to the performance indicators used in the GRI. For the purposes of corporate sustainability, the Profits component of the TBL takes a broader view of an organizations economic impacts and evaluates the activities and impacts of a firm with respect to a wider array of stakeholders than just the firms owners. (McNulty , 2012) Below is an example of TBL principles: PowerStar, an electric utility company, is considering making an investment in a new power plant and is evaluating several options that use different technologies and would be located at different appropriate sites. The technologies being considered use different fuels and require different capital and labor inputs for construction and ongoing operations. In the past, PowerStar focused primarily on the financial returns associated with the different options. The firm has now adopted the TBL framework and is using a project evaluation matrix. This matrix evaluates how projects can be evaluated and trade-offs identified in terms of economic, social, and environmental impacts.

Music Analysis Of Bluegrass Music Essay

Music Analysis Of Bluegrass Music Essay Bluegrass is a word which came into being after its adoption by musicians and radio disc-jockeys in the early 1950s. Denoting a form of American country or hillbilly music yet, distinguishing it from other types of similar genres, which were popular throughout the Kentucky and greater Appalachia even before the turn of the century. Due to the demographics of the settlers in the region, bluegrass is a music built on strong southern traditions and was originally played primarily by the white working class. Although it is still somewhat debated, it is generally accepted that Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys played the first of what we now call bluegrass music in 1945. (International Bluegrass Music Association, 2001) The banjo came to the fore as it had not done previously accompanied by multiple vocal parts and a now familiar line-up of bass; mandolin; fiddle and guitar. The argument against, rebukes not the talent of Bill Monroe or his style, but the pre-inception of a less formali sed bluegrass genre. No matter which side of the debate one falls on, Monroe is accredited with the commercialisation and formalisation of the characteristics which differentiates the music from other strains of so-called hillbilly music such as country-western, rockabilly, and other forms of western-swing. (Smith, 1965) Both the immigration of the Scotch-Irish settlers during the latter part of the nineteenth century and subsequent emigration of the second and third generations from the region play distinct roles in the social and economic background of the music itself. Celtic fiddling styles played in the home and songs of heritage were commonplace. Monroe fondly recalls his mother walking through the house singing, and playing the fiddle as she prepared the dinner. His uncle, who he first witnessed at the age of about six years old playing this style of fiddle on the front porch at his family home captured the young Monroes imagination. He got the wonderful Scotch-Irish sound out of it, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..and if wed have supper of a night, wed sit around the fireplace and hed play the fiddle. Most musicians of the time allude to fathers, grandfathers, and uncles who fiddled and mothers who played the organ, it seems everyone sang. Mechanically reproduced music and radio was therefore a luxury not many of these impoverished farmers at the time possessed, and although by the early 1900s, some rural settlers may have had experienced the radio, it was not as pervasive as it was to later become. It is for this reason we can refer to these strains as a form of vernacular music. (Rosenberg, 2005) During the late 1930s however, these types of technologies had come to the fore allowing greater access to music and film. The film industry in particular had made singing cowboys a popular trend and this was being reflected in the rise of western swing outfits such as Bob Wills and Bill Boyd. Other influences began to seep into the old time style, as country music began to move closer to the popular music of the era rather than the folk music of its distinct roots. (Rosenberg, 2005) George D. (Judge) Hay, a former news reporter, turned disc jockey with a popular Saturday night show titled The Grand Ole Opry, was adamant within his circle to keep these influences at bay and began to promote his radio show as authentic-hill country music. Urging his musicians to stay true to their roots and keep it close to the ground,(Rosenberg, 2005) he fought for years keeping drums off the Opry stage and very much discouraged the attempts to introduce electric style instruments, instead insisting on the musicians authenticity. It was subsequently the first country music styled show to gain a reputation on a national scale. His hatred of the word hillbilly and refusal to use it on his show gained him a respect from one Bill Monroe who tried out for the show in 1938. Cleo Davis who accompanied Monroe at the audition recalls; Bill and I did à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. a duet yodel, fast as white lightening. [And were told] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦if you ever leave the Opry, itll be because youve fired yourself(Rosenberg, 2005) Two of the immediate differences Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys brought to the Opry, and anything that had gone before were the sheer speed that they performed their songs and the key they performed in. Even slow or medium paced favourites were faster than usual, highlighting the skill that was required to maintain the instrumental dexterity and vocal accuracy if these up-tempo performances were to retain their precision. Along with a speed heretofore unnatural, was the use of unconventional keys. Monroe is accredited with saying; We was the first outfit to ever play in B-flat or B-natural and E. Before that it was all C, D, and G. Fiddle men had a fit. (Rosenberg, 2005) Accompanying these alterations was a slightly unusual musical practice whereby all instruments were tuned a half-step above standard pitch. This elongation and tightening of the strings served a multipurpose, gaining both in volume and achieving a brighter tone which subsequently served to suit the vocals better than it had previously. (Rosenberg, 2005) These musical alterations coincided with arguably the most significant social, political, and cultural movement of the entire century, the Second World War. During this period many economic sectors, including the music and recording industries, were in a state of decline. But despite this lull of music sales, the sale of hillbilly records grew exponentially. (Rosenberg, 1967) The major reasons for this were, a population shift, incorporating a migration of southern workers to northern cities, and a mass growth in the popularity of the genre within the armed forces, where many were exposed to these strains for the first time. Military service resulted in long standing members having to leave their post for the war effort. This resulted in an array of performers playing different roles for the following war years. Retaining his slot on the Grand Ole Opry, and gaining his own tent show, Monroe continued to perform with a roulette wheel of differing musicians, yet still managed to contin uously be the most sought-after performer on the circuit. It is about this time that the real elements of bluegrass started to form with the addition of extra musical elements, and it was at this stage Robert Russell (later to be renamed Chubby Wise) joined the fray. A co-composer of Orange Blossom Special a song which Monroe and his boys had covered on many an occasion had heard of Howdy Forresters depart, leaving the band without a fiddle player. Having approached Monroe backstage he joined the Opry tour. Although the musician roulette continued for a time with instruments such as the jug, accordion and harmonica making appearances, the seeds that would comprise the latter sound were beginning sprout. (Rosenberg, 2005) In 1945, debatably the most influential member was auditioned for the line-up. A young banjo player named Earl Scruggs made an impact with a song titled Dear Old Dixie, showcasing his ability to do things you could hardly believe, with Monroe reportedly saying hire him, get him whatever it costs(Rosenberg, 2005). For the first time the band had a banjo player who was not a comedian, but instead had the ability to play solos on songs where all previous players could not. Lester Flatt, a mandolinist and tenor singer was also taken aboard at this time, returning to his guitar and singing lead vocals to accommodate the Blue Grass Boys. Much of the music was actually too fast for Flatt to keep rhythm on the guitar, but he remedied this by using a guitar run at the end of phrases. The run began as an F# on the lower sixth string and ended with an open G. Runs of this type were common in previous country guitar styles, but became so synonymous with Flatt and bluegrass music that it is still referred to as the Lester Flatt G-run.(Malone and McCulloh, 1975) Both were extremely popular with fans, with Scruggs solos demanding encores from the boy from North Carolina who makes the banjo talk (Malone and McCulloh, 1975) Scruggs used a three finger picking style adapted from other north Carolina banjo players such as Wade Mainers two-finger style. His solos on the Opry from 1945-48 resulted in almost instantaneous star status as a country music instrumentalist. Monroes Blue Grass Boys now consisted of a mandolin; played by Monroe himself, a guitar; a banjo; a fiddle and a bass, a construct that is now the presently accepted make-up of the traditional bluegrass band. The sound they produced together had evolved substantially from the days Bill and his brother Charles Monroe entertained locally in Kentucky, and yet, with the early guidance of Judge Hay in Bills career, managed to keep true to the roots of the music. Scruggs and Flatt left the Blue Grass boys line-up late in 1948, due to the strain of being on the road. They still played together however forming the Foggy Mountain Boys. While in this line-up they decided to include the resophonic guitar, (or Dobro) in their band and as a result it is often included in some bluegrass bands today.(International Bluegrass Music Association, 2003) By this time there were other groups mimicking the style set by their outfit, most notably The Stanley Brothers. Monroe had replaced Scruggs with a play er similar to Scruggs own banjo style, and after setting the precedent it became the norm to describe a good banjo player as playing just like Earl Scruggs. (Malone and McCulloh, 1975) Robert Cantwell describes the relative speed in which bluegrass music permeated the psyche as he recalls an appearance from the Eller Brothers in 1980. They began with an old song entitled On and On, but could not remember where it had originated or who had written the piece. It was the work of one Bill Monroe and had apparently been inducted, along with those songs brought across the Atlantic, into the realms of tradition at the tender age of twenty-seven. A tradition according to Cantwell, that was violently foreshortened by radio (2003) The durability of bluegrass has proven this apparent presumption correct however, as the genre grows not only in the Americas but internationally, owing much of its success to the adaptability of the music through other genres, and the capacity to reach wider audiences through the growing medium of technology. The 1960s saw the birth of a new concept, the bluegrass festival. As bands seemed to be competing for the same audience, it was more product ive for all parties involved to put them on the same bill, appearing at festivals around America. These festivals are now internationally common with attendances growing annually. (International Bluegrass Music Association, 2003) Monroes most famous contribution Blue Moon of Kentucky has transcended multiple genres and been re-recorded by artists such as Patsy Kline, Elvis Presley, Rory Gallagher, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles and Paul McCartney among others. Scruggs and Flatt as mentioned continued recording, and wrote songs that appeared on the soundtracks of the cult movie Bonnie and Clyde and the Beverly Hillbillies television show. Bluegrass was once again shot to the forefront of consciousness when Eric Weissberg traded banjo phrases with Steve Mandels guitar in the film Deliverance, and audiences were once again reintroduced to bluegrass as the soundtrack for one of the Coen brothers cinematic ventures O Brother, Where art Thou? went triple platinum. (International Bluegrass Music Association, 2003) Bluegrass is still providing additives, foundations and inspiration in artists today, as Bà ©la Fleck (possibly the most recognisable banjo player worldwide presently), describes his most powerful memory on first hearing the music during an interview for the popular American network PBS: My most powerful memory was hearing Earl Scruggsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.as a five or six year old. That sound just blew me away, shook my head up. (PBS, 2001) Fleck has attained international fame for his ingenuity with his own band the Flecktones and for his fusion of a fast paced picking style with the jazz and blues undertones of the Dave Matthews Band, an outfit he makes regular appearances with. Once again keeping bluegrass firmly in the minds of the masses. The three audio files chosen represent three differing aspects of the bluegrass genre; The original bluegrass sound, the rise of the genres popularity through the prismatic scope of media, and its gradual evolution as these strains enevitably are influenced by other facors. The first, played by Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass boys is a recording from 1946 entitled Rocky Top. It showcases the finger-picking style of banjo thoroughly referenced throughout this essay, while emphasising the vocal layers and dexterity by using choral harmonics. The lyrics themselves reference Rocky Top Tennessee a domesticated hometown scence which much of the country bluegrass music was concerned with, the norm generally being a migration or a return to homelands. The second track was chosen for a number of purposes. Sang by Alison Krauss an extreemely successful country/bluegrass singer with accompaniment by Union Station, it is entitled Man of Constant Sorrow originally performed by the Soggy Bottomed Boys. My reasoning for choosing Krauss version is simple, she transcends genres. Recently dueting with Robert Plant the famed Led Zeppelin front man, she epitomises the durability and versatility bluegrass has sustained in revealing itself to new audiences. It is also featured prominently in the Coen Brothers classic film O, Brother where Art Thou?, reinforcing the previous point and illustrating the gains achieved through differing aspects of the media. The final track is from the aforementioned Bela Fleck, performing with the self explanotory New Grass Revival. The song itself called Steam Powered Aeroplane conveys a movement away from a homeland setting and can be constrewed as having migratory conontations, but more immediately, there is a movement towards the new. Containing the same basic principles, Scruggs-style picking and Flatts G-runs are evident. Vocals are also sung in different parts giving a layered effect, yet held secondary to the lead banjo and a commanding base line seems to keep the overwhelming speed in check. But there is a distinct modern feel as the instuments are very slightly amplified. In more recent years Fleck establishes the Flecktones and keeping this style joins a group containing a drumguitar infusing African beats with blues licks. (See The Flecktones: Next)